This is Democracy

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The future of democracy is uncertain, but we are committed to its urgent renewal today. This podcast will draw on historical knowledge to inspire a contemporary democratic renaissance. The past offers hope for the present and the future, if only we can escape the negativity of our current moment — a…

Jeremi Suri


    • Jun 18, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 41m AVG DURATION
    • 300 EPISODES

    4.7 from 86 ratings Listeners of This is Democracy that love the show mention: important, topics.


    Ivy Insights

    The This is Democracy podcast is both informative and engaging, making it a must-listen for various listeners. The hosts do an excellent job of creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for their guests, resulting in thought-provoking conversations on some of the most important issues in American society. I highly recommend this podcast to friends, family, and peers alike.

    One of the best aspects of This is Democracy is the diversity of perspectives that are brought together on each episode. The hosts bring in people from different faiths, backgrounds, and ages, allowing for a rich and well-rounded discussion. This not only provides listeners with a comprehensive understanding of the topics being discussed but also encourages empathy and understanding amongst individuals with differing viewpoints. Additionally, the opening poem by Zachary adds an impactful and meaningful touch to each episode, setting the tone for thoughtful conversation.

    Another great aspect of this podcast is its accessibility to listeners of all ages. As mentioned in one review, parents have found value in playing these episodes for their children during car rides to spark important discussions. The topics covered are historically factual and interesting, providing a springboard for conversations about our society's past and present challenges. This inclusion of younger generations ensures that they are informed about important issues early on and encourages them to think critically about their role in shaping democracy.

    While it is difficult to find any significant drawbacks to This is Democracy, one minor criticism could be that some episodes may lean towards a particular political perspective. While diversity of thought is showcased through the guest speakers, there may be instances where certain viewpoints are more prevalent than others. However, this does not diminish the overall value of the podcast as it continues to offer insightful discussions on important topics.

    In conclusion, The This is Democracy podcast is an exceptional resource for anyone interested in exploring American society's most pressing issues. Its informative content along with its engaging format make it easy to follow for various listeners. The diverse range of guests ensures that multiple perspectives are presented, stimulating thought and fostering empathy. I highly recommend this podcast to anyone looking for informative and thought-provoking conversations on democracy.



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    Latest episodes from This is Democracy

    This is Democracy — 300th Episode!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2025 34:08


    In the 300th episode of This Is Democracy, Jeremi and Zachary look back on seven years of podcasting, reflecting on their conversations with scholars, activists, and students about democracy, human rights, and civic engagement. Zachary reads from his first poem for the podcast, "In A Quieter Time", and reflects on how his writing has evolved over the years. The episode emphasizes the need for nuanced, non-partisan discussions on democracy, the role of youth in shaping political discourse, and the importance of non-violent solutions to political challenges.

    This is Democracy – Episode 299: Southern Politics: Past and Present

    Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2025 43:29


    This week, Jeremi and Zachary are speaking with Professor Bryan D. Jones to explore the history and evolution of southern politics. They delve into the persistent divisions and conflicts within southern politics over the last century and a half, and analyze how these dynamics shape contemporary issues of democracy, race, justice, and power. Zachary opens with his poem titled "At Mr. Evers' Home". Bryan D. Jones holds the  J. J. "Jake" Pickle Regents Chair in Congressional Studies, and he is a professor in the Department of Government at the University of Texas at Austin. Prof. Jones' books include: Reconceiving Decision-Making in Democratic Politics (1994), Politics and the Architecture of Choice (2001), and most recently, The Southern Fault Line: How Race, Class, and Region Shaped One Family's History (2025).

    This is Democracy – Episode 298: Iran-Contra and its Legacies

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2025 41:23


    In this episode, Jeremi and Zachary Suri are joined by Professor Alan McPherson, an expert on US foreign relations who introduces his new book 'The Breach: Iran-Contra and the Assault on American Democracy.' Together, they discuss how this Iran-Contra scandal altered public trust in the American government and set troubling precedents for future administrations. Zachary sets the scene with his poem titled "Same Old Lies". Alan McPherson is a professor of history at Temple University in Philadelphia. He is the author of numerous books on the history of U.S. foreign relations, including: The Invaded: How Latin Americans and their Allies Fought and Ended U.S. Occupations; Ghosts of Sheridan Circle: How a Washington Assassination Brought Pinochet's Terror State to Justice; and, most recently, The Breach: Iran-Contra and the Assault on American Democracy.

