The Dr. Rod Berger Show

Reclaiming Our Democracy with Author Sam Daley-Harris

Dr. Rod Berger [https://www.drrodberger.com/book]sits down with Sam Daley-Harris to peel back the advocacy efforts of a man who has spent a lifetime propelling the power of voice in the pursuit of a healthy and equitable democracy.  Sam Daley-Harris founded the anti-poverty lobby RESULTS in 1980, co-founded the Microcredit Summit Campaign in 1995, and founded Civic Courage [https://civiccourage.org/] in 2012. The paperback edition of his book Reclaiming Our Democracy: Every Citizen’s Guide to Transformational Advocacy [https://reclaimingourdemocracy.com/] was named an editor’s pick by Publisher’s Weekly BookLife and will be released January 14th, 2025.  Kirkus Reviews wrote: "Overall, [the author's] analysis of effective action is as persuasive as it is accessible, and his call to democratic participation is inspiring. A handbook for aspiring activists that readers will find to be both inspiring and practical."  Daley-Harris has been interviewed on NPR’s Here and Now [https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2024/01/09/reclaiming-our-democracy-sam-daley-harris] and on PBS’s Laura Flanders and Friends [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulpL5dwjVm0]. After the 2024 election, Tom Nichols wrote in The Atlantic, “….Americans must stay engaged and make their voices heard at every turn….”  Liz Cheney tweeted, “….Citizens across this country…must now be the guardrails of democracy.”  But most Americans still wonder how, and even if, they can make a difference between elections.  What are the options?  1) Protesting?  Vital, but usually not the long game, 2) Signing email form letters, which only 3% of Congressional staff say is highly effective. Just gestures, 3) Taking a 2-year nap until the next election?  Sadly, the preferred route for many.  But few know about number 4) transformational advocacy, which helps you change an issue and changes you in the process.   In Reclaiming Our Democracy: Every Citizen’s Guide to Transformational Advocacy [https://reclaimingourdemocracy.com/] Sam Daley-Harris writes about people who met with officials on the other side of their issue, stories like these: 1)  Ellie Sparks who went from experiencing what she called “climate trauma” to meeting her members of Congress and calling the experience “sacred and profound”, and 2) Lisa Jordan who, after meeting with Congressional offices in Washington, DC, said “….This work is the best medicine for when you’re feeling hopeless or have sleepless nights.  It’s the best way to avoid despair….”  Welcome, Sam Daley-Harris.

The Rise in Fascism Worldwide with Scholar Dr. Julien Reitzenstein

Dr. Julien Reitzenstein lives in Ireland. He teaches contemporary history at the University of Düsseldorf and political science at the University of Stuttgart. Dr. Reitzenstein is the founder of the non-profit academic organization History & Documentation. In addition to academic conference series, research and publication projects, he is editing a four-volume English-language handbook Ideologies in National Socialism. Several hundred scholars are participating from numerous countries. Dr. Reitzenstein regularly organizes commemorative projects, and advises international companies and law firms on corporate social responsibility and restitution of looted property. He also writes for major newspapers and magazines, such as WELT, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Cicero and Fair Observer.

Shifting Geopolitical Winds Post-Election with Atul Singh

In an enlightening episode of The Dr. Rod Berger Show [http://www.drrodberger.com], presented by Fair Observer, we ventured into a deep analysis of global reactions following a significant U.S. election. This discussion, featuring Atul Singh, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Fair Observer [http://www.fairobserver.com], offered rich insights into the various international perspectives shaped by the electoral outcomes.

Oslo Innovation Week: Live On Stage with Easee Cofounder Jonas Helmikstøl on Professional Pursuits and Personal Pain

The Dr. Rod Berger [https://www.drrodberger.com/] Show with Jonas Helmikstøl [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonas-helmikst%C3%B8l-03a18957/] is a special on-location episode from Oslo, Norway. Jonas joined me on stage for the keynote interview at StartUp Lab's [https://startuplab.no/] Climate Tech Summit 2030 [https://www.2030startuplab.com/], part of Oslo Innovation Week [https://oiw.no/], presented by the Oslo Business Region [https://oslobusinessregion.no/].  Helmikstøl is the now infamous co-founder of Easee, the near-unicorn company out of Norway that was rocketing across European households with its home EV charging units...until they weren't. This is the backstory about a man and a company holding on for dear life.

Atul Singh: Journalism's Role in Addressing Democratic Decline and Propagating Diverse Perspectives

Dr. Rod Berger Show [https://www.drrodberger.com/] with Atul Singh. Atul Singh is the founder, CEO, and editor-in-chief of Fair Observer [https://www.fairobserver.com/]. He has taught political economy at the University of California, Berkeley, and has been a visiting professor of humanities and social sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar. Atul studied philosophy, politics, and economics at the University of Oxford on the Radhakrishnan Scholarship and did an MBA with a triple major in finance, strategy, and entrepreneurship at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He worked as a corporate lawyer in London and served as an officer in India’s volatile border areas where he had a few near-death experiences. Atul has also been a poet, playwright, sportsman, mountaineer and a founder of many organizations. His knowledge is eclectic, and his friends often joke that it comes in handy when access to Google is limited.