Democracy Dialogues

New Books Network
  • 5.0 (11)
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What do we know about democracy today? What does the research say? This podcast brings cutting-edge academic research on democracy to you, citizens who will shape democracy’s future. The podcast is from the Cornell University Center on Democracy. Each episode, we’ll host academics and democratic practitioners to dig into new research and contemporary challenges of democracy, and analyze the potential and opportunities for democracy to deepen, evolve, and contribute to citizens’ thriving. Democracy Dialogues is hosted by: Rachel Beatty Riedl, Brooks School of Public Policy and Department of Government, Cornell University Maya Tudor, Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford University Esam Boarey, Department of Government, Cornell University Watch on YouTube, NBN, or wherever you get your podcasts.

  1. Jul 18

    US 250: A Conversation with Peter John Loewen

    This week on Democracy Dialogues, Rachel Beatty Riedl speaks with Peter John Loewen to reflect on the 250th anniversary of US independence. They discuss the ways in which America’s unique founding moment has shaped democratic institutions and practice, and the paradox of America’s profound democratic experiment. In this episode, Loewen describes his research on the representative nature of elected politicians – how they are similar to and different from ordinary people in their decision making. He also tackles questions of polarization and what happens when people have increased contact with other points of view. And the conversation wraps up with a discussion of higher education and democracy, and what role universities can play in shaping the next generation of democratic citizens. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  2. Jul 12

    Democratic Backsliding and Resistance: Poland’s Civil Society, Electoral Strategies, and Institutional Levers

    This week on Democracy Dialogues, Frances Cayton speaks with four experts on Polish politics about the success of Poland’s opposition coalition in 2023, and the headwinds that democracy continues to face today. What challenges do parties and civil society face in building pro-democracy electoral coalitions? If victorious, how do these challenges affect post-election governance and efforts at pursuing democratic renewal? This episode brings together politicians, political scientists, and civil society leaders who each played a critical role in the 2023 elections to examine what made Poland’s pro-democracy mobilization possible, the gains the 2023 coalition has achieved since entering power, and the challenges it continues to face in pursuing democratic renewal.This episode was originally recorded as a part of the Lessons from Global Democratic Resistance panel series. The series brings together frontline activists, civic leaders, institutional actors, and field‑informed scholars to examine how democratic actors have resisted, responded to, and learned from democratic backsliding across countries. The series aims to identify practical lessons and comparative insights for those defending democracy today and is organized in collaboration with the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard University; Perry World House at the University of Pennsylvania; the Kellogg Institute for International Studies at the University of Notre Dame; the Democratic Futures Project at the University of Virginia; Stanford’s Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law; and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Mikołaj Cześnik, Director of the Institute of Social Science at SWPS University, Chairman of the Council of the Stefan Batory Foundation Michał Wawrykiewicz, Member of the European Parliament (MEP). Co-Founder of the civic initiative Wolne Sady (Free Courts) Marek Tatała, President and Co-Founder of the Economic Freedom Foundation Dominika Lasota, Student and Activist in the Youth Climate Strike Poland, Co-Founder of Inicjatywa WSCHÓD Frances Cayton is a PhD Candidate in Government at Cornell University. Her research focuses on questions surrounding democratic backsliding, civil society, and political communication. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  3. May 29

    India’s 2026 State Elections and Indian Democracy?

    This week on Democracy Dialogues, Maya Tudor speaks with two keen observers of Indian politics, Gilles Verniers and Yamini Aiyar, about what India’s 2026 state elections reveal about the future of the world’s largest democracy. Why did the incumbent government BJP make major gains in some states while struggling in others? Do competitive elections still mean democracy is entirely healthy? And why have places like Tamil Nadu and Kerala remained resistant to Hindu nationalist politics? This episode analyses one of the most important democratic stories in the world right now — and asks what state elections might tell us about India’s democracy more broadly. Gilles Verniers, Centre for South Asia at Stanford University. Gilles Verniers’ work on Indian politics and elections hereYamini Aiyar, Visiting Professor of the Practice at the Watson School of International and Public Affairs, Brown University. Yamini Aiyar’s recent writing on democracy and electoral administration in India here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  4. May 26

    Billionaire Backlash: Can It Help Save Democracy?

