Democracy:Differently is back for a second season focused on democracy’s most urgent challenges and the practical solutions being proposed to address them in the UK and beyond.
The new season opens with an episode featuring Daniel Bruce, Chief Executive of Transparency International UK. He discusses the influence of dark money on British politics, declining political trust, and what is needed to restore democracy’s legitimacy.
Bruce warns that corruption at a state level poses serious risks, particularly in the current global climate, arguing that when democracy loses legitimacy, it undermines confidence in the system as a whole and creates long-term instability.
The new season arrives as recent Ipsos polling suggests public satisfaction with democracy is low, with just 26% of people in the UK and 20% in the US saying they are satisfied with how it is working.
Democracy:Differently aims to act as a resource for listeners looking to understand how democracy can be strengthened now, rather than treated as an abstract or distant issue.
Co-host Keith Hyams says the series encourages listeners to think more clearly about power, reform, and what it would take not only to protect democracy from current threats, but to help it evolve into something better suited to the demands of the twenty-first century.
For season two, the podcast slightly broadens its focus beyond academic voices to include politicians, policymakers, journalists, and those working in non-governmental organisations.
The guest lineup includes Oxford East MP and former minister Anneliese Dodds, Paul Nadeau from Tokyo Review, and academic Marlène Laruelle from George Washington University.
Episodes across the season will explore issues including the rise of populism, democratic backsliding, the erosion of civil rights, political representation, and the impact of global instability on democratic systems.
Co-host Jessica Sutherland says the conversations reflect a period of profound political uncertainty, shaped by challenges such as climate change, artificial intelligence, populism, and the influence of money in politics.
She adds that many credible democratic alternatives already exist beyond traditional institutions but are often overlooked.
Democracy:Differently episodes are released fortnightly from 14 January on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.
