Simoncast

Liz Dozier, CEO of Chicago Beyond, joined the Institute to discuss her path-breaking work to expand opportunities and possibilities for young people through education, youth safety, and wellness programs. This episode was recorded in March 2023.

Philip Taubman, a lecturer at Standford University, joined the Institute to discuss his book “In the Nation's Service: The Life and Times of George Shultz” and one of his earlier books, “The Partnership: Give Cold Warriors and Their Quest to Ban the Bomb.” This episode was recorded in April 2023. Hosted by John Shaw. Produced and edited by Jaclyn Durcholz. This podcast is produced through a partnership with WSIU Public Radio.

Dr. Fanta Aw, Executive Director and CEO of the NAFSA: Association of International Educators, joined the Institute to discuss the transformative power of international education and the importance of international exchange programs.

Margaret Croke, Illinois State Representative District 12, joins the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute to discuss her career in public service with John Shaw.

John Palfrey, president of the MacArthur Foundation, joined the Institute to discuss his wide-ranging career and the foundation's important work, including its commitment to supporting independent journalism with John Shaw.

Shannon McGregor, professor of journalism and poli-sci at UNC - Chapel Hill, discusses the impact of social media on journalism, politics and government in the U.S.

Description: Dr. Evelyn Farkas, Executive Director of the McCain Institute, discusses with John Shaw her career, the McCain Institute's commitment to advancing character-driven leadership around the world, and the national security challenges facing the United States.

Brian Rosenberg, author of "Whatever it is, I'm Against it: Resistance to Change in Higher Education," discusses the urgency and difficulty of reform in higher education.

John Hamre, American international relations scholar, former senior defense official, and CEO of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, discusses foreign policy and national security issues with Institute Director John Shaw.

David Kindred discusses his memoir "My Home Team: A Sportswriter's Life and the Redemptive Power of Small-Town Girls Basketball" with Institute Director John Shaw.

Reverend Susan Hayward discusses religious literacy in international affairs and her research on women and peace-building. This was recorded in January 2023

Dick Simpson discusses his books "Democracy's Rebirth: The View From Chicago" and "Chicago's Modern Mayors: From Harold Washington to Lori Lightfoot" with Institute Director John Shaw.

On this edition of Simoncast, Dr. Rachel Kleinfeld discusses her path-breaking work on the intersection of democracy and security.

This time on Simoncast, Eliot Cohen discusses his new book, "The Hollow Crown: Shakespeare on How Leaders Rise, Rule, and Fall," with Institute director John Shaw.

Historian Drew Gilpin Faust discusses her new memoir, "Necessary Trouble: Growing up at Midcentury," with Paul Simon Public Policy Institute Director John Shaw.

Miles Rapoport, Executive Director of 100% Democracy, discusses a plan to revitalize American democracy with Institute Director John Shaw on Simoncast.

On this edition of Simoncast, Liz Alderman and Institute Director John Shaw discuss the political, economic, and social turmoil cascading across Europe.

Simoncast host John Shaw of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute speaks with the Executive Director of Foreign Affairs, Daniel Kurtz-Phelan.

Author Ira Shapiro discusses his books “The Last Great Senate: Courage and Statesmanship in Times of Crisis,” “Broken: Can the Senate Save Itself and the Country?” and “The Betrayal: How Mitch McConnell and the Senate Republicans Abandoned America.”

Author Rebecca Donner discusses her book “All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days: The True Story of the American Woman at the Heart of the German Resistance to Hitler.”

Author Jim Nowlan discusses his new book "Politics: The Starter Kit - How to Succeed in Politics and Government" and two of his earlier books, “Illinois Politics” and “Fixing Illinois.” His new book is intended for those new to politics and government or who are interested in becoming involved.

President of Woods Fund Chicago, Michelle Morales, discusses her background in advocacy and philanthropy and Woods Fund Chicago's eight-decade quest to advance social justice.

Founder and executive director of The HistoryMakers, Julieanna Richardson, discusses her contribution to the non-profit organization.

Gareth Evans discusses his book “Good International Citizenship: The Case for Decency" with host John Shaw.

Co-founder of Semafor, Ben Smith, discusses the digital news revolution, the changing media landscape, and his book, “Traffic: Genius, Rivalry and Delusion in the Billion Dollar Race to Go Viral.”

CEO of the Better Government Association, David Greising, talks with John Shaw about Journalism.

