Widespread disinformation, the outsized influence of wealth, anti-immigrant biases stoked by those vying for power, and the allure of so-called “strong” leaders have coalesced in an era of U.S. politics where the core of our democracy feels under threat. Does history agree that democracy is at risk now more than ever? And if so, how can we move forward with hope in our institutions and a belief that the democratic ideals upon which our nation was founded are worth saving?

In the fifth and final episode of our podcast miniseries, Democracy and Its Discontents, host Lindsay Shingler is joined by the two leaders of IGCC’s Future of Democracy initiative, Emilie Hafner-Burton and Christina Schneider, who reflect on the state of American democracy and why it is worth protecting and strengthening. Emilie Hafner-Burton is a professor at the UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy and author of Making Human Rights a Reality. Christina Schneider is a professor of political science at UC San Diego, an expert in research on the domestic politics of international cooperation, and the author of two books, including The Responsive Union: National Elections and European Governance.