With the historic candidacy of Hillary Clinton, feminism is front and center this election. Be it wage inequality, women’s health, or paid family leave, many issues important to women at both ends of the economic divide are hotly contested. Dinner table wars rage, as boomer women and their millennial daughters disagree on Clinton, Sanders, and what being a feminist means when it comes to the vote. In this episode we hear from women involved in modern feminism as well as politically-active millen...
Jul 26, 2016•56 min•Ep. 88
What do today’s Republicans believe America’s role in the world should be? This week’s episode features US Sen. Tom Cotton, R-AR, discussing his support for presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump. Trump has some very different ideas than the Republican foreign policy establishment about the global alliance system, free trade, and the current nuclear order. Cotton, a leading figure in Republican defense and foreign policy circles, explains the Republican worldview, Trump’s worldview, the O...
Jul 19, 2016•43 min•Ep. 87
Are we witnessing a new era in American politics? Two former Republican presidential candidates weigh in on the 2016 election. Newt Gingrich, former House Speaker, says the presidential race is unlike any he’s ever witnessed, characterized by rebellion against establishment politics in both parties. He predicts presumed Republican nominee Donald Trump will redefine the electoral map. Gingrich is being considered as a potential vice president by Trump. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is...
Jul 12, 2016•47 min•Ep. 86
On June 23, voters in the UK chose to leave the European Union. Three days after the vote, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde spoke at the Aspen Ideas Festival in Aspen, Colorado. She calls the decision to leave the EU “heartbreaking.” In this episode, Lagarde is interviewed by Jane Harman, president of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and trustee of the Aspen Institute. aspenideas.org
Jul 06, 2016•39 min•Ep. 85
TAKEOVER is a special series of episodes that puts you on the ground during the Aspen Ideas Festival in Aspen, Colorado. This episode features Pete Dominick (comedian, radio host) as takeover host in conversation with Michele Norris (journalist, The Race Card Project) and Alec Ross (Author, "The Industries of the Future"). Dominick infuses humor into interesting conversation about politics, culture and future business. Music: Gillicuddy, Podington Bear aspenideas.org...
Jul 03, 2016•39 min•Ep. 84
TAKEOVER is a special series of episodes that puts you on the ground during the Aspen Ideas Festival in Aspen, Colorado. This episode features Emily Yoffe (The Atlantic) as takeover host in conversation with Bryan Stevenson (Equal Justice Initiative), Helen Fisher (The Kinsey Institute, Match.com), and Geoffrey Stone (Univ. of Chicago Law School). Yoffe asks probing questions and touches on issues such as the Supreme Court, politics, and love and sex. Music: Gillicuddy, Podington Bear aspenideas...
Jul 02, 2016•56 min•Ep. 83
TAKEOVER is a special series of episodes that puts you on the ground during the Aspen Ideas Festival in Aspen, Colorado. This episode features Franklin Leonard (The Black List Table Reads podcast) as takeover host in conversation with Melody Barnes (former assistant to the president and director of the White House Domestic Policy Council; co-founder of MB2 Solutions), DeRay Mckesson (protestor, civil rights activist, and educator), and Sarah Lewis (author, curator, and assistant professor at Har...
Jul 01, 2016•41 min•Ep. 82
TAKEOVER is a special series of episodes that puts you on the ground during the Aspen Ideas Festival in Aspen, Colorado. This episode features Maria Hinojosa (NPR's Latino USA) as takeover host in conversation with Jose Antonio Vargas (journalist), Melvin Mar (producer, Fresh Off the Boat), and Roberto Villaseñor (former chief, Tucson Police Dept.). Music: Gillicuddy, Podington Bear aspenideas.org
Jun 30, 2016•40 min•Ep. 81
TAKEOVER is a special series of episodes that put you on the ground during the Aspen Ideas Festival in Aspen, Colorado. This episode features Perri Peltz (documentary filmmaker and journalist) as takeover host in conversation with Piper Kerman (author, Orange is the New Black), Seth Berkley (founder of International AIDS Vaccine Initiative), and Adam Foss (co-founder of Prosecutor Integrity Institute). Music: Gillicuddy, Podington Bear aspenideas.org...
Jun 28, 2016•34 min•Ep. 80
Homicide remains an endemic, seemingly unsolvable problem in America. And violent crime afflicts African-American communities to a much greater degree than others, as does mass incarceration — and police violence. What is the cause of this crisis? What is the role of culture? Are there any solutions? This episode features New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu who has been confronting this crisis head-on, in conversation with Ta-Nehisi Coates, national correspondent for The Atlantic, who has written w...
