Earlier this week I joined SECOLAS’ Historias podcast to discuss the current unrest in Colombia along with Dr. Lina Britto of Northwestern’s Department of History (and host Dr. Steven Hyland of Wingate University).
For anyone dying to hear what I sound like (and wherein I talk not at all about American electoral institutions), enjoy!
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor of Political Science and a College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog).
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Interesting podcast. Wish there was actual discussion between you and Lina directly, as opposed to mediated by the host. Oh well.
Lina was given the mic to frame this issue. I’d also be interested in how you would frame it. Or perhaps more simply, where do you and Lina disagree on the framing of this?
In terms of likely outcome, Lina seemed much more hopeful/positive about the current movement (to the extent that there’s a coherent movement at all). She seemed keen on the power of young people and social media.
You seemed less sanguine….noting the recycling of old players. I’m more inclined toward pessimism on this (<> Arab Spring <>) but am open to being moved.
Perhaps related to the above, temperamentally, she seems more radical and you more incremental (dare I say, conservative). Would you agree?
Finally, your voice is good for podcasting. No annoying tics or anything that I could hear. Though, I was a bit disappointed at the blandness of your accent…. was hoping for a little southern AL seasoning. Maybe it only comes out when you speak Spanish.
@Mimai: While I hold a certain amount of guarded optimism about Colombian political development, I would say I am bit more pessimistic than Lina about the degree to which the current youth movement will lead to some transformative change. I think back to the fact that a student movement was key to constitutional reform in 1990/91 and recall a similar hope that did not fully come to fruition.
I am originally from Texas, with a 6-year stint in CA, so I do not not have an AL accent at all.
Thanks, will check it out. Not because I’m dying to hear your voice, but because I’m hoping for a prolonged discussion about Colombian cults!
Interesting podcast. Wish there was actual discussion between you and Lina directly, as opposed to mediated by the host. Oh well.
Lina was given the mic to frame this issue. I’d also be interested in how you would frame it. Or perhaps more simply, where do you and Lina disagree on the framing of this?
In terms of likely outcome, Lina seemed much more hopeful/positive about the current movement (to the extent that there’s a coherent movement at all). She seemed keen on the power of young people and social media.
You seemed less sanguine….noting the recycling of old players. I’m more inclined toward pessimism on this (<> Arab Spring <>) but am open to being moved.
Perhaps related to the above, temperamentally, she seems more radical and you more incremental (dare I say, conservative). Would you agree?
Finally, your voice is good for podcasting. No annoying tics or anything that I could hear. Though, I was a bit disappointed at the blandness of your accent…. was hoping for a little southern AL seasoning. Maybe it only comes out when you speak Spanish.
@Mimai: While I hold a certain amount of guarded optimism about Colombian political development, I would say I am bit more pessimistic than Lina about the degree to which the current youth movement will lead to some transformative change. I think back to the fact that a student movement was key to constitutional reform in 1990/91 and recall a similar hope that did not fully come to fruition.
I am originally from Texas, with a 6-year stint in CA, so I do not not have an AL accent at all.