Shows
The Civic ForumThe Business Case for Democracy with Daniella Ballou-Aares | The Civic Forum E15In this episode of the Civic Forum, Rory Truex, an associate professor from Princeton University, discusses the intersection of democracy and the business community with Daniella Ballou-Aares, the founder of The Leadership Now Project. The conversation explores the importance of business engagement in democratic processes, the challenges of forming cross-partisan coalitions, and the role of informed business leaders in promoting rule of law and economic stability. Daniella shares insights from Leadership Now's initiatives, such as the 'Pass the Torch' campaign and advocacy on H1-B visas and electoral reforms. The episode also touches on responding to authoritarian threats, state...
2025-11-1858 min
The Civic ForumInside the Pro-democracy Movement with Ezra Levin | The Civic Forum E14Indivisible's Ezra Levin joins Rory Truex to reflect on No Kings, the Democrats' November 2025 election wins, and where the pro-democracy movement goes from here.Follow Ezra's writing here: https://substack.com/@ezralevinFollow Rory's writing here: https://rorytruex.substack.com/
2025-11-1122 minThe Civic ForumHow America is Losing the Law with Deborah Pearlstein | The Civic Forum E13Are America’s courts still capable of protecting the rule of law in the face of Trump's authoritarian power grab? In this episode, Princeton constitutional scholar Deborah Pearlstein joins Rory Truex on The Civic Forum to break down the state of the courts — and whether legal institutions are equipped to defend democracy in this moment.
2025-11-041h 03The Civic ForumBreaking the Two Party Doom Loop with Lee Drutman | The Civic Forum E12New America's Lee Drutman joins Rory Truex to explain how the U.S. two-party system fuels polarization, gridlock, and democratic decline—and how reforms like proportional representation and fusion voting could help fix it.
2025-10-281h 12The Civic ForumThe State of American Science with Holden Thorp | The Civic Forum E11In this week’s episode of The Civic Forum, Rory Truex is joined by Holden Thorp, the Editor-in-Chief of the Science family of journals. They discuss the state of American science and how Trump's attacks on universities may make U.S. science fall behind. They also discuss ways universities must improve their relationship with the American public and how far science has come in China.
2025-10-221h 12
BanishedAuthoritarians in the AcademyWe were thrilled to have the opportunity to speak with Sarah McLaughlin about her new book, Authoritarians in the Academy: How the Internationalization of Higher Education and Borderless Censorship Threaten Free Speech. As a Senior Scholar at The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, Sarah is one of the leading experts on how global censorship intersects with free expression issues in the United States. In this episode of Banished, Sarah discusses her book’s key findings and offers her reflections on the nerve-wracking, topsy-turvy free speech climate in the United States today. Show No...
2025-09-2428 minThe Civic ForumThe State of American Democracy with Steven Levitsky, Adam Przeworski, Susan Stokes and Daniel Ziblatt | The Civic Forum E10In this episode of The Civic Forum, Rory leads a conversation with four leading scholars of democratic erosion — Steven Levitsky (Harvard), Adam Przeworski (NYU), Susan Stokes (UChicago), and Daniel Ziblatt (Harvard) — on the current state of American democracy. They discuss what's surprising and unique about Trump's authoritarian power grab, the state of political opposition, strategies for the Democratic Party, and what normal people can do in a time like this.
2025-09-221h 27The Civic ForumDo Americans Support Violence and Authoritarianism? with Kevin Arceneaux | The Civic Forum E9In this week’s episode of The Civic Forum, Rory Truex is joined by Kevin Arceneaux, professor at Sciences Po and leading expert on political psychology, to explore how Americans really think about democracy, authoritarianism, and political violence.They discuss:- Why most Americans support democracy in the abstract, but may condone bad behavior when their side benefits.- The rise of the “need for chaos”- How Americans view political violence and how escalation can be stopped- What citizens and leaders can do to reduce polarization and defend democracy.
