Civic Forum

Democrats won control of Congress in last week's midterm, and within a week President Trump was posting that the result was "all about the machines." How much fraud is there in American elections, and how would we know? This week, Rory interviews Susan Hyde, professor of political science at UC Berkeley and a leading expert on election observation, who has monitored elections around the world and studies electoral fraud. The conversation covers what election day looked like from inside a polling place, why it is so hard to tamper with the vote count, the unusual, partisan way the United States administers its elections, and when an election is actually over. Rory also presents new data from the Election Legitimacy Tracking Survey on how many Republicans accept that Democrats won. It closes with a discussion of how to rebuild trust in elections and whether American democracy can correct itself.

Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine has failed on its original terms, but has it made him stronger at home? Was Putin trapped in a failing war, and is Trump saving him? In this week's episode of Civic Forum, Princeton professor Rory Truex interviews two Russia experts, professors Seva Gunitsky and Sam Greene, on the war in Ukraine and how it has affected Russia at home. The conversation covers the course of the war, perceptions among Russian citizens, the effects of the war on the Russian economy, and the linkages between Putin, Trump, and those around them. It closes with a discussion of what happens to Russia after Putin.

The Trump administration has shown a willingness to engage, and even embrace, authoritarian leaders like Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Viktor Orbán, Kim Jong Un, and Nayib Bukele. At the same time, Trump has been dismissive and threatening toward our allies and partners in Canada and Europe. This week, Rory interviews Michael McFaul, Stanford professor and former U.S. Ambassador to Russia, about his new book, Autocrats vs. Democrats. The interview centers on a simple but pressing question: what side is the U.S. on anymore? The conversation covers Putinism and the Putin playbook, Trump’s ties to Russia, kleptocracy and corruption, the Trump–Xi summit, and the health of American democracy at this pivotal moment.

Last week Chinese leader Xi Jinping visited President Donald Trump at the White House, with US-China relations at a critical juncture. This week's Civic Forum episode features an interview with Brookings Fellow Ryan Hass, who worked in the White House under President Obama and helped organize the Obama-Xi summit more than ten years ago. Ryan provides his assessment of the optics of the Trump-Xi visit, and whether their "friendship" means much of anything. The interview discusses the new Chinese concept, "constructive strategic stability," and whether relations between China and the United States have entered into a new phase. It closes with a discussion of whether the U.S. and China can cooperate or coordinate on AI safety.

AI is fundamentally changing the classroom, and colleges and universities are struggling to police AI use and preserve academic integrity. In this week's Civic Forum interview, host Rory Truex is joined by Jill Dolan, former Dean of the College at Princeton, and Kate Stanton, director of Princeton's McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning. The interview explores: which universities are getting the AI issue right; whether standard assignments, like the final paper, are still viable; and how universities and professors are going to have to adapt to the post-AI society. Civic Forum with Rory Truex: because democracy needs a pod. More at www.thecivicforum.com

Immigration is the defining policy issue of the Trump era — and Biden's former border director says both parties are getting it wrong. Andrea Flores ran border policy on the National Security Council and resigned over the administration's handling of the border. She joins Rory Truex to explain why mass deportation is really mass delegalization, why deterrence at the US-Mexico border keeps failing, what ICE enforcement and racial profiling mean for Latino communities and Latino voters, and what serious immigration reform requires: legalization and a path to citizenship, humane enforcement, asylum reform, and border policy that starts abroad.Civic Forum with Rory Truex: because democracy needs a pod.. More at thecivicforum.com

Americans are down about democracy. Congress is a particularly loathed institution, with approval ratings around 10%. In this episode, Rory Truex talks to Princeton professor Frances Lee about her new book, A Case For Congress, and why congress may be performing its functions better than we think. They also discuss Trump's threat to American democracy and the most likely outcomes from the upcoming midterm elections.

Rory interviews Princeton professor and Hungary expert Kim Lane Scheppele and writer Peter Dosa about Hungary’s election that ousted Viktor Orbán and brought Prime Minister Péter Magyar and the Tisza party to power with a supermajority. The conversation focuses on lessons Americans can learn from Hungary and the challenges of dismantling an authoritarian regime after the election has been won.

Is the pro-democracy movement actually working? What are the gaps in current activism, and the most effective ways for normal citizens to get involved? Rory is joined by veteran activists Jess Craven and Micah Sifry to assess the state of the movement. The session focuses on notable wins and losses of to date, the issues with excessive anger and fear on social media, the noticeable youth gap in participation, and the future of the Democratic Party.

Across many democracies, workers comprise a majority of the labor force but only a small fraction of elected office-holders. Why does democracy consistently fail the working class? And what can be done to get more workers on the ballot? Rory interviews political scientists Noam Lupu and Nick Carnes about their new book on working class representation.