By Robert C. Lieberman A Profound Disappointment For anyone who thought that Donald Trump’s electoral defeat and subsequent humiliation would diminish the extreme polarization that afflicts American politics, the opening of the 118th Congress can only have been a pretty profound disappointment. For half a century or more in the middle and late twentieth century,... Continue Reading →
Robert C. Lieberman is the Krieger-Eisenhower Professor of Political Science at Johns Hopkins University. Kenneth M. Roberts is the Richard J. Schwartz Professor of Government and Binenkorb Director of Latin American Studies at Cornell University. David A. Bateman is an associate professor in the Government Department at Cornell University. Robert and Kenneth (along with Suzanne... Continue Reading →
Democratic Resilience? As I type these thoughts, my mind wanders to events from last year. The assault on the capitol surpassed the greatest fears of many including myself. Some will note the Republic did not fall. The election was ultimately respected and upheld. Yet, very few thought the collapse of American Democracy was a realistic... Continue Reading →
Introduction This week features books on polarization, American history, corruption, privatization, and philosophy. A few books like Democratic Resilience and Hannah Arendt and Isaiah Berlin offer more academic reads, while American Kleptocracy and The Privatization of Everything look to reach a broader audience. Finally, Diana Schaub's His Greatest Speeches will appeal to history buffs and scholars alike. In the meantime, don't miss the... Continue Reading →
Robert C. Lieberman joins the podcast to discuss a book he coauthored with Suzanne Mettler, Four Threats: The Recurring Crises of American Democracy. Rob is a professor of political science at Johns Hopkins University. This is the 48th episode of the Democracy Paradox podcast. Racism and racial conflict are always there, always a powerful and... Continue Reading →
Polarization has become known as the great challenge for American Democracy in the Twenty-First Century. Suzanne Mettler and Robert Lieberman include it among their Four Threats. So long as polarization is portrayed as a problem, the solution remains simple, although difficult to achieve. The solution to polarization is described as compromise and moderation. But what... Continue Reading →
