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Democracy Paradox

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Is it possible for a democracy to govern undemocratically? Can the people elect an undemocratic leader? Is it possible for democracy to bring about authoritarianism? And if so, what does this say about democracy? ​​My name is Justin Kempf. Every week I talk to the brightest minds on subjects like international relations, political theory, and history to explore democracy from every conceivable angle. Topics like civil resistance, authoritarian successor parties, and the autocratic middle class challenge our ideas about democracy. Join me as we unravel new topics every week.

Location:

United States

Description:

Is it possible for a democracy to govern undemocratically? Can the people elect an undemocratic leader? Is it possible for democracy to bring about authoritarianism? And if so, what does this say about democracy? ​​My name is Justin Kempf. Every week I talk to the brightest minds on subjects like international relations, political theory, and history to explore democracy from every conceivable angle. Topics like civil resistance, authoritarian successor parties, and the autocratic middle class challenge our ideas about democracy. Join me as we unravel new topics every week.

Twitter:

@DemParadox

Language:

English


Episodes
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The Last Episode. Elizabeth Saunders on How Democracies Wage War and Make Peace

6/11/2024
We've often compared democratic national security and autocratic security making in terms of autocratic elites and democratic voters. My argument is not that all democracies are the same, but I do think we ought to be thinking about autocratic elites and democratic elites and voters. Elizabeth Saunders Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Proudly sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.org A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Elizabeth Saunders is a Professor of Political Science at Columbia University as well as a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. She is also an editor of The Good Authority Blog formerly known as The Monkey Cage Blog. Her most recent book is The Insiders’ Game: How Elites Make War and Peace. Key Highlights Key Links The Insiders’ Game: How Elites Make War and Peace by Elizabeth Saunders Good Authority Blog Learn more about Elizabeth Saunders Democracy Paradox Podcast Rep Mikie Sherrill on Whether the Bipartisan Consensus on Foreign Policy Will Hold and on Threats to American Democracy Grading Biden’s Foreign Policy with Alexander Ward More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at democracyparadoxblog@gmail.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the Show.

Duration:00:52:51

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When Democracy Breaks: Final Thoughts with Archon Fung, David Moss and Arne Westad

6/4/2024
I think we've seen democracies can be unstable. Autocracies are even more unstable. David Moss Made in partnership with the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation Get your copy of When Democracy Breaks or read it open access. Access Episodes Ad-Free on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Proudly sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.org A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Archon Fung is the Winthrop Laflin McCormack Professor of Citizenship and Self-Government at the Harvard Kennedy School. He is also the Director of the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation. David Moss is the Paul Whiton Cherington Professor at Harvard Business School. He is also founder and president of the Tobin Project and the Case Method Institute for Education and Democracy. Arne Westad is the Elihu Professor of History and Global Affairs at Yale University. They are the editors of When Democracy Breaks: Studies in Democratic Erosion and Collapse, From Ancient Athens to the Present Day. Key Highlights Key Links When Democracy Breaks: Studies in Democratic Erosion and Collapse, From Ancient Athens to the Present Day edited by Archon Fung, David Moss, and Odd Arne Westad "Introduction: When Democracy Breaks" by Archon Fung, David Moss, and Odd Arne Westad Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation Democracy Paradox Podcast When Democracy Breaks: Scott Mainwaring on Argentina When Democracy Breaks: 1930s Japan with Louise Young More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the Show.

Duration:00:53:01

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When Democracy Breaks: Scott Mainwaring on Argentina

5/28/2024
March 24th, 1976 is the coup and it unleashes wild celebrations in establishment Argentina and almost no opposition.... Of course, this unleashed the most ruthless dictatorship in Argentina's history and in recent South American history as well. Scott Mainwaring Made in partnership with the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation Get your copy of When Democracy Breaks or read it open access. Access Episodes Ad-Free on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Proudly sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.org A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Scott Mainwaring is the Eugene and Helen Conley Professor of Political Science at Notre Dame. He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2010. His most recent book is Democracy in Hard Places (coedited with Tarek Masoud). In April 2019, PS: Political Science and Politics listed him as one of the 50 most cited political scientists in the world. Key Highlights Key Links When Democracy Breaks: Studies in Democratic Erosion and Collapse, From Ancient Athens to the Present Day edited by Archon Fung, David Moss, and Odd Arne Westad "Democratic Breakdown in Argentina, 1976" by Scott Mainwaring Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation Democracy Paradox Podcast Scott Mainwaring on Argentina and a Final Reflection on Democracy in Hard Places When Democracy Breaks: 1930s Japan with Louise Young More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the Show.

