Aspen Ideas to Go
The Aspen InstituteAspen Ideas to Go
Aspen Ideas to Go is a show about bold ideas that will open your mind. Featuring compelling conversations with the world’s top thinkers and doers from a diverse range of disciplines, Aspen Ideas to Go gives you front-row access to the Aspen Ideas Festival.
2025 The Aspen Institute
Aspen Ideas to Go is a show about bold ideas that will open your mind. Featuring compelling conversations with the world’s top thinkers and doers from a diverse range of disciplines, Aspen Ideas to Go gives you front-row access to the Aspen Ideas Festival.
2025 The Aspen Institute
The Tragedy and Comedy of Being Raised by Hollywood with Griffin Dunne
How to Supercommunicate with Charles Duhigg
Breaking Down Mental Health Stigma: NBA Stars DeMar DeRozan and Kevin Love Get Real
The Question of Happiness
The Dilemma of Modern Parenting
Without Just Cause: Political Prisoners and the Fight to Free Them
Finding Your Path in a Post-Career World (Encore)
Are We Failing Our Boys and Men?
Alynda Segarra: The Poetic Journeys of Hurray for the Riff Raff
No Hugging, No Learning: Julia Louis-Dreyfus Opens Up About Seinfeld and More
In Defense of Misfits: Alok on Breaking the Bonds of Conformity
Are We Ready for the Next Pandemic?
Life and Loss With Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Calling Out Big Tech with Kara Swisher
Creativity in Confinement
Secrets of a Hollywood Hitmaker
Living to 100
Walking Through the Fire of Life
Owning a Piece of the Sports Action
Finding Happiness Despite Suffering (Encore)
A Radical Vision: Art for All in America
The extremely wealthy and powerful drug cartels in Mexico operate with near-impunity, perpetuating violent crime and terrorizing Mexican citizens. But they also bring pain and suffering to the United States by importing massive amounts of fentanyl, fueling the deadly opioid epidemic.
This episode is from the 2022 Aspen Ideas Festival, but we’re bringing it back because it’s still as relevant as ever. Though it can sometimes feel like conflict and discord is human nature, our brains are actually predisposed to forming groups and working together.
Sir Ken Robinson believed that as a society, we tragically underestimate and underutilize human ability. We create linear systems for our minds modeled on industry and manufacturing, and we fail to honor the nonlinear imagination and creativity inside all of us.
History, Justice, and Amends: Britain’s Legacy of Slavery
The Invisible Danger of Extreme Heat
What is Missing in the Lives of America’s Young People?
Can We Use the Past to Guide an AI Future?
A New Leash on Life: How Can We Help Our Dogs Live Longer?
Jane Fonda, Rebel With a Cause
White Poverty
The Secrets of Great Leadership
The Disruptors: Sam Altman and Brian Chesky
U.S. and China: Edging Toward the Brink?
Is America Due for a Third Founding?
The $38 Trillion Question
Hope in Troubling Times
The First AI Elections
At America’s Edge: Border Politics, Policy and People
AI Superthinker
Academia at a Crossroads
Peter Thiel — On the Record with an Iconoclast
A Revolutionary Age with Fareed Zakaria
Seeing Light in Dark Times with Nicholas Kristof
Women’s Rights Under Attack
The Future of the Middle East
SCOTUS Decides 2024
Unleashing Your Brain’s Potential: Science, Lifestyle and Longevity
Can You Design a Good Death?
Katharine Hayhoe on Fighting Climate Change
What Makes a Life Worth Living?
Fighting HIV Around the World
Our Changing World with Thomas Friedman
Forging a Path to Ethical A.I.
Redemption Song?
Our Modern Sex Lives
Parenting Teens and Young Adults in Challenging Times
Decoding Animal Communication with A.I.
The Hot Truth About Menopause
From King Lear to Succession with Brian Cox
Arthur Brooks on Managing Your Emotions
The Empathy Diaries with Sherry Turkle
A Deeper Look at the Immigrant Experience
On Being in a Body: Kate Bowler with Krista Tippett
The Sober Curiosity Movement
Work and Life Advice for the Nonlinear Path
What Happened to the American Dream?
How Do We Put Guardrails on A.I.?
Shakespeare in Contemporary America, with 'Fat Ham' Creator James Ijames
Building a Zero Carbon American Future
Who Can Track and Hack Our Brains?
Investing in Shared American Prosperity
Where Ancient Faiths Meet Modern Lives
Balancing Work and Life with Mary Louise Kelly
Thinking, Innovating and A.I. with Walter Isaacson
Harnessing A.I. in Education with Sal Khan
The Dilemmas of Hostage Diplomacy
Wicked Problem: The Road Ahead for Immigration Policy
Rainn Wilson and Spiritual Revolution
Mary Barra: The Future of General Motors and EVs
Democracy Dilemma
Solving the Problem of Guns in America
Reviewing the Supreme Court’s Latest
Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Everything
The Surprising Source of Joy (Encore)
Why People Want to Ban Books
Sex Recession: Why Isn’t Everyone Doing It?
Geraldine Brooks on Spirit, Obsession and Injustice
Separated: Inside an American Tragedy with Jacob Soboroff
Bret Stephens and John Englander on Climate Skepticism
Vice President Kamala Harris Believes We Can Tackle Climate Change
Can Gen Z Trust Their Elders?
Managing Our Eco-Anxiety (Encore)
How Trauma Lives in the Body with Bessel van der Kolk
Hot Stuff: Love, Sex and the Brain
Patrick Radden Keefe on Rogues and Rebels
The Kids Are Not Alright – But We Can Help
Curbing Gun Violence Through Public Health
ENCORE: What the Ancients Got Right about Happiness
The Invisible Kingdom of Chronic Illness
What if Wanting Less Gets You More?
The Promise and Pull of Psychedelic Therapy
Professor Zoe Chance, who teaches the most popular class at the Yale School of Management, illuminates the skills and strategies necessary to improve your natural ability to persuade.
Hacked! Medical Devices at Risk
The pandemic amplified political polarization. As doctors learned more about COVID-19, protocols changed and people started to question the guidance. Science itself, came under scrutiny. CPR Audio Innovations producer Emily Williams shares a conversation with Dr. Ashish Jha, a White House COVID-19 response coordinator.
Finding Happiness Despite Suffering
Robots as caregivers? Meet “Pepper,” a robot that can tell a joke, recognize emotions and help people remember special times in their lives. Professor Arshia Khan of the University of Minnesota Duluth spoke at Aspen Ideas: Health.
A Wrinkle in Time: On Beauty and Aging
Bad Things Do Happen to Good People (Encore)
The Science of Groupiness
Rewilding the Land
How Do You Know if Your Vote is Counted?
Are We Stupider than Ever?
Awe Is More Powerful than You Think
How Do We Stop the Rise of Hate?
