Democracy Paradox 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.
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When Democracy Breaks: Ancient Athens with Josiah Ober and Federica Carugati
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
Read the chapters from When Democracy Breaks at the Tobin Project.
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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
Introduction - 0:20
Democratization - 3:28
Breakdown - 17:36
Rebirth - 36:48
Final Lessons - 47:51
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
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Alexander Keyssar on Why We Still Have the Electoral College
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
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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
Introduction - 0:20Origin of the Electoral College - 3:05Proportional or District Electoral Votes - 17:37Race and Civil Rights - 27:02Why No Reform - 41:44Key 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
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Robert Kagan on the Threat of Antiliberalism
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
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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
Introduction - 0:20Traditions of Liberalism and Antiliberalism - 3:04Antiliberalism as an Idea - 8:35Tension Within Ourselves - 21:25Future of Liberalism and Antiliberalism - 37:42Key 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
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Rep Mikie Sherrill on Whether the Bipartisan Consensus on Foreign Policy Will Hold and on Threats to American Democracy
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
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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
Introduction - 0:20Personal Background - 3:48Polarization and Foreign Policy - 13:50China - 23:36American Democracy - 28:41Key Links
Learn more about Rep. Mikie Sherrill on her Congressional page
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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
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Saskia Brechenmacher on Promoting Gender Equality Through Democracy Assistance Aid
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
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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
Introduction - 0:20Democracy Promotion and Gender Equality - 3:13Gender Quotas - 12:38Challenges - 28:12New Ideas and Issues - 44:53Key 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
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Democracy Paradox Podcast
Marc Plattner Has Quite a Bit to Say About Democracy
Larry Diamond on Supporting Democracy in the World and at Home
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Democracy in a Postmodern Era with Bruce Ackerman
We have to reconstruct the foundations of our democracy, building on the past, not repudiating everything we're building on it.
Bruce Ackerman
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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
Introduction - 0:20Modernity - 2:37Postmodernism - 15:26Deliberation Day - 36:08Rethinking Modernity - 43:28Key Links
The Postmodern Predicament: Existential Challenges of the Twenty-First Century by Bruce Ackerman
Learn more about Bruce Ackerman on Wikipedia
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Democracy Paradox Podcast
Yascha Mounk Warns Against a Misguided New Ideology
Zizi Papacharissi Dreams of What Comes After Democracy
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Apes of the State created all Music
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100 Books on Democracy
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