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Ian Bremmer sits down with Thomas Wright, Brookings Institution fellow and former Senior Director at the US National Security Council, to unpack the deepening war in Iran and the divergent strategies shaping it. What are the possible outcomes for the widening conflict in Iran? What began as a dramatic opening strike has evolved into a far more complex war, with Washington, Jerusalem, and Tehran all pursuing different aims. Wright argues this isn't simply about degrading military capability; it's about competing endgames that may pull the region in unpredictable directions. As Wright explains, the United States is hoping for a pragmatic partner inside Iran, while Israel pushes for full regime change. “Trump couldn't care less if Larijani runs Iran. The Israelis do… They're going to go full bore for regime change,” he says. At the same time, efforts to fragment the country risk creating “a much bigger problem… a Syria civil war on steroids.” The conversation also examines how other global players are responding. Europe has been muted, trying to accommodate the US, while China and Russia tread carefully, balancing economic and strategic interests without directly confronting Washington. Wright also discusses domestic implications, including the Pentagon's evolving relationship with Silicon Valley and how frontier technologies like AI are intersecting with national security concerns. Looking ahead, Wright outlines both best-and worst-case scenarios — from the emergence of a more legitimate leadership to the specter of fragmentation that could intensify regional instability. With no clear exit ramp in sight, this conversation explores what might come next and why the endgame of this war remains so uncertain. Host: Ian Bremmer Guest: Thomas Wright Subscribe to the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Ian Bremmer sits down with Thomas Wright, Brookings Institution fellow and former Senior Director at the US National Security Council, to unpack the deepening war in Iran and the divergent strategies shaping it. What are the possible outcomes for the widening conflict in Iran? What began as a dramatic opening strike has evolved into a far more complex war, with Washington, Jerusalem, and Tehran all pursuing different aims. Wright argues this isn't simply about degrading military capability; it's about competing endgames that may pull the region in unpredictable directions. As Wright explains, the United States is hoping for a pragmatic partner inside Iran, while Israel pushes for full regime change. “Trump couldn't care less if Larijani runs Iran. The Israelis do… They're going to go full bore for regime change,” he says. At the same time, efforts to fragment the country risk creating “a much bigger problem… a Syria civil war on steroids.” The conversation also examines how other global players are responding. Europe has been muted, trying to accommodate the US, while China and Russia tread carefully, balancing economic and strategic interests without directly confronting Washington. Wright also discusses domestic implications, including the Pentagon's evolving relationship with Silicon Valley and how frontier technologies like AI are intersecting with national security concerns. Looking ahead, Wright outlines both best-and worst-case scenarios — from the emergence of a more legitimate leadership to the specter of fragmentation that could intensify regional instability. With no clear exit ramp in sight, this conversation explores what might come next and why the endgame of this war remains so uncertain. Host: Ian Bremmer Guest: Thomas Wright Subscribe to the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
In this episode, panelists discuss Iran's current political climate, concerns for civilians on the ground, and how the country's rapidly evolving internal dynamics are shaping U.S. objectives as well as broader regional and international considerations. Background Reading: In this article, International Affairs Fellow Sam Vigersky discusses the global economic disruption caused by the Iran war and its effects on existing humanitarian crises. Host: Deborah Amos, Ferris Professor of Journalism in Residence, Princeton University; CFR Member Guests: Elliott Abrams, Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies, Council on Foreign Relations Mahmood Reza Amiry-Moghaddam, Professor, University of Oslo; Founder and Director, Iran Human Rights NGO Mara Karlin, Professor of Practice, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies; Visiting Fellow, Brookings Institution; CFR Member Ray Takeyh, Hasib J. Sabbagh Senior Fellow for Middle East Studies, Council on Foreign Relations Want more comprehensive analysis of global news and events sent straight to your inbox? Subscribe to CFR's Daily News Brief newsletter. To keep tabs on all CFR events, visit cfr.org/event. To watch this event, please visit it on our YouTube channel: Iran's Internal Dynamics and U.S. Objectives
For some analysis, Tom Wright, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington. Tom also worked on the US National Security policy for the Biden Administration.
Are we handing the keys of AI to a generation of "passengers"? In this episode of An Educated Guest, host Todd Zipper talks with Rebecca Winthrop, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and author of The Disengaged Teen.Rebecca shares her journey from refugee camps to the halls of Brookings, explaining why she believes the current risks of generative AI for K-12 learners outweigh the benefits—unless we change the way we teach. We dive into her "Four Learning Modes" framework to understand the spike in teenage disengagement and discuss the chilling reality of a workforce where "AI agents" are increasingly preferred over entry-level human hires.From the "Experience Paradox" to the "Cognitive Offboarding" trap, Rebecca provides a roadmap for parents and educators to help students move from being passive recipients of information to intrinsically motivated "Explorers" who can partner with AI rather than be replaced by it.
Michael Allen discusses Iran's new Supreme Leader with Jeffrey Feltman, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution and former UN Under-Secretary-General. Feltman examines the sudden rise of Mojtaba Khamenei following the death of his father, Ali Khamenei, and discusses the regime's internal cohesion despite widespread domestic opposition. He also explains Israeli military targeting strategies, the risk of a "race for the bomb," and the potential for significant regional escalation.
The 39.4 million people who live in California now have a new tool where they can request that data brokers delete their personal information. That may include their online search histories, social security numbers and where they work, among other identifying data.The tool is called the Delete Request and Opt-Out Platform (DROP). It was mandated by a 2023 state law called the “Delete Act.” Data brokers have until August to start processing these requests. Nicol Turner Lee, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, says it could limit the sale of our information.
The 39.4 million people who live in California now have a new tool where they can request that data brokers delete their personal information. That may include their online search histories, social security numbers and where they work, among other identifying data.The tool is called the Delete Request and Opt-Out Platform (DROP). It was mandated by a 2023 state law called the “Delete Act.” Data brokers have until August to start processing these requests. Nicol Turner Lee, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, says it could limit the sale of our information.
