Best Kettering Foundation Podcasts (2025)

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Authoritarianism Isn’t Coming. It’s Here. 37:03

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10d ago37:03

37:03

Steven Levitsky, a leading expert on authoritarian regimes, joins host Alex Lovit to talk about the US’s current slide into authoritarianism and what we can do about it. Democracies tolerate dissent. In a democracy, citizens and institutions can criticize, protest, or file legal claims against the government, without fear of reprisal. That is no lo…

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From Barber to Banker: The Man Fighting for Financial Justice in Little Rock 33:33

26d ago33:33

33:33

We can’t have a full democracy without financial justice. Host Alex Lovit speaks with Arlo Washington, a banker creating access to loans, credit, and financial literacy training for his underbanked community in Little Rock, Arkansas. Arlo Washington is a barber, entrepreneur, and the founder and president of People Trust Community Federal Credit Un…

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Only Bad People Have Bad Politics. Right? 31:14

1M ago31:14

31:14

Americans are constantly arguing about politics—on the internet and at the family dinner table. But we rarely change one another’s minds, and we often emerge from those disagreements feeling frustrated and distrustful. Host Alex Lovit is joined by research psychologist Keith Payne to discuss the science behind the political divide and how the psych…

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The US Doesn’t Have Fair Elections. What Can We Do? 38:38

2M ago38:38

38:38

Voting rights are the foundation of democratic governance. But recent changes in elections policies have disenfranchised millions of Americans, and the voting gap between White and minority voters is continuing to expand.Host Alex Lovit is joined by Sean Morales-Doyle. Morales-Doyle is the director of the Voting Rights and Elections Program at the …

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Learning US History Is about Hope, Not Shame 30:53

2M ago30:53

30:53

Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Annette Gordon-Reed joins host Alex Lovit to discuss Juneteenth’s history and the transformative potential of reckoning with our country’s complex past. Annette Gordon-Reed is the Carl M. Loeb University Professor at Harvard, where she teaches both his…

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Trans Kids Are Under Attack. That Hurts Everyone. 36:41

3M ago36:41

36:41

Who should make decisions about what kinds of health care American minors can receive: their parents and doctors, or their state governments? A growing number of states are claiming the right to ban gender-affirming health care for minors—but only if the person being treated is transgender. This month, the Supreme Court will decide if those power g…

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Sarah Longwell: To Defend Democracy, Stop Talking about “Democracy” 36:29

3M ago36:29

36:29

Pro-democracy progressives are their own worst enemy when it comes to recruiting conservative Americans to their cause. In part two of our conversation, political strategist Sarah Longwell offers suggestions for how to connect with anti-Trump conservatives. Her ideas draw on what she hears from voters in her frequent focus groups, as well as on her…

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Sarah Longwell: The Republican Party Has Abandoned Its Principles 35:19

3M ago35:19

35:19

How did one of our major political parties abandon its principles? And what do voters make of that shift? Host Alex Lovit is joined by Sarah Longwell—a political strategist who broke from the Republican party when it acquiesced to Trump’s authoritarian tendencies. She went on to cofound a media outlet (The Bulwark) and an advocacy organization (Def…

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Diane Ravitch: What’s Democratic about Giving Tax Dollars to Private Schools? 36:23

4M ago36:23

36:23

Public schools are essential for democracy—and they’re under attack. But the very policies that are being championed as their salvation may have a catastrophic impact on American education for generations. Public education advocate and historian Diane Ravitch unpacks how school choice policies like vouchers and charter schools are dangerous for dem…

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Sharon L. Davies: Someone Has to Be Willing to Say “That’s Not Right” 31:15

4M ago31:15

31:15

US institutions are being pressured into compliance with the Trump administration’s capricious demands. Many law firms, philanthropic organizations, and higher education institutions are choosing the path of least resistance. But will it keep them safe? Sharon L. Davies is the president and chief executive officer of the Charles F. Kettering Founda…

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Ece Temelkuran: There Is No Hope. There Is Us. That’s It. 36:37

5M ago36:37

36:37

Life under an authoritarian regime can erode one’s faith in humanity. Today's guest says that’s why it’s more important than ever for Americans to lean into building human connection. Ece Temelkuran is a Turkish political thinker, writer, and award-winning journalist. Her two most recent books are How to Lose a Country: Seven Steps from Democracy t…

