The Future of COVID-19 with Marc Lipsitch
Harvard epidemiologist and recurring guest Marc Lipsitch discusses what we can learn from omicron surge. Lipsitch also addresses some common omicron myths and discusses the possibility of a “master vaccine.”
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Every story has a backstory, even in today’s 24-hour news cycle. In Deep Background, Harvard Law School professor and Bloomberg View columnist Noah Feldman brings together a cross-section of expert guests to explore the historical, scientific, legal, and cultural context that help us understand what’s really going on behind the biggest stories in the news.
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Most Recent Episode
The Future of COVID-19 with Marc Lipsitch
Harvard epidemiologist and recurring guest Marc Lipsitch discusses what we can learn from omicron surge. Lipsitch also addresses some common omicron myths and discusses the possibility of a “master vaccine.”
How One Bank Shaped American Capitalism
Zachary Karabell, financial executive and historian, discusses his recent book Inside Money: Brown Brothers Harriman and the American Way of Power, outlining the formation of American capitalism told through the…
Inside The Facebook Oversight Board
Jamal Greene, co-chair of the Facebook Oversight Board, an independent governing body reviewing Facebook’s content moderation decisions and issuing binding rulings, explains the inner workings of the Board. Greene is…
What’s the Deal with Decentralized Autonomous Organizations?
Erik Voorhees, founder of crypto management platform ShapeShift, makes a case for decentralized autonomous organizations, known as DAOs. Earlier this year, ShapeShift became a DAO, “moving from a centralized, closed-source…
The Supply Chain Crisis Isn’t Going Away
Hannah Kain, CEO of supply chain management company Alom, shares her analysis of how we got into the supply chain crisis and the larger story it reveals about trade wars,…
James Carville Calls for Democratic Party Unity
Political strategist and media commentator James Carville shares his frank concerns about the Democratic party’s strategy and leadership. Carville discusses the risks of party disunity in this crucial time, the…
A New Media Business Model
Jason Feifer, editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine, discusses the complicated role of revenue in publishing, especially in the world of business media. He also gives a surprisingly frank look…
Miseducation and Climate Change
Katie Worth, investigative reporter and author of the new book Miseducation: How Climate Change Is Taught in America, reviewed science textbooks from all fifty states and travelled the country interviewing…
Deep Background Presents Miracle And Wonder: Conversations With Paul Simon
Presenting: An Excerpt from Miracle And Wonder: Conversations With Paul Simon by Malcolm Gladwell and Bruce Headlam. Download the audiobook today at miracleaudiook.com and receive an exclusive listener’s guide pdf featuring additional…
Calling Bullshit with Jill Louise Busby
Jill Louise Busby, a former “woke influencer” with the handle @JillisBlack, opens up about examining her own complicity and calling bullshit on herself. She also discusses performative social media practices,…
Deep Background Presents: The Broken Constitution Ep.3
The Broken Constitution is a miniseries by Unknown History from Quick and Dirty Tips and Pushkin Industries. In this final bonus episode, Noah Feldman explains the contradictions and calculations Lincoln…
The Billion Dollar Industry of Esports
Esports, the industry of competitive, entertainment-style video game play, is rapidly growing and redefining the gaming industry. Its popularity also raises questions about the future of sports entertainment more broadly.…
Deep Background Presents: The Broken Constitution Ep.2
The Broken Constitution is a miniseries by Unknown History from Quick and Dirty Tips and Pushkin Industries. In this second of three bonus episodes, Noah Feldman explains the decisions Lincoln…
Inside the NBA Players Association
Michele Roberts, executive director of the NBA Players Association, discusses how power is negotiated between NBA players and the league. She also comments on the rise of player activism and…
Deep Background Presents: The Broken Constitution Ep. 1
The Broken Constitution is a miniseries by Unknown History from Quick and Dirty Tips and Pushkin Industries. Over three bonus episodes, Noah Feldman talks about how Abraham Lincoln needed to…
Michael Pollan on The Power of Plants
Author Michael Pollan discusses the psychedelic powers of plants and the history of how humans have harnessed, ignored, and controlled these powers. He also discusses his prolific career and his…
Violence, Recovery and Modern Jewish Life with Mark Oppenheimer
Writer Mark Oppenheimer spent the last few years documenting the recovery of Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood, a historic Jewish neighborhood and site of the 2018 Tree of Life Synagogue mass…
Getting Answers on Vaccine Boosters
The process of approving booster shots for the COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. has been particularly fraught. Last week, two well-respected medical journals published contradictory conclusions regarding the use of…
The Power of The University
As we start a new school year, Tamar Gendler, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Yale, explains her vision for distributing power at Yale and the questionable…
Giving Away Power with Matthew Barzun
Matthew Barzun, a political fundraiser and diplomat who served as US Ambassador to the United Kingdom, explains his collectivist method of generating power, even on deeply divided issues. Barzun’s latest…
Imagining The New Normal
Dr. Susan Philip, Health Officer for the City and County of San Francisco and the Acting Director of the Population Health Division of the San Francisco Department of Public Health,…
We Lost The War in Afghanistan. Now What?
