Neither Free Nor Fair?

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This new podcast series, “Neither Free Nor Fair?” is produced at the University of Washington and hosted by James Long, Associate Professor of Political Science.

Political Economy Forum


    • May 20, 2021 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 53m AVG DURATION
    • 35 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Neither Free Nor Fair?

    Russia, If You're Listening with Scott Radnitz

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2021 54:49


    Prof. Scott Radnitz of UW joins James to discuss Russia and Vladimir Putin's influence on elections & democracy at home and abroad; potential hacking in the 2020 election; and the role that conspiracy theories play in post-Soviet politics. Scott is the author of the new book, Revealing Schemes: The Politics of Conspiracy in Russia and the Post-Soviet Region, as well Weapons of the Wealthy: Predatory Regimes and Elite-Led Protests in Central Asia.

    Democratic Backsliding in American States: Jake Grumbach

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2021 56:06


    Jake Grumbach, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Washington, joins Morgan and Nicolas to discuss the indicators and causes of American democratic backsliding. Jake is the author of a forthcoming paper entitled “Laboratories of Democratic Backsliding.” Coverage of the article, which details his development of the State Democracy Index utilized to assess subnational institutions and policies, has extended to pieces in The Economist, New York Times, New York Magazine, Vox, and The Washington Post.

    Our Data, Whose Democracy? with Wong and Weller

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2021 55:07


    Wendy Wong, Professor of Political Science at the University of Toronto & Nicholas Weller, Associate Professor of Political Science at UC-Riverside join James to discuss datafication, human rights, regulation of big tech, and democracy. Wendy and Nick are the authors of the forthcoming paper "We Haven't Gone Paperless Yet: Why the Printing Press Can Help Us Understand Data and AI." Wendy is the author of Internal Affairs and Nick is the author of Finding Pathways: Mixed-Method Research for Studying Causal Mechanism. They have written recent pieces on facial recognition and the Capitol Riot, and the role of big tech and regulation of speech.

    Everyday Politics in Africa: Jeff Paller

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2021 52:34


    Jeff Paller, Assistant Prof. at the University of San Francisco, joins James and Morgan to discuss the daily interactions and informal governance that characterize and inform politics in African democracies. The conversation includes Jeff's insight regarding the influence of shifts in urbanization and demography on regional development and democratization. Jeff is the author of Democracy in Ghana: Everyday Politics in Urban Africa and co-founder of the popular newsletter This Week in Africa.

    Democracy in Latin America: Michael Albertus

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2021 52:46


    Michael Albertus, Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago joins James to discuss politics and democratization in Latin America - including when/how the region gained independence, the importance of land and land reform, property rights, left-wing radicals vs. right-wing reactionaries, drug wars and cartels, and whether democracy is responsible for corruption today. Mike is the author of Property without Rights: Origins and Consequences of the Property Rights Gap, Authoritarianism and the Elite Origins of Democracy (with Victor Menaldo), and Autocracy and Redistribution: The Politics of Land Reform

    What is Happening in Uganda: Golooba-Mutebi

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2021 62:18


    Ugandan political scientist Frederick Golooba-Mutebi joins James to discuss the recent election in Uganda, historical and contemporary conflict over democracy, President Yoweri Museveni's retail campaign compared to the role of social media and the rise in popularity of the opposition leader Bobi Wine, whether the January vote was rigged and who really won, and what Ugandan democracy teaches us (or not) about democracy globally. Fred ends with a provocative statement on Rwanda, which he promises to explore on a future episode! Fred is recently the author of "The master of institutional multiplicity? The shifting politics of regime survival, state-building and democratization in Museveni's Uganda.

    Special Townhall Discussion *Crossover with the Political Economy Forum*

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2021 73:54


    In this special, crossover episode with the Political Economy Forum podcast, Professors Long and Menaldo are having an open, live discussion with Forum affiliates and friends on the Biden Agenda, the state of American democracy, COVID, and social media in politics. This podcast is hosted by Morgan Wack and Nicolas Wittstock and produced by Matthew Dagele.

