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Artwork for The Future of Our Former Democracy 

The Future of Our Former Democracy 

MED and Mori Strategies
Northern Ireland
Proportional Representation
Germany
The Troubles
United States
Ireland
Civil Rights Movement
Good Friday Agreement
Voting Rights
Power Sharing
Sunningdale Agreement
Ulster Unionist Party
Dublin City Council
Local Elections
Provisional IRA
Bloody Sunday
Immigration
Racism
Political Representation
Electoral Systems

Australia built its democracy on the American model, then kept revising it: the secret ballot, ranked-choice voting, proportional representation, and elections that Australians across the political spectrum actually trust. In our new season, we travel Down Under to explore how a country so similar to ours, including in its history of white supremacy and Indigenous genocide, ended up with a democra... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes25Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HistoryDocumentarySociety & Culture

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Artwork for The Future of Our Former Democracy 

Latest Episodes

Australia built its democracy on the idea of a "fair go," but who was it actually for?

Ruth and Colin examine the White Australia policy, the Stolen Generations, and the dictation tests designed to keep non-white immigrants out, drawing stark parall... more

How does a British penal colony become one of the world's most trusted democracies?

Ruth and Colin head back to 1788 to trace how a society of convicts and guards pioneered the secret ballot, the living wage, and the eight-hour workday, blending Was... more

YouTube

Welcome to Season 3 of The Future of Our Former Democracy!

Colin is joined by new co-host Ruth Greenwood, director of Harvard Law School's Election Law Clinic and proud Australian expat, as the show heads Down Under. In Australia, elections are "bor... more

YouTube

Australia built its democracy on the American model, then kept revising it: the secret ballot, ranked-choice voting, proportional representation, and elections that Australians across the political spectrum actually trust. In our new season, we trave... more

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Recent Guests

Thalia Anthony
Professor at the University of Technology Sydney
University of Technology Sydney
Episode: The Fair Go's Fine Print
Frank Bongiorno
Professor at the Australian National University
Australian National University
Episode: The Fair Go's Fine Print
Mark Wong
CEO of the Museum of Chinese Australian History
Museum of Chinese Australian History
Episode: The Fair Go's Fine Print
Simon Chen
Founder and director of Art Atrium Gallery and president of the Chinese Australian Forum
Art Atrium Gallery
Episode: The Fair Go's Fine Print
George Cheung
Executive Director of More Equitable Democracy
More Equitable Democracy
Episode: The Fair Go's Fine Print
Paul Daffy
Journalist and tour guide
Episode: From Penal Colony to Democracy Lab
Marija Taflaga
Director of the Centre for the Study of Australian Politics at the Australian National University and co-host of Democracy Sausage
Australian National University
Episode: From Penal Colony to Democracy Lab
Mark Dunn
Historian, archaeologist and author of The Convict Valley
Episode: From Penal Colony to Democracy Lab
Ruth Greenwood
Election-law expert and Australian expat
Harvard Law School (Director of the Election Law Clinic)
Episode: Vote, Surf, Sausage: A Recipe for Trust Down Under

Hosts

Colin
Host involved in political analysis and learning-tour storytelling
Heather Villanueva
Co-host focusing on democracy and equitable participation

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 125 ratings
  • Incredible!

    I had never considered how malleable democracy was. The first season really brought that to light. This new season is so good! The production is amazing, I just loved feeling like I was getting an on the ground look at what’s happening in Germany. Five stars!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Micah Smarts 2012
    United States6 months ago
  • Thought-provoking look at elections

    The Future of Our Former Democracy is a thought-provoking podcast focusing on distilling learnings from other electoral systems around the world, Ireland (Season 1) and Germany (Season 2), and how the USA can improve our own electoral system to reach more representative and equitable outcomes. After listening to the discussions on Ireland's voting system, it motivated me to get involved with local organizations focusing on improving voter outcomes. I highly recommend this podcast to anyone who i... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    crahrig
    United States7 months ago
  • Cursory conclusions

    Didn’t lay good foundation of explaining the 2 systems from the beginning. Episodes don’t delve deep enough into main points of episode. Cursory conclusions abound without adequate intellectual exploration.