2025-09-1752 min
The Civic ForumTracking American Democratic Decline with John Carey & Brendan Nyhan | The Civic Forum E8Is American democracy in crisis? In this week’s episode of The Civic Forum, Rory Truex is joined by Dartmouth professors John Carey and Brendan Nyhan, co-founders of Bright Line Watch, the project tracking democratic backsliding in America.They discuss:Why expert ratings of U.S. democracy have dropped to historic lows.Why the U.S. may now resemble countries like Brazil or Hungary more than Canada or the U.K.The failure of Congress and political elites to check presidential power.Whether Democrats should “fight fire with fire” or risk deepening the spiral.What ordinary citizens can do to...
2025-09-0856 min
The Civic ForumEnding the Gerontocracy with Amanda Litman | The Civic Forum E7In this week’s session of The Civic Forum, Rory Truex is joined by Amanda Litman, co-founder of Run for Something. Amanda explains why America’s political system is dominated by older leaders, and how young people can step up.We discuss:Why the U.S. is a gerontocracy, and how it affects democracy.The underrepresentation of Millennials, Gen Z, women, and working-class people in Congress.The structural barriers that keep young and diverse candidates from running.How Run for Something recruits and supports first-time candidates across the country.What it means to be authentic as a politicianAmanda’s visi...
2025-08-2546 min
The Civic ForumWhat Trump Learned From Orbán with Kim Lane Scheppele | The Civic Forum E6In this week’s session of The Civic Forum, Rory is joined by Princeton professor Kim Lane Scheppele, who explains how Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz Party consolidated power in Hungary — and how Donald Trump and his allies are adopting Orbán’s authoritarian playbook in the United States through Project 2025.Key topics:- How Orbán dismantled Hungary’s democracy in just three years.-The direct connections between Orbán’s network and Project 2025 in the U.S.-How Trump is adapting Orbán’s strategies to American institutions.-What Democrats can do to fight back without embracing authori...
2025-08-1849 min
The Civic ForumThe Science of Protest with Erica Chenoweth | The Civic Forum E5In this week's session, Rory is joined by Erica Chenoweth, a professor in the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and one the country's leading experts on social movements and nonviolent resistance. Erica provides opening remarks about what we know about when social movements and nonviolent resistance are effective. They then provide an assessment of the state of the pro-democracy movement in the United States, highlighting the importance of building momentum and the role of small protests. The conversation closes with a discussion of why ideas matter for a social movement, and how the current movement needs to...
2025-08-1442 min
The Civic ForumWhat's Ahead For Russia & Ukraine? with Mark Beissinger | The Civic Forum E4In this week's session, Rory Truex is joined by Princeton Professor Mark Beissinger, an expert on Russia and post-communist countries. Mark provides an update on the state of the war in Ukraine, focusing on the political calculations of Putin, Zelenskyy, and Trump. Mark and Rory then discuss the possibility for peace and the relationships between Trump and Putin. The conversation closes with an assessment of the pro-democracy movement in the United States, where Mark draws on his research on social movements.
2025-08-0444 min
The Civic ForumMAGA and Race, What's Different This Time with Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor | The Civic Forum E3In this week's session, Rory Truex is joined by Princeton Professor Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor for a short lecture about MAGA, Race, and Black History. Keeanga's opening remarks focus on how race is being constructed differently in the second Trump administration. Keeanga and Rory discuss how Critical Race Theory has been recoded and misrepresented. The conversation closes with strategies to promote cross-racial working class solidarity and thoughts on where the pro-democracy movement can go from here.
2025-08-0451 min
The Civic ForumWhat's New In Trump's Authoritarian Playbook with Ruth Ben-Ghiat | The Civic Forum E2In this week's session, Rory Truex is joined by NYU Professor Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a leading scholar of fascism and author of the popular book Strongmen. Ruth focuses her opening remarks on what's innovative about Trump's authoritarian playbook. The conversation then turns to the distinction between conservatism and authoritarianism and the growing moral bankruptcy of the Republican Party. Ruth and Rory then discuss what's different about the U.S. and whether American democracy can withstand Trump's assault. The conversation closes with advice for people on what they can do at a time like this. The Civic Forum is...