Award-winning journalist and foreign policy expert John Walcott talks about the search for truth in journalism, changing media environment in the United States and worldwide, and considers the daunting challenges now facing journalists and analysts to ascertain what is truthful.

John Shaw, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute and host of Simoncast, becomes the focus of today's interview with Alee Quick.

Novelist Jennifer Close talks about the long and winding novel-writing process, how she encourages young writers as an instructor, and why politics snuck into her latest novel

Tanisha Fazal, a professor of political science at the University of Minnesota, talks about why she studies war — "my motivation is usually about trying to mitigate war's worst effects," she says — why we should be thinking differently about the costs of war, and what makes Russia's war in Ukraine unique.

New York Times global economic correspondent Peter S. Goodman talks about his book "Davos Man: How the Billionaires Devoured the World," which explores the contradictions on display at the World Economic Forum, why economic inequality is a powerful threat to democracy, and how billionaires exploited the COVID-19 pandemic. He also tells us how he crafts fascinating stories about everyday people to explain big ideas like supply chain disruptions and global shipping delays.

Chicago Tribune investigative reporter Ray Long talks about his book "The House That Madigan Built," which covers the long and powerful career of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and serves as an unofficial primer on Illinois politics. We also discuss the former speaker's fall from grace and the federal racketeering charges he now faces.

Journalist Melinda Henneberger talks about her work at the Kansas City Star, including a series of columns about a retired police officer who was accused of rape, for which she won the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for commentary.

East St. Louis, Illinois Mayor Robert Eastern III talks about his philosophy for economic development in the city he leads, which he describes as "intentional." He also talks about the impact of COVID-19 on his Mississippi River city, including some unexpected upsides.

Illinois State Senator Dale Fowler, a Republican from Harrisburg, talks about advocating for economic development in Southern Illinois, working to keep young people in the region, and how his relationships across the aisle help him do both.

Illinois State Senator Jason Barickman, a Republican from Bloomington, talks about his path from the county board to the state Senate, his work on education funding and redistricting reform, working across party lines in Springfield, and how nationwide political angst affects state government.

April Kornfield, director of debates for Braver Angels, explains her organization's unique style of debate, which Kornfield describes as a "collective search for truth" rather than a fight to be won or lost.

Danielle Allen, Harvard University professor and director of the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics, talks about how the United States' COVID-19 response got caught in our political polarization, how we can rebuild trust in our civic institutitons, and the power and magnificence of the Declaration of Independence.

Journalist and author Tom Zoellner talks about his book "The National Road: Dispatches from a Changing America."

Congressman Adam Schiff talks about how the Intelligence Committee oversees the work of the United States' intelligence agencies, including the CIA and NSA, and the role U.S. intelligence agencies play in our nation's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Julian Zelizer, CNN political analyst, author, and public affairs and history professor at Princeton University, traces the history of political polarization in the United States

U.S. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Illinois, talks about how U.S. intelligence officials are monitoring Russia, how the U.S. can help Ukraine mount a successful insurgency, and what we learned from COVID-19.

Janel L. Forde, director of the Illinois Department of Central Management Services, talks about how her department works behind the scenes to keep the engine of Illinois state government humming.

William Burns, the director of the CIA, talked with John Shaw in June of 2020, when he was the president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Douglas Wilson talks about Abraham Lincoln's evolution as a man and his writing process, which included jotting down writing ideas on scraps of paper and then storing them inside his hat.

Author and Pulitzer Prize-winning arts critic Margo Jefferson talks with the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute about her memoir "Negroland," which recounts what it was like to come of age in Black Chicago's upper crust at a time when the city -- and the country -- was racially segregated.

Author and University of Illinois history professor Kristin Hoganson talks with Paul Simon Public Policy Institute Director John Shaw about her book, "The Heartland: An American History," which details how Illinois -- especially Champaign County -- sits at the middle of vital events in American history.

Author and journalist Bob Hartley talks with Paul Simon Public Policy Institute Director John Shaw about Illinois' two most famous political Pauls.

Biographer and bestselling author Candice Millard talks with Paul Simon Public Policy Institute Director John Shaw about growing up in the public library, working at National Geographic, and her books about Teddy Roosevelt, James Garfield, and Winston Churchill.

Karin Olofsdotter, Sweden's ambassador to the United States, talks about her career as an "unlikely diplomat," Sweden's COVID-19 philosophy, how the pandemic has changed world relations, and why Sweden wants the U.S. to succeed.