Building Brain Health at Any Age (Encore)
David Brooks on Building Trust and Connection
Is It Time for New Economic Metrics?
Bringing the Democratic Party Back to the People
Managing Our Eco-Anxiety
For many people, the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown became an unexpected opportunity to take stock of our relationships. Some friendships deepened and transformed, some slipped away, and many social circles shrank. Which isn’t always a bad thing.
We are in a golden age for organized crime and corruption, according to watchdog groups. Bad actors have spent decades building tangled webs of enablers and tactics, and they now have more resources and capital than ever to invest in new crime enterprises.
When it Comes to Education, Do Parents Know Best?
Free Speech: Where Should We Go From Here?
Will Inflation Come Down Anytime Soon?
A Firsthand Report of Ukrainian Suffering and Resolve
Is the Supreme Court Still the Weakest Branch?
Beyond Roe and Dobbs: the Future of Reproductive Rights
SCOTUS: Roe v. Wade is Overturned
Digital Surveillance and the Fight for Reproductive Rights
Reckoning with America’s History of Slavery
Remembering Madeleine Albright
A New and Improved Social Contract
The Russian Cyber Threats Facing Ukraine
How to Build Diversity, Equity and Inclusion that Sticks
How Can Activism Repair Our Democracy?
A Conversation with Author Anthony Doerr
What the Ancients Got Right about Happiness
Brain Health and the Pitfalls of "Bikini Medicine" (Encore)
The Remarkable Brain of the Bird (Encore)
Psychedelics for the Win
How Do We Build Wealth for Everyone?
We're in a science moment. What will come out of it?
The Most Important Rule for a More Civil Thanksgiving: No Eye Rolling (Rebroadcast)
Mark Bittman on Reimagining America's Food System
Why Our Partisan Differences Are Threatening National Security
QUICK TAKE | We Need to Treat the Pandemic like a Global Security Threat | Gayle Smith
Bad Things Do Happen to Good People
QUICK TAKE | Rules Schmules | Adam Grant
Journalism's norms are changing. Here's why you should care.
QUICK TAKE | How a Cosmic Perspective Could Unify Earthlings | Jill Tarter
Will this Anti-Poverty Measure Stick?
QUICK TAKE | Get Off Your Duff to Improve Your Brain | Sanjay Gupta
Whose Job Is It to Protect Your Online Data?
Quick Take is a weekly dose of ideas and insights delivered in short form.
Today’s episode features Bumble founder and CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd. Watch her full conversation from the Aspen Ideas Festival https://www.aspenideas.org/sessions/the-billion-dollar-bumble-that-changed-the-dating-game-forever
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Why Big Social can't Coexist with Democracy
QUICK TAKE | How to Leave a Conspiracy Movement | Yasmin Green
Conquering Fear Everywhere, from the Office to Everest
QUICK TAKE | This Moment in Education | Tim Shriver
Are We on the Brink of Finding Life on Mars?
9/11: The Hinge of History
When the 'Woke Playbook' Kills Free Speech
A 'Weather Map' of Viruses Could Prevent the Next Pandemic
Why Do Some People Succeed and Others Fail?
The Culture of Dogdom
An Insider's Take on the Capitol Riot Probe
How Can We Fix a Broken (and Dangerous) Internet?
Politics Minus Politicians
Is Cryptocurrency a Good Bet?
Learning from the Pain of the Pandemic
Can the Promise of America Be Renewed?
Breaking the Blue Wall of Silence: Reflections on the Derek Chauvin Trial
Why America Should Be Safer than It Is
Battling the Increasing Threat of Ransomware
Building Brain Health at Any Age
An Outsider's Search for Belonging in America
Unequal from the Start: Racism’s Deep Roots in American Medicine
Why Good People get Caught Up In High Conflict
Christine Lagarde: The European Economy Is "on Crutches"
Women Changing the Game in Pro Sports
Introducing: SOLVERS
Can We Mitigate the Effects of Climate Change by Putting a Price on Carbon?
America's Unspoken Caste System
The United States is facing one of the most difficult tests in its 244-year history. American democracy is struggling, economic and social justice are under interrogation, faith in institutions is declining, and a pandemic is touching us all. Is national unity a far-off dream?
After more than two decades of research, tax scholar Dorothy A. Brown discovered that America's tax system is not color-blind. In fact, societal racism is deeply embedded in it. From attending college to getting married to buying a home, Black Americans are financially disadvantaged compared to their white peers.
Finding the Strength to Leave: One Woman's Story of Domestic Abuse
Biographer Walter Isaacson's latest book tells the story of biochemist Jennifer Doudna. She helped develop a controversial tool that has the power to transform the human race. CRISPR can edit genes to cure diseases but can also be used to create designer babies.
Women Beating the Odds in Business
The sobering impacts of the pandemic, and the need for a rapid transition to a clean energy economy compel us to consider opportunities that lie at the intersection of the two. Hear from White House Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy, TPG Co-CEO Jim Coulter, and US Senator Tina Smith (D).
Grappling with the challenges and problems life throws at us is difficult, especially during a pandemic. Psychotherapist Lori Gottlieb says the stories we tell about ourselves and others can make it even harder to cope.
In this pandemic recession, millions of Americans are going hungry, and Black and Hispanic households are hit harder than white ones. Throughout US history, hunger and health have been tied to race and now Covid-19 is affecting low-income, communities of color disproportionately.
President Trump’s second impeachment trial is beginning. In his first days in office, President Biden is navigating a pandemic and an economic crisis. With presidential leadership once again at the forefront and President’s Day just around the corner, we’re revisiting an episode featuring presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin.
Are Posts and Tweets the Greatest Threats to Democracy?
Most Americans see religious freedom as an important right. Yet how that freedom is defined and applied isn’t consistent, and efforts to safeguard the religious freedom of some may be discriminatory for others.
How Joe Biden’s Successes, Failures and Tragedies Prepared Him to Be President
Last year Russia infiltrated the digital networks of federal agencies and many of America’s largest corporations, and last week’s armed insurrection on the US Capitol was fomented through disinformation campaigns on social media.
Brain Health and the Pitfalls of "Bikini Medicine"
The World Needs Women in Leadership Roles
Why is it so hard to watch our children fail? Why might a highly structured life for a child be a bad thing? And how important is our behavior, as adults, in the development of a child? Psychologist Angela Duckworth explains how to raise a child with strong character.
Profit and Purpose Go Hand in Hand: Corporate Leaders Dan Schulman and Mellody Hobson on Values-Driven Business
Building Public Confidence in COVID-19 Vaccines
The American Dream says hard work will lead to a better life. But Harvard professor Micheal Sandel says climbing the ladder of success is getting harder in the United States, because the rungs on the ladder are growing further apart.