Duration:00:52:01

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When Democracy Breaks: 1930s Japan with Louise Young

5/21/2024
There's a fog of democratic breakdown where really you cannot see the actual impact of your choices or your actions until after the fact. Louise Young Made in partnership with the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation Get your copy of When Democracy Breaks or read it open access. Access Episodes Ad-Free on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Proudly sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.org A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Louise Young is a professor of history at the University of Wisonsin-Madison. She is the author of the chapter “The Breakdown of Democracy in 1930s Japan.” It is part of the volume When Democracy Breaks: Studies in Democratic Erosion and Collapse, From Ancient Athens to the Present Day. Key Highlights Key Links When Democracy Breaks: Studies in Democratic Erosion and Collapse, From Ancient Athens to the Present Day edited by Archon Fung, David Moss, and Odd Arne Westad "The Breakdown in Democracy in 1930s Japan" by Louise Young Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation Democracy Paradox Podcast When Democracy Breaks: Ancient Athens with Josiah Ober and Federica Carugati Dan Slater on Indonesia More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the Show.

Duration:00:45:03

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When Democracy Breaks: Ancient Athens with Josiah Ober and Federica Carugati

5/14/2024
What strikes me about that period is that democracy was not inevitable. Federica Carugati Made in partnership with the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation Get your copy of When Democracy Breaks or read it open access. Access Episodes Ad-Free on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Proudly sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.org A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Josiah Ober is a Professor of Political Science and Classics at Stanford University. Federica Carugati is a Lecturer in History and Political Economy at King's College London. They are the coauthors of the chapter “Democratic Collapse and Recovery in Ancient Athens (413-403 BCE)” in a new book called When Democracy Breaks: Studies in Democratic Erosion and Collapse, From Ancient Athens to the Present Day. Key Highlights Key Links When Democracy Breaks: Studies in Democratic Erosion and Collapse, From Ancient Athens to the Present Day edited by Archon Fung, David Moss, and Odd Arne Westad "Democratic Collapse and Recovery in Ancient Athens (413-403 BCE)" by Federica Carugati and Josiah Ober Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation Democracy Paradox Podcast Does Democracy Rely on a Civic Bargain? Josiah Ober Makes the Case David Stasavage on Early Democracy and its Decline More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the Show.

Duration:00:51:51

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Alexander Keyssar on Why We Still Have the Electoral College

5/7/2024
I think that if you got rid of the Electoral College, in the short run, there would be losers. But it hasn't always been the same group and it hasn't always been the same party. Alexander Keyssar Made in partnership with the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Proudly sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.org A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Alexander Keyssar is the Matthew W. Stirling Jr. Professor of History and Social Policy at Harvard University and the author of the book Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College? Key Highlights Key Links Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College? by Alexander Keyssar Watch Electoral College Symposium: What’s to be Done? Follow Alexander Keyssar on X @AlexKeyssar Democracy Paradox Podcast Heather Cox Richardson on History, Conservatism, and the Awakening of American Democracy Daniel Ziblatt on American Democracy, the Republican Party, and the Tyranny of the Minority More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the Show.

Duration:00:50:20

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Robert Kagan on the Threat of Antiliberalism

4/30/2024
You actually have to fight in every generation, if you want to preserve liberalism. It's not just going to preserve itself. It's not just the end of history. It isn't just the final resting place of humanity - not by any stretch of the imagination. It's a continual struggle. Robert Kagan Access Episodes Ad-Free on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Proudly sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.org A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Robert Kagan is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a columnist for The Washington Post. He is the author of many books including most recently The Ghost at the Feast: America and the Collapse of World Order, 1900-1941 and Rebellion: How Antiliberalism Is Tearing America Apart--Again. Key Highlights Key Links Rebellion: How Antiliberalism Is Tearing America Apart--Again by Robert Kagan The Ghost at the Feast: America and the Collapse of World Order, 1900-1941 by Robert Kagan Follow Robert Kagan at the Brookings Institution Democracy Paradox Podcast Robert Kagan Looks to American History to Explain Foreign Policy Today Heather Cox Richardson on History, Conservatism, and the Awakening of American Democracy More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the Show.

