Podcast appearances and mentions of jenna storey

The Alliance for Civics in the Academy hosted "How Can Universities Strengthen Civic Education in K–12 Schools?" with Jennifer McNabb, Joshua Dunn, and Jenna Storey on March 4, 2026, from 9:00-10:00 a.m. PT. Universities are increasingly reexamining their role as incubators of effective citizenship. An essential yet often overlooked part of this work is strengthening K–12 civic education. This webinar explores how efforts within higher education can support civic learning in K–12 schools, with particular emphasis on the academy's role in training the next generation of educators. ABOUT THE SPEAKERS Meira Levinson is a political theorist/philosopher of education who is working to start a global field of educational ethics that is philosophically rigorous, disciplinarily and experientially inclusive, and both relevant to and informed by educational policy and practice. In doing so, she draws upon scholarship from multiple disciplines as well as her eight years of experience teaching middle school humanities, civics, history, and English in the Atlanta and Boston Public Schools.  Meira has written or co-edited nine books, including Civic Contestation in Global Education and Educational Equity in a Global Context (both 2024, with Ellis Reid, Tatiana Geron, and Sara O'Brien), Instructional Moves for Powerful Teaching in Higher Education (2023, co-authored with Jeremy Murphy), Democratic Discord in Schools (2019, with Jacob Fay), winner of the 2020 AERA Moral Development and Education SIG Outstanding Book Award, and Dilemmas of Educational Ethics (2016, with Jacob Fay). Her book No Citizen Left Behind (2012) won awards in political science, philosophy, social studies, and education and has been translated into Chinese and Japanese. Meira shares educational ethics resources on JusticeinSchools.org, materials to support K-12 educators working in politically charged environments at Educational Values in Action, and resources for youth activists and teacher allies at YouthinFront.org. Each of these projects reflects Levinson's commitment to achieving productive cross-fertilization — without loss of rigor — among scholarship, policy, and practice. Meira earned a B.A. in philosophy from Yale and a D.Phil. in politics from Nuffield College, Oxford University. Her work has been supported by fellowships from Guggenheim, the Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard, Harvard Radcliffe Institute, and the National Academy of Education. Prior to joining the Stanford faculty, Meira taught at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Jennifer McNabb is Professor and Head of the Department of History at the University of Northern Iowa, where she teaches courses on early modern European history and the history of England. She was Co-Chair of UNI's Civic Education Task Force, which created UNI's Center for Civic Education, and she was Co-PI for a National Endowment for the Humanities Connections Grant that developed UNI's first civic education curriculum: "Civic Literacy, Engagement and the Humanities." McNabb is also a Co-PI of a national grant that will establish the Iowa Civic Educators Institute, providing professional development opportunities for in-service and pre-service social studies and history teachers throughout the state. McNabb has received several awards for her teaching and has completed four courses for The Teaching Company's The Great Courses on the Renaissance, witchcraft, sex, and marriage. She currently serves as a Councilor in the Professional Division of the American Historical Association and as president of the Midwest Conference on British Studies. Joshua Dunn (PhD, University of Virginia) serves as Executive Director of the Institute of American Civics at the Howard H. Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. His research and teaching focus on constitutional law and history, education policy, federalism, and freedom of speech and religion. His books include Complex Justice: The Case of Missouri v. Jenkins (University of North Carolina Press), From Schoolhouse to Courthouse: The Judiciary's Role in American Education (Brookings Institution Press) and Passing on the Right: Conservative Professors in the Progressive University (Oxford University Press).  Moderator Jenna Silber Storey is the Ravenel Curry Chair in Civic Thought in the Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies Division of the American Enterprise Institute, and Co-Director of AEI's Center for the Future of the American University.  She is also an SNF Agora Fellow at Johns Hopkins University and a Research Fellow at the Civitas Institute at the University of Texas at Austin.  She previously taught political philosophy at Furman University, where she was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Politics and International Affairs, and Executive Director of Furman's Tocqueville Program.  Her writing has appeared in outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, First Things, and The National Endowment for the Humanities flagship journal, Humanities.  Dr. Storey is the co-author, with her husband Ben, of Why We Are Restless:  On the Modern Quest for Contentment (Princeton University Press, 2021).  They are currently working on a book titled The Art of Choosing: How Liberal Education Should Prepare You for Life.