2025-08-0443 min
Sinica PodcastUnder Pressure: Michael Cerny and Rory Truex on China Discourse in the U.S. Foreign Policy CommunityThis week on Sinica, I welcome back Michael Cerny — formerly of the Carter Center and now a Ph.D. student at Harvard — and Rory Truex of Princeton University to discuss a new working paper they've co-authored. They undertook a large-scale survey of foreign policy professionals at U.S. think tanks to ascertain whether there is a "consensus" on China policy, as is often claimed, and whether people working in think tanks feel pressure to take on more "hawkish" positions on China policy. We also introduce a new segment called "Paying it Forward."5:04 – What motivated Michael and Rory to wri...
2025-01-021h 06
Barbarians at the GateWhere have all the American China Experts Gone?In this episode, we invite Rory Truex, an associate professor at Princeton University, to discuss a recurring issue on the podcast: the plight of the US-China academic exchange and the urgent need to attract more American scholars to do research in China. Despite the recent revival of several American academic programs in China, the post-COVID number of US students in the PRC is still woefully inadequate. Professor Truex gives an overview of some reasons for this deterioration of interest by American scholars and the challenges of doing meaningful research in the current Chinese academic en...
2024-12-2337 min
PekingologyPreference Falsification and Regime StabilityIn this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Rory Truex, Associate Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University. They discuss Timur Kuran’s seminal 1991 paper Now Out of Never: The Element of Surprise in the East European Revolution of 1989. (World Politics, October 1991)
2024-07-1134 min
CSIS PodcastsPreference Falsification and Regime StabilityIn this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Rory Truex, Associate Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University. They discuss Timur Kuran’s seminal 1991 paper Now Out of Never: The Element of Surprise in the East European Revolution of 1989. (World Politics, October 1991)
2024-07-1134 min
Grip Strip PodcastGrip Strip Podcast Episode 225 - Family FirstComing off Father's Day weekend, Phil and Josh have their thoughts on Ryan Blaney's first win of 2024 in the Cup Series debut at Iowa Speedway and much more. The guys discuss the race and how the usual suspects had their issues along with tires playing a big part in a solid race. Blaney became a winner in all three series at Iowa Speedway in front of over 150 friends and family.
In terms of family and home tracks, nobody has more than Martin Truex, Jr. who announced his full-time retirement from Cup racing after this season. Phil and Josh...
2024-07-021h 53
Always Hold On To DC's Legends Of Tomorrow009: 3x15, Necromancing the StoneIt’s Totem Time!!! Our first foray into season three brings boring grandfathers, questionable wigs, and baby Behrad! Oh, and a whole lot of BINGO!!!!CARDS TO SAVE THE TIMELINEScenarios:- Ava can save Sara from any threat with the power of ___.- Gary’s favorite gift from his grandmother is definitely _____.- For his first D&D campaign, John Constantine played as a powerful___.- This space reserved for ____.What shouldn’t you put in a nuclear reactor?Solutions/People:- Casual severe...
2023-04-261h 20
The New DiplomatistDominoes: The Global Implications of China's Domestic PoliticsIn this episode Garrison speaks with Rory Truex of Princeton about China's domestic politics, the political nature of Xi Jinping, the domestic perceptions of the CCP, the threat of a Taiwan invasion, and the appropriate response from U.S. policy makers in this new Great Power era.
Rory Truex is an Assistant Professor in Princeton's Department of Politics and Princeton's School of Public and International Affairs. His research focuses on Chinese politics and theories of authoritarian rule. His book Making Autocracy Work: Representation and Responsiveness in Modern China investigates the nature of representation in authoritarian systems, specifically...
2023-04-2140 minAlways Hold On To DC's Legends Of Tomorrow007: 1x06, Star City 2046We’ve crash landed in place (and time!) smack in the middle of our first crossover! Lance Laster and Kevonte Chilous from Always Hold On To Arrow make the time jump to 2046 to talk John Diggle Connor Hawke Jr., DCOMs, and more! Listen to Always Hold On To Arrow wherever you’re hearing this and follow @donotfailourpod. BINGO - Waverider brig- Ship Broken- Legend v LegendCARDS TO SAVE THE TIMELINEScenarios:- As ruler of the wasteland in 2046, you will nick...
