Save Democracy

Defend yourself against emotional hijack, or, in the technical term, "malign cognitive influence", as it's coming after you! your vote, your money, your time, and your identity!

For a healthy democracy, we need to protect and nourish our own agency, and preserve independence of thought. This half hour may well help you strengthen your defences.

Joining host Katherine Davies is Cambridge University Professor Alan Jagolinzer, the founder, chair, and coordinator of the annual Cambridge Disinformation Summit, a leading, global gathering of academics, tech whistleblowers, and policymakers. This episode focuses on one aspect of disinformation - emotional hijacking.

Podcast website

https://www.savedemocracy.today/

If you'd like to help keep Save Democracy on the road, please subscribe to our YouTube channel (free, just one click, hit subscribe) https://www.youtube.com/@SaveDemocracypodcast

References from episode

David Stillwell Tedx Talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7a5yQ3Xn44

Sarah Wynn Williams Careless People (Former Facebook Executive) https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250391230/carelesspeople/

Jonathan Metzl on social identity, Dying of Whiteness https://www.jonathanmetzl.com/book/dying-of-whiteness

Guest bio

Alan Jagolinzer is Professor of Financial Accounting, Vice Dean for Programmes, and Co-Director of the Cambridge Centre for Financial Reporting & Accountability at the Cambridge Judge Business School. Formerly at the University of Colorado and Stanford University. Recipient of the Stanford University MBA Distinguished Teaching Award and the Cambridge MBA Teaching Award. Former Academic Fellow at the International Accounting Standards Board.

Alan has published research on insider trading, corporate governance, and the efficacy of international and U.S. financial reporting standards. He is currently examining university governance, disinformation, crypto coin influencer networks, and populist threats to market regulatory institutions.

He convenes the Cambridge Disinformation Summit and chairs the Summit’s project committees on grade-school critical thinking and literacy, protecting global academic independence from populist, political and influencer threats, and developing and disseminating business leadership curriculum regarding information threats and responsibilities.

He has served on advisory boards to the UK [financial reporting standards] Endorsement Board and Bellingcat. He was previously an active-duty pilot in the United States Air Force, flying T-37, T-38, and E-3 AWACS aircraft.

https://www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/people/alan-jagolinzer/

https://www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/events/cambridge-disinformation-summit-2027/

The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this podcast are for general informational purposes only and should not be considered professional, legal or political advice. Reliance on any information provided in this podcast is done at your own risk. Always consult with a qualified professional or local officials for specific advice tailored to your situation.

The views and opinions expressed by the guest in this podcast are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views, positions, or policies of the host or the production company.

Links to external resources, as well as any screenshots, audio clips, music clips, or images included in this episode, are provided for reference and illustrative purposes only. The inclusion of such materials does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement of this podcast or its content by the original creators, copyright holders, or associated entities.

Credits

Music from Uppbeat: Niafunke by Arnito

Thumbnail building image: Palinchak from Dreamstime

This episode may surprise you and leave you with a greater sense of agency. How can you engage effectively with your rep (or MP), and raise an issue with your parliament (or the equivalent in your country) - what’s good to know? Cristina Leston‑Bandeira is a leading authority on citizen engagement with parliaments and representative assemblies. Cristina advises legislatures worldwide, authors practical guides, and leads research on making parliaments more accessible.

Enjoying the pod? Please consider subscribing to our youtube channel. It helps us stay on the road!

https://www.youtube.com/@SaveDemocracypodcast

Warning: Petitions are sometimes created by people who have suffered tragic loss and wish to prevent others from suffering the same. In this episode, the guest refers to two examples which some listeners/viewers may find distressing, especially if not forewarned. Specifically, the sensitive material in this episode refers to parents who have lost their children (issues: water safety and suicide).

