“Is Democracy Doomed? (Or Just Having a Bad Day)”

This time I sit down with my girl Maxi, a fellow political science student at the University of Münster, who bravely took a break from writing her master’s thesis on populism in Europe to talk about—well—populism in Europe. Together we ask why everyone keeps saying democracies are in danger. Which danger, exactly? Who’s threatening whom? And which direction do we need to go to resist the authoritarian conquest? 

We zoom in on the endogenous threats— coming from within democratic systems themselves. Why are today’s democracies standing in the way of their own survival? 

Let’s deep dive into how populist parties hurt institutions from the inside, into why left-leaning parties seem to be losing their grip on defending democratic norms, and whether democracy as it is actually doomed… or just needs a strong cup of coffee.

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Content mentioned: 

- Citations on democracy ! A few mistakes !

In “The Republic,” Plato does not consider monarchy to be the best form of government; but aristocracy ruled by philosopher-kings, the wisest individuals, for the benefit of the entire city.

 • Abraham Lincoln. 1863. Gettysburg Address. "Government of the people, by the people, for the people"

• Jean-Jacques Rousseau. 1762. Du contrat social or Principes du droit politique. 

• Winston Churchill. House of Commons. 1947. !Quoting someone anonymous other person to debunk it! “[I]t has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time; but there is the broad feeling in our country that the people should rule [...]”

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- Steven Levitsky, Daniel Ziblatt. 2018. How Democracies die. 

Comparative historical analysis of several  regimes (Russia, Venezuela, Hungary) showing how elected leaders can gradually subvert the democratic process to increase their power resulting in democratical backsliding.  

- Crouch, C. 2004. Post-Democracy. Polity. 

On the loss of political identity and party identification, showing how the vote became more complex after globalization. 

- France Inter. Geoffroy de Lagasnerie. 2021. Entretien. « Manifestations et grèves sont des formes d’expression, mais plus d’action » https://youtu.be/5VVCrFhJ9vk?feature=shared

Interview of French Sociologist and Philosopher Geoffroy de Lagasnerie. He is explaining the limited reach of demonstrations and the need to infiltrate institutions as progressive/leftist people. 

-  Ford, Robert/Will Jennings, 2020. The Changing Cleavage Politics of Western Europe. Annual Review of Political Science 23(1): 295–314.

Comparative study of the different demographical explanations of cleavages showing that education as most distinguishing criteria but minor  in explaining the populist vote.  

- Ivarsflaten, E. (2008). What Unites Right-Wing Populists in Western Europe? 

On the populist vote being explained first and foremost by anti-immigrant attitudes. 

- Manow, P. (2023, October 25). Populism is a symptom of democracy’s deeper crisis. https://symposium.org/populism-is-a-symptom-of-democracys-deeper-crisis/

On the idea that the democratical crisis is a means to make our democracies more democratic.

Why do we make choices that don’t really make sense for us—just so we’re not the last in line?

No one wants to be the loser at musical chairs—but what happens when that same fear runs our social and political choices? In this episode, I explore how the anxiety of “not being last” sneaks into our decisions. 

Starting with David Ricardo’s comparative advantage theory (don’t worry, it’s more fun than it sounds), we’ll connect the dots to modern life. 

Why do some women throw feminism under the bus?

Why people vote far right just to keep a scapegoat below them? 

Don't we all sometimes play moves that make no real sense—except to soothe that deep fear of being left behind?

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Related readings

Explaining in-group/out-group dynamics and strategies individuals use to balance belonging to the in-group 

1. Tajfel, H., & Turner, J. C. (1979).
An integrative theory of intergroup conflict. In W. G. Austin & S. Worchel (Eds.), The Social Psychology of Intergroup Relations (pp. 33–47). Brooks/Cole.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/348648205_Tajfel_and_Turner_Intergroup_Conflict_Theories_1997

2. Brewer, M. B. (1991).
The social self: On being the same and different at the same time. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 17(5), 475–482. 

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0146167291175001

This episode was sparked by a Netflix dating show (because of course). We dive into how conservative religious ideas continue to shape how we date, love, and plan our futures—even if we’ve long stopped going to church. From timelines to “shared values,” these old scripts are hard to shake. Breaking free can feel like a liberation... until you’re left staring into the abyss of “figure it all out yourself.”

In the second half, we zoom out to look at the bigger picture: yes, conservative dogmas and religious institutions can be deeply problematic—especially when it comes to gender roles, social rights, and individual freedoms. But they also give people something many of us still crave: moral guidance, belonging, and a space to grow. So what fills that gap for the non-religious?

This episode isn’t about choosing sides. It’s about questioning both the baggage and the benefits— sit with contradictions, and rethink the foundations we build our lives on.

Let’s take a ride through one of the most intimate and existential questions of our time:
Why bring a child into a world unraveling?

Climate collapse, rising authoritarianism, nuclear tension, and a society losing its voice—no wonder so many of us hesitate. But here’s the twist:
If those who care about the future stop having children, who are we leaving the future to?

This episode is about the quiet, radical question behind parenthood today:
Do I still believe in us?

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Related readings: 

1. On the 2°C global warming "target" 

Harvey, F. (2025, February 4). Climate change target of 2C is dead, says renowned climate scientist. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/feb/04/climate-change-target-of-2c-is-dead-says-renowned-climate-scientist

“The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPC) defined a scenario which gives a 50% chance to keep warming under 2C – that scenario is now impossible,” he said. “The 2C target is dead, because the global energy use is rising, and it will continue to rise.”

