In our third installment of the ITS series on The Rise of Populism, we examine Eastern European populism in Hungary and Poland. Is Eastern European populism a phase of growing pains for the young liberal democracies, or does it mark a permanent shift with consequences for the European Union? Listen in for our #FreshPerspectives.

In the second episode our ITS series on The Rise of Populism, we examine Spain, Germany, and Italy's populist movements. Zeroing in on Ciudadanos, Alternativ für Deutschland, and the Five Star Movement, we ask, "What does this mean for the established parties in Europe, and the future of the European Union?" Listen in for our #FreshPerspectives.

Following our discussion last episode, The ITS Café embarks on its first podcast series on populism around the world. This week we explore American Populism, the reason for its rise, and what its implications are for the future of U.S. policy.

Western-Style Democracy has suffered from a lack of public confidence in the very institutions that are supposed to reflect the will of the people. What's wrong with democracy and what comes next?

ITS Bookshelf Segment:

- The Partisan Divide: Congress in Crisis by Martin Frost, Richard E. Cohen, and Tom Davis

- Why Nations Fail by Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson

- Walking with the Comrades by Arundhati Roy

Other Links:

- Gobiernos (Ir)responsables by Guillem Vidal Lorda

https://www.eldiario.es/agendapublica/nueva-politica/Gobiernos-Irresponsables_0_320218258.html

What is State Swagger, anyway? And what should the ITS official tree be? Will Trump's departure end the Iran Deal, and what implications does that have for the peace process in North Korea? It's a packed episode in The ITS Café reboot, with a new cast and lots of fresh conversation.

The ITS Cafe Returns after a brief hiatus to discuss American Foreign Policy in Southeast Asia under Trump. What is the goal in Afghanistan and why is the US still there? What can be done about North Korea, and are we headed for war?

Cameron Vaské, Megan Zimmerer, and Pascal Hensel are joined by ITS fellow and editor Deniz Houston to talk Turkish Politics in the Era of Erdoğan in another episode of the MENA Deep Dive mini-series.

The ITS Middle Eastern and Northern African Affairs Team gathers for the first MENA Deep Dive into the dynamics of the Saudi-Iranian contest for regional power.

The ITS Café returns, joining Megan Zimmerer, Rees Horton, and Cameron Vaské talking about some of the fallacies of US Democratic Institutions and discussing pragmatic solutions to them. Grab a cup! It's time for The ITS Café.

For the first ever podcast of The International Scholar's podcast on International Relations, The ITS Café, Megan Zimmerer, John Wenk, Chris Mullaney, and CEO & Host Cameron Vaské talk about the recent G20 Meeting in Hamburg, Germany, The Franco-German Alliance, Russia's Land Grab in Georgia, and the Fall of Mosul in Syria.

Join us for a cup as we discuss the events, ideas, and policies that will reshape International Relations in the 21st Century.

Music Credits:

"Cuban Coffee Beans" by Daniel Hart Licensed with Shutterstock Music, and "1 Hour of Coffee Shop Background Noise" by JustAWhisperingGuy purchased online.