Inequality and democracy in India, the US, and beyond

Inequality and democracy in India, the US, and beyond

Author: The Watson School October 22, 2025 Duration: 47:42

In 2014, Narendra Modi became India’s Prime Minister, marking the beginning of what many experts and international watchgroups identify as a period of democratic erosion in the country.

Since then, a number of other democracies around the world have followed India on this path — including, by many measures, the United States.

On this episode, Dan Richards talks with two experts on Indian politics and society about Modi’s rise in India: its causes and effects, how it compares to other instances of democratic erosion around the world, and what it can teach us about democracy’s weaknesses and strengths.

Guests on this episode:

  1. Poulami Roychowdhury is an associate professor of sociology and international and public affairs at the Watson School of International and Public Affairs.
  2. Patrick Heller is a professor of sociology and international and public affairs and director of the Watson School’s Saxena Center for Contemporary South Asia.

Read Roychowdhury’s and Heller’s recent work exploring democracy and democratic erosion in India.


From the Watson School at Brown University, Trending Globally: Politics and Policy brings the insights of leading scholars and practitioners directly into your ears. This award-winning podcast digs into the complex forces shaping our world, moving beyond headlines to understand the deeper political and policy decisions behind them. Each conversation is designed to unpack a pressing issue-whether it's international trade tensions, public health crises, or social movements-with clarity and depth. You'll hear experts from the Watson Institute and beyond explain not just what's happening, but why it matters and how different policies might change the course of events. The discussions are grounded in rigorous research yet remain accessible, turning daunting global topics into understandable and engaging dialogue. For anyone curious about the mechanics of power, governance, and societal change, this series offers a vital resource. It’s a direct line to some of the sharpest minds in international and public affairs, all within a format that fits into your daily routine. Find Trending Globally: Politics and Policy and add it to your listening rotation for a consistently informative perspective on the stories that define our time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Trending Globally: Politics and Policy
Podcast Episodes
From pandemics to misinformation: rethinking security today [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:34
From a once-in-a-century global pandemic, to wars in Europe and the Middle East, to the unchecked rise of AI and social media technologies, we are living in an age of threats against humanity that are profound, fast-movi…
A brief history of US interventionism in Iran and beyond [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:52
On this episode, Dan Richards spoke with Watson School Senior Fellow Stephen Kinzer about the history of U.S. foreign intervention and how it can help us to understand today’s conflict in Iran.Stephen is an award-winning…
How US economic policy is interacting with the global economy today [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:03
On this episode, Watson School Dean and economist John Friedman talks with economist Sebnem Kalemli Ozcan about how U.S. economic policy in the last year has changed the American economy, how those changes have rippled t…
Are human brains wired for war? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:48
Violent, organized conflict is a near constant in human history.But why?Often, large-scale conflicts and wars are explained in material or political terms: humans engaging in conflict over land, resources, or ideologies.…
Challenging the U.S. foreign policy consensus on Taiwan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:45
In October, President Trump and President Xi Jinping met for the first time in Trump’s new presidential term. The meeting ended with commitments from both countries designed to lower trade tensions —– something many obse…
The future of the green transition and the climate movement [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:51
In August 2022 — just over three years ago — the Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law. It represented the largest federal investment in renewable energy and climate action in U.S. history. The bill was a historic…
Small Barriers, Big Impact: Rethinking International Development [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:15
Bryce Steinberg is a development economist, which means she studies how lower-income countries grow into more prosperous ones. More specifically, she studies how to help people in low-income countries build their “human…