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Democracy in Question?

by Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy · English · News

Today, liberal democracies are under unprecedented strain from within and without. In each episode, renowned social anthropologist Shalini Randeria invites a leading scholar to explore the challenges and dilemmas facing democracies around the world. They investigate what needs to be done to ensure t

New episodes: Monthly
Typical length: 49 min
Latest: 7 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

7 Oct 2026 · 45 min

Maria Ressa on Protecting Independent Media in the Age of Disinformation

In this episode of *Democracy in Question*, Nobel Peace Prize-winning journalist Maria Ressa joins Shalini Randeria to examine how digital platforms have transformed journalism and accelerated democratic decline. Drawing on her experience confronting Rodrigo Duterte’s government in the Philippines, Ressa explains how disinformation erodes facts, trust and shared reality, allowing online attacks to become real-world repression. She discusses the dangers posed by profit-driven algorithms and rapidly expanding AI systems, as well as the concentration of technological power in a handful of…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

S12 · E1 · 9 Sep 2026 · 46 min
Gina Romero: Restrictions affecting Right to Assembly and Youth Activism
In the first episode of season 12, recorded at the Nobel Peace Centre in Oslo, Shalini Randeria speaks with Gina Romero, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association. Romero examines how authoritarianism, surveillance, criminalisation and funding constraints are shrinking civic space and creating a climate of fear and apathy. The conversation addresses the repression of pro-Palestine activism on university campuses, the challenges facing UN Special Rapporteurs and the double-edged role of digital technology. Finally, Romero calls for young people to…
S11 · E10 · 10 Jun 2026 · 43 min
Marlene Engelhorn on How the Super-Rich Undermine Democracy
In this episode of Democracy in Question, Shalini Randeria speaks with Austrian-German activist and philanthropist Marlene Engelhorn about inherited wealth, democratic legitimacy, and the concentration of power in contemporary societies. Engelhorn explains why inheriting a vast fortune made her uncomfortable, arguing that wealth acquired by birth rather than merit represents a fundamental democratic injustice. She discusses her involvement in the Tax Me Now initiative, which calls for stronger taxation of large fortunes and inheritances, and reflects on how the super-rich are socialized to…
S11 · E9 · 13 May 2026 · 53 min
Pratap Mehta on Promises and Pitfalls of the Civilizational Turn in Political Discourse
In this episode, Shalini Randeria speaks with political theorist Pratap Bhanu Mehta about the global rise of civilizational narratives — from India and China to Russia, Turkey, and parts of the U.S. They explore why governments increasingly invoke ancient civilizational identities, how this shift fuels soft authoritarianism, and what it reveals about the deeper crisis of liberal democracy. They also discuss how civilizational thinking erodes the historicity of the modern nationstate, replaces democratic negotiation with pregiven identity, and licenses new forms of exclusion and political…
S11 · E8 · 22 Apr 2026 · 50 min
Zsolt Enyedi on the Hungarian Election
In this episode of Democracy in Question, host Shalini Randeria speaks with political scientist Zsolt Enyedi about the landmark 2026 Hungarian elections, which ended Viktor Orbán’s 16-year rule. The conversation explores how a deeply entrenched “soft authoritarian” system, characterized by media capture, institutional control, and an uneven electoral playing field, was ultimately overturned through democratic means. Despite Orbán’s dominance over state resources, the opposition party Tisza, led by former insider Péter Magyar, secured a two-thirds parliamentary majority. Enyedi argues that…
S11 · E7 · 11 Mar 2026 · 57 min
Aishwary Kumar on Neo‑Democracy, Cruelty, and the Fate of the Vulnerable
In this episode of Democracy in Question, host Shalini Randeria speaks with Aishwary Kumar, Professor of History of Political Thought and Institutions at Cal Polyoma California, and director of its Democracy Institute, about his concept of “neo-democracy,” a mutation of liberal democracy defined by the return and acceptance of extreme inequality, the moralization of punishment, and organized cruelty carried out through law rather than outside it. Kumar links neo-democracy to neoliberalism and argues that majoritarian indifference enables legislative abandonment of vulnerable groups, the…
