28. The New Speaker vs. Democracy, Threats of MAGA Violence as the New Normal, and the State of the 2024 Presidential Race
The Speaker drama is over (for now) – but who is Mike Johnson? His ascension is not only further evidence that the January 6 insurrectionists are now fully in charge of the House, but also a manifesta...
27 Okt 20231h 17min
27. Reflections on the Israel-Hamas war – and what the latest Speaker drama can tell us about the dangerous state of Republican politics
After a very long summer break, “Is This Democracy” is back! We start with a reflection on the terrorist attack on Israel and the ensuing Israel-Hamas war, how it’s being discussed in the U.S., and th...
13 Okt 20231h 9min
26. Taking Stock: The State of American Democracy Heading into Summer
Let’s survey the political landscape and take stock of where things stand almost halfway through 2023. We started this podcast a little over half a year ago, just a few days before the midterms. The e...
7 Jun 20231h 10min
25. The Ideology of Silicon Valley vs the Idea of Democracy – with Adrian Daub
Let’s tackle the philosophy and culture of Silicon Valley, and how they help us explain the politics of reactionary-to-far-right tech titans like Elon Musk and Peter Thiel. In 2020, Adrian Daub publis...
17 Mai 202340min
24. “Cancel Culture”: How a Moral Panic Is Capturing America and the World – with Adrian Daub
Let’s dive deep into the “cancel culture” moral panic, what it can tell us about U.S. society, culture, and politics, and how it has spread across the “West.” There is no one better equipped to help u...
16 Mai 20231h 47min
23. “Polarization” Is Not the Problem. It Obscures the Problem – with Shannon McGregor
We need to be a lot more critical towards the pervasive polarization narrative, towards “polarization” as the central diagnosis of our time. “Polarization” obscures not only what the key challenge is ...
2 Mai 20231h 14min
22. Land of Unlimited Gun Violence
Gun violence is a political problem, a democracy problem, an exceptionally American problem. We decided to do this episode after the shooting at Covenant School in Nashville. But that was over three w...
21 Apr 20231h 15min
21. Trump Arraignment in Manhattan, Wisconsin Supreme Court, Tennessee Assembly: Many Different Battles – One Conflict
It’s hard to keep track of everything that’s happening in the struggle against the reactionary assault on democracy, on so many levels, all at the same time. We go through some of the big stories of t...
6 Apr 20231h 9min
