The Context

Alex Lovit, Charles F. Kettering Foundation
  • 5.0 (31)
  • Politics
  • Updated Biweekly

Do you ever watch the news and wonder, “How did we get here?” Or think to yourself, “Things are bad . . . What can I do?” The Context is here to help. Our show breaks down the ideas, history, and trends that are shaping democracy. And you don’t need to be an expert to follow along. Every other Tuesday, host Alex Lovit talks about timely topics with big-picture thinkers and hands-on practitioners, like activists, writers, historians, and community leaders. The topics are heavy, but we try to have fun along the way. To build the future we want, we’ll need knowledge—but also camaraderie and joy. We hope you’ll join us.

  1. Want to Save Democracy? Focus on What Voters Care About.

    1d ago

    Want to Save Democracy? Focus on What Voters Care About.

    Democracy is a conversation. In the United States, and every other democracy, we’re continually talking with one another about what issues deserve our attention, what our nation stands for, and what we want from our government. Politicians, parties, and media organizations compete for attention by telling compelling stories. This marketplace of ideas offers citizens and voters a wide selection of storylines and solutions. But even when free speech is protected, that doesn’t mean everyone is equally skilled at crafting compelling narratives. In this conversation, taped in front of a live audience, Sarah Longwell joins host Alex Lovit to describe why pro-democracy advocates are losing the messaging war and what they can do to relate to the issues and values voters care about most. Sarah Longwell is the publisher of The Bulwark, which she cofounded in 2019, and a Charles F. Kettering Foundation senior fellow. She regularly conducts focus groups with voters across the political spectrum and hosts the podcast The Focus Group. This conversation was recorded live on June 8 during The Democracy Group’s annual convening at the University of Southern California’s Capital Campus in Washington, DC. https://substack.com/@sarahlongwell https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/how-to-eat-an-elephant-9781250464170/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    50 min
  2. What Does Conservatism Mean in a Changing World?

    Jun 2

    What Does Conservatism Mean in a Changing World?

    Authoritarianism is gaining ground in democracies around the world—often with populist, nativist rhetoric. In the United States, this trend threatens to demolish democratic government. And shifts in American foreign policy are also uprooting the previous world order around the globe. William Kristol joins host Alex Lovit to discuss what’s changed in the last few years in American politics, in international relations, and in his own beliefs. William Kristol is editor-at-large at The Bulwark and cohost of the podcast Conversations with Bill Kristol. He’s also a senior fellow with the Charles F. Kettering Foundation. He was previously the founder and editor of the influential conservative news magazine The Weekly Standard. https://substack.com/@williamkristol https://conversationswithbillkristol.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    38 min
  3. Building Peace, One Story at a Time

    May 19

    Building Peace, One Story at a Time

    The line between peaceful politics and violent conflict can be fragile. In recent years, there have been many instances of election-related violence around the world. One of the worst examples occurred in Kenya. Following a disputed election in 2007, opposing political and ethnic factions clashed in the streets. More than a thousand people were killed, and more than 300,000 were forced from their homes. As is often true, these hostilities were based in cultural narratives—the stories people tell themselves about who they are, who their enemies are, and the sources of that conflict. Sellah King’oro, who has worked to build peace in Kenya and around the world, joins host Alex Lovit to explain how telling more diverse stories can prevent violence. Sellah King’oro is a narrative peacebuilder from Kenya with a particular interest in women’s inclusion in peace and security processes. She is currently a postdoctoral associate at the Institute for Genocide and Mass Atrocity Prevention at Binghamton University, State University of New York. She previously served as the head of the Research and Policy Department at the National Cohesion and Integration Commission in Kenya. She is also a member of the Inclusive Narratives Practice Group convened by the Institute for Integrated Transitions, where she contributes to advancing narrative approaches to peace and justice. https://ifit-transitions.org/publications/narratives-ethnicity-and-polarisation-the-case-of-the-luo-and-kikuyu-communities-in-kenya/ https://isdsnet.com/ijds-v7n11-06.pdf Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    37 min
  4. The Country We Have, the Country We Want

    May 5

    The Country We Have, the Country We Want

    The history of the United States is littered with injustices. What should patriotism look like when our country does wrong? And how can we be patriotic, in spite of injustices? Can we hope for better? Nikole Hannah-Jones joins host Alex Lovit to talk about America’s history, our country's truest historical heroes, and how we can push for a more inclusive democracy in the future, Nikole Hannah-Jones is the Knight Chair in Race and Journalism and the founder of the Center for Journalism & Democracy at Howard University. As a staff writer for the New York Times Magazine, she created The 1619 Project, a collection of essays reflecting on 1619, the year that the first enslaved Africans landed in Virginia. Her own introductory essay won the Pulitzer Prize, and the project has been adapted into other forms, including a book and a docuseries. This is the third and final episode in our series, “Democracy, Under Construction,” which commemorates America’s 250th anniversary by focusing on the moments when our country became a more inclusive democracy and celebrating the historical figures who pushed the country to live up to its ideals. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    25 min
  5. The Unfinished Fight for Transgender Freedom

