Rethinking Democracy

• Illiberal Hegemony? Trump’s Foreign Policy and the GOP’s Identity Crisis

  Neoconservatives and MAGA isolationists are locked in a battle for the soul of Republican strategy. Nowhere is the split more glaring than over the Middle East: hawks view it as a proving ground for American power and allegiance to Israel, while isolationists see only endless wars that have bled America dry. Where does Trump fall in this tug-of-war? What are the real-world consequences of this struggle—for Ukraine’s survival, Gaza’s future, and the fate of nuclear diplomacy with Iran? Recorded April 25, 2025

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• Can Ukraine’s Fight for Democracy Survive Without US Support?

  Ukraine faces a pivotal year in its fight against Russian aggression — and for its democratic future. With fears mounting that President Trump could abandon peace talks with Kyiv and Moscow, the risk grows that US disengagement could tip the balance toward Russia and fracture the global democratic order. Is Ukraine’s resistance a last stand for democratic values in Europe? How should the democratic world respond as political will in Washington fades? In this episode of Rethinking Democracy, host Gönül Tol is joined by Ivan Krastev, permanent fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna, and Yaroslav Trofimov, chief foreign affairs correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, to explore what Ukraine’s struggle reveals about the resilience — and fragility — of democracy worldwide. Episode recorded April 16, 2025.

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• The Protests and Political Crisis Shaping Turkey's Democratic Future

  Turkey has plunged into turmoil after authorities arrested Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, President Erdoğan's strongest opponent, on charges of corruption. Mass protests, the largest in over a decade, have erupted nationwide after İmamoğlu was removed from office and jailed just hours before the opposition was set to declare him its presidential candidate. Political scientists warn this is a defining moment for the future of democracy in the country. Is it indeed a turning point? How did we get here and where do we go next? In this episode of Rethinking Democracy, experts break down Turkey's latest turmoil and what it means for the country's democratic future and democracy worldwide. Dr. Karabekir Akkoyunlu, research associate at the Department of Politics and International Studies at SOAS University of London, and Dr. Senem Aydın Düzgit, professor of International Relations at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Sabancı University in Istanbul, join host Gönül Tol to explore the challenges and possibilities that lie ahead for Turkey. Episode recorded March 28, 2025

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• Shariah, Democracy, and the Future of Governance in Syria

  For the first time in decades, the question of how Syria will be governed is wide open. The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime at the hands of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an armed Islamist group with former ties to al-Qaeda, has left Syria in uncharted territory. Its de facto leader, Ahmed Al Shaara, has pledged a vision of a pluralistic Syria governed by civil institutions rather than dictatorship or ideology. But can Syria’s new rulers deliver on that promise? Will this moment mark the beginning of an inclusive, secular democracy, or will Islamist rule take hold? And can Syria’s fractured society—divided by years of war and sectarian tensions—unite around a new national identity? Dr. Olivier Roy, Professor of Political Science at the European University Institute, and Ziad Majed, Professor of International Relations at the American University of Paris, join host Gonul Tol to explore the challenges and possibilities that lie ahead for Syria.

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• Impact of Donald Trump’s Election on American Democracy and the World with Ruth Ben-Ghiat and Larry Diamond

  Last month, the US electorate voted President-Elect Donald Trump back into the White House. His victory was seen by some experts as part of a global trend and a move towards anti-incumbency attitudes and populism. How will Trump’s rhetoric impact the United States domestically and internationally? Will he govern as a strongman during his second term? What can we expect to be different from his first term? Dr. Larry Diamond, Mosbacher Senior Fellow of Global Democracy at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University and author of Ill Winds: Saving Democracy from Russian Rage, Chinese Ambition, and American Complacency, and Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Professor of History and Italian Studies at New York University and author of Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present, join host Gonul Tol to discuss Trump’s election.

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