Ideas in Progress: Recent Episodes
Institute for Human Studies
Ideas in Progress, hosted by Anthony Comegna, PhD, invites professors and scholars to share how their research intersects with classical liberal ideas.
Each week we dig into these concepts that form the foundation of classical liberalism discovering how they tie into the modern world and are helping to shape the future.
Author and Ursinus College professor Jonathan Marks sits down with Anthony Comegna to chat about his latest book, “Let's Be Reasonable: A Conservative Case for Liberal Education.” Professor Marks avoids the “panic on the campus” argument while discussing why conservatives shouldn’t give up on higher education. Sit back and listen in on a reasonable conversation about the current state of higher ed.
Aspen fellow and author Asma Uddin sits down with Mike Tolhurst to speak about her latest book, “The Politics of Vulnerability, How to Heal Muslim-Christian Relations in a Post-Christian America: Today's Threat to Religion and Religious Freedom” certainly a timely topic in this day and age.
Banks, bankers, and busted mortgages, oh my. The Cicero Institute’s Judge Glock drops by the virtual studio to weave tales of desperate financial times from his latest book, “The Dead Pledge: The Origins of the Mortgage Market and Federal Bailouts, 1913-1939.” Pull up a parcel of land, sit back, and listen in as Anthony Comegna and Judge Glock discuss the matter on Ideas in Progress.
Listen in on our second part of an interview with Georgetown Law professor John Hasnas. Prof. Hasnas sits down with Anthony Comegna to discuss what is Civil Society, the recent IHS discussion colloquium and associated readings regarding civil society. An enlightening conversation for sure.
Is rule of law a myth? Find out on this episode of Ideas in Progress as Anthony Comegna speaks with Prof. John Hasnas about his famous summer seminars lecture and how it came to be.
Dirty elections, rumor-mongers, political power grabbers, pessimistic outlooks on the country’s future. No we are not talking about some reality show but we are speaking with professor and author Dennis Rasmussen about his book “Fears of a Setting Sun: The Disillusionment of America's Founders.”
We go abroad again this episode to speak with Jeremy Shearmur. Dr. Shearmur recounts his time at the London School of Economics studying under Karl Popper, meeting Hayek, his time with IHS helping graduate students, and the books he has written and edited.
Professor Steve Davies continues his conversation with Ideas in Progress host, Anthony Comegna. This episode the topic shifts from IHS history to Chinese history. Prof. Davies and Anthony talk of the Song Dynasty, a road to modernism cut short, and a brutal philosophy.
Long time IHS event attendee and lecture Professor Steve Davies joins us from his home in Britain to discuss his history with IHS and what the organization means to him as IHS turns 60.
GMU Economics PhD candidate Nathan Goodman discusses some of the events of this past year, the rise in militarization of the police, the protests in Portland, unwieldy powers, and political entrepreneurship. Listen in on this half-hour of discussion of a serious topic living in today’s headlines.
It’s part two of the Ideas in Progress interview with Impolitic co-hosts Paul Matzko and Sean Trainor. Ideas in Progress Anthony Comegna digs into the research these two historians are working on, including the Professor Trainor’s book project “The Bearded Age” and Paul Matzko’s book “The Radio Right.”
A libertarian and a socialist walk into a noodle shop... could be the start of a joke or the beginning of a podcast, find out the whole story as hosts of the Impolitic podcast, Paul Matzko and Sean Trainor join us for this episode of Ideas in Progress
Portraits of Liberty host Paul Meany stops in to chat about a few figures from the history of Liberalism on this episode of Ideas in Progress. Paul gives us a brief glance at the lives of Chinese philosopher Mencius, an English Lawyer named John Cook who impeached a king, and Rose Wilder-Lane. Sit back for the next half-hour and listen to the fascinating tales of these three figures.
Part two of our interview with Larry White where we find out who WIlliam Leggett really was and how Anthony Comegna was influenced by Professor White's work on the LocoFoco movement.
Our celebration of our 60th anniversary marches on. This episode we have a special guest whose history goes way back with IHS, Professor Larry White joins us to chat about his relationship with IHS dating back to the 1970s. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this half-hour trip to the Menlo Park days of IHS.
As IHS celebrates its 60th anniversary it is time for another episode of Ideas in Progress' "My IHS Story." In this episode Executive Director Chad Thevenot and Senior Director of Academic Programs Emily Birchmier sit in to chat about how they got involved with IHS and tell tales of some of the people they have met along the way.
Occasionally, we have speakers drop by the IHS offices, well, virtually drop by, now-a-days, and give a lecture on upcoming research or a recent book release. Sometime we ask those speakers if they would mind spending a little extra time with us to record an episode of Ideas in Progress. This episode Professor Brianne Wolf gives us a little more insight into her recent lecture and her current manuscript, Beyond Rights and Price: Liberalism and Taste. So show some good taste and join us for this episode.
