Best Vanden Podcasts (2025)

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The US Military vs. the Environment w/ Gretchen Heefner | American Prestige 53:17

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8m ago53:17

53:17

Danny and Derek speak with historian Gretchen Heefner about how the US military (unsuccessfully) set out to conquer extreme environments and what those efforts reveal about empire, climate, and power. They discuss the US Army training for a desert war that turned out to be mud, the Pentagon’s disastrous attempts to master Greenland’s ice, early blu…

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Is Tesla Still a Car Company? w/ Ed Niedermeyer | Tech Won't Save Us 1:00:28

1d ago1:00:28

1:00:28

Paris Marx is joined by Ed Niedermeyer to discuss the mission to turn Elon Musk into the world’s first trillionaire, Tesla’s growing interest in making robots instead of cars, and how other automakers are coming for the EV market it once dominated. Ed Niedermeyer is the author of ⁠Ludicrous⁠ and co-host of the ⁠Autonocast⁠. Our Sponsors: * Check ou…

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How We Defeated Trump on Jimmy Kimmel—plus, the attacks on Harvard | Start Making Sense 43:45

5h ago43:45

43:45

Trump is trying to block speech that criticizes him. Last week began with JD Vance complaining about an article in The Nation that criticized the ideas of Charlie Kirk. Two days after that, ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel. And a few days after that, a protest movement forced ABC to put him back on the air. Bhaskar Sunkara comments on the fight over free…

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A New History of the Americas, Pt. 2 w/ Greg Grandin | American Prestige 1:07:14

4d ago1:07:14

1:07:14

Danny and Derek once again speak with historian Greg Grandin about his recent book, America, América: A New History of the New World. In this second part of the conversation, they follow US–Latin American relations from the American Civil War through the present. The discussion covers the Spanish-American War of 1898 and the contradictions of U.S. …

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The MAGA Fashion Revolution | The Nation Podcast 33:38

4d ago33:38

33:38

Donald Trump and his MAGA movement haven’t just taken over Republican politics. They’ve also taken over Republican fashion. Gone is the stuffy, genteel uniform of the elite. In its place: a loud, anti-establishment, even vulgar sartorial agenda. But what does this style actually say about MAGA politics? What do these clothes suggest about the authe…

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What Bari Weiss Is Really Up To | The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer 42:12

5d ago42:12

42:12

Bari Weiss, founder and editor of The Free Press, has often been profiled in the media, but usually in a superficial way that focuses on her personality and disputes with fellow journalists. She is currently on the cusp of great power, reportedly working on a deal to sell The Free Press and take a senior position at CBS. David Klion, Nation columni…

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Gaza City Ground Invasion, US War on “Narco-Terror” in the Caribbean, Russia Sanctions Standoff | American Prestige 1:04:03

7d ago1:04:03

1:04:03

Derek is joined once again by guest co-host Alex Jordan to bring you the news. This week: in Israel-Palestine, Israel commences its ground operation in Gaza City (1:50), a UN commission rules that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza (8:14), and Netanyahu touts a “Sparta” model for Israel while Smotrich talks Gaza real estate (9:39); fallout from …

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TRAILER: A People's Climate Podcast—Coming Soon! 2:02

6d ago2:02

2:02

“A People’s Climate” is a new climate podcast by Counterstream Media and The Nation. Hosted by Shilpi Chhotray. This isn’t climate talk as usual. This is environmental justice. Over nine powerful episodes, we bring together activists, organizers, and movement leaders who are fighting on the frontlines. Every conversation reveals not only why the fi…

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Good News for Dems – plus Fascists and Teachers | Start Making Sense 33:33

7d ago33:33

33:33

In suburban DC, southern Pennsylvania and Iowa, Democrats have won special elections by significant margins – and the polls for this year’s upcoming elections for mayor in New York City, governor in Virginia, and redistricting in California show Democrats well ahead. Also: J.D. Vance attacks The Nation. John Nichols comments. Also: Randi Weingarten…

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Climate Policy Progress and Challenges: A Conversation with John Podesta 31:46

7d ago31:46

31:46

Longtime national political advisor John Podesta shared his insights on climate policy, the challenges of securing bipartisan support, and the global push toward clean energy in this episode of “Environmental Insights: Discussions on Policy and Practice from the Harvard Environmental Economics Program.”Read the transcript of this episode: https://w…

