Podcast appearances and mentions of Jill Lepore

We live in the age of data. Over the past century, rapidly evolving technologies have transformed almost every aspect of our society, in ways that can seem both troubling and unstoppable. Political campaigns have been reduced to attention-mining algorithms, multinational corporations control public discourse, and the era of the liberal nation-state seems to be coming to an end, replaced by the rule of artificial intelligence. In her new book, The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State, historian Jill Lepore asks: what happens to democracy when governments hand more of the decisions that shape our lives to machines – and to the corporations that control them? In this episode, she joins host Mythili Rao to explore how a series of often well-intentioned technological developments brought us to where we are today; why the arrival of ChatGPT marked a historical turning point; and how today's tech moguls have built infrastructures that increasingly rival the power of the democratic nation-state. By tracing the origins of the ‘Artificial State', Lepore shows that its rise was never inevitable – and its future isn't either. She finds hope in growing resistance to the power of AI across the political divide, and says that through organised opposition, we can decide what technology should be for and the future we want it to create. Jill Lepore is the David Woods Kemper '41 Professor of American History at Harvard University and Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. She is also a staff writer at the New Yorker. Mythili Rao is a journalist, book critic and podcaster. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State by Jill Lepore explores technology's impact on human community and self-government, and what the future holds. Jill Lepore joins us to talk about AI, citizenship, personal data, the public sphere, local newspapers and touching grass with cohost Jenna Seery. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Jenna Seery and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app.   Featured Books: The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State by Jill Lepore If/Then: How the Simulmatics Corporation Invented the Future by Jill Lepore Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes Robot Dreams by Isaac Asimov Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells The Wild Robot by Peter Brown The Wind and the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

Throughout history, people have been fascinated by automation, technological progress, and how it can change our lives.In 1956, General Motors made a film about the distant future of 1976, when cars would drive themselves with the help of traffic-control towers. In 1993, AT&T envisioned what sounds a lot like today's smart home and smart watch technology.Much of what the companies behind these advertisements promised has come true. The idea, running through all of it, was that technology will set you free. It will connect you. It will give you power over your own life. It will make things better.We sit down to talk with historian Jill Lepore about whether or not that's true.Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

In her new book, “The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State,” Harvard historian and New Yorker writer Jill Lepore issues a warning that in our desire for more efficient, data-driven governance we're falling into “the rule of humans by machines manufactured by corporations.” Her book is an alarming call to action and, she writes, an “inquiry into what humans mean and intend in abandoning constitutional democracy, the liberal nation-state and even humanity itself for rule by automation, government by machine and replacement by artificial intelligence.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jill Lepore, professor of American History at Harvard University, staff writer at The New Yorker, and the author of several books, including The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State (Liveright, 2026), talks about our reliance on data and algorithms and what it means for society and government. Image: Composite image of Capital Building with binary numbers (TGI/Tetra Images via Getty Creative) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week, we learned that OpenAI had stopped training new artificial intelligence models while the company reviewed its security measures. Will this encourage other labs to hit the brakes too? Then, the historian Jill Lepore joins to discuss her new book about the artificial state — or, as she describes it, “the rule of humans by machines manufactured by corporations.” And finally, why is Google buying up the data of the defunct Spirit Airlines? It's time for our new segment “Train of Thought.” Guests: Jill Lepore, professor of history and law at Harvard University, staff writer at The New Yorker and author of the new book “The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State.” Additional Reading: OpenAI Slows Model Training to Bolster Security After Hugging Face Hack A Government for the People, but Not by People Google to Buy Spirit Airlines Business Data for $10 Million A.I.'s New Training Data: Your Old Work Slacks and Emails We Tracked a Shipment of Rare Books. It Ended at an Amazon A.I. Training Facility. We want to hear from you. Email us at hardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” on YouTube and TikTok. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With less than three months to go until the midterms, voters are thinking about grocery prices, the Iran war – and datacentres. This week, Jonathan Freedland speaks to the historian Jill Lepore about how this latest AI backlash could influence those all-important elections in November. Are we seeing the beginning of the end of the ‘artificial state'?

What story best explains America's founding? In this episode, we discuss the competing narratives surrounding the Declaration of Independence, the Founders, slavery, and the nation's founding ideals. Drawing on a recent article by Jia Lynn Yang and the work of historian and professor Jill Lepore, we consider whether America can tell a truthful story about its past without abandoning the principles of liberty, equality, and self-government. We also ask how a Christian worldview helps us think faithfully about our nation's history.Resources mentioned in this episode:Is There a Founding Story That Can Unify Left and Right? by Jia Lynn Yang250 Years Later, Why We're Still Fighting About Our Founding by The DailyThese Truths by Jill Lepore

Dr. Jill Lepore is one of the best writers there is at identifying institutional patterns in history, and Decoder is a show about systems and organization — so her new book, The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State, is a perfect fit for the show. You build systems by measuring things — gathering information, quantifying it as data, and taking action on it. The book's big thesis is that this kind of systemic measurement is really a dehumanizing act, one that flattens humanity and human concerns into something, well, artificial. These artificial structures touch everything — not just in the more obvious places like in apps or AI, but all the way up to politics, governance, and the very future of the nation-state itself. Links:  The Artificial State | The New Yorker  ‘Terminator' to tech titans: Jill Lepore on the ‘artificial state' | Yale Univ. The failed ideas that drive Elon Musk | New York Times Sam Altman | The Joe Rogan Experience Subscribe to The Verge to access the ad-free version of Decoder! Credits: Decoder is a production of The Verge and part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Decoder's producers are Kate Cox and Nick Statt. This episode was edited by Xander Adams. Our editorial director is Kevin McShane. The Decoder music is by Breakmaster Cylinder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pulitzer-prize winning historian and author Jill Lepore has spent her career uncovering the stories we often do not tell, particularly about American history and democracy. In her most recent books, These Truths and We, the People, she asks what really made and makes the United States and what role citizens have in arching toward a more perfect Union. Listen in as she talks about her work for Writers on a New England Stage, recorded at the Seacoast Litfest in Portsmouth New Hampshire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jill Lepore is a Harvard professor and contributing writer to the New Yorker. Her books include The Secret History of Wonder Woman, New York Burning, These Truths: A History of the United States, and her latest, We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution – and instant New York Times bestseller.   This year is the semi-quincentennial of the United States of America and, as Lepore points out, also the anniversary of constitutionalism.  There's no better guide through American history than Jill Lepore, and it is a delight to spend an hour in civics class led by someone who readily references Mel Brooks and AI in a discussion about the Constitution. Lepore is interviewed by OPB's Geoff Norcross, host of All Things Considered. They discuss Lepore's Amendments Project, which catalogues all the amendments that have been proposed throughout history, and explore why it is so difficult to amend the Constitution and the story of how some of the amendments we do have (there are 27, including the 10 in the Bill of Rights) came to be. They talk about originalism and the pessimism of the framers, who believed that any man would be a tyrant if given power, and set up the checks and balances in our Constitution to give the legislature, the court, and the people – with the vote – the power to oust a tyrant.    A few notes to listeners just for clarity:   It's mentioned “what is Congress doing right now,” this was during the November 2025 government shut down.  Jill is not in the room with the audience; Jill was unable to join us in Portland due to a last-minute travel issue (related to the shut down, frankly), but very gamely came in on video while Geoff Norcross and the audience were in the theater.   Jill Lepore is the David Woods Kemper '41 Professor of American History at Harvard University and Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. She is also a staff writer at The New Yorker. As a wide-ranging and prolific essayist, and winner of the PEN prize for the Art of the Essay, Lepore writes about American history, law, literature, and politics. She is the author of many award-winning books, including the international bestseller, These Truths: A History of the United States (2018). Her newest book is We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution, which was published this September.  As one of the local hosts of OPB's “All Things Considered,” Geoff Norcross shares local and regional stories to audiences of NPR's flagship newsmagazine. Previously, Geoff was the host of OPB's “Morning Edition” for 15 years. He was part of the team that built the program into one of the most listened-to presentations of “Morning Edition” in the country. 

Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Jill Lepore says the United States is out of step with its history. She discusses how the country's tendency to look back to its origins when making legal decisions today is unique – and can be detrimental – to Americans.Plus: Want a soundtrack to America 250? Spin some jazz. Musicians Christian McBride and Terri Lyne Carrington, and musicologist Tammy Kernodle, reflect on hearing America's history – its promise, pain and highest ideals – in one of the country's top homegrown artforms.

The John Adams Institute is Amsterdam's home for independent American thought. John Adams himself said, "Let us tenderly and kindly cherish... the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write." For four decades, we have amassed a unique archive of great thinkers, speakers and writers, from Toni Morrison to Timothy Snyder, and from Jane Fonda to Jill Lepore. It has been our pleasure to share this treasure trove of thought and word with you. In this exclusive miniseries, we're sitting down with a few prominent voices from both sides of the Atlantic to take stock of the United States, two hundred and fifty years into its experiment in self-governance. Across these conversations, you'll hear from Ada Limón, former U.S. Poet Laureate, on art, identity, and the burden of speaking for a country; Nancy Pelosi, Speaker Emerita of the House, on the founding promise of American democracy and the gap between promise and practice; and Edward Luce of the Financial Times, on America as a creedal nation—the fragile idea holding it together at home, and what its fracturing means for its place in the world. We believe John Adams would have wanted it that way—in fact, he explained as much in a letter to his wife, Abigail, on 3 July 1776: "I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival." And so, from Amsterdam, it's Bright Minds; Out of Many, One?—the podcast from the John Adams Institute. If you're a friend of free thinking and the communities that support it, please become a member. Our independence is something we cherish, and it comes with a cost. The John Adams Institute is an independent foundation without structural subsidy, and there's always room at our table for more. Click here to find out about sponsorship or becoming a member.Support the show

100 Objects #1: The Century Safe In 1876, Americans filled an iron safe with objects meant to tell their story — to be opened a century later. Roman Mars and historian Jill Lepore trace its long wait, from Reconstruction to Watergate, and the surprising, unsettling contents that emerged in 1976. What do the objects we choose to preserve, or forget, reveal about how we author our own history?

For America’s 250th anniversary and our Weekend Listen, the Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Jill Lepore joins Mishal Husain to take her through her book on the US Constitution.We The People explores how the Constitution came about and, crucially, how there was an expectation that it would likely change over time. This is not, however, an episode entirely set in the past, because Jill Lepore is acutely alive to the pressures of the moment and of the contested sense of what America is or should be.Contact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Geschichte lebt von Dokumenten. Aber nicht nur von Verträgen, Briefen oder Protokollen. Sondern auch von Tonaufnahmen. Das gilt insbesondere für die USA mit ihren zahlreichen Medien, die immer und überall ein Mikrofon hinhalten. Zum 250. Geburtstag der USA haben wir ein Dutzend historischer Töne ausgewählt. Unsystematisch, aber vielleicht zeigen diese Zeitdokumente gerade deshalb ein Bild der vielseitigen Vereinigten Staaten. Das Line-up: Amanda Gorman, Neil Armstrong, John Coltrane, Sally Hemings, Thomas Jefferson, Steve Jobs, John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln, Barack Obama, Thomas Paine, Ronald Reagan, Eleanor Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt und Bruce Springsteen. Sie alle haben die USA auf die eine oder andere Weise geprägt. Was sagen sie zu ihrem Land? Was sind ihre Hoffnungen, Träume und Ideen? Was haben diese Amerikanerinnen und Amerikaner bewirkt? Was bleibt von ihnen? Und: Wie sind die USA gealtert? Darüber unterhält sich Christof Münger, Leiter des Ressorts International, mit Korrespondentin Charlotte Walser in Washington D. C., mit Professorin Tina Kempin Reuter in Birmingham, Alabama, und mit dem langjährigen USA-Korrespondenten Martin Kilian in Charlottesville, Virginia - in einer Spezialfolge des USA-Podcasts «Alles klar, Amerika?». Produzent: Noah Fend Mehr zum 250. Jubiläum der USA: So feiern die USA ihren runden Geburtstag Leere Pavillons, eine Konföderiertenflagge und lauwarme Getränke Älteste Demokratie der Welt? «Das sind eindeutig wir. Sie haben das von uns abgeschaut» «Seine Kugeln sind nahezu perfekt»: Was ein Basler mit der Amerikanischen Revolution zu tun hatte Elisabeth Bronfen zu 250 Jahre USA: «Die meisten Schweizer wissen gar nicht, wie amerikanisiert sie sind» Jill Lepore über 250 Jahre USA, Trump und die Demokratie: «Es gibt vieles, das man feiern könnte, wenn Trump nicht alles an sich reissen würde» 25 grossartige Dinge, die wir den USA verdanken Mehr USA-Berichterstattung finden Sie auf unserer Webseite und in den Apps.  Unser Tagi-Spezialangebot für Podcast-Hörer:innen: tagiabo.chHabt ihr Feedback, Ideen oder Kritik zu «Apropos»? Schreibt uns an podcasts@tamedia.ch Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Back in the 1950s, facing the threat of nuclear annihilation, federal officials sat down and pondered what American life would actually look like after an atomic attack. They faced a slew of practical questions like: Who would count the dead and where would they build the refugee camps? But they faced a more spiritual question as well. If Washington DC were hit, every object in the the National Archives would be eviscerated in a moment. Terrified by this reality, they set out to save some of America's most precious stuff. Today, we look back at the items our Cold War era planners sought to save and we ask the question: what objects would we preserve now? We first released this episode back in 2020, but with our big fourth of July – 250 years! – just around the corner, we thought it was a strange but profound reflection on what this whole America thing that we're celebrating… actually is. Special thanks to Luke Manon, Ben Irving, Bill Pretzer, Jason Spier, and Garrett Graff for all his reporting that made this episode possible. LATERAL CUTS -The Cataclysm Sentence (https://radiolab.org/podcast/cataclysm-sentence) EPISODE CREDITS:  Reported by - Simon Adler with help from - Tad Davis Produced by - Simon Adler Original music and sound design contributed by - SIMON ADLER and Edited by  - Pat Walters Signup for our newsletter!! It includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. Sign up (https://radiolab.org/newsletter)! Radiolab is supported by listeners like you. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of The Lab (https://members.radiolab.org/) today. Follow our show on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @radiolab, and share your thoughts with us by emailing radiolab@wnyc.org. Leadership support for Radiolab's science programming is provided by the Simons Foundation and the John Templeton Foundation. Foundational support for Radiolab was provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode originally aired on Sept 18, 2025. From Apple News In Conversation: The Constitution has been amended 27 times, but the last meaningful change was over half a century ago. In historian Jill Lepore’s book We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution, she argues that the near impossibility of amendment in recent decades underlies many of today’s political crises, from polarization to battles over the courts. Lepore spoke with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about the history of constitutional revision and why the amendment process matters for the future of American democracy.

