This is Democracy

Jeremi and Zachary speak with Dr. Susan Neiman about the role of historical memory in addressing past injustices. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, "Herbst ich erinnere mich", or "Fall I Remember". Susan Neiman is Director of the Einstein Forum in Berin, Germany. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Neiman studied philosophy at Harvard and the Freie Universität Berlin, and was professor of philosophy at Yale and Tel Aviv University. She is the author of numerous books, including: Slow Fire: Jewish Notes from Berlin, The Unity of Reason: Rereading Kant, Evil in Modern Thought, Moral Clarity: A Guide for Grown-up Idealists, and Why Grow Up? Subversive Thoughts for an Infantile Age. Her most recent book is: Learning from the Germans: Race and the Memory of Evil. The paperback edition of the book includes a new epilogue on the Black Lives Matter Movement.

Jeremi and Zachary discuss the role of dissent, specifically whistleblowers, in US national security and defense, with Hannah Gurman and Kaeten Mistry. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, "Cross of Gold". Hannah Gurman teaches U.S. history and American Studies at NYU's Gallatin School of Individualized Study. She is the author of The Dissent Papers: The Voices of Diplomats in the Cold War and Beyond (2012), editor of A People's History of Counterinsurgency (2013), and co-editor of Whistleblowing Nation: The History of National Security Disclosures and the Cult of State Secrecy (2020). Kaeten Mistry is a historian of the U.S. and the world and teaches at the University of East Anglia. He has authored Waging Political Warfare: The United States, Italy, and the Origins of Cold War (2014) and edited Reforms, Reflection and Reappraisals: The CIA and U.S. Foreign Policy since 1947 (2011) and, with Hannah Gurman, Whistleblowing Nation: The History of National Security Disclosures and the Cult of State Secrecy (2020).

Jeremi, Zachary, and guest Ali Soufan, discuss the effectiveness of the FBI's interrogation techniques from before and after the war in Iraq. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, "Do Not Turn from the Bruises that We Bare." Ali Soufan is a former FBI special agent and lead investigator on some of the world’s most complex international terrorism cases. He is the chairman and CEO of The Soufan Group, founder of The Soufan Center, and has been featured in books, films, television series, newspaper articles, and documentaries across the globe. He is the author of two widely-read books: Anatomy of Terror: From the Death of Bin Laden to the Rise of the Islamic State and  The Black Banners: The Inside Story of 9/11 and the War Against al-Qaeda. The latter book was recently re-published with the addition of detailed sections, formerly withheld by the CIA. 

Jeremi, Zachary, and guest Lata N. Reddy, discuss the intersection between business and social justice, as well as the need for diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, "The Dream." Lata N. Reddy is senior vice president of  Inclusive Solutions at Prudential Financial and chair of The Prudential Foundation. In these roles, Reddy harnesses the power of capital markets to drive financial and social mobility. By combining diversity strategies, impact investments, philanthropy, corporate contributions and employee engagement with Prudential’s full business capabilities, she helps position the company to promote inclusive economic opportunity and sustainable growth. Reddy originally joined Prudential in 1997. Prior to joining Prudential, she was a civil rights attorney with the U.S. Department of Education. Her dedication to promoting equity has spanned her career in the nonprofit, public and private sectors. Reddy holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from the University of Michigan and a law degree from Emory University School of Law.

Jeremi and Zachary, with Stephen Vladeck, discuss the current nomination controversies in the Supreme Court, and the relevance of the courts to the youth today. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, "By Allergy and Allegory." Stephen I. Vladeck holds the Charles Alan Wright Chair in Federal Courts at the University of Texas School of Law and is a nationally recognized expert on the federal courts, constitutional law, national security law, and military justice. Professor Vladeck has argued multiple cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and the lower federal courts; has served as an expert witness both in U.S. and foreign tribunals; and has been repeatedly recognized for his influential and widely-cited legal scholarship, his prolific popular writing, his teaching, and his service to the legal profession. Vladeck is the co-host, together with Professor Bobby Chesney, of the popular and award-winning “National Security Law Podcast.” He is CNN’s Supreme Court analyst and a co-author of Aspen Publishers’ leading national security law and counterterrorism law casebooks. And he is an executive editor of the Just Security blog and a senior editor of the Lawfare blog.

