From Coddling to Crisis. Today, we trace the trajectory of student fragility from playgrounds to classrooms. Welcome to Heterodox Out Loud. In today's episode, our host, John Tomasi, talks with social psychologist and best-selling author Jonathan Haidt about his new book, The Anxious Generation. The book delves into the increasing levels of anxiety and emotional distress experienced by teens today. During their discussion, Haidt emphasizes the significant shift from a play-based childhood to a s...
May 09, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 15
Is diversity simply a box-checking exercise, or does it hold a deeper significance in academia? Today we're joined by Azim Shariff, Ph.D, a distinguished professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia, to explore the complex landscape of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in higher education. In this conversation, John Tomasi and Azim delve deep into the multifaceted approach to DEI, discussing the pressing need to rethink and clarify the rationale behind diversity in faculty ...
Apr 24, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 14
Discover how Ivy League schools might be shortchanging taxpayers to the tune of billions! Today, we're peeling back the layers of an issue that hits our wallets and our values: the billion-dollar taxpayer support of Ivy League institutions. Host John Tomasi is joined by Adam Andrzejewski, founder and CEO of "Open the Books," an advocate for transparency in public finances. Adam brings to light a staggering reality: Over a recent five-year period, Ivy League schools amassed fortunes at the taxpay...
Apr 10, 2024•48 min•Season 2Ep. 13
What really happened in 1945? Explore how students grapple with historical events and figures to understand their distinctness and uniqueness. In this episode of Heterodox Out Loud, host John Tomasi interviews Professor Mark Carnes of Barnard College. Professor Carnes talks about his innovative approach to teaching history, which he calls "reacting to the past." He explains how this method challenges traditional teaching by immersing students in historical contexts through Live-Action Role-Playi...
Mar 27, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 12
With the changing 'diploma divide,' what does the new correlation between education and party affiliation tell us about American politics? Today, we're joined by the insightful Diana Mutz as we explore the intriguing shifts within the ideological landscape of higher education and its broader implications for American politics. Universities, once beacons of diverse thought, appear now as battlegrounds of ideological conformity. In this episode of Heterodox Out Loud, we explore the complexities su...
Mar 13, 2024•57 min•Season 2Ep. 11
Can we restore the fractured trust in science and steer public health back to its noble roots? Welcome to Heterodox Out Loud. Today, we are joined by Sandro Galea, M.D., M.P.H., Dr.P.H, who provides insights that challenge us to confront the post-pandemic skepticism clouding the scientific community. In this episode, we will delve into a conversation that dissects how the clamor of political bias and social media frenzy has overshadowed the value of nuanced scientific discourse during COVID-19. ...
Feb 28, 2024•53 min•Season 2Ep. 10
Today, John Tomasi and award-winning journalist Jamie Kalven explore the complexities surrounding the idea of institutional neutrality within universities and its implications for promoting intellectual freedom and robust argument. They delve into the Kalven Report of 1967 from the University of Chicago. This landmark report sought to balance the preservation of academic freedom with the responsibility to uphold the university's mission and values. The report's nuanced approach is examined in th...
Feb 14, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Are our higher education institutions still nurturing true intellectual diversity? Our guest today is Steven Pinker, a cognitive scientist at Harvard, and today, we'll be exploring the growing concerns within higher ed that institutions are turning into echo chambers, stifling dissent and censoring certain perspectives. In this thought-provoking episode, we'll be discovering the challenges to academic freedom in the era of cancel culture. We'll explore how questioning a consensus can now come at...
Jan 31, 2024•58 min•Season 2Ep. 8
In this episode of Heterodox Out Loud, John Tomasi speaks with Alexandra Lysova. Alexandra Lysova, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the School of Criminology at Simon Fraser University (SFU) in Vancouver/Burnaby, Canada. Her research career, spanning more than 20 years, focuses on intimate partner violence, including violence against men, women and children. Having experienced limitations on freedoms in Russia, where Alexandra grew up, she has developed a heightened appreciation for democratic...
Jan 17, 2024•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 7
In this episode of Heterodox Out Loud, John Tomasi speaks with Musa Al-Gharbi. Musa is a Paul F. Lazarsfeld Fellow in Sociology. His research explores how we think about, talk about, and produce knowledge about social phenomena including race, inequality, social movements, extremism, policing, national security, foreign policy and domestic U.S. political contests. In this episode of Heterodox Out Loud, we talk about ideological differences in society, bridging the ideological divide in America. ...
Jan 03, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Season 2Ep. 6
In this episode of Heterodox Out Loud, John Tomasi speaks with Greg Lukianoff, an attorney, New York Times best-selling author, and the President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). He is the author of Unlearning Liberty: Campus Censorship and the End of American Debate , Freedom From Speech , and FIRE’s Guide to Free Speech on Campus . Most recently, he co-authored The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation...
