290 episodes
Democracy Works Penn State McCourtney Institute for Democracy
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- Government
The Democracy Works podcast seeks to answer that question by examining a different aspect of democratic life each week — from voting to criminal justice to the free press and everything in between. We interview experts who study democracy, as well as people who are out there doing the hard work of democracy day in and day out.
The show’s name comes from Pennsylvania’s long tradition of iron and steel works — people coming together to build things greater than the sum of their parts. We believe that democracy is the same way. Each of us has a role to play in building and sustaining a healthy democracy and our show is all about helping people understand what that means.
Democracy Works is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what’s broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it.
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Season finale: Protests, debates, and the "meh" election
We've reached the end of another school year and another season of Democracy Works. Before we go on summer break, Michael Berkman, Chris Beem, and Candis Watts Smith reflect on recent events and what's to come this summer.
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How elected strongmen weaken democracy
Democracy Works host Michael Berkman, director of the McCourtney Institute for Democracy and professor of political science, talks with fellow Penn State political scientist Joe Wright about his new book, "The Origins of Elected Strongmen: How Personalist Parties Destroy Democracy from Within."
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30 years of democracy in South Africa
At the end of April, South Africa marked the 30th anniversary of its first post-Apartheid election — the first in the country where everyone could vote. South African writer and scholar Antjie Krog join us for a look at the state of South African democracy today and how South Africa has served as a model for other countries in democratic transition.
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David Hogg on leaders we deserve
March for Our Lives co-founder David Hogg joins us to discuss his work advocating for gun reform policy and his new project, which aims to help young people win elected office at the state and federal level.
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Democracy is the sum of us
Author and public policy expert Heather McGhee joins us this week to discuss her book "The Sum of Us" and how racism shapes public policy and weakens democratic institutions.
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Cassidy Hutchinson on what comes after January 6
Cassidy Hutchinson, the former aide to Mark Meadows whose testimony captured the nation's attention in the January 6 Congressional hearings, joins us this week to discuss her time in the Trump administration and her new role safeguarding American democracy.