The True Representation Movement Podcast

In this episode of the TR Podcast, we speak with Sung Jun Han, a promising political philosophy doctoral candidate, about the future of democratic governance. The conversation dives into Han’s research on "Lottocracy" — a radical yet historically grounded alternative to electoral representation that proposes selecting legislators by lottery rather than through elections. Han explores the philosoph...

In this episode of the TRM Podcast, Dr. Jennifer Chace joins us to discuss her groundbreaking work in transforming schools into democratic spaces where students are genuinely heard and empowered. Drawing from her dissertation, A Search for Moral Equality: Becoming a Listening School, Dr. Chace shares how she turned a grassroots action into a research-driven movement that trains students to gather...

In this episode of the TRM Podcast, Dr. Jennifer Chace joins us to discuss her groundbreaking work in transforming schools into democratic spaces where students are genuinely heard and empowered. Drawing from her dissertation, A Search for Moral Equality: Becoming a Listening School , Dr. Chace shares how she turned a grassroots action into a research-driven movement that trains students to gather...

In this episode of the TRM Podcast, we sit down with Professor Scott Aikin to unpack the philosophy of "deep disagreement"—the idea that some of our political and cultural divides persist not because we’re irrational, but because we reason from fundamentally incompatible worldviews. From the theoretical roots of this concept to its exploitation by reactionary movements like the "Dark Enlightenment...

In this episode of the TRM Podcast, we sit down with Professor Scott Aikin to unpack the philosophy of "deep disagreement"—the idea that some of our political and cultural divides persist not because we’re irrational, but because we reason from fundamentally incompatible worldviews. From the theoretical roots of this concept to its exploitation by reactionary movements like the "Dark Enlightenment...

In this episode of the TRM Podcast, we sit down with Scholar at The University of Virginia Center for Politics and veteran political reporter, Jeff Shapiro, to reflect on his nearly 45 years covering Virginia politics. From his long tenure at the Richmond Times-Dispatch to his continuing commentary on public radio and and engagement as a Scholar at the University of Virginia, Shapiro brings a weal...

In this episode of the TRM Podcast, we sit down with Scholar at The University of Virginia Center for Politics and veteran political reporter, Jeff Shapiro, to reflect on his nearly 45 years covering Virginia politics. From his long tenure at the Richmond Times-Dispatch to his continuing commentary on public radio and and engagement as a Scholar at the University of Virginia, Shapiro brings a weal...

In this, part 2 of our conversation with Professor Nicholas Jacobs, Associate Professor of Government at Colby College and Director of the Public Policy Lab, we explore the deep disconnect between democratic ideals and political reality in the U.S. Drawing from his acclaimed book The Rural Voter and his forthcoming Subverting the Republic, Jacobs challenges popular narratives about Trumpism, execu...

In this, the first episode of the third season of The TRM Podcast, we sit down with Professor Nicholas Jacobs, Associate Professor of Government at Colby College and Director of the Public Policy Lab, to explore the deep disconnect between democratic ideals and political reality in the U.S. Drawing from his acclaimed book The Rural Voter and his forthcoming Subverting the Republic, Jacobs challeng...

In this follow-up conversation, the dialogue deepens around the urgency of action and the ineffectiveness of traditional protest without a strategic political aim. The host, representing the True Representation Movement (TRM), calls for moving beyond awareness and outrage—toward seizing political power. They critique decades of erosion in democratic responsiveness due to corporate influence, war-m...

In this conversation, Professor Lisa Silvestri discusses her book Peace by Peace: Risking Public Action, Creating Social Change, emphasizing the vital yet overlooked role of risk in public engagement. She explains that creating real change—especially in today’s climate of precarity—demands personal courage and a willingness to step into the public sphere. Together with the host from the True Repre...

In this powerful, wide-ranging conversation, Dr. Ndindi Kitonga critiques the commodification of education and describes her school, Angels Workshop School, as a working-class, community-rooted democratic alternative that fosters critical consciousness, empathy, and civic courage. She contrasts her approach with elitist models like Elon Musk’s Ad Astra, which, despite good intentions, devolved int...

In this episode of the Tiara Podcast, Dr. Ndindi Kitonga discusses the founding and mission of Angels Workshop School, a micro democratic school in Los Angeles that empowers youth to participate fully in shaping their learning environment and engaging with society. Rooted in humanistic and critical pedagogy, the school replaces top-down authority with shared decision-making, collective problem-sol...

