On the Frontlines of Democracy

Sanjay Ruparelia
  • 5.0 (2)
  • EDUCATION
  • UPDATED MONTHLY

This is On The Frontlines of Democracy, a podcast about the challenges facing democracies around the world

  1. FEB 27

    Dignity, Freedom and Memory with Lea Ypi

    Host Sanjay Ruparelia speaks with Lea Ypi, professor of politics and philosophy at the London School of Economics and Political Science and author of Indignity: A Life Reimagined, about dignity, freedom, and moral responsibility in times of political upheaval. Sparked by a photograph from her grandmother's past and a journey into archives of communist Albania, their conversation explores the limits of historical truth, the tension between agency and structure, and the meaning of identity and belonging amid the collapse of empires, fascism, and communism. They reflect on how individuals navigate choice, guilt, and surveillance under authoritarian rule and what the struggle to preserve human dignity can teach us about democracy today. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Host: Sanjay Ruparelia, Jarislowsky Democracy Chair and Associate Professor of Politics and Public Administration at Toronto Metropolitan University. Guest:. Lea Ypi, the Ralph Miliband Professor of Politics and Philosophy at the London School of Economics and Political Science and a Fellow of the British Academy. A leading political theorist, she is the author of several acclaimed books, including Global Justice and Avant-Garde Political Agency, The Meaning of Partisanship, and The Architectonic of Reason, as well as the award-winning memoir Free: Coming of Age at the End of History, translated into more than thirty-five languages. Her latest book, Indignity: A Life Reimagined, draws on her family's history to explore questions of dignity, freedom, and moral responsibility Background Reading:  Indignity: A Life Reimagined Free: Coming of Age at the End of History

    43 min

  2. 12/18/2025

    The Fight for Global Human Rights with Ketty Nivyabandi

    Host Sanjay Ruparelia speaks with Ketty Nivyabandi, Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada, about the global state of human rights amid rising authoritarianism, conflict, and democratic erosion. Their conversation examines the roots of today's human rights crises and explores how international law, civil society, and citizen action are being tested by wars in Gaza and Sudan, growing gender-based repression, the rollback of migrant and refugee protections, and the escalating consequences of climate change. They also discuss the strategies human rights advocates use to confront power and mobilize accountability in an increasingly volatile world. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________   Host: Sanjay Ruparelia, Jarislowsky Democracy Chair and Associate Professor of Politics and Public Administration at Toronto Metropolitan University. Guest: Ketty Nivyabandi, Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada. A global human rights advocate, former journalist, and published poet, Ketty has led civic action and advocacy campaigns in countries including Burundi, Syria, Yemen, South Sudan, Myanmar, Uganda, and Guatemala. Prior to seeking asylum in Canada in 2015, she organized women's protests for democratic change in her home country of Burundi, facing state repression and police violence. Her work emphasizes feminist and decolonial approaches to justice and accountability. Background Reading:  Nobel Women's Initiative- "Meet Ketty Nivyabandi" Words Without Borders- "Inzina"

    49 min

  3. 11/20/2025

    The Political Economy Underlying the US-China Clash with Ho-Fung Hung

    Host Sanjay Ruparelia speaks with Ho-Fung Hung, the Henry and Elizabeth Wiesenfeld Professor in Political Economy at Johns Hopkins University, to discuss contemporary understandings of China and how they're shaped and influenced by China's storied past. Their conversation draws on themes from Ho-Fung's upcoming book, The China Question: Eight Centuries of Fantasy and Fear, set for release in February 2026. The two explore how historical perceptions, geopolitical anxieties, and longstanding fantasies about China have shaped global engagement with the country over the centuries. They trace how these dynamics continue to echo in contemporary politics and how foreign notions and policies interact with and influence China. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Host: Sanjay Ruparelia, Jarislowsky Democracy Chair and Associate Professor of Politics and Public Administration at Toronto Metropolitan University.  Guest: Ho-Fung Hung,  the Henry and Elizabeth Wiesenfeld Professor in Political Economy at Johns Hopkins University. Professor Ho-Fung is also the author of several award-winning books, including City on the Edge: Hong Kong Under Chinese Rule (2022), Clash of Empires: From 'Chimerica' to the 'New Cold War' (2022), and The China Boom: Why China Will Not Rule the World (2015). Additionally, he often contributes analysis and commentary to media outlets such as The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Strait Times and The People's Daily.

    46 min

  4. 10/24/2025

    The Making and Unmaking of American Power with Ed Luce

    U.S. national editor and columnist at the Financial Times, Edward Luce, joins host Sanjay Ruparelia to discuss the topic of latest book: Zbigniew Brzezinski. They cover his life, legacy, as well as lessons learned from Brzezinski in global affairs and national security.  __________________________________________________________________________________________ Show Notes: Host Sanjay Ruparelia speaks with Ed Luce, the U.S. national editor and columnist at the Financial Times, about the subject of his recent book, Zbigniew Brzezinski. The two catalogue Brzezinski's life before politics, what motivated him, his tenure as U.S. President Jimmy Carter's security advisor and his disillusionment with contemporary politics later in his career. This conversation eventually circles back to the lessons gleaned from Luce's biography of Brzezinski and how they reflect prevalent ongoing debates.  Host: Sanjay Ruparelia, Jarislowsky Democracy Chair and Associate Professor of Politics and Public Administration at Toronto Metropolitan University.  Guest: Edward Luce, the U.S national editor and columnist at the Financial Times. Luce previously served as the FT bureau chief in Washington and South Asia. He is the author of three highly acclaimed books: The Retreat of Western Liberalism (2017) , Time to Start Thinking: America in the Age of Descent (2012), and In Spite of the Gods: The Strange Rise of Modern India (2006). Most recently Luce has published: Zbig, The Life of Zbigniew Brzezinski: America's great power prophet (2025) a New York Times best seller which chronicles the life and times of Zbigniew Brzezinski.   Background Reading: Edward Luce- Zbig, The Life of Zbigniew Brzezinski: America's great power prophet

