Best Deliberative Podcasts (2025)

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#113-Recalling Defeating Disinformation and Protecting Democracy-with guest Lee McIntyre 59:26

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1d ago59:26

59:26

Listen to the explanation at the beginning of this episode to understand why you will be hearing a replay of episode #86. The danger of disinformation to our social fabric, and to our democracy, are the focus of this discussion with philosopher, educator and author, Lee McIntyre. Lee holds a Ph.D. in philosophy and is currently a Research Fellow at…

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This is Democracy – Episode 313: Civics and History Education 42:26

7d ago42:26

42:26

This week, Jeremi and Zachary speak with Professor Steven Mintz on the critical role of civics and history education in contemporary society. The discussion covers why civics education is crucial for understanding foundational facts of American history, the contentious nature of how history is taught today, and the challenges posed by ideological d…

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This is Democracy – Episode 312: Ukraine Negotiations 38:22

22d ago38:22

38:22

This week, Zachary and Jeremi revisit the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, discussing recent developments and potential diplomatic solutions. They are joined by Michael Kimmage, Professor of History at the Catholic University of America, who offers insights into the complex political landscape, the roles of Putin and Zelensky, and the intricate…

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Peacebuilding and Democracy to Overcome Information Chaos with Danielle M. Reiff 48:35

26d ago48:35

48:35

We’re living in the first generation of a digital era that’s designed to divide us, and most of us don’t even realize it. In this episode, Dr. Paul Zeitz sits down with peacebuilder and diplomat Danielle M. Reiff, author and editor of Overcoming Information Chaos, to explore how our digital world is fueling division and how we can reclaim peace, co…

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Episode 223: Representation of Women in World History Curriculum with Sara Evers 38:54

25d ago38:54

38:54

In episode 223, Dan and Michael chat with Sara Evers about her new TRSE article titled, “Whose historical thinking? Representation of women in the Digital Inquiry Group’s Reading Like a Historian world history curriculum.”By Visions of Education

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#112-Bob and Julia Unleashed 58:52

1M ago58:52

58:52

Bob and Julia interview each other and discuss a number of topics related to critical thinking that have been on their minds for years, including: What does our show's name ("Thinking Clearly") mean to you, and how does that name represent our show? Should beliefs and opinions meet the same standards as logical arguments? Is persuasion appropriate …

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Deliberative Polling® Can Save Democracy: Vision of James Fishkin 51:29

1M ago51:29

51:29

Dr. Paul Zeitz sits down with Professor James S. Fishkin of Stanford University—the mind behind Deliberative Polling®—to explore whether informed dialogue can heal democracy’s divisions. Fishkin shares how a single “eureka” moment in 1988 led to a global movement transforming how citizens think, talk, and decide together. From Texas to Mongolia, an…

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This is Democracy – Episode 311: US-Latin American Relations 28:20

1M ago28:20

28:20

This week Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Professor Renata Keller from the University of Nevada Reno, whose work focuses on the Cuban Missile Crisis and its enduring impact in Latin America. They explore public reactions in Latin America during the crisis, analyze the diverging opinions within the region, and discuss the long-term consequences. Je…

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This is Democracy – Episode 310: Have we Outgrown the Constitution? 31:24

2M ago31:24

31:24

This week, Zachary and Jeremi discuss the complexities and challenges surrounding the adaptability of the American Constitution with Professor Steven Skowronek. They delve into topics such as constitutional amendments, the role and evolution of the Supreme Court, and the potential need for a new constitutional framework to address contemporary issu…

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Jeannette Rankin Defied All Odds as America’s First Congresswoman 51:01

2M ago51:01

51:01

What can the first woman ever elected to Congress teach us about courage, peace, and the fight for democracy? In this episode, Dr. Paul Zeitz talks with historian and author Lorissa Rinehart about her book, Winning the Earthquake: How Jeannette Rankin Defied All Odds to Become America’s First Congresswoman. Together, they explore how Rankin’s radic…

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Episode 222: Latine Counternarratives in Children's Literature with Melissa Rojas Williams 48:07

