Civic Forum

Will AI Create Permanent Dictatorships? | Margaret Roberts (UCSD) and Jennifer Pan (Stanford)

Will AI empower dictatorships to exert Orwellian level control over their citizens? In this session of Civic Forum, Rory is joined by two leading experts on China's censorship, propaganda, and surveillance practices, Margaret Roberts from UCSD, and Stanford's Jennifer Pan. The conversation focuses on whether and AI is shifting the balance of power in favor of authoritarian governments, how China's own practices have changed, and how AI may empower normal citizens in repressive contexts.

Can the FBI Be Saved? | Asha Rangappa, Yale University

Rory is joined by ex-FBI special agent and Yale lecturer Asha Rangappa to talk about how the FBI has lost its way. Asha discusses her own experience as an agent, and how the values of Fidelity, Bravery and Integrity are instilled in young agents. The conversation focuses on the guardrails that were put in place to preserve the independence of the FBI and DOJ, and how those guardrails have eroded in the last ten years. Topics covered include the Russia investigation, the balance between first amendment rights and national security, the legacy of Robert Mueller, the nature of Trump's FBI, and whether and how public confidence in the FBI can be restored.

Bonus Episode: The Prospects for Democracy in Iran | Daniel Tavana, Penn State University

What the prospects for democracy in Iran? What will happen to the regime after the death of Ayatollah Khamenei? What is the level of support for regime? In this "emergency" episode, Rory is joined by Daniel Tavana, a professor at Penn State University and expert on Iranian politics and society. Dan provides a primer on all things Iran and assesses the likely outcomes of this war.

How Trump Has Changed the Presidency | Julia Azari, Marquette University

How has Donald Trump changed the American presidency? How does his challenge to the Constitution fit in context with other backlash presidents like Andrew Johnson and Richard Nixon? In this episode of The Civic Forum, Rory is joined by Julia Azari, a leading scholar of presidential politics. They debrief the State of the Union, and then discuss Azari's theory of backlash presidencies. They close with a lengthy discussion of race and authoritarianism in America.

Trump's Authoritarianism: The View from Europe | Marcel Dirsus, The Next Best

In this episode of The Civic Forum, Rory speaks with authoritarianism scholar Dr. Marcel Dirsus, author of How Tyrants Fall, about whether the US is entering a period of authoritarianism and what stands out as unique about Trump. They discuss democratic backsliding, how governments tilt the electoral playing field, and why threats to the judiciary and control of security forces are key warning signs. They examine ICE as a potentially paramilitary, politically loyal force that could be used for intimidation, vote suppression, or protest crackdowns, and contrast these risks with the U.S. military’s tradition of nonpartisanship. The conversation also covers how authoritarian leaders can pressure media without overt violence, how incompetence and sycophancy create blind spots and policy blunders and Dirsus’s “dictator’s treadmill” and corruption as mechanisms that trap leaders and bind elites through shared risk. They explore elite defection dynamics inside the Republican Party, debates over accountability versus “golden parachutes,” and practical advice for ordinary citizens focused on winning elections, coordinated nonviolent resistance, and preventing hopelessness.