Insights from recent episode analysis
Audience Interest
Podcast Focus
Publishing Consistency
Platform Reach
Insights are generated by CastFox AI using publicly available data, episode content, and proprietary models.
Most discussed topics
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Total monthly reach
Estimated from 26 chart positions in 26 markets.
By chart position
- 🇩🇪DE · Government#1165K to 30K
- 🇺🇸US · Government#1925K to 30K
- 🇸🇪SE · Government#4830K to 100K
- 🇫🇷FR · Government#6810K to 30K
- 🇰🇷KR · Government#1151K to 10K
- Per-Episode Audience
Est. listeners per new episode within ~30 days
66K to 249K🎙 ~2x weekly·227 episodes·Last published yesterday - Monthly Reach
Unique listeners across all episodes (30 days)
132K to 498K🇸🇪20%🇹🇭20%🇩🇪6%+23 more - Active Followers
Loyal subscribers who consistently listen
53K to 199K
Market Insights
Platform Distribution
Reach across major podcast platforms, updated hourly
Total Followers
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* Data sourced directly from platform APIs and aggregated hourly across all major podcast directories.
On the show
From 11 epsHost
Recent guests
Recent episodes
Pepper Culpepper Says Good Populism Can Save Democracy
Jun 24, 2026
49m 05s
Dan Slater Says Authoritarian Ideologies Still Matter
Jun 10, 2026
47m 09s
Guillermo Trejo on Accountability, Impunity, and the Fate of New Democracies
May 27, 2026
57m 57s
Kenneth Roberts Says the Left Pays a Steep Price for Breaking with Democracy
May 13, 2026
46m 36s
Sheri Berman Says the Democratic Recession Was Not a Surprise
Apr 29, 2026
50m 51s
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| Date | Episode | Topics | Guests | Brands | Places | Keywords | Sponsor | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6/24/26 | 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 democracy. Drawing on his Journal of Democracy article “When Populism Can Be Good” and his book with Taeku Lee, Billionaire Backlash, Culpepper argues that corporate scandals can channel public anger toward billionaires and large corporations in ways that reinforce democratic accountability. The conversation explores good and bad p... | 49m 05s | ||||||
| 6/10/26 | Dan Slater Says Authoritarian Ideologies Still Matter✨ | authoritarianismdemocracy+3 | Dan Slater | University of MichiganFrom Development to Democracy: The Transformations of Modern Asia+1 | — | authoritarian ideologiesdemocratization+3 | — | 47m 09s | |
| 5/27/26 | Guillermo Trejo on Accountability, Impunity, and the Fate of New Democracies✨ | accountabilityimpunity+4 | Guillermo Trejo | Kellogg | — | accountabilityimpunity+5 | — | 57m 57s | |
| 5/13/26 | Kenneth Roberts Says the Left Pays a Steep Price for Breaking with Democracy✨ | democracypolitical norms+3 | Kenneth Roberts | Cornell UniversityKellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs+2 | — | democracyleft politics+4 | — | 46m 36s | |
| 4/29/26 | Sheri Berman Says the Democratic Recession Was Not a Surprise✨ | democracypolitical science+3 | Sheri Berman | — | — | democracydemocratic recession+3 | — | 50m 51s | |
| 4/15/26 | Christopher Walker Revisits Sharp Power✨ | authoritarian influencesharp power+3 | Christopher Walker | sharp power | — | sharp powersoft power+3 | — | 45m 09s | |
| 4/1/26 | Hugo Drochon Says Elites Are Inevitable✨ | populismdemocracy+3 | Hugo Drochon | — | — | elitesdemocracy+3 | — | 47m 59s | |
| 3/18/26 | Milan Svolik Asks: Do Voters Really Support Democracy?✨ | democracyvoting behavior+3 | Milan Svolik | Yale UniversityThe Politics of Authoritarian Rule | — | democracyvoters+3 | — | 1h 01m 06s | |
| 3/4/26 | Minxin Pei Warns China Has Descended into Totalitarianism✨ | Chinatotalitarianism+4 | Minxin Pei | The Broken China Dream | China | Chinatotalitarianism+4 | — | 53m 41s | |
| 2/18/26 | Erica Frantz says Personalist Parties are Democracy's Latest Threat✨ | democracypersonalist parties+3 | Erica Frantz | The Origins of Elected Strongmen | El SalvadorFrance | personalist partiesdemocracy+4 | — | 51m 51s | |
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| 2/4/26 | Javier Pérez Sandoval Reveals Democracy’s Hidden Vulnerability: The Hollowing of the State✨ | democracypopulism+3 | Javier Pérez Sandoval | Journal of Democracy | — | democracyhollowing out+3 | — | 43m 24s | |
| 1/21/26 | Kate Baldwin Explains Why Christianity Fights for Democracy in Africa✨ | Christianitydemocracy+3 | Kate Baldwin | YaleFaith in Democracy | sub-Saharan Africa | Christianitydemocracy+5 | — | 37m 33s | |
| 1/7/26 | 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.' Natalie Wenzell Letsa In this episode of The Democracy Paradox, host Justin Kempf speaks with political scientist Natalie Wenzell Letsa about why some voters genuinely support ruling parties in electoral autocracies. Drawing on her book The Autocratic Voter and fieldwork in Cameroon, Letsa explains how partisan identities form under dic... | 50m 15s | ||||||
| 12/24/25 | 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 Robert Clements Professor of Democracy and Politics and the co-director of the Political Economy Project at Dartmouth University. He's also the co-author, with Nancy Rosenblum, of Ungoverning: The Attack on the Administrative State and the Politics of Chaos. Patrick McQuestion joins to help introduce the episode. Patrick is... | 50m 43s | ||||||
| 12/10/25 | 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 The Democracy Paradox, host Justin Kempf speaks with Notre Dame political scientist Luis Schiumerini about his new book Incumbency Bias: Why Political Office is a Blessing and a Curse in Latin America. Schiumerini challenges common assumptions about incumbents, demonstrating that holding office can create systematic advantages – ... | 44m 48s | ||||||