2M ago48:07

48:07

In episode 222, Dan and Michael chat with Melissa Rojas Williams about her new TRSE article titled, “‘Algunas personas aquí han venido con coyote como Areli?’: Conceptualizing the Latine civic counternarrative through diverse children’s literature.”By Visions of Education

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#111-AI-Assisted Tools in Education and How AI Might Assist our Critical Thinking-with guest Kyle Falbo 59:15

2M ago59:15

59:15

Our discussion with Kyle Falbo—Math and Computer Science Lecturer and Educational Technology Application Expert at Sonoma State University—focuses on how AI-enhanced teaching and learning tools (ChatGPT, Google NotebookLM, Khanmigo and others) are being explored and implemented at SSU. Our discussion also includes: the possible risks and benefits o…

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Vote with Your Phone: Bradley Tusk’s Bold Plan to Save Democracy 47:37

2M ago47:37

47:37

Venture capitalist, political strategist, and philanthropist Bradley Tusk believes our democracy is running out of time—and that the solution fits in your pocket. In this episode, Bradley shares the story behind his new book, Vote With Your Phone, and how mobile voting could be the “final shot” at saving American democracy. From his early work in p…

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This is Democracy – Episode 309: Government Shutdowns 31:37

2M ago31:37

31:37

This week, Jeremi and Zachary invite John Lawrence, a former senior staff member with extensive experience in the U.S. House of Representatives, to discuss the recent government shutdown. The conversation delves into the causes and impacts of these shutdowns, the role of partisanship, and historical precedents. Jeremi opens the conversation with a …

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Episode 221: Embracing Queer Social Studies with Sandra Schmidt 38:36

2M ago38:36

38:36

Episode 221: Embracing Queer Social Studies with Sandra Schmidt by Visions of EducationBy Visions of Education

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This is Democracy – Episode 308: Greenland and the Arctic 31:10

3M ago31:10

31:10

This week, Jeremi and Zachary sit down with Dr. Mikkel Runge Olesen, a senior researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies, to discuss Greenland and its growing significance in global politics. Dr. Olesen offers a comprehensive overview of Greenland's history, its political relationship with Denmark, and its strategic importance to …

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#110-The Role of Emotions in Thinking and Learning-with guest Mary Helen Immordino-Yang 59:06

3M ago59:06

59:06

Emotions are often viewed as interfering with clear, objective, evidence-based reasoning; in fact, "appeal to emotion" is considered to be a logical fallacy. However, our guest, Mary Helen Immordino-Yang—professor of education, psychology, and neuroscience at the University of Southern California and author of: "Emotions, Learning, and the Brain"—a…

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This is Democracy – Episode 307: Deliberative Democracy 36:31

3M ago36:31

36:31

Jeremi and Zachary have a conversation with Gryffin Wilkens-Plumley about his work designing assemblies of independent citizen governance. They have an in-depth discussion of deliberative democracy, a practice that is about citizen's individual participation, reasoning, and sense of duty to vote and make decisions in society, and how it could apply…

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Episode 220: Centering Listening and Empathy in Civics with Hilary Conklin & Molly Andolina 38:10

3M ago38:10

38:10

In episode 220, Dan and Michael chat with Hilary Conklin and Molly Andolina about their new TRSE article titled, “ Toward a more empathic, connected, and humanizing democracy: A civics curriculum centering listening and storytelling.”By Visions of Education

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Healing Racism to Strengthen the U.S. Constitution with Susan Sturm 56:42

3M ago56:42

56:42

What does it take to confront racism without falling into despair and instead transform our institutions for equity and justice? In this episode, Dr. Zeitz speaks with Professor Susan Sturm of Columbia Law School, a leading scholar and changemaker whose work bridges law, education, and community action. Drawing from her new book, What Might Be: Con…

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This is Democracy – Episode 306: Federal Science Funding 26:07

4M ago26:07

26:07

This week, we have Prof. John Beckett Wallingford to discuss the current landscape of federal science funding, and the importance of science in American industry and society. We set the scene with a reading of The Polio Vaccine, Chatham, Virginia, 1964, by Claudia Emerson. John Beckett Wallingford is a developmental biologist with three decades of …