The United States is celebrating its 250th birthday this summer, giving Americans a chance to reflect on the nation's past and imagine its future. Who better to help us make sense of this moment than Jill Lepore? The Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, longtime staff writer at The New Yorker and author of “We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution” joined the “Book Review” podcast to recommend some reading for the occasion. She also revisits the politics and drama of America's previous birthdays, and discusses how a dystopian novel may be the most relevant read about the country right now. After that, Elisabeth Egan, an editor at The Book Review, lays out some of the summer's most anticipated beach reads. Books Discussed on This Episode: “We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution,” by Jill Lepore “The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State,” by Jill Lepore (forthcoming) “American Scripture,” by Pauline Maier “Bicentennial: A Revolutionary History of the 1970s,” by Marc Stein “Gliff,” by Ali Smith “Yesteryear,” by Caro Claire Burke “Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage,” by Belle Burden “Whistler,” by Ann Patchett “The Things We Never Say,” by Elizabeth Strout “Man Overboard!,” by Kathleen Rooney “American Fantasy,” by Emma Straub “A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck”: Sophie Elmhirst “The Shampoo Effect,” by Jenny Jackson The “Nantucket” book series, by Elin Hilderbrand “Cool Machine,” by Colson Whitehead “London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family's Search for Truth,” by Patrick Radden Keefe “How to Rule the World: An Education in Power at Stanford University,” by Theo Baker Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The U.S. Constitution likely would not have been ratified in 1788 without Article 5, which allowed for amendment. Many of the original founders championed the idea that the document would need to change as the country changed. As historian Jill Lepore points out in her newest book most of the 27 amendments to the constitution have happened just after times of war or conflict, and after 33 years without an amendment, we may be headed that way again. OPB’s Geoff Norcross speaks to Lepore in front of an audience at the 2025 Portland Book Festival about “We the People: A history of the U.S. Constitution.”

Becky, Shelley, and Austin explore the Founding myths through musical theater. This is the first in a six-part series exploring American mythology through different texts. We discuss 1776 (music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards, book by Peter Stone) and Hamilton (music, lyric, book by Lin-Manuel Miranda). Other work referenced: "We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution" by Jill Lepore, "A Great Disorder: National Myth and the Battle for America" by Richard Slotkin, and the essay "Race-Conscious Casting and the Erasure of the Black Past in Lin-Manual Miranda's Hamilton" by Lyra D. Monteiro.  https://online.ucpress.edu/tph/article/38/1/89/90687/Review-Essay-Race-Conscious-Casting-and-the?__cf_chl_f_tk=RYgtNhx8xBI4oM1lbTJWq.vpN8FWjMQmCiZ91vf4euU-1783030175-1.0.1.1-vToaORa2QQj0TiJ5U9.4FCSpCIaP_CS_PS864EnlqEA 

This episode originally aired on Sept 18, 2025. The Constitution has been amended 27 times, but the last meaningful change was over half a century ago. In historian Jill Lepore’s book We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution, she argues that the near impossibility of amendment in recent decades underlies many of today’s political crises, from polarization to battles over the courts. Lepore spoke with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about the history of constitutional revision and why the amendment process matters for the future of American democracy.

Geschichte lebt von Dokumenten. Aber nicht nur von Verträgen, Briefen oder Protokollen. Sondern auch von Tonaufnahmen. Das gilt insbesondere für die USA mit ihren zahlreichen Medien, die immer und überall ein Mikrofon hinhalten. Zum 250. Geburtstag der USA haben wir ein Dutzend historischer Töne ausgewählt. Unsystematisch, aber vielleicht zeigen diese Zeitdokumente gerade deshalb ein Bild der vielseitigen Vereinigten Staaten. Das Line-up: Amanda Gorman, Neil Armstrong, John Coltrane, Sally Hemings, Thomas Jefferson, Steve Jobs, John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln, Barack Obama, Thomas Paine, Ronald Reagan, Eleanor Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt und Bruce Springsteen. Sie alle haben die USA auf die eine oder andere Weise geprägt. Was sagen sie zu ihrem Land? Was sind ihre Hoffnungen, Träume und Ideen? Was haben diese Amerikanerinnen und Amerikaner bewirkt? Was bleibt von ihnen? Und: Wie sind die USA gealtert? Darüber unterhält sich Christof Münger, Leiter des Ressorts International, mit Korrespondentin Charlotte Walser in Washington D. C., mit Professorin Tina Kempin Reuter in Birmingham, Alabama, und mit dem langjährigen USA-Korrespondenten Martin Kilian in Charlottesville, Virginia - in einer Spezialfolge des USA-Podcasts «Alles klar, Amerika?». Produzent: Noah Fend Mehr zum 250. Jubiläum der USA: So feiern die USA ihren runden Geburtstag Leere Pavillons, eine Konföderiertenflagge und lauwarme Getränke Älteste Demokratie der Welt? «Das sind eindeutig wir. Sie haben das von uns abgeschaut» «Seine Kugeln sind nahezu perfekt»: Was ein Basler mit der Amerikanischen Revolution zu tun hatte Elisabeth Bronfen zu 250 Jahre USA: «Die meisten Schweizer wissen gar nicht, wie amerikanisiert sie sind» Jill Lepore über 250 Jahre USA, Trump und die Demokratie: «Es gibt vieles, das man feiern könnte, wenn Trump nicht alles an sich reissen würde» 25 grossartige Dinge, die wir den USA verdanken Mehr USA-Berichterstattung finden Sie auf unserer Webseite und in den Apps. Den «Tages-Anzeiger» können Sie 3 Monate zum Preis von 1 Monat testen: tagiabo.ch.Feedback, Kritik und Fragen an: podcasts@tamedia.ch Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Americans tend to see the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War as milestones in world history that inaugurated the era of modern democracy. But the British, unsurprisingly, see these events quite differently. David Remnick talks with the historians who host the popular podcast “The Rest Is History,” Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland. Growing up in Britain, Sandbrook explains, the Revolution seemed like “a parade of quite boring men talking very earnestly about liberty, [with] battles that involved twenty people in a field somewhere. . . . It's not Waterloo!” The King was “annoyed” to lose the thirteen colonies to the new nation, but, for his government, “it could have been a lot worse.” Sandbrook and Holland discuss historical events that overshadow the American Revolution in the British mind; the 1619 Project and the subject of slavery; the “colossally consequential” Presidency of Donald Trump; and the fate of the British monarchy.Further reading :  “Was the Declaration of Independence Better Before the Edits?” by Jill Lepore.  “The American Revolution Wasn't the Main Event” by Daniel Immerwahr. “Two Hundred and Fifty Years of Complicated Commemorations" by Jelani Cobb 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 to The Political Scene wherever you get your podcasts. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