Emile Simpson, a military expert and veteran of the war in Afghanistan, discusses the end of the war in Afghanistan and the Taliban’s recent takeover. Simpson outlines the strategic failures…
Nikole Hannah-Jones on the Power of The 1619 Project
Nikole Hannah-Jones is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, a staff writer for the New York Times, a MacArthur Genius, and the creator of The 1619 Project. In this conversation, Noah…
Power in Publishing with Chris Jackson
Chris Jackson, publisher and editor-in-chief of Random House’s One World imprint, discusses the new literary movement he’s building with writers like Bryan Stevenson, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Nikole Hannah-Jones and Ibram X.…
Vitalik Buterin’s Plan for Legitimating Crypto
Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of the blockchain Ethereum, argues that cryptocurrency’s scarcest resource is legitimacy. Ethereum is the second-largest blockchain ecosystem, making Buterin one of the most influential individuals in the…
The Power of Teachers’ Unions
Randi Weingarten, President of the the American Federation of Teachers, the second largest teachers union in the country, weighs in on the power of teachers’ unions in the complicated decisions…
Power and Nations: Francis Fukuyama
On this Deep Background mini-series about global power, Francis Fukuyama weighs in on the decay of liberal democracy and the rise of China as a global superpower.Fukayama is a renowned…
Power and Nations: Anne-Marie Slaughter
Small groups of people make massive decisions about the future of our world. They’re global leaders, corporations, large NGOs, and the mega-rich. In this first episode in a mini-series on…
Is This A Breaking Point for Palestinian Israelis?
Palestinain Israeli human rights lawyer Rabea Eghbariah explains why violence erupted in Israel this month and what it might mean for the future of Palestinian Israelis.
Should Vaccination Be A Choice?
Dr. Heidi Larson, founding director of the Vaccine Confidence Project, discusses the complicated relationship between vaccine hesitancy, choice, and democracy. Dr. Larson is the author of the recent book, “Stuck:…
The Future Without Herd Immunity
Dr. Marc Lipsitch explains why it’s unlikely the United States will hit the threshold for herd immunity, and what that might mean for the future of the pandemic. He also…
BONUS: Understanding the Facebook Oversight Board Decision
Noah Feldman comments on the Facebook Oversight Board’s decision about Trump’s account.
Are the Kids Alright?
During the pandemic, we’ve been looking at our screens more than ever before. As the country starts reopening, what do we do about our kids’ extreme attachment to their devices?…
Is Crypto B******t?