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A New History of the Americas Pt. 1 w/ Greg Grandin | American Prestige 1:04:28

8d ago1:04:28

1:04:28

Danny and Derek welcome back historian Greg Grandin to talk about his recent book, America, América: A New History of the New World. In this first part of the discussion, they explore how the Spanish conquest produced unprecedented violence while also sparking debates about human rights, the role of Bartolomé de las Casas and the Salamanca School, …

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Yolanda Díaz Is the New Face of the Spanish Left | The Nation Podcast 30:23

9d ago30:23

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Yolanda Díaz, Spain’s high-profile labor minister, has managed a tightrope walk unthinkable in the country’s recent history. Much to the astonishment of her critics, she’s mitigated inflation while staving off the far right and delivering material improvements for the people of Spain. Can her model of leadership and reform be adopted by a broader l…

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The Failures of the Foreign Policy Elite | The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer 40:13

10d ago40:13

40:13

Matt Duss, vice-president of the Center for International Policy, wrote an excellent review for The Nation of Bob Woodward’s book War, which is a celebration of Joe Biden as a foreign policy sage. Duss is rightly skeptical of the book. We discuss Biden’s actual record on Ukraine and especially Gaza. Matt’s essay on this topic for Foreign Policy is …

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Israel Bombs Qatar, Nepal Protests, Russian Drones Enter Polish Airspace | American Prestige 1:09:53

15d ago1:09:53

1:09:53

While Danny remains in talks with Russia, Alex Jordan again helps Derek bring you the headlines. This week: Israel targets Hamas negotiators in a Doha strike (3:30), effectively ending ceasefire talks (8:43); the IDF orders the evacuation of Gaza City (13:11) while reports emerge that the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation hired an anti-Islam biker gang …

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A New Economy Will Deliver Better Technology w/ Aaron Benanav | Tech Won't Save Us 1:00:35

13d ago1:00:35

1:00:35

Paris Marx is joined by Aaron Benanav to discuss his vision for a multi-criterial economy and how it would alter the type of technology our society creates. It’s a plan to center human experience through democratic discourse while driving true social and technological innovation. ⁠Aaron Benanav⁠ is an Assistant Professor at Cornell University and t…

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Trump’s Really Bad Week in Court—Plus, the New Film by China’s Top Director | Start Making Sense 42:00

17d ago42:00

42:00

Trump had four major court decisions against him in a single week last week: on tariffs, defunding Harvard, sending troops to LA, and deporting Venezuelans, different courts and appellate panels said he was violating the law. Erwin Chemerinsky comments – he’s Dean of the Law School at Berkeley. Also: The new film “Caught by the Tides” by Jia Zhangk…

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From The Gilded Age to American Decline w/ Morgan Spector | American Prestige 1:19:05

15d ago1:19:05

1:19:05

Danny and Derek welcome actor Morgan Spector (The Gilded Age, The Plot Against America) to the show for a conversation on politics, Hollywood, and capitalism. They trace his political development from the Iraq War and Obama era to Bernie Sanders and democratic socialism, discuss his documentary The Big Scary “S” Word, and reflect on how Hollywood p…

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Investigating Complex Market Design Questions: A Conversation with Anna Russo 26:38

15d ago26:38

26:38

A rising star in the field of environmental economics, Anna Russo, a Junior Fellow with the Harvard Society of Fellows, shared her unique perspective on the collaborative environment at Harvard, her research methodology likened to solving puzzles, and the importance of combining diverse data sources to derive meaningful insights in the newest episo…

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Dark Money Invades Social Media | The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer 41:11

17d ago41:11

41:11

On August 27, journalist Taylor Lorenz reported for Wired on a dark-money project funded by anonymous Democratic Party donors to shape social media. Her article documented that, "In a private group chat in June, dozens of Democratic political influencers discussed whether to take advantage of an enticing opportunity. They were being offered $8,000 …

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AI and Drone Warfare in Ukraine, 'Trump Riviera' Gaza Plan, US Bombs Venezuelan Boat | American Prestige 1:03:46

22d ago1:03:46

1:03:46

Danny is in talks with the Kremlin to unfreeze his accounts, so Derek is joined instead by the Quincy Institute’s Alex Jordan to bring you the news. This week: a new study warns that the Atlantic circulation system could collapse (2:32); Ukraine introduces AI-driven drone swarms, raising the prospect of autonomous killing machines (5:55); in Israel…