The Most Important Rule for a More Civil Thanksgiving: No Eye Rolling
It’s time to slow down and start again to remake American culture and undo systemic racism, says author and Yale professor Claudia Rankine. White Americans must wade into the waters of whiteness, and interrogate their own responses to Blackness.
Can We Draw on Civil Rights History to Combat Systemic Racism Today?
Elevating The Common Good Over Self-Interest
A Look Behind The Scenes of Coronavirus Vaccine R&D
An Insider's Perspective: Trump’s National Security Advisor
A Crack In Creation: The Power and Ethics of Gene Editing (Encore)
Heart Disease Isn’t an Adults-Only Condition
Tensions are mounting across the United States and around the world. People from all walks of life often feel like their opinions aren’t respected or heard, leading to bitter disagreements that drive wedges between family members, neighbors, and communities. That’s where the Better Arguments Project comes in.
The late Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the second female justice confirmed to the US Supreme Court, told an Aspen Institute crowd in 2017 that her experiences as a woman gave her a unique perspective on the Court.
Antibodies, convalescent plasma, gene-based vaccines — you may have heard these terms on the evening news, but what do they mean? How might they help in the battle against Covid-19?
Former US Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers says the recovery includes three stages: collapse, bounce-back, and slog. We’ve experienced collapse and bounce-back already. “Now we’re now headed for a slog,” he says.
Disinformation online is on the minds of voters, candidates, government officials, and technology platforms as the US election gets closer. Already experts have seen disinformation campaigns around the Covid-19 pandemic, which could spell trouble in November.
The pandemic and social unrest around racism make it a challenging time for students and educators, but it’s also a period of opportunity. Some educators say it’s time to address long-standing inequities in education.
Wes Moore, author of "Five Days: The Fiery Reckoning of an American City" (written with Erica Green), says communities around the United States must confront systemic racism.
One-hundred years ago this month, women suffragists celebrated the passage of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution. Since then, what strides have women made toward gender equality?
The time we’re living in is unusually tumultuous. The Covid-19 pandemic is causing loss, disruption, illness, grief, anxiety, and uncertainty.
George Will, author of "The Conservative Sensibility," says conservatism is “an orphan persuasion.”
As the presidential election approaches, voters are considering factors unique to 2020.
David Agus, author of "The Lucky Years," says we’re living in a golden age when the latest science and technology can customize care.
Across the United States, from rural areas to cities and suburbs, people have been hitting the streets to protest racism and police brutality.
Social unrest and physical distancing are not making it easy to connect with other people.
How is art confronting a racist system in America? Artists are using their craft to push the country forward in a critical moment.
Black people are 3.5 times more likely to die of the coronavirus than white people. Why is this?
We live in a global era and what happens thousands of miles away can deeply affect our lives.
A leading voice on antiracism, Ibram X. Kendi says countering racism is essential to the formation of a just and equitable society — so, how can we fight it?
Are Zoom connections and physical distancing making us lonelier?
The Covid-19 crisis isn’t easy to bear as adults but what about young kids and teenagers?
Animal shelters and nonprofits are seeing a rise in the number of people adopting and fostering pets during the Covid-19 crisis.
The coronavirus crisis is impacting poor, low-income, and people of color disproportionately.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the widening digital divide.
Zeke Emanuel, a bioethicist and oncologist, shares his thoughts on what needs to happen for America to reopen.
Humility, loyalty, rhetorical mastery — these were the leadership traits of President Abraham Lincoln.
Journalist Thomas Friedman says countries around the world are undergoing a stress test thanks to the coronavirus pandemic.
China was the first country in the world to experience effects from COVID-19. How did the country make it through?
Once they reach adolescence, kids land on an emotional rollercoaster. As parents, teachers, coaches, and mentors, how can we help teens communicate and navigate the intensity of their emotions?
What are the best tools for dealing with fear, particularly in an uncertain period?
What are newsrooms and technology companies doing to combat false news? What did journalists learn in 2016 that they can apply to political coverage in 2020?
More than 100 cases of the novel coronavirus have been reported in the United States, as of March 3, 2020.
Unpredictable weather is threatening crop production and a swelling population is increasing the demand for food.
Today race is a more prominent and intransigent problem than ever.
Societal problems like income inequality have emerged from a financial system that has taken a wrong turn, says Harvard finance professor Mihir Desai.
When psychotherapist Lori Gottlieb set out to write the stories of her patients she realized she should chronicle her own struggles too.
It's already difficult to talk about politics in a polarized United States, but a few choice words are making it even harder.
Social justice advocate Bryan Stevenson is the subject in the new movie, “Just Mercy.”
In the United States, the number of people attending church is declining. So where are people going to find meaning and community?
Former Acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal thinks American democracy is at risk if President Trump isn’t held accountable.
Designer Ingrid Fetell Lee studies how our physical environment impacts our well-being, both physically and psychologically.
In the age of streaming entertainment, there’s Apple, Disney, Comcast, and many others. But it began with Netflix.
In July of 2017, Alex Honnold became the first person to ever free-solo climb the face of Yosemite’s El Capitan.
Writers Tara Westover and Sarah Smarsh say the damaging stereotypes of people living in rural America need to be stamped out.
Artificial intelligence isn’t something we’ll see in the future. Thinking machines are already here, and nine powerful companies in the US and China control their development.
How can such deeply faithful citizens support a president whose behaviors and values don’t exactly match up to traditional Christian mores?
Two Pulitzer Prize-winning historians explain the difference between myth and reality in American history.
Tara Westover's childhood was distinct. Raised by survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, she encountered extreme adversity.
Bias is natural — it’s one way we make sense of the world. It becomes problematic when our biases become stereotypes and prejudices.
No amount of determination can stop bad things from happening, says Kate Bowler, a scholar of Christianity and stage IV cancer patient.
Countering racism is essential to the formation of a just and equitable society — so how can we fight it?
In modern-day medicine, doctors have little time to spend with patients. Author and cardiologist Eric Topol believes artificial intelligence can help.
The Supreme Court will take up contentious issues like gay rights, health care, abortion, and DACA this term, which kicked off Monday.
One of the most lawless places on earth is the high seas – remote waters, often hundreds of miles from shore.
When our bank accounts are full, are we happier? Does a pay raise at work equal increased joy?
Writer Bill McKibben says a powerful tool to combat the climate crisis is utilizing non-violent resistance.
With just five months until primary season ramps up in the United States, what’s being done to ensure bad actors don’t attack our elections?
As the longest running senior advisor to a US president in history, Valerie Jarrett worked with President Obama during his 8 years in office.
As the US and China continue their trade war, economic instability is rising in countries around the world.
Liberal democracies are threatened by nationalist populist leaders and identity politics says Stanford professor Francis Fukuyama.
Karl Rove says President Trump has a powerful hold on the rank and file of the Republican party.
