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Democracy Paradox

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Jan 23, 2024 • 49min

Simon Shuster on Zelensky in War and Peace

I think his heart is in the right place. I've talked to him about these things. He's very sensitive to the judgment of history. He knows that. Ukraine has been fighting since long before he became president to be an independent sovereign democracy with freedom of speech.Simon ShusterProudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.eduAccess Episodes Ad-Free on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Read Justin Kempf's essay "The Revolution Will Be Podcasted."Simon Shuster is a staff writer for Time magazine who covers politics in Ukraine and Russia. His new book is called The Showman: Inside the Invasion That Shook the World and Made a Leader of Volodymyr Zelensky.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20The Early Zelensky - 3:30Wartime President - 19:16Politics in Wartime Ukraine - 33:59Democracy in Ukraine - 36:18Key LinksThe Showman: Inside the Invasion that Shook the World and Made a Leader of Volodymyr Zelensky by Simon Shuster"Where Zelensky Comes From" by Simon Shuster in TimeFollow Simon Shuster on X @shustryDemocracy Paradox PodcastSerhii Plokhy on the Russo-Ukrainian WarOlga Onuch and Henry Hale Describe the Zelensky EffectMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.comFollow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show
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Jan 16, 2024 • 50min

Marcela Rios Tobar on the Failed Constitutional Process in Chile

When politics has to solve the problems that it has caused, how can politics do that?Marcela Rios TobarThis episode was made in partnership with the Constitution Building Programme at International IDEA Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.eduAccess Episodes Ad-Free on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Marcela Rios Tobar is the Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at International IDEA. From March 2022 until January 2023 she served as the Minister of Justice and Human Rights in Chile under Gabriel Boric.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20Background - 3:40The Draft Constitutions - 18:04Lost Opportunity? 35:11Exceptional or Harbinger - 46:55Key LinksLearn more about International IDEALearn about the Constitution-Building Programme at International IDEA at Constitutionnet.org Read more about Chile's constitutional journeyDemocracy Paradox PodcastJennifer Piscopo on the Constitutional Chaos in ChileAldo Madariaga on Neoliberalism, Democratic Deficits, and ChileMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.comFollow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show
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Jan 9, 2024 • 53min

Kurt Weyland on the Resilience of Democracy

Populist leaders want polarization. They start polarization. They confront. Kurt WeylandProudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.eduAccess Episodes Ad-Free on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Kurt Weyland is the Mike Hogg Professor in Liberal Arts. He has written many books. His most recent is Democracy's Resilience to Populism's Threat: Countering Global Alarmism. He has also authored the article "Why Democracy Survives Populism" in the Journal of Democracy.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:45Democratic Breakdown in Peru - 2:56The Populist Threat - 18:46Institutional Strength - 25:19Countering Global Alarmism - 46:19Key Links"Why Democracy Survives Populism" by Kurt Weyland in Journal of DemocracyDemocracy's Resilience to Populism's Threat: Countering Global Alarmism by Kurt WeylandAssault on Democracy: Communism, Fascism, and Authoritarianism During the Interwar Years by Kurt WeylandDemocracy Paradox PodcastKurt Weyland Distinguishes Between Fascism and AuthoritarianismJason Brownlee Believes We Underestimate Democratic ResilienceMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.comFollow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show
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Jan 2, 2024 • 42min

Is a New Jim Crow Emerging in India? Ashutosh Varshney Gives a Warning

That's the point here. It's not there yet. But if electorally the BJP keeps winning, this is a prospect that must be faced.Ashutosh VarshneyProudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Listen ad-free for just a $5/month on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Ashutosh Varshney is the Sol Goldman Professor of International Studies and the Social Sciences at Brown University. He is the author of many books and papers on India and its politics. His most recent article (coauthored with Connor Staggs), published in Journal of Democracy, is "Hindu Nationalism and the New Jim Crow."Key HighlightsIntroduction - 1:31Hindu Nationalism - 3:48Jim Crow and India - 12:08Vigilantism - 23:53Solutions - 34:46Key Links"Hindu Nationalism and the New Jim Crow" by Ashutosh Varshney and Connor Staggs in Journal of Democracy"India’s Democracy at 70: Growth, Inequality, and Nationalism" by Ashutosh Varshney in Journal of DemocracyFollow Ashutosh Varshney on X @ProfVarshneyDemocracy Paradox PodcastAshutosh Varshney on India. Democracy in Hard PlacesIs India Still a Democracy? Rahul Verma Emphatically Says YesMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.comFollow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show
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Dec 26, 2023 • 52min

