Democracy Works
191 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★★ - 73 ratingsExamining what it means to live in a democracy
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Students learn, students vote
September 14, 2020 09:00 - 39 minutes - 90.7 MBNational Voter Registration Day is September 22. In a normal election year on a college campus, that would mean lots of canvassers with clipboards and pizza parties to encourage students to register. Those activities can’t happen the same way this fall, but our guest this week argues that the pandemic should not detract colleges and […]
A dark side to “laboratories of democracy”
September 07, 2020 09:00 - 39 minutes - 72.6 MBThe phrase “laboratories of democracy,” coined by former U.S. Supreme Court justice Louis Brandeis, is typically used to describe experiments with new social and economic policies that occur at the state level — things like voting systems and public financing of elections. This week’s episode explores a different side of that approach when state and […]
A fall preview — with a new cohost!
August 31, 2020 09:00 - 39 minutes - 72.6 MBWe are excited to begin a new school year with a new cohost, Candis Watts Smith, who you may remember from an episode earlier this summer on her book Stay Woke, or from a roundtable discussion on Black politics back in February. In this episode, Michael, Chris, and Candis discuss: The dynamics at play in […]
YIMBYs and NIMBYs in a democracy
August 24, 2020 09:00 - 39 minutes - 54.3 MBWhether you live in a big city, a suburb, or a small town, one issue tends to stand out from the rest in local government — housing. This week, we talk with author and New York Times reporter Conor Dougherty about the connections between housing and democracy, particularly at the local level. There can be […]
After 100 years, there’s still no “woman voter”
August 17, 2020 09:00 - 31 minutes - 43.1 MBAs we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, this episode traces the history of women’s voting behavior and why women voters have never been a monolith — despite efforts to portray them that way. In their new book A Century of Votes for Women: American Elections Since Suffrage, Christina Wolbrecht and Kevin Corder examine […]
She Votes! — Susan B. Anthony and “voting while female”
August 10, 2020 09:00 - 32 minutes - 45.4 MBThis week, we’re excited to bring you an episode from She Votes!, a new podcast from the Wonder Media Network about the fight for women’s suffrage as we approach the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment. This episode examines the arrest, trial, and conviction of suffragist Susan B. Anthony for the crime of “voting while […]
The people who choose the President
July 27, 2020 09:00 - 42 minutes - 57.8 MBAt the end of its 2020 term, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling on what might seem like an obscure question in Constitutional law, but could have huge ramifications in elections this November and beyond. We dive into the ruling on “faithless electors” in this episode from The Democracy Group podcast network. Democracy Works […]
Broken Ground: Robert Bullard on environmental justice
July 20, 2020 09:00 - 22 minutes - 15.7 MBThis week, we’re bringing you an episode from another podcast we think you might enjoy, Broken Ground from the Southern Environmental Law Center. Broken Ground digs up environmental stories in the South that don’t always get the attention they deserve, and giving voice to the people bringing those stories to light. While the show focuses on […]
The world’s most punitive democracy [revisited]
July 13, 2020 09:00 - 38 minutes - 71 MBWe’re digging into the archives this week for another episode on race and criminal justice. Peter K. Enns, associate professor in the Department of Government at Cornell University, Executive Director of the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research, and author of Incarceration Nation: How the U.S. Became the Most Punitive Democracy in the World. In this episode, […]
Suspect citizens in a democracy [revisited]
July 06, 2020 09:00 - 36 minutes - 66.8 MBThis week marks the beginning of our summer break here on Democracy Works. We are going to be rebroadcasting a few episodes from our back catalog — with a twist. In fall 2018, we did two episodes on police, criminal justice, and race that are directly relevant to what’s happening today. We caught up with […]
The second annual Democracy Works listener mailbag
June 29, 2020 09:00 - 39 minutes - 90.7 MBBefore we take a short summer break, Michael and Chris answer your questions about democracy in our current moment. Thank you to everyone who sent in questions; they were excellent! Some of the things we talk about in this episode include: The difference between federalism and the federal government The definition of an institution How […]
How to end democracy’s doom loop
June 22, 2020 09:00 - 43 minutes - 100 MBAs we bring this season of Democracy Works to a close, we’re going to end in a place similar to where we began — discussing the role of political parties in American democracy. We started the season discussing the Tea Party and the Resistance with Theda Skocpol and Dana Fisher, then discussed presidential primaries with […]
The clumsy journey to antiracism
