This is Democracy

This week, Jeremi and Zachary host historian Mark Peterson to discuss his book, The Making and Breaking of the American Constitution: A Thousand-Year History, and to rethink the Constitution as a long-evolving relationship among people, government institutions, land, and written instruments rather than a single 1787 text. Mark Peterson is the Edmund S. Morgan Professor of History at Yale University.  He is the author of three major books: The Price of Redemption: The Spiritual Economy of Puritan New England; The City-State of Boston: The Rise and Fall of an Atlantic Power, 1630-1865; and, most recently, The Making and Breaking of the American Constitution: A Thousand-Year History.

This week, Zachary and Jeremi interview Atlantic writer and Johns Hopkins professor emeritus Eliot Cohen about his article “One War Two Mistakes” and how to think about the current U.S. war with Iran. Eliot Cohen is a contributing writer at The Atlantic. He is a professor emeritus at Johns Hopkins University, author of the forthcoming book The Strategist: How to Think About War and Politics, and co-host of the Shield of the Republic podcast. Cohen is also the author of The Hollow Crown, Supreme Command, Conquered Into Liberty, The Big Stick, and other works on military history and national-security policy. He created the strategic-studies program at Johns Hopkins SAIS and served as the school’s ninth dean. He has also served as the counselor of the Department of State and in other positions in the U.S. Department of Defense and the intelligence community.

This week, Zachary and Jeremi have a conversation with Dr. Michael Dennis about the current war with Iran and the United States and Israel with a focus on the historical perspective. Michael Dennis is an Associate Professor of Practice at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs. Dr. Dennis served as Chief of Intelligence Operations and Chief of Strategic Futures at Army Futures Command and was a member of the Intelligence Community, serving at the National Ground Intelligence Center as a Senior Intelligence Analyst. He was appointed an Exceptional Analyst Research Fellow at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and taught at the National Intelligence University’s Center for Strategic Intelligence and Research. 

Jeremi and Zachary speak with historian Heather Ann Thompson about her book "Fear and Fury," using the 1984 Bernie Goetz subway case to explore how Reagan-era, rising inequality, and a newly powerful conservative media reshaped public attitudes about crime, race, and self-defense. They connect the episode to figures like Rupert Murdoch, Donald Trump, and Rudy Giuliani, and to the often-overlooked lives of the four teenagers at the center of the story. Dr. Heather Ann Thompson is a historian at the University of Michigan, and is the Pulitzer Prize and Bancroft Prize-winning author of Blood in the Water: The Attica Prison Uprising of 1971 and Its Legacy (Pantheon Books, 2016). Her latest book is Fear and Fury: The Reagan 80s, the Bernie Goetz Shootings, and the Rebirth of White Rage (Pantheon, 2026).

Zachary Suri and Jeremi Suri invite Professor David Aiona Chang on to discuss the ongoing standoff between anti-ICE protesters and DHS officials in Minneapolis, exploring the historical roots, community solidarity, and broader implications for immigration policy and local resistance. Zachary sets the scene with his original poem, "Nicollet Avenue". Professor David Aiona Chang is a historian at the University of Minnesota. He studies Indigenous people, colonialism, borders and migration in Hawaii and North America, focusing especially on the histories of Native American and Native Hawaiian people, as well as the history of social movements in the United States.

This week, Jeremi and Zachary discuss the implications of US intervention in Venezuela with Professor Kurt Weyland, examining the Monroe Doctrine's historical context, the interplay of realist and idealist motives, and the uncertain future of Venezuelan politics. Dr. Kurt Weyland is the Mike Hogg Professor in Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin.  He has conducted original research in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Peru, and Venezuela. Prof. Weyland is the author of seven books, including: The Politics of Market Reform in Fragile Democracies (Princeton, 2002); Making Waves: Democratic Contention in Europe and Latin America(Cambridge, 2014); Assault on Democracy: Communism, Fascism, and Authoritarianism during the Interwar Years (Cambridge, 2021); and Democracy’s Resilience to Populism’s Threat (Cambridge, 2024).

Jeremi and Zachary discuss key lessons and impressions from 2025 to kick off the new year of 2026. Zachary opens the episode with an excerpt from George Orwell's essay, "Can Socialists Be Happy?"

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 divides. Steven Mintz is a professor of history at the University of Texas at Austin. He is an authority on the history of families and childhood. Steve is also a pedagogical innovator and a commentator on the arts and the human condition. From 2012 to 2017, he directed the UT System’s Institute for Transformational Learning. Steve is the author of many prizewinning books, including: Huck's Raft: A History of American Childhood (2004) and The Learning-Centered University: Making College a More Developmental, Transformational, and Equitable Experience (2024).

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 US-European alliance. Zachary begins the episode by reading "Knife", a poem by Ukrainian author, Lyuba Yakimchuk. Michael Kimmage is a professor of history at the Catholic University of America, and the director of the Kennan Institute. From 2014 to 2017, he served on the Secretary's Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. Department of State, where he held the Russia/Ukraine portfolio. His latest book is Collisions: The War in Ukraine and the Origins of the New Global Instability.

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. Jeremi sets the scene by reading the opening lyrics to Bob Dylan's 'Masters of War,' which was written in the wake of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Dr. Renata Keller is an associate professor of history at the University of Nevada, Reno. She is the author of two books:  Mexico’s Cold War: Cuba, the United States, and the Legacy of the Mexican Revolution and, most recently, The Fate of the Americas: The Cuban Missile Crisis and the Hemispheric Cold War. Dr. Keller received her Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin.

