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RevDem Podcast
RevDem Podcast is brought to you by the Review of Democracy, the online journal of the CEU Democracy Institute. The Review of Democracy is dedicated to the reinvigoration, survival, and prosperity of democracies worldwide and to generating innovative cross-regional dialogues. RevDem Podcast offers in-depth conversations in four main areas: rule of law, political economy and inequalities, the history of ideas, and democracy and culture.
Episodes
RevDem PodcastAfter 1989, Who Imagined the Future?- A Conversation with Dorine Schellens
The Blinken Open Society Archives, or the OSA, is a complex archival institution. On one hand, it is a repository of vast collections that document how power…
RevDem PodcastThe Politics of Europe’s Panic- A Conversation with Francesco Trupia
The Democracy Institute’s annual conference, with the titleImaginary Exhaustion? asked to what extent today’s democracies are trapped by fear and exhaustion…
RevDem PodcastLose Together, Win Alone: Opposition Lessons from Hungary and Turkey
In the new episode of our special series produced in collaboration with the Journal of Democracy, we are joinedby Edgar Şar and Pelin Ayan Musil to discuss…
RevDem PodcastFrom Guilds to Pubs: The History of Democratic Practices (Part 2)
Scholars often frame the history of democracy as a gradual expansion of voting rights and representative institutions. Camille Creyghton, our guest today…
RevDem PodcastFrom Guilds to Pubs: The History of Democratic Practices (Part 1)
Scholars often frame the history of democracy as a gradual expansion of voting rights and representative institutions. Camille Creyghton, our guest today…
RevDem PodcastThe Other Side of Law: Democracy, Rights, and Illiberalism
In this opening episode of a new Review of Democracy podcast series on law, rights, and democracy in Latin America, Gabriel Pereira speaks with Fabio de Sá e…
RevDem PodcastChallenging Archives, Episode 3- Documenting the Human Rights Organizations during the Cold War
Challenging Archives is a new series of podcasts jointly organized between Review of Democracy and BlinkenOpen Society Archives, based in Budapest. We will…
RevDem PodcastDecolonial Constitutionalism in the Caribbean – In Conversation with Ronnie Yearwood
Having achieved formal independence, formerly colonized societies continue to suffer under the consequences of colonialism.Whereas colonialism is often…
RevDem PodcastProgressive Pronatalism? A Conversation with Kristijan Fidanovski
Demographic policies became one of the most defining political battlegrounds of our time. Within this debate, pronatalism is usually discussed within the…
RevDem PodcastA Counterarchive of Female Migrant Workers – Brigitte Le Normand on Gendering Postwar Migration and the Remaking of Europe
In our new podcast, Brigitte Le Normand describes and interprets the main phases of migration in Europe since 1945; discusses what gendered and intersectional…
RevDem PodcastTechnocratic Governance Without Deliberation? –Yane Svetiev on Peer Review in Financial Regulation
As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, our lives are increasingly influenced by decisions made outside our national constituencies. Today…
RevDem PodcastChallenging Bucharest’s “Little Paris” Myth: A Conversation with Alexandra Ghiţ
Between 1914 and 1941, Bucharest’s population tripled,approaching one million inhabitants. This rapid growth created new neighborhoods and new opportunities…
RevDem PodcastWho Gets to Shape the Future of the Arctic? A Conversation with Mia Bennett and Klaus Dodds
The Arctic is undergoing a profound transformation. As the region literally unfreezes under the pressures of climate change, established political…
RevDem PodcastAmerica’s Disengagement and Its Consequences
In the new episode of our series produced in collaboration with the Journal of Democracy, Ferenc Laczó speaks with Christina Cottiero, Emilie M. Hafner-Burton…
RevDem PodcastA State Within the State: Lessons from Iran and Beyond
In this special-series podcast with SaeidGolkar, we discuss his latest essay “Why IRGC is the war’s Biggest Winner” published in the July issue of the…
RevDem PodcastCan Unjust Laws Be Legitimate? A Conversation with Jonathan Quong
Can a law be unjust and still be legitimate? And if we believe a law is unjust, does that mean the state has no right to enforce it? In this episode of the…
RevDem Podcast“Divisive Memories Can Create New Forms of Local Unity” – Aline Sierp on Memory Studies and Key Questions in European Remembrance
In our new podcast, Aline Sierp discusses central questions in contemporary European memory and surveys how EU institutions have attempted to deal with…
RevDem PodcastBacklash Against Rights: From Public Battles to Veiled Backlash
Across the world, political actors are challenging rights in increasingly sophisticated ways. But are we looking in the right places? In this episode of Review…
RevDem PodcastTowards Tempered Power – In Conversation with Martin Krygier
Always a controversial and often a confusing topic inacademia, the rule of law has, since the late twentieth century, been elevated to almost a universal…
RevDem PodcastKim Lane Scheppele on Hungary’s Democratic U-Turn