Dec 13, 2023•56 min•Season 2Ep. 5
In this episode of Heterodox Out Loud, John Tomasi speaks with Carole Hooven, Ph.D., a Lecturer and Co-director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University. We talk with Carole about Sex & Gender, her cancellation story, and the role of scientists in fostering a free speech culture. Heterodox Out Loud Heterodox Out Loud with John Tomasi is a biweekly podcast featuring conversations with people across the academy and beyond. Listen to insight...
Nov 29, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Season 2Ep. 4
In this episode of Heterodox Out Loud, John Tomasi speaks with Pano Kanelos, President of the University of Austin, Texas (UATX). Kanelos is a leading advocate for free speech and open inquiry in higher education. He believes that UATX can offer a better alternative to the current system, which is often characterized by censorship and groupthink. Heterodox Out Loud Heterodox Out Loud with John Tomasi is a biweekly podcast featuring conversations with people across the academy and beyond. Listen ...
Nov 15, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Heterodox Out Loud Heterodox Out Loud with John Tomasi is a biweekly podcast featuring conversations with people across the academy and beyond. Listen to insightful, thought-provoking episodes from the HxA community by adding our podcast to your lineup. Follow Eric Kaufmann on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/epkaufm/with_replies Website: https://www.sneps.net/ Follow Heterodox Academy on: Twitter: https://bit.ly/3Fax5Dy Facebook: https://bit.ly/3PMYxfw LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/48IYeuJ Instagram: h...
Nov 02, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 2
In this episode of Heterodox Out Loud, John Tomasi speaks with Yascha Mounk. Yascha is a German born political scientist, author, and lecturer known for his research on the rise of populism and the challenges to liberal democracy. He has authored several influential books, including "Stranger in My Own Country", "The People vs. Democracy", and his new book, "The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time" explores the rise of identity politics and its implications for social justice.B...
Oct 18, 2023•1 hr 43 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Heterodox Out Loud, hosted by HxA president, John Tomasi, is an ongoing podcast featuring conversations with people across the academy and beyond. Listen to insightful, thought-provoking episodes from the HxA community by adding our podcast to your lineup. Follow Heterodox Academy on: Twitter: https://bit.ly/3Fax5Dy Facebook: https://bit.ly/3PMYxfw LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/48IYeuJ Instagram: https://bit.ly/46HKfUg Substack: https://bit.ly/48IhjNF 🔗 Find out more about Heterodox Academy at: http...
Oct 18, 2023•1 min
In our final episode of Heterodox Out Loud, we will listen to the first blog post on the Heterodox Academy website: “Welcome to Heterodox Academy.” It was written in September of 2015 by Jonathan Haidt, sharing his vision of building a community of people who treasure open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and constructive disagreement. Let us know what you think! For comments and questions email communications@heterodoxacademy.org . This episode was hosted by Zach Rausch, and produced by Davies Con...
Jul 30, 2022•6 min•Season 1Ep. 44
In this episode of Heterodox Out Loud , we speak with Jonathan Zimmerman, Professor of History of Education at the University of Pennsylvania about why social class is one of the last acceptable prejudices in many academic circles — and what we can do about it. Jon has written numerous books, including The Amateur Hour: A History of College Teaching in America and Free Speech, and Why You Should Give a Damn . He has also written for the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Philadelphia Inqui...
Jul 21, 2022•28 min•Season 1Ep. 43
In this special episode of Heterodox Out Loud , recorded in-person at Heterodox Academy’s 2022 conference in Denver, we speak with Glenn Loury, Professor of the Social Sciences and Economics at Brown University, and John McWhorter, Professor of Linguistics at Columbia University. John has authored over 20 books on issues of race and language and writes a widely-read biweekly newsletter for the New York Times. Glenn has published numerous influential books on race, inequality, and economics. He i...
Jul 07, 2022•22 min•Season 1Ep. 42
In this special episode of Heterodox Out Loud , recorded in-person at Heterodox Academy’s 2022 conference in Denver, we speak with Batya Ungar-Sargon about the declining trust in American journalism, whether trust is warranted at all, and how higher education may be contributing to this growing problem. Our guest is Batya Ungar-Sargon, deputy opinion-editor of Newsweek magazine. Batya is the author of Bad News: How Woke Media Is Undermining Democracy. Let us know what you think! For comments and...
