A new podcast, The American Democracy Lab, launches today. Now more than ever, it’s important to be able to understand issues from a variety of perspectives. The American Democracy Lab podcast, presented by the Gephardt Institute at Washington University in St. Louis, brings together experts from different fields and backgrounds to talk about an aspect of our American democracy and where different perspectives may converge.
Alan Lambert, associate professor of psychological and brain sciences in Arts & Sciences, serves as host of the podcast. In the first episode, he is joined by Arts & Sciences’ Steven Fazzari, the Bert A. and Jeanette L. Lynch Distinguished Professor of Economics, and Peter Kastor, professor of history and of American culture studies.
In 2017, Kastor and Fazzari participated in a symposium where they shared their predictions for Donald Trump’s presidency. In this inaugural podcast episode, they revisit their predictions and discuss Trump’s unprecedented, norm-breaking term.
Trump said his experience as a businessman uniquely qualified him to lead the economy. But did he deliver? Did he revolutionize Washington, D.C., as promised? And what challenges lie ahead for the newly inaugurated President Joe Biden? These are some of the topics Lambert, Fazzari and Kastor cover in the podcast.
The podcast is part of the Gephardt Institute’s Engage Democracy initiative, an effort to increase voter turnout and engagement at Washington University. Before the 2020 election cycle, the Gephardt Institute led registration drives, hosted election forums and helped faculty to incorporate election content into their courses. This spring, the institute continues its efforts, offering civic skills workshops, providing information about the upcoming municipal elections and introducing “Walk and Talk Wednesdays,” a weekly opportunity for students to engage in civic dialogue with their peers.
More episodes exploring our democracy will be added throughout spring 2021.
