281 | Trump Stress Test

David talks to the historian Sarah Churchwell about how well America's political institutions have withstood the stress of the last four years.  Have we seen the limits of presidential power or have we discovered how easy it is to trash those limits?  Are constitutional checks and balances still intact?  Is it really Mitch McConnell who is putting American democracy under stress?  Plus we talk about what will be needed to restore the social contract and the perils of political humility.

170 | Outlasting Trump

We talk with Gary Gerstle about the big issues roiling US politics with likely aftereffects that will long outlast Trump's presidency. First up: the fight over the census. What's a stake in the citizenship question? How has American politics been shaped by people-counting in the past? And what is the Supreme Court likely to
decide? Plus we look at constitutional reform, the environment and impeachment. These are the battles that could have consequences for decades to come. With Helen Thompson.

131 | Talking Politics Guide to ... the US Constitution

David talks to Gary Gerstle about the history of the United States Constitution and its current role in American political life.  Is it still fit for purpose in the twenty-first century and what could be done to change it?

120 | Francis Fukuyama

David talks to the author of The End of History about his new book, Identity.  Can 'identity politics' really make sense of everything from populism to #MeToo?  Why are liberal democracies struggling to meet their citizens' desire for recognition?  And what happened to the end of history anyway?  Plus we discuss the Kavanaugh hearings, 'getting to Denmark' and the challenge of an ageing population. 

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