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Will AI Kill Your Job? w/ Brian Merchant | Tech Won't Save Us 59:52

20d ago59:52

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Paris Marx is joined by Brian Merchant to discuss whether the AI bubble is about to burst and how bosses are deploying AI tools to kill jobs and degrade work. Brian Merchant is the author of ⁠Blood in the Machine⁠ and writes a ⁠newsletter⁠ of the same name. Our Sponsors: * Check out BetterHelp: https://betterhelp.com/THENATION Advertising Inquiries…

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Here Comes the Sun, plus Our Fragile Freedoms | Start Making Sense 38:15

21d ago38:15

38:15

At a time when almost everything seems to be going wrong, Bill McKibben sees one thing that is suddenly going right – a really big thing: solar power, and wind, which now provide cheaper electricity than fossil fuels. Bill’s new book has the wonderful title “Here Comes the Sun” – he says solar is “A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance fo…

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Christianity and 20th Century European Politics w/ Udi Greenberg | American Prestige 58:19

22d ago58:19

58:19

Danny and Derek welcome back to the program historian Udi Greenberg to discuss his reinterpretation of modern Christianity in The End of the Schism: Catholics, Protestants, and the Remaking of Christian Life in Europe, 1880s–1970s. They explore the alliances Catholics and Protestants forged under the pressures of fascism, the Cold War, and decoloni…

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Preparing for the Next War on Iran | The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer 39:08

24d ago39:08

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The Iran-Israel conflict in June was terrifying but brief: it lasted 12 days. But that war is not over. Trita Parsi, vice president and cofounder of the Quincy Institute, has been warning that both the United States and Israel are planning for another round, with their European allies providing the groundwork. I spoke to Parsi about the likelihood …

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Nasser Hospital Bombing, Trump’s Eyes on Venezuela, India Tariffs | American Prestige 54:05

26d ago54:05

54:05

Danny and Derek get in one last news update before Danny moves to an undisclosed American Prestige satellite campus. This week: In Israel-Palestine, the IPC formally declares a famine in Gaza (3:21), Israel bombs Nasser Hospital (6:34), and Trump hosts a White House “day after” meeting (13:25); Europe moves to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran (16:16);…

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How China’s Renewable Push Upends Geopolitics | Tech Won't Save Us 1:01:19

27d ago1:01:19

1:01:19

Paris Marx is joined by Kate Mackenzie and Tim Sahay to discuss the geopolitics behind China’s investments in green tech and electrification, and how it presents the prospect of a new development model based on renewables instead of fossil fuels. Kate Mackenzie is an adjunct fellow at Macquarie University. Tim Sahay is co-director of the Net Zero I…

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Trump’s National Guard Strategy—Plus, the Secret Behind ‘Huck Finn’ | Start Making Sense 39:16

1M ago39:16

39:16

What is Trump’s strategy in deploying the National Guard to L.A., then D.C., and now probably Chicago and New York? Does he want the military in the street of blue cities for the midterms next year? They will still elect Democrats to the House. John Nichols comments. Also: ‘Huckleberry Finn’ is America's great anti-slavery novel, but there's a secr…

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Columbia, Trump, and the Palestine Exception w/ Rashid Khalidi | American Prestige 1:03:30

29d ago1:03:30

1:03:30

Danny and Derek welcome historian Rashid Khalidi back to the program, this time to talk about Columbia University’s agreement with the Trump administration. They discuss the university equating criticism of Israel with antisemitism, the school bringing in outside monitors, bipartisan U.S. support for Israel despite shifting public opinion, and how …

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Trump-Putin Summit, India Turns From US to China, and Bolivia Election w/ Olivia Arigho-Stiles | American Prestige 47:48

1M ago47:48

47:48

Subscribe now to skip the ads and hear the full interview on the Bolivia election. Don’t forget our Welcome to the Crusades and Of This World series! Derek took away Danny’s iPad, so now Danny has to help with the news. This week: the great Trump-Putin summit takes place (1:39) as Zelensky visits the White House (5:44); Hamas accepts the newest cea…

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Why Countries Must Fight For Digital Sovereignty | Tech Won't Save Us 59:38

1M ago59:38

59:38

Paris Marx is joined by Cecilia Rikap to discuss how countries’ dependence on US tech companies is harming them and why they need to get serious about digital sovereignty. Cecilia Rikap is Associate Professor in Economics at University College London and Head of Research at the Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose. Our Sponsors: * Check out …

