Zooming In at The UnPopulist

Feb 23 2025 43 ep. 42 mins 34

Zooming In at The UnPopulist Podcast artwork

Exploring the ideas, and interviewing the writers, featured at The UnPopulist.

www.theunpopulist.net

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How the Right Uses Social Media to Create a Powerful Propaganda Machine: A Conversation with Renée DiResta

Feb 23 2025 44 mins

For years, traditional media—newspapers, cable news, and radio—dominated the political conversation. These were the institutions that shaped public discourse, set the agenda, and determined which ideas gained traction. But as the digital ecosystem evolved, a parallel and sometimes overlapping infrastructure emerged—one where influencers, niche content creators, and algorithmi

Zooming In: What Does an Unchecked Trump Mean for Freedom?

Jan 26 2025 52 mins

We have entered another Trump term, and the political landscape has shifted in ways that challenge the very foundations of our liberal democracy. With unprecedented executive power and a growing ecosystem of loyalists surrounding the president, we must ask: What happens when political institutions are no longer able to constrain a populist authoritarian president’s ambitions? And

MAGA Evangelicals' Un-Christian Quest for Political Power: A Conversation with Russell Moore

Dec 21 2024 47 mins

Does Christianity, or the Christian Bible, endorse a particular social configuration? What happens when faith communities tie their identity to political power? And can liberalism, with its emphasis on individual liberty and mutual respect, offer a path forward in a time of heightened polarization?Today, Berny Belvedere, The UnPopulist’s senior editor, is joined by Russell Moore,

Are America's Reactionary and Democratic Spirits in a Global Duel? A Conversation with Zack Beauchamp

Nov 24 2024 51 mins

What happens when the ideals of democracy are used to justify its own erosion? Can liberal democracy endure in an era where its strongest proponents appear to embrace the very authoritarianism they once opposed?In this episode, The UnPopulist’s editor-in-chief Shikha Dalmia is joined by Zack Beauchamp, senior writer at Vox.They discuss why authoritarian leaders often present them

Zooming In: The UnPopulist Staff Parses Trump's Victory

Nov 10 2024 47 mins

Today, our senior editor Berny Belvedere is joined by Shikha Dalmia, Editor-in-Chief of The UnPopulist, and columnist Andy Craig, as they dive into the reactions and political dynamics of a pivotal election. Following Trump's decisive comeback, they confront the profound societal and electoral shifts that made it possible, exploring everything from the anti-incumbent sentiment driv

Tracking Populist Attitudes Among Americans Going Into the Presidential Election: A Conversation with Tom Shull

Oct 01 2024 45 mins

Today, we’re excited to welcome back The UnPopulist’s editor-at-large, Tom Shull. The last time we spoke with Tom was back in January, when he shared insights from the groundbreaking survey he developed for the Institute for the Study of Modern Authoritarianism, the publisher of The UnPopulist, focused on populist attitudes and beliefs in the electorate. Now, nine months later,

Free Speech Means Allowing Full-Throated Condemnations of Odious Views: A Conversation with Popehat

Sep 08 2024 36 mins

Today on Zooming In at The UnPopulist, we’re diving into one of the most pressing issues of our time: free speech. Our host Aaron Ross Powell is joined by a special guest, Ken White—better known online as Popehat—a First Amendment expert, seasoned criminal defense attorney, civil litigator, and cohost of the Serious Trouble podcast. Together, they’ll explore some of the mos

Why Is the Illiberal Right Rising in Germany? A Conversation with Tim Ganser

Aug 04 2024 24 mins

Earlier this summer, the German far-right party Alternative for Germany, or AfD, came in second place in Germany’s European Parliament elections, despite Germany’s postwar aversion to far-right populism. The AfD is known for inflammatory rhetoric about migrants and other marginalized people, and recently a member aided and assisted a full-blown coup attempt against the governme

Is Trump a Fascist or Something Else Entirely?: A Conversation with Nicholas Grossman

Jun 23 2024 39 mins

Listen to Zooming In at The UnPopulist in your favorite podcast app: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | RSS | YouTubeLandry Ayres: Welcome to Zooming In at The UnPopulist. I’m Landry Ayres.As the 2024 election draws nearer and Donald Trump’s second-term plans come into greater focus, critics of his, across the ideological spectrum, are torn as to whether Trump’s mov

Democratic Institutions Don't Defend Themselves, We Do: A Conversation with Ian Bassin

May 06 2024 54 mins

On today's episode, The UnPopulist's editor-in-chief Shikha Dalmia and senior editor Berny Belvedere are joined by guest Ian Bassin.Ian previously served as Associate White House Counsel under President Obama and is the founder and Executive Director at Protect Democracy, a cross-ideological coalition defending America’s system of government against the threat of authoritarianism