In this conversation, the speakers explore how citizens' assemblies—randomly selected groups of everyday people who deliberate on key policy issues—can be protected from manipulation by powerful interests as they grow in prominence. Brett Hennig of the Sortition Foundation explains safeguards like open-source lottery algorithms, citizen-chosen experts, and OECD-backed standards that ensure tra...

In this conversation, Brett Hennig, co-founder of the Sortition Foundation, discusses the growing global movement to replace elections with democratic lotteries—sortition—to select citizens for political decision-making. He explains how sortition-based citizens’ assemblies, grounded in informed deliberation and representative diversity, can bypass the corrupting influence of money, lobbying, and p...

In this follow-up conversation, the TRM team deepens its strategic planning, focusing on how to harness rising public frustration with political dysfunction to drive engagement and build momentum. They explore the potential of running candidates not to win outright but to raise awareness, gain media attention, and lay the groundwork for future influence. The discussion emphasizes the emotional res...

This episode captures a pivotal moment in the evolution of the True Representation Movement (TRM) as the team shifts from discussion to execution. The focus is on refining outreach strategies—developing concise, compelling pitches that can grab attention in six seconds or less, building infrastructure like signup cards and token-based anonymous vote tracking, and targeting key swing districts in V...

This wide-ranging and deeply reflective conversation revolves around shaping the eligibility criteria for TRM’s (True Representation Movement) citizen voting groups—specifically the controversial idea of restricting participation to working-class individuals. One side defends the restriction as necessary to prevent elite capture and ensure authentic representation of everyday struggles; the other...

In this wide-ranging conversation, Professor Roslyn Fuller and the host critically examine the growing trend of citizens' assemblies, arguing that while marketed as democratic innovations, many such efforts are heavily funded by elite organizations like the Open Society Foundations and serve more as vehicles for controlled policymaking than genuine democratic engagement. Fuller shares her dire...

Watch & Listen to Ahmed Bouzid’s conversation with Joe Oddo, Head of Strategy at The True Representation Movement and former candidate (Independent) for South Carolina's 6th District US Congressional seat for the 2024 elections. Key Terms: Democracy, Elections, Strategy, Incumbency, , Technology and Democracy Key links: Joe Oddo's campaign site: https://bettercandidates.org/ Joe Oddo&#...

Watch & Listen to Ahmed Bouzid’s conversation with Joe Oddo, Head of Strategy at The True Representation Movement and former candidate (Independent) for South Carolina's 6th District US Congressional seat for the 2024 elections. Key Terms: Democracy, Elections, Strategy, Incumbency, , Technology and Democracy Key links: Joe Oddo's campaign site: https://bettercandidates.org/ Joe Oddo&#...

Watch & Listen to Ahmed Bouzid’s conversation with Prof. Mark Fisher, Assistant Professor of Government at Georgetown University, who specializes in the history of democratic thought, particularly ancient Greek political philosophy. Key Terms: Greek Democracy, Demos, Pericles, Thucydides, Socrates, Stasis, TRM Key links: - Website: https://gufaculty360.georgetown.edu/s/contact/00336000019qtaZA...

Watch & Listen to Ahmed Bouzid’s conversation with Prof. Mark Fisher, Assistant Professor of Government at Georgetown University, who specializes in the history of democratic thought, particularly ancient Greek political philosophy. Key Terms: Greek Democracy, Demos, Pericles, Thucydides, Socrates, Stasis, TRM Key links: - Website: https://gufaculty360.georgetown.edu/s/contact/00336000019qtaZA...

Watch & Listen to Ahmed Bouzid’s conversation with Jeff Schapiro, a veteran political reporter and columnist based in Virginia, known for his extensive coverage of Virginia politics. He has been with the Richmond Times-Dispatch for several decades, making him one of the most respected voices on the political landscape of the state. His reporting and columns provide deep insights into the worki...

Watch & Listen to Ahmed Bouzid’s conversation with Jeff Schapiro, a veteran political reporter and columnist based in Virginia, known for his extensive coverage of Virginia politics. He has been with the Richmond Times-Dispatch for several decades, making him one of the most respected voices on the political landscape of the state. His reporting and columns provide deep insights into the worki...