America at 250

This July 4 marks the semiquincentennial of U.S. independence, and whether or not you feel like celebrating, it’s certainly worth thinking about where we are, where we’ve been, and where we’re going on America’s democratic journey. This month we’ve got a longer-than-usual playlist featuring episodes from throughout our 20+ years on the air that question the past, present, and future of this experiment in self-government.

John Trumbull's painting, "Declaration of Independence," depicts the Continental Congress signing the document. The scene is filled with historical figures, signifying the momentous meaning of the American Revolution.

Meaning and the Revolution

Guest: Jack Rakove, Professor of History, Stanford University

John Locke

Guest: William Uzgalis, Professor of Philosophy, Oregon State University

30-cent US postage stamp featuring John Dewey, promoting the ideal of democracy.

John Dewey and the Ideal of Democracy

Guest: Melvin Rogers, Professor of Political Science and of African American Studies, UCLA

Person in suit dropping ballot into a ballot box. Is this democracy?

Is This Any Way to Run a Democracy?

Guest: Josiah Ober, University Center for Human Values, Princeton University

Book cover: Francis Fukuyama's Political Order and Political Decay. Images of the US Capitol and Tiananmen Square.

Democracy in Crisis

Guest: Francis Fukuyama, Senior Fellow, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies

Hands exchanging money over the US Capitol building; questioning the impact of philanthropy on democracy.

Is Philanthropy Bad for Democracy?

Guest: Rob Reich, Professor of Political Science, Stanford University

Image of the US Constitution with "Corporations" superimposed and "We the People" crossed out.

Corporations and the Future of Democracy

Guest: Former United States Senator Russell Feingold

Post-Truth Politics

Guest: Christopher Meyers, Professor of Philosophy, CSU Bakersfield

Faded American flag on weathered wood; text overlay: "Truth Decay

Disinformation and the Future of Democracy

Guest: Dean Johnson, Political Analyst and Criminal Defense Attorney

Democracy By Numbers

Guest: Moon Duchin, Professor of Mathematics, Tufts University

The White House at night, illuminated. Election Special.

2016 Election Special

Guest: Emilee Chapman, Professor of Political Science, Stanford University

Robert Reich, Former US Labor Secretary

Elaine Kamarck, Senior Fellow in Governance Studies, The Brookings Institution

Ken Taylor for President campaign button

American Futures (Ken Taylor Memorial Episode)

Guest: Barbara Walter, Professor of International Relations, UCSD School of Global Policy and Strategy

Tamsin Shaw, Professor of European and Mediterranean Studies and Philosophy, NYU

Rob Reich, Professor of Politicial Science, Stanford School of Education