HeyJaredCivic Forum
Writing on authoritarian politics and democratic erosion from Rory Truex. Home of Civic Forum podcast.
- Indexed issues, last 90 days
- 7
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- Sep 29, 2026
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- Jul 14, 2026
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Debriefing the Trump-Xi Summit (opens the original)
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There is a certain symmetry to Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. Both are bent on self-aggrandizement, dominating their parties and populations with cults of personality. Both view personal relationships as instrumental, discarding close allies the moment they become inconvenient. Both are nationalists, and use themes of rejuvenation to motivate their policies. Both have problems with women and minorities. Both attack the press. Both are trying to hold on to power, as long as possible, lest they face
AI and the Future of Teaching and Learning (opens the original)
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After a summer of angsty op-eds in the Chronicle of Higher Education, this academic year seems to be the one where universities finally try to tackle the AI issue head on. Committees are being formed. Reports are being published. There seems to be some collective understanding that business as usual won’t work, but no collective consensus about where we go from here. Schools are beginning to differentiate themselves based on their AI policies, and that may well become a point of branding in the
What Both Parties Get Wrong About Immigration (opens the original)
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Immigration is one of the thorniest issues in American politics, one so politicized its often hard to figure out what the right mix of policies should be. I’ve viewed Trump’s use of the immigration issue as a convenient excuse to undermine democracy, to sew doubt around our elections, to turn ICE into something of a paramilitary force. He spreads fear of immigrants instrumentally, in the time-honored pattern of proto-autocrats using external threats to consolidate power. For my interview this we
An Optimistic Take On American Democracy (opens the original)
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Frances Lee is one of my favorite people in my department, in addition to being one of the country’s leading scholars of Congress. As my research and writing has focused more on American authoritarianism, she’s been someone I’ve looked to for guidance, to make sure I get the American case right. She’s also a firm believer in American democratic resilience. A lot of us in Comparative Politics believe this country has already descended into some version of soft authoritarianism. Frances tends to a
Upcoming Events, Civic Forum Turns 1 (opens the original)
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Hi All, Just back from vacation now, and I wanted to let you know the schedule for the remaining two live events for the summer. August 13th, 1PM ET - Everything You Didn’t Know About Congress with Link: https://open.substack.com/live-stream/243408This coming Thursday, I’ll be joined by my Princeton colleague to talk about Congress— how it has changed over time, the things it still does well, and how it might be mis
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