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The Mamdani Interview—Plus, Trump in Court | Start Making Sense 46:12

1M ago46:12

46:12

In The Nation’s interview with Zohran Mamdani, he talks how he won the New York City Democratic primary for mayor, by addressing the city’s affordability crisis—and what the Democrats can learn from his victory. Katrina vanden Heuvel and John Nichols, who conducted the interview, introduce our excerpts and set the stage. Also: It’s time to take a s…

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Self-Censorship w/ Glenn Loury | American Prestige 1:13:33

1M ago1:13:33

1:13:33

Danny and Derek Davison welcome to the program economist Glenn Loury, host of The Glenn Show, to talk about the re-release of his 1994 book Self-Censorship. They discuss the reasons he originally wrote the book, including self-censorship among intellectuals in late 1980s Eastern Europe as well as the response to Glenn’s critiques of US debates on r…

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The Great Canadian Betrayal | The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer 43:29

1M ago43:29

43:29

In April, the Liberal Party of Canada, under the leadership of Mark Carney, won an election that heartened opponents of the right-wing. Carney had run on the promise of fighting Donald Trump’s threats to annex Canada and also to bolster the Canadian state to deal with issues like affordable housing. But in office, Carney has been delivering somethi…

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Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Deal, Israel Seeks Country to Expel Palestinians, Upcoming Russia-Ukraine Summit | American Prestige 43:04

1M ago43:04

43:04

Don't forget to check out our series "Welcome to the Crusades" and "Of This World." Danny and Derek’s The Life of a Go-Go Boy album is shelved indefinitely. Meanwhile, in world news: Armenia and Azerbaijan sign a U.S.-brokered peace deal (1:35); Israel prepares for an operation in Gaza City as it continues its search for countries willing to take i…

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The Murder of Anas al-Sharif and Gaza’s Future w/ Mohammad Alsaafin | American Prestige 56:01

1M ago56:01

56:01

On a special edition of American Prestige, Mohammad Alsaafin, journalist at AJ+, returns to the program to discuss recent events concerning Palestine. He and Derek talk about journalists killed by Israel in Gaza, including Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif; the broad dehumanization of Palestinian journalists by many mainstream outlets; the plann…

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Danish Resistance to Fascism, and Ours Today—Plus, Trump v. UCLA | Start Making Sense 44:11

1M ago44:11

44:11

In WWII, Denmark rescued a larger proportion of their Jewish population than any other country – 95%. How they did it suggests how we can resist Trump’s attacks on undocumented residents. Sarah Sophie Flicker explains – she’s an organizer who’s a co-founder of the Women’s March on Washington. Also: Donald Trump is demanding that UCLA pay a $1 billi…

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Of This World: Politics in the Era of Rage w/ Carlo Invernizzi Accetti | American Prestige 47:06

1M ago47:06

47:06

In lieu of a typical Tuesday episode this week, we are happy to present the first episode of our new miniseries with Daniel Steinmetz-Jenkins, ⁠⁠Of This World .⁠Subscribe now⁠ at the annual tier for access to this series and other AP series going forward. First, Danny Bessner speaks with Daniel about what inspired this series. In the episode itself…

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Working in the New Scam Economy | The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer 42:10

2M ago42:10

42:10

Almost everyone who is on line or even has a cell phone has encountered a familiar and perplexing nuisance: an email or text with a job offer to make lots of money while working from home. These messages seem like obvious scams but how do they work? Alexander Sammon, a feature writer for Slate, conducted a personal experiment to find out by taking …

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Lebanon Moves to Disarm Hezbollah, Netanyahu Announces Gaza Occupation, 80th Anniversary of Atomic Bombing in Hiroshima | American Prestige 48:41

2M ago48:41

48:41

Don't forget to ⁠purchase our "Welcome to the Crusades" miniseries⁠! The AP team will wear formal Tevas to the new White House ballroom. Otherwise, in this week’s news: Danny and Derek reflect on the 80th anniversary of the US dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima (1:46); in Israel-Palestine, Netanyahu announces his “full occupation” plan (8:24) as…

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What Google Zero Means for Journalism | Tech Won't Save Us 1:01:21

2M ago1:01:21

1:01:21

Paris Marx is joined by Matt Pearce to discuss how Google’s use of generative AI is sending far less traffic to all manner of websites, but especially news publications, and what that might mean for the future of journalism. Matt Pearce is Director of Policy at Rebuild Local News and a former reporter at the Los Angeles Times. Our Sponsors: * Check…

