In this final episode of our State of Democracy series, we discuss the importance of a vibrant civil society, which is frequently discussed in foreign policy circles, but less so here at home. Jeanne Hruska speaks with Sarah Holewinski from Human Rights Watch and Jon Temin from Freedom House about what we, as civil society stakeholders, can do to strengthen democracy, and whether our involvement is actually a prerequisite for this task. They also reflect back on President Biden's Summit for Democracy and what needs to happen moving forward to reverse the decline in global freedom.
Episode Host: Jeanne Hruska, ACS Senior Advisor for Communications and Strategy
Episode Guests: Sarah Holewinski , Washington Director, Human Rights Watch, Jon Temin, Director of the Africa Program at Freedom House
Links:
Email the Show: Podcast@ACSLaw.org
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70 years after the establishment of the United Nations and the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we are witnessing mounting human rights abuses in every corner of the globe. These abuses are piling up alongside what experts say is a pattern of global democratic retreat, forcing us to wonder if these two phenomena are linked together. Are democracy and human rights interdependent? And if so, how do we address a world where both are seemingly in decline? Debra Perlin speaks with Juan Mendez, Professor of Human Rights Law in Residence, to answer these and other questions about the state of democracy around the world.
Episode Host: Debra Perlin, ACS Director of Policy and Program
Episode Guest: Juan Mendez, Professor of Human Rights Law in Residence, American University - Washington College of Law
Links:
Email the Show: Podcast@ACSLaw.org
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On December 1st, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the blockbuster abortion case Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Org. Lindsay Langholz speaks with Gretchen Borchelt, Vice President for Reproductive Rights and Health at the National Women's Law Center, on this week's episode to break down the oral arguments and discuss what the future holds for reproductive rights and justice. Will the Court use Dobbs to overturn Roe v. Wade and nearly 50 years of precedent that clearly established the constitutional right to an abortion? What impact would that have, not just on the right to abortion but on other areas of constitutional law? And where do we go from here in the fight for reproductive rights? They discuss these and other pressing questions.
Episode Host: Lindsay Langholz, ACS Director of Policy and Program
Episode Guest: Gretchen Borchelt, Vice President for Reproductive Rights and Health at the National Women’s Law Center
Links:
Email the Show: Podcast@ACSLaw.org
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Across the globe, we are witnessing a democratic decline, including worrying signs of democratic retreat here at home. Elected autocrats are fine tuning their playbook in countries as diverse as Venezuela and Hungary. What is leading to this rise in global authoritarianism and how can democracies combat it? This week, Debra Perlin speaks with Michael Abramowitz, president of Freedom House, about these and other questions about the state of democracy around the world.
Episode Host: Debra Perlin, ACS Director of Policy and Program
Episode Guest: Michael Abramowitz, President of Freedom House
Links:
Email the Show: Podcast@ACSLaw.org
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For as much talk as there is about the presidency and whom we elect to Congress, there is rarely public conversation about who is sitting on our federal courts, specifically those that are not the U.S. Supreme Court. This absence of public discourse is at odds with the impact that the federal courts have on our lives. On this episode, Jeanne Hruska chats with Jill Dash, ACS Vice President for Strategic Engagement, about the federal courts, why they matter, and about how egregiously undiverse they are. The stats will shock you. They also discuss how people go about becoming federal judges and how listeners can engage in the process.
Episode Host: Jeanne Hruska, ACS Senior Advisor for Communications and Strategy
Episode Guest: Jill Dash, ACS Vice President of Strategic Engagement
Links:
Email the Show: Podcast@ACSLaw.org
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McGirt v. Oklahoma may be the most consequential recent Supreme Court case that you have never heard of. McGirt, decided in July 2020, stunned many Court watchers and Indian Law experts. Rather than uphold white political dominance, the Supreme Court ruled that a sizeable portion of Oklahoma remains Native American land. Why is this so consequential? Christopher Wright Durocher speaks with Amb. Keith Harper (Ret.) and Professor Maggie Blackhawk to answer this and other questions about McGirt and its enduring impact.
Episode Host: Christopher Wright Durocher, ACS Senior Director of Policy and Program
Episode Guests:
Links:
Email the Show: Podcast@ACSLaw.org
Technical production provided by Flint Stone Media