    Karen Ferree: Are Voters 'Tribal'?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2021 57:33


    Karen Ferree, Prof. at UCSD joins James to discuss what it means for voters to be ‘tribal,' partisanship in the US, racial/ethnic voting in South Africa and Kenya, and the implications of identity to democratic politics. Karen is the author of Framing the Race in South Africa: the Political Origins of Racial Census Elections and “Mixed Records, Complexity, and Ethnic Voting in African Elections” (co-authored with James and Clark Gibson)

    Jessica Beyer: Online Chatter, Real-world Mayhem

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2021 68:15


    Dr. Jessica Beyer of the University of Washington joins James to discuss online coordination of the Jan. 6th attack, Facebook groups, QAnon, and the ability to "deprogram" followers of online conspiracy theories and far-right extremism. Jessica is the author of the book Expect Us: Online Communities and Political Mobilization.

    Dan Slater: What's Happening in Myanmar?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2021 51:38


    Prof. Dan Slater of Univ. of Michigan discusses with James the ongoing protests, coup, election fraud, and democratization in Myanmar. Dan is author of Ordering Power: Contentious Politics and Authoritarian Leviathans in Southeast Asia and a co-editor of Southeast Asia in Political Science: Theory, Region, and Qualitative Analysis.

    Bryan Finney on Technology and Voting

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2021 51:29


    Bryan Finney, Founder and President of Democracy Live joins James to discuss the role of technology in the voting process and how we might all be voting in the future.

    Long and Menaldo on Deplatforming and Impeachment

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2021 78:26


    Prof. Victor Menaldo of UW Political Economy Forum discusses with James their recent piece on Section 230 and Trump's deplatforming in the Seattle Times, and obscure features of the Constitution regarding Impeachment and the upcoming Senate trial.

    America: So Now What? with Chris Parker

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2021 54:52


    Prof. Chris Parker of the Univ. Washington discusses with James what to expect next from the Biden/Harris administration, the Republican Party, and the future of American democracy.

    Megan Francis: Why is this Happening?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2021 64:25


    Prof. Megan Francis of Univ. of Washington & Harvard joins James to explain the Capitol Riot and the 2020 election in historical context; the role of race in contemporary American political life; and the contribution of Black women to the success of the Democratic Party. Megan is the author of the award winning book, Civil Rights and the Making of the Modern American State, and host of the podcast ‘Philanthropy and Social Movements.' Megan specializes in the study of American politics, with broad interests in criminal punishment, Black political activism, philanthropy, and the post-civil war South.

    Long and Menaldo: Insurrection, Sedition, Coup -- oh my! *Special Cross-over episode*

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2021 69:26


    Prof. Victor Menaldo of UW Political Economy Forum discusses with James whether the mob that attacked the Capitol is a coup attempt, insurrection, or sedition, the 25th amendment, and future prosecutions. James and Victor also discuss these issues in a recent piece published in The Conversation: Why Trump's challenges to democracy will be a big problem for Biden.

    Gabrielle Lynch: Truth, Justice, and Reconciliation?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2020 45:46


    Prof. Gabrielle Lynch of the University of Warwick discusses with James the importance of truth, justice, and reconciliation for democracy and during political transitions.

    Stephanie Burchard and Austin Wright: Election Violence

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2020 63:39


    Stephanie Burchard of Institute for Defense Analyses & Austin Wright of Univ. of Chicago join James to discuss election violence in a global and US context.

    Sara Curran: Census--Counting Folks and Counting Votes

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 7, 2020 50:26


    Prof. Sara Curran of UW discusses with James the census and why counting people is important for elections and democracy.

    Pippa Norris: What is Electoral Integrity?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2020 48:52


    Prof. Pippa Norris of Harvard & Electoral Integrity Project discusses with James the concept of electoral integrity and whether the US makes the grade.

    harvard prof integrity norris electoral electoral integrity project
    Catch Up on Old Episodes!

