The Future of Democracy
A show about the trends, ideas and disruptions changing the face of our democracy.
Previous episodes
Ep. 43: Building on momentum: Keeping pace with the nonprofit news industry
Ep. 42: Public opinion and media research in the digital age
Ep. 41: The role of race in American political views
Ep. 40: Big tech + communities of color
Ep. 39: Design principles of a good conversation
Ep. 38: Voter turnout: how to keep the 2020 boom from going bust
Ep. 37: Posts, platforms and power
Ep. 36: Looking ahead: AEI’s Robert Doar on opportunity, democracy and the future of conservatism
Ep. 35: Mary Snapp keeping tech accountable
Ep. 27-34: The Future of Democracy x Miami Book Fair Special Episodes
Ep. 26: Voting in America – 2020 and Beyond
Ep. 25: Tech and democracy in 2020
Ep. 24: Behind the Facebook ad ban
Ep. 23: Twitter and infodemic
Ep. 22: Science, technology, and social inequality
Ep. 21: Young adults: politics, protests, and policing
Ep. 20: The American vote: what’s at stake
Ep. 19: Olivier Sylvain
Ep. 18: Eli Lehrer
As Americans have complex conversations on our country’s most pressing issues, it can often be challenging to find clear, objective solutions. On Episode 18 of The Future of Democracy, we’ll speak with Eli Lehrer, president of R Street, a nonprofit public policy research […]
Ep. 17: Wade Henderson
As our nation reckons with race, what can we learn from history? How will America’s past influence the future of civil rights in the country? On Episode 17 of The Future of Democracy, we’ll speak to Wade Henderson, former president of the Leadership Conference […]
Ep. 16: Yuval Levin
Ep. 15: Lulu Garcia-Navarro
The news media plays a critical role in ensuring communities are equipped with the information they need to stay safe, healthy and engaged. How have national journalists been covering the pandemic, rising social movements and growing rates of misinformation? What’s on the horizon […]
Ep. 14: Jessica J. González
In the month of July, hundreds of advertisers, nonprofit organizations and individuals began boycotting Facebook advertising as part of the #StopHateForProfit campaign. On Episode 14 of The Future of Democracy, formerly called VISION, we’ll talk with Jessica J. González, organizer of […]
Ep. 13: Eugene Volokh
Ep. 12: Nabiha Syed
What does freedom of speech look like in the digital age? Join us on Episode 12 of VISION for an in-depth conversation with Nabiha Syed, president of The Markup, a nonprofit data-driven publication. […]
Ep. 11: Mary Anne Franks
Can content on the internet harm people? How do you apply the First Amendment to online content? On the Episode 11 of VISION, we’ll hear from Dr. Mary Anne Franks, a University of Miami law professor and president of the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative
Ep. 10: Dr. Wayne Frederick and Suzanne Nossel
What do today’s college students think about free expression on campus, and how do they understand the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment? How has COVID-19 changed the way college students speak out?
Ep. 9: Geoffrey R. Stone
The first episode in a new series taking a deep-dive on issues of speech and expression in a time of turbulence and change. Sam was joined by Geoffrey Stone, a University of Chicago law professor and leading thinker on free speech in times of crisis […]
Ep. 8: Stephen Heintz and Antonia Hernandez
To kick off the new Democracy, Citizenship and Community series, host Sam Gill will chat with Stephen Heintz and Antonia Hernandez. Stephen Heintz is the president and CEO of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. In 2010, he […]
Ep. 7: Trevor Potter and Ann Ravel
As former commissioners of the Federal Election Commission, Trevor Potter and Ann Ravel provide their insight on elections in the U.S.
Special episode: Vanita Gupta
Knight’s Sam Gill hosted a special conversation with Vanita Gupta, President and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.
Ep. 6: Spencer Overton and Arturo Vargas
Spencer Overton, President of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies and Arturo Vargas, CEO of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials continue the conversation on elections during COVID-19 […]
Ep. 5: Nate Persily
Voting is a vital function of our democracy. What happens when the pandemic shuts down polls or forces people to wait for hours to cast their ballots? Nate Persily, Stanford law professor and campaign expert, spoke with Sam on Episode 5 of VISION, kicking off a new, four-episode deep dive into the issues surrounding the 2020 […]
Ep. 4: Renée DiResta
Renée DiResta, the technical research manager at Stanford Internet Observatory, joined Sam for Episode 4 of VISION. As an expert on abuse in current information technologies, the spread of malign narratives across social networks, and in policymaking to devise responses to the problem, DiResta contributed to the conversation on flattening the infodemic curve during COVID-19.
Ep. 3: Safiya Umoja Noble
Episode 3 of VISION featured a conversation with Dr. Safiya Umoja Noble, Associate Professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Co-Director of the UCLA Center for Critical Internet Inquiry. She also holds appointments in African American Studies and Gender Studies. She is the author “Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism […]
Ep. 2: Joan Donovan
Ep. 1: Jevin West
Debut episode of VISION with Sam Gill, a show peering into the trends, ideas and disruptions affecting the future of our democracy. Episode 1, “Flattening the Infodemic Curve,” features a conversation with Jevin West, associate professor in the Information School at the University of Washington and director of the Center for an Informed Public, regarding […]