With tariff threats, migration problems, and now, a mass shooting near the border, the US-Mexico relationship is strained.
In a wide-reaching discussion from the Aspen Security Forum, Jens Stoltenberg, secretary general of NATO, discusses the major threats in the world today.
Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller is scheduled to testify in front of Congress Wednesday. Will it change the trajectory in Washington?
Who controls a woman’s body? Herself? Her church? Her community? Her government?
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says the social media giant needs the government’s help when it comes to making certain decisions.
Before it wrapped up its term in June, the Supreme Court made decisions on two landmark cases: political gerrymandering and the census.
Paul Ryan may no longer be a member of Congress but he's still paying attention to the issues.
What does it mean to be American? How is that story best told and understood?
Tristan Harris, former Google ethicist and founder of the Center for Humane Technology, says companies like Facebook have perfected the use of persuasive technology and we’ve fallen for it.
Leading up to the US presidential election in 2016, Kansas pastor Adam Hamilton noticed the people in his congregation wrestling with fear.
The clothing and outdoor gear company Patagonia bills itself as “the activist company” and lately, it’s been particularly active.
It used to be that having a “bird brain” was an insult. Now, it’s practically a compliment!
Read Jeffrey Rosen's article, America Is Living James Madison's Nightmare in The Atlantic. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.
aspenideas.org
How are the tools we use to solve personal crises related to national problems?
The way friends talk to one another can either bring them closer or create distance.
Simon Sinek, Adam Grant, and Katie Couric explore what motivates millennials at work and how the digital world is impacting their productivity.
Mary Robinson’s book, Climate Justice, records the stories of people experiencing effects from climate change first-hand. They’re not staying silent.
What if we could turn back time and reverse extinction? Famed writer, biologist, and environmentalist Stewart Brand is attempting this with an organization he co-founded.
How can we avoid the middle age blues and feel purposeful later in life? Arthur Brooks, behavioral economist and American Enterprise Institute president, explains how we can develop new strengths.
A recent blockbuster article by journalist Jane Mayer examines close ties between the White House and Fox News. Mayer talks about the piece and her book, "Dark Money."
Escaping Hate
The truth is under assault in America, according to Marty Baron, executive editor of The Washington Post. He speaks with CNN's Brian Stelter about reporting on the Trump administration.
Kate Bowler and Elaine Pagels both teach religion, write about religion, and have experienced immense hardships. In this frank and funny conversation, they explore why people still seek ancient religious teachings in our modern age.
Why are certain countries, cities, and towns happier than others? The mayor of Boulder, Colorado, a particularly joyful city, sits down with a happiness researcher to discuss the relationship between happiness and place.
Author of "The Underground Railroad," Colson Whitehead, talks about writing the novel that earned him a Pulitzer Prize.
When Americans elected their first black president more than a decade ago, some questioned whether the country had transitioned into a post-racial era. But today race is a more prominent and intransigent problem than ever.
How do dogs perceive you and the world around them? Two canine cognition scientists, Alexandra Horowitz and Brian Hare, share what dogs know, understand, and believe.
Nadine Strossen, longtime president of the ACLU, says hate speech, as painful as it may be, is justifiably protected. Instead of censoring hate speech, she advocates fighting it with free speech.
Is the English language deteriorating before our ears? Linguist and author John McWhorter says sometimes-annoying modern terms are examples of language evolving.
What does it take to rock climb one of the world’s hardest routes at night in the bitter cold? Tommy Caldwell, an accomplished climber, says he summoned focus, drive, and endurance to summit Yosemite’s nearly vertical 3,000 foot Dawn Wall.
In her seventh book, "Leadership in Turbulent Times," presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin writes about the lives of four presidents: Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Lyndon B. Johnson.
Yale psychology professor Laurie Santos is working to improve mental health for college students. Her lessons about how to be happier and feel less stressed apply to everyone.
Imam Khalid Latif is New York University’s first Muslim chaplain. In this political and cultural moment, he says students deal with issues around race and religious intolerance.
Shira Stutman is senior rabbi at a historic synagogue in Washington, DC that’s doing innovative things.
Can faith help unite us in divided times? Methodist minister Adam Hamilton says he’s determined to mend the deep divisions he sees in his congregation.
Neuroscientist Lise Eliot says our default assumption is that our gender differences are hardwired, but that’s not the case.
The clothing industry is a top polluter, but some companies are working to be kinder to the environment. The CEOs of Patagonia and Eileen Fisher talk about their shared value of social consciousness.
The African Elephant, the world’s largest land mammal, is threatened by poaching, human development, and climate change.
Rising sea level and contaminated fresh water could make an island paradise in the Indian Ocean uninhabitable.
Will a cure for cancer be found in the North Pole? A group of Norwegian scientists are scouring the sea and shore in one of the harshest climates on earth, looking for wonder drugs.
Famed writer and surgeon Atul Gawande believes there’s a gap between our aspiration for how we treat each other and the reality.
Technology is changing who and how we trust . Tech and trust expert Rachel Botsman says this fundamental shift in trust has far-reaching consequences.
Psychologist Angela Duckworth explains how to raise a child with strong character. Duckworth, who’s the author of "Grit" and a MacArthur “Genius,” says young people learn to be grateful, vulnerable, and fearless by modeling the adults in their lives.
Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Thomas Jefferson. What were America’s Founders like as individuals? And what would they think of American democracy today?
Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma and The Botany of Desire, focuses on psychedelic drugs in his most recent book.
The deadly shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue is the latest hate crime in an especially atrocious period. The number of hate crimes against religious minority communities has surged.
How can tackling Twitter bots help unite a divided nation? Tech entrepreneur Ash Bhat explains his efforts to combat online threats.
Tristan Harris, founder of the Center for Humane Technology, says the apps we use on our devices everyday aren't just taking our time, they're causing loneliness.
With the midterm elections around the corner, should internet users be on alert for fake news?
The forces of division have been tearing America's social fabric for decades. But a new coalition of community builders with a new set of beliefs is rising to turn things around.
Adam Grant is exploring “how to make work suck less.” He speaks with Aspen Skiing Company President Mike Kaplan about how to bring more meaning and creativity into the office.
In June, the University of Chicago announced it will become test-optional. The move is part of a bigger effort to expand access to a broader talent pool of well-deserving applicants.
News reporters have covered the #MeToo movement since it gained ground one year ago. But journalists haven’t just written about the movement, some have experienced sexual harassment and violence themselves.
Rebecca Traister’s new book "Good and Mad" details how women’s anger has erupted into the public conversation. In this Off Stage interview on women, she tells guest host Susan Page why women are “furious."
Former treasury secretary Larry Summers has been vocal about his disagreements with the current direction of US economic policy, particularly in the areas of trade, tariffs, and the rethinking of international agreements on commerce and investment.
