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The rise of populism and the crisis of liberal democracy

Ryan Lash / TED

Part 3 of TED Radio Hour episode What Topples Democracies.

Democracy is being challenged around the world. Political scientist Yascha Mounk says that to fight for democracy, we need to take a hard look at why so many nations are electing populist leaders.

About Yascha Mounk

Yascha Mounk is a political scientist known for his work on the rise of populism and the crisis of liberal democracy. His books include The Great Experiment: Why Diverse Democracies Fall Apart and How They Can Endure, and The Identity Trap: A Stoy of Ideas and Power in our Time.

Educated at Trinity College, Cambridge and Harvard University, Mounk is a Senior Fellow at the German Marshall Fund, a Senior Advisor at Protect Democracy, and the host of The Good Fight podcast. He is also a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and a frequent contributor to international newspapers and magazines including The New Yorker, The Atlantic and Foreign Affairs as well as a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

This segment of TED Radio Hour was produced by Harsha Nahata and edited by Sanaz Meshkinpour. You can follow us on Facebook @TEDRadioHour and email us at TEDRadioHour@npr.org.

Copyright 2025 NPR

Manoush Zomorodi
Manoush Zomorodi is the host of TED Radio Hour. She is a journalist, podcaster and media entrepreneur, and her work reflects her passion for investigating how technology and business are transforming humanity.
Harsha Nahata
Harsha Nahata (she/her) is a producer for TED Radio Hour. She is drawn to storytelling as a way to explore ideas about identity and question dominant narratives.
Sanaz Meshkinpour
[Copyright 2024 NPR]
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