In this episode of the Review of Democracy podcast, Alexandra Medzibrodszky talks to Leigh Jenco and Paulina Ochoa Espejo—two of the three co-authors of the new textbook Political Theory: A Global and Comparative Introduction, published by SAGE. Co-authored with Murad Idris, this groundbreaking volume reimagines how political theory is taught and understood by moving beyond a Eurocentric focus and embracing a truly global and comparative framework. Rather than organizing content around geographical regions or national traditions, the book takes a thematic approach—exploring war, political action, development, ritual, and other enduring political questions through a rich array of sources from across cultures and time periods.
In the conversation, we discuss what it means to think politically beyond the Western canon, how to work with texts that are often marginalized or excluded from mainstream syllabi, and what challenges arise when dealing with disciplinary boundaries. We also reflect on the pedagogical value of open-ended inquiry and the democratic potential of teaching political theory as a space for students to ask the questions that matter most to them. As Leigh and Paulina explain, the aim is not to simply add more voices, but to shift the structure of the conversation itself—to replace a single sun with a galaxy of perspectives. Ultimately, the book opens up new ways of thinking about politics and democracy itself—its possibilities, its limits, and the many ways it has been imagined around the world.
Leigh Jenco is Professor of Political Theory at the London School of Economics. She works on Chinese political thought, cross-cultural philosophy, and global intellectual history. Her first book, Making the Political, examined modern Chinese political ideas, while her second, Changing Referents, expanded the practice of comparative political theory. She currently leads the British Academy project Chinese Global Orders and co-edited The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Political Theory.
Paulina Ochoa Espejo is the John L. Nau III Professor at the University of Virginia. Her research focuses on popular sovereignty, borders, and Latin American political thought. She is the author of On Borders and The Time of Popular Sovereignty, and co-editor of The Oxford Handbook of Populism. Her current work explores democracy, migration, and the moral geographies of the Americas.
The conversation was conducted by Alexandra Medzibrodszky. Lilit Hakobyan edited the audio file.