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Gábor Scheiring: Saving Democracy Is about Saving People 35:58

5M ago35:58

35:58

A former member of the Hungarian Parliament tells us what interventions Americans need to take right now to avoid the authoritarian backsliding that has dismantled democracy in Hungary since Prime Minister Viktor Orbán came to power in 2010. Gábor Scheiring served in the Hungarian Parliament from 2010–2014. He is an assistant professor of comparati…

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Adam Goodman: Why Are Politicians Obsessed with Mass Deportations? 33:43

6M ago33:43

33:43

Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign promised “the largest deportation operation in American history.” Will he be able to achieve this goal? What would this kind of mass deportation look like, and what would its human costs be? And what is the current “largest deportation operation in American history,” anyway? We get answers from Adam Goodman. Goodman is …

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Madiba Dennie: The Constitutional Crisis You’re Not Hearing About 40:38

6M ago40:38

40:38

The Constitution is under attack—and not just by Trump and the executive branch. For a long time, the conservative justices on the Supreme Court have been inconsistently interpreting the Constitution. But our guest, Madiba Dennie, says focusing on their decision-making processes is a trap. She says there’s a better way for concerned citizens to tak…

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William J. Barber II: How an Anti-Poverty Movement Makes Extremists Tremble 42:51

6M ago42:51

42:51

The United States is the wealthiest nation in the world, but millions of its citizens live in poverty. What prevents poor, low-wage, and low-wealth Americans from using democratic government to fight for a fairer distribution of resources? And how can they overcome the structures set against them? The answer is counterintuitive, but it's worked on …

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Jeffrey Winters: How to Beat Oligarchs at Their Own Game 50:08

7M ago50:08

50:08

Why do so many Americans think tax breaks for the uber-wealthy will help the average person? According to Jeffrey Winters, the answer is simple: oligarchy. Today Winters breaks down how massive wealth distorts politics, and what can be done to combat it. Winters is professor of political science and director of the Equality Development and Globaliz…

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Anthea Butler: What’s Gone Wrong with Evangelical Christianity? 45:06

7M ago45:06

45:06

The separation of church and state is a foundational principle of American democracy, but that doesn’t mean that religion hasn’t played an important role in American politics. Throughout American history, varied political movements have claimed religious motivations and scriptural justifications, sometimes in contradictory ways (e.g. both to suppor…

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Special Episode: How Novels Defend Democracy 15:24

8M ago15:24

15:24

This special episode of The Context includes voices from three previous guests on the show: James Comey, Stacey Abrams, and David Pepper. All three have had significant careers in public service, and all three have also written multiple novels. In these short excerpts, they all also argue that their creative writing is a method to communicate some …

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Donald Moynihan: Friction, Frustrations, and Fear in Government Bureaucracies 40:59

8M ago40:59

40:59

“Administrative burdens” is a term for the frictions people experience when interacting with government—learning how a program works, taking the time to fill out paperwork, and experiencing the frustrations and shame that can come from the process. Sometimes this is accidental—just the result of a bureaucracy failing to think through how it interac…

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Hahrie Han: Belonging Comes Before Belief 50:35

9M ago50:35

50:35

In 2015, Crossroads Church, a majority-White evangelical megachurch based in Cincinnati, Ohio, launched a new program to address racial division and racism. In this episode, Hahrie Han discusses her new book Undivided: The Quest for Racial Solidarity in an American Church, which tells the story of this program and its participants, many of whom cha…

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Chris Matthews: The Election’s Over. Now What? 30:22

9M ago30:22

30:22

Donald Trump has been elected the 47th president of the United States. He will enter the White House with his party in control of both the House and Senate and with a Supreme Court mostly composed of Republican appointments. This election will have real impacts on American policy, which will not only change the lives of Americans, but also reverber…

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Roberto Saba & Steven Levitsky: Elections Have Consequences—Just Ask Argentina 42:51

10M ago42:51

42:51

Argentina’s constitution is among the oldest democratic constitutions in the world, and in significant respects it was modeled after the constitution of the United States. But Argentine democracy hasn’t always been stable. Between the 1930s and 1970s, the government was overturned by military coups six times. Even when there have been free and fair…