In this new episode of our podcast series produced in cooperation with the Journal of Democracy, Ferenc Laczó speaks with Kim Lane Scheppele about her article…
RevDem PodcastHow to Lean into Disruptive Change? – Mark Leonard on a New Artisanal Code for Europe
In our new podcast, Mark Leonarddiscusses the conclusions he has drawn concerning “the four Cs:” capital, climate, chips, civilizations. He talks about how…
RevDem PodcastThe Battle for the Future of Democracy Begins in the Archive. A Conversation with István Rév
The Democracy Institute Annual Conference, held inBudapest on June 25–26, under the title Imaginary Exhaustion? asked whether contemporary democracies have…
RevDem PodcastWomen’s Internationalism and Democracy in the Global South
In this episode with Durba Mitra, we discuss her latest book, The Future that Was (Princeton University Press, 2026). The podcast highlights the emergence of…
RevDem PodcastWhy Politicians Talk About Migration Instead of Markets
Migration is usually discussed as a question of borders, identity, or national security. This angle might obscure other more fundamental aspects. The real…
RevDem PodcastPostcolonial? – How Does the House of History Confront Europe’s Colonial Past and the “Colonial Matrix of Power”? Part II
This spring, the House of European History – a flagship museum of the European Parliament – has opened a temporary exhibition under the title Postcolonial?that…
RevDem PodcastThe EU in Constitutional Borderlands – In Conversation with Päivi Leino-Sandberg
Since the Treaty of Lisbon entered into force in 2009,the European Union has faced numerous significant crises. At the same time, the Union’s member states…
RevDem PodcastPostcolonial? – How Does the House of European History Confront Europe’s Colonial Past and the “Colonial Matrix of Power”? Part I
This spring, the House of European History – a flagship museum of the European Parliament – has opened a temporary exhibition under the title Postcolonial?that…
RevDem PodcastChallenging Archives, Episode 2: The Apartment Universities in Czechoslovakia
Challenging Archives is a new series of podcasts jointly organized between Review of Democracy and BlinkenOpen Society Archives, based in Budapest. We will…
RevDem PodcastChallenging Archives, Episode 1: Hungarian-Language Theaters in Socialist Romania
Challenging Archives is a new series of podcasts jointly organized between Review of Democracy and Blinken Open Society Archives, based in Budapest. We will…
RevDem PodcastThe Ancient World Mobilized for Hate: A Conversation with Curtis Dozier
Ancient Greece and Rome are often celebrated as the foundations of Western civilization, democracy, and political thought. But what happens when these revered…
RevDem PodcastGeorgia’s Struggle Between Democracy and Autocracy – In Conversation with Ghia Nodia
In our latest episode of the special series produced in partnership with the Journal of Democracy, we discuss the recent article by Ghia Nodia, entitled…
RevDem PodcastMixed Families in Post-Conflict Societies- A Discussion with Karolina Lendák-Kabók and Lucija Balikić (Part 2)
Are interethnic marriages bridges or fault lines in post-conflict societies? What happens when the politics of national identity enter the intimacy of home?…
RevDem PodcastDictocrats and Dictobrats – James Loxton on Why We Elect Former Dictators and Their Children
In the new episode of our series produced in collaboration with the Journal of Democracy, Ferenc Laczó speaks with James Loxton about his article, “Why We…
RevDem PodcastWorlds of Wartime: Duncan Kelly on the First World War and Modern Politics
How did the First World War reshape the way we think about politics, economics, empire, and democracy? In this episode of the Review of Democracy podcast, we…
RevDem PodcastBirthright Citizens: Martha Jones on Race and Rights in the U.S.
Since assuming office at the beginning of 2025, Donald Trump’s administration has targeted numerous people in the U.S. Those who have suffered the most and are…
RevDem PodcastBeyond National Democracy: China’s Ideas and Ideas of China
This interview with historian Professor Xu Guoqi explores the major themes of his latest book The Idea of China ata moment marked by the weakening of the…
RevDem PodcastMixed Families in Post-Conflict Societies- A Discussion with Karolina Lendák-Kabók and Lucija Balikić (Part 1)
Are interethnic marriages bridges or fault lines in post-conflict societies? What happens when the politics of national identity enter the intimacy of home?…
RevDem PodcastThe “Backsliders” and What We Can Do About Them – In Conversation with Susan Stokes
In our latest episode of the special series producedin partnership with the Journal of Democracy, we discuss therecent article by Susan Stokes, entitled “Why…
RevDem PodcastHow to Secure Democracy After Authoritarianism? Venezuela and the Problem of Credible Transitions
How can a democracy emerge from authoritarian rule when those who hold power fear what comes next? In this episode of the Review of Democracy podcast, Gabriel…
RevDem PodcastAbandoning Democracy for the Nation – In Conversation with Filip Milačić
Of the many political ideologies that exist, perhaps oneof the most paradoxical ones is nationalism. It has been associated with various political currents. At…
RevDem PodcastHow Helpful Are AI Tools for Autocrats?
