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Sheri Berman Says the Democratic Recession Was Not a Surprise
Apr 29, 2026
50m 51s
Christopher Walker Revisits Sharp Power
Apr 15, 2026
45m 09s
Hugo Drochon Says Elites Are Inevitable
Apr 1, 2026
47m 59s
Milan Svolik Asks: Do Voters Really Support Democracy?
Mar 18, 2026
1h 01m 06s
Minxin Pei Warns China Has Descended into Totalitarianism
Mar 4, 2026
53m 41s
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| Date | Episode | Topics | Guests | Brands | Places | Keywords | Sponsor | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Sharp power seeks to exploit the openness of free societies because their institutions are open. Christopher Walker Christopher Walker, a leading expert on authoritarian influence, returns to the origins of the concept of "sharp power," a term he helped develop to distinguish coercive and manipulative forms of influence from Joseph Nye’s idea of soft power. While soft power relies on attraction and persuasion, Walker explains that sharp power instead works by penetrating democratic institutio... | 45m 09s | ||||||
| 4/1/26 | 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 explore why elites are an unavoidable part of democracy – and why that may not be a bad thing. Drawing on classical elite theory, he explains how democratic systems depend on the constant circulation of competing elites and why outsider movements, including populism, can play a vital role in keeping democracy responsive. The conversation ... | 47m 59s | ||||||
| 3/18/26 | 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 political scientist Milan Svolik, the Elizabeth S. & A. Varick Stout Professor of Political Science at Yale University and author of The Politics of Authoritarian Rule. Their conversation explores one of the central puzzles in contemporary democracy: why citizens who say they strongly support democracy sometimes vote for politicia... | 1h 01m 06s | ||||||
| 3/4/26 | 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 with China scholar Minxin Pei about his book The Broken China Dream: How Reform Revived Totalitarianism and his argument that China under Xi Jinping has shifted from authoritarianism back toward totalitarianism. They explore the missed opportunities for political reform in the 1980s, the party’s post-Tiananmen survival strateg... | 53m 41s | ||||||
| 2/18/26 | 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 Origins of Elected Strongmen and the rise of personalist leaders in democracies. Frantz explains how leader-dominated political parties – more than populist rhetoric alone – can erode democratic institutions from within, drawing on cases from El Salvador to France. The conversation explores why voters support such lead... | 51m 51s | ||||||
| 2/4/26 | 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 discusses his Journal of Democracy essay, coauthored with Andrés Mejía Acosta, on why populist leaders often “hollow out” the state. Moving beyond familiar debates about executive aggrandizement and democratic backsliding, Pérez Sandoval argues that democracy depends on the state’s capacity to deliver essential public goods – from healt... | 43m 24s | ||||||
| 1/21/26 | 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 This episode features Yale political scientist Kate Baldwin in a conversation about her book Faith in Democracy, which challenges the assumption that religion is inherently hostile to democratic governance. Drawing on research from sub-Saharan Africa, Baldwin explains how Christian churches have often emerged as defenders of libe... | 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 | ||||||
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| 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 | ||||||
| 5/14/24 | When Democracy Breaks: Ancient Athens with Josiah Ober and Federica Carugati | What strikes me about that period is that democracy was not inevitable. Federica Carugati 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.... | 51m 51s | ||||||
| 5/7/24 | Alexander Keyssar on Why We Still Have the Electoral College | I think that if you got rid of the Electoral College, in the short run, there would be losers. But it hasn't always been the same group and it hasn't always been the same party. Alexander Keyssar Made in partnership with the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation 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 ... | 50m 20s | ||||||
| 4/30/24 | Robert Kagan on the Threat of Antiliberalism | You actually have to fight in every generation, if you want to preserve liberalism. It's not just going to preserve itself. It's not just the end of history. It isn't just the final resting place of humanity - not by any stretch of the imagination. It's a continual struggle. Robert Kagan 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 sponsor... | 49m 35s | ||||||
| 4/23/24 | Rep Mikie Sherrill on Whether the Bipartisan Consensus on Foreign Policy Will Hold and on Threats to American Democracy | People in Congress are leaders in their communities and people in some parts of this country are, in my opinion, being led astray. Rep. Mikie Sherrill This episode was made in partnership with the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy 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 Internat... | 32m 42s | ||||||
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Chart Positions
13 placements across 13 markets.
Chart Positions
13 placements across 13 markets.