Today on The Remnant, university-reform eggheads Ben and Jenna Storey join Neanderthal-in-remediation Jonah Goldberg to talk about civic education and recent efforts to rejuvenate American higher ed. Jonah and the Storeys cover university governance, the relationship between civics and the liberal arts, the significance of postliberalism, and the reasons for thinking seriously. Show Notes:—Center for the Future of the American University—Ben and Jenna Storey's book - Why We Are Restless—Robert Michels - Political Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchial Tendencies of Modern Democracy—AAUP's 1915 Declaration of Principles—Why Liberalism Failed—Regime Change: Toward a Postliberal Future—Remnant episode with Will Inboden on higher ed reform The Remnant is a production of ⁠The Dispatch⁠, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—⁠click here⁠. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member ⁠by clicking here⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How did America's universities lose the trust of the public, and what will it take to restore faith in higher education? In this episode, we are joined by Benjamin and Jenna Storey, renowned scholars, co-authors, and directors at the American Enterprise Institute's Program on the Future of the American University. Together with host John Tomasi, they undertake a searching examination of the forces eroding confidence in universities and offer a roadmap for rebuilding their legitimacy and civic purpose.The conversation draws on the Storeys' personal journeys through academia, they explore how universities have shifted away from their civic mission, the implications of declining viewpoint diversity, and the urgent need to re-envision liberal education in a polarized era. Their discussion critically engages with recent initiatives, including the founding of university-level Schools of Civic Thought, and emphasizes both the perils and promise of institutional reform amidst increasing political and public scrutiny.Read the report: “Civic: A Proposal for University Level Civic Education” (AEI, December 2023) In This Episode:

Jenna Silber Storey was previously assistant professor in politics and international affairs and the executive director of the Tocqueville Program at Furman University. Dr. Storey is also an alumni-in-residence at the University of Chicago (2022-23). She has taught at the University of Chicago; the Buckley Program at Yale University; the Hertog Summer Studies Program in Washington, DC; and the Tikvah Fund in Princeton, New Jersey. Benjamin Storey previously served as Jane Gage Hipp Professor of Politics and International Affairs and director of the Tocqueville Program at Furman University. He was previously a visiting fellow at the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University, as well as the director of a National Endowment for the Humanities “Enduring Questions” course development project. He has also taught at the Hertog Political Studies Program, the Tikvah Fund, and the William F. Buckley, Jr. Program at Yale. "Why We Are Restless," investigates the challenges college students face around finding purpose and direction despite their outward signs of success. Inspired by our observations and teachings within the classroom, the book discusses the concept of modern restlessness, drawing parallels between our experiences with students and the ideas proposed by historical thinkers like Alexis de Tocqueville and Augustine. Visit CCCG: www.constudies.nd.edu *** The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the University of Notre Dame, the College of Arts and Letters, or the Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government. Recorded March 30, 2023 at the University of Notre Dame

What kinds of tools do we need to make big decisions, and why aren't our universities training us to make them? Are universities doing students a disservice by occupying them with myriads of boxes to tick? Are students right to prefer money to meaning? Madison Program alumni Ben and Jenna Storey discuss the philosophy of making choices and of restlessness, and critique the way universities treat those topics. Ben and Jenna are senior fellows at the American Enterprise Institute in the Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies department, where they focus on political philosophy, classical schools, and higher education. Previously, they directed the Toqueville Program at Furman University in South Carolina. They are the authors of Why We Are Restless. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

What kinds of tools do we need to make big decisions, and why aren't our universities training us to make them? Are universities doing students a disservice by occupying them with myriads of boxes to tick? Are students right to prefer money to meaning? Madison Program alumni Ben and Jenna Storey discuss the philosophy of making choices and of restlessness, and critique the way universities treat those topics. Ben and Jenna are senior fellows at the American Enterprise Institute in the Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies department, where they focus on political philosophy, classical schools, and higher education. Previously, they directed the Toqueville Program at Furman University in South Carolina. They are the authors of Why We Are Restless. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