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Donald Moynihan: Project 2025’s Threat to Democracy | SPECIAL EPISODE 38:53

10M ago38:53

38:53

Project 2025 is a transition plan for a second Trump administration created by the Heritage Foundation, along with other conservative organizations. Heritage has created similar documents for presidential transitions every four years since 1980. One aspect of Project 2025, which is distinct from these previous iterations, is a focus on personnel po…

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Melissa Murray: For the Supreme Court, Dobbs Was Just the Beginning 45:42

10M ago45:42

45:42

For 49 years, from 1973 until 2022, the Supreme Court declared that the US Constitution protected abortion rights. With this precedent overturned, decision making about reproductive rights now resides with state governments. But the court’s 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization relied on a partial and inaccurate understandin…

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María Teresa Kumar: Latinos and America’s Promise 53:35

11M ago53:35

53:35

Latinos are the fastest growing demographic group in the United States and are now the second-largest ethnic group in the country. Growing diversity shouldn’t be a challenge to democracy—no race or culture holds a monopoly on self-government. But Latinos are disproportionately young, and like other young voters, they often vote at lower rates and c…

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Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg & Ruby Belle Booth: Will Gen Z Vote? 57:59

11M ago57:59

57:59

For democracy to endure, democratic institutions and values must be passed from one generation to the next. And there’s plenty of good news about how Gen Z—the youngest and most diverse generation of voters—is engaging in politics. Young people are participating and voting at levels at least equal to previous generations. But there are reasons for …

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Rachel Kleinfeld: US Systems Amplify Polarization—But They Don’t Have To 49:54

12M ago49:54

49:54

In a democracy, we resolve political disagreements through elections rather than through physical force. Political violence is a threat to democratic societies – but it can also be connected to a complex range of other political and social problems, including corruption, polarization, social division, and limitations on free speech. These are not e…

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Christine Todd Whitman: One-Party Governance is Not Healthy Democracy 49:33

12M ago49:33

49:33

Democracy should work for everyone. Christine Todd Whitman explains how political parties are more concerned with maintaining power than solving problems for everyday people. She discusses the factors underlying American political dysfunction, including the growth of political parties, noncompetitive districts, and money in politics. Christine Todd…

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Stacey Abrams: DEI Is In America's DNA 50:47

1y ago50:47

50:47

American history is a story about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Stacey Abrams discusses why Americans should embrace and defend DEI as democratic values. She explains how DEI benefits all Americans, expanding participation in our democracy and access to the American dream. Stacey Abrams is a political leader, lawyer, voting rights activis…

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Alexander Vindman: Stop Giving Demagogues Permission Slips 54:48

1y ago54:48

54:48

American democracy relies on nonpartisan civil servants to detect and combat corruption. Alexander Vindman was one such civil servant when he reported abuses of power by former President Trump, resulting in Vindman being fired from the federal government and retiring from the armed forces. Vindman discusses what a second Trump administration and Pr…

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Neal Katyal: SCOTUS Is Delegitimizing Itself 57:41

1y ago57:41

57:41

The Supreme Court does not belong in the crosshairs of the American political debate. Neal Katyal discusses how the court’s rush to decide social controversies and overturn foundational precedents is damaging its legitimacy. Katyal addresses the court’s recent decisions concerning presidential immunity and regulatory agencies and their implications…

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Alan Jenkins & Gan Golan: Reimagining Democracy Through Art 56:09

1y ago56:09

56:09

What if the January 6 attack on the US Capitol had been successful? Alan Jenkins and Gan Golan explore just that in their graphic novel series, entitled 1/6: The Graphic Novel. They also discuss how the events of January 6, 2021, diverge from democratic principles, such as free speech and the right to protest. Alan Jenkins is a Professor of Practic…

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Kelley Robinson: Defending LGBTQ+ Rights Is Defending Democracy 1:02:25

1y ago1:02:25

1:02:25

The Human Rights Campaign declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ Americans for the first time in 2023. In state houses across the country, we are seeing legislation that targets the rights and dignity of LGBTQ+ people. Kelley Robinson discusses how these attacks are part of a broader antidemocratic movement in the US and why it is important to de…

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Katherine Gehl: Elections Are Broken. How Do We Fix Them? 52:28