2023-03-291h 27
The Global AgoraWould Xi Jinping attack Ukraine if he would rule Russia?Every comparison is a problematic one, but it is also interesting to educationally speculate. I talked to Rory Truex, an Assistant Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University. His research focuses on Chinese politics and authoritarian systems. We also discussed one very hypothetical question. Would Xi Jinping attack Ukraine if he would rule Russia? What was Rory's answer? How does he assess China-Russia relations but also internal dynamics within the CCP? Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. https://ko-fi.com/amatisak
2022-12-2219 min
Berlin Security BeatEpisode 13: “Sports and Autocrats”
Dr. Christian Gläßel, postdoctoral researcher at the Centre for International Security at the Hertie School, and Dr. Adam Scharpf, incoming assistant professor at the Department of Political Science at the University of Copenhagen, both experts on authoritarian regimes, join Dr. Katharina Emschermann, Deputy Director at the Centre, to talk about “sportswashing”, i.e. the instrumentalization of sports, in light of the upcoming Olympic Games in Beijing and the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. They discuss:
the scrutiny-publicity dilemma autocrats face when hosting international sports events,
how the Argentine military junta disappeared and killed opponents before the 1978 World Cup,
w...
2022-02-0222 minSinica PodcastPersonality and political discontent in China, with Rory TruexThis week on the Sinica Podcast, Kaiser welcomes back Rory Truex, who teaches politics and international affairs at Princeton. In a fascinating as-yet-unpublished paper, Rory draws on extensive survey research that examines both political attitudes and personalities among Chinese participants and finds a strong correlation between political discontent and "isolating personality traits," like introversion, disagreeableness, and lack of close personal ties with others. Rory and Kaiser discuss the paper, the fascination with authoritarian resilience among Rory's cohort of China scholars, and the fertile intersection of psychology and politics.4:03 – What's with the obsession among young China-focused political scientists wi...
2022-01-271h 03
Sinica Early AccessPersonality and political discontent in China, with Rory TruexThis week on the Sinica Podcast, Kaiser welcomes back Rory Truex, who teaches politics and international affairs at Princeton. In a fascinating as-yet-unpublished paper, Rory draws on extensive survey research that examines both political attitudes and personalities among Chinese participants and finds a strong correlation between political discontent and "isolating personality traits," like introversion, disagreeableness, and lack of close personal ties with others. Rory and Kaiser discuss the paper, the fascination with authoritarian resilience among Rory's cohort of China scholars, and the fertile intersection of psychology and politics.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and...
2022-01-241h 03PekingologyPublic Opinion in ChinaOn this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Rory Truex, an Assistant Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University, to discuss his research on public opinion in China.For more on Rory's work: https://www.rorytruex.com/research-areas
2021-11-1836 minThe Global AgoraCCP at 100: What's next for Chinese Communist Party?The Chinese Communist Party was founded in July 1921. What is the brightest and what about the darkest hour of the CPP, and why? Is the party ashamed of something? And how long will Xi Jinping rule the Party and the country? About the CCP’s past, present and future, I talked to Rory Truex. He is an Assistant Professor in Princeton's Department of Politics and School of Public and International Affairs and the author of the book Making Autocracy Work: Representation and Responsiveness in Modern China. Why does he compare China's history to a pendulum? And what does he thin...
2021-07-0224 min
National Committee on U.S.-China RelationsHigher Education & US-China Relations | Mary Gallagher, Margaret Lewis, Rory Truex, Jacques deLisleOn May 21, 2021, the National Commitee hosted a virtual program with Mary Gallagher, Margaret Lewis, and Rory Truex, in conversation with Jacques deLisle, as they discussed these issues and what lies ahead in Sino-American academic relations. This program was held in partnership with the Penn Project on the Future of US-China Relations, sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for the Study of Contemporary China.
