Best International Republican Institute Podcasts (2024)

1
Defending Democracy: The Future of Ukraine 46:18

1+ y ago46:18

46:18

One year into Russia’s war on Ukraine, we take a look at how Ukrainians are preparing for life after war, their relentless optimism and their deep dedication to keeping the wheels of justice rolling, in this fourth and final episode of the limited series, “Defending Democracy: Ukraine”. Last February, the International Foundation for Electoral Syst…

1
Made in Slavery Episode 2 15:54

1+ y ago15:54

15:54

Made in Slavery is a four-episode podcast written by Eleonora Mongelli, human rights expert and Vice President of the Italian Federation for Human Rights (FIDU). The podcast reveals the intricate schemes through which the People’s Republic of China (PRC) leverages global market brands to exploit forced labor of Uyghurs, a Turkish-speaking Muslim mi…

1
Made in Slavery Episode 1 13:45

1+ y ago13:45

13:45

Made in Slavery is a four-episode podcast written by Eleonora Mongelli, human rights expert and Vice President of the Italian Federation for Human Rights (FIDU). The podcast reveals the intricate schemes through which the People’s Republic of China (PRC) leverages global market brands to exploit forced labor of Uyghurs, a Turkish-speaking Muslim mi…

1
Made in Slavery Episode 3 10:32

1+ y ago10:32

10:32

Made in Slavery is a four-episode podcast written by Eleonora Mongelli, human rights expert and Vice President of the Italian Federation for Human Rights (FIDU). The podcast reveals the intricate schemes through which the People’s Republic of China (PRC) leverages global market brands to exploit forced labor of Uyghurs, a Turkish-speaking Muslim mi…

1
Made in Slavery Episode 4 20:13

1+ y ago20:13

20:13

Made in Slavery is a four-episode podcast written by Eleonora Mongelli, human rights expert and Vice President of the Italian Federation for Human Rights (FIDU). The podcast reveals the intricate schemes through which the People’s Republic of China (PRC) leverages global market brands to exploit forced labor of Uyghurs, a Turkish-speaking Muslim mi…

1
Defending Democracy: The Battle for Kyiv 34:31

1+ y ago34:31

34:31

On the morning of February 24, 2022, Russian troops blasted Kyiv with heavy artillery and missile strikes focusing their assault on several main targets including Boryspil International Airport. While apparently intending to overtake the capital city quickly, Russian troops, instead, retreated after weeks of difficult fighting. Today, home to 3.6 m…

1
Defending Democracy: The People of Ukraine 34:40

1+ y ago34:40

34:40

By definition, “democracy” thrives or dies according to the will of the people, and in Ukraine, it’s the people who have made all the difference. In the second episode of this four-part miniseries, “Defending Democracy: The People of Ukraine,” we look at what Ukrainians have endured to maintain a modern, democratic society in the midst of Russia’s …

1
Defending Democracy: Ukraine Under Fire 43:24

1+ y ago43:24

43:24

In February 2022, Russian military forces launched a full-scale attack on Ukraine, escalating the conflict in the Eastern part of the country which began in 2014, and sparking the largest refugee crisis on the European continent since the end of World War II. In the first episode of this in-depth capsule series, “Defending Democracy: Ukraine Under …

1
Democracy! The Podcast is Back for Season 2 5:36

2y ago5:36

5:36

Welcome back to Democracy! The Podcast, brought to you by the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening, direct from Washington, D.C., with funding and support from the United States Agency for International Development. Very soon, season two of Democracy! The Podcast will launch. It’s been almost a whole year since the end of se…

1
Democratic Resilience 35:00

3y ago35:00

35:00

“If you don't give people dignity, you don't create a system that leads to better health, education, peace, security outcomes. And it's not the world that free peoples want to live in. So, democracy matters. It's hard, but it, for all its faults, in all its deficiencies, it works in all its messiness.” The Honorable Derek Mitchell, Ambassador & Pre…

1
Navigating the Northern Triangle: Part 2 31:37

3y ago31:37

31:37

“I believe that corruption affects the whole country in every way. And when state money is not used in sustained public policy to combat poverty, inequality, malnutrition, or for entrepreneurship, the citizens of a country do not find options, and leave their country for lack of opportunities.” Congressman Nineth Montenegro, former Second Vice Pres…

1
Navigating the Northern Triangle: Part 1 29:53

3y ago29:53

29:53

“...stability in the Central American region is at stake. We already have Nicaragua that the rest of Central America is concerned about, but we [also] have in the northern part of Central America, three governments in different areas, undermining the rule of law, transparency, and any freedom of speech, or movement by civil society and journalists.…