Does Democracy Rely on a Civic Bargain? Josiah Ober Makes the Case

What we really need to do is recommit to the idea that this is difficult, it is valuable, and in order to keep this valuable, difficult thing going, we need to basically pay the cost of educating ourselves, educating the next generation, the background knowledge and skills that citizens need if they are to continue to govern themselves...Josiah OberSupport the podcast on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Josiah Ober is a Professor of Classics and Political Science at Stanford University and a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution. He is the coauthor, along with Brook Manville, of The Civic Bargain: How Democracy Survives.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:49What is Democracy? 3:15Conditions and Constraints - 20:17Classical Democracy - 24:26Future of Democracy - 39:21Key LinksThe Civic Bargain: How Democracy Survives by Brook Manville and Josiah OberDemopolis: Democracy before Liberalism in Theory and Practice by Josiah OberLean more about Josiah OberDemocracy Paradox PodcastHow Can Democracy Survive in an Age of Discontent? Rachel Navarre and Matthew Rhodes-Purdy on Populism and Political ExtremismMarc Plattner Has Quite a Bit to Say About DemocracyMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.comFollow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracyLearn more about the Kellogg Institute for International Studies at https://kellogg.nd.edu/ Support the show
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Dec 19, 2023 • 44min

Is Islamism Democratic? Sebnem Gumuscu on Islamist Parties in Egypt, Tunisia, and Turkey

If these Islamist organizations want to stay in these contexts and keep playing the democratic game, they need to commit to the democratic game in the longer run.Sebnem GumuscuSupport the podcast on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Sebnem Gumuscu is an associate professor of political science at Middlebury College and the author of Democracy or Authoritarianism: Islamist Governments in Turkey, Egypt, and Tunisia.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:31What is Islamism - 2:48Liberal and Electoralists - 19:23Role of Elites - 35:16Islamism in the Long Run - 37:09Key LinksDemocracy or Authoritarianism: Islamist Governments in Turkey, Egypt, and Tunisia by Sebnem Gumuscu"How Erdoğan’s Populism Won Again'" by Sebnem Gumuscu and Berk EsenFollow Sebnem Gumuscu on X @sebnemisbackDemocracy Paradox PodcastBerk Esen and Sebnem Gumuscu on the Disappointing Elections in Turkey… or How Democratic (or Autocratic) is Turkey Really?Shadi Hamid on Democracy, Liberalism, and the Middle EastMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.comFollow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracyLearn more about the Kellogg Institute for International Studies at https://kellogg.nd.edu/ Support the show
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Dec 12, 2023 • 53min

Can America Fight Back Against the Authoritarian Economic Statecraft of China? Bethany Allen Believes We Can

In the past 26 years, to this day, there has not been one major Hollywood production that has gone against a major Chinese Communist Party red line. Not one. Twenty-six years of silence.Bethany AllenSupport the podcast on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Bethany Allen is the China reporter at Axios and the author of Beijing Rules: How China Weaponized Its Economy to Confront the World.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:48The Authoritarian Economic Statecraft of China - 3:32Trump Administration and China Policy - 22:24Another Cold War -  34:26American Options for Response - 48:16Key LinksBeijing Rules: How China Weaponized Its Economy to Confront the World by Bethany Allen"Zoom closed account of U.S.-based Chinese activist 'to comply with local law'" by Bethany AllenFollow Bethany Allen on X @BethanyAllenEbrDemocracy Paradox PodcastHal Brands Thinks China is a Declining Power… Here’s Why that’s a ProblemJosh Chin on China’s Surveillance StateMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.comFollow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracyLearn more about the Kellogg Institute for International Studies at https://kellogg.nd.edu/ Support the show
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Dec 5, 2023 • 48min