About the speakers: www.ncuscr.org/event/higher-education-us-china-relations
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2021-05-281h 17
NCUSCR EventsHigher Education & U.S.-China Relations | Mary Gallagher, Margaret Lewis, Rory Truex, Jacques deLisleOn May 21, 2021, the National Commitee hosted a virtual program with Mary Gallagher, Margaret Lewis, and Rory Truex, in conversation with Jacques deLisle, as they discussed these issues and what lies ahead in Sino-American academic relations. This program was held in partnership with the Penn Project on the Future of US-China Relations, sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for the Study of Contemporary China.
2021-05-281h 17
DNASportsTalkBob Baffert and Horse RacingHORSE RACING Bob Baffert Suspension from Church Hill Downs, OLYMPICS DK Metcalf 100M/Protest, NFL Tebow as TE/Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay, MLB Mets/Braves/Dodgers/Angels/Standings Update, NASCAR Martin Truex Jr Wins Darlington, PGA Rory McIlroy Wins Wells Fargo, WNBA Upcoming Dream Season, NBA Russell Westbrook/Hawks/LeBron/Play-in Games
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2021-05-112h 04
Talks at GoogleProfessor Rory Truex | Xi for life? What does it mean for China and the World?Rory Truex is a professor at Princeton University focusing on Chinese politics and authoritarian regimes. Professor Truex argues why the year of 2017/2018 may one day be considered a "critical year" for modern China, the year President Xi Jinping signaled a "New Era" of his own making. He also highlights three troubling trends to watch moving forward. For more from Rory Truex, please subscribe to his YouTube channel here or follow on Twitter (@rorytruex). Visit YouTube.com/TalksatGoogle to watch the video.
2019-04-021h 00
Sinica PodcastIs there really an epidemic of self-censorship among China scholarsThis week’s Sinica was recorded at UPenn’s Center for Study on Contemporary China. Jeremy and Kaiser speak with three prominent scholars on China: Sheena Greitens, associate professor of political science at the University of Missouri, Rory Truex, assistant professor of politics and public affairs at Princeton University, and Neysun Mahboubi, research scholar at the Center for the Study of Contemporary China at the University of Pennsylvania. The group tackles a topic that has long beleaguered China-watching circles: self-censorship. In addition, it focuses on a paper that Sheena and Rory published last summer, Repressive Experiences among China Scholars: New...
2019-03-141h 23
Sinica Early AccessIs there really an epidemic of self-censorship among China scholars?This week’s Sinica was recorded at UPenn’s Center for Study on Contemporary China. Jeremy and Kaiser speak with three prominent scholars on China: Sheena Greitens, associate professor of political science at the University of Missouri, Rory Truex, assistant professor of politics and public affairs at Princeton University, and Neysun Mahboubi, research scholar at the Center for the Study of Contemporary China at the University of Pennsylvania. The group tackles a topic that has long beleaguered China-watching circles: self-censorship. In addition, it focuses on a paper that Sheena and Rory published last summer, Repressive Experiences among China Scholars: New Evid...
2019-03-121h 24
National Committee on U.S.-China RelationsRory Truex and Benjamin Liebman on the Obstacles China Scholars FaceIn this conversation, Professors Benjamin Liebman and Rory Truex, both fellows in the National Committee's Public Intellectuals Program, discuss the findings of Truex's recent study, co-authored with Professor Sheena Greitens, on American China scholars' repressive experiences in China.
2018-10-2517 min
National Committee on U.S.-China RelationsRory Truex and Benjamin Liebman: Repression in the China FieldIn a recent Washington Post editorial, western China scholars were taken to task for engaging in self-censorship: When it comes to China, Americans are victims of an insidious kind of censorship that stunts the debate they hear and read about in nearly invisible ways… The upshot [of fear of visa denials, concern that university administrators will be upset, and worry that Chinese colleagues will be harmed] is that America’s… leading experts on China often remain silent as its regime becomes ever more repressive. (Washington Post, September 23. 2018)
Where is the evidence? Professors Rory Truex and Sheena Greitens, fellows in the Nation...
2018-10-251h 17