HeyJaredTocqueville Talks
Tocqueville Talks delivers sharp, fast interviews from the Tocqueville Center for the Study of Democracy and Society at Furman University. Hosts Brent Nelsen and Elizabeth L’Arrivée talk with top scholars and public thinkers about public affairs in the United States and abroad.
- Indexed episodes, last 90 days
- 5
- Latest publication
- Sep 24, 2026
- Audience
- Checking…
- Earliest in this view
- Jul 3, 2026
Latest episodes
31. Finland's President Alexander Stubb on Political Philosophy, Power & a World in Transition (opens the original)
Read excerpt
What can political philosophy teach a president about leadership, power, and a changing international order? In this episode of Tocqueville Talks , Alexander Stubb, President of the Republic of Finland , joins Tocqueville Center Director Brent Nelsen and Beth L'Arrivée for a conversation about political philosophy, European and international affairs, liberal education, technology, and the ideas that have shaped his approach to political leadership. Stubb's intellectual path began in an important
30. Why College Should Challenge What You Believe | Tocqueville Fellows on Learning to Disagree (opens the original)
Read excerpt
What if the purpose of college isn't to confirm what you believe—but to teach you how to question it? In this episode of Tocqueville Talks , Furman University students Laura Grace McSwain and Liza Sherbert join Tocqueville Center Director Brent Nelsen to reflect on what it means to take ideas seriously, encounter disagreement, and learn to change your mind. Both students are Tocqueville Fellows, part of an intellectual community at Furman devoted to exploring the philosophical and moral question
29. The Big Questions Facing American Democracy | Tocqueville Talks 2026–27 Preview (opens the original)
Read excerpt
What are the biggest questions facing American democracy—and how can universities create spaces where they are seriously debated? In this season-opening episode of Tocqueville Talks , Tocqueville Center Director Brent Nelsen and co-host Beth L'Arrivée preview a year of conversations about democracy, American history, religion, foreign policy, artificial intelligence, elections, and the culture wars. The 2026–27 season begins with two Furman alumni who have gone on to positions of international l
28. Why Americans Are So Patriotic | Tocqueville's Surprising Answer (opens the original)
Read excerpt
Why does patriotism seem so powerful in America—and what happens when it begins to disappear? As Americans celebrate the nation's 250th anniversary, Alexis de Tocqueville's reflections on patriotism may be more relevant than ever. Nearly two hundred years ago, Tocqueville traveled across the United States searching for answers about democracy, citizenship, and self-government. What he discovered led him to one of the most important insights in Democracy in America : free societies depend not onl
27. Why the Old Political Order Is Cracking | Populism, MAGA, and the Future of Democracy (opens the original)
Read excerpt
For generations, politics in Europe and America was dominated by large, stable political parties. Today, those old political alignments are breaking down. Why are voters abandoning established parties? Why are populist movements gaining strength across the West? And what does this transformation mean for the future of democracy? In this episode of Tocqueville Talks, Furman University political scientists Brent Nelsen and James Guth discuss new research on the rise of populist politics in Europe
Publishing over time
Last 90 days. Choose a month to open its work.
Recurring subjects
Named in the text we hold. One piece can cover several.
Audience
No verified audience measurement yet.
About this data
Counts cover the work we have indexed. Tone needs enough text and a confident classification. Excerpts and episode notes are not full articles or transcripts.
Identity or attribution wrong? Suggest a correction.