    Apr 21

    The Unfinished Fight for Transgender Freedom

    LGBTQ+ people have been part of the American story from the beginning, fighting for the right to pursue happiness long before Stonewall. In recent decades, the movement has achieved major cultural, political, and legal gains. Yet these advances have disproportionately benefited middle-class individuals who can conform to cultural norms and can afford to assert their legal rights. Jules Gill-Peterson joins host Alex Lovit to discuss who has been left behind, why solidarity matters, and how to build a broader sense of shared interests within and beyond the LGBTQ+ community. This is the second episode in our series, “Democracy, Under Construction,” which commemorates America’s 250th anniversary by focusing on the moments when our country became a more inclusive democracy and celebrating the historical figures who pushed the country to live up to its ideals. Jules Gill-Peterson is an associate professor of history at Johns Hopkins University. She specializes in transgender history. https://www.upress.umn.edu/9781517904678/histories-of-the-transgender-child/ https://www.versobooks.com/products/3054-a-short-history-of-trans-misogyny Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    42 min
  6. The 14th Amendment Redefined America

    Apr 7

    The 14th Amendment Redefined America

    In this first episode of our series, “Democracy, Under Construction,” Sherrilyn Ifill joins host Alex Lovit to discuss the Second Founding, when the Reconstruction Amendments—and in particular the 14th Amendment—fundamentally changed American rights and who was defined as American. Birthright citizenship, protections from abuses by state governments, and equality before the law all entered the Constitution following the ratification of the 14th Amendment in 1868. The “Democracy, Under Construction” series commemorates America’s 250th anniversary by focusing on the moments when our country became a more inclusive democracy and celebrating the historical figures who pushed the country to live up to its ideals. Sherrilyn Ifill is among the most accomplished civil rights lawyers in the United States. She is the Vernon Jordan Distinguished Professor in Civil Rights at Howard University School of Law and the founding director of the 14th Amendment Center for Law and Democracy. She previously served as the president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    39 min
  7. Changing Minds Is Hard—Especially Your Own

    Mar 24

    Changing Minds Is Hard—Especially Your Own

    Lewis Raven Wallace joins host Alex Lovit to discuss the conditions that make it possible for people to change their minds. Children gradually learn about the world: what to expect from themselves and from others, who is or isn’t part of their social group, and what society looks like. But for adults, learning new ideas requires unlearning old ones first. Wallace has advice for anyone who wants to shift their own perspectives or encourage others to do the same. Lewis Raven Wallace is a journalist. He is the abolition journalism fellow with Interrupting Criminalization. He has written multiple books, including his most recent, Radical Unlearning: The Art and Science of Creating Change from Within. https://www.lewispants.com/ https://www.interruptingcriminalization.com/projects-all/abolition-media Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    41 min
  8. Can the Courts Protect the Ballot?

    Mar 10

    Can the Courts Protect the Ballot?

    The decisions judges make during the coming months in various active legal cases will affect who can vote, which districts they vote in, and what political advertising they see—among many other factors. What’s at stake is not just the outcomes of this year’s elections but also the future integrity of democracy in the US. Voting rights attorney Marc Elias joins host Alex Lovit to discuss threats to ballot access in the United States, how lawyers are fighting back, and what the rest of us can do to help. Marc Elias is one of the most experienced and prominent voting rights lawyers in the country. He is the founder of the Elias Law Group and the voting rights media platform, Democracy Docket. https://www.democracydocket.com/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    39 min
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Trailer

5
out of 5
31 Ratings

About

Do you ever watch the news and wonder, “How did we get here?” Or think to yourself, “Things are bad . . . What can I do?” The Context is here to help. Our show breaks down the ideas, history, and trends that are shaping democracy. And you don’t need to be an expert to follow along. Every other Tuesday, host Alex Lovit talks about timely topics with big-picture thinkers and hands-on practitioners, like activists, writers, historians, and community leaders. The topics are heavy, but we try to have fun along the way. To build the future we want, we’ll need knowledge—but also camaraderie and joy. We hope you’ll join us.

Information

  • Creator
    Alex Lovit, Charles F. Kettering Foundation
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    67
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Context a Charles F. Kettering Foundation Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Context

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