June 15, 2020 09:00 - 34 minutes - 79.8 MBThis week, we are bringing you another interview that we hope will give some context to the discussions about racism and inequality that are happening in the U.S. right now. We’re joined by Tehama Lopez Bunyasi, assistant professor at the School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University and Candis Watts Smith, associate professor […]
Civil rights, civil unrest
June 08, 2020 09:00 - 40 minutes - 91.8 MBAs protests continue throughout the U.S. in the wake of George Floyd’s death, we’ve been thinking a lot about comparisons to the Civil Rights era and whether the models for demonstrations created during that era are still relevant today. As we’ve discussed on the show before, public memory is a fuzzy thing and we’re seeing […]
Aaron Maybin on doing the hard work of democracy [rebroadcast]
June 03, 2020 09:00 - 33 minutes - 62.1 MBWe are working on an episode about the social and democratic context for the protests taking place around the U.S. after George Floyd’s death; we’ll have it for you on Monday. In the meantime, we are going to share a few episodes from our archives that we hope can provide context for our current moment. […]
Free speech from the Founding Fathers to Twitter
June 01, 2020 09:00 - 42 minutes - 77.1 MBThis is another episode that we recorded in our final days together in the office before COVID-19. However, the topic is just as relevant — if not more so — in our new reality. The topic is free speech and our guest is Stephen D. Solomon, Marjorie Deane Professor at the Arthur L. Carter Journalism […]
Bonus: Mayors and bipartisanship during COVID-19
May 29, 2020 12:00 - 19 minutes - 35.6 MBToday we’re bringing you a special episode produced by Nicole Gresen, our intern on Democracy Works during the spring 2020 semester. Nicole spoke with Bob Buckhorn, who was mayor of Tampa, Florida from 2011-2019, about the role that mayors have played during COVID-19 and how they have to put partisans allegiances aside during times of […]
The people vs. the experts — and those caught in the middle
May 25, 2020 09:00 - 35 minutes - 32.6 MBThese days, it can feel like some politicians are working against experts in public health and other fields when it comes to actions surrounding COVID-19. There’s always been a tension between populism and expertise, but our media landscape and strong partisan polarization are pushing that tension to its breaking point — or so it seems, […]
China’s role in the COVID-19 infodemic
May 18, 2020 09:00 - 35 minutes - 80.5 MBAs if the COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t enough to deal with, the World Health Organization says we’re now in an infodemic alongside it. We’ve seen this play out as misinformation and conspiracy theories move from digital to mainstream media and cast a shadow of doubt about information coming from the government and public health experts. Our […]
A roadmap to a more equitable democracy
May 11, 2020 09:00 - 39 minutes - 91.2 MBCOVID-19 has exposed longstanding racial and economic inequalities in American life, which is evident in the fact that communities of color are being hit the hardest by both the medical and the economic impacts of the virus. Our guest this week argues that now is the time to empower those communities to have a stake […]
Trust, facts, and democracy in a polarized world
May 04, 2020 09:00 - 41 minutes - 96.1 MBThis episode was recorded before COVID-19 changed everything, but many of the themes we discuss about public opinion polling and the importance of trust and facts to a democracy are perhaps more relevant now than ever before. We talked with Michael Dimock, president of the Pew Research Center, about how the organization approaches polling in […]
Bonus: Civic engagement, social distancing, and democracy reform
May 01, 2020 09:00 - 37 minutes - 51.4 MBDemocracy is very much a group activity. Inside, we come together to debate, discuss, do the work of government, and make laws. Outside, we protest and hold rallies. But much of this is not possible. Social distancing presents a tremendous challenge. In this episode from The Democracy Group podcast network, we look at the barriers […]
Give me liberty or give me COVID-19?
April 27, 2020 09:00 - 34 minutes - 31.4 MBFrom Maine to California, people across the country have gathered at their state capitols over the past few weeks to protest stay at home orders issued by their governors in response to COVID-19. Protest is a hallmark of any democracy, but what happens when doing so comes with health risks? What is motivating people to […]
Bonus: COVID-19 and Democracy with The Democracy Group
April 24, 2020 09:00 - 54 minutes - 74.9 MBWe are excited to collaborate with our partners in The Democracy Group podcast network to bring you a bonus episode on how COVID-19 is impacting democracy in the United States and around the world. COVID-19 brings together several issues that have long been talked about separately — political polarization, misinformation, international cooperation, democratic norms and […]
Federalism in uncertain times
April 20, 2020 09:00 - 36 minutes - 33.4 MBWith each passing day, the relationship between states and the federal government seems to grow more complicated. States are forming coalitions and working together to chart a path out of COVID-19, while sometimes competing with one another for resources. A lack of clear guidance from the federal government will likely lead to a fragmented return […]
Will COVID-19 create a one-issue campaign?
