Democracy Paradox

Alexander Cooley and Alexander Dukalskis Fear Autocracies Are Hijacking the International Order

There was an assumption that influence could only run one direction... but influence could run the other direction as well. Alexander Cooley Authoritarian governments a

Suzanne Mettler Says the Rural-Urban Divide Threatens American Democracy

 We barely disagree with each other, but we can't stand one another's party.  Suzanne Mettler Suzanne Mettler is the John L. Senior Professor of American Inst

Rachel Beatty Riedl Says Economic Inequality Is Fueling Democratic Backsliding

I'm by nature optimistic, but am extremely worried because of the structural moment we live in. Rachel Beatty Riedl Political scientist Rachel Beatty Riedl joins h

Kim Lane Scheppele on Hungary's Narrow Path Back to Democracy

You can only get to the point of restoring democratic institutions if you win the last election with such a huge majority that you really have the public with you as you

Jeffrey Kopstein Explains Why Polarization Turns Violent

The question is not whether polarization is dangerous, but the conditions under which it becomes violent. Jeffrey Kopstein Jeffrey Kopstein joins the Democracy Paradox

Pepper Culpepper Says Good Populism Can Save Democracy

We think the next ten years are going to be anti-billionaire. Pepper Culpepper Pepper Culpepper joins the Democracy Paradox to discuss when populism can strengthen demo

Dan Slater Says Authoritarian Ideologies Still Matter

We think of World War II as this global democratizing event, but what it really did was strengthen left-wing authoritarianism. Dan Slater Dan Slater is the James Orin M

Guillermo Trejo on Accountability, Impunity, and the Fate of New Democracies

What happens when the violent state forged under autocracy survives into democracy? Guillermo Trejo In this episode of The Democracy Paradox, Kellogg faculty fellow Gui

Kenneth Roberts Says the Left Pays a Steep Price for Breaking with Democracy

The left pays a very steep price when they break with democratic norms and procedures. Kenneth Roberts Kenneth Roberts is the Richard J. Schwartz Professor of Governmen

Sheri Berman Says the Democratic Recession Was Not a Surprise

If democracy wants to regain the upper hand, it has to not only do a better job than the other guys, but in fact, a good job. Sheri Berman This episode features a conve

Christopher Walker Revisits Sharp Power

Sharp power seeks to exploit the openness of free societies because their institutions are open. Christopher Walker Christopher Walker, a leading expert on authoritaria

Hugo Drochon Says Elites Are Inevitable

I don't think populism is necessarily a challenge to democracy. I think it's part and parcel of it. Hugo Drochon Hugo Drochon joins The Democracy Paradox to e

Milan Svolik Asks: Do Voters Really Support Democracy?

We are badly mismeasuring whether and how much people care about democracy. Milan Svolik In this episode of the Democracy Paradox, host Justin Kempf speaks with politic

Minxin Pei Warns China Has Descended into Totalitarianism

The paradox of dictatorship is that dictatorships do well when they do not have a genuine dictator. Minxin Pei In this episode of Democracy Paradox, Justin Kempf speaks

Erica Frantz says Personalist Parties are Democracy's Latest Threat

 Traditional programmatic parties serve as a critical guardrail for democracy.  Erica Frantz In this episode, Justin Kempf speaks with Erica Frantz about her book The O

Javier Pérez Sandoval Reveals Democracy’s Hidden Vulnerability: The Hollowing of the State

By dismantling certain capacities today, you're making the democratic choices of tomorrow harder. Javier Pérez Sandoval In this episode, Javier Pérez Sandoval disc

Kate Baldwin Explains Why Christianity Fights for Democracy in Africa

The group of people who have an interest in defending liberal democracy might be broader than many academics, and maybe even liberals, would have shown. Kate Baldwin Th

Natalie Wenzell Letsa Describes the Autocratic Voter

You can take a cognitive bias so far down the road that you can live in an objectively very clear dictatorship and sit there and say, 'I live in a democracy.'

Russell Muirhead Warns Ungoverning Threatens Democracy

The heart of ungoverning is going after expertise - eradicating expertise - and replacing it with the power of the great ruler. Russ Muirhead Russell Muirhead is the Ro

Luis Schiumerini on Incumbency Bias

Decreasing incumbent capacity and affective polarization are making incumbency salient, but also more of a curse than a blessing. Luis Schiumerini In this episode of Th