Shows
Ad HocJustice By Means of Democracy: A Conversation with Danielle AllenIf American democracy is a house, the floors are creaky and the roof is close to caving in. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Matthew and Jack sit down with Danielle Allen, who wants the United States to undergo a “democracy renovation” so that the house that the founders built responds to the needs of the present day. Allen, a political philosopher and scholar of public policy at Harvard, marries theory and practice in her work. She covers both in this conversation, touching on her theory of justice, her campaign for governor of Massachusetts, and the...
2024-05-0746 minAd HocBlueprint for Biden: A Conversation with Jonathan MartinAre the Democrats doomed in 2024? Or will the US get a rerun of 2020? In this episode, Jack and Jaden sit down with Jonathan Martin, Politico’s politics bureau chief and senior political columnist, for a discussion about what the future holds for Trump, Biden, America’s political parties, and journalism. Jonathan dons his campaign hat and outlines what Biden must do to defeat Trump in 2024 (hint: get the Clintons on board). Amid the rise of AI, he also reflects on the future of journalism: Will journalists like Jonathan even exist in a decade?Jonathan is also the autho...
2024-02-0934 minAd HocGood Arguments with Bo SeoMatthew and Jack sit down in Lowell House with Bo Seo, a two-time world champion debater and the author of Good Arguments: How Debate Teaches Us to Listen and Be Heard. Bo is a legend in the debating community. In high school, he led team Australia to victory at the World Schools Debating Championship, and in university, he and his teammate Fanele won the World University Debating Championship representing Harvard. In this episode, we talk about Bo’s journey from a shy and conflict-averse child to an expert debater, we discuss how to apply the virtues of debat...
2023-12-2757 minAd HocBehind Closed Doors: The Power of Personal Relationships in PoliticsYears after Justice Harry Blackmun authored the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, his daughter revealed that Blackmun had sought extensive counsel in his family. Evidence also suggests that members of Congress can be swayed by their children. Is this wrong? Should the influence of personal relationships in politics be condemned? Or do those influences play an important, necessary role? Jaden navigates the delicate balance of personal influences in politics, offering insights into how voters should respond if such influences are inevitable.
2023-12-0410 minAd HocPicture Perfect: A Conversation with Professor AdattoHow do the arts shape our political culture and civic life? Professor Adatto, multiple-award-winning Harvard lecturer and author of Picture Perfect: Life in the Age of the Photo Op, sits down with Matthew for a wide-ranging discussion of art and how it affects the way we view political candidates, fight wars, and relate to one another as human beings. How do politicians present themselves before the camera? Is there an ethical way to document war and suffering? In what way is persuasive rhetoric an art form, and how can modern politics rediscover it? Professor Adatto is a S...
2023-11-1645 minAd HocPicture Perfect: A Conversation with Professor AdattoHow do the arts shape our political culture and civic life? Professor Adatto, multiple-award-winning Harvard lecturer and author of Picture Perfect: Life in the Age of the Photo Op, sits down with Matthew for a wide-ranging discussion of art and how it affects the way we view political candidates, fight wars, and relate to one another as human beings. How do politicians present themselves before the camera? Is there an ethical way to document war and suffering? In what way is persuasive rhetoric an art form, and how can modern politics rediscover it? Professor Adatto is a S...
2023-11-1345 minAd HocA Conversation with Matthew YglesiasHow does Matthew Yglesias see the world, and what does he think about the Biden administration’s messaging, education polarization, and the right way to talk about crime? The author of the popular Substack newsletter Slow Boring and co-founder of Vox sits down with Matthew and Jack to talk about a range of policy issues, to explain how he sees politics differently than when he was a 21-year old Harvard student, and to share some wisdom on staying happy even when politics frustrates. We highly recommend subscribing to Matthew’s Substack, Slow Boring, and reading his book One B...