    This week on Democracy Dialogues, host Maya Tudor speaks with her colleague and fellow political scientist Pepper Culpepper about his new book Billionaire Backlash: The Age of Corporate Scandal and How It Could Save Democracy, co-authored with Taeku Lee. They explore how corporate scandals—from industry exposes to data privacy breaches—can become moments of democratic reckoning, mobilizing public outrage against concentrated corporate power. The conversation examines why scandals matter politically, the circumstances under which public backlash can still generate meaningful accountability, and what good populism is in an era of growing economic inequality and democratic strain. Links: Bloomsbury here Journal of Democracy here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  5. Apr 29

    Who Is Democracy Actually For? People, Power, and the Fight Against Democratic Decline

    This week on Democracy Dialogues, host Esam Boraey speaks with Shandana Khan Mohmand and Marjoke Oosterom, democracy experts at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), University of Sussex, to unpack the takeaways of the newly released Democracy Report “Where’s the Dēmos in Democracy? Building Democratic Futures and Resisting Autocracy.” At a moment when autocracies outnumber democracies for the first time in twenty years, this report argues that the democratic crisis is not simply an institutional one, it is a crisis of exclusion. For too long, efforts to build democracy have focused on formal institutions like legislatures, courts, and electoral commissions, while neglecting the people those institutions are supposed to serve. The report puts forward eight building blocks for recentering citizens in democratic life, from building active citizenship and supporting informal mobilization, to reclaiming digital agency and strengthening accountability mechanisms. Drawing on decades of research across the Global South, from Pakistan and Zimbabwe to Uganda, Brazil, and beyond, Shandana and Marjoke bring the report's findings to life with vivid examples of how ordinary people fight back against backsliding, reclaim civic space, and keep democratic values alive even under authoritarian pressure. The conversation also addresses the role of inequality in driving democratic decline, the double-edged nature of digital technology, the power of youth movements, and what the dismantling of USAID means for global democracy support. Transcript here and the report is here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  6. Apr 27

    Assessing Global Democratic Health Amidst a Growing Shadow of Autocracy

    This week on Democracy Dialogues, host Maya Tudor speaks with two democracy experts at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Freedom House to understand the headlines from Freedom House’s 2026 Report, entitled the growing shadow of autocratization. We discuss the drivers behind the 20th consecutive year of global democratic decline and compare the similarities and differences between Freedom House and Varieties of Democracy reports. We conclude by anticipating what lies ahead, what our experts are looking to understand, and what everyday citizens can do to strengthen democracy. Links: Freedom in the World 2026 25 Years of Autocratization Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  7. Mar 22

    A Year of Autocratization: Steep Declines in Democracy Registered in 2025 V-Dem Report

    This week on Democracy Dialogues, host Rachel Beatty Riedl speaks with Kenneth Roberts and Paul Friesen, democracy experts at Cornell University, to unpack the takeaways of the newly released V-Dem 2025 Report “ 25 Years of Autocratization.” Drawing on the survey’s global measure of changes in regime status across the world, we discuss the dramatic decline of democracy in the United States, and what dimensions are driving that erosion. We also discuss other big moves, from declines in India and Indonesia, to improvements in Poland and Guatemala. We conclude with an analysis of some signs of hope and what to anticipate in the year ahead for ongoing contestation in the US around democratic rights and institutional sites of contention. Links: V-Dem Democracy Report 2025: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  8. Feb 15

    India’s Democratic Republic in Flux

    In this episode of Democracy Dialogues, co-host Maya Tudor speaks with Yogendra Yadav – political thinker, activist, and one of India’s most prominent voices on democratic reform. A former academic and party leader, Yadav has led influential research initiatives, built new political movements, and worked at the intersection of grassroots activism and national politics. Their conversation explores the forces shaping India’s current democratic crossroads. Yadav reflects on global perceptions of India’s democratic decline, the meaning of its 2024 election results, and the interplay between national and state-level politics. He addresses the erosion of institutional independence – from the electoral commission to the media – and the growing impact of religious polarization on governance. Drawing on decades of experience in social movements, Yadav considers what drives political mobilization, the role nationalism plays in supporting or undermining democracy, and the strategies citizens can use to protect democratic values in turbulent times. From the “thousand small cuts” undermining India’s democracy to the enduring potential of grassroots activism, this episode offers both a candid diagnosis of India’s political challenges and a call to action for anyone committed to safeguarding democratic principles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

What do we know about democracy today? What does the research say? This podcast brings cutting-edge academic research on democracy to you, citizens who will shape democracy’s future. The podcast is from the Cornell University Center on Democracy. Each episode, we’ll host academics and democratic practitioners to dig into new research and contemporary challenges of democracy, and analyze the potential and opportunities for democracy to deepen, evolve, and contribute to citizens’ thriving. Democracy Dialogues is hosted by: Rachel Beatty Riedl, Brooks School of Public Policy and Department of Government, Cornell University Maya Tudor, Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford University Esam Boarey, Department of Government, Cornell University Watch on YouTube, NBN, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Information

  • Creator
    New Books Network
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    13
  • Copyright
    © New Books Network
  • Show Website
    Democracy Dialogues