In the new episode of our series produced in partnership with the Journal of Democracy, Ferenc Laczó speaks with L. Jason Anastasopoulos and Jie (Jason) Lian…
RevDem PodcastThe “Ukraine Question” in Hungarian Culture Today – Diána Vonnák on Bilaterial Relations, Questions of Responsibility, and Paths Forward
In our new podcast, Diána Vonnák discussesthe recent past and present state of relations between Hungary and Ukraine. Focusing on questions of scholarship…
RevDem PodcastWhen Populism Can be Good: A Conversation with Pepper Culpepper
In this special podcast episode with Pepper Culpepper, we discuss the latest article entitled, When Populism Can be Good, jointly written by Pepper Culpepper…
RevDem PodcastBack to the Roots of the Rule of Law – In Conversation with Fernanda Pirie
According to the Rule of Law Index, prepared yearly by the World Justice Project, in 2025, 68% of countries worldwide experienced a decline in the rule of law…
RevDem PodcastFrom Television Series to Board Games: Replaying Communism’s Afterlife in Culture- A Conversation with Anna Váradi and Lucy Jeffery
Today, the afterlife of communism is equally about monuments and half-ironic memes, retro aesthetics, movie series and board games. Far from being confined to…
RevDem PodcastGen-Z: An Emerging Political Force? – A Discussion with Răzvan Petri and Vlad Adamescu
Politicians have usually neglected the needs and concerns of young voters, since they were seen as the most inactive and unreliable segment of the electorate…
RevDem PodcastWhy Would Elected Leaders Hollow Out Their States?
In this episode of our podcast series produced in collaboration with the Journal of Democracy, Ferenc Laczó speaks with Andrés Mejía Acosta and Javier Pérez…
RevDem PodcastUltimate Failure Via Major Accomplishments – Julian E. Zelizer on the Paradoxes of Joe Biden’s Presidency
In this conversation, Julian E. Zelizer – editor of the new volume The Presidency of Joseph R. Biden. A First Historical Assessment – discusses the key…
RevDem PodcastDid Fear of Vampires Inspire Early Scientific Inquiry? A Discussion with Ádám Mézes
Artificial intelligence or the pandemics were two recent crises framed as almost magical non-human actors. They both reshaped the boundaries of human agency…
RevDem Podcast: Democracy on a Tightrope: Politics, Bureaucracy, and the Risks of Imbalance
In this episode of the Review of Democracy podcast, Gabriel Pereira speaks with Gabriela Lotta about Democracy on a Tightrope: Politics and Bureaucracy in…
RevDem PodcastEU Research Spotlight: Nils-Christian Bormann on Violence, Elites, and Democratic Stability
What happens when democracy faces violence as a recurring feature of political life? In this episode, we discuss the DANGER – Democracy, Anger, and Elite…
RevDem PodcastHow Courts Can Hold Authoritarian Leaders Accountable
In many democracies today, elected leaders challenge institutions, undermine electoral rules, and test the limits of constitutional order. Yet legal…
RevDem PodcastAnticipating Autocracies: Contradictions in Broken China
In this latest conversation, we speak with Minxin Peiabout his latest book, The Broken China Dream: How Reform Revived Totalitarianism (Princeton University…
RevDem PodcastThe Distinct Logic of Ukrainian Witchcraft
Artificial intelligence or the pandemics were two recentcrises framed as almost magical non-human actors. They both reshaped the boundaries of human agency. By…
RevDem PodcastWhy Gen-Z is Rising: Erica Chenoweth and Matthew Cebul on How We Might be Witnessing a Profound Gen¬erational Transformation
In our new podcast, Ferenc Laczó speaks with Erica Chenoweth and Matthew Cebul about their Journalof Democracy article, “Why Gen-Z Is Rising.” Erica Chenoweth…
RevDem PodcastShuk Ying Chan on Postcolonial Global Justice
In this episode of the Review of Democracy podcast, political theorist Shuk Ying Chan (UCL) discusses her new book Postcolonial Global Justice (Princeton…
RevDem PodcastDigging Up the Dead: What Vampire Panics Reveal About Power
Artificial intelligence or the pandemics were two recentcrises framed as almost magical non-human actors. They both reshaped the boundaries of human agency. By…
RevDem PodcastWomen’s participation in Ukraine’s Euromaidan- A Conversation with Olena Nikolayenko
What counts as “real” participation in a revolution? To what extent does gender in a revolution nowadays? What are the outcomes of mass mobilization? How do…
RevDem PodcastCrime, Crackdowns, and Democracy in Ecuador
Ecuador has experienced one of the most dramatic surges in criminal violence in Latin America, alongside growing pressure on democratic institutions. In this…
RevDem PodcastWhy Honduras Is Facing Election Chaos
Honduras has just gone through one of the most chaotic and contested electoral processes in recent memory. In this episode of the Review of Democracy podcast…