April 13, 2020 09:00 - 39 minutes - 71.5 MBThe general election is going to happen in November, and candidates still need to figure out ways to get their messages out to voters. COVID-19 has changed everything about the way candidates communicate with potential voters and how they position themselves in relationship to the virus. This episode addresses the nuts and bolts of campaigning […]
Public health depends on the Census
April 06, 2020 09:00 - 38 minutes - 35.7 MBThe COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S. intensified just as the 2020 Census was getting underway in earnest. As Americans fill their days with news about the new coronavirus, the Census Bureau is doing everything it can to spread the word about completing the Census online while grappling with how to do critical in-person follow […]
Free and fair elections during a pandemic
March 30, 2020 09:00 - 42 minutes - 38.6 MBAs COVID-19 intensifies throughout the U.S., questions about the future of the remaining primary elections and the general election in November are beginning to surface. The last thing you want are large groups of people standing in line near each other for long periods of time. At a time when seemingly everything in life has […]
COVID-19 exposes democracy’s tensions
March 23, 2020 08:00 - 42 minutes - 5 MBAs we’ve seen over the past weeks and months, democracies and authoritarian countries respond to pandemics very differently. There are balances to be struck — liberty and community, human rights and disease mitigation — that every country’s government and culture handle a little differently. We dive into that this week with our first ever all-remote […]
Populism is not a monolith
March 16, 2020 09:00 - 36 minutes - 67.2 MBWe know that there are a lot of episodes about COVID-19 out there right now. We’re working on one of our own that we hope to bring to you soon, but in the meantime, consider something different to focus on while you practice social distancing this week. We’ve talked a lot on this show about […]
Swamp Stories: Cashing In
March 09, 2020 09:00 - 25 minutes - 34.8 MBIt’s spring break at Penn State this week and we’re going to take a brief hiatus to bring you an episode from a new podcast that’s part of The Democracy Group, our new podcast network. Swamp Stories is produced by Issue One, a group that takes a cross partisan approach to democracy reform. The podcast follows […]
The promise and peril of early voting
March 02, 2020 10:00 - 36 minutes - 66.7 MBSuper Tuesday is this week, but voters in many states have already cast their ballots for races happening this week and throughout the rest of the primary season. From Florida to Pennsylvania, states are expanding access to early and absentee voting to give people more options to make their voices heard in our democracy. Sounds […]
Breaking down black politics
February 24, 2020 10:00 - 34 minutes - 62.4 MBAs the South Carolina primary approaches, all eyes are on the African American vote. This week, Michael Berkman is taking over the interviewer’s chair for a roundtable discussion on black politics with Ray Block and Candis Watts Smith, who are associate professors of African American studies and political science at Penn State. Ray is the […]
Does Congress promote partisan gridlock?
February 17, 2020 10:00 - 40 minutes - 74.4 MBSome of the most talked-about issues in Congress these days are not about the substance of policies or bills being debated on the floor. Instead, the focus is on the partisan conflict between the parties and the endless debate about whether individual members of Congress will break with party ranks on any particular vote. This […]
How states are working to keep your vote safe
February 10, 2020 10:00 - 36 minutes - 66.9 MBElections are the bedrock of any democracy. Without confidence in the process or the results, confidence in democracy itself is vulnerable. With the primary season underway and the general election just a few months away, conversations about election security are starting to enter the public conscience. We saw this firsthand in Iowa last week as […]
Primaries, parties, and the public
February 03, 2020 10:00 - 40 minutes - 73.6 MBThe 2020 primary season officially begins today with the Iowa caucuses, followed by the New Hampshire primary on February 11 and Nevada and South Carolina later this month. It’s easy to forget that the primaries have not looked like they do now. In fact, it was not until 1968 that things really began to morph […]
The connective tissue of democracy
January 27, 2020 10:00 - 36 minutes - 66.9 MBThe Women’s March 2020 was held in cities across the country on January 18. What began as a conversation on social media has evolved into a network of groups and organizations that are united in opposition to the Trump administration. From 2017-2019, Dana Fisher and her research team interviewed participants at Washington, D.C. protests, including […]
How the Tea Party and the Resistance are upending politics
January 20, 2020 10:00 - 41 minutes - 75.7 MBSince 2008, the Tea Party and the Resistance have caused some major shake-ups for the Republican and Democratic parties. The changes fall outside the scope of traditional party politics, and outside the realm of traditional social science research. To better understand what’s going on Theda Skocpol, the Victor S. Thomas Professor of Government and Strategy […]
A 2020 preview
January 13, 2020 10:00 - 35 minutes - 64.5 MBThis week, we begin a new year and a new season with a look ahead what 2020 will mean for democracy in the United States and around the world. We know that there will be a Census and an election, but will they be carried out in a democratic way? The escalating conflict with Iran […]
Grassroots organizing to “reboot” democracy [rebroadcast]
January 06, 2020 10:00 - 36 minutes - 50.4 MBHappy New Year! Our winter break continues with a rebroadcast from fall 2018 with Lara Putnam on grassroots organizing in suburban America. This episode was recorded before the 2018 midterms, but many of the trends we discuss bore out in the election. Putnam is a Professor and Chair of the History Department at the University […]
E.J. Dionne on making America empathetic again [rebroadcast]
December 30, 2019 10:00 - 35 minutes - 49 MBWhile we enjoy a holiday break, we are rebroadcasting an episode with E.J. Dionne that was recorded in March 2019. The McCourtney Institute for Democracy brought Dionne to Penn State for a talk on “protecting free expression and making America empathetic again.” After spending some with him, it’s clear that he walks the walk when […]
Is it possible to overdo democracy?