New York Times Deputy Managing Editor Rebecca Blumenstein talks with guest host Susan Page about fake news, covering Trump, and what advice she would give to young women entering the news business.
Global economist Dambisa Moyo says democracy is in crisis around the world. In this special episode, she's interviewed by guest host Susan Page.
What does it mean to be American? How is that story best told and understood?
What role does faith play in bringing people together? Reverend Adam Hamilton pastors the largest United Methodist church in America. Within his Kansas congregation, he observes deep divisions that reflect the larger disunity in our nation.
This spring marked the 15th anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq, and the war in Afghanistan has gone on long enough that children born after 9/11 are now old enough to enlist in the military.
Broward County School District Superintendent Robert Runcie remembers clearly the events of February 14, 2018. That’s the day a gunman killed seventeen people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
Sal Khan’s career journey took him from finance to the classroom. The former hedge fund manager now runs the nonprofit Khan Academy, which provides free online education.
Christiana Figueres led the global adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015, and continues to fight for the climate today. She says she's stubbornly optimistic about addressing climate change.
More than 65 million people around the globe are either refugees, asylum seekers, or displaced within their own countries. It’s the largest number of people forced to flee their homes since World War II.
How do we save ourselves from repeating errors of our past? Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright poses this question in her new book, Fascism: A Warning.
Across the US, students are heading back to college for the start of the school year. Many will wrestle with mental health challenges.
Midterms are often seen as the first nationwide referendum on a first-term president. Donald Trump’s ratings have ranged from low to medium-low, but a “blue wave” of victories is far from guaranteed this fall.
At age 25, Gaby Pacheco was the first undocumented Latina to testify in front of Congress. In this conversation with New York Times Contributing Op-Ed Writer Wajahat Ali, she talks about the struggles immigrants still face years later.
In our first “Off Stage” bonus episode, New York Times Contributing Op-Ed Writer Wajahat Ali speaks with former white supremacist skinhead Christian Picciolini.
One year after a deadly hate rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, the city continues to heal.
American-born businessman Bill Browder is a staunch critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. In fact, Putin singled out Browder at a joint press conference with President Trump in July. Browder explains why he's not afraid of the Russian leader.
Is the Republican Party in the United States having an identity crisis? Are the priorities of the Republican Party, conservative ideals, and the Trump administration’s policies aligning?
Since 2016, we’ve watched women rack up unprecedented wins in statehouses, city halls, and even Congress — and thousands more are throwing their hats into the ring.
Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats goes over President Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in this discussion held July 19th.
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen has defended the Trump administration’s controversial "zero tolerance" immigration policy that has led to families being separated at America’s southwest border. In this discussion, she addresses illegal immigration, saying it reflects a broken system.
FBI Director Christopher Wray is firm in his position that Russia was involved in the 2016 presidential campaign. He speaks with Lester Holt, NBC Nightly News anchor, about Russia, China, North Korea, and other global issues.
Mimi Marziano's organization, the Texas Civil Rights Project, is representing nearly 400 families affected a policy that divided children from their parents at America's southwest border. The policy, which applies to people illegally crossing into the US, has been halted.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government is increasingly acting as an outlaw state across the international stage. How should the United States, Europe, and the West as a whole respond?
Hours before President Trump attends a NATO Summit in Brussels, we examine the role of the alliance and how it fits into Europe’s recent struggles.
Former FBI Director James Comey says transparency and a desire to maintain his agency’s credibility prompted him to reopen the Hillary Clinton email investigation in 2016.
As the nation’s top doctor, US Surgeon General Jerome Adams has pledged to lead with science. In this episode, he talks about children being separated from their parents at the southern US border, the opioid crisis, gun violence, and mental health.
What makes two people click? What does it really mean to say, “we have chemistry”?
What are the ways in which people are viewing voting through the lens of race?
Broadway producer Jeffrey Seller talks about working on Rent, Hamilton, and other shows. He goes over democratizing theater, diversifying history, and putting on a really good show.
How will AI transform industry and disrupt business? A panel of tech and business experts, including Tim O’Reilly, Gary Marcus, and Michael Chui, discuss how AI will impact our lives, and what business sectors might be most affected.
News from around the globe is dominating US headlines. Former members of the US intelligence community weigh in on these global moving parts.
By trying to provide the perfectly happy childhood, a generation of parents may be making it harder for their kids to actually grow up.
The #MeToo Movement has exposed sexual harassment in the workplace, but what about the problem of gender inequality?
Former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter insists that serving in city council is the best job in politics. He talks municipal politics with Jonathan Capehart, editorial writer for the Washington Post.
As our lives become increasingly tech driven, we’re more vulnerable to cyberattacks, and our workplaces and government are too.
Big philanthropy can contribute to a democratic society by addressing problems that neither government nor the private sector will take on. Yet philanthropic institutions and foundations are institutional oddities within a democracy.
Author Luis Alberto Urrea says his latest novel, "House of Broken Angels," is inspired by his own Mexican-American family.
Chicago has been plagued by an epidemic of nearly constant bloodletting. What strategies have been most promising?
Historian Erica Armstrong Dunbar discusses her book "Never Caught," which chronicles the life of Ona Judge. Judge was a slave owned by George and Martha Washington. At age 22 she escaped from Washington's mansion in Philadelphia.
For centuries the human race has been grappling with how to live a moral life. In this conversation we hear from scholars who think deeply about moral philosophy and helping others.
Throughout history, young people have been at the center of activism: the Civil Rights movement, Black Lives Matter, the labor movement, and now gun violence.
Why do people do evil things? We hear from Yale psychologist Paul Bloom and journalist Graeme Wood about the nature of evil.
The debate around gun laws is resurfacing in the wake of the deadly high school shooting in Parkland, Florida. Can America’s shared sorrow inspire a consensus that gun violence should be tackled as a public health issue?
Historian Jon Meacham speaks with journalist John Dickerson about what today's politicians can learn from historical figures like Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, and Franklin Roosevelt.
US Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith says her true self comes out in her work. Poetry, she says, helps her wrestle with dark, sometimes unresolvable questions.
If you’re white and middle class, you were probably raised thinking that discussing race was impolite. Color blindness was seen as a virtue.
Born 28 years and 7,000 miles apart in Connecticut and Pakistan, TV producer Norman Lear and Pakistani American lawyer Khizr Khan are united as American citizens, friends, and agents of change.
Trust in civic, religious, and academic institutions is at an all-time low in America. But this phenomenon did not, as some Americans might believe, begin when President Trump was elected. It has been on the decline for decades.
New York Times best-selling author Susan Orlean says ignorance about a subject is a powerful ignitor of curiosity.
If Dr. Martin Luther King was still alive today, what would he think of the progress of the black community? How far have we come toward racial equality since the civil rights era?
