Democracy Paradox

The group of people who have an interest in defending liberal democracy might be broader than many academics, and maybe even liberals, would have shown.Kate BaldwinThis episode features Yale political scientist Kate Baldwin in a conversation about her book Faith in Democracy, which challenges the assumption that religion is inherently hostile to democratic governance. Drawing on research from sub-Saharan Africa, Baldwin explains how Christian churches have often emerged as defenders of liberal democracy – not because of ideological commitments, but because democratic institutions protect church autonomy and social service work from state overreach. The conversation explores when and why churches mobilize against democratic backsliding, how institutional incentives shape political behavior, and what this reveals about the broader coalition of actors invested in sustaining democracy.The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Read the full transcript here.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20Why Churches Defend Democracy - 3:20Role of Education - 14:09Why Churches Choose Autocracy - 20:09Leadership - 27:00LinksLearn more about Kate Baldwin.Learn more about her book Faith in Democracy: The Logic of Church Advocacy for Liberal Democratic Institutions in Africa.Check out "Democracy's Devout Defenders" in the Journal of Democracy.Learn more about the Kellogg Institute.Support the show

You can take a cognitive bias so far down the road that you can live in an objectively very clear dictatorship and sit there and say, 'I live in a democracy.'Natalie Wenzell LetsaIn this episode of The Democracy Paradox, host Justin Kempf speaks with political scientist Natalie Wenzell Letsa about why some voters genuinely support ruling parties in electoral autocracies. Drawing on her book The Autocratic Voter and fieldwork in Cameroon, Letsa explains how partisan identities form under dictatorship and what these dynamics reveal about democracy, polarization, and political behavior more broadly.The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Read the full transcript here.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20What is an Electoral Autocracy - 3:20Voters in an Autocracy - 12:55Opposition in an Autocracy - 21:04Parallels to Democracies - 30:31LinksLearn more about Natalie Wenzell Letsa.Learn more about her book The Autocratic Voter: Partisanship and Political Socialization Under Dictatorship.Learn more about the Kellogg Institute.Support the show

The heart of ungoverning is going after expertise - eradicating expertise - and replacing it with the power of the great ruler.Russ MuirheadRussell Muirhead is the Robert Clements Professor of Democracy and Politics and the co-director of the Political Economy Project at Dartmouth University. He's also the co-author, with Nancy Rosenblum, of Ungoverning: The Attack on the Administrative State and the Politics of Chaos. Patrick McQuestion joins to help introduce the episode. Patrick is a  PhD student in his fourth year at the University of Notre Dame studying political science and peace studies, and also the co-host of the Global Stage Podcast. The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Read the full transcript here.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20What is Ungoverning? 9:00The Fourth Branch - 32:29Other Examples of Ungoverning 36:28Ungoverning and Democracy - 46:59Links:Learn more about Russell MuirheadLearn more about his book Ungoverning: The Attack on the Administrative State and the Politics of ChaosLearn more about Patrick McQuestionLearn more about the Kellogg Institute.Support the show

Decreasing incumbent capacity and affective polarization are making incumbency salient, but also more of a curse than a blessing.Luis SchiumeriniIn this episode of The Democracy Paradox, host Justin Kempf speaks with Notre Dame political scientist Luis Schiumerini about his new book Incumbency Bias: Why Political Office is a Blessing and a Curse in Latin America. Schiumerini challenges common assumptions about incumbents, demonstrating that holding office can create systematic advantages – or disadvantages – depending on the institutional context. Before the conversation begins, Kellogg Doctoral Student Affiliate Tomás Gianibelli joins Kempf to share his experience working with Schiumerini and to explain why this research reshapes how scholars think about democracy. The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Read the full transcript here.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20What is Incumbency Bias - 6:06Incumbency Disadvantage on the Rise - 23:58Term Limits - 31:39Implications for Democracy - 36:52Links:Learn more about Luis SchiumeriniLearn more about his book Incumbency Bias: Why Political Office is a Blessing and a Curse in Latin AmericaLearn more about Tomás GianibelliLearn more about the Kellogg Institute.Support the show

The biggest disappointment is that democracies do not reduce social and economic inequality.Adam PrzeworskiIn this episode, host Justin Kempf talks with political scientist Adam Przeworski about what truly defines democracy today. Przeworski explains why he sees no global democratic crisis, defends a minimalist view centered on free and fair elections, and reflects on why democracies struggle to reduce inequality. He also discusses why citizens sometimes tolerate democratic erosion and how modern autocracies maintain support, offering a clear and concise perspective on democracy’s strengths and limits. Alejandro González Ruiz, cohost of the Kellogg Institute's Global Stage podcast, joins to help introduce the episode.The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Read the full transcript here.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20Minimal Democracy and Democratic Crisis - 9:44Economic Inequality and Democracy - 22:37Autocracy and Popular Support - 31:42Democratic Backsliding - 36:09LinksLearn more about Adam Przeworski.Learn more about his book Crises of Democracy (Cambridge University Press, 2019).Learn more about Alejandro González Ruiz.Learn more about the Kellogg Institute.Apes of the State created all MusicSupport the show