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Episode 219: The State of Elementary Social Studies with Linda Doornbos, Annie Whitlock, & Maggie Demarse 39:45

4M ago39:45

39:45

Episode 219: The State of Elementary Social Studies with Linda Doornbos, Annie Whitlock, & Maggie Demarse by Visions of EducationBy Visions of Education

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Action Alert: Join Emergency Mobilization to Renew Democracy 15:23

4M ago15:23

15:23

Trust in our democracy is collapsing, but history shows that when ordinary people rise up, real change becomes inevitable. In this episode, Dr. Paul Zeitz issues a bold call to action: join a nationwide movement to refresh and renew American democracy before it’s too late. From the Freedom Charter to the vision of a National Citizens Assembly, Dr. …

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#109-The Moves that Matter in Crafting Persuasive Arguments and Communicating them Effectively-with guests Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein-Graff 59:10

4M ago59:10

59:10

Coauthors of the widely acclaimed book, They Say/I Say-The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing, explore how to craft persuasive arguments and communicate them effectively. Topics discussed include: the connection between thinking and writing; the nature of academic writing; the concept of "entering the conversation"; specific templates to improve…

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This is Democracy – Episode 305: New School Year 44:36

4M ago44:36

44:36

This week, Jeremi and Zachary sit down with Dr. Jack Loveridge, Vice President of the El Paso Independent School District (ISD) Board of Trustees, to discuss the start of the new school year, with a particular focus on American schools' challenges and opportunities at this moment. Dr. Loveridge shares insights into the primary issues facing his dis…

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Episode 218: Motivated Reasoning in Teaching Abortion with Rebecca Geller and Jamie Gravell 50:08

4M ago50:08

50:08

In episode 218, Dan and Michael chat with Rebecca Geller and Jamie Gravell about their new TRSE article titled, “‘My thinking has changed but beliefs have not’: Motivated reasoning in learning to teach abortion.”By Visions of Education

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The Right of the People: Is it Time for a Constitutional and Economic Revolution? with Osita Nwanevu 1:02:55

4M ago1:02:55

1:02:55

Journalist and author Osita Nwanevu joins Dr. Paul Zeitz to unpack a hard truth: the United States was never designed to be an authentic democracy. Drawing from his book The Right of the People: Democracy and the Case for a New American Founding, Osita explains why our system fails the tests of equality, responsiveness, and majority rule—and how we…

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Amit Ron and Abraham Singer on What Companies Owe Democracy 1:37:13

5M ago1:37:13

1:37:13

On this episode of Virtual Sentiments, host Kristen Collins speaks with Amit Ron and Abraham Singer, co-authors of Everyone’s Business:What Companies Owe Society (The University of Chicago Press, 2024). Together, Ron and Singer argue that businesses should move beyond profit and stakeholder models to actively protect democratic practices such as in…

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This is Democracy – Episode 304: Russia-Ukraine War Update 41:25

5M ago41:25

41:25

This week, Jeremi and Zachary speak with returning guest Michael Kimmage, about the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine and the evolution of the conflict over the past three and a half years. Zachary sets the tone by re-reading the poem from the first episode about the conflict in Ukraine, entitled "Our Ukrainian Love Story" to reflect on the initi…

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Episode 217: Deliberative Dialogues with Judy Pace 37:43

5M ago37:43

37:43

Episode 217: Deliberative Dialogues with Judy Pace by Visions of EducationBy Visions of Education

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This is Democracy — Episode 303: U.S. Military 38:26

5M ago38:26

38:26

This week, Jeremi and Zachary speak with Colonel Nathaniel Lauterbach about the significant changes in the US military over the past 20 years, and their implications for US foreign policy and civil-military relations. Jeremi sets the scene with some words from a lecture from George Kennan, an influential American diplomat and historian. Colonel Nat…

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#108-Teaching Critical Thinking to Kids-with guest Stephanie Simoes 58:46

5M ago58:46

58:46

With a Bachelor's Degree in Biology, a Master's Degree in Philosophy, and experience as a teacher, our guest for this episode, Stephanie Simoes, developed Critikid, a website for kids, teens, teachers and others. Critikid offers instruction in: emotional intelligence (Learning to recognize, understand, and manage your emotions), safe and effective …