Duration:00:49:35

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Rep Mikie Sherrill on Whether the Bipartisan Consensus on Foreign Policy Will Hold and on Threats to American Democracy

4/23/2024
People in Congress are leaders in their communities and people in some parts of this country are, in my opinion, being led astray. Rep. Mikie Sherrill This episode was made in partnership with the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy Access Episodes Ad-Free on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Proudly sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.org A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Representative Mikie Sherrill represents the 11th Congressional District of New Jersey. She sits on the Committee on Armed Services, Subcommittee on Readiness, Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces, and the Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from the United States Naval Academy, a Master’s degree in Global History from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a Law degree from Georgetown University. She is a military veteran with almost ten years of active duty service. Key Highlights Key Links Learn more about Rep. Mikie Sherrill on her Congressional page Follow Rep. Mikie Sherrill on X @RepSherrill or @MikieSherrill Rep. Mikie Sherrill's Campaign Page Democracy Paradox Podcast Grading Biden’s Foreign Policy with Alexander Ward Can America Fight Back Against the Authoritarian Economic Statecraft of China? Bethany Allen Believes We Can More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the Show.

Duration:00:32:42

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Saskia Brechenmacher on Promoting Gender Equality Through Democracy Assistance Aid

4/16/2024
What does it mean to empower women politically in a context in which the dominant party is engaged in democratic backsliding or other forms of illiberal and exclusionary politics? Would you still want more women to be part of that party? Saskia Brechenmacher Access Episodes Ad-Free on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Made in partnership with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.org A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Saskia Brechenmacher is a fellow in Carnegie’s Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program. Recently, she coauthored a new book with Katherine Mann called Aiding Empowerment: Democracy Promotion and Gender Equality in Politics. Key Highlights Key Links Aiding Empowerment: Democracy Promotion and Gender Equality in Politics by Saskia Brechenmacher and Katherine Mann Learn more about Saskia Brechenmacher at the Carnegie Endowment Follow Saskia Brechenmacher on X @SaskiaBrech Democracy Paradox Podcast Marc Plattner Has Quite a Bit to Say About Democracy Larry Diamond on Supporting Democracy in the World and at Home More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the Show.

Duration:00:56:15

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Democracy in a Postmodern Era with Bruce Ackerman

4/9/2024
We have to reconstruct the foundations of our democracy, building on the past, not repudiating everything we're building on it. Bruce Ackerman Access Episodes Ad-Free on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.org A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Bruce Ackerman is the Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale. He is well known as a legal scholar and a political philosopher. His most recent book is The Postmodern Predicament: Existential Challenges of the Twenty-First Century. Key Highlights Key Links The Postmodern Predicament: Existential Challenges of the Twenty-First Century by Bruce Ackerman Learn more about Bruce Ackerman on Wikipedia Follow Bruce Ackerman on X @backermanyale Democracy Paradox Podcast Yascha Mounk Warns Against a Misguided New Ideology Zizi Papacharissi Dreams of What Comes After Democracy More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the Show.

Duration:00:47:01

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Adam Casey on How Military Aid Can Stabilize and Destabilize Foreign Autocrats

4/2/2024
We thought we were strengthening the militaries in the Cold War. In fact, the political effects of those strengthened militaries ended up leading to a longer-term deterioration and instability. Adam Casey Access Episodes Ad-Free on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.org A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Adam E. Casey is an analyst in the United States government. He wrote Up in Arms: How Military Aid Stabilizes―and Destabilizes―Foreign Autocrats while he was a research fellow at the Weiser Center for Emerging Democracies at the University of Michigan. All the content in the book and this interview reflects the views of the author and does not reflect the position of any US government agency or department, nor does it assert or imply US government authentication of information or endorsement of the author's views. Key Highlights Key Links Up in Arms: How Military Aid Stabilizes―and Destabilizes―Foreign Autocrats by Adam Casey "The Origins of Military Supremacy in Dictatorships," by Dan Slater Lucan A. Way Jean Lachapelle and Adam E. Casey in Journal of Democracy. Follow Adam Casey on X @adam_e_casey Democracy Paradox Podcast After a Coup, Can the Constitutional Order Be Repaired? Adem Abebe on Rebuilding Constitutions in West Africa Naunihal Singh on the Myth of the Coup Contagion More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the Show.

Duration:00:51:48

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Disinformation is a Threat to Democracy Says Barbara McQuade

3/26/2024
We have to care more about truth than tribe. We have to care more about each other than about profit. Barbara McQuade This episode was made in partnership with the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy Access Episodes Ad-Free on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.org A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Barbara McQuade is a professor from practice at the University of Michigan Law School. She is also a legal analyst for NBC News and MSNBC, and a co-host of the podcast #SistersInLaw. Her new book Attack from Within: How Disinformation is Sabotaging America. Key Highlights Key Links Attack from Within: How Disinformation Is Sabotaging America by Barbara McQuade Learn more about Barbara McQuade Follow Barbara McQuade on X @BarbMcQuade Democracy Paradox Podcast Peter Pomerantsev on Winning an Information War Samuel Woolley on Bots, Artificial Intelligence, and Digital Propaganda More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the Show.