Guest Bio

Cristina Leston-Bandeira is Professor of Politics at the University of Leeds and Co-Director of the Centre for Democratic Politics. She is Deputy Chair of the pioneering International Parliament Engagement Network (IPEN), which she co-founded with the UK House of Commons Service, and chaired from 2020 to 2026. Professor Leston-Bandeira has worked on parliaments for over 30 years, having authored more than 60 academic publications, and was the first female academic Chair of the UK Study of Parliament Group. She is a leading scholar on parliaments and public engagement and was awarded the UK Political Studies Association 2025 Sir Isaiah Berlin Prize for her outstanding professional contributions to political studies.

This Leeds profile page below has a link to the guides (for parliaments) on citizen engagement (2nd paragraph under Research Interests) that Cristina mentions in this episode of Save Democracy:

https://essl.leeds.ac.uk/politics/staff/88/professor-cristina-leston-bandeira

The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this podcast are for general informational purposes only and should not be considered professional, legal or political advice. Reliance on any information provided in this podcast is done at your own risk. Always consult with a qualified professional or local officials for specific advice tailored to your situation.

The views and opinions expressed by the guest in this podcast are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views, positions, or policies of the host or the production company.

Links to external resources, as well as any screenshots, audio clips, music clips, or images included in this episode, are provided for reference and illustrative purposes only. The inclusion of such materials does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement of this podcast or its content by the original creators, copyright holders, or associated entities.

Credits

Music from Uppbeat: Niafunke by Arnito

Podcast website: savedemocracy.today

The reach of authoritarian states will surprise you. In democracies around the world, HRW research reveals the silencing of citizens by the Chinese state. The fear employed? The threat to friends and family back in China. The how? Getting people inside the diaspora to spy on each other.

For our interviewee, it's personal. China Researcher for Human Rights Watch, Yalkun Uluyol, has no idea where his father is. And for Yalkun, it's his profession, documenting testimony around the world. In ~30 minute episode (video version on youtube with images, maps and graphics), find out the extent to which authoritarians will go to silence nationals wherever they are.

If you like our podcast, please subscribe to our youtube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/@SaveDemocracypodcast

Your click is a huge support and will help others find the podcast.

Guest bio

Yalkun Uluyol is the China researcher at Human Rights Watch (HRW). His research and publications primarily focus on China and a wide range of topics, including international political economy, foreign policy, civil and political rights, religious freedom, forced labor, and transnational repression.

Prior to HRW, Yalkun was a researcher investigating Uyghur forced labor and global supply chains at the Forced Labor Lab at Sheffield Hallam University. He was also a co-founder of the project - Uyghur Rights Monitor - leading research on government officials and entities complicit with atrocities in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Yalkun holds a bachelor's in economics from Istanbul University and a Ph.D. in International Relations from Koç University. Yalkun speaks Uyghur, Mandarin, English, Turkish, and Arabic.

References

1) Human Rights Watch report "We Will Find You - A Global Look at How Governments Repress Nationals Abroad" referenced in interview:

https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/02/22/governments-target-nationals-living-abroad

2) HRW News Release, Aug 27, 2026:

https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/08/27/china-decade-of-impunity-for-crimes-against-uyghurs

3) SOAS article "Democratic neighbours as a challenge to the autocratic superiority tale":

https://blogs.soas.ac.uk/china-institute/2022/04/25/democratic-neighbours-as-a-challenge-to-the-autocratic-superiority-tale/

4) CFR article "Taiwan's Democracy is Thriving in China's Shadow":

https://www.cfr.org/articles/taiwans-democracy-thriving-chinas-shadow

Clarification

Re: 'about 35% of solar panels are coming from Xinjiang'

Xinjiang accounts for about 35% of the world's polysilicon and 32% of global metallurgical grade silicon production, materials essential to the manufacture of solar panels (95%). Crawford A. and Murphy L.T. (2023) "Over-Exposed: Uyghur Region Exposure Assessment for Solar Industry Sourcing," Sheffield, UK: Sheffield Hallam University Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice.

The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this podcast are for general informational purposes only and should not be considered professional, legal or political advice. Reliance on any information provided in this podcast is done at your own risk. Always consult with a qualified professional or local officials for specific advice tailored to your situation.