Are America and Israel heading toward a strategic collision over Iran? Michael Smerconish speaks with Dr. Thomas Wright of the Brookings Institution about growing tensions between Washington and Jerusalem as the war with Iran escalates. Is Prime Minister Netanyahu seeking regime change while President Trump looks for a quick “mission accomplished” exit? And what happens if oil prices spike, regional instability spreads, or Iran simply waits out U.S. patience? They discuss whether regime change is even possible from the air, how economic fallout could shape Trump's decision-making, and whether the National Security Council has planned for “day two.” Listen to this provocative, nonpartisan look at America's next foreign policy crossroads, and then rate, review and share this podcast! Original air date 9 March 2026. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
From October 2, 2024: Israel has hit Hezbollah very hard over the past few days, killing much of its senior leadership and eroding its capabilities. It has also displaced hundreds of thousands of Lebanese and now has ground forces in Lebanon. Iran has responded with a missile barrage against Israel, to which an Israeli response is widely expected. To discuss the latest events in the expanding war, Lawfare's Editor-in-Chief Benjamin Wittes sat down with Firas Maksad of the Middle East Institute, Natan Sachs of the Brookings Institution, and Lawfare Senior Editor Scott R. Anderson.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Iran war pushes oil price above $90, threatening rise in global inflation Guest: Rory Johnston, oil market researcher and founder of commoditycontext.com Trump wants ‘unconditional surrender' as attacks on Iran continue, does the US have a plan? Guest: Tom Wright, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, former senior director for strategic planning at the US National Security Council Is the US really planning on enlisting Kurdish militias to fight in Iran? Guest: Jeff Semple, senior correspondent, Global National McDonald's CEO's bizarre video turns into a mockfest for its rivals Guest: Robert Carter, a restaurant industry analyst and managing partner at Stratton Hunter Group
As investment into Artificial Intelligence continues to grow, construction of AI data centers is significantly increasing the demand for electricity, water, and land use across the country. These centers can require the same amount of water as a fifty-thousand-person town and could represent 12% of overall US electricity consumption in the coming years. Inflexible supply creates the risk of rapid price increases while private and public sector leaders work to meet the growing demand. In this episode, we talk with Joe Kane, Fellow at the Brookings Institution, about why these AI data centers are so resource-intensive, their impact on local infrastructure, and the bottlenecks limiting quicker supply adjustments.
The promise of AI in education is incredible: picture infinitely patient tutors that can teach every student exactly the way they need to be taught. But the history of education technology tells us that these kinds of simple, optimistic stories are naive. Ask any teacher or student whether they feel unleashed by technology to do their best work. Because AI has the potential to completely transform education — is already transforming it — faster than educators can keep up, it's essential that we start asking the big questions: how should these tools be used in the classroom? What's the purpose of education in an AI age? And how do we prepare students for a future that's still so radically uncertain? Our guest this week actually has some answers. Rebecca Winthrop leads the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution, and they just released a report called A New Direction for Students in an AI World. She and her colleagues conducted an extensive ‘pre-mortem' of AI in the classroom, speaking with hundreds of educators, students, policy-makers, and technologists worldwide. In this episode, Rebecca walks us through what she's learned — what's working, what's not, and most importantly, what are the concrete steps that parents, teachers, and administrators can and should take right now? RECOMMENDED MEDIA A New Direction for Students in An AI World The Disengaged Teen by Rebecca Winthrop and Jenny Anderson RECOMMENDED YUA EPISODES Rethinking School in the Age of AI Attachment Hacking and the Rise of AI Psychosis How OpenAI's ChatGPT Guided a Teen to His Death AI and the Future of Work: What You Need to Know Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Markets haven't exactly been calm since the conflict in Iran started. But are they mispricing the risks of a bigger economic blow-up? And how does this conflict compare with what happened after Russia invaded Ukraine? Host Soumaya Keynes discusses these questions with Robin Brooks, author of the Shadow Price Macro substack and senior fellow in the Global Economy and Development program at the Brookings Institution. Subscribe to Soumaya's show on Apple, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you listen.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with University of Maryland Professor Dr. Shibley Telhami and FMEP President Lara Friedman. The three discuss the new US & Israeli war against Iran, the strategic changes in the Persian Gulf and the polling data in the U.S. demonstrating a lack of support for the war. They discuss the fate of the Abraham Accords and normalization more broadly. They also discuss the role and politics of Israel in the U.S. now, including recent polling data and the impact on current and future leadership. See Dr. Telhami's most recent poll, "Do Americans Favor Attacking Iran Under the Current Circumstances? The Latest Critical Issues Poll Findings," conducted in early February 2026, before the U.S. & Israel launched the recent war. Dr. Shibley Telhami is the Anwar Sadat Professor for Peace and Development, Distinguished Scholar-Teacher, and the Director of the University of Maryland Critical Issues Poll. He is also Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. Lara Friedman is FMEP's president. Ahmed Moor is a Palestinian-American writer born in Gaza and a Fellow at FMEP. Original music by Jalal Yaquob.
The Hoover Institution's Project on Taiwan in the Indo-Pacific Region held a public session on Resilient Realists: How Taiwan Navigates Its Future in a Turbulent World on March 2, 2026 from 1:00-2:30 PM PT. Since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical competition between the United States and the People's Republic of China (PRC) has rapidly intensified, and the global order has faced growing strains. Through it all, Taiwan has remained remarkably resilient. In the face of relentless diplomatic, economic, and military pressure from Beijing, Taiwan's leaders have leveraged the island's critical role in global technology supply chains, its reputation as a robust liberal democracy, and its strategic position in the Indo-Pacific to deepen engagement with key world powers. As many Americans question core assumptions of the post-Cold War global order, the PRC's military power continues to grow, and the world stands on the cusp of a technological revolution in artificial intelligence, can Taiwan continue to navigate so deftly through turbulent geopolitical waters? To address these topics, the Project on Taiwan in the Indo-Pacific Region at the Hoover Institution held a fireside chat featuring Dr. Hung-mao Tien, President of the Institute for National Policy Research (INPR) in Taipei and a former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Dr. Tien joined in conversation by Adm. (Ret.) James O. Ellis, the Annenberg Distinguished Visiting Fellow, and Dr. Larry Diamond, the William L. Clayton Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution. ABOUT THE SPEAKERS Dr. Hung-mao Tien is the President and Chairman of the Institute for National Policy Research in Taipei, and board member of several foundations and business corporations in Taiwan. He also serves as a Senior Advisor to the President of the Republic of China (Taiwan). From 2000-2002, he was the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He also served as the chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation, the semi-official body in Taiwan responsible for direct exchanges and dialogue with the People's Republic of China, Representative (ambassador) to the United Kingdom, and presidential advisor to former President Lee Teng-hui. He has also served in an advisory capacity to Harvard University's Asia Center, The Asia Society in New York, and the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. Dr. Tien has taught in universities in both the US and Taiwan as professor of political