New series of the ‘Politische Pausen’ podcast
How does language shape and change democracy?
- von Cathrin Becker
- 01.10.2026
How do political parties communicate with their members – and what do they say about one another? How can good journalism thrive in an age when every headline is instantly shared, commented on and criticised? And who gets a voice in the digital public sphere? These and other questions form the focus of the new series of the ‘Politische Pausen’ podcast from the NRW School of Governance. The fifth series kicks off on 15 October 2026. Listeners can look forward to a new episode every three weeks on the theme of ‘The Language of Democracy’.
“Democracy is a chorus of voices, and that is precisely what we want to show in the new series. After all, democracy without language is impossible. We are interested in how language shapes and changes democracy, and also how language itself changes within democracy,” says PD Dr Julia Schwanholz. The UDE political scientist and her team have once again succeeded in bringing exciting guests from the worlds of politics and the media to the microphone. She talks to them about how public debates are changing and what role digital platforms play in this. The discussion also covers law and the constitution, as well as cultural and historical developments.
“What is particularly close to my heart is working with the podcast guests to take a close look at where digitalisation is changing democracy and where authoritarian patterns are creeping in. For example, through deepfakes, targeted surveillance or even in the way platforms (help to) determine who is heard,” explains PD Dr Julia Schwanholz. “I’m very interested in the interplay between language and consciousness, and how both can be manipulated today. After all, that determines the resilience of democracy.”
Radio journalist Nadine Lindner kicks off the series. As a regional correspondent in Saxony, she has witnessed how the tone in eastern Germany is changing, and she provides context on this from Deutschlandradio’s capital studio. In 2024, she was awarded the Federal Press Conference Prize for this work. “So who better to explain how language in politics is (or has) changed and what impact this has on trust in democracy,” says PD Dr Julia Schwanholz.
Incidentally, there remains a consistently high level of interest among academics and figures from the worlds of politics and the media in appearing on the podcast and making content and debates accessible to a wide audience. The team is also seeking input from its audience for upcoming episodes. Suggestions for topics are expressly welcome – from students who listen to the podcast as part of their studies, as well as from all other interested listeners.
The podcast is available on various platforms, including Apple, Spotify and Audible, as well as here: https://ppp.podigee.io/
Further information:
https://nrwschool.de/der-politische-pausen-podcast/