The views and opinions expressed by the guest in this podcast are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views, positions, or policies of the host or the production company.

Links to external resources, as well as any screenshots, audio clips, music clips, or images included in this episode, are provided for reference and illustrative purposes only. The inclusion of such materials does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement of this podcast or its content by the original creators, copyright holders, or associated entities.

Credits

Image of Uyghur crowd and musicians. Copyright (UNESCO) ICH Protection and Research Centre, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China

Satellite image of a political education camp in Hami, Xinjiang. Copyright Shawn Zhang.

Image of men seated in rows: Government social media post in April 2017 shows detainees in a political education camp in Lop County, Hotan Prefecture, Xinjiang. Xinjiang Bureau of Justice WeChat Account

World map of Uyghur diaspora created by Save Democracy using mapchart.net and data from Uyghur Human Rights Project uhrp.org/report/diaspora

Screenshot of HRW article https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/08/16/australia-chinese-government-menaces-uyghur-diaspora

Image of Tara Zhang Yadi, copyright ChineseYouthStand4Tibet

Image of the CCP in the Great Hall, Beijing, copyright Mirko Kuzmanovic dreamstime.com

Image of umbrellas protest, July 2019 Hong Kong, by Ng Chun Yin, licensed from Shutterstock

Screenshot of HRW article https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/08/21/hong-kong-activists-convicted-for-tiananmen-vigils

Image of Jimmy Lai from Doughty Street Chambers article https://www.doughtystreet.co.uk/news/dark-day-anyone-who-believes-truth-freedom-and-justice-jimmy-lais-family-react-his-conviction

CFR and SOAS article screenshots, and HRW We Will Find You 2024 report cover, referenced above

Graphic of Top 10 Origin States Transnational Repression screenshot from Freedom House https://freedomhouse.org/article/ten-findings-ten-years-data-transnational-repression

Music from Uppbeat: Niafunke by Arnito and Unseen by Abstract Aprils

A non-partisan pressure group wins a tough high stakes campaign in the UK parliament, defending democracy. How did they do it? Alongwith a coalition, and plenty of grit and relationship building, amid many setbacks, they just kept getting back up again, and again and again, fighting for the foundations beneath the feet of the British people.

Enjoy an inspiring 30 minutes with a passionate lifelong campaigner, Shaun Roberts. Shaun joined the non partisan pressure group, Unlock Democracy, in 2021, to lead their campaigning, engagement, advocacy and digital work. Shaun has a long track record of developing and delivering successful campaigns in both the political and non-profit sectors, and internationally.

Shaun is interviewed by Save Democracy's Host and Creator, Katherine Davies.

Enjoying the pod? Please help others find us by subscribing to our YouTube channel or sharing the pod with a friend.

The podcast website is at savedemocracy.today

Along with Youtube, the Save Democracy podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts, including Substack

Partnerships - If you're with a university, foundation, or ethical global company, interested in exploring a podcast partnership with Save Democracy, email Host and Creator, Katherine Davies: [email protected] podcast is on all major platforms, youtube and substack.

Unlock Democracy: https://unlockdemocracy.org.uk/

The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this podcast are for general informational purposes only and should not be considered professional, legal or political advice. Reliance on any information provided in this podcast is done at your own risk. Always consult with a qualified professional or local officials for specific advice tailored to your situation.

The views and opinions expressed by the guest in this podcast are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views, positions, or policies of the host or the production company.

Links to external resources, as well as any screenshots, audio clips, music clips, or images included in this episode, are provided for reference and illustrative purposes only. The inclusion of such materials does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement of this podcast or its content by the original creators, copyright holders, or associated entities.

Music (Uppbeat): Niafunke by Arnito

Images

A screenshot from The Telegraph: "Either the Electoral Commission reforms or we will abolish it" by Amanda Milling, Co-Chairman of the Conservative Party, Published 29 Aug 2020

Image identifying some of the organisations that were part of the coalition fighting to restore the independence of the UK's electoral commission, courtesy of Unlock Democracy

Be inspired and enjoy some positive news on the defense of democracy, from Stanford Professor James Fishkin. Explore some of the remarkable (and scalable) results from AI-assisted deliberative democracy, and how it can help connect the will of the people to what is done in their name.