What kinds of tools do we need to make big decisions, and why aren't our universities training us to make them? Are universities doing students a disservice by occupying them with myriads of boxes to tick? Are students right to prefer money to meaning? Madison Program alumni Ben and Jenna Storey discuss the philosophy of making choices and of restlessness, and critique the way universities treat those topics. Ben and Jenna are senior fellows at the American Enterprise Institute in the Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies department, where they focus on political philosophy, classical schools, and higher education. Previously, they directed the Toqueville Program at Furman University in South Carolina. They are the authors of Why We Are Restless. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/education

What kinds of tools do we need to make big decisions, and why aren't our universities training us to make them? Are universities doing students a disservice by occupying them with myriads of boxes to tick? Are students right to prefer money to meaning? Madison Program alumni Ben and Jenna Storey discuss the philosophy of making choices and of restlessness, and critique the way universities treat those topics. Ben and Jenna are senior fellows at the American Enterprise Institute in the Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies department, where they focus on political philosophy, classical schools, and higher education. Previously, they directed the Toqueville Program at Furman University in South Carolina. They are the authors of Why We Are Restless. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/politics-and-polemics

What kinds of tools do we need to make big decisions, and why aren't our universities training us to make them? Are universities doing students a disservice by occupying them with myriads of boxes to tick? Are students right to prefer money to meaning? Madison Program alumni Ben and Jenna Storey discuss the philosophy of making choices and of restlessness, and critique the way universities treat those topics. Ben and Jenna are senior fellows at the American Enterprise Institute in the Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies department, where they focus on political philosophy, classical schools, and higher education. Previously, they directed the Toqueville Program at Furman University in South Carolina. They are the authors of Why We Are Restless. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jenna Storey is a senior fellow in the Social, Cultural and Constitutional Studies Department at the American Enterprise Institute. Henry and Jenna Storey speak about the crisis of modern liberal arts education, the restlessness of young college students and her plans for improving and reforming higher ed. 

What kinds of tools do we need to make big decisions, and why aren't our universities training us to make them? Are universities doing students a disservice by occupying them with myriads of boxes to tick? Are students right to prefer money to meaning? Madison Program alumni Ben and Jenna Storey discuss the philosophy of making choices and of restlessness, and critique the way universities treat those topics. Ben and Jenna are senior fellows at the American Enterprise Institute in the Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies department, where they focus on political philosophy, classical schools, and higher education. Previously, they directed the Toqueville Program at Furman University in South Carolina. They are the authors of Why We Are Restless:On the Modern Quest for Contentment (Princeton UP, 2021). Prof. Barba-Kay's tribute to Leon Kass mentioned during the episode is here. Annika Nordquist is the Communications Coordinator of Princeton University's James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions and host of the Program's podcast, Madison's Notes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

What kinds of tools do we need to make big decisions, and why aren't our universities training us to make them? Are universities doing students a disservice by occupying them with myriads of boxes to tick? Are students right to prefer money to meaning? Madison Program alumni Ben and Jenna Storey discuss the philosophy of making choices and of restlessness, and critique the way universities treat those topics. Ben and Jenna are senior fellows at the American Enterprise Institute in the Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies department, where they focus on political philosophy, classical schools, and higher education. Previously, they directed the Toqueville Program at Furman University in South Carolina. They are the authors of Why We Are Restless:On the Modern Quest for Contentment (Princeton UP, 2021). Prof. Barba-Kay's tribute to Leon Kass mentioned during the episode is here. Annika Nordquist is the Communications Coordinator of Princeton University's James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions and host of the Program's podcast, Madison's Notes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

What kinds of tools do we need to make big decisions, and why aren't our universities training us to make them? Are universities doing students a disservice by occupying them with myriads of boxes to tick? Are students right to prefer money to meaning? Madison Program alumni Ben and Jenna Storey discuss the philosophy of making choices and of restlessness, and critique the way universities treat those topics. Ben and Jenna are senior fellows at the American Enterprise Institute in the Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies department, where they focus on political philosophy, classical schools, and higher education. Previously, they directed the Toqueville Program at Furman University in South Carolina. They are the authors of Why We Are Restless:On the Modern Quest for Contentment (Princeton UP, 2021). Prof. Barba-Kay's tribute to Leon Kass mentioned during the episode is here. Annika Nordquist is the Communications Coordinator of Princeton University's James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions and host of the Program's podcast, Madison's Notes.

