Better Politics Podcast

Embracing the Power of the Citizen Story

Better Politics Podcast

Show Notes

"We live today in the falling apart of what I would call consumer democracy." In this episode, New Citizenship Project co-founder and Citizens author Jon Alexander talks with our CEO Lisa Witter about the need to switch from a consumer story to citizens story in politics. He gives examples of what citizen-led governance looks like around the world and calls on politicians to work on trusting people. Since recording this podcast, we've hired Jon as a consultant on our Democratic Innovation...

More from Better Politics Podcast

Aug 20, 2026

How is AI fundamentally changing democracy? In this episode of the Better Politics Podcast, host Lisa Witter is joined by Bruce Schneier and Nathan Sanders, authors of Rewiring Democracy: How AI Will Transform Our Politics, Government, and Citizenship, where they examine the ways that AI is transforming every aspect of democracy, for better and worse. Bruce is a public interest technologist and lecturer at Harvard's Kennedy School who has advised governments and civil society organizations...

Mar 10, 2026

Annie Lööf entered Swedish politics young. At 23 she was elected to parliament, and at 28 she became the youngest party leader in modern Swedish history when she took over the Centre Party. Over more than a decade in leadership, she helped reposition the party, navigated coalition negotiations in a fragmented political landscape, and became known for her firm defense of liberal democracy. In this episode, host Lisa Witter speaks with Annie about how she first got involved in politics—st...

Feb 24, 2026

Mu Sochua spent most of her life organizing for democracy in Cambodia, both inside and outside the country. She served as a member of parliament and as minister for women’s and veterans affairs before leaving the government over corruption and later joining the political opposition. After her party was dissolved, she was banned from politics and sentenced to 47 years in prison. She now lives in exile in the United States. In this episode, Mu talks about what it means to continue political wor...

Feb 10, 2026

In this episode, Lisa Witter is joined by Jo Swinson, former UK Member of Parliament and leader of the Liberal Democrats. They explore Jo's journey into politics, beginning with her early interest in activism inspired by the Body Shop's commitment to social issues. Jo reflects on her experiences as the youngest MP and the challenges she faced in a male-dominated environment, particularly during her leadership amidst the Brexit turmoil. The discussion delves into the complexities o...

Jan 21, 2026

In the first episode of the Better Politics Podcast of 2026, host Lisa Witter is joined by Damian Boeselager, a German Member of the European Parliament and the co-founder of Volt Europa, the first pan-European political party. With a background in philosophy and economics, Damian began his career in strategy consulting and social impact work before an unexpected turn during his graduate studies in public policy drew him into politics. Confronted with a changing political climate in 2016 and ...

See all episodes →