For democratic revolutions to survive counterrevolution, they have to make certain choices that can undermine the quality of their democracy.Killian ClarkePolitical scientist Killian Clarke joins The Democracy Paradox to discuss his new book, Return of Tyranny: Why Counterrevolutions Emerge and Succeed. He explains why democratic revolutions are especially vulnerable to reversal, how elites and citizens can align in counterrevolutionary movements, and what these dynamics reveal about democracy’s fragility and endurance today. Amanda Waterhouse, a postdoctoral democracy researcher at the Kellogg Institute also joins to help introduce the episode.The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Read the full transcript here.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20Counterrevolutions as Mass Movements - 9:59Prevalence and Success of Counterrevolution - 19:08Is Counterrevolution Always Bad? - 33:22Why Some Revolutionaries Join the Counterrevolution - 41:12LinksLearn more about Amanda Waterhouse.Learn more about Killian Clarke.Learn more about Clarke's book Return of Tyranny: Why Counterrevolutions Emerge and Succeed (Cambridge University Press, 2025)Learn more about the Kellogg Institute.Apes of the State created all MusicSupport the show

The regime question at its core is about how we should govern ourselves... This is an enduring question that is essential to democratic politics.Amel AhmedThis episode begins with host Justin Kempf and Javier Pérez Sandoval setting the stage for a deep dive into the “regime question,” highlighting its significance in democratic theory and contemporary politics. Their introductory discussion explores foundational divides in political systems and frames the questions that will be pursued, particularly the tensions between institutional arrangements and party cleavages. The heart of the episode follows as Kempf interviews Amel Ahmed, who draws on her comparative research to examine historical battles over parliamentary power, suffrage, and executive authority in the United Kingdom, United States, and Germany. Ahmed connects these cases to present-day concerns about legislative dysfunction and polarization, demonstrating that ongoing contestation over the rules of democracy is both persistent and essential to democratic governance.The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Read the full transcript here.Amel Ahmed is an assistant professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the author of the book The Regime Question: Foundations of Democratic Governance in Europe and the United States. Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20What is the Regime Question - 8:42Electoral Authoritarianism - 25:05Resolving the Regime Question - 36:03Implications for Democracy - 44:47LinksLearn more about Javier Pérez SandovalLearn more about Amel AhmedLearn more about her book, The Regime Question: Foundations of Democratic Governance in Europe and the United StatesLearn more about the Kellogg InstituteSupport the show

After an introductory conversation with Kellogg Faculty Fellow Marc Jacob, Democracy Paradox host Justin Kempf explores the dynamics of global democracy with renowned expert Thomas Carothers. Carothers, the director of the Carnegie Endowment's Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program, shares his deep knowledge and firsthand experiences in democracy promotion, focusing on the importance of coalition-building, inclusive leadership, and long-term commitment in sustaining democratic movements. Drawing from case studies in Latin America, particularly Chile and Brazil, he provides thoughtful reflections on the challenges and successes of political activism. This conversation offers insights for scholars, policymakers, and activists dedicated to advancing resilient democratic institutions worldwide. The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Read the full transcript here.Tom Carothers is the Director of the Democracy Conflict and Governance Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He's the author of numerous books and articles. Some of his most recent articles and reports include “Misunderstanding Democratic Backsliding,” “Lessons about Backsliding and Resistance,” and “Understanding and Responding to Global Democratic Backsliding.” ChaptersIntroduction with Marc Jacob - 0:20Explanations for Backsliding - 8:40Role of Institutions - 24:28Polarization - 37:31Democratic Hardball - 39:24Links:Learn more about Marc Jacob.Learn more about Thomas Carothers.Learn more about the Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.Learn more about the Kellogg Institute.Support the show

Javier Corrales, professor of political science at Amherst College, discusses his recent research on democratic backsliding and intentional polarization. The discussion explores how leaders employ extremist policies and ideological rhetoric to consolidate executive power, drawing comparisons between Venezuela, the United States, and other global contexts. An introductory conversation with Kellogg Visiting Fellow Henry Moncrieff offers a nuanced look at opposition strategies and the complex factors shaping democratic resilience and decline.Read the transcript here. The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Javier Corrales is Dwight W. Morrow 1895 professor of Political Science at Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts. He is the author of the book Autocracy Rising: How Venezuela Transitioned to Authoritarianism as well as numerous scholarly articles. His most recent article (coauthored with Ricardo José Salas Díaz) is "Intentional Polarization: How Policy Extremism and Ideological Overuse Promote Democratic Backsliding" published in Democratization. ChaptersIntroduction with Henry Moncrieff 0:20Leaders Drive Polarization 5:48Radicalization 15:43Opposition Response 26:32Role of the Public - 37:29Learn more about Javier Corrales.Learn more about Henry Moncrieff.Learn more about the Kellogg Institute.Support the show

In this episode, Justin interviews Susan Stokes, the  Tiffany and Margaret Blake Distinguished Service Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago and Director of the Chicago Center on Democracy.  They discuss her new book The Backsliders, which explains how economic inequality and political polarization create conditions that allow leaders to undermine democratic institutions. She explores the roles of populism, voter behavior, and institutional erosion in democratic backsliding worldwide.Read the transcript here.The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute at the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. ChaptersIntroduction - 0:20Leadership  - 3:51Economic Inequality - 6:35Polarization - 19:35Populism - 27:27Key LinksLearn more about Susan Stokes.Backsliders: Why Leaders Undermine their Own DemocraciesVictoria Murillo - The Social Underpinnings of Political Discontent in Latin America - September 23rd, 12:30pm - 2:00pm Central Time. If you can't make it, click here to watch the video!Check out this year's visiting fellows to the Kellogg Institute here.Support the show