What kinds of tools do we need to make big decisions, and why aren't our universities training us to make them? Are universities doing students a disservice by occupying them with myriads of boxes to tick? Are students right to prefer money to meaning? Madison Program alumni Ben and Jenna Storey discuss the philosophy of making choices and of restlessness, and critique the way universities treat those topics. Ben and Jenna are senior fellows at the American Enterprise Institute in the Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies department, where they focus on political philosophy, classical schools, and higher education. Previously, they directed the Toqueville Program at Furman University in South Carolina. They are the authors of Why We Are Restless:On the Modern Quest for Contentment (Princeton UP, 2021). Prof. Barba-Kay's tribute to Leon Kass mentioned during the episode is here. Annika Nordquist is the Communications Coordinator of Princeton University's James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions and host of the Program's podcast, Madison's Notes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/education

What kinds of tools do we need to make big decisions, and why aren't our universities training us to make them? Are universities doing students a disservice by occupying them with myriads of boxes to tick? Are students right to prefer money to meaning? Madison Program alumni Ben and Jenna Storey discuss the philosophy of making choices and of restlessness, and critique the way universities treat those topics. Ben and Jenna are senior fellows at the American Enterprise Institute in the Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies department, where they focus on political philosophy, classical schools, and higher education. Previously, they directed the Toqueville Program at Furman University in South Carolina. They are the authors of Why We Are Restless:On the Modern Quest for Contentment (Princeton UP, 2021). Prof. Barba-Kay's tribute to Leon Kass mentioned during the episode is here. Annika Nordquist is the Communications Coordinator of Princeton University's James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions and host of the Program's podcast, Madison's Notes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/politics-and-polemics

What kinds of tools do we need to make big decisions, and why aren't our universities training us to make them? Are universities doing students a disservice by occupying them with myriads of boxes to tick? Are students right to prefer money to meaning? Madison Program alumni Ben and Jenna Storey discuss the philosophy of making choices and of restlessness, and critique the way universities treat those topics. Ben and Jenna are senior fellows at the American Enterprise Institute in the Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies department, where they focus on political philosophy, classical schools, and higher education. Previously, they directed the Toqueville Program at Furman University in South Carolina. They are the authors of Why We Are Restless:On the Modern Quest for Contentment (Princeton UP, 2021). Prof. Barba-Kay's tribute to Leon Kass mentioned during the episode is here. Annika Nordquist is the Communications Coordinator of Princeton University's James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions and host of the Program's podcast, Madison's Notes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What kinds of tools do we need to make big decisions, and why aren’t our universities training us to make them? Are universities doing students a disservice by occupying them with myriads of boxes to tick? Are students right to prefer money to meaning? Madison Program alumni Ben and Jenna Storey discuss the philosophy of […]

What kinds of tools do we need to make big decisions, and why aren't our universities training us to make them? Are universities doing students a disservice by occupying them with myriads of boxes to tick? Are students right to prefer money to meaning? Madison Program alumni Ben and Jenna Storey discuss the philosophy of making choices and of restlessness, and critique the way universities treat those topics. Ben and Jenna are senior fellows at the American Enterprise Institute in the Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies department, where they focus on political philosophy, classical schools, and higher education. Previously, they directed the Toqueville Program at Furman University in South Carolina. They are the authors of Why We Are Restless. Their website: https://www.jbstorey.com/about-2 Their book: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691211121/why-we-are-restless  Their recent New York Times op-ed on choice: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/15/opinion/college-students-happiness-liberal-arts.html  Prof. Barba-Kay's tribute to Leon Kass mentioned during the episode: https://mediacentral.princeton.edu/media/The+Humanists+VocationA+Leon+Kass+as+Thinker+and+Teacher/1_bxkd7xqv 

What kinds of tools do we need to make big decisions, and why aren't our universities training us to make them? Are universities doing students a disservice by occupying them with myriads of boxes to tick? Are students right to prefer money to meaning? Madison Program alumni Ben and Jenna Storey discuss the philosophy of making choices and of restlessness, and critique the way universities treat those topics. Ben and Jenna are senior fellows at the American Enterprise Institute in the Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies department, where they focus on political philosophy, classical schools, and higher education. Previously, they directed the Toqueville Program at Furman University in South Carolina. They are the authors of Why We Are Restless.