In just over half an hour, find out what's important to know.

Enjoying the pod? Please help others find us by subscribing to our YouTube channel or sharing the pod with a friend.

The podcast website is at savedemocracy.today

Along with Youtube, the Save Democracy podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts, including Substack

Partnerships - If you're with a university, foundation, or ethical global company, interested in exploring a podcast partnership with Save Democracy, email Host and Creator, Katherine Davies: [email protected]

Guest Bio - James S. Fishkin is the author of Can Deliberation Cure the Ills of Democracy? (Oxford 2025) as well as Democracy When the People are Thinking (Oxford 2018) and other books. He holds the Janet M. Peck Chair in International Communication at Stanford University where he is Professor of Communication, Professor of Political Science (by courtesy), Senior Fellow of the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and Director of the Deliberative Democracy Lab (http://stanford.deliberation.edu ). He works on deliberative democracy and his process of “Deliberative Polling” has been used for public consultation in more than 160 projects around the world. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Guggenheim Fellow and a Fellow of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences.

The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this podcast are for general informational purposes only and should not be considered professional, legal or political advice. Reliance on any information provided in this podcast is done at your own risk. Always consult with a qualified professional or local officials for specific advice tailored to your situation.

The views and opinions expressed by the guest in this podcast are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views, positions, or policies of the host or the production company.

Links to external resources, as well as any screenshots, audio clips, music clips, or images included in this episode, are provided for reference and illustrative purposes only. The inclusion of such materials does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement of this podcast or its content by the original creators, copyright holders, or associated entities.

Music - Niafunke by Arnito (Uppbeat)

Image credits

Community meeting, West Bengal - White Ribbon Alliance

Parliamentarian image, UK - House of Commons

Voters lining up to vote - SDI Productions, iStock

Familiar with disinformation? My expert guest, Dr Halyna Padalko, reveals what happens when you add AI.

Prepare yourself for what's to come - help innoculate yourself in 30 minutes.

We are all vulnerable. Dr Padalko helps us to appreciate the current and future threats. Awareness is key.

Halyna also lays out the ways we can use AI to counter the threats, and how, as individuals, we can best prepare ourselves.

Consider sharing this episode. Too few people are talking about this.

On Save Democracy, we're about freedom without fear. Aware, without the fear. It's why we try to keep episodes to 30 minutes. It's why, with this episode, we address both the threats and the countering strategies. It's good to be forewarned, to prepare, to adapt, to share, and move on.

Episode notes

Guest bio

Halyna Padalko, PhD, is a multidisciplinary researcher specializing in strategic communication, propaganda, information warfare, and the use of AI in these domains.

She holds a master's in Global governance from the University of Waterloo and a PhD in Computer science from Kharkiv Aviation Institute. She worked as a Fulbright fellow at MIT's Center for International Studies, where she developed and co-taught an MIT course on AI and propaganda. Dr Padalko is an upcoming research fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School and has held fellowships and residencies at the European Parliament, the NATO Strategic Communications Center of Excellence, the Center for International Governance Innovation, and others. Her research has been published in top-tier computer science and policy-oriented peer-reviewed journals.

Dr Padalko is interviewed by the host and creator of the Save Democracy podcast, Katherine Davies.

The podcast website is at savedemocracy.today

The Save Democracy podcast is on Youtube, and wherever you get your podcasts, including Substack

The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this podcast are for general informational purposes only and should not be considered professional, legal or political advice. Reliance on any information provided in this podcast is done at your own risk. Always consult with a qualified professional or local officials for specific advice tailored to your situation.

The views and opinions expressed by the guest in this podcast are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views, positions, or policies of the host or the production company.

Links to external resources, as well as any screenshots, audio clips, music clips, or images included in this episode, are provided for reference and illustrative purposes only. The inclusion of such materials does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement of this podcast or its content by the original creators, copyright holders, or associated entities.