You might have heard that the U.S. turns 250 this year. It's a big, corporate to-do — the phrase “America 250” is plastered all over baseball hats and bags of potato chips. But what do Americans really make of this anniversary? The historian Jill Lepore and audiomaker Sophie Crane wanted to find out. They sent reporters all across the country, from California to Louisiana to Vermont, to listen to what people had to say about it.This piece is part of a project called The Listeners, an experiment in hyperlocal documentary storytelling from the Transom Story Lab. You can find the Transom post here and the New Yorker Radio Hour presentation here.Reporting by Eve Abrams in Louisiana, Scott Carrier and Jenny Ament in Utah, Erica Heilman in Vermont, Yohance Lacour in Illinois and David Weinberg in California. It was produced by Sophie Crane. Mix and sound design by Josh Crane with music from Matthias Bossi and Jon Evans of Stellwagen Symphonette. Special thanks to Jay Allison, Jen Jerrett and David Krasnow.The Brave Little State team is Josh Crane, Sabine Poux and Burgess Brown. Our intern is Sarah Bokelberg. Our executive producer is Angela Evancie. Theme music by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi onInstagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org  Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

Today we complete our trio of episodes in collaboration with iCivics, where we explore why people of myriad groups are having a tough time, civics-wise. In this episode, we tell you how to eradicate your cynicism and make a difference. First, we share Jill Lepore's presentation on conventions; how we used to interact with our many constitutions. And then, we talk with Eitan Hersh. Eitan is the author of Politics Is for Power: How to Move Beyond Political Hobbyism, Take Action, and Make Real Change. He tells us what works (and what doesn't) when it comes to engaging in politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've asked some of our favorite historians for their number one moment from these 250 years of the United States' History. For this episode, we're honored to welcome Jill Lepore back to the show.How do the life and letters of Jane Franklin, beloved sister of THE Benjamin Franklin, reflect the nature and constitution of America?You can read more about this in Jill's book THESE TRUTHS: A History of the United States, the Jubilee Edition of which is out now.Jill is a Professor of American History at Harvard University and a staff writer at The New Yorker.Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Produced by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Freddy Chick.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  All music from Epidemic Sounds.American History Hit is a History Hit podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“History repeats itself,” the saying goes. Or, as another saying goes, “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” There’s also “History doesn’t repeat itself but it often rhymes.” Together these sayings suggest the value of history in our culture and our belief that it can help us understand the present. This hour, we’re talking about history and our current political moment. This episode is the second featuring a live event with Pulitzer Prize-winning historians Jon Meacham and Jill Lepore. If you missed the first episode, don't worry— this discussion will stand on its own. The event was the final discussion of The Connecticut Forum’s 34th season. GUESTS: Jill Lepore: the David Woods Kemper ’41 Professor of American History at Harvard University and Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. She is also a staff writer at The New Yorker and bestselling author. Her books include These Truths: A History of the United States and We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution. Jon Meacham: Distinguished Visiting Professor at Vanderbilt University. His bestselling books include And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle and the Pulitzer prize-winning American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

America's a funny place. It's not a country with a fixed geographic or religious identity. We don't have a common story of divine creation. "What we have," writes Ben Rhodes in his new book, ⁠All We Say⁠, "are words." The words of the founding documents, yes — but also "the words of speeches spoken by Americans who call us to be that better version of ourselves." Ben has spent more time with great American speeches than just about anyone. For eight years, he was a speechwriter in the Obama White House, crafting some of the defining oratory of the era. His new book is a 250-year tour through 15 speeches that built the country, challenged it, and raised its sights. He tells us how FDR changed the course of WWII from behind the lectern, how MLK ad-libbed one of the most famous lines in American history, and what Obama's 2008 speech about race can teach today's politicians about storytelling. And he makes the case that America needs great oratory now more than it has in a long time.

E. Jean Carroll, the woman who won two civil suits against Donald Trump to the tune of $88+ million, is now the target of a Justice Department investigation for perjury. The DOJ probe is viewed by many as yet another example of the president seeking retribution from his perceived enemies and critics. But in his new book “Crisis of the Common Good,” Democratic Senator Chris Murphy argues that Trump is not the root cause of America's troubles, but the product of a much deeper crisis. He joins Christiane from Chicago.  Also on today's show: former Costa Rica VP Rebeca Grynspan, now Secretary-General of UNCTAD; historian Jill Lepore on her new book "We the People"    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“As long as democracy is a collective endeavour of all the people who belong to it, in some sense it can never be finished — because we are constantly bequeathing to the next generation the opportunity and the freedom to have these conversations over and over again.” — Alexandra Natapoff It's less than six weeks until America's 250th birthday. The official America 250 store is selling T-shirts while Harvard Law School is doing something slightly less commercial. 62 HLS professors have written 1,000-word essays, assembled into a single volume to be published on July 4. Entitled America Unfinished: Two Hundred and Fifty Years of Law and Governance, it's co-edited by Alexandra Natapoff, a Harvard Law professor who spent years as a federal public defender in Baltimore. The title, of course, is borrowed from the Gettysburg Address, where Lincoln charged the living with completing “the unfinished work” of those who died in the Civil War. So is America unfinished or is it just getting started? For Natapoff and other Harvard Law School professors like this year's Pulitzer Prize-winning Jill Lepore, the answer is suitably complex. Yes and no and maybe. Everything all at once. The essays focus on 250 years of both justice and injustice in America. Perhaps the only thing all authors agree on is the central role of capitalism in the history of the United States. Follow the money, Natapoff suggests. Those dollars will transport the reader to the heart of the American story. That said, America Unfinished will certainly cost you less than a three-year Harvard Law degree. And if you wait six months, the book will be available at no cost online. So follow the money. It will take you to some unexpectedly free places. Five Takeaways •       The Gettysburg Address as the Title's Source: The book does not merely allude to Lincoln's famous speech — it reproduces it at the front, so readers can go back to the original. In the Address, Lincoln charged the living with completing “the unfinished work” of those who died at Gettysburg — the work of building a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Natapoff and Charles chose this frame because it captures both the challenge and the hope: democracy is unfinished in the sense that it demands active work from every generation. It is not a gift that has been fully delivered. It is a task being handed on. •       America and Democracy Are Not the Same Thing: Andrew's challenge — you use the words interchangeably — earns a concession. Natapoff's work in criminal justice has led her to argue repeatedly that the American criminal system fails many tests of democracy: it is exclusive, inegalitarian, overly coercive, inconsistent with democratic principles. So ‘America' and ‘democracy' are not synonyms in the book. Many of the 62 essays disagree about the state of various pieces of governance. The book's inquiry is whether it is fair to call any particular piece of American legal governance a democracy — which both editors consider a compliment, and not a certainty. •       A Federal Public Defender in Baltimore: The Biography Behind the Scholarship: Before she became a law professor, Natapoff was a federal public defender in Baltimore's federal courts. Her job was to be adverse to the federal government all day every day, defending some of the most vulnerable and dispossessed people in the city against the massive resources and power of the federal apparatus. Those years shaped everything: her subsequent twenty years of scholarship on criminal courts, plea bargaining, misdemeanors, and race and inequality; her book Punishment Without Crime; and her contribution to America Unfinished. In her reading, the experience of her clients — people facing off against the federal government — is now more widely shared than it used to be. •       It's the Money, Not the Lawyers: Dan Wang's recent book Breakneck contrasts China, run by engineers, and America, run by lawyers. Natapoff's counter, via the book's economic governance essays: it's much more complicated than that. Six very different scholars who disagree about almost everything converge on a perhaps surprising answer: it's the money. Financial interests, corporate interests, the ownership class — in one way or another, they've been running America. The lawyers helped. They were part of the management scheme. But they weren't making the decisions. If you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail. •       Molly Brady's Essay: Property Law and the Destruction of Community: Asked to pick her favourite essay without starting a fight with 61 colleagues, Natapoff flags the very last one: Professor Maureen “Molly” Brady on property law. Brady argues that property law has permitted suburban sprawl and the destruction of physical community — the kind of infrastructure that makes analog life (libraries, neighbours, public space) possible — while being profligate in its support for social media and the dispersed, thinner version of community. She exhorts us to remember how law has contributed positively to communities we are proud of, and to stand up for that vision. For Natapoff, it captures both the critical nature of this moment and why lawyering still holds out some important promise. About the Guest Alexandra Natapoff is the Lee S. Kreindler Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, a 2016 Guggenheim Fellow, and a graduate of Yale University and Stanford Law School. She began her legal career as a federal public defender in Baltimore. She is the author of Punishment Without Crime: How Our Massive Misdemeanor System Traps the Innocent and Makes America More Unequal (Basic Books) and Snitching: Criminal Informants and the Erosion of American Justice (NYU Press). She is co-editor, with Guy-Uriel Charles, of America Unfinished: Two Hundred and Fifty Years of Law and Governance (MIT Press, July 4, 2026). References: •       America Unfinished: Two Hundred and Fifty Years of Law and Governance, co-edited by Alexandra Natapoff and Guy-Uriel Charles (MIT Press, July 4, 2026). Open access from January 2027. •       Alexandra Natapoff, Punishment Without Crime: How Our Massive Misdemeanor System Traps the Innocent and Makes America More Unequal (Basic Books, 2018). •       Dan Wang, Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future — referenced in the interview as the “America run by lawyers” contrast. •       Lincoln's Gettysburg Address (1863) — reproduced at the front of the book; the source of the title. About Keen On America Nobody 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 2,900 episodes since ...