    This is Democracy – Episode 297: Free Speech and Repression in Turkey

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2025 58:27


    Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of political imprisonment, torture, threats of r*pe, and human rights abuses. Viewer discretion is advised. Jeremi and Zachary speak with Kurdish journalist Nedim Türfent, who spent over 2,400 days in a Turkish prison after releasing footage of state forces mistreating Kurdish workers. He was denied a fair trial, convicted on coerced testimony, and silenced for speaking truth. In confinement, he turned to poetry—smuggling out verses that have since reached global audiences. His words remain a powerful testament to resistance, memory, and humanity.

    This is Democracy – Episode 296: Israel-Palestine

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2025 37:21


    This week, the discussion delves into the complex and deeply rooted suffering in the Middle East, focusing on the history of conflict, memory, trauma, and grief between Israelis and Palestinians. Jeremi and Zachary Suri are joined by acclaimed author Lawrence Wright, who has spent decades studying and documenting the region. Wright discusses his latest novel, 'The Human Scale,' which examines the motivations and personal stories behind the ongoing violence and suffering.  Zachary sets the scene with his poem, "In Jerusalem". Lawrence Wright is a staff writer for The New Yorker, a playwright, a screenwriter, and the author of ten books of nonfiction, including The Looming Tower, Going Clear, and God Save Texas, and three previous novels, Mr. Texas, The End of October, and God's Favorite. His books have received many honors, including a Pulitzer Prize for The Looming Tower. His most recent book is a novel, The Human Scale.

    This is Democracy – Episode 295: Broadcasting Democracy

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2025 39:10


    Jeremi and Zachary have a conversation with Dr. Mark Pomar on the historical impact of Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, and Radio Liberty’s critical role of radio communications during the Cold War, and the challenges they face today including the recent threats to their operation. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, “Radio Liberty”. […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 294: The Courts and the President

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2025 35:01


    Jeremi and Zachary sit down with Jeffrey Toobin to discuss the critical relationship between the U.S. judiciary, particularly the Supreme Court, and the executive branch. Discussion centers around the contentious and politically charged topic of presidential pardoning power. The episode covers historical instances, such as Lincoln’s and Johnson’s post-Civil War pardons, Gerald Ford’s pardon of […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 293: Ending Wars

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2025 34:41


    This week, Jeremi and Zachary talk with Michael Vorenberg about the difficulties of ending wars in democracies. Their discussion includes various perspectives on when the Civil War truly ended, the challenges of war termination, Lincoln’s approach toward reconciliation, and the lasting impacts of unresolved conflicts. Zachary sets the scene with the poem “O Captain! My […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 292: Free Speech

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2025 59:19


    This week, Jeremi and Zachary talk with Donald Downs delve into the importance of free speech in democratic societies. They explore its historical significance, current threats, and what individuals can do to protect it. Their discussion includes insights on social media censorship, free speech on college campuses, and the legal perspectives surrounding free speech in […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 291: Palestinian History and Identity

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2025 35:55


    This week, Jeremi and Zachary talk with Dr. Maha Nassar about her insights on the Palestinian experience, identity, and history. They delve into the complexities of Palestinian and Israeli narratives, and emphasize the importance of open conversations, listening with empathy, and understanding diverse perspectives. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, “On The Other Side.” […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 290: News Media

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2025 43:53


    This week, Jeremi and Zachary discuss the transformation of mainstream media and journalism over the past few decades with Martin Di Caro. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, “If Anyone Is Listening.” Award-winning journalist Martin Di Caro is the host of “History As It Happens,” a podcast for people who want to think historically […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 289: Trump’s Immigration Executive Orders

