Woocast's Politics & Polls

The Democratic Party may be in a “crisis,” many argue, and not only because of a Donald Trump presidency but also due to continued Republican control of Congress. Given these challenges, will the Democrats be able to rebuild their strength? In episode #27 of Politics & Polls, professsors Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang interview leading political scientist Theda Skocpol about her recent article in Vox: “A Guide to Rebuilding the Democratic Party from the Ground Up.” In the piece, Skocpol outlines how the Democratic Party can be rebuilt from the ground up, beginning at the state and local levels. Skocpol’s work covers an unusually broad spectrum of topics including comparative politics and American politics. In particular, her research focuses on U.S. social policy and civic engagement in American democracy, including changes since the 1960s. She has recently launched new projects on the transformations of U.S. federal policies in the Obama era. Her books and articles have been widely cited in political scien