This Moment in Democracy

In this episode, Lee Drutman, Senior Fellow at New America, discusses the challenge of party politics and explores ways a multi-party system could better represent America's  diversity.

This Moment in Democracy host Saladin Ambar is joined by Dr. Christina Greer, Associate Professor of Political Science at Fordham University's Lincoln Center campus, for a conversation on the historical intersectionality of gender and politics, specifically speaking to the role black women play in defending democracy.

In honor of Black History Month, Saladin Ambar and Harvard University professor, Dr. Khalil Gibran Muhammad, discuss reparations progress in New Jersey and nationwide, and the impacts censoring race education has on democracy.

In a special President's Day episode, Saladin Ambar is joined by Prof. Justin Vaughn and Prof. Brandon Rottinghaus as they share findings from the Presidential Greatness survey and the lasting impact of executive legacies.

In the first episode of 2024, Saladin Ambar is joined by Jon Ralston, founder of the nonpartisan news and opinion website The Nevada Independent and MSNBC contributor, for a discussion about Nevada's important role in the upcoming presidential contests.

Dr. Kelly Dittmar, an Associate Professor of Political Science at Rutgers University–Camden and Director of Research and Scholar at the Center for American Women and Politics at the Eagleton Institute of Politics discusses CAWP's latest report, Rethinking Women's Political Power. 

Dittmar explores the report findings and shares opportunities for increasing women's access to political power within and across states.

Join us on The Morning After as journalists, political experts, and public officials analyze New Jersey's legislative race results and their impact on the 2024 primary season. 

Featured Panelists:  

· Jeannine LaRue - Founder, LaRuelist Cafe and Senior Vice President, Kaufman Zita Group  

· Matthew McDermott - Senior Vice President, Zita Group  

· Colleen O'Dea - Senior Writer and Special Projects Editor, New Jersey Spotlight News  

· Arlene Quiñones Perez, Esq. - Equity Partner at DeCotiis, FitzPatrick, Cole & Giblin, LLP  

· Stacy Schuster - Executive Director, Women for a Stronger New Jersey  · Charles Stile - Political Columnist The Record  

Moderators:  

· Dr. Ashley Koning - Director, Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling  

· Sarah Samdani - Editor in Chief of the Eagleton Political Journal 

(Webinar recorded 11/8/2023)

In this episode, experts discuss how film and popular culture contribute to shaping political culture. Specifically, the discussion explores the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon from this summer's Barbie and Oppenheimer film releases, and how they ignited a contentious debate between liberals and conservatives.

Guest panelists:

Joanna Weiss,  Executive Director of the AI Literacy Lab at Northeastern University & Contributing Writer at POLITICO Magazine

Professor Lilly J. Goren, Professor of Political Science at Carroll University 

Louis Abramson, Astrophysicist and community organizer in Hollywood; Candidate for California State Assembly.

Former New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine shares his insights on the rise of populism in politics and opens up about what he would have done differently during his tenure as governor.

Today, we sit down with GOP political campaign strategist Mike DuHaime to discuss Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy's motion to seek the impeachment of President Biden, the enduring popularity of President Donald Trump, and the future of bipartisanship.

Professor Saladin Ambar reflects on the lasting impact of 9/11, from the initial unity to the subsequent political challenges. 

Join us on September 11th as we reflect on the past and renew our commitment to building a more perfect nation.

In this podcast, we will examine the latest Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action and its potential ripple effects across society, particularly for African Americans and minorities. 

Join nationally renowned expert Rutgers Law Professor Stacy Hawkins, as we explore the long-term consequences of this decision and what it means for the future of diversity and inclusion.

In a historical development that will shake up the 2024 presidential race, Donald J. Trump is the first former president to face criminal charges. Join Saladin Ambar and Fox News Chief Washington Correspondent Mike Emanuel to talk about the indictment’s ramifications and what this could mean for the presidential elections.

Join Professor Saladin Ambar and New York Times Staff Writer Jane Coaston for a discussion about the impact of "feels-based politics" on our democracy. The conversation also covers vice-signaling, the new moral correctness, and how the Republican Party is gaining traction among minority groups.

Join Professor Saladin Ambar and Steve Adubato, Ph.D., for a conversation about the role of the media in a democracy, the importance of "owning it," and Adubato's book Lessons in Leadership.

Join Saladin Ambar and Debbie Walsh for a Women's History Month conversation about the history of women's participation in American politics. Walsh is the Director of Eagleton's Center for American Women and Politics. The Center is nationally recognized as the leading source of scholarly research and current data about women’s political participation in the United States.

Join Professor Saladin Ambar and Rutgers Law Professor Sahar Aziz for a conversation about the controversy happening at Hamline University, as well as current issues higher education is facing regarding free speech on campus, academic freedom, and the adjunctification of university faculty.