In Elon Musk's “dark MAGA” there is no truth.—which for historian Jill Lepore creates a fear that everything might collapse because everything is so fragile and so fake, so untrustworthy -- and so -- unreal. For Lepore -- it is a fear created by the “Artificial State.”Back in January of this year – 2026 -- BCR hosts spoke with William Hartung about his political stand-up routine and his recent book “The Trillion Dollar War Machine: How Runaway Military Spending Drives America into Foreign Wars and Bankrupts Us at Hone.”It was a BCR episode in which jokes and world destruction did a cha cha.Hartung is an expert on the US military industrial complex at The Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. Recently, Bill emailed his Substack readers several articles on Silicon Valley's hard right tilt towards advanced militarism. He had been reading a copy of Jill Lepore's soon-to-be-released book – “The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State.” Bill's email was somewhat scary. It appears that Elon Musk and Peter Thiel and Palmer Luckey have embedded themselves into US government policy-making -- and profiting from dismantling our democracy. Their “firms are enabling genocide and aggression abroad and profiting from repression at home.”I replied to Bill's email and asked if he wanted to meet and talk about what he was finding – his response was immediate: “YES” – all caps with exclamation – “Let's do something, the sooner the better.”Alan Winsonbarcrawlradio@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the start of May, Khalilah sat down for a conversation with historians Jill Lepore and Jon Meacham. The conversation was titled “Lessons from History,” and it came at a time when a lot was going on in U.S. politics. In just the past week there had been gunshots fired outside the ballroom where the White House Correspondents' Dinner was being held, a Supreme Court ruling that impacted the Voting Rights Act and developments that continued to shape the Iran war. It also came at a notable time for Jill Lepore: just three days after the conversation, she was announced as this year's winner of the Pulitzer Prize in History. Jon Meacham also won a Pulitzer Prize back in 2009. The event was the final discussion of The Connecticut Forum’s 34th season. We enjoyed hearing from these award-winning historians so much that we decided to extend the conversation to two episodes. If you like what you hear today, you can hear more next week. GUESTS: Jill Lepore: the David Woods Kemper ’41 Professor of American History at Harvard University and Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. She is also a staff writer at The New Yorker and bestselling author. Her books include These Truths: A History of the United States and We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution. Jon Meacham: Distinguished Visiting Professor at Vanderbilt University. His bestselling books include And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle and the Pulitzer prize-winning American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House. Disrupted is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1876, Americans filled an iron safe with objects meant to tell their story — to be opened a century later. Roman Mars and historian Jill Lepore trace its long wait, from Reconstruction to Watergate, and the surprising, unsettling contents that emerged in 1976. What do the objects we choose to preserve — or forget — reveal about how we author our own history? Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The staff writer and historian Jill Lepore is an admirer of the Federal Writers' Project, and the man-on-the-street form of documentary it helped to pioneer. This type of journalism, she thinks, is integral to the democratic project. As part of a special episode of The New Yorker Radio Hour, Lepore collaborated with the audio-storytelling group Transom to create a new documentary on how Americans perceive their country on the eve of its two-hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary. Producers conducted interviews in Illinois, California, Louisiana, Vermont, and Utah, in gas stations, city parks, and malls, on street corners and dairy farms, asking people how they see themselves in the American story, how they feel about America at two hundred and fifty, and what they imagine the tricentennial of independence will be like.  The New Yorker Radio Hour's collaboration with Transom was produced by Sophie Crane. It was recorded by Eve Abrams, Scott Carrier, Erica Heilman, Yohance Lacour, and David Weinberg. Mixing and sound design by Josh Crane. Music by Jon Evans and Matthias Bossi at Stellwagen Symphonette. It was created as part of Transom's Listeners Project, an experiment in hyperlocal documentary storytelling.    New episodes of The New Yorker Radio Hour drop every Tuesday and Friday. Join host David Remnick as he discusses the latest in politics, news, and current events in conversation with political leaders, newsmakers, innovators, New Yorker staff writers, authors, actors, and musicians. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The two-hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence arrives during intense disputes about American history, as the Trump Administration demands a more glorifying view of the nation's past at federally run historical sites and in federally funded projects. The staff writer Jill Lepore (who won the Pulitzer Prize in History this month for her book “We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution”) guest-hosts a special episode of The New Yorker Radio Hour about this fraught moment, reflecting on the responsibility of academic historians to shape the public debate. She compares our moment with the bicentennial—which fell in the wake of the Vietnam War and the scandals of Richard Nixon's Presidency—in a conversation with the Yale historian Beverly Gage. Lepore looks at the nature of the country's war over history with Jelani Cobb, the dean of Columbia Journalism School and a staff writer at The New Yorker. They discuss the Donald Trump-approved “Freedom 250” projection on the Washington Monument, and talk about how Americans can meaningfully participate in the semiquincentennial. If “we're sitting around waiting for the occupant of the White House to tell us what American history means,” Lepore says, “you just kind of want to walk into traffic.” Further reading:  America at 250, a special issue of The New Yorker “Was the Declaration of Independence Better Before the Edits?,” by Jill Lepore “Scandal, Protest, Goofiness, and Grandeur at the U.S. Bicentennial,” by Jill Lepore “Two Hundred and Fifty Years of Complicated Commemorations,” by Jelani Cobb “This Land Is Your Land: A Road Trip Through U.S. History,” by Beverly Gage See the Washington Roundtable live at 92NY on June 4th.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.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The two-hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence arrives during intense disputes about American history, as the Trump Administration demands a more glorifying view of the nation's past at federally run historical sites and in federally funded projects. The staff writer Jill Lepore (who won the Pulitzer Prize in History this month for her book “We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution”) guest-hosts a special episode of The New Yorker Radio Hour about this fraught moment, reflecting on the responsibility of academic historians to shape the public debate. She compares our moment with the bicentennial—which fell in the wake of the Vietnam War and the scandals of Richard Nixon's Presidency—in a conversation with the Yale historian Beverly Gage. Lepore looks at the nature of the country's war over history with Jelani Cobb, the dean of Columbia Journalism School and a staff writer at The New Yorker. They discuss the Donald Trump-approved “Freedom 250” projection on the Washington Monument, and talk about how Americans can meaningfully participate in the semiquincentennial. If “we're sitting around waiting for the occupant of the White House to tell us what American history means,” Lepore says, “you just kind of want to walk into traffic.”  Further reading:  America at 250, a special issue of The New Yorker “Was the Declaration of Independence Better Before the Edits?,” by Jill Lepore “Scandal, Protest, Goofiness, and Grandeur at the U.S. Bicentennial,” by Jill Lepore “Two Hundred and Fifty Years of Complicated Commemorations,” by Jelani Cobb “This Land Is Your Land: A Road Trip Through U.S. History,” by Beverly Gage   New episodes of The New Yorker Radio Hour drop every Tuesday and Friday. Join host David Remnick as he discusses the latest in politics, news, and current events in conversation with political leaders, newsmakers, innovators, New Yorker staff writers, authors, actors, and musicians. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Listen to the rest of this premium episode by subscribing at patreon.com/knowyourenemy. REMINDER: COME SEE KYE x MIKE DUNCAN LIVE IN NYC Given the string of recent episodes that, in various ways, grappled with religion we wanted to take a step back and offer a rather personal conversation about believing in God, or not, and what difference it might makes. The discussion begins by revisiting when we first met over a decade ago and talked a lot about faith, then ranges widely, including: atheism vs agnosticism, W.H. Auden, why we're not experiencing a religious revival in the United States (but could be soon), and more. Sources: Christopher Beha, Why I Am Not an Atheist (2026) Edward Mendelson, "The Secret Auden," New York Review of Books, March 20, 2014 David Martin, w/ a reply from Edward Mendelson, "Why Auden Married," New York Review of Books, April 24, 2014 Matthew Sitman, "Saving Calvin from Clichés: An Interview with Marilynne Robinson," Commonweal, Oct 5, 2017 Ryan Burge, "Religion Has Become A Luxury Good For The Middle Class, Married College Graduate With Children," Religion Unplugged, July 12, 2023 Daniel Cox, "The Illusion of America's Religious Revival," American Storylines, Nov 13, 2025 Walker Percy, Lost in the Cosmos: The Last Self-Help Book (1983) — The Message in the Bottle: How Queer Man Is, How Queer Language Is, and What One Has to Do with the Other (1975) The Living Thoughts of Kierkegaard, edited & with an introduction by W.H. Auden (1999) W.H. Auden, "In Praise of Limestone," in Nones (1951) "Jill Lepore on Nationalism, Populism, and the State of America," EconTalk, April 15, 2019