December 23, 2019 10:00 - 42 minutes - 77.2 MBAs we enter the holiday season, Robert Talisse thinks it’s a good idea to take a break from politics. In fact, he might go so far as to say democracy is better off if you do. Talisse is the W. Alton Jones Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt University and author of a new book called Overdoing […]
Chris Beem on democratic humility and virtues
December 16, 2019 10:00 - 35 minutes - 48.1 MBEarlier this fall, our own Chris Beem traveled to Notre Dame to appear on With a Side of Knowledge, a podcast produced by the university’s Office of the Provost. The show is recorded over brunch, and this happened to the last meal served at campus institution Sorin’s. Bacon and eggs aside, Chris talks with host Ted […]
Next-generation democracy
December 09, 2019 10:00 - 28 minutes - 52.8 MBOne of the things we heard in our listener survey (which there’s still time to take, by the way) is that we should have more young people on the show as guests. It was a great suggestion and, after having this conversation, we’re so glad to have received it. Joining us this week is Kyle […]
The democracy rebellion happening in states across the U.S.
December 02, 2019 10:00 - 42 minutes - 58.3 MBHedrick Smith is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of bestselling books The Russians, Who Stole the American Dream? and many others. Over the course of his nearly 60 years in journalism, he’s interviewed some of the biggest politicians and power brokers on the national and international stage. Now, his reporter’s curiosity has led him to places like […]
A roundtable on impeachment, institutions, and legitimacy
November 25, 2019 10:00 - 55 minutes - 76.2 MBThis week’s episode is a conversation between Michael Berkman, Chris Beem, and Michael Baranowski of The Politics Guys, a podcast that looks at political issues in the news through a bipartisan, academic lens. Baranowski is an associate professor of political science at Northern Kentucky University. His focus is American political institutions, public policy, and media […]
Your guide to ranked-choice voting
November 18, 2019 10:00 - 38 minutes - 70.1 MBRanked-choice voting has been in the news a lot lately. It was adopted in New York City’s November 2019 election, used for the first time in U.S. Congressional elections last year, and will be the method by which at least a few states choose a Democratic primary candidate in 2020. But, what is it? How […]
Latino immigrants and the changing makeup of American democracy
November 11, 2019 10:00 - 41 minutes - 76.6 MBWe’ve talked about immigration several times on this show with good reason. The role that people coming to the United States play in our democracy is an important question and something states, cities, and towns across the country will continue to grapple with as demographics shift. This week’s guest offers a historical perspective that sets […]
Inside the world’s largest democracy
November 04, 2019 11:00 - 38 minutes - 35.6 MBMore than 600 million people voted in India’s most recent election, but that does not mean all is well with democracy there. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP recently won re-election on a platform based on Hindu nationalism. As we’ve seen with other countries experiencing democratic erosion, the people and parties coming to power […]
Climate 2020: Exxon, Inslee, and the GOP Narrative
November 01, 2019 09:00 - 29 minutes - 40.1 MBOur look at climate change continues with an episode from the Climate 2020 podcast, a show that looks at how climate is being addressed (or not) in the 2020 election. It’s hosted by by Years Of Living Dangerously award-winning documentary producer David Gelber and Climate Nexus Founding Director Jeff Nesbit and produced in in association with […]