Professor Nick Seabrook joins guest host John McCaa to discuss the history of gerrymandering — even Abraham Lincoln was a victim — and why it’s not so easy to mitigate its effects today.
Read more
Why we can trace today’s America to Reconstruction
Kermit Roosevelt III, a professor of Constitutional law, joins guest host John McCaa to talk about how Abraham Lincoln’s vision of America and the Reconstruction period that followed served as a course correction.
Read more
The people who inspired the Founding Fathers
Historian Marilynne Robinson joins guest host John McCaa for a look at the people and events that shaped the Founding Fathers’ principles.
Read more
The truth about the Trump administration’s family separation policy
Staff writer Caitlin Dickerson discusses her 18-month deep dive into the policies and after-effects of separating children from their families at the border.
Read more
You’re tired of reading the news (and it’s not just you)
Amanda Ripley, host of the Slate podcast “How To!” talks with Krys Boyd about why many of us are tuning out the news, and offers solutions to make the news relevant again.
Read more
Pandemic eviction bans didn’t always help
Bonnie Bertram joins us to discuss why eviction protections vary from state to state, and how the judicial system is tough to navigate for those who are most in need.
Read more
Pessimistic world leaders can be dangerous
Professor Daniel Drezner joins us to talk about why power should be measured in how a country’s leader views the future, why that’s key to approaching world affairs and how a negative outlook puts the population at risk.
Read more
Is the US Border Patrol overstepping its boundaries?
Professor Reece Jones joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the almost-unfettered Border Patrol, how the Supreme Court has authorized its powers, and how it’s becoming a national police force.
Read more
Dr. Deborah Birx on the politics of COVID
Dr. Deborah Birx, former White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator, discusses her role in ramping up the Trump administration’s efforts to combat the virus and the political turmoil she found behind the scenes.
Read more
Dobbs and the future of abortion
The University of Texas at Austin Law Professor Elizabeth Sepper joins us to talk about America’s post-Roe future and if the Dobbs ruling opens the door for other challenges before the Supreme Court.
Read more
Why war is surprisingly rare
Prof. Christopher Blattman from the University of Chicago discusses his years of peacemaking experience, why compromise sometimes loses out to conflict, and how to encourage warring parties to make a deal.
Read more
The connection between power and corruption
Brian Klaas is professor of global politics at University College London, and joins us to discuss the temptations and trappings of power, why we pick the leaders we do, and lessons we can learn from bad actors.
Read more