Jill Lepore is a Harvard professor and contributing writer to the New Yorker. Her books include The Secret History of Wonder Woman, New York Burning, These Truths: A History of the United States, and her latest, We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution – and instant New York Times bestseller.   This year is the semi-quincentennial of the United States of America and, as Lepore points out, also the anniversary of constitutionalism.  There's no better guide through American history than Jill Lepore, and it is a delight to spend an hour in civics class led by someone who readily references Mel Brooks and AI in a discussion about the Constitution. Lepore is interviewed by OPB's Geoff Norcross, host of All Things Considered. They discuss Lepore's Amendments Project, which catalogues all the amendments that have been proposed throughout history, and explore why it is so difficult to amend the Constitution and the story of how some of the amendments we do have (there are 27, including the 10 in the Bill of Rights) came to be. They talk about originalism and the pessimism of the framers, who believed that any man would be a tyrant if given power, and set up the checks and balances in our Constitution to give the legislature, the court, and the people – with the vote – the power to oust a tyrant.    A few notes to listeners just for clarity:   It's mentioned “what is Congress doing right now,” this was during the November 2025 government shut down.  Jill is not in the room with the audience; Jill was unable to join us in Portland due to a last-minute travel issue (related to the shut down, frankly), but very gamely came in on video while Geoff Norcross and the audience were in the theater.   Jill Lepore is the David Woods Kemper '41 Professor of American History at Harvard University and Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. She is also a staff writer at The New Yorker. As a wide-ranging and prolific essayist, and winner of the PEN prize for the Art of the Essay, Lepore writes about American history, law, literature, and politics. She is the author of many award-winning books, including the international bestseller, These Truths: A History of the United States (2018). Her newest book is We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution, which was published this September.  As one of the local hosts of OPB's “All Things Considered,” Geoff Norcross shares local and regional stories to audiences of NPR's flagship newsmagazine. Previously, Geoff was the host of OPB's “Morning Edition” for 15 years. He was part of the team that built the program into one of the most listened-to presentations of “Morning Edition” in the country. 

Americans must fight a war on two fronts: against MAGA fascism and Democratic Party complacency. Wajahat Ali of the Left Hook on Substack and author of Go Back to Where You Came From: And Other Helpful Recommendations on How to Become American joins Gaslit Nation to discuss how to actually build back better this time.  Donald Trump is America's karma of white supremacy, greed, and misogyny. But while the MAGA virus burns through our institutions, another danger is the "Big Club" in Washington, D.C. where Republicans and Democrats share the same donors, the same golf clubs, and the same refusal to tax the rich.  The DNC thinks they can waltz into power by not being Trump, but voters want a fighter and they want accountability. We are watching a righteous rage build across the globe, from the resistance in Ukraine and Hungary to vigilante violence here at home. When an Amazon worker drops dead and colleagues are told to work around the body, the status quo makes revolution by any means inevitable.  Ukrainians are fighting a war on two fronts: homegrown corruption and Kremlin fascism. We must see ourselves in the same fight. If the Democrats choose the James Carville "possum strategy" and refuse to face reality, they are simply clearing the deck for a more competent autocrat in 2032.  EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community New! There's now a California Signal Group for Gaslit Nation listeners to find each other and connect in that state, availableon Patreon.  The Gaslit Nation Outreach Committee discusses how to talk to the MAGA cult, availableon Patreon.  Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, availableon Patreon.  Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, availableon Patreon.  Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, availableon Patreon.  Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, availableon Patreon.  Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, availableon Patreon.  As always, keep it kind in our chat groups, extend grace and assume good faith. A culture of care is how we build a better world.  Join our community of listeners and get bonus shows, ad free listening, group chats with other listeners, ways to shape the show, invites to exclusive events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Discounted annual memberships are available. Become a Democracy Defender at Patreon.com/Gaslit Show Notes: Amazon Accused of Hiding Worker's Death for a Week, Making Employees Keep Working as Corpse Lay on Floor https://futurism.com/future-society/amazon-accused-hiding-death-week Worker who allegedly set fire to California warehouse compares self to Luigi Mangione https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/10/california-warehouse-arson-luigi-mangione Newsom Vows to Stop Proposed Billionaire Tax in California https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/us/newsom-billionaire-tax-california.html Christiane Amanpour and Jill Lepore on CNN: Civil War Confederate President Wasn't Tried, Why It Matters In Trump Case https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXVOIab3ek8  The Black Death by Thomas Asbridge review – a medieval horror story https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/apr/08/the-black-death-a-global-history-thomas-asbridge-review-pandemic-history-covid Why Does "DoorDash Grandma" Keep Showing Up with MAGA Members? https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2026/04/14/has-doordash-grandma-appeared-with-other-gop-leaders-what-to-know/89602972007/ Aaron Rupar: "A woman named Lonna Drewes at a news conference just now accused Eric Swalwell of drugging her drink and sexually assaulting her. Here's part of her statement." https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3mjhtlsrn5i2z David Dayen: "Several important nuggets in here: • Swalwell was rebuilding Newsom's inner circle; he was the establishment hope • One lobbyist: "Were we willing to delude ourselves or not ask questions that should have been asked? 1000%" • His campaign started sending cease-and-desists last year" https://bsky.app/profile/ddayen.bsky.social/post/3mjfu4px42c25 Lesley Abravanel: "In a major shift, Cook Political Report has now moved 4 Senate seats toward the Democrats (NC,GA, OH, NE). That's on top of 5 House races that Cook Political moved leftward just last week, all partly due to Trump's  unpopular war in Iran that sent gas prices skyrocketing." https://bsky.app/profile/lesleyabravanel.bsky.social/post/3mjflo3zkdc2t