What if you examined your life in the context of all of its stages? David Brooks, author and New York Times op-ed columnist, says life’s mountains and valleys shape who we are and eventually lead us to a “second mountain.”
How is creativity cultivated in childhood? And, does a creative culture at home result in a creative career later on? Authors Jess Walter, Dani Shapiro, and Jericho Brown explain how their early years contributed to a life of writing.
Author Eric Motley speaks with Joshua Johnson, host of "1A," about his book "Madison Park: A Place of Hope." Madison Park, Alabama was founded by freed slaves in 1880. Motley says the town's history powerfully shaped his upbringing.
Freelance journalist Theo Padnos was held captive by al-Nusra, an affiliate of al-Qaeda, for 22 months. His story of survival is a lesson for us all on how to cope with the lowest times in life. He speaks with Atlantic Media owner David Bradley and NBC's Andrea Mitchell.
The US Government’s Doomsday Plans
America has always meant business. We’re a nation of self-starters, strivers, and entrepreneurs — with the courage to take big risks and the confidence to determine our own destiny. But, are courage and confidence alone enough for success?
Is the internet loosening our collective grasp on the truth? Pioneers of digital news once argued that new online sources would bring us new perspectives about the world. They did not anticipate the internet would destroy traditional media gatekeepers.
Across the industrialized world, millions of people live with sparse human contact, putting their well-being at risk. Does social media drive loneliness, or help to cure it? How does loneliness alter the brain, and how can we treat this condition?
Muslim Americans — especially those who work in government or in other ways to counter radicalism and terrorism — feel caught in the middle. Much of American society questions their patriotism, while their own communities question their loyalty.
Madison's legacy matters today more than ever. As founding genius he made the Constitution to avoid faction. Then he discovered the real world required parties — so he founded one and became a partisan.
In our politically charged climate, it’s not uncommon to hear about impeachment. Harvard Law professor Cass Sunstein offers a nonpartisan, historical guide — with some reverence — and even awe, for our constitutional order, and for the power it gives We the People.
The Imagination of Leonardo da Vinci with Walter Isaacson
Why do happily married couples cheat? Esther Perel, author of the new book "The State of Affairs: Rethinking Infidelity," talks with Hanna Rosin, co-host of NPR's Invisibilia.
World-renowned economist Jeffrey Sachs is distressed about the political and social atmosphere of the United States. With advances in technology, he says we can choose to do the ultimate good or create unimaginable disaster.
The “next economy,” or digital revolution, is restructuring every business, job, and sector of society. Tim O’Reilly, founder and CEO of O’Reilly Media, says we should be harnessing technology, rather than fearing it, to grow jobs and increase economic activity.
The tiny town of Norwich, Vermont, has likely produced more Olympians per capita than anywhere else in the United States. New York Times sports writer Karen Crouse traveled to Norwich to discover the town’s secret.
As Latino Americans emerge as the majority minority and the new mainstream, representing 18 percent of the US population, questions are emerging about how Latinos fit into the national narrative.
What are the consequences of the United States backing out of the Paris Climate Agreement? In this episode, former Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz says exiting the Agreement is bad for science-based decision making, national and energy security, and innovation. However, he says, there’s one note of optimism.
Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire, Featuring Kurt Andersen
The Trump Administration has said it’s “committed to a foreign policy focused on American interests and American national security." What is the Trump doctrine on foreign policy?
Jennifer Doudna, whose research helped create CRISPR, speaks with Aspen Institute President Walter Isaacson about the latest technological developments in gene editing and the unthinkable power to control evolution.
What role does faith play in bringing people together? Reverend Adam Hamilton pastors the largest United Methodist church in America. Within his Kansas congregation, he observes deep divisions that reflect the larger disunity in our nation. These divisions, he thinks, are tearing at our social fabric.
Hate on the Rise
It’s been called the most perilous drug crisis ever and it was generated in the healthcare system. The epicenter of the opioid crisis is the United States, where overdose deaths have quadrupled since 1999.
In this episode, you’ll hear from the nation’s new White House Chief of Staff, John Kelly. Kelly spoke in July at the Aspen Security Forum. At the time, his job was Homeland Security Secretary.
The confluence of globalization and the information revolution has primed the United States, and the world, for a resurgence of populism. Fareed Zakaria, host of CNN’s “Fareed Zakaria GPS,” explains how the populist ideology helped President Trump win the White House.
In this lighthearted and informative conversation, organizational psychologist Adam Grant and inspirational teacher Simon Sinek sit down with Katie Couric. Couric is an award-winning journalist. They explore what motivates Millennials at work and how the digital world is impacting their productivity.
What are the most pressing external and internal threats to the United States? Two former US Intelligence officials discuss Syria, Russia, ISIS, and President Trump’s embattled relationship with the Intelligence community.
In today’s show, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price talks about efforts in Washington to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, and what it’s like to work with President Trump.
In this episode, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, a democrat, talks about the problems democrats, and all Americans, need to confront to move the US forward. He says Republicans and Democrats need to unite to solve problems like poverty and inequality.
Despite controlling both the White House and Congress, the Republican Party has had a bumpy ride in the first months of the Trump administration.
Over the past year, the United States has been described as profoundly divided. But are these divisions as deep and hopeless as we think?
Known as the “land of lousy options,” North Korea has posed problems for the US for decades. But now, the country is testing its missiles regularly and the situation is increasingly dire. What are the best solutions for dealing with this escalating crisis?
In our final podcast takeover episode, award-winning journalist Michele Norris discusses the legacy of slavery with a US mayor and the necessity of solitude with a best-selling author.
Joshua Johnson, host of WAMU’s “1A,” interviews Simon Sinek in this Takeover episode. Sinek teaches leaders and organizations how to inspire people.
In this Takeover episode, two comedians and a writer — Pete Dominick, Travon Free, and Wajahat Ali — discuss politics, race, and a changing America.
Susan Page, Washington Bureau Chief of USA Today, takes over the podcast by interviewing a panel of DC outsiders. Nobody thinks Washington is working well these days. Page turns to unexpected sources to brainstorm on what advice other disciplines might have to offer the world of politics.
In this Takeover episode, we examine the Supreme Court’s decision Monday to take the case regarding President Trump’s travel ban.
In our first Podcast Takeover episode, Julie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent for Kaiser Health News, speaks with Lanhee Chen of the Hoover Institution, reproductive justice advocate Dr. Willie J. Parker, and Ai-jen Poo, director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance.
Black Lives Matter, the Occupy movement, the Tea Party, and many other groups have developed in recent years as a response to the age we’re living in — an age of epic political turbulence. Author Eric Liu says people across the political spectrum are reclaiming power.
As the second female justice confirmed to the US Supreme Court, Ruth Bader Ginsburg says her experiences as a female give her a unique perspective her male colleagues don’t share.
