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Democracy Optimist
Hosted by Joshua Douglas

Democracy Optimist is a thought-provoking public radio series and podcast that delves deep into the heart of democratic processes, elections, and voting rights to ask a simple but vital question: how do we sustain our democracy? The series is hosted by University of Kentucky Election Law research professor Joshua Douglas, a passionate advocate for civic engagement, and produced by WEKU.

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Latest Episodes
  • Evan Weissman
    Joshua Douglas speaks to Evan Weissman, the founder of “Warm Cookies of the Revolution,” which he refers to as a “civic health club.”
  • Carly Muetterties
    Joshua Douglas speaks to Carly Muetterties, chair of the Kentucky Civic Education Coalition, promoting civic education in public schools.
  • Dan Wu
    Joshua Douglas speaks to Dan Wu, the first Asian American to serve as Vice Mayor of Lexington.
  • Ben Sheehan
    Joshua Douglas speaks to Ben Sheehan, host, writer, and producer of “Civics Made Easy,” a series on PBS that empowers viewers with the knowledge necessary to participate in democracy
  • Anne Donworth
    Joshua Douglas speaks to Anne Donworth, who represents the 76th district, which covers much of Lexington, in the Kentucky House of Representatives.
  • Denise Lieberman
    Joshua Douglas speaks to Denise Lieberman Director & General Counsel of the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, a non-partisan organization that works to advance free, fair, and accessible elections in Missouri.
  • Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon
    Joshua Douglas speaks to Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon about the state's high voter turnout
  • Donna Cohen
    Joshua Douglas speaks to Donna Cohen, a former educator and librarian, about ways to ensure civics is not just something we discuss briefly in school, but instead is a lifelong endeavor
  • Corey Brettschneider
    Joshua Douglas speaks to Corey Brettschneider, a professor of political science at Brown University, who teaches law and political theory.
  • Jennifer Mercieca
    Joshua Douglas speaks to Jennifer Mercieca, a historian of American political rhetoric and a Professor in the Department of Communication and Journalism at Texas A&M University.
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