Central Europe Matters
A narrative podcast about society, politics, and democracy in Central Europe, featuring local activists, experts, journalists, and artists. It examines issues like democratic backsliding, far-right populism, and the region's totalitarian legacy. Host Jeff Lugowe uses his academic background and knowledge of Polish and Czech to explore cities and lesser-known areas. The first season focuses on Slovakia and the threats to its democracy, with new episodes released weekly.
Epizódy
Season 1 Trailer: Slovakia — Democracy under Attack
Season 1 will take listeners on a trip around Slovakia — a small, mountainous country on the eastern periphery of the European Union — currently in the throes of a democratic crisis. Join host Jeff Lugowe as he meets people living in the big cities and deep in the countryside and hears how they are fighting for their democracy. Slovakia — Democracy under Attack launches in August 2026. S
E1: The old system collapsed, but is it really gone?
This episode marks our first trip to Slovakia and the start of season 1, Slovakia – Democracy under attack. Buckle up – it's going to be a wild ride. Follow me, host Jeff Lugowe, as I speak with activists, researchers, artists and concerned citizens about the battle currently underway in Slovakia over the country's democratic future. ⠀ We begin in Banská Bystrica in central Slovakia to m
E2: The country that cried itself into independence
What happens when you wake up one day and find yourself living in a different country? In this week's episode, we move from the fall of communism in 1989 to the emergence of an independent Slovak state in 1993. For most of this episode, I spoke to people living in Bratislava, the dynamic and at times architecturally puzzling Slovak capital, before returning to Banská Bystrica in c
E3: Do Slovaks like being ruled by a strongman?
Many Slovaks thought they had gotten authoritarian strongmen leaders out of their system when Prime Minister Vladimír Mečiar lost his reelection bid in 1998. Almost twenty years later, the current Slovak government is led by former Communist Robert Fico, whose coalition government attacks independent media, starves independent culture of financing, and in televised rants and social media
Bonus episode: The story behind the podcast
Hey listener! I accidentally published the first draft of this episode earlier today. Sorry about that! This represents the final version of the episode. I hope you like it. Why did I quit my secure job in Oslo in early 2025 so that I could dedicate myself full-time to starting a podcast, this podcast?⠀In the first three episodes of the podcast, you've met people from all across Slovakia