    39 min

  5. 05/16/2025

    Globalization and the New Geography of Inequality with Branko Milanović

    Economist, professor and author Branko Milanović joins host Sanjay Ruparelia to discuss global economic inequality, the impact of globalization and the role of migration in addressing inequality.   _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Show Notes: Host Sanjay Ruparelia speaks with economist Branko Milanović about the structural forces driving economic inequality around the world. Milanović explains how globalization has narrowed income gaps between countries while widening them within nations. He reflects on the political consequences of these shifts, including the rise of plutocracies and the erosion of middle-class stability. The conversation explores proposals to reduce inequality—such as pre-distribution policies, changes to taxation, and rethinking access to education. It also examines the dilemmas surrounding global migration and the idea of the "citizenship premium." Host: Sanjay Ruparelia, Jarislowsky Democracy Chair and Associate Professor of Politics and Public Administration at Toronto Metropolitan University. Guest: Branko Milanović, a leading scholar of global economic inequality. Milanović is a research professor at the City University of New York Graduate Center and a senior fellow at the Stone Center on Socio-Economic Inequality. He previously served as lead economist in the World Bank's research department and has taught at institutions including the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University. His books include Global Inequality: A New Approach for the Age of Globalization (2016), Capitalism, Alone (2019), and most recently, Visions of Inequality: From the French Revolution to the End of the Cold War (2023). In 2018, he received the Leontief Prize for his work on measuring global income inequality.  Background Reading:  Branko Milanović's Visions of Inequality: From the French Revolution to the End of the Cold War

    44 min

  6. 04/16/2025

    From Law Student to Chief Justice - The Role of the Judiciary in Democracy with Beverley McLachlin

    Host Sanjay Ruparelia speaks with former Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin about the role of courts in upholding constitutional democracy. McLachlin reflects on fairness and moral intuition in making judgments. She also discusses the evolution of the "living tree" doctrine and efforts to build consensus and transparency at the Supreme Court. The conversation ends with a look at the balance of power among branches of government and the threats posed by leaders who challenge constitutional norms. ________________________________________________________________________________________________ Host: Sanjay Ruparelia, Jarislowsky Democracy Chair and Associate Professor of Politics and Public Administration at Toronto Metropolitan University. Guest: The Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin. Educated at the University of Alberta, where she studied philosophy and law, Beverley McLachlin was sworn in to the Supreme Court of Canada in 1989. She was appointed chief justice in 2000—a position she held until 2017—becoming the first woman to do so and the longest-serving chief justice to date. A recipient of more than 35 honorary degrees, McLachlin is a Companion of the Order of Canada and a Commander of the Légion d'honneur, among other awards. Her numerous publications include three bestselling novels—Full Disclosure, Denial and Proof—and a memoir, Truth Be Told, which won the Writers' Trust Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing and the Ottawa Book Award for Non-fiction. Background Reading:  Beverley McLachlin's Truth Be Told: The Story of My Life and My Fight for Equality

    41 min

  7. 03/12/2025

    Leadership, Diplomacy, and Democracy with Lloyd Axworthy

    Host Sanjay Ruparelia and the Honourable Lloyd Axworthy sit to discuss Axworthy's life in politics, which culminated in his role as Minister of Foreign Affairs under Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. Recorded just a day before the 2025 Ontario general election and eleven days ahead of the 2025 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election, they also discuss how Canada's role on the global stage has evolved over the years and the future of Canadian politics.  _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Show Notes: Host: Sanjay Ruparelia, Jarislowsky Democracy Chair and Associate Professor of Politics and Public Administration at Toronto Metropolitan University. Guest: Lloyd Axworthy is a Canadian politician, elder statesman and academic. He served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. In 2000, he retired from politics, returning to western Canada, where he served as President of the University of Winnipeg for ten years. In December 2015 he was promoted to Companion of the Order of Canada. He now chairs the World Refugee & Migration Council and lives with his wife Denise in Ottawa. Background Reading:  Lloyd Axworthy's My Life in Politics

    38 min

  8. 02/12/2025

    Wild Democracy: Anarchy, Solidarity, and Ruling the Law with Anne Norton

    Host Sanjay Ruparelia and Anne Norton sit to discuss Norton's book Wild Democracy: Anarchy, Courage, and Ruling the Law, which reimagines freedom and democracy as expansive and inclusive. They discuss how anarchy, rather than being chaotic, can be a nursery for democracy. Norton argues that authoritarianism is a greater threat than anarchy and examines the qualities necessary for a truly free and democratic society. Their conversation also touches on the nature of rights, the responsibility to resist unjust laws, the role of institutions, and why democracy must remain "wild" to allow space for dissent and change. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Show Notes: Host: Sanjay Ruparelia, Jarislowsky Democracy Chair and Associate Professor of Politics and Public Administration at Toronto Metropolitan University. Guest: Anne Norton,a scholar of political theory and the inaugural Stacey and Henry Jackson President's Distinguished Professor in Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania. Norton is a Co-Founding Editor of the journal Theory and Event.  Background Reading:  Anne Norton's Wild Democracy: Anarchy, Courage, and Ruling the Law

    36 min
See All (27)

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

This is On The Frontlines of Democracy, a podcast about the challenges facing democracies around the world

Information

You Might Also Like