Jun 30, 2022•19 min•Season 1Ep. 41
In this episode of Heterodox Out Loud , we explore the history of free speech, how the understanding of it has changed, and the volatile swings in public opinion about this core value. Our guest is Jacob Mchangama, a Danish lawyer, human-rights advocate, and social commentator. He is the founder and director of Justitia, a Copenhagen-based think tank focusing on human rights, freedom of speech, and the rule of law. He’s also the author of the acclaimed new book, “ Free Speech: A History from Soc...
Jun 16, 2022•31 min•Season 1Ep. 40
In this episode of Heterodox Out Loud , we look at a deeply counterintuitive claim within the free speech movement in higher education: that mandatory faith statements at universities may actually support and advance academic freedom. Our guest is Shirley Mullen, who served as president of Houghton College for 15 years, retiring in May of 2021. Prior to becoming Houghton’s president, she served at various times as a classroom professor, chief academic officer and residence life director. Blog po...
Jun 02, 2022•36 min•Season 1Ep. 39
In this episode of Heterodox Out Loud , we’re giving our podcast community a first look at the vital conversations to expect at HxA Conference 2022 in Denver this June, as we host a discussion between two of our conference speakers on the crisis of trust in higher education—a central theme in both our upcoming conference and summer programming. Our guests on the show are Kyle Vitale, HxA’s Director of Programs and Erec Smith, Associate Professor of Rhetoric at York College of Pennsylvania and co...
May 21, 2022•30 min•Season 1Ep. 38
In this special episode of Heterodox Out Loud , we’re sharing excerpts from a personal and wide-ranging interview between Heterodox Academy President, John Tomasi, and philosopher turned podcast host, Zohar Atkins. We hear Tomasi discuss his deep interest in philosophy, how skepticism and faith can be friends, and the challenges he’s faced throughout his career, both as an academic and now as president of Heterodox Academy. You can hear the full 70 minute interview on Zohar’s podcast, Meditation...
May 05, 2022•21 min•Season 1Ep. 37
In this episode of Heterodox Out Loud , we explore the flawed human tendency to reject and censor opposing arguments — especially when they contradict values and beliefs that are held with conviction. Our guest on the show, Robert George, the sixth McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and Director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University, explains how we can remain confident and passionate in our commitments, while also embracing and engaging oppos...
Apr 21, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 36
In this episode of Heterodox Out Loud , we explore a concept revered by many and challenged by few in higher education—the value of diversity. We look beyond the surface of this belief, and consider how different kinds of diversity impact team building, decision making, and collective intelligence. Our guest on the show is Ravi Kudesia, Assistant Professor at the Fox School of Business at Temple University. He teaches courses on Power, Influence, and Negotiation, has won numerous teaching awards...
Apr 07, 2022•28 min•Season 1Ep. 35
On part 1 of this episode of Heterodox Out Loud , we’ll listen to Jonathan Haidt’s edited summary of a seminal academic paper that helped lead to the founding of Heterodox Academy. The original paper, “ Political Diversity Will Improve Social Psychological Science, ” was published in Behavioral and Brain Sciences in 2015, and was written by Jonathan Haidt, Lee Jussim, Jose Duarte, Jarret Crawford, Phil Tetlock, and Charlotta Stern. Make sure to listen to listen to part 2 where we speak with co-a...
Mar 25, 2022•29 min•Season 1Ep. 34
On part 2 of this episode of Heterodox Out Loud , we continue exploring how political bias in academia can solidify into orthodoxies that undermine truth-seeking and critical inquiry. We speak with co-author of Political Diversity Will Improve Social Psychological Science , Lee Jussim, Social Psychologist and Distinguished Professor at Rutgers University. Lee has published numerous articles and edited several books on social perception, accuracy, self-fulfilling prophecies, and stereotypes. For ...
Mar 24, 2022•23 min•Season 1Ep. 33
On today's episode of Heterodox Out Loud , we explore the possibility that the ongoing crisis of free inquiry and viewpoint diversity in universities is not a sudden aberration, but instead the inevitable outcome of a rigid, top-down university system. From undermining students’ natural curiosity to increasing stress and anxiety, we talk with Dylan Selterman—Social-Personality Psychologist and Associate Teaching Professor at Johns Hopkins University—about the flaws in our current education syste...
Mar 10, 2022•25 min•Season 1Ep. 32
Why do some academic fields have political disparities among professors between 40/100:1 (liberals to conservatives), while other fields have little to no disparity at all? For answers, we talk with John Paul Wright, professor of Criminology at the University of Cincinnati. He explains that the political disparities that exist can be understood if we dive into the research on the development of criminal gangs. John’s blog: “ Political Disparities in the Academy: It’s More Than Self-Selection ” L...
Feb 24, 2022•29 min•Season 1Ep. 31