2023-10-031h 09Ad HocGuilty Admissions: Litigating LegacyCollege admissions are in turmoil. The Supreme Court’s dismantling of race-based affirmative action has ignited a broader discussion about who gets into America’s most selective colleges. Legacy preferences, a long-standing practice in the Ivy League and beyond, have come under fire in a recent investigation. And a groundbreaking paper by a group of economists paints class as a particularly influential factor in a student’s admission to elite schools. How should colleges respond to these challenges to long-standing admissions policies? And what do they stand to lose if the status quo endures?
2023-09-2545 minAd HocBalancing Act: The Fairness Doctrine RevisitedThe Fairness Doctrine—a 20th-century policy of the Federal Communications Commission—required radio and TV broadcasters to present balanced coverage on controversial issues. Since its repeal in 1987, the landscape of news media has drastically changed. Our access to a diverse range of news sources is greater than at any point in history, and yet the allegiance of viewers to their preferred talk show hosts and political pundits leaves us in silos and echo chambers, unwilling to hear the other side. In our age of polarization and misinformation, is a return to the Fairness Doctrine feasible? And would it help fix...
2023-05-2040 minAd HocTrouble in (Harlan Crow's) ParadiseClarence Thomas and his growing list of ethics scandals have led to calls for Congress to rein in the autonomy of Supreme Court justices. How was the court allowed to stray so far from the ethical path? And what does its intransigence say about its role in American society? Jack delves into America's most untouchable branch of government.
2023-05-0614 minAd HocHighly RegulatedIn 1971, Richard Nixon declared a “War on Drugs,” kicking off a nationwide campaign criminalizing drug use and drug users. But today, more than 50 years later, weed is legal in almost half the country, the opioid epidemic has fundamentally changed the way we view addiction, and the War on Drugs is widely viewed as a glaring policy failure. Meanwhile, several countries across the world have legalized marijuana and even experimented with the decriminalization of all drugs. What is the future of legal and illegal drug use, and what can policymakers in the US learn from how other countries regulate drugs of a...
2023-03-1642 minAd HocConstitutional Conundrums: A Conversation with Jill LeporeLast November, Jack, Jaden, and Matthew sat down to chat with Harvard history professor and award-winning author Jill Lepore. On the day after the midterm elections, they discussed political polarization, the Supreme Court's rightward turn, and Lepore's new study of constitutional paralysis, the Amend Project. Listen to find out if the Constitution will change anytime soon and if Professor Lepore thinks that pineapple belongs on pizza.
2023-02-2028 minAd HocCode of Ethics and Ethics of CodeAs artificial intelligence permeates our lives, it demands answers to political and ethical questions. Does Chat GPT doom education? Does AI belong in policing? In sentencing? In cars? Do we have the political will and know-how to effectively regulate AI? What the heck is Artificial General Intelligence, and how might it transform our world? *Note*: Jack incorrectly called out Chuck Grassley. The Senator who asked Zuck how Facebook makes money was Orrin Hatch, not Grassley. Grassley’s Twitter account is still funny though.
2023-02-1749 minAd HocNot Just a GameJaden, Matthew, and Jack discuss politics in sports. Was it a mistake to let Qatar host the FIFA World Cup? Did Wimbledon make the right call in banning the participation of Russians, including star players Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev? Does activism belong in sports, and can it succeed? Are sports a force for unity and social progress, or division and conflict?
2023-02-0657 min
Top of the Class#70 Winning the World Schools Debating Championship with Matthew Anzarouth and Jamie Beaton#70 Winning the World Schools Debating Championship with Matthew Anzarouth and Jamie BeatonSummary: 2 x World Schools Debating Championship winning team member and Harvard student, Matthew Anzarouth, chats with Crimson CEO, Jamie Beaton, all about his journey through debating, competing at the top level and his tips for students.Resources and Links!Subscribe on your favourite podcast platforms and follow Top of the Class on Twitter.Connect with listeners and past guests at the Top of the Class Slack Community...
2022-01-2244 min