Duration:00:49:01

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Grading Biden's Foreign Policy with Alexander Ward

3/19/2024
Whoever you vote for, Biden or Trump at this point, you are voting for a radically different vision of American foreign policy. Alexander Ward Access Episodes Ad-Free on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.org A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Alexander Ward is a national security reporter at Politico and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He is also the author of the book The Internationalists: The Fight to Restore American Foreign Policy after Trump. Key Highlights Key Links The Internationalists: The Fight to Restore American Foreign Policy after Trump by Alexander Ward Learn more about Alexander Ward Follow Alexander Ward on X @alexbward Democracy Paradox Podcast Can America Fight Back Against the Authoritarian Economic Statecraft of China? Bethany Allen Believes We Can Larry Diamond on Supporting Democracy in the World and at Home More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the Show.

Duration:00:52:44

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Peter Pomerantsev on Winning an Information War

3/12/2024
All this stuff about half of America just won't listen to this. You're just not trying. You're just not trying. I fear in America people don't try to reach people in echo chambers. Peter Pomerantsev Access Episodes Ad-Free on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.org A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Peter Pomerantsev is a Senior Fellow at Johns Hopkins University where he co-directs the Arena Initiative. His past books include Nothing is True and Everything is Possible and This is Not Propaganda. His most recent book is called How to Win an Information War: The Propagandist Who Outwitted Hitler. Key Highlights Key Links How to Win an Information War: The Propagandist Who Outwitted Hitler by Peter Pomerantsev This Is Not Propaganda: Adventures in the War Against Reality by Peter Pomerantsev Follow Peter Pomerantsev on X @peterpomeranzev Democracy Paradox Podcast Samuel Woolley on Bots, Artificial Intelligence, and Digital Propaganda Allie Funk of Freedom House Assesses Global Internet Freedom More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the Show.

Duration:00:48:22

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Is Democracy Still in Decline? Yana Gorokhovskaia on the Freedom in the World Report

3/5/2024
Without an elected government, without a government that truly represents... a lot of things are imperiled - rights, democracy, freedom, certainly peace. I think that's another kind of challenge as we go into this year of widespread elections. It's not just about preserving democracy. It's also laying the foundation for peace. Yana Gorokhovskaia Access Episodes Ad-Free on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.org A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Yana Gorokhovskaia is the Research Director at Freedom House and one of the lead authors of this year’s Freedom in the World report titled, The Mounting Damage of Flawed Elections and Armed Conflict. Key Highlights Key Links Freedom in the World 2024: The Mounting Damage of Flawed Elections and Armed Conflict Freedom on the Net 2023: The Repressive Power of Artificial Intelligence Follow Freedom House on X @freedomhouse Democracy Paradox Podcast Staffan Lindberg with a Report on Democracy in the World Sarah Repucci from Freedom House with an Update on Freedom in the World More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the Show.

Duration:00:46:00

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When We Misread Dictators... Steve Coll on Saddam Hussein and the American Invasion of Iraq

2/27/2024
As a writer I had the space to try to humanize him without sanitizing him. That was my mission: to try to see the world from behind his eyes in order to explain his otherwise inexplicable behavior. Steve Coll Access Episodes Ad-Free on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Read Justin Kempf's essay "The Revolution Will Be Podcasted." A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Steve Coll is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist who has served as President and CEO of New America and the Dean of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. He is currently a staff writer at The New Yorker. His most recent book is The Achilles’ Trap: Saddam Hussein, the CIA, and the Origins of America’s Invasion of Iraq. Key Highlights Key Links The Achilles’ Trap: Saddam Hussein, the CIA, and the Origins of America’s Invasion of Iraq by Steve Coll “How Iraq was Lost” by Robert Kaplan in The New Statesman (Book Review of The Achilles' Trap) Read more from Steve Coll at The New Yorker Democracy Paradox Podcast Robert Kaplan on the Politics of the Past and Future of the Greater Middle East Steven Simon on American Foreign Policy in the Middle East including Iran and the Wars in Iraq More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the Show.