Noah Feldman has a lot of questions about cryptocurrency. Is it currency or is it an asset? How should governments regulate it? Is it sustainable? Crypto pioneer Bobby Lee, co-founder…
Understanding Hate Crime Laws
Dr. Jeannine Bell, law professor at Indiana University who has studied hate crimes for more than 20 years, discusses the complex process of defining and charging someone with a hate…
The Future of the NCAA
A case currently before The Supreme Court presents the single largest legal battle the NCAA has ever faced. The case, which comes after years of player activism, argues that the…
Amazon and Inequality
Alec MacGillis, award-winning ProPublica journalist and author of the new book “Fulfilment: Winning and Losing in One Click America,” explains Amazon’s role in deepening America’s regional wealth disparities. He also…
Britney Spears’ Former Lawyer on Her Conservatorship
Britney Spears’ former lawyer Adam Streisand goes deep into the details of Britney’s conservatorship. He discusses his role in her case and his concerns about her conservatorship. He also explains…
Top Russian Journalist on Alexei Navalny
Did January’s pro-Navalny protests have a lasting impact in Russia? Russian investigative reporter Diana Kachalova, editor-in-chief of the St. Petersburg bureau of Novaya Gazeta, an independent Russian newspaper, joins us…
Bigger Than Texas
Alice Hill, former Special Assistant to President Obama and Senior Director for Resilience Policy on the National Security Council, explains what Texas’ electrical grid collapse means for our country’s infrastructure…
“Drug Use for Grown Ups” with Dr. Carl Hart
Dr. Carl Hart, neuroscientist and author of the provocative new book “Drug Use for Grown Ups: Chasing Liberty in the Land of Fear” questions the way we understand, regulate, and…
The Impeachment Era
Why are presidential impeachments happening more often? Are impeachments futile if they don’t end in a conviction? What did Hamilton and Madison overlook about the impeachment and the transition of…
Inside Facebook’s Decision to Ban Trump
Monika Bickert, Vice President of Content Policy at Facebook, takes us inside the decision to indefinitely suspend former President Donald Trump’s account. Host Noah Feldman details what this move means…
Noah Feldman on Axios Today About the Impeachment Trial
Noah Feldman is a guest on this episode of Axios Today, discussing the constitutionality of the impeachment trial.
GameStop Is Just The Beginning
Alexis Goldstein, a former Wall Street business analyst and senior policy analyst at Americans for Financial Reform, discusses why GameStop’s wild ride is not actually a David vs. Goliath story. She…
The New Coronavirus Strains
Harvard epidemiologist Marc Lipsitch shares his concerns about the emerging COVID variants from the UK, South Africa, and Brazil. He also discusses how these new variants could impact vaccine rollout…
The Inaugural Episode
Presidential historian Douglas Brinkley shares his predictions and warnings for writing historical narratives about the end of the Trump presidency. He also discusses Trump’s decision to not attend the inauguration…
Vaccinating America
Michelle Mello, a professor of law at Stanford Law School and a professor of medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine, discusses the practical and ethical questions surrounding the distribution…
Finding Peace in Turbulent Times
Michael Alexander, a professor of religious studies at the University of California, Riverside and the author of the new book “Making Peace with the Universe,” discusses how different spiritual masters…
The Power of the Presidential Pardon
Seth Berman, a former state and federal prosecutor and a visiting lecturer at Harvard Law School, discusses how Trump could use his pardoning power before leaving office.
The Big Data Revolution
Eric Lander, the head of the Broad Institute and the host of the Pushkin podcast “Brave New Planet,” explains how big data helped scientists in the search for COVID-19 vaccines.
What We Know about the COVID-19 Vaccines
Dr. Paul Offit, a professor of vaccinology at the University of Pennsylvania and member of the F.D.A.’s vaccine advisory panel, discusses how the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines work and how…
Becoming a District Attorney
Tali Farhadian Weinstein, the host of the Pushkin podcast “Hearing” and a candidate to become the next District Attorney of Manhattan, discusses how she thinks local prosecution can be reformed…
The Election and the Courts
Richard Pildes, a professor at New York University School of Law who specializes in legal issues affecting democracy, discusses the role that the courts could play in this election.Note: This…
Deep Bench: The Coming War
Over the past few weeks on Deep Background, in addition to our regular show, we’re bringing you a special five-part series about the Supreme Court’s dramatic rightward turn.In this fifth…
The Road out of the Pandemic
Marc Lipsitch, a professor of epidemiology at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, comes back to Deep Background to discuss where we are now in the fight against COVID-19.
Deep Bench: Donald Trump’s ‘Very Excellent List’
For the next few weeks on Deep Background, in addition to our regular show, weâre bringing you a special five-part series about the Supreme Courtâs dramatic rightward turn.In this fourth…
Deep Bench: Winning
For the next few weeks on Deep Background, in addition to our regular show, we’re bringing you a special five-part series about the Supreme Court’s dramatic rightward turn.In this third…
The Election Pollster’s Song
Anthony Salvanto, CBS News’ director of Elections and Surveys, discusses the latest polling data and how to make sense of it. Learn more about your ad choices.