2. On the Global Disease Burden from Climate Change (e.g Air Pollution)

Corvetto, J. F., Simion, R., Boutros, P., Kassem, N., & others. (2024). The global burden of diseases attributable to climate change: A systematic review and meta-analysis. SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4891729

2. Scientific Literature on climate change anxiety as an influencing factor reproductive decisions in Europe 

- Hickman et al. (2021). Climate anxiety in children and young people and their beliefs about government responses to climate change: a global survey. The Lancet Planetary Health, 5(12), e863–e873. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00278-3 : 

"39% of respondents are  hesitant to have children due to the crisis."

- Szczuka, B. J. (2022). Climate change concerns and the ideal number of children: A comparative analysis of the V4 countries. Social Inclusion, 10(3), 206–216. https://doi.org/10.17645/si.v10i3.5228

"[...] there may be a relationship between climate change‐related concerns and ideal family size, although it is not uniform [between countries]. 

Why is it so hard to care about struggles that aren’t ours? 

This episode tackles one of the most frustrating questions of faced by activists: How do we get people to care—really care—about issues and lives that feel far from their own? 

From Indigenous rights to climate justice to the daily realities of Palestinian civilians, why do some people tune in with empathy while others scroll on by?

Let's unpack how political leanings shape emotional responses, why conservative and progressive brains seem wired differently when it comes to compassion, and how our so-called "neutral" education systems quietly teach us not to care. 

Let’s take a ride in the brain’s weird alleyways—through political bias, emotional blind spots, and the art of giving a damn.

Because caring isn't weakness. It's radical. <3 

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Sources: 

1. On the different moral foundations between conservatives and progressive, see: 

- Graham, J., Haidt, J., & Nosek, B. A. (2009). Liberals and conservatives rely on different sets of moral foundations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 96(5), 1029–1046. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0015141

- Day, M. V., Fiske, S. T., Downing, E. L., & Trail, T. E. (2014). Shifting liberal and conservative attitudes using moral foundations theory. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 40(12), 1559–1573. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167214551152

- Smith, I. H., Aquino, K., Koleva, S., & Graham, J. (2014). The moral ties that bind…Even to out-groups: The interactive effect of moral identity and the binding moral foundations. Psychological Science, 25(8), 1554–1562. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797614534450

2. On the role of the French Academy in setting back female representation in the language 

- Milles, K. (2022). Feminism and Language:Handbook of Pragmatics https://doi.org/10.1075/hop.24.fem1

- Pauwels, A. (2003). Linguistic Sexism and Feminist Linguistic Activism
Book: The Handbook of Language and Gender https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470756942.ch24

How do you become a feminist? 

In this very first conversation episode, I’m joined by the brilliant and hilarious Doris to trace our personal journeys into feminism—from clueless kids to opinionated adults who still don’t have it all figured out (but have a lot to say anyway).

This isn’t a lecture—it’s story time. We talk about growing up, unlearning stuff, dealing with stereotypical anti-feminist talks, and where we fit (or don’t fit) in today’s feminist landscape. 

We share laughs, cringey memories, a few spicy takes on mainstream critiques, and some honest thoughts about what we’re still trying to understand.

Come hang out with us for an hour of real talk, reflection, and friendship. 

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Readings mentioned: 

1. Harmange P. 2020. Moi les hommes, je les déteste

This feminist essay combines personal experiences, testimonies, and statistics to expose systemic sexism, criticize virilism, denounce the passive acceptance of sexism, and call for the deconstruction of societal pressures on women—especially the expectation to constantly please men.

2. Cohen C. 2016. Introduction. Femmes de la préhistoire ; Testart A. 2014. L'Amazone et la cuisinière. Anthropologie de la division sexuelle du travail. 

Both research challenge gender biases in the interpretation of human history revealing how roles of women e.g in pregistoric societies, in the devision of labour, have been shaped more by cultural constructs than by biological necessity

3. Bajos N. & Le collectif Virage. 2016 (also following year report). Violences et rapports de genre: Enquête sur les violences faites envers les femmes et les hommes. (INED)

Yearly survey study according to which women represent 96% of rape and attempted rape victims in France

4. The Guardian, Chrysalis A. 2024. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/23/gisele-pelicot-rape-trial-france-court

Article about the Mazan case  

Let's dive into the quiet storm of searching for the “right” job when studying politics — a field where ideals and reality often clash.

Is it at all possible to align one's work with belief, all while facing a world that feels increasingly unstable. 

Maybe the real challenge isn’t choosing wrong, but accepting that there may never be a perfect path — and daring to move anyway.

We all have a set of ideas we are convinced about. 

It might be to make our life easier or because it is what we truly believe. 

But what if we're wrong? 

My two thoughts: we are not as complex as we think we are and sometimes the suffering comes from needing to reevaluate our convictions more than parting ways with someone. 

It only takes about 3.5% of people actively standing up to push real political change. 

So why does it feel like so few do? Why does activism change feel so unachievable? 

This episode reflects on what holds us back and what it really means to show up. A quiet exploration of power, courage, and the small ways change begins.

Source : Chenoweth, Erica and Maria Stephan 2011. Why Civil Resistance Works: The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent Conflict. New York: Columbia University Press.

Welcome to Woman Searching for Meaning — a podcast for progressive, curious minds trying to make sense of this messy world.

In this trailer, I’ll tell you who I am (a French expat, politics student, overthinker), why I started this podcast (spoiler: far-right rise has something to do with it), and what you can expect — short solo reflections, deeper interviews, and honest conversations about politics, identity, feminism, and becoming a better human.

If you're anxious about  the noise and still want to think deeply — you're in the right place.