    Audible
    1
    Ferguson
    United States7 months ago
  • Didn’t lay good foundation of explaining the 2 systems from the beginning. Episodes don’t delve deep enough into main points of episode. Cursory conclusions abound without adequate intellectual exploration.

    Audible
    1
    Ferguson
    United States7 months ago
  • Incredibly poor, superficial performance

    Herr im Himmel! I was really looking forward to this podcast. I worked as a political journalist in Germany for more than 20 years. I just returned to the States in November after my last tour, which lasted ten years. I also studied German history and speak German. So I like to think that I have a reasonable understanding of the situation in Germany.

    This podcast is just so inferior and poor.

    It is one thing that it is clearly biased from a far-left perspective. Well, if you know that, you c... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Chris-747
    United States8 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Many note practical takeaways for US electoral improvements.
Some critique bias in expert selections or voices, depending on episode.
Listeners praise the thoughtful, historical lens on democracy and reform.
Audience finds international comparisons (Germany, Ireland) especially useful for understanding reform potential.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#235
United States/History
Apple Podcasts
#222
Brazil/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

From Penal Colony to Democracy Lab
Q: What does patriotism show up like in both places? How is it similar? How is it different in terms of how people celebrate?
Ruth Greenwood describes Australia Day and the Fourth of July as similar occasions for barbecues and gathering with friends, while noting that Australia Day is increasingly also discussed as Invasion Day.
From Penal Colony to Democracy Lab
Q: How does Australia end up grappling with this problem?
Australia introduced the secret ballot so voters could make private choices without having their votes observed or bought.
The Fair Go's Fine Print
Q: What is the ongoing legacy of these exclusionary policies for Indigenous people in Australia?
Thalia Anthony describes disproportionate Indigenous incarceration, deaths in custody and continued child removals, connecting these outcomes to colonial stereotypes and policies that harm family and life outcomes.
The Fair Go's Fine Print
Q: Could you talk a little bit about your family's participation in a massacre?
Ruth Greenwood explains that her ancestor John Jobbins was responsible for the massacre of more than a dozen Wiradjuri people. Her family learned of his role through recent research, and her mother wanted to attend a remembrance ceremony to acknowledge the victims.
Project 1933: How to Dismantle a Democracy (and How to Rebuild)
Q: So is the judge saying you can only do this by constitutional means?
Yes, the judge confirms that Hitler could only proceed as long as he claimed to act within constitutional bounds, highlighting a dangerous edge where legal language is used to legitimize undemocratic goals.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Future of Our Former Democracy 

What is The Future of Our Former Democracy  about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful deep-dive into how different electoral systems shape democracy, with a strong emphasis on proportional representation, ranked-choice voting, and learning from international examples. Episodes feature historians, political scientists, tour guides, and refugees-turned-advocates who share concrete lessons on representation, voter engagement, and safeguarding democratic participation. The show blends historical context, on-the-ground narratives, and practical reforms, often drawing parallels between Germany, Ireland, and the United States to explore how institutions can both enable and constrain inclusive governance. A standout trait is the blend of rigorous analysis with personal, lived experiences, offering listeners a multi-dime... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Future of Our Former Democracy ?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Future of Our Former Democracy :

1. The Best People with Nicolle Wallace
2. The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
3. Runaway Country with Alex Wagner
4. Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes Podcast
5. Fresh Air

How many episodes of The Future of Our Former Democracy  are there?

The Future of Our Former Democracy  launched 2 years ago and published 25 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Future of Our Former Democracy ?

Recent guests on The Future of Our Former Democracy  include:

1. Thalia Anthony
2. Frank Bongiorno
3. Mark Wong
4. Simon Chen
5. George Cheung
6. Paul Daffy
7. Marija Taflaga
8. Mark Dunn

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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