This is the eighth episode of our ongoing series breaking down the U.S. Constitution. This month, Roman and Elizabeth discuss Article V, which lays out the process to amend the Constitution. Then, Jill Lepore lays out her thesis that the Constitution is truly meant to be amended, explains why Article V amendments have become functionally impossible, and tells some fascinating stories about the people who have championed amendments. The 99% Invisible Breakdown of the Constitution Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The time has come for a new apostle in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Clark G. Gilbert; time for your podcast hosts to rise to the occasion with another Apostolic Profile episode. He escaped the religious persecution Mormons often suffer growing up in Scottsdale, AZ, to go to BYU. Then off to Harvard for business, to acquire more useful skills for his forthcoming career in the Church Education System (CES). Before CES, however, Gilbert was responsible for trimming all the fat at Deseret News, which amounted to firing 40% of the workforce and shifting it to an unabashedly apologetic mission statement defending the church. Once appointed to CES, Gilbert instituted a series of Orwellian surveillance systems at BYU to punish thought crime; Ernest Wilkinson would be proud and Jeffrey Holland finally has a man to fire some muskets. Now Gilbert joins as the youngest apostle, securing his future position as prophet circa 2050s-70s. This "disruptive innovator" has a lot of new ideas to keep the church as extremist-conservative as is legally permissible heading into the 22nd century. This call to the Apostleship by Dallin Oaks ensures Oaks' legacy remains long after he's become a shepherd of worms. Patrons get a bonus segment comparing Gilbert's interviews at Deseret News and SL Tribune immediately after his ordination, which tangentially serves as a case study for the deterioration of journalism at Deseret Media, due to Gilbert himself. After that, it's our next installment of Oaks' book, Pure in Heart, where he discusses the importance of mindset and intentionality when rendering service, especially for the church. We end with happy news about a potential future cure for Type 1 Diabetes.    Show Notes:  Clark Gilbert https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark_G._Gilbert Gilbert's likely tenure as future prophet https://www.reddit.com/r/mormon/comments/1r8c74x/on_his_first_day_in_the_q15_clark_g_gilbert/ Official press release https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/clark-gilbert-called-quorum-of-the-twelve-apostles Gilbert Op-ed for ChurchNewsroom https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/how-education-family-and-testimony-are-fundamental-in-the-life-of-elder-clark-g-gilbert The Parable of the Slope https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/10/16gilbert?lang=eng Disruptive Technologies: Catching the Wave https://hbr.org/1995/01/disruptive-technologies-catching-the-wave The Disruption Machine by Jill Lepore https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/06/23/the-disruption-machine Gilbert's profile on BYU Law and Wheatley Institute with law-focused talks https://www.religiousfreedomlibrary.org/authors/clark-g-gilbert Gilbert: Stewardship of Our First Freedom https://www.religiousfreedomlibrary.org/documents/the-stewardship-of-our-first-freedom#note-30 Gilbert: The Courage of Our Convictions https://www.religiousfreedomlibrary.org/documents/the-courage-of-our-convictions-how-religious-expression-goes-beyond-religious-liberty Gilbert: Dare to be Different https://www.deseret.com/2022/9/14/23319209/elder-clark-gilbert-religious-universities-should-dare-to-be-different/ American Disestablishment: The Conclusion by Miles Smith https://davenantinstitute.org/american-disestablishment-the-conclusion/ Disestablishmentarianism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disestablishmentarianism Governance and the Religion Question: Voluntaryism, Disestablishment, and America's Church-State Proposition by Carl H. Esbeck https://scholarship.law.missouri.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1156&context=facpubs Becket Foundation "Religious Liberty" SCOTUS victories https://becketfund.org/cases/?fwp_case_court=us-supreme-court&fwp_case_status=past Hosanna-Tabor https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/565/171/ Trinity Lutheran https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/582/15-577/ Our Lady of Guadalupe https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/591/19-267/ Carson v. Makin https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/596/20-1088/ How SCOTUS is Dismantling the Separation of Church and State https://www.americanprogress.org/article/how-the-supreme-court-is-dismantling-the-separation-of-church-and-state/ American Council of Education https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/american-council-on-education/ Becoming BYU https://aims.byu.edu/becoming-byu LDS Education Boss Touts BYU's Commitment to Religious Freedom by Peggy Fletcher Stack https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2025/01/24/byu-will-never-back-away-its/ Spiritual Crackdown at BYU? By RadioWest https://radiowest.kuer.org/podcast/radiowest/2025-01-16/a-spiritual-crackdown-at-brigham-young-university BYU New Employment Policy https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2022/03/10/new-employment-policy/ BYU employment questionnaire https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/ecclesiastical-leader-questions-new-ces-hires Fine Print: The Deseret News Spins its Circulation Numbers by Rachel Piper https://www.cityweekly.net/news/fine-print-the-deseret-news-spins-its-circulation-numbers-2207487 Dallin Oaks and Clark Gilbert: Stand Fast with Love in Proclaiming Truth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6IXLufuAAQ Gilbert Deseret News interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORUY06HPmfM Gilbert SL Trib interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FPwhJhBJ-A Ben Park video on Gilbert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTXXNeydptg Gordon Monson: Clark Gilbert has been called as an LDS apostle. Now, we'll see if he's chosen. https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2026/02/13/maybe-clark-gilbert-will-be/  Gordon Monson: LDS Church education boss should put down the hammer at BYU and pick up an olive branch: https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2025/01/06/byu-there-is-too-much-fear-too/  Dark days: New rules have BYU professors running scared https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2025/01/05/byu-blue-why-these-are-dark-days/    Sword of Laman: Pure In Heart, by Dallin H. Oaks  The Mansion, by Henry Van Dyke: https://americanliterature.com/author/henry-van-dyke/short-story/the-mansion    Happy News:  A bold new plan could finally cure Type 1 diabetes: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260302030648.htm    Quackery: A Brief History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything by Lydia Kang and Nate Pedersen   Other appearances: Chris Shelton interviewed us in the beginning of a series on Mormonism on his Speaking of Cults series. Our most recent discussion was on The Unpaid Army of God: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de543-d9tME  He has had MANY different fascinating people on so go take a look!  Here is the whole playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpGuS7GcsgA&list=PLGrPM1Pg2h72ADIuv8eYmzrJ-ppLOlw_g   Email: glassboxpodcast@gmail.com  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GlassBoxPod  Patreon page for documentary: https://www.patreon.com/SeerStonedProductions BlueSky: @glassboxpodcast.bsky.social  Other BlueSky: @bryceblankenagel.bsky.social and @shannongrover.bsky.social  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassboxpodcast/  Merch store: https://www.redbubble.com/people/exmoapparel/shop Or find the merch store by clicking on "Store" here: https://glassboxpodcast.com/index.html One time Paypal donation: bryceblankenagel@gmail.com  Venmo: @Shannon-Grover-10 We