Duration:00:57:36

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Why is the Immigration System Broken? Jonathan Blitzer on How American Foreign Policy in Central America Created a Crisis

2/20/2024
Written into the DNA of American immigration policy, which we tend to regard as a kind of domestic policy - and which in many ways it is - has to do with US foreign policy. Jonathan Blitzer This episode was made in partnership with the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy. Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Access Episodes Ad-Free on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. Read Justin Kempf's essay "The Revolution Will Be Podcasted." A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Jonathan Blitzer is a staff writer at The New Yorker. He won a 2017 National Award for Education Reporting for “American Studies,” a story about an underground school for undocumented immigrants. His writing and reporting have also appeared in the New York Times, The Atlantic, The Atavist, Oxford American, and The Nation. He is an Emerson Fellow at New America. His most recent book is Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Central America, and the Making of a Crisis. Key Highlights Key Links Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Central America, and the Making of a Crisis by Jonathan Blitzer “Do I Have to Come Here Injured or Dead?” by Jonathan Blitzer in The New Yorker Follow Jonathan Blitzer on X @JonathanBlitzer Democracy Paradox Podcast Rachel Schwartz on How Guatemala Rose Up Against Democratic Backsliding Joseph Wright and Abel Escribà-Folch on Migration’s Potential to Topple Dictatorships More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the Show.

Duration:00:54:47

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The Surveillance State in China Began With Mao Says Minxin Pei

2/13/2024
I think a powerful surveillance apparatus will continue to be a major obstacle to the development of democratic forces, but it will not be the decisive factor. Minxin Pei Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Access Episodes Ad-Free on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. Read Justin Kempf's essay "The Revolution Will Be Podcasted." A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Minxin Pei is the Tom and Margot Pritzker ’72 Professor of Government and George R. Roberts Fellow at Claremont McKenna College. His most recent book is The Sentinel State: Surveillance and the Survival of Dictatorship in China. Key Highlights Key Links The Sentinel State: Surveillance and the Survival of Dictatorship in China by Minxin Pei "Why China Can’t Export Its Model of Surveillance" by Minxin Pei in Foreign Affairs "Totalitarianism’s Long Shadow" by Minxin Pei in Journal of Democracy Democracy Paradox Podcast Josh Chin on China’s Surveillance State Deng Xiaoping is Not Who You Think He is. Joseph Torigian on Leadership Transitions in China and the Soviet Union More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the Show.

Duration:00:43:01

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After a Coup, Can the Constitutional Order Be Repaired? Adem Abebe on Rebuilding Constitutions in West Africa

2/6/2024
As democracy promoters, we also need to pay a lot of attention to the material needs of people... When these material needs are not satisfied, people will be more willing to give nondemocratic forms a chance. Adem Abebe This episode was made in partnership with the Constitution Building Programme at International IDEA Access Episodes Ad-Free on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Read Justin Kempf's essay "The Revolution Will Be Podcasted." A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Adem Abebe is a senior advisor on constitution-building processes at International IDEA. He supports transitions from conflict and authoritarianism to peace and democracy, generates cutting edge knowledge, convenes platforms for dialogue and advocates for change. Adem is also Vice President of the African Network of Constitutional Lawyers, which promotes democratic constitutionalism across the continent. Key Highlights Key Links Follow Adem Abebe on X @AdamAbebe Learn more about International IDEA Learn about the Constitution-Building Programme at International IDEA at Constitutionnet.org Democracy Paradox Podcast Can Poland Repair its Constitutional Democracy? Tomás Daly Believes it Can Marcela Rios Tobar on the Failed Constitutional Process in Chile More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the Show.

Duration:00:54:36

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Can Poland Repair its Constitutional Democracy? Tomás Daly Believes it Can

1/30/2024
Poland will be showing us the endless ingenuity of constitutional thinkers who are genuinely committed to democracy in its many forms. Tomás Daly This episode was made in partnership with the Constitution Building Programme at International IDEA Access Episodes Ad-Free on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Read Justin Kempf's essay "The Revolution Will Be Podcasted." A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Tomás Daly is a Professor at Melbourne Law School and Director of the Democratic Decay & Renewal (DEM-DEC) platform at www.democratic-decay.org. His new project on ‘constitutional repair’ addresses a pressing question: how can a democracy be repaired after being deeply degraded, but not ended, during a period of anti-democratic government? Key Highlights Key Links Constitutional Repair: A Comparative Theory by Tomás Daly Follow Tomás Daly on X @democracytalk Learn more about International IDEA Learn about the Constitution-Building Programme at International IDEA at Constitutionnet.org Democracy Paradox Podcast Kurt Weyland on the Resilience of Democracy How Can Democracy Survive in an Age of Discontent? Rachel Navarre and Matthew Rhodes-Purdy on Populism and Political Extremism More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the Show.

Duration:00:51:11