1
Ukraine: Stronger Together 31:21

3y ago31:21

31:21

“It's my goal to bring real clear rules [to Ukrainian politics] like in sports. If you break the rules in sports, you pay a penalty, or are disqualified...we try to give the executives exactly the same standards in Ukrainian politics.” The Honorable Mayor Vitali Klitschko, Mayor of Kyiv & former world heavy weight boxing champion. Key Links NDI Ukr…

1
The Download: Haiti 31:53

3y ago31:53

31:53

“In any country, the work of democratic development is a process…and it's been a very hard, steep, rocky, bumpy path for the Haitians. But it's a path where they can and will continue to make progress.” Tony Banbury, President & CEO, The International Foundation for Electoral Systems. Key Links IFES President Tony Banbury Testifies on Human Rights …

1
When Women Win 33:25

3y ago33:25

33:25

“More than half the population of practically every country is female, and therefore, it is a waste of a resource not to have women involved in active ways to make life better in their own countries.” The Honorable Dr. Madeleine Albright, the 64th US Secretary of State. Key Links IFES’s Rural Women in Tunisia (Video) "Not Before 18” & The 30% Gende…

1
The Next Generation 32:28

3y ago32:28

32:28

“The most important part of political organizations…is to start working whatever on your street, within your house, within your building, with the small problems that you have around yourself, and maybe you will fall in love with that part of politics, that part of civic engagement, and maybe that is the way to keep on going….” Malik Sakić, Preside…

1
The Covid Conundrum 31:18

3y ago31:18

31:18

“...what does it take to have democratic governance effectively manage something like a pandemic? [W]e have to figure out how to bring strong, effective public health responses to democratic governments.” Dr. David Ross, ScD, President & CEO, The Task Force for Global Health. ---- Key Links The Task Force for Global Health Elections and COVID-19 Re…

1
Under Attack: Malign Influence & Disinformation 32:56

3y ago32:56

32:56

"[I]f we want to protect our own democracy and our own security we need to be alert to the fact that we are subject to these [malign influence & disinformation] campaigns, even if we can't quite see them or trace their finger prints." Dan Twining, President, The International Republican Institute. ----- Key Links IRI Communications Experts Provide …

1
The Power of the Press: Media’s Role in Democracy 29:08

3y ago29:08

29:08

"[T]he media is the first line of attack in really chipping away and undermining democracy.” Rosarie Tucci, USAID Director, Democracy, Rights & Governance Center Key Links Read NDI’s Kosovo's Vibrant Democracy: Closing the deficit in women's full participation Check out Internews V-Dem Democracy Report 2021: Autocratization Turns Viral ----- As the…

1
Introducing Democracy! The Podcast 4:03

3y ago4:03

4:03

In season one, we’ll take an in-depth look at some of the most perplexing challenges facing the vitality of democracy. Surely, you’ve seen the headlines from places like El Salvador, Tunisia, Ethiopia, and Ukraine, and, no doubt, you’ve heard the concerns from US leaders… people like USAID Administrator Samantha Power and President Biden. But what …

1
Democracy First Responders - Kosovo - Donjet Bislimi 14:46

4+ y ago14:46

14:46

In this series of Global, we’ve been speaking with “Democracy First Responders” — the politicians, activists, government officials and everyday citizens who are working to respond to the COVID-19 crisis successfully and protect their country’s democratic institutions. Today, we’re taking you to Kosovo. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the Kosovar go…

1
Democracy First Responders - Ethiopia - Mesud Gebeyehu 36:30

4+ y ago36:30

36:30

Over the past few years, Ethiopia has made significant democratic progress, but with coronavirus jeopardizing democracies across the globe, that progress is at risk. Ethiopia’s elections, once scheduled for the end of August, are now indefinitely delayed and many Ethiopians fear the government is manipulating the country’s state of emergency to res…

1
Democracy First Responders - Serbia - Marka Zvaka 19:15

4+ y ago19:15

19:15

In this series of Global, we’re meeting “Democracy First Responders”: The politicians, activists, medical workers, journalists, tech pioneers, government officials, and everyday citizens like you and me who are working to respond to the COVID-19 crisis successfully and protect their country’s democratic institutions – or even build new ones. Dusan …

