Yascha Mounk is a writer and academic known for his work on the rise of populism and the crisis of liberal democracy. Born in Germany to Polish parents, Mounk received his BA in history from Trinity College, University of Cambridge, and his PhD in government from Harvard University. He is now a professor of the Practice of International Affairs at Johns Hopkins University. Mounk is also a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, a contributing editor at The Atlantic, the founder of the online magazine Persuasion, and a publisher of Die Zeit. He is the author of The People vs. Democracy: Why Our Freedom Is in Danger and How to Save It and The Great Experiment: Why Diverse Democracies Fall Apart and How They Can Endure.

Edie Lush is an award-winning journalist, an events MC and a communication trainer. She hosts events around the world — from the World Economic Forum in Davos to the COP Climate Summits. She has hosted several podcasts including Global GoalsCast, made in collaboration with the United Nations. She has been the Economics and Political correspondent for Bloomberg Television, a columnist at The Week magazine and the Associate Editor of Spectator Business magazine. Her work has appeared in many publications including Prospect, the Spectator and the BBC. She runs her own business providing senior Leaders, Influencers, Academics and Executives with Communication training — focusing now on increasing impact in both online and in person appearances.