Podcast Episodes

Is America’s “housing crisis” really a “mobility crisis”?

In the 19th century, about one in three Americans moved every year. In the 1960s, that figure had shrunk to one in five 

In 2023, it was one in 13. 

In other words, a smaller percentage of Americans ar…

Published on 5 months, 1 week ago

What Germany’s election means for Germany, the US, and the world

On February 23, Germans went to the polls. While the establishment center-right CDU/CSU alliance won the largest share of votes, the results revealed a country experiencing profound political and soc…

Published on 5 months, 3 weeks ago

The future of US-China relations under a new Trump administration

On this episode, Dan Richards talks with Tyler Jost, a political scientist and assistant professor at the Watson Institute. 

Tyler is an expert on international security and Chinese foreign policy, an…

Published on 6 months, 1 week ago

Education, democracy and the remarkable life and work of Mary McCleod Bethune

The Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol is a stately room just off the Great Rotunda, whose walls are lined with — you guessed it — statues. The statues celebrate notable figures from all 50 states.

For…

Published on 6 months, 3 weeks ago

President Trump is back in office. What have we learned so far?

On Monday, January 20, Donald Trump was once again sworn in as President of the United States. The ceremony was moved indoors due to the cold, where Trump declared in his inaugural address that no pr…

Published on 7 months ago

Can the “free market” solve the climate crisis?

While there are many hurdles to addressing the climate crisis in a meaningful way, there’s been one consistent bright spot in climate news over the last decade: the price of renewable energy — partic…

Published on 7 months, 2 weeks ago

The surprising causes and effects of democratic erosion

In the last two presidential elections in the United States, one issue has entered our political debates in a way we haven’t seen in recent history: the health and future of American democracy itself…

Published on 8 months, 2 weeks ago

Amidst melting glaciers and rising seas, finding hope for the future on an Antarctic voyage

In January of 2019, journalist Elizabeth Rush joined 56 scientists and crew people aboard an ice-breaking research vessel to study the Thwaites glacier in Antarctica. The glacier, which is about the …

Published on 9 months ago

To understand Trump’s victory, look around the world

On November 5, Americans went to the polls and once again elected Donald Trump president of the United States. By this point, you probably know the broad strokes of his victory: He won every swing st…

Published on 9 months, 2 weeks ago

How control of Congress will shape US politics, no matter who’s elected president

On November 5, all eyes will be on the race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump for the White House. But no matter who wins the presidency, there’s another close co…

Published on 9 months, 4 weeks ago