science. His numerous publications in English (author, editor and co-editor) include: Government and Politics in Kuomintang China 1927-37 (Stanford University Press); The Great Transition: Social and Political Change in the Republic of China (Stanford: Hoover Institution Press); and Democratization in Taiwan, Implications for China (St. Anthony's Series, Oxford University), Consolidating the Third Wave Democracies, Themes and Perspectives (Baltimore and London: The Johns Hopkins University Press), China Under Jiang Zemin (Rienner), and The Security Environment in the Asia-Pacific (M.E. Sharpe). He received his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Larry Diamond is the William L. Clayton Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, the Mosbacher Senior Fellow in Global Democracy at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI), and a Bass University Fellow in Undergraduate Education at Stanford University. He is also professor by courtesy of political science and sociology at Stanford, where he lectures and teaches courses on democracy (including an online course on EdX). At Hoover, he co-leads the Project on Taiwan in the Indo-Pacific Region and participates in the Program on the US, China, and the World. At FSI, he is among the core faculty of the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law, which he directed for six and a half years. He leads FSI's Israel Studies Program and is a member of the Program on Arab Reform and Development. He also co-leads the Global Digital Policy Incubator, based at FSI's Cyber Policy Center. He served for thirty-two years as founding coeditor of the Journal of Democracy. Diamond's research focuses on global trends affecting freedom and democracy and on US and international policies to defend and advance democracy. His book Ill Winds: Saving Democracy from Russian Rage, Chinese Ambition, and American Complacency (2019; paperback ed. 2020) analyzes the challenges confronting liberal democracy in the United States and around the world and offers an agenda for strengthening and defending democracy at home and abroad. His other books include In Search of Democracy (2016), The Spirit of Democracy (2008), Developing Democracy: Toward Consolidation (1999), Promoting Democracy in the 1990s (1995), and Class, Ethnicity, and Democracy in Nigeria (1989). He has edited or coedited more than fifty books, including China's Influence and American Interests (2019, with Orville Schell), Silicon Triangle: The United States, Taiwan, China, and Global Semiconductor Security (2023, with James O. Ellis Jr. and Orville Schell), and The Troubling State of India's Democracy (2024, with Šumit Ganguly and Dinsha Mistree). Admiral James O. Ellis Jr. is Annenberg Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution, where he oversees both the Global Policy and Strategy Initiative and the George P. Shultz Energy Policy Working Group. He retired from a 39-year career with the US Navy in 2004. He has also served in the private and nonprofit sectors in areas of energy and nuclear security. A 1969 graduate of the US Naval Academy, Ellis was designated a naval aviator in 1971. His service as a navy fighter pilot included tours with two carrier-based fighter squadrons and assignment as commanding officer of an F/A-18 strike fighter squadron. In 1991, he assumed command of the USS Abraham Lincoln, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. After selection to rear admiral, in 1996, he served as a carrier battle group commander, leading contingency response operations in the Taiwan Strait. His shore assignments included numerous senior military staff tours. Senior command positions included commander in chief, US Naval Forces, Europe, and commander in chief, Allied Forces, Southern Europe, during a time of historic NATO expansion. He led US and NATO forces in combat and humanitarian operations during the 1999 Kosovo crisis. Ellis's final assignment in the navy was as commander of the US Strategic Command during a time of challenge and change. In this role, he was responsible for the global command and control of US strategic and space forces, reporting directly to the secretary of defense.
In The Doom Loop: Why the World Economic Order Is Spiraling into Disorder, Eswar Prasad argues that we are caught in a destructive feedback loop between economics, domestic politics, and geopolitics.Prasad is a professor of Trade Policy and Economics at Cornell University, as well as a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. In his new book, he explores how globalization, international institutions, the rise of “middle power” countries, and technological innovations had the potential to promote shared prosperity—but instead are driving global instability.In his conversation with Nikolaus Lang, global leader of the BCG Henderson Institute, he discusses the breakdown of the rule-based system, implications for trade policy in Europe and elsewhere, and the role AI plays in driving global instability.Key topics discussed: 01:20 | The doom loop driving global instability06:41 | The positive aspects of globalization and middle powers12:02 | Implications for European trade policy15:51 | The breakdown of the rule-based system18:36 | The role of AI and other technologies in the doom loop23:57 | Reasons for remaining optimisticAdditional inspirations from Eswar Prasad:The Future of Money: How the Digital Revolution Is Transforming Currencies and Finance (Belknap Press: An Imprint of Harvard University Press, 2023)
Mike joins Tanvi Madan, senior fellow with the Center for Asia Policy Studies in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution. They discuss developments in the U.S.-India relationship, the U.S.-India security alignment and other areas of cooperation, the new bilateral trade deal, interpersonal dynamics between U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and what we can expect for the bilateral relationship looking forward.
Paid message: Sign up for the University of Zurich International Summer School: freshedpodcast.com/summerschool -- Today we conduct a premortem of Generative Artificial Intelligence in education. My guest is Mary Burns. Mary Burns is an internationally recognized expert in teacher professional development, online learning, and educational technology. She is the lead author of the new Brookings Institution's study entitled “A new direction for students in an AI world: Prosper, prepare, protect.” freshedpodcast.com/burns/ -- Get in touch! LinkedIn: @FreshEdpodcast Facebook: FreshEd Email: info@freshedpodcast.com
The IRS has lost tens of thousands of employees since President Donald Trump took office – the result of DOGE, policy differences, last year's government shutdown, and layoffs. Now that we're in tax season, the agency is asking thousands of untrained employees from other departments to help with taxpayer services. Those job cuts and changes could, at best, slow down your refund. At worst, the IRS could be far less able to stop scammers. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is insisting that taxpayers will be getting bigger refunds this year. The problem is, prices on basically everything are still super high – which gives people less of a chance to hold onto that money. And will anyone even remember their tax refunds when they head out to vote in November? For more, we spoke with Vanessa Williamson, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, and author of “The Price of Democracy: The Revolutionary Power of Taxation in American History.”And in headlines, Arizona Republicans want to send ICE officers to polling places, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg takes the stand in a case weighing if social media platforms deliberately addict and harm children, and the Trump administration pushes back against a court order to restore an exhibit on people enslaved by George Washington in Philadelphia.Show Notes: Check out Vanessa's book – brookings.edu/books/the-price-of-democracy/ Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8 What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday
This week on Facing the Future Wendell Primus, Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution and a former Senior Policy Advisor to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, described his plan to keep the Social Security trust fund from becoming insolvent as soon as 2032. Some political pain will be required.
This week on Facing the Future Wendell Primus, Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution and a former Senior Policy Advisor to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, described his plan to keep the Social Security trust fund from becoming insolvent as soon as 2032. Some political pain will be required.