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 23, 2025 38:02


    Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Dr. Sarah Coleman to discuss President Donald Trump’s immigration executive orders that have occurred within his first few days in office. Zachary opens with his poem, “Return to Lady Liberty”. Sarah Coleman is a professor of 20th century American History at Texas State University. Her research is focused on […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 288: City Leadership

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 3, 2025 29:02


    This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Austin, Texas city council member Dr. Alison Alter, who offers her insights from her eight-year tenure on the council. The discussion covers the significant impact local government has on daily life, the challenges of public service, and the importance of citizen involvement in local politics. Zachary opens […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 287: Year-in-Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2024 41:22


    This week, Jeremi and Zachary discuss significant events and favorite episodes of 2024, reflecting on a year marked by political, social, and environmental challenges, and consider reasons for optimism and hope in 2025.

    This is Democracy – Episode 286: Syria

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 12, 2024 43:50


    Mai Barazi was born in Syria, where she lived half of her life before moving to the United States. She received her Master's degree in public leadership from the LBJ School at the University of Texas at Austin. Mai has worked extensively on international refugee and resettlement issues. She has worked in humanitarian relief and […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 285: Tariffs, Trade, and Supply Chains

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2024 38:37


    Jeremi and Zachary sit down with Dr. Meg Reiss to discuss what kinds of protections the United States should initiate through tariff measures on open trade. The discussion covers the complexities of the supply chain security and the dangers of open trade. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, “On the Border.” Dr. Meg Reiss […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 284: Ukraine War

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2024 50:09


    Jeremi and Zachary sit down with Dr. Michael Kimmage to discuss the state of the war in Ukraine. The discussion covers the complexities of the ongoing conflict, the geopolitical ramifications, and the humanitarian impact on the local populace. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, “The Village.” Dr. Michael Kimmage is a professor of history […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 283: Barbara Jordan

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2024 36:44


    Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Professor Mary Ellen Curtain to discuss the life and legacy of Barbara Jordan, a pioneering legislator, civil rights activist, and the first African American woman elected to Congress from the South. Curtain’s new book, ‘She Changed the Nation: Barbara Jordan’s Life and Legacy in Black Politics,’ explores Jordan’s impact […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 282: Elections 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2024 40:27


    This week, Jeremi and Zachary delve into the reactions, and broader ramifications, of the 2024 US election. The discussion focuses on community responses, with particular attention to young people and their engagement. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, “Election Day”.

    This is Democracy – Episode 281: Lebanon Wars

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2024 38:46


    This week, Jeremi and Zachary have a discussion with Dr. Emily Whalen about Lebanon's complex history and its current conflict. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, “A Prophecy”. Dr. Emily Whalen is a non-resident senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Her first book, The Lebanese Wars, which examines the history […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 280: Banking and Democracy

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2024 32:03


    This week, Jeremi and Zachary have a conversation with Professor Mary Bridges, author of ‘Dollars and Dominion: U.S. Bankers and the Making of a Superpower.’ They explore the significant, yet often overlooked, role of banking institutions, particularly the Federal Reserve, in shaping American democracy and foreign policy. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, “Reserves”. […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 279: Hubert Humphrey & Civil Rights

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2024 45:55


    This week, Jeremi and Zachary sit down with Samuel G. Freedman to talk about the often overlooked contributions of Hubert Humphrey to American history and civil rights. The discussion traces Humphrey’s rise from a small-town boy in South Dakota to a pivotal figure in the civil rights movement and U.S. politics. Despite not achieving the […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 278: Presidential Debates

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2024 42:24


    This week, Jeremy and Zachary sit down with Paul Stekler to explore whether debates influence election outcomes, referencing major debates from past elections, and look closely at the recent debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, “Everyone is Laughing”. Paul Stekler is a nationally recognized documentary filmmaker whose […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 277: How Congress Works

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2024 54:33


    This week, Jeremy and Zachary sit down with John A. Lawrence to delve into the intricacies of the U.S. Congress. They discuss its historical significance, common misconceptions about its operations, and the inherent challenges in passing legislation. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, “The Speaker”. John A. Lawrence served for thirty-eight years as a […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 276: New School Year

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2024 38:49


    This week, Jeremi and Zachary discuss the upcoming academic year and how universities can impact our relationships with democracy and politics. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, “A New Season.”