Thinking about the far-off future isn’t just an exercise in intellectual curiosity. It’s a practical skill that, as new research reveals, has a direct neurological link to greater creativity, empathy, and optimism.
In this encore episode Katie Couric interviews House of Cards creator Beau Willimon. The interview, from the Aspen Ideas Festival, took place before the show’s third season in 2015.
In this era of deep partisanship, how can common ground be found on Capitol Hill and on Main Street? In this episode, a pair of party leaders tackle relevant political questions, focusing on the divided state of America.
Elisabeth Rosenthal writes about our broken healthcare system in her new book, *An American Sickness: How Healthcare became Big Business and How You Can Take it Back*. She says the system, comprised of hospitals, doctors, insurance companies, and drug manufacturers, is in tatters.
While the subject of race and racism will likely continue to be a contentious topic for years to come, it is a discussion that is imperative for civil society. How does the dialogue on race continue?
When poet Elizabeth Acevedo taught creative writing to young women of color in a detention center, she recognized their trauma and avoided the teacher-as-savior mentality.
Why do human beings explore? And, why are the most adventurous explorers drawn to outer space? Naturalist and astronomer David Aguilar explains why the drive for adventure fades after childhood, and how we can regain it as adults.
Less than a month into his presidency, Donald Trump made combative and accusatory remarks on Twitter about the intelligence community for a report on Russian connections. Are his messages undermining the legitimacy of the intelligence community?
Kleptocracy presents a growing threat to US national security and international peace, as money laundering and other forms of public “grand corruption” increasingly undermine democracy, cripple development, weaken Western soft power, and accelerate state collapse.
Two award-winning authors who write about race and identity are featured in this episode. Margot Lee Shetterly wrote "Hidden Figures" and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie wrote "Americanah."
Vividly bringing to life the latest scientific research in psychology, cognitive neuroscience, philosophy, and behavioral economics, Harvard psychologist Dan Gilbert reveals what scientists have discovered about the uniquely human ability to imagine the future.
If the 20 years from 1995 to 2015 were shaped in significant measure by digitization and the rise of the internet, what’s next?
In this rebroadcast, Aspen Institute President and Einstein biographer Walter Isaacson delves into the source of Albert Einstein’s creativity. Where did it come from? How was it reflected in his life? And what can we learn from it?
Everything—from the country’s place in the world to the social contract between citizens, government, and the private sector—seems to be knotted in hard, uncompromising debates.
Chaos in the Middle East, instability in Europe, and a reckless North Korea are signals that the world is increasingly defined by disorder. Author and Council on Foreign Relations President Richard Haass says the world needs an updated global operating system.
Thanks to technology, we are more connected than ever—digitally. But at what cost? How have technologies, like online dating sites and apps like Tinder, changed attitudes and behaviors?
The world is more complex and volatile today than at any other time in modern history. In order to successfully navigate a rapidly changing world, author and MIT Media Lab Director, Joichi “Joi” Ito says you must be alert and nimble.
Bryan Stevenson, founder and director of the Equal Justice Initiative, speaks with Harvard President Drew Gilpin Faust about his organization’s efforts to build a museum examining the legacy of slavery, racial terrorism, segregation, and police violence.
Author and former labor union leader Andy Stern thinks universal basic income is the key to solving problems plaguing America’s economy. He wrote about it in his book "Raising the Floor: How a Universal Basic Income Can Renew Our Economy and Rebuild the American Dream."
When it comes to a healthy body and mind, an increasing number of people are focusing on improving bacteria in the gut. Researchers are learning how the gut microbiome responds to the food we eat, influencing obesity, autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular disease, and even mental health.
Those who study human behavior have learned that simply by encouraging—or “nudging”—individuals toward the right decisions for themselves, dramatic improvements can be made.
In these final days of Barack Obama’s presidency, we consider how the future will view his leadership.
What actually happens to the brain when we meditate? Published studies have documented the many physical and mental health benefits of meditation, including decreased pain, better immune function, and less anxiety and depression.
On Being a Transgender American
Author and New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman says the world has entered an age of dizzying acceleration, and in this episode, he explains how to live in it.
Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis was the greatest critic of big business and big government since Thomas Jefferson. In this lively conversation, Jeffrey Rosen of the National Constitution Center talks with Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, about Brandeis’s relevance in today’s political climate.
Why do happily married couples cheat? Why does the modern egalitarian approach to marriage quash desire? Are the heightened expectations we bring to modern love combined with our pursuit of happiness directly related to infidelity?
New York Times columnist David Brooks explores a life well lived. In this episode he examines happiness and commitments.
Mike Mullen, retired admiral and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, says the national security challenges the new Trump administration will face are plentiful. Mullen gives insight into President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for national security advisor, General Mike Flynn.
To find the path to long life and health, Dan Buettner and his team study the world’s “Blue Zones,” communities whose elders live with vim and vigor to record-setting age.
Most people think that happiness has four sources: the sensory pleasures, material wealth, romantic relationships, and children. But recent research suggests that much of what people think about happiness is wrong.
When Amazon launched, it employed just ten people. Now it’s one of the largest retailers in the world. CEO Jeff Bezos describes what companies need in today’s fast-paced, high tech business environment.
The countdown to Election Day is on, and political analysts are giving their predictions. In this bonus episode, Charlie Cook and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report weigh in on the outcome for the presidential race and contests in the US House and Senate.
In this episode, Vice President Joe Biden gets personal about his connection to cancer and why he’s fighting to break down the barriers preventing progress in battling the disease.
The American Economy & the Election
Once the realm of science fiction, smart machines are rapidly becoming part of our world—and these technologies offer amazing potential to improve the way we live.
It’s difficult to ignore anger in the United States right now—talking heads battle on cable news, protesters get violent at campaign rallies, and families can’t talk politics around the dinner table. What’s fueling the anger? And how can it be managed?
Author Jeff Chang says America has slid back toward segregation in our neighborhoods, schools, colleges and universities, and in our culture. In his new book “We Gon’ Be Alright: Notes on Race and Resegregation” he examines recent tragedies and protests.
The average American spends a third of his or her life working. What is the secret to achieving happiness because of our work and not in spite of it?
The civil war in Syria has raged for five years and killed half a million people. Eleven million refugees have either fled to other countries or are displaced within Syria. In this episode, three survivors share their personal stories of strength and determination under intense and difficult circumstances.
In a rare interview, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency weighs in on the global security scene and explains the current risks to the United States. John Brennan is interviewed by Dina Temple-Raston, counterterrorism correspondent for NPR, at the Aspen Security Forum.
Is America turning its back on the humanities? The declining enrollment in disciplines including history, literature, language, philosophy and the arts, at colleges and universities across the country, signals a significant cultural shift.