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Katrina vanden Heuvel on Where We’re Going, and Robert Reich on How We Got Here | Start Making Sense 41:37

2M ago41:37

41:37

How do we face how bad things are now, while also understanding the reasons for hope, and the opportunities for action? Katrina vanden Heuvel, editor and publisher of The Nation, will comment. Plus: Robert Reich says the origin of our troubles with Trump and MAGA go back to the sixties; he says it started with the sixties movements – which created …

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How Land Determines Our Fate | American Prestige 50:28

2M ago50:28

50:28

Michael Albertus, professor of political science at the University of Chicago, joins the program to talk about his book Land Power: Who Has It, Who Doesn’t, and How That Determines the Fate of Societies. The group explores notions of land from archaeological evidence thousands of years ago, the enclosure movement of the medieval era, the European m…

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Zohran Mamdani’s Social Media Triumph | The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer 37:26

2M ago37:26

37:26

Writing in The New Republic, Greg Sargent called attention to Zohran Mamdani’s highly effective media strategy which has allowed him to reach many voters that have been drifting away from the Democratic Party, especially young people and immigrants. In punchy, short videos, Mamdani has offered an optimistic message that celebrates big city life and…

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Israel Continues Starving Gaza, Thailand and Cambodia Ceasefire, Global Fresh Water Supply Dwindling | American Prestige 50:18

2M ago50:18

50:18

Don’t forget to purchase our “Welcome to the Crusades” special series! Danny and Derek are monitoring the Liam Neeson-Pamela Anderson situation. Otherwise, in this week’s news: a new study says most countries are exploiting groundwater aquifers at an unsustainable rate (2:26); in Israel-Palestine, another Gaza ceasefire breaks down (4:56), Israel’s…

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Trump’s Crypto Profiteering Is Worse Than You Think | Tech Won't Save Us 1:00:12

2M ago1:00:12

1:00:12

Paris Marx is joined by Jacob Silverman to discuss Sequoia partner Shaun Maguire’s Islamophobic attack on Zohran Mamdani, what it tells us about the state of tech’s politics, and how Donald Trump is enriching himself through crypto scams. Jacob Silverman is a journalist and the author of the forthcoming book Gilded Rage: Elon Musk and the Radicaliz…

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Dems Who Didn’t Vote In 2024—Plus, Mussolini and Trump | Start Making Sense 40:36

2M ago40:36

40:36

Six million Democrats who voted for Joe Biden in 2020 did not vote in 2024. What’s wrong with them? Pollster and strategist Celinda Lake explains who they are, and what it would take to get them back to the polls in the 2026 midterms – and in 2028. Also: a suggestion for summer reading: M: Son of the Century is a 750-page historical novel about the…

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The Perils of Competition With China | American Prestige 59:18

2M ago59:18

59:18

Great Power Week continues here at American Prestige as historian Michael Brenes joins the show to talk about how prolonged competition with China threatens democracy, peace, and prosperity. They compare Biden and Trump’s respective approaches to China, whether the national security establishment is trying to manufacture an existential threat out o…

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Donald Trump’s Foreign Policy Betrayal | The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer 42:37

2M ago42:37

42:37

Since 2015, Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized the American foreign policy establishment for being too belligerent and unwilling to negotiate with adversaries. But in office, Trump has carried out a foreign policy that has all the vices he has criticized and been even more inclined to risk war or get into new wars. In a recent essay in The New …

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Gaza Starvation, ICJ Climate Ruling, Thai-Cambodian Border Clash | American Prestige 42:05

2M ago42:05

42:05

Don’t forget to buy our “Welcome to the Crusades” miniseries! Danny and Derek also rail against the war pigs, but lack the heavy riffs. This week: the International Court of Justice rules that wealthy nations must take action on climate change or bear responsibility (1:20); clashes escalate on the Thai-Cambodian border (4:08); a ceasefire holds in …

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Decomputing For a Better Future | Tech Won't Save Us 58:22

2M ago58:22

58:22

Paris Marx is joined by Dan McQuillan to discuss the political push by global governments towards rapid AI adoption at all costs, and how citizens can critically rethink not only our dependence on these technologies, but imagine a collective future that benefits everyone. Dan McQuillan is a lecturer at Goldsmiths College, University of London and t…