    This is Democracy – Episode 275: Ukraine War

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2024 46:21


    This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Dr. Michael Kimmage to discuss the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled “Bloodstains.” Dr. Michael Kimmage is a professor of history at the Catholic University of America in Washington DC. He is also a fellow at the German Marshall Fund, and chair […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 274: Political Conventions

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 15, 2024 46:21


    This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Jonathan Alter to discuss the upcoming Democratic National Convention. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled “When They Go Marching in Chicago” Jonathan Alter is an award-winning author, political analyst, documentary filmmaker, columnist, television producer, and radio host. He is the author of numerous books, including:  His […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 273: Venezuela Elections

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2024 42:26


    Dr. Kurt Weyland is the Mike Hogg Professor in Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin.  He has conducted original research in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Peru, and Venezuela. Prof. Weyland is the author of seven books, including: The Politics of Market Reform in Fragile Democracies (Princeton, 2002); Making Waves: Democratic Contention in Europe […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 272: Supreme Court Reforms

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2024 58:30


    This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Sanford Levinson to discuss the current state of the Supreme Court, recent efforts by Joe Biden to propose reforms, and how effective these proposals would be in practice. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, “The Judges.” Sanford Levinson, who holds the W. St. John Garwood […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 271: Reforming Democracy

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 25, 2024 36:14


    This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Michael Ignatieff to discuss the current state of the institutions of democracy, how they are being questioned by some political movements, and how they can be reformed and strengthened. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, “A Constitution of the Soul.” Michael Ignatieff is a historian […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 270: Political Violence

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2024 41:34


    This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Joanne Freeman to discuss political violence in the American political landscape from a historical perspective, and disperse some of the myths and misconceptions around it. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled “The War of Independence” Joanne Freeman is the Class of 1954 Professor of American […]

    This Is Democracy – Episode 269: British Elections

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2024 37:01


    This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by William James to discuss the recent elections in Britain in the context of Brexit, Keir Starmer, and how they reflect the current state of democracy in Britain and beyond. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, “Sonnet for Our Special Friends.” Dr William D. James is […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 268: Supreme Court

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2024 42:21


    Stephen Vladeck is professor of law at Georgetown University. He is the author of a New York Times bestselling book, The Shadow Docket. He publishes a widely-read newsletter on the Supreme Court, One First.

    This is Democracy – Episode 267: Mexican Elections

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2024 38:01


    This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Kenneth Greene to discuss the recent June elections in Mexico, and how they reflect the current state of democracy in Mexico and beyond. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, “Across the Moat.” Kenneth Greene is Associate Professor of Government at the University of Texas at […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 266: European Democracies

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 21, 2024 34:14


    This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Isabel Cademartori to discuss the current state of European Democracy and how recent elections have been shaking things up. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, “Sighing.” Isabel Cademartori was elected as a Member of the German Bundestag from Mannheim in 2021. She is a rising […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 265: D-Day and Its Legacies

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 11, 2024 47:38


    This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Dr. John W. Hall to discuss the D-Day landing during World War II, and what lessons can be learned from its legacy. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, “In Leipzig on D-Day.” John W. Hall is a professor and holder of the Ambrose-Hesseltine Chair in […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 264: Free Trade and Peace

    Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2024 45:50


    This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Dr. Marc-William Palen to discuss the history of free trade and associated hopes for international peace. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, “A World at Sail” Marc-William Palen is a historian at the University of Exeter. His new book, Pax Economica: Left-Wing Visions of a Free […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 263: China's Domestic and Foreign Policy

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2024 34:06


    On this episode of This Is Democracy, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Sheena Chestnut Greitens to discuss the changing political landscape in China and how that affects their relationship to the United States and other world leaders. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, “Far Away.” Sheena Chestnut Greitens is Associate Professor at […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 262: Campus Protests

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2024 39:35


    On this episode of This Is Democracy, Jeremi and Zachary discuss the ongoing university protests across the nation, specifically focusing on the demonstrations at Yale and UT Austin and their impacts on the surrounding environment. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, “For Lisa.”