Deep Bench: The Vision Thing
For the next few weeks on Deep Background, in addition to our regular show, we’re bringing you a special five-part series about the Supreme Court’s dramatic rightward turn.In this second…
Deep Bench: How to Start a Revolution
For the next few weeks on Deep Background, in addition to our regular show we’re bringing you a special five-part series about the Supreme Court’s dramatic rightward turn.This episode: the…
Will Trump Concede?
Adam Przeworski, a politics professor at New York University and one of the world’s foremost scholars on democratic transitions, explains his worries about a peaceful transfer of power.
A Former Surgeon General on the Coronavirus Pandemic
Dr. Vivek Murthy, the former Surgeon General of the United States and health care advisor to Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, discusses how to rebuild public trust in science, why…
Remembering Justice Ginsburg
Richard Primus, a professor at the University of Michigan Law School and a former clerk of Justice Ginsburg, discusses what it was like to work for the Justice, her legacy,…
Why a Leading Election Scholar Can’t Sleep
Nathaniel Persily, a Stanford Law professor who specializes in election law, discusses his biggest concerns about the upcoming election.
The Allure of QAnon
Adrian Hon, the CEO of the gaming company Six to Start, says the conspiracy theory QAnon is compelling to believers because it operates a bit like a virtual quest.Learn more…
‘Where Is The Truth Going to Come From?’
Dr. Walid Gellad, the Director of the Center for Pharmaceutical Policy and Prescribing at the University of Pittsburgh, discusses a misleading statement from the FDA about convalescent plasma as a…
Can the Post Office Handle the Election?
Elaine Kamarck, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who studies the post office and electoral politics, discusses whether the agency can handle a pandemic election.
How to Safely Reopen Schools
Dr. Sean O’Leary, a professor of pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Colorado and the vice chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on Infectious Diseases, discusses what…
FREEDOM OF SPEECH: Nadine Strossen
Nadine Strossen, a former president of the ACLU and author of the book “HATE: Why We Should Resist it With Free Speech, Not Censorship,” explains what the left needs to…
FREEDOM OF SPEECH: Eugene Volokh
Eugene Volokh, a professor of law at the University of California, Los Angeles, discusses workplace harassment, racial discrimination, and the First Amendment.
FREEDOM OF SPEECH: Osita Nwanevu
Osita Nwanevu, a staff writer at The New Republic, explains why he’s not worried about “cancel culture.”
FREEDOM OF SPEECH: Suzanne Nossel
For the next couple of weeks on Deep Background, we’re bringing you a special series exploring questions of liberty, equality, and freedom of speech, To kick off our series, Suzanne…
SPECIAL: Turning Fact into Fiction with Roxane Gay
Roxane Gay, the best-selling author of Bad Feminist and Hunger and the co-host of the podcast Hear to Slay, discusses her new short story "String Theory."You can listen to "String…
A Commitment to Justice
Debo Adegbile, who twice defended the Voting Rights Act before the Supreme Court, discusses John Lewis’ legacy.
Is Coronavirus the End of Cities?
Jennifer Bradley, the Founding Director of the Center for Urban Innovation at the Aspen Institute, discusses how the coronavirus has changed cities, in some ways for the better. Plus, in…
The Coronavirus is Mutating
Neville Sanjana, a geneticist at the New York Genome Center and New York University, discusses his research into a coronavirus mutation that may be helping the virus spread faster. Plus,…
Vaccines and New Treatments for COVID-19
Dr. Saad Omer, the director of the Yale Institute for Global Health, brings us up to speed on the latest coronavirus research. Plus, Noah analyzes the Supreme Court DACA ruling.
How to Have a Life in the Pandemic
Julia Marcus, an epidemiologist and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, discusses how to assess risk when engaging in different social activities.
LGBTQ Rights and the Supreme Court
William Eskridge, a professor at Yale Law School and author of the forthcoming book "Marriage Equality: From Outlaws to In-Laws," discusses this week’s historic Supreme Court ruling that protects gay…
Protests in a Pandemic
Dr. Manisha Juthani, an infectious disease specialist and associate professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine, provides tips for protesting safely and explains why she chose to participate.
