The Future of Our Former Democracy

4:12

Season 3 Trailer: The Commonwealth of Australia

The Future of Our Former Democracy ·

2026/09/21

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 democracy that works so differently, and what the U.S. can learn from it.

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48:11

Future Hindsight | The People's Document: Melissa Murray

The Future of Our Former Democracy ·

2026/06/29

Mila Atmos and Melissa Murray discuss the hidden power inside the U.S. Constitution, what it was designed to protect against, and how it can fortify American democracy today.Melissa Murray is the Frederick I. and Grace Stokes Professor of Law at NYU School of Law, co-host of the Strict Scrutiny podcast, and a legal analyst for MSNBC. Her new book is The US Constitution: A Comprehensive and Annotated Guide for the Modern Reader. Your civic action toolkit recommendations from Melissa

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49:16

Bonus: Who Gets To Belong? Voices from Ukraine and Syria

The Future of Our Former Democracy ·

2026/05/20

This bonus episode is a recording of a panel presentation from More Equitable Democracy's 2025 learning tour to Germany. The panel featured four international voices - immigrants, international students, and refugees - living in Germany today.Special thanks to the experts featured in this episode: - Hesham Moadamani, Office of Civic Engagement, Bard College Berlin - Liza Nezhyva, Mriï Collective, Bard College Berlin - Khalil Hammod, Alumni, Bard College Berlin - Mariia Krychevska, Mriï

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25:57

Bonus: Berit and Khuê: Growing Up During German...

The Future of Our Former Democracy ·

2026/04/14

In this bonus episode, Berit, born in East Germany, and Khuê, born in West Berlin, share their respective perspectives and stories of growing up during German reunification. Special thanks to the experts featured in this episode: - ⁠⁠⁠Dr. Berit Ebert⁠⁠⁠, Bard College Berlin - ⁠Khuê Phạm⁠, Author and journalist ⁠⁠⁠⁠Music and archival references⁠⁠⁠⁠ For more information on More Equitable Democracy’s work, please visit: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.equitabledemocracy.org/⁠⁠⁠

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48:51

From the Black Forest to the Rose City: Seeding PR at...

The Future of Our Former Democracy ·

2026/04/07

Throughout this season, we've heard excerpts from interviews and presentations that were part of a February 2025 learning tour organized by More Equitable Democracy. This tour brought US academics, racial justice advocates, and political reformers to Germany to see proportional representation in action during their national elections.In our season 2 finale, some of the learning tour's participants share their reflections—not just about what they learned in Germany, but about what they intend to

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58:56

The "New Germans": Identity and Belonging in Modern...

The Future of Our Former Democracy ·

2026/03/31

While Germany makes a continuous effort to grapple with their past and practice remembrance of historic atrocities, there are still significant tensions today about German identity: what a German sounds like, what a German looks like, and what it means to be German.Heather and Colin take a focused look at how identity shows up in the context of modern Germany's government. For immigrants, refugees, and ethnic minorities, how does the German system fare when it comes to a sense of belonging in

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59:21

Alternative für Amerika: MAGA, AfD, and the Politics...

The Future of Our Former Democracy ·

2026/03/24

In Germany, as in the United States and much of Europe, there has been a rising surge of support for far-right populism and anti-democratic forces. This is exemplified in the growth of the far-right political party "Alternative for Germany" (AFD). In this episode, Heather and Colin compare still-simmering political tensions between former East and West Germany with those between red and blue states in the US — and examine why German democracy has, so far, proven more resilient to

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52:40

Project 1933: How to Dismantle a Democracy (and How...

The Future of Our Former Democracy ·

2026/03/17

In this episode, Heather and Colin walk through how Hitler and the Nazi Party executed their plan to dismantle Germany democracy and, often under-examined, how German democracy was rebuilt after World War II. Most importantly, they explore electoral system design decisions made to prevent a party like the Nazis from ever coming to power again, including the 5% threshold and the so-called "firewall against the far-right" — in German, "die Brandmauer."Special thanks to the experts featured in this

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51:54

Beer Hall Demagogues - German Democracy's Rocky Start

The Future of Our Former Democracy ·

2026/03/10

Many people know that the Nazis came to power in 1933 under Germany's democratic system, but fewer people know how they got there in the first place. In this episode, Colin and Heather explore the economic and social conditions that led to the birth of Germany's first democracy — and why it quickly came crashing to an end.Special thanks to the experts featured in this episode: Brendan MacGurk, Tour Guide (to arrange a private tour, email inquiries to bmacgurk(at)web(dot)de) Hermann "Bobby"

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41:01

The Democracy Frog is Boiling

The Future of Our Former Democracy ·

2026/03/03

While the United States slips deeper into authoritarianism, Heather Villanueva and Colin Cole from More Equitable Democracy explore how Germany redesigned their elections after World War II to prevent another fascist takeover. As we prepare to rise to our own challenge, how can the U.S. learn from the mistakes and course-corrections of another nation that's been where we are now?Special thanks to the experts featured in this episode: Nicola Hieke, Landeskoordinierungstelle Bayern gegen

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3:43

Season 2 Trailer: The Federal Republic of Germany

The Future of Our Former Democracy ·

2026/02/19

After the end of World War II, Germany adopted a new electoral system designed to prevent a faction like the Nazis from taking over government ever again. In our new season, we compare how far-right movements operate in modern-day Germany and the United States to explore head-learned lessons from German political history and what they might mean for democracy in the U.S..

