RevDem Podcast

Review of Democracy

Democracy

European Union

Poland

Ukraine

Human Rights

Authoritarianism

Rule Of Law

Populism

Russia

Latin America

Hungary

Climate Change

Germany

Democratic Backsliding

Eastern Europe

Migration

China

Social Media

Genocide

Civil Society

RevDem Podcast is brought to you by the Review of Democracy, the online journal of the CEU Democracy Institute. The Review of Democracy is dedicated to the reinvigoration, survival, and prosperity of democracies worldwide and to generating innovative cross-regional dialogues. RevDem Podcast offers in-depth conversations in four main areas: rule of law, political economy and inequalities, the histo... more

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Publishes	Twice weekly	Episodes	417	Founded	5 years ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	NewsPolitics

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Latest Episodes

Mixed Families in Post-Conflict Societies- A Discussion with Karolina Lendák-Kabók and Lucija Balikić (Part 1)

Are interethnic marriages bridges or fault lines in post-conflict societies? What happens when the politics of national identity enter the intimacy of home? Who were the main agents to oppose or promote mixed marriages in East-CentralEurope? Was it t... more

18 May 2026 • 37 min

The “Backsliders” and What We Can Do About Them – In Conversation with Susan Stokes

In our latest episode of the special series producedin partnership with the Journal of Democracy, we discuss therecent article by Susan Stokes, entitled “Why Elected Leaders Subvert Democracy” (Journal of Democracy, Vol. 37, No.2,April 2026). Democra... more

14 May 2026 • 37 min

How to Secure Democracy After Authoritarianism? Venezuela and the Problem of Credible Transitions

How can a democracy emerge from authoritarian rule when those who hold power fear what comes next?

In this episode of the Review of Democracy podcast, Gabriel Pereira speaks with José Ramón Morales-Arilla about the challenges of democratic transitio... more

11 May 2026 • 41 min

Abandoning Democracy for the Nation – In Conversation with Filip Milačić

Of the many political ideologies that exist, perhaps oneof the most paradoxical ones is nationalism. It has been associated with various political currents. At the end of the eighteenth and during the nineteenth century, people who wanted to overcome... more

7 May 2026 • 36 min

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Recent Guests

Susan Stokes

Tiffany and Margaret Blake Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago and director of the Chicago Center on Democracy

University of Chicago

Episode: The “Backsliders” and What We Can Do About Them – In Conversation with Susan Stokes

José Ramón Morales-Arilla

Author of the Journal of Democracy article How to Secure Venezuelan Democracy

Tecnológico de Monterrey, graduate school of government and public transformation

Episode: How to Secure Democracy After Authoritarianism? Venezuela and the Problem of Credible Transitions

Filip Milačić

Senior researcher at the Democracy of the Future Office of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation; visiting professor at CEU; author of Abandoning Democracy for the Nation

Friedrich Ebert Foundation; CEU; CEU Democracy Institute

Episode: Abandoning Democracy for the Nation – In Conversation with Filip Milačić

Jason Anastasopoulos

Associate Professor of Public Administration and Policy, University of Georgia; Associate Editor of Public Administration Review

University of Georgia

Episode: How Helpful Are AI Tools for Autocrats?

Jason Lian

Postdoctoral fellow at the Nonviolent Action Lab; visiting fellow at the S Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation of Harvard

Nonviolent Action Lab / Harvard

Episode: How Helpful Are AI Tools for Autocrats?