The Barriers to Reform
Paul Butler, a law professor at Georgetown, a former federal prosecutor and the author of the book "Chokehold: Policing Black Men," on policing, George Floyd, and the Black Lives Matter…
Why Debt Isn’t Always a Bad Thing
Jason Furman, a professor of the Practice of Economic Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, explains why we don’t need to be too concerned about the mounting federal debt caused…
A Top Obama Official on Police Brutality
Vanita Gupta, the former head of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, discusses the protests across the country, and the reforms she would make to how policing works…
How Accurate Are Antibody Tests?
Dr. Alex Marson, the Director of the Gladstone-UCSF Institute for Genomic Immunology, explains what antibodies tests can and cannot tell us.
On the Front Lines
Dr. Emily Rubin, a critical care pulmonologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, discusses what she has learned from treating coronavirus patients since March.
The Second (and Third, and Fourth) Wave of COVID-19
Yonatan Grad, an assistant professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, explains why we may have to practice social distancing intermittently until 2022.
Coronavirus and Climate Change
Bill McKibben, who was one of the first people to warn us about climate change more than 30 years ago with his book "The End Of Nature," discusses what COVID-19…
BONUS: How the Bond Market Broke in March
In this bonus episode, Boaz Weinstein, founder of the hedge fund Saba Capital, tells the story of how the bond market broke for a few days in March.
The Financial Markets and COVID-19
Boaz Weinstein, founder of the hedge fund Saba Capital, discusses why the stock market seems to be doing relatively well when the economy is in shambles.
SPECIAL: Noah’s New Book
Jacob Weisberg, the CEO of Pushkin Industries, interviews Noah Feldman about his new book "The Arab Winter: A Tragedy" which comes out today.
The Global Fight Against COVID-19
Nader Mousavizadeh, who formerly served in the Executive Office of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, explains why international organizations like the WHO and the UN have not been able to effectively…
When Will We Have a Vaccine?
Akiko Iwasaki, a professor of immunobiology at Yale University School of Medicine, explains what types of coronavirus vaccines are currently being researched and evaluates their chances of success.
What to Read During a Pandemic
Marta Figlerowicz, an associate professor of comparative literature and English at Yale, discusses classic works of literature about pandemics from Boccaccio’s “The Decameron” to Camus’ “The Plague.” Plus, she psychoanalyzes…
A New Strategy in the Fight Against COVID-19
Dr. Louise Ivers, the executive director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Global Health, explains why states like Massachusetts are investing in a strategy called contact tracing to stop…
The Way Out of the Pandemic? Generosity.
Pardis Sabeti, a computational biologist at Harvard and the Broad Institute, discusses when and how to re-open colleges and universities, why the US is behind other countries when it comes…
The Roadblocks to Mass Testing
Omai Garner, the director of clinical microbiology testing at UCLA Health, explains why more Americans have not been tested for COVID-19.
Modeling the Coronavirus
Carl Bergstrom, a computational biologist at the University of Washington and co-author of the forthcoming book "Calling Bullshit: The Art of Skepticism in a Data-Driven World," explains how to make…
A Profound Economic Problem
Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers helped get us through the 2008 financial crisis. He has some ideas about what to do to get through this one.
Passover, Plagues, and Coronavirus
To mark the start of Passover, Idan Dershowitz, a biblical scholar and junior fellow at the Harvard Society of Fellows, discusses the ten plagues of Egypt in the context of…
What Happens If We Run out of Ventilators?
Lydia Dugdale, the Director of the Center for Clinical Medical Ethics at Columbia University, discusses how medical supplies will likely be allocated if there are shortages.
The Search for a Treatment
Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, discusses what treatments for COVID-19 are currently being researched, and why rushing the scientific process can be risky.
A Nobel Prize Winner’s Suggestion for Fixing the Economy
Paul Romer, a Nobel Prize-winning economist at New York University, argues that we can keep the economy from tanking during the coronavirus pandemic without risking people’s health. We just need…
How to Stay Sane During a Pandemic
Dr. Laurie Santos, a Professor of Psychology at Yale, shares tips for dealing with coronavirus-induced anxiety. For further listening, check out Laurie’s podcast “The Happiness Lab,” also from Pushkin Industries.