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2020 2:30


    As we take a short break for Thanksgiving, catch up on old episodes!

    To Coup or Not to Coup?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2020 76:05


    Victor Menaldo of Political Economy Forum joins James to discuss why a coup is unlikely in the US, the anxieties & realities of political transitions, and what the historical record can teach us about contested elections. See links on the showpage here.

    Loren Collingwood: What Do Voters Want?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2020 50:24


    Loren Collingwood of UC-Riverside discusses why Biden won the election.

    Charlotte Hill on "Count the Votes or Stop the Count"?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2020 44:26


    Charlotte Hill of FairVote & RepresentUs talks certification of ballot counts and potential legal disputes.

    Chris Parker: What to Expect Tuesday

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2020 50:54


    Prof. Chris Parker of Univ. Washington discusses what to expect next Tuesday, race in American politics, and what a new Trump or Biden administration must focus on moving forward.

    Kevin Johnson: Election Reform Frontiers and Challenges

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2020 60:25


    In part 2, Kevin Johnson discusses election reform frontiers & challenges with James regarding the electoral college, gerrymandering, impartial election administration, campaign finance, and rank choice voting.

    Kevin Johnson: Election Calm or Chaos?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2020 55:55


    Kevin Johnson Executive Director Election Reformers Network & James discuss what inspires calm & uncertainty in this election

    Lawrence Wilkerson on Counterintelligence and Election Security

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2020 55:19


    Col. Lawrence Wilkerson of National Task Force on Election Crises, Transition Integrity Project, and College of William & Mary talks counterintelligence and election security with James.

    Election Cyberhacking

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2020 55:44


    Dr. Jessica Beyer co-lead of Cybersecurity Initiative talks election cyberhacking with James.

    The Online Rumor Mill

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2020 48:32


    James & Morgan talk to Prof. Emma Spiro - co-director of the Social Media Lab and co-founder of the Center for an Informed Public - about online rumors, “fake news” & electoral integrity.

    America: a Fledgling Democracy?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2020 57:24


    James and Bree Bang-Jensen talk to Colin Cookman of US Institute of Peace about democracy in Afghanistan and lessons for the US. Visit Showpage.

    A (Mis)Informed Public?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2020 47:56


    James talks to Prof. Jevin West, Director Center for an Informed Public at UW & Morgan Wack of Election Integrity Partnership about social media and misinformation.

    Presidential Debates--Special Crossover Episode!

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2020 46:30


    A special crossover episode of Neither Free Nor Fair? with the Political Economy Forum, James Long, Victor Menaldo, and Mark Smith discuss the presidential debates, whether the remaining debates should be canceled or not, and the role of debates to democracy.

    Trump's Covid and Mail-In Voting

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 3, 2020 57:08


    James speaks with Charlotte Hill of UC Berkeley and Jake Grumbach of UW about Trump's coronavirus diagnosis and mail-in voting.

    Democratic Backsliding in the International Environment

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2020 54:07


    In the inaugural episode, James speaks with Professor Susan Hyde from UC Berkeley about "Democracy's Backsliding in the International Environment."

    Trailer - *New Podcast on Election Security*

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2020 1:44


    In this new podcast series, “Neither Free Nor Fair?” we will try to make sense of the evolving threats to election security and democracy in the US and around the world. The series is produced by the Political Economy Forum at the University of Washington and hosted by me, James Long, Associate Professor of Political Science and co-founder of the Forum. I research and teach on elections, corruption, and democracy in a global context, and for more than a decade, have observed elections in Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East. Each episode, global experts from academia, advocacy, policymaking, and the tech industry will join me to discuss how we can apply lessons from around the world to understand threats to elections in the US, and how these lessons inform the conversation around the fate of global democracy in the 21st century. We hope you'll join us.

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