In preparation for the U.S. Semiquincentennial this summer, we're featuring two key texts in American history. First, Professor Nora Slonimsky joins NPR's Sarah McCammon to discuss the legacy and reach of Thomas Paine's Common Sense – including how we might see Paine as an influencer-like figure. Then, Jill Lepore's We the People is a new history of the U.S. Constitution. In today's episode, she speaks with NPR's Steve Inskeep about historical attempts to reinterpret our law long after the Constitution was first drafted.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

John welcomes Harvard legal eminence Laurence Tribe back to the show to discuss the constitutional dimensions of the chaos in Minneapolis, the fragile state of the rule of law in the Trump 2.0 era, and whether the Supreme Court will salvage or sacrifice what remains of its public legitimacy with its rulings on a handful of key cases in the months ahead. Tribe also discusses his new essay in the New York Review of Books critiquing his colleague Jill Lepore's recently published history of the U.S. Constitution. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The U.S. Constitution likely would not have been ratified in 1788 without Article 5, which allowed for amendment. Many of the original founders championed the idea that the document would need to change as the country changed. As historian Jill Lepore points out in her newest book most of the 27 amendments to the constitution have happened just after times of war or conflict, and after 33 years without an amendment, we may be headed that way again. OPB’s Geoff Norcross speaks to Lepore in front of an audience at the 2025 Portland Book Festival about “We the People: A history of the U.S. Constitution.”

The Vermont National Guard usually takes orders from the state. But at the end of 2025, President Trump deployed the Vermont guard to the Caribbean — and Gov. Scott said he had no control over the president's orders.It gave this question from a listener newfound relevance: “Who controls the deployment of the Vermont National Guard if orders from the federal government and the state are in conflict?”You can find the web version of this story here. For more about the Vermont guard, check out this 2010 VPR series, which covered some of the 1,500 Vermonters who were deployed to Afghanistan.This episode was reported and produced by Sabine Poux and Josh Crane. Editing and additional production from Burgess Brown. Our executive producer is Angela Evancie. Theme music by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks to Michael Bosworth, Jill Lepore, Mikaela Lefrak, Jon Ehrens, Alicia Freese, April McCullum, Peter Hirschfeld, Peter Teachout, Steve Zind and Zoe McDonald.As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi onInstagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

Listen to the rest of this premium episode by subscribing at patreon.com/knowyourenemy.As the end of the year approaches, we wanted to look back at another year of trying to understand the American right—what we got wrong, what we got right, and what to expect in 2026. The conversation begins with the cracks showing in Trump's coalition, his plummeting approval ratings, and the possibility that Charlie Kirk really was helping hold the marriage of MAGA and the GOP together, then consider if we should have seen this coming (or not) and what it might say about our understanding of Trump, Vance, Kirk, Musk, and others we've considered on KYE in 2025.Sources:Christopher Flavelle, "How Biden Ignored Warnings and Lost Americans' Faith in Immigration," New York Times, Dec 7, 2025Bilal Baydoun, "What Musk's DOGE Really Cut: Trust, Safety, and Democracy," Roosevelt Institute, May 29, 2025Jake Tapper & Alex Thompson, Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again (2025)"Jill Lepore on Nationalism, Populism, and the State of America," EconTalk, April 15, 2019Ryan Burge, "Religion Has Become A Luxury Good For The Middle Class, Married College Graduate With Children," ReligionUnplugged, July 12, 2023Matt Dinan, "Permission Structures: How AI-skeptic Professors Can Still Help Students Write Papers," Prefaces, Dec 10, 2025

Is any historical decision in America truly settled? This week, historian, Harvard law professor, and The New Yorker staff writer, Jill Lepore, joins Preet Bharara to discuss the intersection between history and the law, how often laws should evolve, and why Lepore thinks the Constitution should be easier to amend. Then, Preet answers your questions on whether President Trump accidentally pardoned the January 6th pipe bomber, and what the recent grand jury decision means for the case against NY AG Letitia James. In the bonus for Insiders, Preet and Lepore chat about her reporting on the No Kings movement, whether rallies can still make a difference, and the lines she draws as a journalist in a political moment. Join the CAFE Insider community to stay informed without hysteria, fear-mongering, or rage-baiting. Head to cafe.com/insider to sign up. Thank you for supporting our work. Shop Stay Tuned merch and featured books by our guests in our Amazon storefront. Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available on our website.  You can now watch this episode! Head to CAFE's Youtube channel and subscribe. Have a question for Preet? Ask @PreetBharara on BlueSky, or Twitter with the hashtag #AskPreet. Email us at staytuned@cafe.com, or call 833-997-7338 to leave a voicemail. Stay Tuned with Preet is brought to you by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jill Lepore is the David Woods Kemper '41 Professor of American History at Harvard University and professor of law at Harvard Law School. She is also a staff writer at The New Yorker. Her latest book is We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution.  In this week's conversation, Yascha Mounk and Jill Lepore discuss why historians have neglected the story of America, how to fix the toxicity in higher education, and whether we need more constitutional amendments. If you have not yet signed up for our podcast, please do so now by following ⁠this link on your phone⁠. Email: leonora.barclay@persuasion.community Podcast production by Jack Shields and Leonora Barclay. Connect with us! ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Apple⁠ | ⁠Google⁠ X: ⁠@Yascha_Mounk⁠ & ⁠@JoinPersuasion⁠ YouTube: ⁠Yascha Mounk⁠, ⁠Persuasion⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠Persuasion Community Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Looking ahead to the 250th anniversary of the U.S., Jill Lepore, professor of American History at Harvard University, staff writer at The New Yorker, and the author of several books, including We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution (Liveright, 2025), digs into the history of the country's founding document and what it means for the country that it so difficult, but still possible, to change.A. J. Jacobs, host of the "Hello Puzzlers" podcast, essayist, and the author of The Year of Living Biblically, The Know-It-All, It's All Relative and his latest, The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution's Original Meaning (Crown, 2024), reports back on how AI is already woven into daily life with another take on being a "human guinea pig," going 48 hours without using AI.Bill McKibben, environmental activist, founder of Third Act and author of many books, most recently: Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization (W. W. Norton & Company, 2025), discusses his new book and reflects on his life's work, both as a climate activist and journalist.Olga Khazan, staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of Me, But Better: The Science and Promise of Personality Change (S&S/Simon Element, 2025), talks about her new book and what she found on her year-long quest to become a "better" person.These interviews were lightly edited for time and clarity; the original web versions are available here:Jill Lepore on the American Constitution (Sep 16, 2025)A.J. Jacobs Tries Life Without AI (Nov 3, 2025)A Lifetime of Work on Climate Change (Sep 25, 2025)Can We Change Our Personalities? (Mar 12, 2025)