Jun 21, 2016•1 hr•Ep. 79
Every summer, writers, professors, artists, activists, and others deliver their “big ideas” at the Aspen Ideas Festival. The onstage advice celebrates the Festival itself, which brings together great thinkers to debate and discuss the most important and fascinating issues of our time. The Festival marks its twelfth year in late June. This episode features “big ideas” from as far back as 2007 that cover science, arts education, happiness, and technology. Physicist Brian Greene, opera singer Jessy...
Jun 14, 2016•52 min•Ep. 78
Author and filmmaker Negin Farsad calls herself a social justice comedian. She works to prove that humor - just like activism - can effectively challenge deep-seated and sclerotic prejudices about race and religion. In her recent book, How to Make White People Laugh , she addresses the mistreatment and misperceptions of Muslims in the US after 9/11. In this episode, she's joined by radio host Dean Obeidallah and Imam Daayiee Abdullah, president and founder of the Mecca Institute. He's one of the...
Jun 07, 2016•58 min•Ep. 77
Now, more than ever, a diversifying United States needs a shared base of knowledge. That’s according to Eric Liu, executive director of the Citizenship and American Identity Program at the Aspen Institute. He’s calling on the American public and cultural leaders to build a crowd-sourced national list of facts and references every American should know. In this “Extra” episode, he talks to David Henry Hwang, Tony-winning American playwright, screenwriter, and opera librettist. He is the child of C...
Jun 03, 2016•19 min•Ep. 76
Public radio host Diane Rehm lost her husband to Parkinson’s disease nearly two years ago. His was an unconventional death, where, in the end, he refused food, water, and medication. Physician-assisted suicide isn’t permitted in Maryland, the state where he died, so he took matters into his own hands. Now, Diane Rehm is an advocate in the right-to-die debate, or what she terms “right-to-choose.” In this episode, she talks about her memoir On My Own , which details the struggle to reconstruct her...
May 31, 2016•52 min•Ep. 75
Now, more than ever, a diversifying United States needs a shared base of knowledge. That’s according to Eric Liu, executive director of the Citizenship and American Identity Program at the Aspen Institute. He’s calling on the American public and cultural leaders to build a crowd-sourced national list of facts and references every American should know. In this “Extra” episode, he talks to Maria Hinojosa, an award-winning news anchor and reporter. She founded the Futuro Media Group and hosts Latin...
May 26, 2016•20 min•Ep. 74
First Lady Michelle Obama says play, nutrition, and physical activity aren’t available to every child and, that’s a problem. With the cost of sports participation around $2,200 each year per child, these opportunities are increasingly only available to wealthier families. Plus, a report from the Sports and Society Program at the Aspen Institute shows parents have concerns around risk of injury, the quality or behavior of coaches, time commitment, and the emphasis on winning over having fun. What...
May 23, 2016•44 min•Ep. 73
Now, more than ever, a diversifying United States needs a shared base of knowledge. That’s according to Eric Liu, executive director of the Citizenship and American Identity Program at the Aspen Institute. He’s calling on the American public and cultural leaders to build a crowd-sourced national list of facts and references every American should know. In this “Extra” episode, Liu talks to Colin Woodard, an award-winning author and journalist. In his book, “American Nations: A History of the Elev...
May 19, 2016•23 min•Ep. 72
Powerhouse literary couple Geraldine Brooks and Tony Horwitz didn’t start their careers writing books. The two were war correspondents covering events like the Gulf War in the 1990s. In this episode, Brooks and Horwitz are onstage for a lecture series held by Aspen Words, the literary organization of The Aspen Institute. Besides recalling their reporting experiences, the duo discuss what it takes to write a great book. Brooks is a Pulitzer Prize-winning historical novelist. Her first book Year o...
May 17, 2016•41 min•Ep. 71
Now, more than ever, a diversifying United States needs a shared base of knowledge. That’s according to Eric Liu, executive director of the Citizenship and American Identity Program at the Aspen Institute. He’s calling on the American public and cultural leaders to build a crowd-sourced national list of facts and references every American should know. In this “Extra” episode, he talks to Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Gates is a filmmaker, scholar, journalist and cultural critic. He offers his ideas on ...
May 12, 2016•20 min•Ep. 70
Cancer is the second leading cause of death among adults in the US and cancer care costs $125 billion a year. In this episode we hear from medical experts who have researched, written, and made progress in the fight against cancer. Ronald DePinho, president of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, says it’s an exciting time because research has shed light on the instigators of the disease. With the knowledge we have now, he says, up to half of all cancers can be prevented. He’s feat...