1
Democracy First Responders - Cuba- Dr. Daily Coro 18:52

4+ y ago18:52

18:52

For the last 60 years, under the Castro Regime and now under President Miguel Díaz-Canel, Cuba has conducted what Havana calls “internationalist missions” – sending thousands of Cuban doctors abroad to bolster its international image. But this aid is far from altruistic. It provides an economic lifeline for Cuba’s ruling regime and also affects the…

1
Democracy First Responders - Georgia - Dr. Akaki Zoidze 22:31

4+ y ago22:31

22:31

We’re looking at how COVID-19 is threatening global democracy, and meeting the people stepping up to protect their country’s democratic institutions. Georgia is a country that has weathered many challenges over the years, from the internal corruption that led to 2003’s Rose Revolution to the Russian invasion in 2008. In the past few months, Georgia…

1
Democracy First Responders - Lebanon - Makram Rabah 14:30

4+ y ago14:30

14:30

In this series of Global, we’re meeting some of these “Democracy First Responders.” We’ll travel around the world – virtually, of course – and talk to politicians, activists, medical workers, journalists, tech pioneers, government officials, and everyday citizens like you and me. These are very different people, but everyone we spoke with has one g…

1
Democracy First Responders - Nepal - Narayan Adhikari 25:06

4+ y ago25:06

25:06

In this series of Global, we’re meeting some of these “Democracy First Responders.” We’ll travel around the world – virtually, of course – and talk to politicians, activists, medical workers, journalists, tech pioneers, government officials, and everyday citizens like you and me. These are very different people, but everyone we spoke with has one g…

1
Democracy First Responders - Zimbabwe - Munya Dodo 20:42

4+ y ago20:42

20:42

COVID-19 threatens not only lives and livelihoods, but also governments and democratic institutions. The International Republican Institute (IRI) is profiling our partners and other leaders who have been the “first responders” in our global fight to protect and strengthen democracy. In this new series, Democracy First Responders, we spoke with an a…

1
Cuba: The Reality Of Social Rights 33:46

4+ y ago33:46

33:46

By International Republican Institute

1
Bright Spots Of Democracy - Venezuela Activists 27:33

4+ y ago27:33

27:33

By International Republican Institute

1
Bright Spots Of Democracy - Hong Kong Student Activists 21:55

5y ago21:55

21:55

The greatest challenge to the seemingly overwhelming power of authoritarian governments is the ordinary citizen's willingness to put themselves at risk for the sake of democracy. This year, Hong Kong's citizens have been demonstrating that willingness through protests that have been ongoing since June. As protesters seek to maintain momentum in the…

1
Bright Spots Of Democracy - European Democracy Youth Network 21:16

5y ago21:16

21:16

The dominant narrative today says Europe’s democracy is in retreat. To be sure, the challenges are real – from emboldened authoritarians to hyper-polarized discourse. Generations that lived through Communism have seen democracy’s promises of liberty and prosperity deliver mixed results. But that isn’t the only story about democracy in Europe. Every…

1
Journalism Under Authoritarianism 11:05

5y ago11:05

11:05

jour·nal·ismnoun1. the collection and editing of news for presentation through the mediaWhat is it like to provide accurate news coverage when the government is actively creating false narratives? Journalism is essential to a healthy democracy. But it's also often a key part of fighting authoritarianism. Dictatorships rely on maintaining citizens u…

1
Media Freedom 25:47

5y ago25:47

25:47

medianoun1. the main means of mass communication (broadcasting, publishing, and the Internet) regarded collectively. A healthy democracy relies on a free and independent media. Inclusive and informed public discourse ensures democratic institutions reflect the will of the people. But this role makes the free press a target for a number of forces co…

1
Corruption 42:49

5y ago42:49

42:49

cor·rup·tionnoun1: dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power, typically involving bribery.On the surface, corruption seems straightforward - individuals using their positions of power for personal gain. But is that a reductive characterization of a much more complex phenomenon? The way corruption manifests, and its possible remedies, are in…

1
Algeria 49:01

5y ago49:01

49:01

In February, ten days after strongman president Abelaziz Bouteflika announced his candidacy for a fifth term, Algerians took to the streets in massive peaceful protests in what has become know as the "Revolution of Smiles." While protesters successfully forced Bouteflika's resignation, over two decades of historical violence, repression and corrupt…

1
Podlette - Chinese Malign Influence 25:58

5y ago25:58

25:58

in·flu·encenoun1: the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something.China exerts its influence to seek beneficial political and economic outcomes throughout the world. To do so, a decentralized apparatus of Chinese Communist Party officials and state-owned private enterprises employ a range of tools f…

