Cristina Ramirez, a doctoral candidate from King's College London's Department of Political Economy, joins us to unpack the complex relationship between populist leaders and electoral institutions. Through the lens of her research on Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro, Cristina reveals how the centralised electoral system in Brazil might just outshine the US when it comes to resisting populist pressures.

Our conversation also uncovers Cristina's academic journey and she shares candid insights into the trials and triumphs of pursuing a PhD, emphasizing resilience, adaptability, and the indispensable role of a support network. Cristina's story is a reminder of the balancing act required in academia, from mastering new skills to maintaining focus amidst the inevitable challenges.

For the final episode in our second series, we welcome Laura Montecchio, a PhD student studying with with the Department of Political Economy at King's College London.

Laura's research is entitled The Paradox of the Populist Radical Right Elitism in France, Germany, and Italy and she talks to hosts Clara Goilav and Daniel Mansfield about the paradox she believes is apparent in the populist radical right.

Laura posits that, despite their anti-elite discourses, populist radical right parties can themselves be considered elitist in the way they have worked to delegitimise minority groups and counter-voices (“the other”) in favour of their own “in” elitist group (“the people”).

Laura's also talks about her PhD experience King's, the weather in the UK and offers her advice for those considering further study.

Do cryptoassets pose a credible threat to the United States' economic power?

In this episode, we welcome Sebastian Ricketts to discuss his research into US economic power and whether the emergence of cryptoassets could challenge the dollar hegemony on the world stage.

Sebastian also reflects on the challenges facing regulators and policy-makers as digital assets proliferate, as well as moves by nation states and central banks to respond to growing consumer appetite for Bitcoin, Etherium and others.

And, as usual, we ask Sebastian to talk about his experience as a PhD student, the challenges, and advice he would offer to anybody thinking about pursuing their studies.