| 11/26/25 | Adam Przeworski Asks Who Decides What is Democratic | The biggest disappointment is that democracies do not reduce social and economic inequality. Adam Przeworski In this episode, host Justin Kempf talks with political scientist Adam Przeworski about what truly defines democracy today. Przeworski explains why he sees no global democratic crisis, defends a minimalist view centered on free and fair elections, and reflects on why democracies struggle to reduce inequality. He also discusses why citizens sometimes tolerate democratic erosion and how ... | 50m 44s | ||||||
| 11/12/25 | Killian Clarke Warns Counterrevolution is a Threat to Nascent Democracies | For democratic revolutions to survive counterrevolution, they have to make certain choices that can undermine the quality of their democracy. Killian Clarke Political scientist Killian Clarke joins The Democracy Paradox to discuss his new book, Return of Tyranny: Why Counterrevolutions Emerge and Succeed. He explains why democratic revolutions are especially vulnerable to reversal, how elites and citizens can align in counterrevolutionary movements, and what these dynamics reveal about democr... | 51m 54s | ||||||
| 10/29/25 | Amel Ahmed Says the Regime Question Has Returned | The regime question at its core is about how we should govern ourselves... This is an enduring question that is essential to democratic politics. Amel Ahmed This episode begins with host Justin Kempf and Javier Pérez Sandoval setting the stage for a deep dive into the “regime question,” highlighting its significance in democratic theory and contemporary politics. Their introductory discussion explores foundational divides in political systems and frames the questions that will be pursued, par... | 49m 06s | ||||||
| 10/15/25 | Tom Carothers Says We Misunderstand Democratic Backsliding | After an introductory conversation with Kellogg Faculty Fellow Marc Jacob, Democracy Paradox host Justin Kempf explores the dynamics of global democracy with renowned expert Thomas Carothers. Carothers, the director of the Carnegie Endowment's Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program, shares his deep knowledge and firsthand experiences in democracy promotion, focusing on the importance of coalition-building, inclusive leadership, and long-term commitment in sustaining democratic movements.... | 52m 42s | ||||||
| 10/1/25 | Javier Corrales on Intentional Polarization | Javier Corrales, professor of political science at Amherst College, discusses his recent research on democratic backsliding and intentional polarization. The discussion explores how leaders employ extremist policies and ideological rhetoric to consolidate executive power, drawing comparisons between Venezuela, the United States, and other global contexts. An introductory conversation with Kellogg Visiting Fellow Henry Moncrieff offers a nuanced look at opposition strategies and the complex fa... | 50m 49s | ||||||
| 9/17/25 | Susan Stokes on Democratic Backsliders | In this episode, Justin interviews Susan Stokes, the Tiffany and Margaret Blake Distinguished Service Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago and Director of the Chicago Center on Democracy. They discuss her new book The Backsliders, which explains how economic inequality and political polarization create conditions that allow leaders to undermine democratic institutions. She explores the roles of populism, voter behavior, and institutional erosion in democrati... | 40m 42s | ||||||
| 6/11/24 | The Last Episode. Elizabeth Saunders on How Democracies Wage War and Make Peace | We've often compared democratic national security and autocratic security making in terms of autocratic elites and democratic voters. My argument is not that all democracies are the same, but I do think we ought to be thinking about autocratic elites and democratic elites and voters. Elizabeth Saunders Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Proudly sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at ht... | 52m 51s | ||||||
| 6/4/24 | When Democracy Breaks: Final Thoughts with Archon Fung, David Moss and Arne Westad | I think we've seen democracies can be unstable. Autocracies are even more unstable. David Moss Made in partnership with the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation Get your copy of When Democracy Breaks or read it open access. Access Episodes Ad-Free on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Proudly sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. ... | 53m 01s | ||||||
| 5/28/24 | When Democracy Breaks: Scott Mainwaring on Argentina | March 24th, 1976 is the coup and it unleashes wild celebrations in establishment Argentina and almost no opposition.... Of course, this unleashed the most ruthless dictatorship in Argentina's history and in recent South American history as well. Scott Mainwaring Made in partnership with the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation Get your copy of When Democracy Breaks or read it open access. Access Episodes Ad-Free on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. Proudly ... | 52m 01s | ||||||
| 5/21/24 | When Democracy Breaks: 1930s Japan with Louise Young | There's a fog of democratic breakdown where really you cannot see the actual impact of your choices or your actions until after the fact. Louise Young Made in partnership with the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation Get your copy of When Democracy Breaks or read it open access. Access Episodes Ad-Free on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Proudly spons... | 45m 03s | ||||||
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Chart Positions
26 placements across 26 markets.
Chart Positions
26 placements across 26 markets.