The Democracy Paradox podcast brings scholars from political science, sociology, economics, and other disciplines to discuss social and political ideas. The aim is not to debate policy or politics, but to introduce new concepts to listeners so they can understand politics and society better. The host, Justin Kempf, works to create conversations that test our assumptions about democratic governance, while offering hope for the success of democratic ideals.
A Podcast About Democracy
Episodes have explored concepts as broad as civil resistance, Russian conservatism, populism, and direct democracy. Guests have ranged from Ivy League professors to former elected officials. Many episodes have featured scholars from around the world including Israel, Greece, and Germany. Episodes regularly integrate big picture concepts with current events and history to make difficult ideas come alive.
The Democracy Paradox podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and just about anywhere podcasts are found. Please subscribe and leave a review wherever possible. Your support keeps this website and the podcast alive. Below is a list of past episodes.
Season 2
Zizi Papacharissi Dreams of What Comes After Democracy
Michael Hughes on the History of Democracy in Germany
Lee Drutman Makes the Case for Multiparty Democracy in America
Hélène Landemore on Democracy without Elections
Glenn Tiffert on the Manipulation of Academia by Foreign Governments
Carolyn Hendriks, Selen Ercan and John Boswell on Mending Democracy
Mareike Ohlberg on the Global Influence of the Chinese Communist Party
Xiaoyu Pu on China’s Global Identities
John Ikenberry on Liberal Internationalism
Amy Erica Smith on Politics and Religion in Brazil
Season 1
William G. Howell and Terry M. Moe on the Presidency
Barbara Freese on Corporate Denial
Paul Robinson on Russian Conservatism
John Matsusaka on National Referendums
Jonathan Pinckney on Civil Resistance Transitions
Erica Chenoweth on Civil Resistance
Jill Long Thompson on Character in a Democracy
Juliet B. Schor on the Sharing Economy
Agnes Cornell and Svend-Erik Skaaning on the Interwar Period
John Gastil and Katherine Knobloch on Citizen Initiative Review
Joshua J. Dyck and Edward L. Lascher, Jr. on Initiative Referendums
William S. Smith on Irving Babbitt
Takis Pappas on Populism and Liberal Democracy
Alexander Cooley and Daniel Nexon on the End of American Hegemony
Luis Cabrera on International Human Rights
Marlene Mauk on Citizen Support for Democracies… and Autocracies