References

Ukraine

https://www.cigionline.org/publications/lessons-from-ukraines-information-defence-for-democratic-resilience/

More info on AI swarms

Abstract of article on AI swarms. (Full article via your institution or paywall)

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adz1697

Moldova

https://fpc.org.uk/op-ed-standing-up-to-the-kremlin-lessons-from-moldova-for-defeating-russian-election-interference/

Credits: Music from Uppbeat: Niafunke by Arnito, My Light by Mountaineer, and A New Chapter by Luminbird.

This episode is a quick check-in and reflection from your host and podcast creator Katherine Davies, as in parts of the world, it seems that the clouds over democracy are darkening. Katherine shares briefly some of the lowlights, and her thoughts on one way to navigate the run of bad news. The episode closes on an update about the podcast, and some good news headlines from Ukraine and the UK.

The website for this podcast is at savedemocracy.today

Save Democracy is on YouTube and wherever you get your podcast. It is also on Substack

The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this podcast are for general informational purposes only and should not be considered professional, legal or political advice. Reliance on any information provided in this podcast is done at your own risk. Always consult with a qualified professional or local officials for specific advice tailored to your situation.

The views and opinions expressed by the guest in this podcast are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views, positions, or policies of the host or the production company.

Links to external resources, as well as any screenshots, audio clips, music clips, or images included in this episode, are provided for reference and illustrative purposes only. The inclusion of such materials does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement of this podcast or its content by the original creators, copyright holders, or associated entities.

Credits

Music from Uppbeat: Niafunke by Arnito; Paths We Left Behind by all:ambient; and City On Mute by Dan Barton.

Images: July 2019 Hong Kong photo by Ng Chun Yin, licensed from Shutterstock. Remaining images by Katherine Davies.

Why quality independent media matters and is essential to a functioning democracy. What can we do to support it? And the lessons for the world from what happened in Hungary, where a propaganda machine was created inside the European Union.

Jamie Wiseman, IPI's Senior Europe Advocacy Officer joins Host and Creator Katherine Davies.

Jamie is a media freedom advocate at the International Press Institute (IPI), a global media freedom organisation based in Vienna. As Senior Europe Advocacy Officer, he heads IPI’s Europe advocacy team and coordinates the organisation’s EU policy work in Brussels. He is specialised in topics such as media capture, impunity for attacks on the press, and spyware attacks on journalists. A former newspaper journalist in the UK, where he grew up, he now helps IPI’s global network of journalists defending media freedom and independent journalism wherever they are threatened.

The International Press Institute (IPI) is a global media freedom organisation which defends independent journalism and press freedom. It is a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists who share a common dedication to quality, independent journalism. The organisation's mission is to defend media freedom and the free flow of news wherever they are threatened. https://ipi.media/

The Save Democracy podcast website is at savedemocracy.today

The podcast is on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.

The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this podcast are for general informational purposes only and should not be considered professional, legal or political advice. Reliance on any information provided in this podcast is done at your own risk. Always consult with a qualified professional or local officials for specific advice tailored to your situation.

The views and opinions expressed by the guest in this podcast are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views, positions, or policies of the host or the production company.

Links to external resources, as well as any screenshots, audio clips, music clips, or images included in this episode, are provided for reference and illustrative purposes only. The inclusion of such materials does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement of this podcast or its content by the original creators, copyright holders, or associated entities.

Credits

Music from Uppbeat: 'Niafunke' by Arnito

Photography in order of appearance (all unmodified)

Vigil image by Stephanie Keith; IPI screenshot; Viktor Orban by Elekes Andor (CC by-sa 4.0); Linked in_IPI screenshot_imprisoned Ukrainian journalist Iryna Levchenko.