The unlimited choices we face in modernity make us restless, which is why Dr. Benjamin and Dr. Jenna Storey wrote Why We Are Restless: On the Modern Quest for Contentment. The book explores ideas by those who have thought about and written on contentment and the application of those ideas today. Benjamin also shares about his own quest for knowledge and how it culminated in this book. Mentioned in the episode https://www.aei.org/profile/ben-storey/ (Benjamin Storey) https://www.unc.edu/discover/ (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) https://doctorgoldberg.wordpress.com/ (Dr. Larry Goldberg) https://socialthought.uchicago.edu/ (Committee on Social Thought - The University of Chicago) https://www.britannica.com/biography/Michel-de-Montaigne (Michel de Montaigne) https://www.furman.edu/about/ (Furman University) https://www.furman.edu/academics/tocqueville-program/ (The Tocqueville Program) https://www.aei.org/policy-areas/society-and-culture/ (Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies) https://www.aei.org/profile/yuval-levin/ (Yuval Levin) https://www.nationalreview.com/author/joseph-epstein/ (Joseph Epstein) https://www.firstthings.com/article/2014/11/majoring-in-fear (Majoring in Fear by Mark Shiffman) https://psychcentral.com/lib/machiavellianism-cognition-and-emotion-understanding-how-the-machiavellian-thinks-feels-and-thrives (Machiavellianism) https://hertogfoundation.org/ (Hertog Foundation) https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/plato/ (Plato) https://www.britannica.com/biography/Herman-Melville (Herman Melville) https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/P/bo81816415.html (Permanent Crisis: The Humanities in a Disenchanted Age) https://www.aei.org/profile/ross-douthat/ (Ross Douthat) https://www.amazon.com/Decadent-Society-Became-Victims-Success/dp/1476785244/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=decadent+society&qid=1597939077&sr=8-1 (The Decadent Society) https://www.worldhistory.org/Renaissance_Humanism/ (Renaissance Humanism) https://www.manhattan-institute.org/classical-education-attractive-school-choice-parents (The Classical School Movement) https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/james/ (William James and the Great Pragmatists) https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/skepticism/ (Radical Skepticism) https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691211121/why-we-are-restless (Why We Are Restless) https://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/history-of-happiness/aristotle/#:~:text=According%20to%20Aristotle%2C%20happiness%20consists,the%20enrichment%20of%20human%20life. (Aristotle on Happiness) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrHn3Z_6uYs (Queen Elizabeth: A Lifetime Of Service | Timeline) https://www.britannica.com/biography/Blaise-Pascal (Blaise Pascal) https://info.higheredfacilitiesforum.com/blog/how-universities-can-strengthen-town-gown-relations (Town and Gown Relations) https://scetl.asu.edu/about#:~:text=an%20inclusive%20environment-,The%20School%20of%20Civic%20and%20Economic%20Thought%20and%20Leadership%20is,to%20a%20healthy%20constitutional%20democracy. (The School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership)

Finding contentment is difficult. So, instead, we replace that pursuit with temporal acts of distraction and pleasure. Joining me this week to discuss the search for meaning through the eyes of four french philosophers is AEI Fellow and author of "Why We Are Restless" — Benjamin Storey. Get his latest book here. Read his latest NY TIMES op-ed, with co-author Jenna Storey, here. RELATED CONTENT 1. How and How Not To Be Happy (#118). Episode produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento. A special thanks to Nick and Ashley Barnett for their contribution in making this podcast possible.

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Somewhere along the line, the pursuit became the point and happiness got lost say professors Benjamin and Jenna Storey. They see a deep sense of restlessness among many of their political science students at Furman University. Distraction, they say, has replaced self-reflection about what's important in our lives. The Storeys look to the past to explain the present and what we can do to replace busy with happy. Their book is called "Why We Are Restless: On the Modern Quest for Contentment."