May 10, 2016•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 69
The Director of the FBI has said that the Bureau has counterterrorism investigations underway in all 50 states, underscoring the gravity of the “insider” terrorism threat in the United States. Simultaneously, terrorists from abroad, especially “foreign fighters” from among ISIL’s ranks, are seeking to enter Western countries. In this episode FBI Director James Comey speaks with Brooke Masters of the Financial Times about terrorism, cybercrime, an uptick in violence in minority communities in the...
May 03, 2016•40 min•Ep. 68
Best-selling author of "The First 20 Hours: How to Learn Anything Fast!" Josh Kaufman shares universal, field-tested approaches to effective learning and rapid skill acquisition in adults. From deconstructing complex skills to maximizing productive practice and removing common learning barriers, Kaufman describes how 20 hours of focused, deliberate practice can help you develop surprising levels of skill in any field. And, he may even play his Ukulele. (music bed: Podington Bear/Golden Hour) asp...
Apr 27, 2016•57 min•Ep. 67
The architecture of how we live our lives is badly in need of renovation and repair. One of the things that makes it harder to connect with ourselves - and thus our creativity, intuition, and wisdom - is our increasing dependence on technology. In this episode, Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington explains how devices, texts, emails, constant notifications, and social media are not just distractions, but addictions. Reimagining our relationship with technology can have a transformational i...
Apr 19, 2016•50 min•Ep. 2
As radical extremism in the Middle East continues to undermine global security, it's crucial to understand and counter its roots and appeal. This episode features a discussion between David Ignatius, columnist for the Washington Post, Farah Pandith, who's with the Council on Foreign Relations and Nicholas Burns, director of the Aspen Strategy Group. How do we confront radicalism in the Middle East? What does this nightmare mean for the United States? And, what about the refugee crisis? The panel...
Apr 12, 2016•44 min•Ep. 1
Raising a teenager can be a lot of work and there's hard science behind why adolescence is so challenging. Laurence Steinberg authored the book "Age of Opportunity: Lessons from the New Science of Adolescence." In this episode, he talks about how brain development doesn't stop at age three. There's another period where the brain is malleable: during adolescence. These years are key in determining individuals' life outcomes. How should we change the way we parent, educate, and understand young pe...
Apr 05, 2016•45 min•Ep. 3
Tom Kelley, author of Creative Confidence and partner at IDEO, says creativity and innovation aren't only reserved for "creative types," but everyone can tap into creative potential. In this episode, he recounts the stories of individuals who doubted their creativity but overcame fear to go on to do highly creative things. Also, we hear from leading neuroscientist Dr. Nancy Andreasen who researches highly creative people and how they think. Her work also examines the roles of nature v. nurture a...
Mar 29, 2016•1 hr•Ep. 4
What has the Obama Administration done for women and girls? How will their women and girls initiatives continue after the president leaves office? Tina Tchen, executive director for the White House Council on Women and Girls, talks about what's been done on the federal level since President Obama took office. She speaks with Jonathan Capehart of the Washington Post as part of the Aspen Forum on Women and Girls at the Aspen Institute. The event in March precedes the United State of Women Summit o...
Mar 22, 2016•44 min•Ep. 5
When it comes to the bottom line, corporate social responsibility sometimes pays, but sometimes does not, according to Jonathan Haidt of the NYU Stern School of Business. This episode features his lecture at the Aspen Ideas Festival. He says studies back up the notion that creating an ethical culture within your organization, and treating your employees well, always pays in the long run. Learn how business leaders and government regulators can work together to do much better "ethical systems des...
Mar 15, 2016•47 min•Ep. 6
Sifting through centuries of mythmaking, Reza Aslan sheds new light on one of history's most influential and enigmatic figures by examining Jesus within the context of the times in which he lived: the age of zealotry. Balancing the Jesus of the Gospels against historical sources, Aslan describes a man of peace who exhorted his followers to arm themselves; an exorcist and faith healer who urged his disciples to keep his identity secret; and the seditious "King of the Jews," whose promise of liber...
Mar 08, 2016•52 min•Ep. 7
In his book "The Black Presidency," Michael Eric Dyson explores the powerful, surprising way the politics of race have shaped Barack Obama’s identity and groundbreaking presidency. How has President Obama dealt publicly with race —as the national traumas of Tamir Rice, Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Freddie Gray, and Walter Scott have played out during his tenure? What can we learn from Obama's major race speeches about his approach to racial conflict and the black criticism it prov...
Mar 01, 2016•56 min•Ep. 8