With help from Congress, the Trump Administration stripped some $1.5 billion in federal funds previously promised to tribes. A lot of that was in the form of contracts for clean energy manufacturing and development — new money doled out three years earlier as part of President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act. A new analysis by the Brookings Institution identifies three funding and policy changes, including reductions in SNAP and Medicaid, that negatively affect Native Americans. The research firm says the actions continue a pattern of disinvestment and falls short of the federal government's binding responsibility to Indian Country. GUESTS Robert Maxim (Mashpee Wampanoag), fellow at The Brookings Institution Chéri Smith (Mi’kmaq descendant), president and CEO of the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy Timothy Nuvangyaoma (Hopi), vice president of tribal engagement for the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy and former chairman of the Hopi Tribe Dr. Kyle Whyte (Citizen Potawatomi Nation), professor at the School for Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan
Welcome back to the Alt Goes Mainstream podcast.The Goldman Sachs Alternatives Summit “convened leaders across finance, geopolitics, technology, and culture” to discuss themes driving global markets.2025's Alternatives Summit was about “navigating a world in flux,” as the firm's recap of its event noted. The event aimed to help investors cut through the noise and put together the pieces of the puzzle in a dynamic and increasingly complex world. Alt Goes Mainstream joined the event to have unscripted conversations with Goldman Sachs Alternatives leaders to cut through the noise by unpacking key themes and trends at the intersection of private markets and private wealth.In this special series, we went behind the scenes and interviewed six Goldman Sachs Alternatives leaders about their current thinking on private markets and how the firm has built and evolved its private markets capabilities.This conversation was with Jeff Fine, Partner, Global Co-Head of Alternatives Capital Formation within Goldman Sachs Asset Management, with responsibility for capital raising, product strategy, research and investor relations across private equity, private credit, real assets, secondaries, GP stakes and hedge funds/liquid alternatives. Jeff is a member of the Real Estate Investment Committee and Urban Investment Group Investment Committee. Jeffrey is also on the boards of GS Real Estate Investment Trust and GS Real Estate Finance Trust. Previously, he was Global Head of Real Estate Client Solutions for Goldman Sachs Asset Management and a senior real estate investor in the Merchant Banking Division for more than 20 years. Jeffrey joined Goldman Sachs in 2002 in the Merchant Banking Division as an Analyst. He was named Managing Director in 2012 and Partner in 2018. Jeff is Chairman of the Dyson School Advisory Council and a member of the SC Johnson College of Business Leadership Council at Cornell University. He is a member of the Cornell Endowment's Risk, Liquidity, and Operations Subcommittee and the Board of Directors of the Pension Real Estate Association Foundation. Jeffrey is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Met Council at the Brookings Institution.Jeff and I had a fascinating conversation about the intersection of private markets and private wealth, fundraising trends, and the growing role of insurers and the wealth channel in private markets capital formation. We covered:The evolving private markets landscape.The important role of the product specialist.The impact of AI on investing and what it means for private markets.What it takes to be a great investor.The importance of the value creation process in driving investment value.The future of capital formation in private markets.Thanks Jeff for sharing your wisdom, expertise, and passion about private markets and private wealth. Show Notes01:05 Welcome to the Alt Goes Mainstream Podcast02:08 Jeff Fine's Background and Career Journey03:43 Sophistication in the Market05:05 The Role of Product Specialists07:16 Talent and Resourcing in Asset Management 08:01 The War for Talent in Asset Management09:07 Investment Performance as a Priority10:05 Balancing Origination and LP Demand11:42 Meeting Client Needs in Wealth Channel12:06 Transparency and Risk Communication12:59 Growth in Private Markets18:07 Global Capital and Diversification19:31 Smart Allocation in Private Markets20:58 Private Credit as a Yield Instrument22:23 The Role of Insurance in Private Markets24:33 Customization and Scale in Private Markets28:55 Trends in LP Relationships30:39 Strategic Partnerships and Cost Efficiency31:40 Concerns About Market Valuations32:43 Belief in a Transformative Future35:24 Advice for LPs in Current Market36:21 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsEditing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant.
A new study by the Brookings Institution examines how federal policies are causing harm to Latino-owned businesses across the state.
Vor der Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz analysieren Anna Engelke und Kai Küstner die Probleme der transatlantischen Beziehungen. Der ehemalige US-Botschafter Wolfgang Ischinger spricht von einer „erheblichen Vertrauens- und Glaubwürdigkeitskrise“ zwischen Europa und den USA durch die unberechenbare Politik der Trump-Regierung. Der Leiter der MSC wünscht sich als Konferenzleiter, dass die Europäer in Zukunft mit Selbstbewusstsein und Selbstachtung ihre eigene Zukunft gestalten. Die Politologin Constanze Stelzenmüller gibt im Interview den Europäern einen praktischen Tipp im Umgang mit Trump: „Mach es wie die Ente – oben ganz ruhig, unten stark rudern.“ Kühl, ruhig und gefasst müssten sie sich auf allen möglichen Irrsinn einlassen und gleichzeitig sehr energisch dafür sorgen, sich nicht angreifbar und verwundbar zu machen, so die Direktorin des Center on the United States and Europe und erste Inhaberin des Fritz-Stern-Chair bei der Brookings Institution, einem Washingtoner Think Tank. Das bedeute auch, dass sich Europa gegenüber Eingriffen, Angriffen, Interventionen, Sabotage und Propaganda wehren muss – nicht nur aus China und Russland, sondern leider auch aus Amerika. Insgesamt wollen zur Sicherheitskonferenz mehr als 60 Staats- und Regierungschefs nach München kommen. Lob und Kritik, alles bitte per Mail an streitkraefte@ndr.de Reparaturarbeiten am transatlantischen Verhältnis https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/muenchner-sicherheitskonferenz-erwartungen-100.html NATO startet Arktik-Mission zur Abschreckung und Verteidigung https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/nato-arktis-mission-100.html Alle Folgen von “Streitkräfte und Strategien” https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/info/podcast2998.html Podcast-Tipp: Synapsen über personalisierte Medizin https://1.ard.de/Synapsen- ein Wissenschaftspodcast von NDR Info
This week on Sinica, I speak with Patricia Kim, a Fellow at the Brookings Institution's John L. Thornton China Center, where she focuses on U.S. policy toward China and the broader Asia Pacific. One year into Donald Trump's second term, Pattie and her colleague Joyce Yang have published a comprehensive Brookings assessment titled "Making America Great Again? Evaluating Trump's China strategy at the one-year mark," which examines whether the administration's stated objectives on reindustrialization, AI leadership, strategic dependence, and global standing are actually being met. We discuss the paradox of Trump's China policy (which is surprising consistency in goals despite the absence of a formal strategy document), with its mixed results on economic rebalancing and supply chain security, the troubling deterioration in U.S.-China diplomatic and military channels, and why the administration's approach to allies and partners may be undermining its own objectives. Pattie brings analytical discipline and empirical rigor to debates that are often long on rhetoric and short on evidence, cutting through a lot of noise to assess what's actually working, what isn't, and where the strategy is running up against reality.4:45 – Does Trump have a China strategy? Consistency without a formal framework8:15 – Assessing the economic rebalancing goals: reindustrialization and tariffs15:30 – Technology competition: export controls and AI leadership23:45 – Supply chain security and strategic dependence challenges31:20 – The deterioration of diplomatic and military-to-military channels39:50 – The ally and partner problem: how Trump's approach undermines his own goals47:15 – Global standing and American credibility in the Trump era52:30 – Paying it forward: The Lost in Translation series at BrookingsPaying it forward:Lost in Translation Series (Brookings Global China Project)Recommendations:Pattie: To Dare Mighty Things by Michael O'HanlonKaiser: Stalingrad by Vasily GrossmanSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