S11 · E6 · 11 Feb 2026 · 44 min
Jayadeva Uyangoda on Reclaiming Democracy: Struggle against Soft Authoritarian Rule in Sri Lanka
This episode revisits Sri Lanka’s dramatic 2022 Aragalaya uprising to understand how decades of post independence “ethnocratic elite democracy” set the stage for mass mobilization against the Rajapaksa regime. Why did a society long marked by political apathy suddenly generate a broad, cross class civil society coalition capable of forcing a peaceful transfer of power? Professor Jayadeva Uyangoda traces the deeper history of de democratization, explains the democratic imaginaries that shaped the protests, and reflects on how Sri Lanka’s experience speaks to youth led movements across South…
S11 · E5 · 14 Jan 2026 · 49 min
Eva Fodor on Illiberal Gender Policies and Pronatalism in Hungary under Orban
This episode explores how Hungary’s illiberal, soft authoritarian regime and its controversial gender politics and policies are intertwined. Drawing on Éva Fodor’s analysis of the regime’s distinctive features, it examines its pronatalist and ethnonationalist agenda, as well as what she terms the “carefare” policy. How do attacks on gender – including those targeting academic freedom – connect to the vicious attacks against LGBTQI and trans community in Hungary? In what ways is Hungarian pronatalism premised on the internal exclusion of the marginalized Roma population? Why are conservatives…
S11 · E4 · 10 Dec 2025 · 57 min
Reproductive Agency vs. Authoritarian Demographics
This episode examines how global anxieties around fertility and population change continue to shape reproductive politics. Why do governments still target women’s bodies—whether to raise or restrict birth rates—and how do these pressures undermine reproductive rights and democratic trust? Drawing on new UNFPA data, our guests reveal why people across countries have fewer children than they desire, and how economic precarity, unequal care burdens, and gender norms matter far more than incentives or alarmist rhetoric. Tune in to hear why defending reproductive autonomy is essential to building…
S11 · E3 · 12 Nov 2025 · 1 hr 2 min
Quinn Slobodian on the “New Fusion” of Neoliberalism and the Far Right (Part 2)
This episode focuses on Slobodian’s latest book, Hayek’s Bastards, which reveals how some neoliberals forged an alliance with segments of the far right to roll back the progressive achievements of the post WWII era, eroding the very foundations of democracy. Why did the end of the Cold War trigger new fears among them and how did this eventually lead to an illiberal, soft authoritarian turn? What is the epochal significance of framing anti-progressive and anti-egalitarian political ideologies and agendas in the language of socio-biology and economics. How can ideas about the deregulated free…
S11 · E2 · 8 Oct 2025 · 59 min
Quinn Slobodian on Capitalism, Democracy, and the Politics of Zones (Part 1)
This episode explores the tension between democracy and capitalist markets. How could the fragmentation of national sovereignty offer a “solution” in the neoliberal imagination? What can experiment in special economic zones—from China to South Africa and Somalia—teach us about the far-right’s dismantling of democratic institutions in Europe and the U.S.? Tune in to hear Quinn Slobodian unravel the global circulation of market-driven governance and its consequences for democracy.
S11 · E1 · 10 Sep 2025 · 1 hr
Arjun Appadurai on Universities, Autonomy, and the Future of Democracy
This episode examines the unprecedented attacks on universities under the Trump administration. Why do these assaults go beyond culture-war battles over the humanities and diversity to target the very foundations of scholarship and scientific research? And how are internal pressures – ranging from monetization and vocationalism to the retreat from dissent – weakening universities from within? Tune in to hear why defending the autonomy of higher education is inseparable from defending democracy itself.
S10 · E10 · 25 Jun 2025 · 53 min
Michael Ignatieff on the Contradictions of Liberal Democracy