1
India 46:34

5y ago46:34

46:34

From April 11 to May 19, the largest democratic exercise in history was held in India. Off the popularity of incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)achieved dominant results. But Modi and the BJP face a host of complex challenges arising from the country's staggering size, diversity, and changing role in the …

1
Podlette - Migration 25:52

5+ y ago25:52

25:52

mi·gra·tionnoun1: movement of people to a new area or country in order to find work or better living conditions.Migration is complex phenomenon driven by a wide range of economic, social, and political circumstances. It has far reaching implications for the long-term growth and political dynamics of both the countries from which migrants leave and …

1
Guatemala 40:43

5+ y ago40:43

40:43

Several decades removed from the conflict, Guatemala continues to deal with the lasting impact of its thirty-year civil war. Against a backdrop of systemic corruption and violent organized crime driven by the global drug trade, Guatemalans head to the polls on June 16 to elect the President, Congress and municipal offices. But can the country find …

1
Podlette - Protests 21:04

5+ y ago21:04

21:04

pro·testnoun: a statement or action expressing disapproval of or objection to something.Is there a formula for mass protests that induce change? Or, is it the luck of the draw? Find out what went right in Sudan and Algeria. And, what could still go wrong.Our host, Sinclair Stafford, chats with IRI's Acting Africa Director, Elizabeth Lewis and Middl…

1
European Parliament Elections 46:46

5+ y ago46:46

46:46

For over sixty years, the European Parliament has been dominated by centrist coalitions of national-level parties, from both the left and the right. But in response to growing anxiety about corruption, changing demographics, and slow economic growth, Europe has seen a rise in anti-systemic parties. These parties are poised to disrupt the traditiona…

1
Podlette - Political Party Fatigue 18:39

5+ y ago18:39

18:39

fa·tiguenoun1: a lessening in one's response to or enthusiasm for something, typically as a result of overexposure to it.In a democracy, it's often taken for granted that political parties balance citizens' competing values and priorities. But parties can become counterproductive to a healthy democracy when they lose touch with citizens or undercut…

1
Nigeria 46:52

5+ y ago46:52

46:52

Five hours before the opening of polling stations on Feb. 16, Nigerians heard from the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) that elections scheduled for that day would be postponed for one week. Against a backdrop of violence and political interference, Nigerians returned to the polls on Feb. 23 and Mar. 9 to cast votes for president, Na…

1
Podlette - Election Administration 24:53

5+ y ago24:53

24:53

e·lec·tionnoun1: a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. To put it simply, elections are one of the fundamental tenants of liberal democracy. Democracies are built on the idea that individual citizens have a say in who governs them and how. Elections are how we make that happen. Hold…

1
El Salvador 47:37

5+ y ago47:37

47:37

Against a backdrop of poverty, brutal violence, and entrenched corruption, Salvadorans went to the polls on February 3, 2019, and elected 37-year old Nayib Bukele, who ran an unorthodox campaign positioning himself as an alternative to the two parties who have dominated the country's political landscape.The expectations for this young president are…

1
Podlette - Crisis in Venezuela 16:56

5+ y ago16:56

16:56

cri·sisnoun: the turning point for better or worse in an acute disease or fever In our second mini-episode, our host Travis Green chats with Venezuelan journalist, Carla Angola. In less than 20 minutes, they breakdown the nature of the Maduro regime's repression, the media environment, and the international community's response to the crisis in Ve…

1
Georgia 51:38

5+ y ago51:38

51:38

In 2014, Russian forces took control of the Crimean peninsula causing international uproar and sanctions to be placed on Russia. But it wasn't the first time that Russia had seized neighborhood territory. Six years before the annexation of Crimea, Russia crept into Georgia, occupying 20 percent of the country to this day. Data tells us that Georgia…

1
Podlette - Decentralization 19:02

5+ y ago19:02

19:02

de·cen·tral·i·za·tionnoun: the transfer of authority from central to local government Thanks Merriam-Webster! But, what does that REALLY mean? In this mini-episode, our host John Tomaszewski chats with democracy and governance specialist, Eguiar Lizundia. In 20 minutes, they breakdown what decentralization is, and its effects on countries around th…

1
Libya 54:57

5+ y ago54:57

54:57

Six years after the fall of Muammar Gadhafi, Libya remains in a chaotic state. In 2011, the regime of Gadhafi responded to protests in eastern Libya with violence, leading to a revolution that brought his 42-year regime to an end. Only three years later, armed conflict broke out after the second parliamentary elections, leading to political divisio…

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