On the Frontlines of Democracy

Sanjay Ruparelia

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

  1. May 25

    Countering the Threat of Wannabe Fascists with Federico Finchelstein

    Host Sanjay Ruparelia speaks with Federico Finchelstein about the history of fascism and the growing threat authoritarian politics pose to democracy today. Drawing on his latest book, The Wannabe Fascists, Finchelstein examines the pillars of fascism while exploring how elements of these movements continue to shape contemporary political leaders around the world. Their conversation traces the relationship between fascism and populism, the erosion of democratic norms, and why modern "wannabe fascists" represent a serious challenge to democratic values in the 21st century. Host: Sanjay Ruparelia, Jarislowsky Democracy Chair and Associate Professor of Politics and Public Administration at Toronto Metropolitan University. Guest: Federico Finchelstein is the University in Exile Research Professor at The New School, where he teaches History and directs the Janey Program in Latin American Studies. He is the author of numerous books on fascism, populism, and authoritarianism, including his latest: The Wannabe Fascists: A Guide to Understanding the Greatest Threat to Democracy.

    1h 5m

  2. Apr 24

    Building Democratic Resilience and International Solidarity with Bob Rae

    Host Sanjay Ruparelia speaks with The Honourable Bob Rae, in a special live recording at DemocracyXchange 2026, about the state of global order, Canadian democracy, and the country's role in a shifting international landscape. Their conversation explores how today's moment of geopolitical uncertainty has been shaped by overlapping crises, from war and inequality to rising populism, alongside the growing strain on multilateral institutions, while also examining the strengths and vulnerabilities of Canada's democratic system and the challenges it faces at home. The two reflect on how Canada can navigate an increasingly fragmented world and what these intersecting pressures reveal about the future of democracy today. _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Host: Sanjay Ruparelia, Jarislowsky Democracy Chair and Associate Professor of Politics and Public Administration at Toronto Metropolitan University. Guest: The Hon. Bob Rae is a Canadian lawyer, diplomat, and politician who has served both provincial and federal governments. He was Premier of Ontario (NDP) and later served as interim leader of the federal Liberal Party. He has also served as Canada's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. Throughout his career, Mr. Rae has worked as a lawyer, activist and author.   Links:  DemocracyXChange On The Frontlines of Democracy - Lecture series and podcast

    1 hr

  3. Apr 6

    The Struggles for Black Freedom in the US and Africa with Howard French

    Host Sanjay Ruparelia speaks with Howard French, professor of journalism at Columbia University and author of The Second Emancipation: The Unfinished Project of Liberation and the Modern Black Freedom Struggle, about Kwame Nkrumah, Pan-Africanism, and the global movement for Black liberation in the twentieth century. Their conversation explores how Nkrumah's political vision was shaped by his experiences in the United States and Britain, the deep connections between African independence movements and the civil rights struggle in the United States, and the promise and limits of postcolonial leadership. They also reflect on the unfinished project of emancipation and what these intertwined histories of freedom, empire, and solidarity 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:. Howard French, Professor of Journalism at Columbia University and a widely acclaimed journalist who spent decades reporting for The New York Times. Over the course of his career, he served as bureau chief in Central America and the Caribbean, West and Central Africa, Japan and the Koreas, and China, and was one of the paper's first Black foreign correspondents. He is the author of several prize-winning books on Africa and China. His latest book, The Second Emancipation: The Unfinished Project of Liberation and the Modern Black Freedom Struggle, revisits the global movement for Black liberation that linked struggles across Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, and the United States. Background Reading:  The Second Emancipation: The Unfinished Project of Liberation and the Modern Black Freedom Struggle Born In Blackness: Africa And The Making Of The Modern World

    50 min

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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
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This is On The Frontlines of Democracy, a podcast about the challenges facing democracies around the world

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