    This is Democracy – Episode 261: Political Disillusionment

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2024 39:54


    On this episode of This is Democracy, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Dr. Art Markman to discuss the growing epidemic of political disillusionment and despair in modern society, and what can be done about it. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, “A Pessimist’s Apocalypse” Dr. Art Markman is the Annabel Irion Worsham […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 260: Indian Elections

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2024 39:58


    On this episode of This Is Democracy, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Milan Vaishnav to discuss the scale and future impact of India’s 2024 general election. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, “A Democratic Quest” Milan Vaishnav is a senior fellow and director of the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 259: Media and Politics

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2024 31:26


    On this episode of This is Democracy, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by documentary filmmaker Paul Stekler to discuss media and politics in the modern age. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, “An Appeal for Clarity” Paul Stekler taught at the University of Texas at Austin for many years. He is a nationally […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 258: Ukraine War

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2024 48:53


    In this week’s episode, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Dr. Michael Kimmage to discuss the current status of the Ukraine war in 2024. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, “If I Were at War” Dr. Michael Kimmage is a professor of history at the Catholic University of America in Washington DC. He […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 257: Disinformation

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2024 37:42


    In this week’s episode, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by guest Ellen McCarthy to discuss the problems of disinformation in the world today. Zachary sets this scene with his poem entitled, “Like a Ball of String” Ellen McCarthy is the ChairWoman and CEO of the Truth in Media Cooperative and Noodle Labs. Ms. McCarthy has […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 256: Humanitarian Intervention

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2024 32:35


    In this week’s episode, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Dr. Julia F. Irwin to discuss American Humanitarian Assistance in the 20th and 21st century. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, “The Old Colossus.” Dr. Julia F. Irwin is the T. Harry Williams Professor of History at Louisiana State University.  She is a […]

    This is Democracy – Episode 255: Collective Trauma

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2024 39:24


    In this week's episode, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Stephen Sonnenberg, MD, to discuss how collective trauma can affect people, groups and societies. Steve Sonnenberg, MD, is a psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, and medical humanities and ethics scholar. At The University of Texas at Austin's Dell Medical School he serves as professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. He is also fellow in the Paul Woodruff Professorship for Excellence in Undergraduate Studies and chair of the faculty panel of the Bridging Disciplines Program “Patients, Practitioners, and Cultures of Care,” both in the University's Undergraduate College. The Bridging Disciplines Program is designed to prepare healthcare undergraduates with the tools they will need later, as providers, to create a healthcare system where health is a human right and structural disparities in care are eliminated.

    This is Democracy – Episode 254: Evangelicals Today

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2024 55:05


    In this week's episode, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Dr. Daniel Hummel about the history of American Evangelicalism and its connection to both policy and theology. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, "If Your God is a God of Truth" Dr. Daniel Hummel is the Director for University Engagement at Upper House, a Christian study center serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Daniel is the author of The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism: How the Evangelical Battle Over the End Times Shaped a Nation and Covenant Brothers: Evangelicals, Jews, and U.S.-Israeli Relations. Daniel has written about religion, politics, and foreign policy for the Washington Post, Christianity Today, and Religion News Service. His academic research has been published in Religion & American Culture and Church History.