This episode explores the tensions and contradictions of liberal democracy. What are some recent developments regarding opposing dynamics of economic globalization and the political sovereignty of the nation state? And why are universities, which have paved the way for upward mobility in most Western democracies, now under attack? Tune in to hear why there cannot be a free society without free universities.
S10 · E9 · 13 Jun 2025 · 1 hr 1 min
Luiza Bialasiewicz on the Dilemmas of Academic Freedom
This episode explores recent challenges to the ideal of the university as a space for open debate and the plurality of views. What is emerging in various national contexts of higher education across Europe and in the United States? And how is the ideal of the university currently being debated? Listen also to hear what the EU’s rearmament could mean for academic freedom across Europe.
S10 · E8 · 28 May 2025 · 50 min
Samuel Bagg on Resisting State Capture
This episode explores the pitfalls of valorizing participation as a democratic end in itself. How might a one-sided emphasis on participatory politics be instrumentalized by elite interests? And does simply getting more people involved in decision-making truly advance democratic ideals? Listen to hear why democracies should focus more on resistance to state capture.
S10 · E7 · 14 May 2025 · 52 min
Ivanka Popović on the Serbian Protests (Part 2)
This episode explores the current political organizing stemming from mass student-led protests in Serbia against corruption of the regime. Why are Serbian students suspicious of the political establishment, including all political parties in the opposition? And what are the strategic dilemmas for the future direction of the protests? Listen to hear how accession to the EU could impact Serbia’s ongoing struggle for democratization.
S10 · E6 · 30 Apr 2025 · 40 min
Ivanka Popović on the Serbian Protests (Part 1)
This episode explores the mass student-led protests in Serbia against corruption of the regime. How did moral outrage over a fatal railway station roof collapse in 2024 fuel a large-scale protest movement? And what key factors are behind its momentum? Listen to hear about current government tactics and the implications for academic freedom, university autonomy and democratization of Serbian society.
S10 · E5 · 16 Apr 2025 · 47 min
Soli Özel on Turkey's Political Protests
This episode explores the broad implications of the large-scale protests across Turkey in response to President Erdoğan’s repression of political opposition. What is the background to the recent developments that the Turkish regime faces? And what are the dilemmas that have given rise to this political storm? Listen to hear why the current resistance in the streets to authoritarianism is a sign that young people and ordinary citizens are willing to protect democracy.
S10 · E4 · 2 Apr 2025 · 57 min
Cara Daggett Unpacks Petro-Masculinity
This episode explores Cara Daggett's concept of petro-masculinity. It explains how fossil fuel-based power structures depend on a gendered and racial ordering of the world. How do the threats of climate crises feed into reactionary politics? Listen to hear why it is critical to consider democratic society in a global ecological context, one that integrates the natural and social aspects of climate and politics. Our guest: Cara Daggett
S10 · E3 · 19 Mar 2025 · 47 min
Nacim Pak-Shiraz on Cultural Contradictions in Iran
This episode explores the multiple contradictions of Iranian society today. What are the limits for Iranian cultural producers? And what tactics do they employ to circumvent censorship and social taboos? Tune in for the wide-ranging conversation with insights from cinema and culture to women's protests and demographic concerns.
S10 · E2 · 5 Mar 2025 · 54 min
Steffen Mau on the German Elections
This episode explores the recent German elections and related social, economic and cultural issues. How did welfare measures, migration and history play a role in the elections' outcome? And how might universities serve as models for democratic engagement and outreach? Listen also to hear how the establishment of citizen councils could help to restore rational debate, a sense of efficacy and the spirit of tolerance needed to cultivate democracy.
S10 · E1 · 19 Feb 2025 · 40 min
Katha Pollitt on Gendered Politics in the United States
This episode explores the attack against progressive political agendas in the U.S. How have recent actions rolled back hard-won achievements in the realm of gender equity and racial diversity? And why is class relatively underemphasized in the U.S. when it comes examining voter preferences among women? Listen to hear about how reactionary narratives of patriarchy under threat are unfolding, and why increased welfare measures and childcare support are unlikely to lead to the Right’s desired pronatalist birthrates.
