Episode 1

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Published on:

26th Feb 2024

Divided Democracies with Tom Carothers

Democracies are divided. So divided, in fact, that Tom Carothers - Co-Director of the Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace - wrote an entire book on it.

If someone asked you to think about a democracy in trouble, chances are the United States comes to mind. And not without reason; the current presidential race is shaping up to be a re-match between two deeply unpopular candidates - one of whom poses a threat to the very institution of Western democracy.

The reality is that democracies everywhere are struggling. Carothers' book provides insights into the challenges facing democracies in Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. We talk with Tom about what and who is responsible for this troubling trend in democracies.

You can find more of his analyses here, and his book Democracies Divided is available for purchase.

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About the Podcast

CounterPol
Counter Polarization
2024 is a massively consequential year for national and global politics. Sixty-four countries across the world will have elections over the next 12 months - including the U.S., U.K., European Parliament, Taiwan, India, South Africa, and Mexico. This is a watershed moment for democracy as a governing system not simply because so much of the world's population will mobilize to decide who comes to power - but because, at this moment, countries are more polarized than they have ever been.

How did we get here? Why are democratic electorates so deeply divided? Is it culture war? Are we chess pieces in a game played by political opportunists? Is this an organic outcome of pluralistic societies? What's going on?

The CounterPol (short for "Counter Polarization") podcast is trying to figure all this out.

In this first season, we talk with scholars, business leaders, and peace activists to understand the mechanics of societal polarization. Over eight episodes, guests share their research with the listener - the culmination of which, we hope, brings to light the overt and covert processes that are driving us further apart.

Join Ceejay Hayes, Alan Jagolinzer, and Sander van der Linden as they dive into the complex world of polarization.

Send your questions, comments, and theories to counterpolpodcast@gmail.com

About your host

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Ceejay Hayes