Saladin Ambar speaks with Amy Walter, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the Cook Political Report, about potential Republican presidential candidates including: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, the 2024 Senate races, police violence, and school curricula.

Join Saladin Ambar for a conversation with Professor Melissa Aronczyk about her new book, A Strategic Nature: Public Relations and the Politics of American Environmentalism. Aronczyk takes us on a journey into the history of public relations and how it has shaped public opinion about how we think and feel about the environment. 

Aronczyk is an Eagleton Faculty Associate and an associate professor of journalism and media studies at Rutgers University's School of Communication and Information.

Join Professor Saladin Ambar for a conversation with Steve Kornacki, MSNBC National Political Correspondent and longtime friend of the Eagleton Institute of Politics. Kornacki discusses the recent investigation into President Biden's classified documents, the series of votes for the Speaker of the House, a preview of what the 2024 presidential election may look like, and of course, the NFL Playoffs.

The tables are turned in this conversation as Rutgers University - School of Communication and Information Professor David Greenberg interviews our podcast host, Rutgers University Political Science Professor Saladin Ambar about his latest book, Stars and Shadows: The Politics of Interracial Friendship from Jefferson to Obama. Professor Ambar explores high-profile interracial friendships that left their mark in American history. Professor Ambar also discuss how the premise of friendships in politics could impact democracy, and answer questions from a live audience. This episode was recorded during a hybrid in-person and virtual event at the Eagleton Institute of Politics on December 7, 2022.

Join Saladin Ambar for a conversation with former Congressman Denver Riggleman about his role on the January 6th Committee and his new book, The Breach: The Untold Story of the Investigation into January 6th, and the threats that face our democracy moving forward.

Join Eagleton Professor Saladin Ambar and Will Creeley, the Legal Director for FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights in Education), for a conversation about the intersection of free speech and reproductive rights. Creeley also talks about the Dobbs decision and the importance of free speech on college campuses.

Join experts from the Eagleton Institute of Politics as they analyze the results of the 2022 Midterm Election as it relates to representation, redistricting, political trends, public opinion polling, and what this all means for American democracy.

Panelists:

Saladin Ambar - Professor of Political Science; Senior Scholar, Eagleton Center on the American Governor

Kelly Dittmar - Associate Professor of Political Science, Rutgers-Camden; Scholar, Center for American Women and Politics

Ashley Koning - Assistant Research Professor; Director, Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling

Elizabeth Matto - Research Professor; Director, Center for Youth Political Participation

Kristoffer Shields - Assistant Research Professor; Historian and Program Manager, Eagleton Center on the American Governor

John Weingart - Associate Director, Eagleton Institute of Politics; Director, Eagleton Center on the American Governor

Join guest host Judge Travis Francis for a conversation with Ambassador Norm Eisen about election integrity and the upcoming 2022 midterm elections. Ambassador Eisen is currently a senior fellow in Governance Studies at Brooking. He served as special counsel to the House Judiciary, as U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic, and in the White House as special counsel and special assistant to the president for ethics and government reform. This podcast is a special edition episode with the "Election Nerds" and was made in partnership with the Eagleton Institute of Politics and the Center for Election Reform.

What is polling and why is it important to participate in them? What role does polling play in a democracy? Saladin Ambar speaks to faculty and staff at the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling. We learn that by giving people a voice, public opinion polls play an important role in shaping democracy.

Democracy isn't guaranteed, so how do we prepare Generation Z with the tools necessary to safeguard democracy?

Join Saladin Ambar in conversation with Dr. Elizabeth C. Matto, Director of Eagleton's Center for Youth Political Participation and CYPP Program Manager Jessica Ronan as they discuss civic engagement, Generation Z's influence on American politics, the RU Voting program, and 2022 Midterm Election information.

Former New Jersey Attorney General John J. Farmer, Jr. recalls his experiences on the day of the September 11, 2001 attacks, and compares America's responses to other disasters and emergencies that have arisen since then. From 2003-2004, as senior counsel and team leader for the 9/11 Commission, Farmer led the investigation of the country’s preparedness for and response to the terrorist attacks and was a principal author of the Commission’s final report.

Ava Majlesi hosted the conversation with Farmer as part of an event held by the School of Arts and Sciences at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. The original recording took place on September 9, 2021 and was introduced by former Dean Peter March.

We thank the Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences for partnering with us on the content of this episode.

Join Saladin Ambar for a discussion with SCOTUSblog Editor James Romoser exploring recent SCOTUS decisions regarding abortion and climate change. Romoser also addresses questions such as: Who is the swing justice on the current bench? What in the world is the "Major Questions Doctrine?" Are there constitutional checks on Supreme Court Justices? Tune in to learn more.

Welcome to "This Moment in Democracy," a podcast presented by the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University.