"You either need to call it fascism or you need to invent a new word with more or less the same meaning." — Jonathan RauchJonathan Rauch's viral Atlantic essay has reignited the debate over what to call the Trump administration. Having previously settled on "semi-fascist," Rauch now argues that Trump ticks all 18 boxes on his checklist of fascist characteristics — from the glorification of violence and territorial ambitions to Carl Schmitt's philosophy of "enemies, not adversaries." We spar over whether the term obscures more than it reveals: Is this really fascism, or just authoritarianism with American characteristics? The conversation sharpens around Minneapolis, where citizens were shot face down, and the government initially denied it happened. You don't do that to win votes, Rauch argues — you do it because you believe that's how the social contract should work. He predicts Trump will fail to turn America into a fascist country but warns that institutions like the newly expanded ICE will outlast this administration. About the GuestJonathan Rauch is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a contributing writer for The Atlantic. He is the author of nine books, including The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth (2021), Cross Purposes: Christianity's Broken Bargain with Democracy (2025), and Kindly Inquisitors: The New Attacks on Free Thought (1993). He received the 2005 National Magazine Award.ReferencesThinkers discussed:· Carl Schmitt was a Nazi political theorist whose "friend-enemy distinction" argued that politics is fundamentally about identifying and crushing enemies, not managing disagreements with adversaries.· George Orwell wrote in his 1946 essay "Politics and the English Language" that "the word 'fascism' has now no meaning except insofar as it signifies something not desirable."· Hannah Arendt was a German-American political theorist and refugee from Nazi Germany whose book The Origins of Totalitarianism examined both Nazism and Stalinism, preferring "totalitarianism" to "fascism" as the more encompassing term.Historical figures:· Benito Mussolini invented the term "fascism" (from the Latin fasces, a bundle of rods symbolizing collective strength) and ruled Italy as dictator from 1922 to 1943.· Francisco Franco ruled Spain from 1939 to 1975. Whether he was truly a fascist or merely an authoritarian remains debated; he never got along well with Hitler and outlasted the fascist era by three decades.· Viktor Orbán is the prime minister of Hungary whose systematic capture of media, courts, and civil society has become known as the "Orbán playbook" — a template Rauch argues the Trump administration is following.Contemporary figures mentioned:· Stephen Miller is a senior advisor to Trump who declared that "force is the iron law of the world" and told progressives "you are nothing" at a memorial service where the widow of the deceased had just offered Christian forgiveness to an assassin.· Russell Vought is the director of the Office of Management and Budget, identified by Rauch as one of the younger ideologues building Trumpism into something more like a coherent ideology.· Chris Rufo is a conservative activist and culture war strategist who has employed what Rauch calls "revolutionary language" in his campaigns against universities and public institutions.Essays and books mentioned:· "Politics and the English Language" (1946) is Orwell's essay arguing that the corruption of language enables the corruption of politics, and that vague or meaningless words like "fascism" make clear thinking impossible.· The Origins of Totalitarianism (1951) is Hannah Arendt's study of Nazism and Stalinism as parallel forms of total domination, examining how mass movements, propaganda, and terror enable regimes to control entire societies.About Keen On AmericaNobody asks more awkward questions than the Anglo-American writer and filmmaker Andrew Keen. In Keen On America, Andrew brings his pointed Transatlantic wit to making sense of the United States—hosting daily interviews about the history and future of this now venerable Republic. With nearly 2,800 episodes since the show launched on TechCrunch in 2010, Keen On America is the most prolific intellectual interview show in the history of podcasting.WebsiteSubstackYouTubeApple PodcastsSpotify Chapters:(00:00) - (00:13) - The viral essay (02:10) - Why Rauch changed his mind (03:41) - Fascism vs. authoritarianism (05:54) - Carl Schmitt and "enemies not adversaries" (06:14) - Orwell on the word "fascism" (09:12) - Can old people be fascists? (11:51) - Blood and soil nationalism (14:14) - Minneapolis (17:51) - Kristallnacht comparisons (20:07) - The postmodern right (26:34) - Following the money (32:05) - ICE as paramilitary force
New research from Brookings shows that rural counties with stronger access to post offices have more small‑business activity, even when broadband and other factors are the same. That suggests the postal network is doing far more economic heavy lifting than policymakers assume. We'll dig into the findings with Elena Patel, co-director of the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center and a senior fellow in the Economic Studies Program at the Brookings Institution. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Nonprofit AI Check-in: Reclaiming Human Rights and Protecting Local CommunitiesIn this midweek check-in, Carolyn Woodard steps back from the technical "how-to" of AI to look at the "why" behind the ethical concerns many nonprofit leaders are feeling. This episode focuses on two significant areas where AI intersects with our core mission of serving others: the protection of basic human rights and the physical impact of the infrastructure that makes AI possible.First, we explore insights from human rights lawyer Malika Saada Saar on how we can reclaim AI to serve dignity and democracy rather than ceding it to companies that make a profit by exploiting sensitive and marginalized groups. Second, we look at the reality of the data centers powering these tools—specifically the environmental and economic pressures they place on local residents. Carolyn shares resources on creating Community Benefit Agreements (CBAs) with data centers as a path forward for local communities.Whether it's protecting a survivor's right to privacy or ensuring a local community has a say in how a data center is built, these are the human issues that will define how we use technology in the years to come.Featured ResourcesWebinar: Slow Violence, Fast Tech | Watch on YouTube In this 30-minute session from All Tech Is Human, human rights lawyer Malika Saada Saar discusses the "slow violence" of AI and how nonprofits can advocate for technology designed with consent and safety in mind, particularly for women, children, and marginalized communities.Report: Why Community Benefit Agreements are Necessary for Data Centers | Read at Brookings As data centers expand rapidly across the U.S., this Brookings Institution paper explains how "Community Benefit Agreements" (CBAs) can help local leaders and residents negotiate for transparency, environmental protections, and shared economic benefits.Community IT Resource: AI Ethics and Policy Webinar | View the Framework If you are ready to start moving from learning to doing, this webinar provides a practical framework for nonprofits to begin drafting their own AI use policies and start conversations around ethics.Next Step for Your OrganizationDoes your nonprofit have an AI ethics policy yet? If not, now is the perfect time to start the conversation with your leadership and board. You don't need to be a technical expert to advocate for your organization's values. We encourage you to use these resources to continue your education and ensure that your use of AI remains mission-aligned. _______________________________Start a conversation :) Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/ email Carolyn at cwoodard@communityit.com on LinkedIn Thanks for listening.