Fighting Coronavirus with Data
Farzad Mostashari, the former National Coordinator for Health Information Technology at the Department of Health and Human Services, says we need to collect better data to effectively fight the spread…
Prisons and Jails Are a Coronavirus Time Bomb
Homer Venters, the former Chief Medical Officer for the New York City Jail system, says that we need to stop the spread of coronavirus in prisons, jails, and detention centers…
Signs and Symptoms of COVID-19
Dr. Rebecca Berman, program director for UCSF’s Internal Medicine Residency, discusses the signs and symptoms of COVID-19, what to do if you feel sick, and tips for self isolating safely.…
Cooking Through the Crisis with Mark Bittman
With restaurants and bars across the country temporarily closing down due to concerns about the novel coronavirus, many of us are finding ourselves cooking for the first time in a…
Civil Liberties in the Time of COVID-19
Richard Lazarus, a law professor at Harvard and a leading Supreme Court advocate, discusses where public health stops and our individual liberties begin. Plus, what does it mean that the…
The Economic Impact of COVID-19
Stefanie Stantcheva, Professor of Economics at Harvard, discusses the economic harms of COVID-19 and measures governments can take to soften the blow of a recession.
What We Know About How Coronavirus Spreads
Siddhartha Mukherjee, physician, researcher, and author of the 2011 Pulitzer-Prize winning book The Emperor of All Maladies, discusses what we know about how coronavirus spreads and what we don’t know.…
The View from Beijing
In an effort to curtail the spread of coronavirus, much of China is essentially under lockdown. Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist Ian Johnson talks about what life is like in the capital…
The Coronavirus Isn’t Going Away
Marc Lipsitch, an epidemiologist at Harvard University, predicts that between 40 to 70 percent of adults in the world will become infected with the coronavirus.
Elif Shafak’s ‘Multiple Belongings’
Bestselling British-Turkish writer Elif Shafak discusses her latest novel, â10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World,â Turkeyâs "backward slide," and what it means to be a citizen of the…
An Interview with the Next Vice President of the United States
Stacey Abrams talks about how to create lasting social change, her thoughts on 2020, and her plans for the future.
Malcolm Gladwell and ‘Magical Technical Fixes’
Malcom Gladwell and Noah Feldman discuss whether we should add more states to the union, and why Americans are always searching for "magical technical fixes." For further listening check out…
Bonus: The Oscars
Charles Randolph, the screenwriter behind “The Big Short” and “Bombshell” discusses turning real life stories into Hollywood movies, and shares what he would like to change about the Academy Awards.
We Testified for Impeachment and It Made No Difference
Noah Feldman and University of North Carolina School of Law Professor Michael J. Gerhardt both testified in front of the House Judiciary Committee as part of the impeachment inquiry into…
The History of Policing in Cars
Sarah Seo, the author of How Cars Transformed Policing, talks to us about what rights we have in our cars, and what rights we don’t.
Truth in the Time of Deepfakes
Boston University School of Law Professor Danielle Citron says that deepfakes are just going to get more and more convincing, but there are sill certain things we can do to…
The Gig is Up
A new California law, known as AB 5, will make it harder for app-based companies like Uber and Lyft to classify their workers as independent contractors rather than employees. We…
The Opioid Epidemic and the Courts
Who is responsible for the opioid epidemic? Yale Law Professor Abbe Gluck walks us through the massively complex opioid litigation.
The End of Ebola
The Ebola outbreak in The Democratic Republic of Congo is slowing down, and a new Ebola vaccine is likely to get approved by the European Commission. Leading Ebola researcher Pardis…
An Experiment in Universal Basic Income
As Universal Basic Income becomes a talking point in the Democratic Primary race, one city has already started. Last February, the city of Stockton, California randomly selected 150 residents to…
Why Economists Should Act More Like Weather Forecasters
International Monetary Fund advisor Prakash Loungani explains why economists have such a terrible track record when it comes to predicting recessions. Plus, Noah reflects on the Washington Nationals heading to…
The Lawyer and the Mobster
Jack Goldsmith thinks his stepfather has long been unjustly suspected of being involved in the disappearance of the influential labor organizer Jimmy Hoffa. Noah Feldman speaks to him about his…
The Impeachment Episode
Noah Feldman speaks with his friend and legal expert Seth Berman about what to watch for as the impeachment inquiry into President Trump unfolds.