Jeremi hosts a roundtable discussion about the protests in Belarus Zachary sets the scene with his poem, ”Speaking of the Hurricane.” Nataly (Natalia) Yagur, born and raised in Belarus, has been a US resident since 2010. She holds a BS in Economics from Belarusian State University and an MS in Statistics from Texas A&M University. She has been the Community Coordinator for Belarusians in Austin since 2014 and is a Lead for Belarusians in Texas since 2017.  Michael has an MA in Russian, Eastern European, and Eurasian Studies from the University of Texas at Austin. His research focuses on the Lukashenko regime's use of anti-western propaganda, especially propaganda invoking national trauma connected to the devastation Belarus experienced during the Second World War. He lived in Belarus for an extended period of time.  Matthew Orr is pursuing dual master’s degrees in Global Policy Studies and Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. He received his B.A. in Russian language and literature from George Washington University and lived in Russia for three years, including a year teaching English through the Fulbright program. He is a co-host and a producer of The Slavic Connexion podcast at UT. Thomas Rehnquist is a cyber security fellow at the Strauss Center. Tom is in his third year at the University of Texas at Austin, completing a dual Master’s in Russian Studies and Global Policy. Tom’s attraction to cybersecurity buds from the growing use of non-military levers to conduct geo-political warfare, a strategy assumed to proliferate in the coming years. Tom is a co-host and producer of the The Slavic Connexion podcast at UT.

Jeremi and Zachary meet with Fredrik Logevall to learn how President JFK's legacy influences our politics today. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, "The Ghost of JFK." Fredrik Logevall is the Laurence D. Belfer Professor of International Affairs at the John F. Kennedy School of Government and Professor of History, Harvard University. Logevall is the author or editor of ten books, most recently JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century, 1917-1956. His previous book, Embers of War: The Fall of an Empire and the Making of America’s Vietnam, won the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for History and the 2013 Francis Parkman Prize, as well as the 2013 American Library in Paris Book Award and the 2013 Arthur Ross Book Award from the Council on Foreign Relations. His other recent books include America’s Cold War: The Politics of Insecurity (with Campbell Craig), and Choosing War: The Lost Chance For Peace and the Escalation of War in Vietnam.

On this episode of This is Democracy, Jeremi speaks with guest Dr. Nicole Hemmer on the growing right-wing voices in mainstream American media. Zachary sets the stage with his poem, "The Wise Man Addresses the Masses." Nicole Hemmer is an associate research scholar with the Obama Presidency Oral History project. A political historian specializing in media, conservatism, and the far-right, Hemmer is author of Messengers of the Right: Conservative Media and the Transformation of American Politics. She is co-founder and co-editor of Made by History, the historical analysis section of the Washington Post. She is also a columnist for Vox and The Age in Melbourne. She co-hosts Past Present, a weekly podcast where three historians discuss the latest news in American politics and culture, and is the producer and host of A12: The Story of Charlottesville, a six-part podcast series on the white-power terrorism in Charlottesville in 2017. Hemmer’s historical analysis has appeared in a number of national and international news outlets, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Atlantic, Politico, U.S. News & World Report, New Republic, PBS NewsHour, CNN, NPR, and NBC News.

On this episode of This is Democracy, Jeremi speaks with guest Steven Olikara on the role of race in the politics of the Midwest as it relates to the current political climate Steven Olikara is a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is the Founder and President of the Millennial Action Project. Internationally, Steven has advised two multi-platinum recording artists on youth issues and sustainable energy efforts, including the Akon Lighting Africa initiative that has electrified over 1 million homes in Africa with solar power. Previously, he worked at the World Bank and served as Harry Ott Fellow on Coca-Cola’s Environment Team, developing public-private water projects with USAID in Africa. Steven is a frequent speaker on next generation leadership at venues such as the Aspen Ideas Festival, the White House, Harvard Institute of Politics, Yale College, SXSW, and the United Nations.

On this episode of This is Democracy, Jeremi brings on guest Ian Buruma to discuss the lasting legacy of Winston Churchill as it relates to our current political climate. To set the scene, Zachary reads his poem entitled, "The Greeks have Seceded from the Continent." Ian Buruma is a leading writer about recent history, politics, human rights, democracy, and international affairs. He is a prolific author of major books, including, among many others: Year Zero; Occidentalism; and The Wages of Guilt. Ian's most recent book is: The Churchill Complex: The Curse of Being Special, From Winston and FDR to Trump and Brexit.