Does Democracy Die in Darkness? Katlyn Carter on Transparency and Secrecy in Early Representative Governments

If we're thinking about democracy as something broader that is producing equality, justice or these kind of things, often those policies that we might describe as democratic policies can emerge from processes that are undemocratic. I think that's uncomfortable for us to think about.Katlyn CarterSupport the podcast on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Katlyn Carter is an assistant professor of history at Notre Dame University. She is the author of Democracy in Darkness: Secrecy and Transparency in the Age of Revolutions.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:41The Birth of Republics - 3:10Publicity - 19:23Spectacle - 26:43Representation - 35:43Key LinksDemocracy in Darkness: Secrecy and Transparency in the Age of Revolutions by Katlyn CarterKatlyn Carter on My History Can Beat Up Your PoliticsLearn more about Katlyn CarterDemocracy Paradox PodcastHeather Cox Richardson on History, Conservatism, and the Awakening of American DemocracyDaniel Ziblatt on American Democracy, the Republican Party, and the Tyranny of the MinorityMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.comFollow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracyLearn more about the Kellogg Institute for International Studies at https://kellogg.nd.edu/ Support the show
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Nov 28, 2023 • 47min

How Can Democracy Survive in an Age of Discontent? Rachel Navarre and Matthew Rhodes-Purdy on Populism and Political Extremism

I think populism is rather a specific form of discontent. Discontent is the umbrella term. It's this vague sense that the way things are being done is not working. That democracy is not effective. That it's not serving my interests.Matthew Rhodes-PurdySupport the podcast on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Rachel Navarre is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science and Master of Public Administration Program at Bridgewater State University. Matthew Rhodes-Purdy is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at Clemson University. They are the coauthors (along with Stephen Utych) of The Age of Discontent: Populism, Extremism, and Conspiracy Theories in Contemporary Democracies.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:53What is Discontent - 3:21Crisis and Discontent - 13:34Rise of Populism - 25:13An End to Neoliberalism? - 39:20Key LinksThe Age of Discontent: Populism, Extremism, and Conspiracy Theories in Contemporary Democracies by Matthew Rhodes-Purdy, Rachel Navarre, and Stephen UtychLearn more about Rachel Navarre here.Learn more about Matthew Rhodes-Purdy here.Democracy Paradox PodcastDaniel Ziblatt on American Democracy, the Republican Party, and the Tyranny of the MinorityMarc Plattner Has Quite a Bit to Say About DemocracyMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.comFollow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracyLearn more about the Kellogg Institute for International Studies at https://kellogg.nd.edu/ Support the show
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Nov 21, 2023 • 46min

Rachel Schwartz on How Guatemala Rose Up Against Democratic Backsliding

This was an election that was meant to cement authoritarian rule and it became a democratic breakthrough.Rachel SchwartzAccess Bonus Episodes on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Rachel Schwartz is an assistant professor of international and area studies at the University of Oklahoma. Recently, she cowrote an article with Anita Isaacs for the Journal of Democracy called, “How Guatemala Defied the Odds." She also authored a book earlier this year called Undermining the State from Within: The Institutional Legacies of Civil War in Central America.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:33The 2023 Election - 2:46A Weak State - 17:18Democratic Backsliding - 30:53Rejuvenating Democracy - 39:39Key LinksUndermining the State from Within: The Institutional Legacies of Civil War in Central America by Rachel Schwartz"How Guatemala Defied the Odds" in Journal of Democracy by Rachel Schwartz"Guatemala: Resisting Democratic Backsliding in the Least Likely of Places?" by Rachel SchwartzDemocracy Paradox PodcastWendy Hunter on Lula, Bolsonaro, January 8th and Democracy in BrazilJennifer Piscopo on the Constitutional Chaos in ChileMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.comFollow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracyLearn more about the Kellogg Institute for International Studies at https://kellogg.nd.edu/ Support the show

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