In this new podcast, Unpacking Politics, political scientists Kate Floros and Evan McKenzie (University of Illinois Chicago) will discuss a wide range of political issues, trying to get to the bottom of what's going on in the world.

In the first episode we talk with Juan Albarracín, our UIC Political Science colleague about the January 3, 2026 US special forces raid that deposed Venezuelan president, Nicholas Maduro.

Produced by Jack Petraitis

Cover art by Isabel McKenzie

Music by Hunter Nico McKenzie at Handmade Audio

Professor Floros in The Politics Classroom teases a new podcast, Unpacking Politics.

In the Classroom: Raymond Baker, Global Financial Integrity

Topics: Operating businesses in Lagos, Nigeria; Biafra War; Coups in Nigeria; illicit financial flows; Global Financial Integrity

Episode Transcript

Intro & Outro Music: Three Goddesses by Third Age

Transition Music: Animal Kingdom by Craig Allen Fravel

Episode Art: © 2019 | Kristina Sherk Photography

Raymond Baker's Books

Invisible Trillions: How Financial Secrecy Is Imperiling Capitalism and Democracy and the Way to Renew Our Broken System (2023) Berrett-Koehler Publishers

Capitalism's Achilles Heel: Dirty Money and How to Renew the Free-Market System (2005) Wiley

Links

Raymond Baker: https://gfintegrity.org/staff-member/raymond-baker/

Global Financial Integrity: https://gfintegrity.org/

Episode Transcript: https://bit.ly/American_in_Lagos

Third Age: https://app.soundstripe.com/artists/285

Craig Allen Fravel: https://app.soundstripe.com/artists/462

Episode Art: www.Kristinasherk.com

Invisible Trillions: https://amzn.to/3tFx5ZM Capitalism's Achilles Heel: https://amzn.to/3Q3mzD3

In the Classroom: Professor Steven Schwinn, UIC School of Law

Topics: SCOTUS; 2023 affirmative action cases; Equal Protection Clause; reinterpreting Brown v. Board (1954); achieving diversity without considering race; legacy admissions

Episode transcript

Intro & Outro music: Three Goddesses by Third Age

Transition music: Hello, Good Morning by Liberty

Photo description: White man with black glasses smiles at the camera while wearing a light blue checked dress shirt and navy blue blazer

The Politics Classroom website

The Politics Classroom YouTube Channel

The Bookshelf: under construction

Web Links

Professor Steven Schwinn: https://law.uic.edu/profiles/schwinn-steven/

UIC School of Law: https://law.uic.edu/

Episode transcript: https://bit.ly/TPC_2023-14_transcript

Third Age: https://app.soundstripe.com/artists/285

Liberty: https://app.soundstripe.com/artists/262

The Politics Classroom website: https://www.thepoliticsclassroom.org/

The Politics Classroom YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@ProfessorFloros?si=RGS1YraHeU8b7RtF

The Bookshelf: under construction

In the Classroom: Professor Sharan Grewal, Department of Government, College of William and Mary

Topics: Tunisian revolution; democratic backsliding; self-coup; hyper-presidential political system; constitutional referendum; boycotting elections; secular/Islamist divide

Episode Transcript

Intro and Outro Music: Three Goddesses by Third Age

Transition Music: Let Rivers Flow by Cast of Characters

The Politics Classroom website

The Bookshelf

Episode on YouTube

Episode Links

Professor Sharan Grewal: https://sharangrewal.com/

Department of Government, College of William and Mary: https://www.wm.edu/as/government/index.php

Episode Transcript: https://bit.ly/TunisiaDemocracyCollapse

"Three Goddesses": https://app.soundstripe.com/songs/13263 Third Age: https://app.soundstripe.com/artists/285 "Let Rivers Flow": https://app.soundstripe.com/songs/12465 Cast of Characters: https://app.soundstripe.com/artists/280 The Politics Classroom website: https://www.thepoliticsclassroom.org/

The Bookshelf: https://www.thepoliticsclassroom.org/post/2023-13-the-collapse-of-tunisia-s-democracy

Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/1QmNAJ2Kf2A

In the Classroom: Evan McKenzie, UIC Political Science

Topics: US Supreme Court; Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson; writ of certiorari; Rule 10; rule of four; Voting Rights Act, Sec. 2; Independent State Legislature "Theory"; Affirmative action

Episode transcript

Episode art: Photo by Rochelle Nicole on Unsplash

Intro & Outro Music: Three Goddesses by Third Age Transition Music: Swampy Lands by Adam Saban Transition sound effects: Electrical Guitar Clean Muted Melody Light 01 on Soundstripe

The Politics Classroom website

In the Classroom: Evan McKenzie: https://www.evancmckenzie.com/ UIC Political Science: https://pols.uic.edu/

Episode transcript: https://bit.ly/RacismOverSCOTUS

Photo: Rochelle Nicole: https://unsplash.com/@rchllwlsn?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText Unsplash⁠: https://unsplash.com/photos/E9uJ65vwGmE?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText

Intro & Outro Music: Three Goddesses: https://app.soundstripe.com/songs/13263 Third Age: https://app.soundstripe.com/artists/285

Transition Music: Swampy Lands: https://app.soundstripe.com/songs/15115 Adam Saban: https://app.soundstripe.com/artists/642

Transition sound effects: Electrical Guitar Clean Muted Melody Light 01: https://app.soundstripe.com/sfx/40655 Soundstripe: https://app.soundstripe.com/

The Politics Classroom website: https://www.thepoliticsclassroom.org/

In the Classroom: Semih Patan & Petia Kostadinova, UIC Political Science

Topics: Tunisia clarification and update; regimes, political systems, and voting rules 101; political party ideology; 2016 failed coup in Turkey; 2017 constitutional referendum in Turkey

Episode Transcript

Photo by Peter Kostov on Unsplash

Image description: View of the Palace of Westminster, the Parliament of the UK, from the River Thames at sunset with the building reflected in the river.

Intro & Outro Music: Three Goddesses by Third Age

Transition Music: Ticky Tacky by Rhythm Scott

Transition sound effect: Ball Shot at the Shield 01 from Soundstripe

Links Semih Patan: https://pols.uic.edu/profiles/patan-semih/

Petia Kostadinova: https://pols.uic.edu/profiles/kostadinova-petia

Photo: https://unsplash.com/photos/lWLjqGxFPX4

Photo artist: https://unsplash.com/@strippedlight

Three Goddesses: https://app.soundstripe.com/songs/13263

Third Age:https://app.soundstripe.com/artists/285

Ticky Tacky: https://app.soundstripe.com/songs/8433

Rhythm Scott: https://app.soundstripe.com/artists/211

Transition sound effect: https://app.soundstripe.com/sfx/53697

Soundstripe: https://app.soundstripe.com/

Episode Transcript: https://8f1774c7-307a-4f6c-9af9-721b2a20c996.filesusr.com/ugd/478ee5_9bf3c85b4d7e469c915ce67ddb8d49e9.pdf

In the Classroom: Semih Patan, PhD Candidate, Political Science, University of Illinois at Chicago: https://pols.uic.edu/profiles/patan-semih/; https://pols.uic.edu/

Topics: Competitive authoritarianism; Turkish politics; Turkish 2023 presidential election; Justice and Development Party (AKP); AKP over time; secularism in Turkish politics; military as guardian of Turkish democracy (previously); detour into Tunisian politics

Episode Transcript: https://bit.ly/CompetitiveAuthoritarianismTurkey

Intro and Outro Music: Three Goddesses by ⁠Third Age⁠: https://app.soundstripe.com/artists/285

Transition Music: Bosporus by Federico Ferrandina: https://app.soundstripe.com/artists/404

Transition Sound Effects: Simple Incoming 01 from Soundstripe: https://app.soundstripe.com/sfx/21205

The Politics Classroom ⁠website⁠: https://www.thepoliticsclassroom.org/

For further information: ⁠The Bookshelf⁠: https://www.thepoliticsclassroom.org/post/2023-10-competitive-authoritarianism-in-turkey

Photo description: Turkish man with short, dark brown hair, parted on his left with a lighter brown beard and brown glasses looks directly at the camera. He is wearing a blue button-down shirt with a brown blazer.