High-profile episodes of violence have highlighted excessive force and mistreatment of people of color by police. This episode examines the way forward for law enforcement and the communities they are duty-bound to “serve and protect.”
Helen Fisher knows a thing or two about relationships. The Kinsey Institute research fellow and Match.com’s lead scientific advisor has spent her career studying couples and romantic behavior.
In this episode, Adam Grant, Wharton’s top-rated professor and a New York Times bestselling author of Originals, shares insights on how to speak up without getting silenced, and how to find allies in unexpected places.
Vladimir Putin continues to taunt the US and Europe at every turn by testing NATO’s resolve, propping up Assad, provoking Ukraine, and even doing what he can to further complicate the migrant crisis. Domestically, Russia’s involvement in hacking the Democratic National Convention is in question.
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.
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.
Are we witnessing a new era in American politics? Two former Republican presidential candidates weigh in on the 2016 election.
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.”
This episode features TAKEOVER host Pete Dominick (comedian, radio 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.
TAKEOVER 4: Emily Yoffe with Bryan Stevenson and others
Our TAKEOVER series continues with Franklin Leonard (founder, The Black List) interviewing his guests about the role of art in creating social change. His guests are Melody Barnes, DeRay Mckesson, and Sarah Lewis.
TAKEOVER 2: Maria Hinojosa with Jose Antonio Vargas and others
TAKEOVER 1: Perri Peltz with Piper Kerman and others
This episode features New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu who has been confronting the crisis of violence head-on, in conversation with Ta-Nehisi Coates, national correspondent for The Atlantic, who has written widely on matters of race, policing, and American history.
Every summer, writers, professors, artists, activists, and others deliver their “big ideas” at the Aspen Ideas Festival. The onstage advice celebrates the Festival itself.
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 this “Extra” episode, Eric Liu talks to David Henry Hwang, Tony-winning American playwright, screenwriter, and opera librettist. He is the child of Chinese immigrants and shares how, growing up, he used television as one way to integrate into American society.
In this episode, public radio host Diane Rehm talks about her memoir "On My Own," which details the struggle to reconstruct her life after the death of her husband. The couple was married for 54 years.
In this “Extra” episode, Eric Liu talks to Maria Hinojosa, an award-winning news anchor and reporter. She founded the Futuro Media Group and hosts Latino USA, NPR’s only national Latino news and cultural weekly radio program.
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.
In this “Extra” episode, Eric Liu talks to Colin Woodard, an award-winning author and journalist. In his book, “American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America,” Woodard describes why American values differ across the country.
War Reporting, Novel Writing, and How to Tell a Great Story
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.
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.
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 US and Apple’s refusal to hack into the iPhone of a terrorist.
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.
Retweeting, Regramming, Reimagining our Relationship with Technology
Leading the Response to Radical Extremism
Building Better Teen Brains
Secrets of the Creative Brain
The United State of Women
Why Ethics (Usually) Pays
Jesus of History versus Christ of Faith
The Black Presidency
WE-ASK: What Every American Should Know
Ashley Judd on Feminism, Activism, and Why Hollywood Should Be Left Out of the Conversation
Thomas Jefferson: An American Original
Solitary Confinement Through the Eyes of a Former Prisoner
Poetry, Justice, and Alienation
Meditation and Mindfulness - Going Beyond the Buzzwords
The Road to Character - David Brooks and Katie Couric
Exercise in Radical Empathy and Youth Speak Up
Undaunted: Stories from the Frontlines of Global Health (Rebroadcast)
A Formula for Happiness (Rebroadcast)
Winter Words Author Series
Vice President Joe Biden spoke at the Aspen Institute Summit on Inequality and Opportunity. Biden discussed root causes of poverty and inequality in America. He separately addressed topics related to terrorism, ISIS, and Syrian refugees.
The Four Sources of Happiness
Celebrating Einstein with Brian Greene
Einstein's Creativity
Evan Thomas on 'Being Nixon'
Boris Johnson, Mayor, London, Michael Bloomberg, Founder, Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies, 108th Mayor of the City of New York, and With Walter Isaacson, CEO and President, The Aspen Institute discuss how cities are the hubs of tech innovation. Recorded at CityLab 2015 in London.
Robotic Moment: Who Do We Become When We Talk to Machines? (Aspen Lecture)
Building a Better Teacher
Our brains are getting older, but there's still much to be optimistic about. Neuroscientists Susan Greenfield and Gary Small discuss the aging brain with journalist Sam Kean.
What's Character Got to Do with It?
'Unfinished Business' with Anne-Marie Slaughter
Facing Death with Dignity and a Plan
The Church of Pope Francis
The New Golden Age of Television
What is College For?
China: New Economic Superpower?
Long Life in the 21st Century (Aspen Lecture)
Is Violence a Function of our Culture?
A View from the White House
Faith and the Public Square
Circuit Training for Your Brain: Well-Being Is a Skill
Radical: My Journey Out Of Islamist Extremism
The Obama Doctrine: America's Role in a Complicated World
The Supreme Court's Marriage Equality Ruling: The Most Consequential Ruling in Our Lifetimes?
Undaunted: Stories from the Frontlines of Global Health
The Evolution of Thinking Machines
Should We Design Our Babies?
Acting Out
Will Violence Be Our Legacy?
Kids These Days: Technology and Culture in American Life
On Russia and Putinism
"Redeployment" author Phil Klay
When Experts Disagree – The Art of Medical Decision Making
The Road to Depth, Thinking about what Character Is
A Conversation Across Cultures
"Our Kids" author Robert D. Putnam
American Musical Traditions
Astrophysicist and writer Janna Levin offers an epic tour through time from the beginning of the universe in a big bang, through black holes, past the emergence of life on at least one little planet spinning in a conceivably infinite cosmic ocean, to the possible end of time.
Flash Boys and the Human Piranha
Lawrence Lessig (professor at Harvard Law School) says there's a profound loss of confidence by Americans in their government. In this Aspen Lecture, Lessig shows exactly why Americans are right, and just how we could restore the rightful sense that we have a government that represents us.
A Candid Conversation with John R. Lewis
The Resilience Dividend
A Formula for Happiness
The Risky Business of Writing
"Wild" author Cheryl Strayed
Professor Robert Reich examines what's happened to income and wealth in this country, why it's a problem, and what we can expect in future years. Recorded live at the Aspen Ideas Festival.
Justice Under Pressure
August 6, 202553min 41sec
The mission of the U.S. Department of Justice has been tested over the past few months, as the Trump administration has thrust the agency into the center of several politicized debates. In the current atmosphere, can the DOJ fulfill its job of keeping our country safe and upholding civil rights? Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, who served under President George W. Bush, and former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, who served under President Obama, lend their deep experience to this question in a talk at the 2025 Aspen Ideas Festival. CNN journalist and author Fareed Zakaria moderates the conversation, which was recorded at the end of June.