John J. Miller is joined by Jenna Storey of Furman University to discuss William Shakespeare's 'The Tempest.'

In a previous podcast, the professors Benjamin and Jenna Storey explored a habit of mind that frustrated their very best students, a sentiment they called restlessness. As the Storeys saw it, their exceptional students had countless life and career options open to them, and yet they had so little cultural and vocational formation that they […]

In a previous podcast, the professors Benjamin and Jenna Storey explored a habit of mind that frustrated their very best students, a sentiment they called restlessness. As the Storeys saw it, their exceptional students had countless life and career options open to them, and yet they had so little cultural and vocational formation that they couldn't discern what path to take, or the purposes to which they should dedicate their talents. This week's podcast features three young people who are beginning to rise in their professions with confidence. Smart, personable, they could have launched themselves into any number of fields. Instead they chose to dedicate themselves to serving America, the Jews, and Israel. Just a couple of years ago, Tamara Berens, Talia Katz, and Dovid Schwartz were all fellows at the Beren Summer Fellowship, an experience that helped guide each of them. On this week's podcast, in conversation with Mosaic editor Jonathan Silver, they give us an inside look at the fellowship, and at how it helped them clarify―to themselves and to one another―the Jewish purposes they're meant to serve. Musical selections in this podcast are drawn from the Quintet for Clarinet and Strings, op. 31a, composed by Paul Ben-Haim and performed by the ARC Ensemble.

Beth speaks with Ben and Jenna Storey, visiting fellows in Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at the American Enterprise Institute and professors of politics and international affairs at Furman University. They are the authors of "Why We Are Restless," which discusses how the pursuit of happiness can wind up making us less happy. In this episode, they discuss whether college is really fulfilling its purpose and helping students find direction.

What makes us happy? What keeps us from being happy? Is restlessness the same thing as unhappiness? Is happiness something we should value or assume we can even find? These are some of the questions that Benjamin and Jenna Storey explore in their 2021 book, Why We Are Restless: On the Modern Quest for Contentment (Princeton UP, 2021). They lead us through the ideas on these matters of four French-language thinkers: Montaigne, Pascal, Rousseau, and Tocqueville. The book begins by examining the relaxed view of the human condition that Montaigne (1533–1592) took that has been called his, “nonchalance.” It moves on to the stern, forbidding view of Blaise Pascal (1623–1662), who felt that everyone was miserable and that it was folly to deny it and the only answer was God—and finding God was a grueling quest. They then take on Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–1778), who felt that everyone was good at heart but that society tended to stifle that goodness and deform moral character. They conclude with Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–1859) who felt that democracy was a boon to mankind but that it could descend into tyranny if people became so obsessed with material well-being that they turned to the government at the expense of liberty. This is only one take on the book. Read it for yourself. It profiles four thinkers who shaped Western thinking on government, religion, education, liberty, morality and our consciousnesses and the soul. It could be profitably read by teachers, parents and those who have friends who are unhappy or by readers who are themselves vaguely (or wildly) discontented. If you are a happy-go-lucky person, Montaigne is your man. If you are of the opinion that life is a grim business, go with Pascal. If you want a book that is both enjoyable and deeply serious, read this one. For once, I was convinced that French (and Swiss) thinkers matter to me as an American. Today, we will hear from Benjamin and Jenna Storey and talk about their four featured thinkers and the long, winding path of the concept of contentment. For more information about the book and the work of Benjamin and Jenna Story, please visit their website. Give a listen. Hope J. Leman is a grants researcher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