Andy Bauer and Amy Liu discuss the direct and spillover economic effects of the recent reductions in federal employment and spending on the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Bauer is a regional executive at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond and Liu is a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and co-author of the DMV Monitor. Full transcript and related links: https://www.richmondfed.org/podcasts/speaking_of_the_economy/2026/speaking_2026_02_04_federal_govt_cuts
The U.S. has always told the world it is a protector of peace — even if that meant through violence. Michael O'Hanlon, Philip H. Knight Chair in Defense and Strategy at the Brookings Institution, joins guest host John McCaa to discuss the evolution of how the nation approaches defense – from fledgling republic to global superpower. His book is “To Dare Mighty Things: U.S. Defense Strategy Since the Revolution.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
One of the big surprises of Donald Trump's second term has been the change in his approach to China. His first term marked the start of what seemed to be a hard-line consensus in Washington. But in the past year, the drivers of Trump's policy have been much harder to decipher—including for Chinese policymakers. Beijing was prepared to respond forcefully to tough U.S. measures, as it has, most prominently, by wielding its control over rare-earth metals. Yet it has also seen new opportunities to gain ground in its bid for global leadership, as Trump's focus careens from Latin America to the Middle East to Greenland. Jonathan Czin has spent his career decoding the power struggles and ideological debates inside the halls of power in Beijing. Now at the Brookings Institution, Czin long served as a top China analyst at the CIA before becoming director for China at the National Security Council. He sees Beijing's year of aggressive diplomacy as a success, but with a lot of uncertainty about the months ahead. Xi Jinping faces a series of summits with Trump even as he grapples with economic challenges at home and a military that, if recent purges are any indication, is still not to his liking. Dan Kurtz-Phelan spoke with Czin about China's approach to Trump 2.0; what to make of the military purges and other developments in Beijing; and the enduring nature of U.S.-Chinese rivalry, whatever the surprises in the short term. You can find sources, transcripts, and more episodes of The Foreign Affairs Interview at https://www.foreignaffairs.com/podcasts/foreign-affairs-interview.
Today we're trying something new on the show – it's a different kind of book review, where we have a healthy disagreement around the core arguments made in a recently released book. The book is The Case for American Power by Shadi Hamid, a columnist for the Washington Post and host of the Wisdom of Crowds podcast. It's a fascinating read – Shadi makes a case that you don't hear very often: that America should be using its power for moral and humanitarian ends. It's a broad-based appeal but also a specific appeal to those on the left who have become deeply skeptical and disillusioned with American power. So to offer a critique we have brought on someone who is deeply skeptical of American power. Trita Parsi is an Iranian-Swedish-American political scientist, author, and foreign policy expert and is currently the Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. It's a thought-provoking conversation and serves as an excellent follow-up to Shadi's previous appearance on our show in April 2024, when he discussed American Power and the role that the United States should be playing on the global stage. The Questions: Does the world need America to use its power to decrease global strife? To what extent and in which circumstances? How do we reconcile past American foreign policy failures with a continued interventionist stance? What are the alternatives to American Power and what gives us reason to believe? The Guests Shadi Hamid is the host of the Wisdom of Crowds podcast, a columnist at The Washington Post, and a senior fellow at Georgetown University's Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding. Previously, he was a longtime senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a contributing writer at The Atlantic. Hamid is the author of several books, including The Problem of Democracy and Islamic Exceptionalism: How the Struggle Over Islam is Reshaping the World. Trita Parsi is the co-founder and executive vice president of the Quincy Institute. He is an award-winning author and the 2010 recipient of the Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order. He is an expert on US-Iranian relations, Iranian foreign policy, and the geopolitics of the Middle East. He has authored four books on US foreign policy in the Middle East, with a particular focus on Iran and Israel. He has been named by the Washingtonian Magazine as one of the 25 most influential voices on foreign policy in Washington DC for five years in a row since 2021. Questions or comments about this episode? Email us at podcast@thedisagreement.com or find us on X and Instagram @thedisagreementhq. Subscribe to our newsletter: https://thedisagreement.substack.com/
Bad Bunny, the Puerto Rican superstar Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, is dominating headlines this week with his Super Bowl LX halftime show just over a week away on February 8 at Levi's Stadium. WVTF reports his 2025 album DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS surged to number 3 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 119,000 equivalent units, fueled by 85,000 Amazon-exclusive vinyl copies ahead of the Grammys and Super Bowl buzz.TMZ covered his recent Late Show with Stephen Colbert appearance, where he playfully described his future in five words: retired, happy, eating tripletas, and living in Puerto Rico, hinting at eventual retirement while prepping for the big stage. Production sources confirmed to TMZ he won't wear a dress, debunking rumors that sparked a firestorm on social media as recently as January 25.ThinkNow released a national study today, January 29, gauging perceptions of his performance amid ongoing controversy. The Eagle Online detailed American University students' excitement and defenses of his Spanish-language music against backlash, while noting ICE profiling concerns tied to recent Supreme Court rulings from Brookings Institution reports.Conservative pushback persists, with Turning Point USA planning a rival All-American Halftime Show, as covered by The Express, and President Trump calling the pick ridiculous on NewsMax. Bad Bunny stays defiant, posting from Puerto Rico beaches on Instagram about the gig, vowing to represent his culture.Apple Music's trailer dropped earlier this month, showing him dancing to BAILE INOLVIDABLE with a diverse cast, embodying his unapologetic vibe. Listeners, amid this cultural clash, his performance promises to be a historic moment for Latin music.Thanks for tuning in, come back next week for more. This has been a Quiet Please production, and for me, check out Quiet Please Dot A I.Some great Deals https://amzn.to/49SJ3QsFor more check out http://www.quietplease.aiThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