S9 · E10 · 27 Nov 2024 · 43 min
Stephen Walt on the Return of Trump (Part 2)
This episode explores what a second Trump presidency could mean for American domestic policy and politics, and for the rest of the world. Is American democracy at serious risk of being dismantled? And what will be the impact of Trump’s agenda on global efforts to reverse climate change and transatlantic relations with the European Union? Listen to hear what’s in store for America and the world.
S9 · E9 · 13 Nov 2024 · 42 min
Stephen Walt on the Return of Trump (Part 1)
This episode examines the factors which led to Donald Trump's decisive victory in the recent U.S. election. Did the Harris campaign’s insistence on issues of identity, rights, and democracy overshadow people's everyday struggles with economic issues? What role did patriarchal bias and demographics of a shifting landscape of political preferences play in this election? And finally, will the bark of Trump’s campaign promises be worse than the actual bite of the coming presidency?
S9 · E8 · 23 Oct 2024 · 44 min
Johanna Lutz on Identity, Partisanship, and the Vulnerabilities of Democracy
This episode explores advances made by the far-right in Austria and in Germany and examines crucial factors raised by Lutz’s recent report on identity, partisanship and polarization. What are the unexpected convergences and similarities across European countries? And what are the implications of the findings on the contested notion of illiberal democracy? Listen to hear about the challenge of mobilizing disaffected voters and what characterizes identity-democracy tradeoffs.
S9 · E7 · 9 Oct 2024 · 42 min
Raimund Löw on the Dithering Austrian Democracy
This episode explores the recent national elections in Austria and the victory of a radical right-wing party. How is this development situated within the EU's broader shift to the right? And what explains the decline of the traditional center-right and the Social Democrats? Listen to hear about the issues that dominated public discourse during the campaign and about the current state of democracy in Austria.
S9 · E6 · 25 Sep 2024 · 34 min
Julia Ebner on How Extremism Threatens Democracy (Part 2)
This episode focuses on the mainstreaming of radical politics and how extremist ideologies gain a foothold. How can democratic practice respond to a trend toward polarization and destabilization of liberal democracies? And what defenses can be mounted to protect liberal values and institutions? Listen to hear about Julia Ebner’s latest research and potential ways to counter the trend of mainstreaming extremism.
S9 · E5 · 11 Sep 2024 · 36 min
Julia Ebner on How Extremism Threatens Democracy (Part 1)
This episode explores the social worlds of various extremist groups and the corrosive effects of radicalization on contemporary democracy. Why is it necessary to observe extremist organizations up close? And how are gender and religion instrumentally deployed? Listen to hear about the unexpected similarities between various extremist groups and how the negative effects on democracy can be countered.
S9 · E4 · 31 Jul 2024 · 55 min
Yogendra Yadav on Democracy in India
This episode analyzes the elections in India and the trajectory of Indian democracy from the mid-seventies to today. How do voter motivations due to worsening economic conditions influence elections in the country? And how do expectations for democracy to deliver economic growth and development play a role? Listen to hear how a new alignment of parties can help the cause of democracy in Indian elections to come.
S9 · E3 · 17 Jul 2024 · 40 min
Mark Leonard on the U.K. Elections
This episode explores the implications of the U.K. elections which took place on July 4. What does a return to centrism mean for British politics? And how do socio-economic transformations and fragmented cultural horizons play a role? Listen to also hear what the results could mean for transatlantic relations.

About Democracy in Question?

Democracy in Question? is a English news podcast from Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy
Language: English
Category: News
New episodes: Monthly
Typical length: 49 min
Latest episode: 7 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1533272025
Rights: Graduate Institute Geneva - 2021

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