    This is Democracy – Episode 253: Bush v Gore: The Legacy

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2024 54:49


    In this week's episode, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Sanford Levinson to discuss the 2000 election, the Supreme Court decision that finalized it, and how this decision has had ramifications throughout modern history. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, "The Court Has Stopped the Count" Sanford Levinson, who holds the W. St. John Garwood and W. St. John Garwood, Jr. Centennial Chair in Law, joined the University of Texas Law School in 1980. Previously a member of the Department of Politics at Princeton University, he is also a Professor in the Department of Government at the University of Texas. Levinson is the author of approximately 400 articles, book reviews, or commentaries in professional and popular journals--and a regular contributor to the popular blog Balkinization. He has also written six books: Constitutional Faith (1988, winner of the Scribes Award, 2d edition 2011); Written in Stone: Public Monuments in Changing Societies (1998); Wrestling With Diversity (2003); Our Undemocratic Constitution: Where the Constitution Goes Wrong (and How We the People Can Correct It)(2006); Framed: America's 51 Constitutions and the Crisis of Governance (2012); An Argument Open to All: Reading the Federalist in the 21st Century (2015); and, with Cynthia Levinson, Fault Lines in the Constitution: The Framers, Their Fights, and teh Flaws that Affect Us Today (forthcoming, September 2017). Edited or co-edited books include a leading constitutional law casebook, Processes of Constitutional Decisionmaking (6th ed. 2015, with Paul Brest, Jack Balkin, Akhil Amar, and Reva Siegel); Nullification and Secession in Modern Constitutional Thought (2016); Reading Law and Literature: A Hermeneutic Reader (1988, with Steven Mallioux); Responding to Imperfection: The Theory and Practice of Constitutional Amendment (1995); Constitutional Stupidities, Constitutional Tragedies (1998, with William Eskridge); Legal Canons (2000, with Jack Balkin); The Louisiana Purchase and American Expansion (2005, with Batholomew Sparrow); Torture: A Collection (2004, revised paperback edition, 2006); and The Oxford Handbook on the United States Constitution (with Mark Tushnet and Mark Graber, 2015). He received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Law and Courts Section of the American Political Science Association in 2010. He has been a visiting faculty member of the Boston University, Georgetown, Harvard, New York University, and Yale law schools in the United States and has taught abroad in programs of law in London; Paris; Jerusalem; Auckland, New Zealand; and Melbourne, Australia. He was a Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton in 1985-86 and a Member of the Ethics in the Professions Program at Harvard in 1991-92. He is also affiliated with the Shalom Hartman Institute of Jewish Philosophy in Jerusalem. A member of the American Law Institute, Levinson was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2001. He is married to Cynthia Y. Levinson, a writer of children's literature, and has two daughters and four grandchildren.

    This is Democracy – Episode 252: Ukraine War

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2023 53:45


    In this week's episode, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Michael Kimmage to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, "For a War of Worlds" Dr. Michael Kimmage is a professor of history at the Catholic University of America in Washington DC. He is also a fellow at the German Marshall Fund, and chair of the Advisory Council for the Kennan Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington DC. From 2014 to 2017, Kimmage served on the Secretary's Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. Department of State, where he held the Russia/Ukraine portfolio. He publishes widely on international affairs, U.S.-Russian relations and American diplomatic history. Dr. Kimmage is the author of: The Conservative Turn: Lionel Trilling, Whittaker Chambers and the Lessons of Anti-Communism (2009); In History's Grip: Philip Roth's Newark Trilogy (2012); The Abandonment of the West: The History of an Idea in American Foreign Policy (2020). His forthcoming book is Collisions: The Origins of the War in Ukraine and the New Global Instability (2024).

    This is Democracy – Episode 251: Middle East in the 1970s and Today

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2023 62:21


    This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Professor Salim Yaqub to discuss how the 1970s changed the Middle East, and how those changes are still relevant in the modern day. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, "To Israel, a Widow" Salim Yaqub is Professor of History at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and Director of UCSB's Center for Cold War Studies and International History. He is the author of three books: Containing Arab Nationalism: The Eisenhower Doctrine and the Middle East (University of North Carolina Press, 2004), Imperfect Strangers: Americans, Arabs, and U.S.–Middle East Relations in the 1970s (Cornell University Press, 2016), and Winds of Hope, Storms of Discord: The United States since 1945 (Cambridge University Press, 2023). He has also written several articles and book chapters on the history of U.S. foreign relations, the international politics of the Middle East, and Arab American political activism.

    This is Democracy – Episode 250: College Campuses

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2023 31:41


    In this special 250th episode, Jeremi and Zachary discuss the current state of discourse and civil debate on college campuses, as well as how recent events have impacted the climate of these spaces. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, "To Study"

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