This is Democracy – Episode 311: US-Latin American Relations
This week Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Professor Renata Keller from the University of Nevada Reno, whose work focuses on the Cuban Missile Crisis and its enduring impact in Latin America. They explore public reactions in Latin America during the crisis, analyze the diverging opinions within the region, and discuss the long-term consequences.
Jeremi sets the scene by reading the opening lyrics to Bob Dylan's 'Masters of War,' which was written in the wake of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Dr. Renata Keller is an associate professor of history at the University of Nevada, Reno. She is the author of two books: Mexico’s Cold War: Cuba, the United States, and the Legacy of the Mexican Revolution and, most recently, The Fate of the Americas: The Cuban Missile Crisis and the Hemispheric Cold War. Dr. Keller received her Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin.
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This is Democracy – Episode 310: Have we Outgrown the Constitution?
This week, Zachary and Jeremi discuss the complexities and challenges surrounding the adaptability of the American Constitution with Professor Steven Skowronek. They delve into topics such as constitutional amendments, the role and evolution of the Supreme Court, and the potential need for a new constitutional framework to address contemporary issues.
Zachary sets the scene with a passage from Alexander Hamilton's Federalist Paper No. 85.
Dr. Stephen Skowronek is the Pelatiah Perit Professor of Political and Social Science at Yale University. His most recent book is The Adaptability Paradox: Political Inclusion and Constitutional Resilience. Other publications include Phantoms of a Beleaguered Republic: The Deep State and the Unitary Executive (with John Dearborn and Desmond King), The Policy State: An American Predicament (With Karen Orren), The Politics Presidents Make: Leadership from John Adams to Bill Clinton, and Building a New American State: The Expansion of National Administrative Capacities, 1877-1920 (1982).
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This is Democracy – Episode 309: Government Shutdowns
This week, Jeremi and Zachary invite John Lawrence, a former senior staff member with extensive experience in the U.S. House of Representatives, to discuss the recent government shutdown. The conversation delves into the causes and impacts of these shutdowns, the role of partisanship, and historical precedents.
Jeremi opens the conversation with a powerful excerpt from C.P. Cavafy’s poem "Waiting for the Barbarians," setting the tone with a poignant reflection on the complexities and challenges of democracy.
Dr. John A. Lawrence served for thirty-eight years as a senior staff person in the United States House of Representatives, including as chief of staff for Speaker Nancy Pelosi from 2005 to 2013. He is currently a visiting professor at the University of California’s Washington Center. He is the author of: The Class of ’74: Congress after Watergate and the Roots of Partisanship; Arc of Power: Inside Nancy Pelosi’s Speakership; and Sherlock Holmes: The Affair at Mayerling Lodge.
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This is Democracy – Episode 308: Greenland and the Arctic
This week, Jeremi and Zachary sit down with Dr. Mikkel Runge Olesen, a senior researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies, to discuss Greenland and its growing significance in global politics. Dr. Olesen offers a comprehensive overview of Greenland's history, its political relationship with Denmark, and its strategic importance to the United States. The conversation also explores the broader geopolitical interests in the Arctic as well as the environmental impact of climate change in this crucial region.
Zachary sets the scene with an excerpt from the poem "Rise" written by climate activists, Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner and Aka Niviana.
Dr. Mikkel Runge Olesen is a senior researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS). His research interests include NATO and transatlantic relations, the Arctic, the Nordic countries, Danish foreign policy, and recent Danish diplomatic history. His theoretical interests include realism (international relations), foreign policy analysis, and political psychology.
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This is Democracy – Episode 307: Deliberative Democracy
Jeremi and Zachary have a conversation with Gryffin Wilkens-Plumley about his work designing assemblies of independent citizen governance. They have an in-depth discussion of deliberative democracy, a practice that is about citizen's individual participation, reasoning, and sense of duty to vote and make decisions in society, and how it could apply to our democracy today.
Jeremi sets the stage with some words by William James from 1897.
Gryffin Wilkens-Plumley is a senior at Yale University and a deliberative-democracy designer. He currently works as Project Manager and Design Lead for the Connecticut Citizens’ Assembly initiative at the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities -- an initiative to hold the first ever official State-level citizens’ assembly in America. Gryffin's work focuses on citizen governance, designing assemblies for independent citizen governance, and working with funders and elected officials to turn designs into reality.
The future of democracy is uncertain, but we are committed to its urgent renewal today. This podcast will draw on historical knowledge to inspire a contemporary democratic renaissance. The past offers hope for the present and the future, if only we can escape the negativity of our current moment — and each show will offer a serious way to do that! This podcast will bring together thoughtful voices from different generations to help make sense of current challenges and propose positive steps forward. Our goal is to advance democratic change, one show at a time. Dr. Jeremi Suri, a renown scholar of democracy, will host the podcast and moderate discussions.
Ireland