Saudi Arabia’s ‘Genius’ Crown Prince
Mohammad bin Salman, Saudi Arabiaâs Crown prince, seems to have charmed President Trump. But Bernard Haykel, a professor of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University, says his "revolution" is mostly…
Live Episode: Noah Feldman and Malcolm Gladwell
Noah Feldman speaks to author and Pushkin co-founder Malcolm Gladwell about his new book "Talking to Strangers" in Boston, MA, at an event organized by the Harvard Bookstore. They discuss…
Trump’s ‘Dangerous’ Iran Policy
Is Donald Trump leading the US into war with Iran? Middle East scholar Vali Nasr says it definitely seems like it.
A Solution for Algorithmic Bias
Algorithms can determine everything from what ads you see on the internet to the interest rates on your loan. And they aren’t always exactly fair. Nicol Turner Lee, a fellow…
Affirmative Action Isn’t Enough
This year, only seven black students were accepted to Stuyvesant, one of New York’s most prestigious public high schools. Harvard Law Professor Randy Kennedy says that to address the racial…
The Party of Ideas
The Republican party used to tout itself as the party of ideas. Now it seems to be the party of Donald Trump. Conservative thinker Peter Wehner explains what he thinks…
A Genetic Engineer’s Perspective on ‘Designer Babies’
A Chinese scientist reportedly edited the genes of two baby twin girls last year to protect them from the AIDS virus. Harvard geneticist George Church believes we will be hearing…
Inside MS-13
Hannah Dreier won a Pulitzer for her ProPublica investigation “Trapped in Gangland” about the international criminal gang MS-13. She says we can’t beat the gang if we don’t understand it.
Disappearing Species
According to a new UN report, a million species are at risk of extinction. New Yorker staff writer Elizabeth Kolbert says you should be seriously worried -- even if you…
What is a Concentration Camp?
Andrea Pitzer, the author of "One Long Night: A Global History of Concentration Camps," argues that the US government is currently operating a concentration camp system along the southern border.
Democracy’s Midlife Crisis
Cambridge professor David Runciman thinks that democracy is in an midlife crisis. He also thinks that might not be bad.
A Hidden Reason Behind France’s "Yellow Vest" Protests
For Bastille Day, an interview with French journalist Agnes C. Poirier about the causes of the "Yellow Vest" protests which rocked the country last fall.
How to Report on the Russia Investigation
Robert Mueller, the special counsel who led the federal investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, is famously tight-lipped. CNN’s Laura Jarrett explains what she has learned from reporting…
Living Stonewall
Mark Segal and Joan Nestle were both living in New York City at the time of the Stonewall Uprising. Fifty years after the historic event, they reflect on how it…
Inside the Mind of a Dictator
In her new book, "The Great Successor: The Divinely Perfect Destiny of Brilliant Comrade Kim Jong Un," Anna Fifield tries to make sense of North Korea’s secretive leader.
What to Watch in 2020
The 2020 election is shaping up to be one of the most important elections in recent memory. Brookings fellow Andre Perry discusses why black voters and black women in particular…
Trade Wars
Harvard Law Professor Mark Wu discusses the inevitable structural changes taking place in U.S.-China trade relations and how President Donald Trump has impacted these shifts.
Roe v Wade Overturned
Women’s rights lawyer Kathryn Kolbert argued the pro-choice case last time a serious attempt was made to overturn Roe v Wade. She explains her concerns that the Supreme Court might…
Staring into a Black Hole
The first-ever image of a black hole was a monumental scientific achievement. Harvard physicist Andrew Strominger talks about what the discovery means for the present and future.
How Socialism Was Weaponized
The word "Socialism" is often demonized in American politics, but is that criticism warranted? Professor Sean Wilentz of Princeton University walks us through the history of American socialism and how…
Criminal Justice Reform and The Abolition of Prisons
Historian and author Khalil Gibran Muhammad discusses the state of criminal justice and prisons in America and whether the country should take drastic steps toward reform.
The History of the White Power Movement
Historian Kathleen Belew discusses the modern history of the white power movement and the often overlooked connection between incidents like Charlottesville and the Oklahoma City bombing.
Is Merit Real?
Asha Rangappa, a former FBI agent and the former dean of admissions at Yale Law School, gives us a unique perspective on the college admissions scandal.
The Host
Noah Feldman
Noah Feldman is the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law at Harvard Law School and director of its Julis-Rabinowitz Program on Jewish and Israeli Law. He specializes in constitutional studies and…