1y ago52:28

52:28

American voters have never been more dissatisfied. Unlike in business, where more competition promotes accountability and innovation, our political system only allows for two competitors. For most voters, America’s two-party system makes elections more about defeating the other side than solving problems and delivering. Katherine Gehl proposes Fina…

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Matthew Delmont: Brown v. Board—What It Achieved and Where It Fell Short 1:00:30

1+ y ago1:00:30

1:00:30

In commemoration of the 70th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education (1954), Matthew Delmont discusses the symbolic and practical significance of the landmark decision. Although it deemed legal segregation unconstitutional, Brown v. Board did not result in meaningful school integration right away. In fact, the decision represents the long histor…

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Martha S. Jones: History Tells Us Who We Have Been and Who We Aspire to Be 48:04

1+ y ago48:04

48:04

Citizenship is a perpetual debate in America. Martha S. Jones discusses how the exclusion of women and people of color from the early Republic led them to develop their own political cultures and collective institutions. As a result, marginalized people, particularly Black women, reframed politics in a way that was more aligned with America’s democ…

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Justin Gest: America is Hopelessly Diverse—In the Best Way Possible 54:01

1+ y ago54:01

54:01

In 2015, the US Census Bureau released a report projecting that the US would become a majority minority nation by 2044. Justin Gest asserts that the US reached this milestone a long time ago. Gest discusses America’s immense diversity and immigrant roots, which can be sources of unity, rather than division. He interrogates the use of categories and…

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David Pepper: The Heart of the Attack on Democracy Happens in States 53:52

1+ y ago53:52

53:52

American democracy is under attack, and much of the damage is done in statehouses. David Pepper explains how Americans’ hyper-fixation on national politics opens the door for corruption and anti-democratic actions at the state level. In Ohio, state legislators have undermined democracy by manipulating election policies and drawing unfair legislativ…

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Maureen O'Connor: Citizens Can End Gerrymandering 39:42

1+ y ago39:42

39:42

A devoted public servant, Maureen O’Connor discusses the importance of efficiency, fairness, and nonpartisanship in government. After years of witnessing and ruling against partisan gerrymandering on the Ohio Supreme Court, O’Connor is working toward an Ohio constitutional amendment to create an independent redistricting commission that empowers ci…

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Kimberlé Crenshaw: What is Critical Race Theory, Anyway? 1:02:24

1+ y ago1:02:24

1:02:24

Throughout history, the rules and practices of American democracy have contradicted the nation’s democratic ideals. Kimberlé Crenshaw has dedicated her career to developing inclusive legal frameworks to address some of our greatest democratic problems. As one of the foundational thinkers of Critical Race Theory, she sets the record straight on what…

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J. Michael Luttig: We Haven’t Learned Anything from January 6th—Yet. 46:12

1+ y ago46:12

46:12

J. Michael Luttig was one of the earliest, and most prominent, conservative voices to publicly condemn the effort to overturn the 2020 election. A few days before the Capitol insurrection, he advised Mike Pence that the Vice President has no constitutional authority to overturn a presidential election. Three years later, he discusses whether Donald…

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James Comey: Maintaining Faith in Democracy Amidst a Fog of Lies 47:02

1+ y ago47:02

47:02

America’s institutions are not perfect, but they are essential to the functioning of the rule of law. James Comey shares his experience working to improve the Justice Department through honesty, oversight, and transparency. He also discusses the criminal charges against former president and current presidential candidate Donald Trump. James Comey h…

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Steven Levitsky: Institutional Reform Won’t Save Democracy in 2024. What Will? 48:27

1+ y ago48:27

48:27

The U.S. is less democratic than other established democracies in the world. Steven Levitsky discusses how structural reform is necessary to put the US on par with other democracies. However, given the US’s unusual number of counter-majoritarian institutions and the world’s hardest constitution to reform, institutional reform will not happen before…

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Trailer: Welcome to The Context 1:28

1+ y ago1:28

1:28

Welcome to The Context. A podcast from the Charles F. Kettering Foundation about what it takes for democracy to thriveYou may have heard that democracy is in crisis. In the United States, citizens are alienated from their government, corruption threatens to undermine representation, and many are losing faith in our institutions altogether. There ar…