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52:18

Bonus: Pádraig Ó Tuama in Conversation

The Future of Our Former Democracy ·

2024/12/04

In this bonus episode of 'The Future of Our Former Democracy,' we’re sharing our extended conversation with poet, theologian, and conflict mediator, Pádraig Ó Tuama. Transcript For more information on More Equitable Democracy’s work, please visit: https://www.equitabledemocracy.org/ For more information on Larj Media, please visit: https://www.larjmedia.com/

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63:33

Bonus: Yemi Adenuga & Hazel Chu in Conversation

The Future of Our Former Democracy ·

2024/11/27

This bonus episode we’re sharing a panel discussion between Councilor Hazel Chu from the Dublin City Council and former Lord Mayor of Dublin and Councilor Yemi Adenuga from the Meath County Council, and moderated by Liliana Fernandez from the National Women's Council. Both are women of color who have made significant strides in Irish politics. The discussion covers their historic campaigns, personal stories, challenges faced, and the importance of representation in politics. They also delve into

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42:30

Bonus: A Conversation with Claire Hanna, MP for...

The Future of Our Former Democracy ·

2024/11/20

In this bonus episode, George sits down with Claire Hanna, Member of Parliament from the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) representing Belfast South and Mid Down. Claire shares insights into her journey as an activist and politician, her family's history with the SDLP, and her experiences running in different electoral systems. She delves into the complexities of Northern Ireland's political landscape, the intricacies of the Good Friday Agreement, and the impact of power-sharing mechanisms

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39:48

Bonus: The Power of Language, Poetry, and Identity:...

The Future of Our Former Democracy ·

2024/11/12

In this bonus episode, listeners can hear the full presentation and poetry reading from Irish poet, conflict mediator, and theologian Pádraig Ó Tuama, which was excerpted throughout season 1 of The Future of Our Former Democracy. Before jumping in, Colin and George offer a quick reflection on the results of last week’s U.S. presidential election and compare the rise of far-right movements in the U.S. to similar trends in Western Europe, focusing on the electoral dynamics in France, the UK, and

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77:45

Electoral Exchange: Our Learning Tour to the Island...

The Future of Our Former Democracy ·

2024/11/06

This episode is a special postscript of 'The Future of Our Former Democracy,' focusing on a learning tour organized by More Equitable Democracy to the Republic of Ireland to observe elections in June 2024. Colin and George recount their experiences at the Royal Dublin Society, witnessing the tallying process, and the cultural importance of elections in Ireland. The episode features interviews with Irish citizens including election volunteers, taxi drivers, and elected officials, providing diverse

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61:14

Shared Power, Shared Future: The Slow Path to Lasting...

The Future of Our Former Democracy ·

2024/10/30

In our final episode of the season, George and Colin explore the historic and ongoing dynamics of Northern Ireland's peace process, focusing on the transformative impact of the 1998 Agreement. They discuss the establishment of new power-sharing structures and the adoption of proportional representation. More importantly, they discuss how these structural changes to Northern Ireland’s democracy largely brought an end to 30 years of violent, sectarian, political conflict in the region. The story of

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78:33

Bullets to Ballots - Past Lessons and Present...

The Future of Our Former Democracy ·

2024/10/23

George and Colin get into The Troubles - Northern Ireland's turbulent period from the late 1960s to 1998. They discuss the social, political, and sectarian divisions that sparked the Troubles, featuring key events such as Northern Ireland’s civil rights movement, Bloody Sunday, the Abercorn bombing and the killing of three Scottish fusiliers. The narrative explores both the historical and contemporary impacts of segregation and violence in Belfast, the evolution of the IRA, and the contentious

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58:56

A Tale of Three Cities – Revisiting Proportional...

The Future of Our Former Democracy ·

2024/10/16

George and Colin turn their attention to the US – because believe it or not, parts of the US once used proportional representation! They explore the history and impact of ranked choice voting (RCV) in New York City and its broader implications for electoral reform in the United States and Ireland. After highlighting NYC's adoption of RCV in 2021 and its positive outcomes, including a more diverse city council, George and Colin explore NYC's first-ever use of RCV... all the way back in

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48:20

From Rebellion to Republic: Ireland's Path to Partition

The Future of Our Former Democracy ·

2024/10/09

Revolution and electoral politics – our favorite! George and Colin discuss Ireland's tumultuous journey towards independence and the partition of Northern Ireland post-World War I, focusing on significant events like the Easter Rising of 1916 and the War of Independence. With the help of experts, George and Colin discuss key historical milestones such as the 1918 General Election, which saw Sinn Féin's landslide victory, the eventual partition of Ireland into Northern Ireland and the Republic of

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