Amid election deniers and political polarization, it's easy to overlook the times when democracy is actually working. We do that this week in a hopeful conversation about resident-centered government. Elected officials and administrative staff like city planners often have the best intentions when it comes to development and redevelopment, but political and professional incentives push them to pursue projects that lure in outsiders rather than serving people who live in their communities.
Our guest this week is Michelle Wilde Anderson, a professor of property, local government, and environmental justice at Stanford Law School and the author of The Fight to Save the Town: Reimagining Discarded America. The book tells the stories of revitalization efforts in Stockton, California, Josephine, Oregon, Lawrence, Massachusetts, and Detroit, Michigan. In each instance, residents organized to fix small problems that turned into large-scale change. It's a model that anyone can replicate and our democracy will be stronger for it.
The Fight to Save the Town by Michelle Wilde Anderson
A deep look at political loss
When populism and democracy collide
Understanding union voters
A conflict at the heart of our political disagreements
What can we learn from early democracies?
Building better bureaucracy
Tim Miller on why Republicans stuck with Trump
"Democracy '24" on the debate stage
When the People Decide: Libraries as civic spaces
A deep dive on parties and political reform
Democracy Paradox: The democratic crisis you haven't heard about
Village SquareCast: Can curiosity save us?
Democracy-ish: Can America's democracy be saved?
Democracy needs serious people
Gen Z's fight for democracy
Think Inclusive: Facing the Anti-CRT Movement
Is America in a third reconstruction?
Between democracy and autocracy
Living in a fragmented democracy
Feet in 2 Worlds: Immigrants in a Divided Country
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