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Episode 216: Observing Classroom Discussion with Lightning Jay & Abby Reisman 42:43

5M ago42:43

42:43

In episode 216, Dan and Michael chat with Lightning Jay and Abby Reisman about their article published in Theory & Research in Social Education, “The social studies discourse instrument: Validating an observation tool for classroom discussions.”By Visions of Education

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Deliberative Democracy and AI with Claudia Chwalisz 1:08:49

5M ago1:08:49

1:08:49

DemocracyNext founder and CEO Claudia Chwalisz returns to the Denizen podcast to explore the intersection of deliberative democracy and artificial intelligence. Here we are particularly interested in how we might crease democratic resilience by leveraging AI to scale deliberative processes. Governance innovation is the AI application we're most ent…

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Susan Brison on the Aftermath of Sexual Violence and the Remaking of the Self 1:30:48

5M ago1:30:48

1:30:48

**Content Warning** This episode includes discussions of sexual assault and attempted murder, which may be distressing for some listeners. Please listen with care. On this episode of Virtual Sentiments, host Kristen Collins speaks with Susan Brison, author of Aftermath: Violence and the Remaking of a Self (Princeton University Press, 2002; 20th Ann…

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This is Democracy — Episode 302: Freedom Season 1963 41:32

6M ago41:32

41:32

This week, Zachary hosts a conversation with Jeremi and Dr. Peniel Joseph about his new book, Freedom Season, which describes the pivotal significance of 1963 in the Civil Rights Movement, highlighting key events such as the Birmingham protests, the March on Washington, the Birmingham church bombing, and the assassination of JFK. This week, instead…

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Episode 215: What is “difficult” in Social Studies Research? with Brittany Jones & Kim Edmondson 42:31

6M ago42:31

42:31

In episode 215, Dan and Michael chat with Brittany Jones & Kim Edmondson about their article published in Theory & Research in Social Education, “What is the word ‘difficult’ doing in social studies research?: A systematic literature review of empirical research on difficult knowledges and histories, 2004–2022.”…

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Episode 214: Teaching How to Evaluate Online Information with Elizabeth Reynolds 33:50

6M ago33:50

33:50

In episode 214, Dan and Michael chat with Elizabeth Reynolds about her article published in Theory & Research in Social Education, “Teaching students to evaluate online information in social studies: A comparative case study of teachers’ goals and approaches.”By Visions of Education

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This is Democracy — Episode 301: War in Iran 41:18

6M ago41:18

41:18

This week, Jeremi and Zachary speak with Steven Simon about the renewed tensions over Iran's nuclear program, recent military actions by Israel and the U.S., and their implications for global politics. Simon provides historical context and strategic analysis, touching on the complexities of diplomacy and regional power dynamics. Zachary sets the sc…

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#107-How Institutionalizing Deliberative Political Processes Can Lead to Deliberative Democracy and Reduce Polarization-with guest Jim Fishkin 58:54

6M ago58:54

58:54

James Fishkin, Stanford University Professor (and Director of the Stanford Deliberative Democracy Lab) discusses his extensive research and development focused on the process of "Deliberative Polling" and clarifies its relationship to Deliberative Democracy—a form of democracy in which deliberation is central to decision-making. Professor Fishkin s…

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This is Democracy — 300th Episode! 34:08

6M ago34:08

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 t…

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Deva Woodly on Civil Society and the Politics of Care 1:32:07

6M ago1:32:07

1:32:07

On this episode of Virtual Sentiments, host Kristen Collins chats with Deva Woodly on her book, Reckoning: Black Lives Matter and the Democratic Necessity of Social Movements (Oxford University Press, 2021), which draw from on-the-ground interviews with leaders in the Black Lives Matter Movement to comment on social movements and their role in demo…

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Collaboration with Robert Gilman 50:02

6M ago50:02

50:02

In this final episode of a three-part series on essential capabilities for a regenerative future with Robert Gilman, founder and president of The Context Institute. Robert and Jenny tie the first two episodes of the series together to bring you this conversation on collaboration. We’ve all heard the term “omni-win” and talked about needed paradigms…