{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Bridge: a Disagreeing Well podcast","title":"Does Populism threaten democracy? With Marc Froese and Frank Furedi","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2429,"description":"Is populism a vital expression of democracy in action, or a method used to undermine it from within? Writing in 1999, political theorist Margaret Canovan described populism as the \"shadow of democracy\" - an ever-present reflection of the system's own internal tensions. In this episode of The Bridge: A Disagreeing Well Podcast from University College London and Students' Union UCL, we explore how that shadow has lengthened in the decades since. We ask whether modern populism is the inevitable result of a democracy that has stopped listening to its citizens, and whether the real threat comes from these grassroots movements or the \"anti-populists\" who seek to restrain them. \nUCL student host Marva Khalid facilitates a deep dive between two experts with opposing viewpoints who find unexpected common ground on the importance of free debate: \nMarc Froese, Professor of Political Science and author of Has Populism Won the War on Liberal Democracy?, views populism as a powerful method of message framing. He argues that while it can rally people against threats, it is often used by elites to create polarisation and insecurity to drive specific electoral outcomes. Frank Furedi, Emeritus Professor of Sociology and author of In Defence of Populism, sees populism as an essential driver of democratic rights that \"comes from below\". He suggests that \"anti-populists\" are the true threat to democracy, as they question the moral capacity of citizens to make their own decisions. \nOur resident UCL expert mediator, Dr Melanie Garson, helped the guests navigate beyond their publicly stated academic positions. By encouraging them to share personal experiences and ask each other non-topic-related questions, she created space for a \"grown-up discussion\" that moved past standard political caricatures. \n\nKey Takeaways from this Episode: \nHumanise the Opponent: Melanie used \"off-topic\" questions - asking about retirement or past research - to break down academic barriers and establish a...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/Kchew2b4UxxOxLrnJgwXGAWWodsT7kwKdMHBeEgb8xU/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS83MWM4/MmE4MjI5M2Y2NGVh/NTI4YWFjZTMxNDQw/YTlhNy5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}