This is Democracy

In this week's episode, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Dr. Julia F. Irwin to discuss American Humanitarian Assistance in the 20th and 21st century. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, "The Old Colossus." Dr. Julia F. Irwin is the T. Harry Williams Professor of History at Louisiana State University.  She is a leading scholar of humanitarian assistance in US foreign policy and internati...

In this week's episode, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Stephen Sonnenberg, MD, to discuss how collective trauma can affect people, groups and societies. Steve Sonnenberg, MD, is a psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, and medical humanities and ethics scholar. At The University of Texas at Austin’s Dell Medical School he serves as professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. He is a...

In this week's episode, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Dr. Daniel Hummel about the history of American Evangelicalism and its connection to both policy and theology. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, "If Your God is a God of Truth" Dr. Daniel Hummel is the Director for University Engagement at Upper House, a Christian study center serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Daniel...

In this week's episode, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Sanford Levinson to discuss the 2000 election, the Supreme Court decision that finalized it, and how this decision has had ramifications throughout modern history. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, "The Court Has Stopped the Count" Sanford Levinson, who holds the W. St. John Garwood and W. St. John Garwood, Jr. Centennial Chair...

In this week's episode, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Michael Kimmage to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, "For a War of Worlds" Dr. Michael Kimmage is a professor of history at the Catholic University of America in Washington DC. He is also a fellow at the German Marshall Fund, and chair of the Advisory Council for the Kennan Institute at the Wo...

This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Professor Salim Yaqub to discuss how the 1970s changed the Middle East, and how those changes are still relevant in the modern day. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, "To Israel, a Widow" Salim Yaqub is Professor of History at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and Director of UCSB’s Center for Cold War Studies and International His...

In this special 250th episode, Jeremi and Zachary discuss the current state of discourse and civil debate on college campuses, as well as how recent events have impacted the climate of these spaces. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, "To Study"

This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Dr. Ruth Simmons to discuss her experiences and attitudes toward learning in the context of her new book, "Up Home: One Girl's Journey." Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, "If The Leaves Could Speak." Dr. Ruth Simmons is the former president of Smith College, Brown University, and Prairie View A&M University -- Texas's oldest Historically...

This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Peter Beinart to discuss the ongoing conflict between Israeli and Palestinian forces and the destruction left in its wake. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, "For the Children of Israel, and the Ones Who Will Try to Forget." Peter Beinart is Professor of Journalism and Political Science at the Newmark School of Journalism at the City Universi...

This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Dr. William Jones to discuss the history of labor unions and the current ongoing strike by the United Auto Workers union. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, "From The UAW Picket Line" William Jones is a professor of history at the University of Minnesota, where he is a leading scholar of workers, unions, and race in the United States. Prof. J...

This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Joe Jaworski to discuss the recent acquittal of Attorney General Ken Paxton by the Texas Senate, as well as the potential fallout and ramifications that may come of it. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, "A Bad Sonnet for a Bad Man" Joe Jaworski is a third-generation Texas trial attorney and former Mayor of Galveston, Texas. He has served as...

This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by guests Randy Denzer and Dr. Alison Alter to discuss the increasing incidence of wildfires in the United States and what efforts have been made to mitigate them. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, "When the Fire Comes." Randy Denzer has more than 30 years in the fire service and is one of the highest certified and qualified wildland firef...

This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Pawel Sawicki to discuss the history of Auschwitz-Birkenau, and what lessons can be learned from its past. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, "Neue Synagoge, Oranienburger Straße" Pawel Sawicki is the press and public relations officer at the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum in Poland.

This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Dr. Michael Kimmage to discuss the current state of the Ukraine War, and potential paths for it going forward. Zachary sets this scene with his poem entitled, "For Yegor." Dr. Michael Kimmage is a professor of history at the Catholic University of America in Washington DC. He is also a fellow at the German Marshall Fund, and chair of the Advisory Council...

Jeremi and Zachary sit down with Andrew Yang and former New Jersey governor, Christine Todd Whitman to discuss the problems with, and potential solutions to the two-party system in the United States. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, "Four Questions". Christine Todd Whitman served as the 50th Governor of New Jersey, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency during the George W....

This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by guest Joe Jaworski to discuss the recent impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton. Zachary sets this scene with his poem entitled, "Musings on the Great Liars and One Smited Attorney General" Joe Jaworski is a third-generation Texas trial attorney and former Mayor of Galveston, Texas. He has served as a law clerk to the United States Court of Appeals F...

This week, Jeremi and Zachary discuss evangelical religion's role and history in U.S politics with Dr. Daniel Hummel. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, "A Dispensation For The Dispensationalists". Dr. Daniel Hummel is the Director for University Engagement at Upper House, a Christian study center serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Daniel is the author of  The Rise and Fall of Dispens...

Stephen Vladeck holds the Charles Alan Wright Chair in Federal Courts at the University of Texas School of Law. He recently published  The Shadow Docket: How the Supreme Court Uses Stealth Rulings to Amass Power and Undermine the Republic . His work has been published in the  New York Times , the  Los Angeles Times , and  Slate,  among other publications. He has argued bef...

Jeremi and Zachary sit down with former Austin mayor, Steve Adler, to talk about the importance of city and local government and leadership. Zachary sets the scene with his poem: "For My City as It Was Three Years Ago". Steve Adler was the mayor of Austin, Texas from 2015-2023. Before that, he was a prominent lawyer working in the areas of eminent domain and civil rights law. He also served on man...

Paul Stekler taught at the University of Texas at Austin for many years. He is a nationally recognized documentary filmmaker whose critically praised and award-winning work includes: George Wallace: Settin’ the Woods on Fire; Last Man Standing: Politics, Texas Style; Vote for Me: Politics in America; two segments of the Eyes on the Prize II series on the history of civil rights; Last Stand at Litt...

Matthew Dallek is a historian and professor of political management at George Washington University’s College of Professional Studies. He is the author of: The Right Moment: Ronald Reagan's First Victory and the Decisive Turning Point in American Politics; Defenseless Under the Night: The Franklin Roosevelt Years and the Origins of Homeland Security; and, most recently, Birchers: How the John Birc...

Jeremi and Zachary sit down with Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez to discuss young voters and the role they are playing in our democracy. Zachary sets the scene with his poem: "For My Generation and the Story We Will Write" Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez is the president and executive director of NextGen America, the largest youth-vote mobilization organization in the country. She is a millennial, a civil rig...

Jeremi and Zachary sit down with Atar David to discuss the controversy surrounding the overhaul and fundamental efforts to transform the judiciary and the ways in which justice is administered in Israel. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, "Passover 2023." Atar David is an agricultural and environmental historian, currently completing his doctorate in the history department at UT-Austin. His cur...

Jeremi and Zachary sit down with Jeffrey Engel to discuss the recent indictments on former president Trump, and other instances of presidential law-breaking. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, "Some Messes Can Only Be Cleaned Up With Time." Jeffrey Engel is a professor of history at Southern Methodist University, where he is the founding director of the Center for Presidential History. He is th...

Mikkael Sekeres is a Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Hematology at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine. Dr. Sekeres has published hundreds of scholarly and Op-Ed articles, and he is the author of 8 books, including: When Blood Breaks Down: Life Lessons from Leukemia (The MIT Press 2020) and most recently, Drugs and the FDA: S...