What makes us happy? What keeps us from being happy? Is restlessness the same thing as unhappiness? Is happiness something we should value or assume we can even find? These are some of the questions that Benjamin and Jenna Storey explore in their 2021 book, Why We Are Restless: On the Modern Quest for Contentment (Princeton UP, 2021). They lead us through the ideas on these matters of four French-language thinkers: Montaigne, Pascal, Rousseau, and Tocqueville. The book begins by examining the relaxed view of the human condition that Montaigne (1533–1592) took that has been called his, “nonchalance.” It moves on to the stern, forbidding view of Blaise Pascal (1623–1662), who felt that everyone was miserable and that it was folly to deny it and the only answer was God—and finding God was a grueling quest. They then take on Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–1778), who felt that everyone was good at heart but that society tended to stifle that goodness and deform moral character. They conclude with Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–1859) who felt that democracy was a boon to mankind but that it could descend into tyranny if people became so obsessed with material well-being that they turned to the government at the expense of liberty. This is only one take on the book. Read it for yourself. It profiles four thinkers who shaped Western thinking on government, religion, education, liberty, morality and our consciousnesses and the soul. It could be profitably read by teachers, parents and those who have friends who are unhappy or by readers who are themselves vaguely (or wildly) discontented. If you are a happy-go-lucky person, Montaigne is your man. If you are of the opinion that life is a grim business, go with Pascal. If you want a book that is both enjoyable and deeply serious, read this one. For once, I was convinced that French (and Swiss) thinkers matter to me as an American. Today, we will hear from Benjamin and Jenna Storey and talk about their four featured thinkers and the long, winding path of the concept of contentment. For more information about the book and the work of Benjamin and Jenna Story, please visit their website. Give a listen. Hope J. Leman is a grants researcher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

What makes us happy? What keeps us from being happy? Is restlessness the same thing as unhappiness? Is happiness something we should value or assume we can even find? These are some of the questions that Benjamin and Jenna Storey explore in their 2021 book, Why We Are Restless: On the Modern Quest for Contentment (Princeton UP, 2021). They lead us through the ideas on these matters of four French-language thinkers: Montaigne, Pascal, Rousseau, and Tocqueville. The book begins by examining the relaxed view of the human condition that Montaigne (1533–1592) took that has been called his, “nonchalance.” It moves on to the stern, forbidding view of Blaise Pascal (1623–1662), who felt that everyone was miserable and that it was folly to deny it and the only answer was God—and finding God was a grueling quest. They then take on Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–1778), who felt that everyone was good at heart but that society tended to stifle that goodness and deform moral character. They conclude with Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–1859) who felt that democracy was a boon to mankind but that it could descend into tyranny if people became so obsessed with material well-being that they turned to the government at the expense of liberty. This is only one take on the book. Read it for yourself. It profiles four thinkers who shaped Western thinking on government, religion, education, liberty, morality and our consciousnesses and the soul. It could be profitably read by teachers, parents and those who have friends who are unhappy or by readers who are themselves vaguely (or wildly) discontented. If you are a happy-go-lucky person, Montaigne is your man. If you are of the opinion that life is a grim business, go with Pascal. If you want a book that is both enjoyable and deeply serious, read this one. For once, I was convinced that French (and Swiss) thinkers matter to me as an American. Today, we will hear from Benjamin and Jenna Storey and talk about their four featured thinkers and the long, winding path of the concept of contentment. For more information about the book and the work of Benjamin and Jenna Story, please visit their website. Give a listen. Hope J. Leman is a grants researcher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/french-studies

What makes us happy? What keeps us from being happy? Is restlessness the same thing as unhappiness? Is happiness something we should value or assume we can even find? These are some of the questions that Benjamin and Jenna Storey explore in their 2021 book, Why We Are Restless: On the Modern Quest for Contentment (Princeton UP, 2021). They lead us through the ideas on these matters of four French-language thinkers: Montaigne, Pascal, Rousseau, and Tocqueville. The book begins by examining the relaxed view of the human condition that Montaigne (1533–1592) took that has been called his, “nonchalance.” It moves on to the stern, forbidding view of Blaise Pascal (1623–1662), who felt that everyone was miserable and that it was folly to deny it and the only answer was God—and finding God was a grueling quest. They then take on Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–1778), who felt that everyone was good at heart but that society tended to stifle that goodness and deform moral character. They conclude with Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–1859) who felt that democracy was a boon to mankind but that it could descend into tyranny if people became so obsessed with material well-being that they turned to the government at the expense of liberty. This is only one take on the book. Read it for yourself. It profiles four thinkers who shaped Western thinking on government, religion, education, liberty, morality and our consciousnesses and the soul. It could be profitably read by teachers, parents and those who have friends who are unhappy or by readers who are themselves vaguely (or wildly) discontented. If you are a happy-go-lucky person, Montaigne is your man. If you are of the opinion that life is a grim business, go with Pascal. If you want a book that is both enjoyable and deeply serious, read this one. For once, I was convinced that French (and Swiss) thinkers matter to me as an American. Today, we will hear from Benjamin and Jenna Storey and talk about their four featured thinkers and the long, winding path of the concept of contentment. For more information about the book and the work of Benjamin and Jenna Story, please visit their website. Give a listen. Hope J. Leman is a grants researcher.

