Democracy does not have a singular definition, which is one of the things that makes it so interesting to me — and undoubtedly to many of you.
Jenna Spinelle articles
Jenna Spinelle is the communications specialist for the McCourtney Institute for Democracy at Penn State and host of the podcasts When the People Decide and Democracy Works.
Introducing: When The People Decide
Several activists and average citizens have changed their communities and the country by taking important issues directly to votes.
Democracy’s Summer Blockbusters
The summer will be legally and politically charged particularly with the January 6 committee hearings scheduled to begin June 9.
Can American Democracy Have Nice Things?
Universal voting would be the surest way to protect against voter suppression and the active disenfranchisement of a large share of our citizens.
PODCAST: Baby Boomers And American Gerontocracy
Older and younger voters are increasingly at odds: Republicans as a whole skew gray-haired, and within the Democratis, the left-leaning youth vote.
PODCAST: Debating The Future Of Debates
We love a good debate — and have certainly had plenty of them on this show. But how effective are they in today’s media and political landscape?
PODCAST: What Student Debt Says About Democratic Institutions
In a new book, Josh Mitchell draws alarming parallels to the housing crisis, showing the catastrophic consequences student debt has had on families.
PODCAST: Jon Meacham On Creating A More Perfect Union
Jon Meacham recently visited Penn State for a wide-ranging conversation on the war in Ukraine, polarization polarization, and the media landscape.
PODCAST: The Roots Of Radical Partisanship
In the new book Radical American Partisanship, Lilliana Mason and Nathan Kalmoe bring together four years of studying radicalism among ordinary partisans.
PODCAST: Ro Khanna On Dignity And Democracy
Representative Ro Khanna represents Silicon Valley in Congress and addresses the question of dignity in his new book, Dignity in the Digital Age.