Jonathan Rauch, contributing writer at The Atlantic and a senior fellow in the Governance Studies program at the Brookings Institution, explains why he now believes it's fair to call Trump's policies "fascism."Read Jonathan Rauch's piece in The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/01/america-fascism-trump-maga-ice/685751/Subscribe to Matt Lewis on Substack: https://mattklewis.substack.com/Support Matt Lewis at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mattlewisFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/MattLewisDCTwitter: https://twitter.com/mattklewisInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattlewisreels/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVhSMpjOzydlnxm5TDcYn0A– Who is Matt Lewis? –Matt K. Lewis is a political commentator and the author of Filthy Rich Politicians.Buy Matt's books: FILTHY RICH POLITICIANS: https://www.amazon.com/Filthy-Rich-Politicians-Creatures-Ruling-Class/dp/1546004416TOO DUMB TO FAIL: https://www.amazon.com/Too-Dumb-Fail-Revolution-Conservative/dp/0316383937Copyright © 2026, BBL & BWL, LLC
Brookings Institution, A New Direction for Students in an AI World; https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/A-New-Direction-for-Students-in-an-AI-World-FULL-REPORT.pdf; A one-page summary of the Brookings report; https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/A-New-Direction-for-Students-in-an-AI-World-ONE-PAGER.pdf NPR, The risks of AI in schools outweigh the benefits, report says; https://www.npr.org/2026/01/14/nx-s1-5674741/ai-schools-educationBrookings fact sheets on AI for parents; https://www.brookings.edu/articles/tips-for-parents-raising-resilient-learners-in-an-ai-world/ fact sheets for parents
Send us a textLynn Thoman is a professor at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs and the founder of 3 Takeaways, a top 1% global podcast known for distilling big ideas from influential leaders shaping policy, business, and society. Drawing on experience across corporate strategy, public sector advisory work, and board service at institutions such as the Brookings Institution and Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, Lynn brings a cross-sector lens to how AI is reshaping decision-making, learning, and human potential.In this conversation, we discuss:Why AI is best understood as an amplifier of human capability, especially in leadership, where judgment and choices matter more than technology.How the real upside of AI is giving people more space for imagination, empathy, and meaningful human connection.How to prepare students and professionals for an AI-shaped job market by prioritizing learning paths, adaptability, and relationships over fixed career tracks.Why the biggest risks of AI come from small, hard-to-detect changes in data or models that can create serious downstream harm.How AI is pushing education, work, and leadership back toward core human skills like judgment, curiosity, and imagination.Where cautious optimism comes from, including AI's potential to expand access to knowledge, healthcare, and opportunity when used with care.Resources:Subscribe to the AI & The Future of Work NewsletterConnect with Lynn on LinkedInAI fun fact articleOn How genAI studios launch AI-first companiesOther podcast episodes mentioned on the show:On reinventing the academic curriculum for MBAs with Dave Marchick, Dean of the Kogod School of BusinessFrom 3 Takeaways:The Genetic Revolution Has Begun - George Church on What Comes NextThe Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business: Setting the Table with Union Square Hospitality Group Founder & CEO Danny Meyer
This is AI x Multilateralism, a mini-series on The Next Page, where experts help us unpack the many ideas at the nexus of AI and international cooperation. Today, the majority of AI development and deployment is controlled by a small number of powerful firms. If this path continues, the next generation of digital infrastructure underpinning our societies will be privately owned and unaccountable to the public interest. Is there another way, one where where AI serves the common good? In this episode, Jacob Taylor (Fellow at the Brookings Institution's Center for Sustainable Development and a 2025 Public AI Fellow) and Joshua Tan (Co-Founder and Research Director at Metagov) make the case for Public AI: shared, open AI infrastructure (much like highways, electricity grids, and public broadcasting), that is publicly responsible and harnessed to solve collective problems. Drawing on their article Public AI is the New Multilateralism and Metagov's Public AI White Paper, they argue that building public AI infrastructure can become a new form of multilateralism, where states, academia and civil society co‑create accessible, accountable AI systems that can be shared and re-purposed to meet a range of local, regional and global needs. They share real‑world examples of Public AI already emerging, explain why middle powers have the strongest incentives to lead Public AI, and outline an “Airbus for AI” model to close capability gaps, reduce the world's dependency on a few private platforms, and solve cross‑border problems. Resources mentioned: The Public AI Inference Utility - publicai.co Public AI - https://publicai.network/ Production: Guests: Jacob Taylor and Joshua Tan Host, production and editing: Natalie Alexander Julien Recorded & produced at the Commons, United Nations Library & Archives Geneva Podcast Music credits: Sequence: https://uppbeat.io/track/img/sequence Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/img/sequence License code: 6ZFT9GJWASPTQZL0 #AI #Multilateralism #PublicAI #AIInfrastructure
Our guest took on a sweeping assignment in his new book “To Dare Mighty Things: U.S. Defense Strategy Since the Revolution.” But Michael O’Hanlon, of the Brookings Institution, and the author of this ambitious work came away convinced that there has been a steadier strategic theme throughout our history than he had earlier imagined. Whether in Democratic or Republican Administrations, America has been no shrinking violet when it comes to exercising our military capabilities. On balance, with the acknowledgement that we’ve made numerous mistakes, it’s been as a force of good in the world. And while superpowers throughout history have generally found other nations working to balance their powers and end up isolated in the world, America has had an uncanny ability to build international alliances. This has been a unique feature of the American approach. Will it continue under Donald Trump or will we shift from grand lofty principles, like human rights and the flowering of democracies, to a more self-promotional foreign policy? And where will that lead. That’s the subject of today’s podcast.
Robert Kagan, contributing writer to The Atlantic, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, and the author, most recently, of Rebellion: How Antiliberalism Is Tearing America Apart—Again (Penguin Random House, 2024), offers his take on how President Trump is trying to rearrange the world order to look more like the 19th century and the dangers that lie ahead if continues to succeed.
As Trump and other world leader meet in Davos, international relations and global geopolitics are at the forefront of our political conversations.On Today's Show:Robert Kagan, contributing writer to The Atlantic, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, and the author, most recently, of Rebellion: How Antiliberalism Is Tearing America Apart—Again (Penguin Random House, 2024), offers his take on how President Trump is trying to rearrange the world order to look more like the 19th century and the dangers that lie ahead if continues to succeed.
