Jenna Spinelle loves a good story and has spent the past 15 years telling them as a writer, podcaster, and marketing professional.
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Jenna Spinelle is a writer and podcaster who tells stories that inspire hope and change in trying times. She hosts the podcasts Democracy Works When the People Decide, both productions of the McCourtney Institute for Democracy at Penn State. She is currently writing a book about the democracy reform movement and how more people can get involved in the work to strengthen American democracy. Spinelle teaches courses on news writing, podcasting, and content creators at Penn State’s Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications. Her writing has appeared in outlets including Time magazine, Inside Higher Ed and Current, a trade publication covering public media.
What does it mean to live in a democracy? The Democracy Works podcast seeks to answer that question by examining a different aspect of democratic life each week.
A podcast about ballot initiatives, the people who organize them, and how they’ve shaped democracy.
A network that creates educational content about democracy.
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We draw from the humanities and social sciences to examine democracy from multiple angles.
View on YouTubeIn this episode of Democracy Works, Jenna Spinelle interviews Rachel Myrick, a political scientist from Duke University, about her book on how political polarization affects international politics. They delve into reasons behind the growing partisan divide in foreign policy, the increasing presidential authority in international relations, and the impact of polarization on the stability, credibility, and reliability advantages of democracies. The discussion also touches on the US intervention in Venezuela, domestic responses to foreign policy actions, and the broader implications for global governance. Additionally, Anne and Tim offer insights on non-traditional security threats and the changing dynamics in global power structures.
Democracy Works hosts Michael Berkman, Chris Beem, and Candis Watts Smith reflect on the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and what it says about the condition of American democracy. They also discuss whether it's possible to learn from this moment and what guideposts they'll be looking for to determine whether all the talk about protecting and restoring democracy we've heard since the attack will translate into action.
This episode was recorded on Friday, January 8, 2021.
Additional Information
Statement from Michael Berkman and Chris Beem on January 6, 2021 attack
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Learn about what the ballot initiative is through a modern story and a bit of history.
A campaign in Michigan to end partisan gerrymandering in 2018, is part of a legacy of ballot initiatives dating back to the 1800s. In this episode, Jenna lays out the basics of the initiative, how it caught on in the United States, and the pros and cons that she will explore throughout the series.
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The Democracy Group Founder Jenna Spinelle talks about the podcasts Democracy Works and When The People Decide, the story behind The Democracy Group podcast network and instilling hope in uncertain times.
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