Three prominent Mexican journalists (killed) - Margarito Martínez, Lourdes Maldonado and Luis Enrique Ramírez_MexicoNewsDaily_Presidencia de la Republica_Twitter; Shireen Abu Akleh_Al Jazeera Media Network (CC4.0); Ruhollah Zam_Pen International; Martinez Zogo_Handout_IPI; Dom Phillips_Marcos Correa (CC2.0); Giorgos Karaivaz_Media Freedom Rapid Response; Anna Politkovskaya_Freedom House.

Gaza images 1 and 2: Emad El Byed_Unsplash; Gaza image 3: Mohammed Ibrahim_Unsplash.

Map of Freedom of the Press Worldwide 2026: Reporters Without Borders rsf.org

Factsheet on the European Media Freedom Act from the European Commission

CC 2.0, CC 4.0, CC by-sa 4.0

Explore democracy with a renowned philosophy professor (western and eastern) Professor Jay Garfield, interviewed by Save Democracy podcast host, Katherine Davies. Why trust and solidarity matter, how fear is used to divide us, the importance of getting out of the way of one’s 'self', and much else!

It is a rich thirty minutes you might find yourself listening to more than once!

Jay L. Garfield is Doris Silbert Professor in the Humanities and Professor of Philosophy and Buddhist Studies, emeritus, at Smith College, Visiting Professor of Buddhist philosophy at Harvard Divinity School, and Professor of Philosophy at Melbourne University.

Professor Garfield’s research addresses topics in the philosophy of mind, metaphysics, the history of modern Indian philosophy, epistemology, ethics, the nature of normativity, and topics in Buddhist philosophy, particularly Indo-Tibetan Madhyamaka and Yogācāra. He is the author or editor of over 30 books and over 200 articles, chapters, and reviews.

The Save Democracy podcast website is at savedemocracy.today

The podcast is on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.

The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this podcast are for general informational purposes only and should not be considered professional, legal or political advice. Reliance on any information provided in this podcast is done at your own risk. Always consult with a qualified professional or local officials for specific advice tailored to your situation.

The views and opinions expressed by the guest in this podcast are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views, positions, or policies of the host or the production company.

Links to external resources, as well as any screenshots, audio clips, music clips, or images included in this episode, are provided for reference and illustrative purposes only. The inclusion of such materials does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement of this podcast or its content by the original creators, copyright holders, or associated entities.

Credits:

Shantideva image: from a 19th century painting and in the public domain according to Wikipedia where the source site is earlytibet.com.

Buddhaghosa image: Britannica Editors. "Buddhaghosa". Encyclopedia Britannica, 16 Jan. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Buddhaghosa. Accessed 26 June 2026.

Music from Uppbeat is Niafunke by Arnito.

A driver of democratic decline is job insecurity. And the impact of AI... is a whole new level of insecurity! One way to help address it - at least in part - is to provide (where possible) access to continuous learning and training.

In this, Denmark is a world leader. Host Katherine Davies speaks to Danish think tank DEA's CEO, Stina Vrang Elias, who speaks with deep experience about the lessons of the Danish model, how it works, its effectiveness and challenges.

Stina Vrang Elias is CEO of the Danish think tank DEA, which she established in 2010. She works at the intersection of education, research, and public policy, focusing on analysis and knowledge to inform debate and decision-making across the Danish school and education system.

DEA is an independent non-profit think tank focused on research, innovation and education, based in Copenhagen. This podcast is in English.

The website for Save Democracy is at savedemocracy.today

The podcast is available on youtube and wherever you get your podcasts.

The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this podcast are for general informational purposes only and should not be considered professional, legal or political advice. Reliance on any information provided in this podcast is done at your own risk. Always consult with a qualified professional or local officials for specific advice tailored to your situation.

The views and opinions expressed by the guest in this podcast are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views, positions, or policies of the host or the production company.

Links to external resources, as well as any screenshots, audio clips, music clips, or images included in this episode, are provided for reference and illustrative purposes only. The inclusion of such materials does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement of this podcast or its content by the original creators, copyright holders, or associated entities.

Episode edited by Katherine Davies and Mykhailo Rebrystyi

Music from Uppbeat: Niafunke by Arnito