What makes us happy? What keeps us from being happy? Is restlessness the same thing as unhappiness? Is happiness something we should value or assume we can even find? These are some of the questions that Benjamin and Jenna Storey explore in their 2021 book, Why We Are Restless: On the Modern Quest for Contentment (Princeton UP, 2021). They lead us through the ideas on these matters of four French-language thinkers: Montaigne, Pascal, Rousseau, and Tocqueville. The book begins by examining the relaxed view of the human condition that Montaigne (1533–1592) took that has been called his, “nonchalance.” It moves on to the stern, forbidding view of Blaise Pascal (1623–1662), who felt that everyone was miserable and that it was folly to deny it and the only answer was God—and finding God was a grueling quest. They then take on Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–1778), who felt that everyone was good at heart but that society tended to stifle that goodness and deform moral character. They conclude with Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–1859) who felt that democracy was a boon to mankind but that it could descend into tyranny if people became so obsessed with material well-being that they turned to the government at the expense of liberty. This is only one take on the book. Read it for yourself. It profiles four thinkers who shaped Western thinking on government, religion, education, liberty, morality and our consciousnesses and the soul. It could be profitably read by teachers, parents and those who have friends who are unhappy or by readers who are themselves vaguely (or wildly) discontented. If you are a happy-go-lucky person, Montaigne is your man. If you are of the opinion that life is a grim business, go with Pascal. If you want a book that is both enjoyable and deeply serious, read this one. For once, I was convinced that French (and Swiss) thinkers matter to me as an American. Today, we will hear from Benjamin and Jenna Storey and talk about their four featured thinkers and the long, winding path of the concept of contentment. For more information about the book and the work of Benjamin and Jenna Story, please visit their website. Give a listen. Hope J. Leman is a grants researcher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

A conversation with Benjamin Storey about his co-authored book, Why We are Restless: on the Modern Quest for Contentment (Princeton UP).

Today, the AEI Podcast Channel presents the latest episode of https://www.aei.org/tag/aei-banter/ (Banter), hosted by AEI President, Robert Doar, and Director of Media Relations, Phoebe Keller. To find more episodes of Banter, subscribe directly on https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/banter-an-aei-podcast/id427915745 (Apple), https://open.spotify.com/show/7kOxlIuNsPbshewASi8tLI?si=64c618eed2054deb (Spotify) or wherever you get your podcasts. Professors Benjamin and Jenna Storey teach political philosophy at Furman University, where they also lead the Tocqueville Program. Their new book, Why We Are Restless: On the Modern Quest for Contentment, explores the roots of modern unhappiness and offers guidance in the search for fulfillment. The Storeys – who are also joining AEI next year—appear on Banter to talk with Robert and Phoebe about what we can learn from French philosophers about how to find happiness in our modern lives.

Professors Benjamin and Jenna Storey teach political philosophy at Furman University, where they also lead the Tocqueville Program. Their new book, Why We Are Restless: On the Modern Quest for Contentment, explores the roots of modern unhappiness and offers guidance in the search for fulfillment. The Storeys – who are also joining AEI next year—appear on Banter to talk with Robert and Phoebe about what we can learn from French philosophers about how to find happiness in our modern lives.

This week the crew is joined by Drs. Ben and Jenna Storey. The Storeys are professors of political philosophy at Furman, directors of the Tocqueville Fellows Program, and authors of the new book: Why We Are Restless: On the Modern Quest for Contentment. We discuss how they came to write a book on restlessness, what Montaigne, Pascal, and Rousseau think about human happiness, and the way that Tocqueville might help us live vertically in a horizontal world. 

Part 2 of the lecture, "History of Happiness", with Dr. Jenna Storey.

John J. Miller is joined by Jenna Storey of Furman University to discuss Alexis de Tocqueville's 'Democracy in America.'