The Supreme Court heard arguments in a legal battle centered on President Trump's efforts to fire a Federal Reserve governor. The case comes as Trump has moved to exert greater control over the Fed. Ali Rogin discussed more with News Hour Supreme Court analyst and SCOTUSBlog co-founder Amy Howe, and David Wessel of the Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy at the Brookings Institution. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence is affecting every aspect of our lives, including education. When it comes to the impact of AI on kids' learning and overall wellbeing, we don't have the luxury of waiting on long-term studies. There is, however, a new “pre-mortem” study out from Brookings, looking at whether AI does more good or more harm in education. Here with the answers is Dr. Rebecca Winthrop, Director of the Center for Universal Education at Brookings Institution. She helps make sense of this new landscape and the best way forward for schools, policymakers, and parents. Show Notes: Watch the full episode on Youtube! Join the LESS AWKWARD MEMBERSHIP HUB Go to Quince.com/AWKWARD for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Download the FREE Playbook for Getting Your Kid to Talk Order our book This Is So Awkward Check out all our speaking and curriculum at www.lessawkward.com and our super comfy products at www.myoomla.com To bring us to your school or community email operations@lessawkward.com To submit listener questions email podcast@lessawkward.com Produced by Peoples Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jon Czin spent years as a top China analyst at the CIA, served as China Director on Biden's National Security Council, and now works at the Brookings Institution. We talk through: Xi, Trump, and what drove the roller coaster of US-China relations in 2025 Why it feels too quiet right now and what could get this train off the rails in 2026 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Is four months too short a turnaround for a guest on Midrats? Not if the topic at hand keeps running to the top of your read board.From the unending diplomacy responding to the Trump Administration's unending drive to get Greenland's geography—and the resulting security—more firmly under American control, to the sitcom-worthy deployment of a couple of dozen “Coalition of the Freezing”—Greenland can't-stop-won't-stop from gathering eyeballs and attention.So, we're bringing back Elizabeth Buchanan for another visit. We'll use her recent article in The Spectator as starting off point, A buyer's guide to Greenland.Dr. Elizabeth Buchanan is a senior fellow with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and an expert associate of the French Ministry of Armed Forces' Institute for Strategic Research.Most recently she was Head of Research for the Royal Australian Navy (Department of Defence). Dr Buchanan is co-founder of the polar warfare program (Project 6633) at the Modern War Institute of the West Point Military Academy. Before joining Australia's Defence Department, Dr. Buchanan was Lecturer of Strategic Studies for the Defence and Strategic Studies Course at the Australian War College.Elizabeth holds a Ph.D. in Russian Arctic Strategy and completed her post-doctoral studies as a Maritime Fellow at the NATO Defense College in Rome. She has published widely on geopolitics, most recently with Australian Foreign Affairs, International Affairs, War on the Rocks, Foreign Policy, Foreign Affairs, The Australian, and The American Conservative.Dr. Buchanan has been a Visiting Scholar with the Brookings Institution and was an analyst with Royal Dutch Shell. Elizabeth has three published books:: Russian Energy Strategy in Asia and Red Arctic: Russian Arctic Strategy under Putin. In addition to, So you want to own Greenland, she also has an upcoming book, Competitive Cooperation at the Ends of the Earth.Show links:So You Want to Own Greenland?: Lessons from the Vikings to Trump.Liz's SEP 2024 visit to Midrats.The Unfortunate Greenland Kerfuffle.Denmark's strategic concerns about China and Russia around Greenland, via Nick Solheim.Liz on X.SummaryIn this episode of Midrats, the hosts welcome back Dr. Elizabeth Buchanan, a senior fellow at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and Center for the National Interest, to discuss the ongoing geopolitical significance of Greenland. The conversation delves into the historical context of U.S.-Greenland relations, particularly in light of recent tensions and discussions surrounding Greenland's potential independence. Dr. Buchanan emphasizes the importance of understanding Greenland's strategic position in the Arctic, especially regarding U.S. national security interests and the implications of a changing global landscape, including China's growing influence. The dialogue also touches on the complexities of Greenland's relationship with Denmark and the potential for a direct U.S.-Greenland partnership.Chapters00:00: Introduction and Overview of Greenland's Importance02:38: Historical Context of U.S.-Greenland Relations05:52: The 2004 Defense Treaty and Its Implications12:23: Greenland's Independence Movement and Future Prospects31:50: Best Case Scenarios for U.S.-Greenland Relations32:17: Understanding the Scrappy Spirit of Greenland39:12: The Geopolitical Landscape: Europe and the U.S.54:31: Greenland's Future: Independence or Status Quo?
The Washington Roundtable is joined by Robert Kagan, a historian and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, for a conversation about the pressures facing American democracy, the security of elections, and how these domestic tensions interact with the collapse of international norms. Nearly a decade after his prescient 2016 column for the Washington Post, “This is How Fascism Comes to America,” Kagan contends that the U.S. has moved beyond the warning and into a full democratic crisis. “There is no chance in the world that Donald Trump is gonna allow himself to lose in the 2026 elections, because that will be the end of his ability to wield total power in the United States,” Kagan says.This week's reading: “The Minnesota War Zone Is Trump's Most Trumpian Accomplishment,” by Susan B. Glasser “What It's Like to Be Trump's Closest Ally Right Now,” by Sam Knight “A D.H.S. Shooting Puts Portland Back Under the Microscope,” by James Ross Gardner “Jay Powell, the Prepster Banker Who Is Standing Up to Trump,” by John Cassidy “How Donald Trump Has Transformed ICE,” Isaac Chotiner “How Colombia's President Reached an Uneasy Détente with Donald Trump,” by Jon Lee Anderson “Iran's Regime Is Unsustainable,” by Robin Wright “The Supreme Court Gets Back to Work,” by Amy Davidson Sorkin “The Lights Are Still On in Venezuela,” by Armando Ledezma “How Marco Rubio Went from “Little Marco” to Trump's Foreign-Policy Enabler,” by Dexter Filkins The Political Scene draws on the reporting and analysis found in The New Yorker for lively conversations about the big questions in American politics. Join the magazine's writers and editors as they put into context the latest news—about elections, the economy, the White House, the Supreme Court, and much more. New episodes are available three times a week. Tune in wherever you get your podcasts. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
Aaron Klein is a senior fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution. Aaron returns to the show to discuss his paper with George Selgin calling for real time payments, the inequality caused by the Fed's current payment processes, the results of Covid time QE, recommendations for dealing with future crises, and much more. Check out the transcript for this week's episode, now with links. Recorded on December 11th, 2025 Subscribe to David's Substack: Macroeconomic Policy Nexus Follow David Beckworth on X: @DavidBeckworth Follow Aaron Klein on X: @AarondKlein Follow the show on X: @Macro_Musings Check out our Macro Musings merch! Subscribe to David's new BTS YouTube Channel Timestamps 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:06- Faster Payments 00:29:09 - Fed Governance 00:30:35 - Quantitative Easing and Housing Inflation Post-COVID 00:52:16 - Fed Assets 01:01:149 - Outro
From April 4, 2023: Russia's invasion of Ukraine has tested the international legal order like never before. For many, the fact that a nuclear power and member of the U.N. Security Council would commit unveiled aggression against another state seemed like it might be the death knell of the international system as we know it. But last week, in the annual Breyer Lecture on International Law at the Brookings Institution, Oona Hathaway, the Gerard C. and Bernice Latrobe Professor of International Law at Yale Law School, argued that international law and institutions responded more robustly than many initially anticipated—and may yet emerge from the Ukraine conflict stronger than before.In this episode, we are bringing you the audio of Professor Hathaway's lecture, followed by a question and answer session with Constanze Stelzenmüller, the Director of the Center on the United States and Europe and the inaugural holder of the Fritz Stern Chair on Germany and trans-Atlantic Relations at the Brookings Institution. Lawfare Senior Editor Scott R. Anderson then moderated a panel discussion that included Professor Hathaway, as well as Professor Rosa Brooks of Georgetown University Law Center; Karin Landgren, the Executive Director of Security Council Report; and Ambassador Martin Kimani, Kenya's Permanent Representative to the United Nations. To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
From November 20, 2023: Over the past few weeks, the country of Pakistan has pursued an aggressive wave of deportations targeting thousands of Afghan refugees, some of whom have been in Pakistan for generations. Many fear that this move will add to the already precarious and humanitarian situation facing Afghanistan. But the Taliban regime, for one, has reacted in a way few expected.To talk through these refugee removals and their ramifications, Lawfare Senior Editor Scott R. Anderson sat down with Madiha Afzal, a Fellow in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution. They talked about the origins of the Afghan refugee population in Pakistan, how this latest action intersects with concerns over terrorism, and where the crisis may be headed next.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.