Diána Vonnák

Social anthropologist researching heritage and sociopolitical change; translator and literary author

Project Memory and Populism from Below (ManPop); Centre for Urban History of East-Central Europe; Invisible University for Ukraine (CEU)

Episode: The “Ukraine Question” in Hungarian Culture Today – Diána Vonnák on Bilaterial Relations, Questions of Responsibility, and Paths Forward

Pepper Culpepper

Professor and researcher focused on capitalism and democracy

Blavatnik School of Governance, University of Oxford

Episode: When Populism Can be Good: A Conversation with Pepper Culpepper

Fernanda Pirie

Professor of the Anthropology of Law, Director of the Center for Sociolegal Studies, and Fellow of Saint Cross College, University of Oxford

University of Oxford

Episode: Back to the Roots of the Rule of Law – In Conversation with Fernanda Pirie

Lucy Jeffery

Co-founder of the Replaying Communists project; scholar of Beckett, literature and culture

Replaying Communists project

Episode: From Television Series to Board Games: Replaying Communism’s Afterlife in Culture- A Conversation with Anna Váradi and Lucy Jeffery

Host

Adrian Matus

Host of RevDem Podcast

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Apple Podcasts	#181	China/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts	#221	Ukraine/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How to Secure Democracy After Authoritarianism? Venezuela and the Problem of Credible Transitions

Q: What would credible signals look like in practice, and how would they affect the incentives of both reformers and elites?

Credible signals involve actions that are costly for the reformer but not for the vengeful counterpart, such as committing to credible transitional justice mechanisms and accepting external mediation to guarantee a fair process.

How to Secure Democracy After Authoritarianism? Venezuela and the Problem of Credible Transitions

Q: Let me start with the theoretical framing of your argument and how the adverse selection problem operates in this political context.

The episode explains that the problem arises when elites doubt a reformer's moderateness; costly signals help prove commitment and differentiate a genuine reformer from a potential adversary, enabling credible cooperation.

The “Backsliders” and What We Can Do About Them – In Conversation with Susan Stokes

Q: What practical steps can pro-democracy actors take to counter backsliding and reconnect with voters?

Promote pro-poor, pro-worker policies to demonstrate tangible benefits, harness social democracy ideas, and create credible safety nets that appeal to working-class voters, while avoiding purely technocratic rhetoric.

The “Backsliders” and What We Can Do About Them – In Conversation with Susan Stokes

Q: What is the role of income inequality in predicting backsliding, and does it affect Global North and Global South differently?

Income inequality is a robust predictor of backsliding risk, shaping polarization and acceptance of concentrated power; while the mechanism has universal elements, it interacts with regional political economies, producing different manifestations in the Global North and South.

The “Backsliders” and What We Can Do About Them – In Conversation with Susan Stokes

Q: Why has democratic backsliding become more prominent in the current era, and what historical shifts helped explain it?

Backsliding rose due to a combination of economic changes, party realignments, and the rise of right-wing ethnonationalism and left populism; leaders undermine democracy from within after elections, rather than through coups.

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Frequently Asked Questions About RevDem Podcast

What is RevDem Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Thoughtful, academy-driven discussions focused on democracy, rule of law, political economy, and culture. Episodes commonly feature scholars, historians, and policy experts who dissect historical developments, governance challenges, and memory politics across regions. A standout aspect is the frequent integration of historical context with contemporary political questions, offering nuanced analyses that connect long-run trends to current democratic outcomes. Listeners can expect rigorous, research-forward conversations that weigh evidence, explore cross-regional comparisons, and highlight dimensions of how institutions, culture, and public policy shape democratic resilience. The show often centers on how legal norms, state capacity, and civ... more

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Which podcasts are similar to RevDem Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with RevDem Podcast:

1. The World Unpacked
2. The Book Review
3. Political Gabfest
4. Fresh Air
5. The Political Scene | The New Yorker

How many episodes of RevDem Podcast are there?

RevDem Podcast launched 5 years ago and published 417 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact RevDem Podcast?

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What guests have appeared on RevDem Podcast?

Recent guests on RevDem Podcast include:

1. Susan Stokes
2. José Ramón Morales-Arilla
3. Filip Milačić
4. Jason Anastasopoulos
5. Jason Lian
6. Diána Vonnák
7. Pepper Culpepper
8. Fernanda Pirie

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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