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 issues. Zachary sets the scene with a passage from Alexander Hamilton's Federalist Paper No. 85. Dr. Stephen Skowronek is the Pelatiah Perit Professor of Political and Social Science at Yale University.  His most recent book is The Adaptability Paradox: Political Inclusion and Constitutional Resilience. Other publications include Phantoms of a Beleaguered Republic: The Deep State and the Unitary Executive  (with John Dearborn and Desmond King), The Policy State: An American Predicament (With Karen Orren), The Politics Presidents Make: Leadership from John Adams to Bill Clinton, and Building a New American State: The Expansion of National Administrative Capacities, 1877-1920 (1982).

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 powerful excerpt from C.P. Cavafy’s poem "Waiting for the Barbarians," setting the tone with a poignant reflection on the complexities and challenges of democracy. Dr. John A. Lawrence served for thirty-eight years as a senior staff person in the United States House of Representatives, including as chief of staff for Speaker Nancy Pelosi from 2005 to 2013. He is currently a visiting professor at the University of California’s Washington Center. He is the author of:  The Class of ’74: Congress after Watergate and the Roots of Partisanship;  Arc of Power: Inside Nancy Pelosi’s Speakership;  and Sherlock Holmes: The Affair at Mayerling Lodge.

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 the United States. The conversation also explores the broader geopolitical interests in the Arctic as well as the environmental impact of climate change in this crucial region. Zachary sets the scene with an excerpt from the poem "Rise" written by climate activists, Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner and Aka Niviana. Dr. Mikkel Runge Olesen is a senior researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS). His research interests include NATO and transatlantic relations, the Arctic, the Nordic countries, Danish foreign policy, and recent Danish diplomatic history. His theoretical interests include realism (international relations), foreign policy analysis, and political psychology.

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 to our democracy today. Jeremi sets the stage with some words by William James from 1897. Gryffin Wilkens-Plumley is a senior at Yale University and a deliberative-democracy designer. He currently works as Project Manager and Design Lead for the Connecticut Citizens’ Assembly initiative at the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities -- an initiative to hold the first ever official State-level citizens’ assembly in America. Gryffin's work focuses on citizen governance, designing assemblies for independent citizen governance, and working with funders and elected officials to turn designs into reality.

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 experience.  He is the Mr. and Mrs. Robert P. Doherty Jr. Regents Chair in Molecular Biology and a Professor in the Dept. of Molecular Biosciences at the University of Texas at Austin.  Since 2003, his laboratory has sought to understand how form and function arise in embryos using advanced microscopy, systems biology, and biomechanics. Wallingford's research explores animal models and collaborates with human geneticists to understand human birth defects. He is writing a forthcoming book about embryos:  In the Beginning.

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 district, including budget constraints and declining enrollment, the impact of Texas' new school voucher program, and the importance of holistic approaches to address poverty and educational disparity. Zachary sets the scene with Muriel Rukeyser's "Elegy in Joy". Dr. Jack Loveridge is the vice president of the El Paso ISD Board of Trustees, a public school district serving over 48,000 students on the U.S.-Mexico border. He is also the CEO and co-founder of Panoculum, Inc., a digital history startup based in his hometown. Jack holds a Ph.D. in History from the University of Texas at Austin, an M.Phil. in International Development from Oxford, and a B.A. with honors from Stanford University.

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 initial days of the invasion and how perceptions and realities have shifted. Michael Kimmage is a professor of history at the Catholic University of America, and the once-former-and-future director of the Kennan Institute. From 2014 to 2017, he served on the Secretary's Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. Department of State, where he held the Russia/Ukraine portfolio. His latest book is Collisions: The War in Ukraine and the Origins of the New Global Instability.

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 Nathaniel Lauterbach is an active-duty United States Marine Corps officer. He recently commanded a squadron in California. He previously served as an operational planner and strategist with the 2d Marine Aircraft Wing, responsible for war plans and long-range planning for all combat marine aviation on the US East Coast. Colonel Lauterbach served as a lead planner for NATO and efforts to integrate military robotics and artificial intelligence into the Marine Corps. He received his B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he was a student of Professor Suri.

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 of the usual poem, we set the scene with an audio excerpt of Martin Luther King Jr. reading from his "Letter from Birmingham Jail." Peniel Joseph holds a joint professorship appointment at the LBJ School of Public Affairs and the History Department in the College of Liberal Arts at The University of Texas at Austin. He is also the founding director of the LBJ School’s Center for the Study of Race and Democracy. His career focus has been on “Black Power Studies,” which encompasses interdisciplinary fields such as Africana studies, law and society, women’s and ethnic studies, and political science. Prior to joining the UT faculty, Joseph was a professor at Tufts University, where he founded the school’s Center for the Study of Race and Democracy to promote engaged research and scholarship focused on the ways issues of race and democracy affect people’s lives. In addition to being a frequent commentator on issues of race, democracy and civil rights, Joseph wrote the award-winning books “Waiting ‘Til the Midnight Hour: A Narrative History of Black Power in America, “Dark Days, Bright Nights: From Black Power to Barack Obama," and “Stokely: A Life" as well as “The Black Power Movement: Rethinking the Civil Rights-Black Power Era” and “Neighborhood Rebels: Black Power at the Local Level.”" His most recent book is "Freedom Season: How 1963 Transformed America's Civil Rights Revolution."

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 scene with his poem, "The Stars". Steven Simon is a senior research fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft in Washington, D.C., and a visiting professor at Dartmouth College. He served at the State Department and National Security Council for over 20 years. His most recent book is: Grand Delusion: The Rise and Fall of U.S. Ambition in the Middle East (2023).