There is a type of program we host at IHS we haven’t featured on this podcast, the Academic Research Seminar, or as we affectionately call it A-R-S. Join us as Bill Glod stops by and discusses all things ARS. Tune in and find out how you might be able to participate and what sort of Academic Research Seminars we have planned in the near future.
Part two of our interview with Ibrahim Anoba. In this episode we explore some more historical figures from the African liberal tradition and Ibrahim shares his thoughts on a modern Africa that has turned to some western ideas for inspiration, including socialism.
Happy New Year to our listeners! Since we can’t travel right now we thought we might bring another part of the world to you. This episode we speak with graduate student Ibrahim Anoba about his book project centered on trade and commerce across the African continent.
Picking up where we left off from our last episode, we continue the conversation with Professor Katy Hull and discussing her book “The Machine Has a Soul: American Sympathy with Italian Fascism” with a flight across the Atlantic and the grisly demise of Mussolini.
American Fascists, no, it’s not the name of a new movie but the subject of the next two episodes as we explore Professor Katy Hull’s book “The Machine Has a Soul: American Sympathy with Italian Fascism”
Part two of our interview with IHS Senior Fellow and Chapman University professor Bart Wilson regarding his book “The Property Species: Mine, Yours, and the Human Mind.” This week we dive a little deeper into the humanity end of the pool in regards to property.
IHS Senior Fellow and Chapman University professor, Bart Wilson stops by to discuss his book “The Property Species: Mine, Yours, and the Human Mind.” Host Anthony Comegna prompts Professor Wilson on what spurred him to undertake such a sweeping concept for this book, as well as do animals have the same economic principles as humans, and all sorts of other facets around the topic of property.
It’s part two of our sci-fi-stravaganza! Libertarianism.org’s Aaron Ross Powell joins us to nerd out a little more on the future, sci-fi, death-rays, world building, and a hopeful conclusion. So sit back and listen in to another fun-filled episode of Ideas in Progress.
Does the pandemic have you down? Tired of all the news? Escape with episode one of a two-parter with Aaron Ross Powell and Anthony Comegna as they geek-out over sci-fi and ask the question if there really is a libertarian sci-fi genre. Nothing heavy here as we just want to have a little fun and take a break from the world.
Part two of two with entrepreneur Martin Babinec. Last episode we called for bottom-up solutions, this episode we shift looking at talent exporting communities and magnet cities, people getting together to help fill each other’s needs, and what happens when these things collide.
America is in need of more good jobs. Our guest this episode has a passion and practices that may help get us there. Martin Babinec is an entrepreneur and venture capitalist who uses his investments and connections to transform stagnant or decaying communities into economically vibrant and productive places to live. This is part one of a two part interview discussing his latest book “More Good Jobs” and how it came to be.
Fresh off of his TedxTalk, Northwestern’s Joshua Kleinfeld virtually stops by the studio to chat with us about his TedxTalk, “Democracy and the Pandemic” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckyEtrY6yKQ), why we should be hopeful even in these dark times, and why you should be believe in democracy. Listen in and feel a little more hopeful about the world.
We are back with the second of a two part interview with Bowling Green professor, Kevin Vallier. We dive deeper into his latest book “Trust in a Polarized Age” (available at kevinvallier.com) and what that means in the greater society.
Join us for the conclusion of this conversation and insights into the current state of trust in our world.
Who do you trust? Do you trust them enough to have a political discussion? Professor Kevin Vallier is back to discuss his new book, “Trust in a Polarized Age,” a follow up to “Must Politics Be War?”
Join us for the first of a two part interview with Professor Vallier as host Anthony Comegna digs into how the books build off of each other why public trust is so important.
Professors Vallier’s book is available at: https://www.kevinvallier.com/books/trust-in-a-polarized-age/
Wait! Who are we talking about?!? That’s right folks we are finally talking about Francois Fénelon. In case you haven’t ever heard of Fenelon, Boston College’s Professor Ryan Patrick Hanley is here to straighten us out about this historical figure from the court of Louis XIV and chat about his book, "Fénelon: Moral and Political Writings.”
What’s trending? Well, that is a question we ask on today’s show when we caught up with Marian Tupy and talked about his new book “Ten Global Trends that Every Smart Person Needs to Know: And Many Other Trends You Will Find Interesting.” Listen in as we discuss a world of constant progress.
Georgetown University's Professor Michael Douma comes on the show to discuss his book "The Liberal Approach to the Past." Professor Douma dives into the meaning of the liberal tradition, what is classical liberal history, thinking about history from a liberal perspective.
We’ve been hijacked! Well by invitation, any way. IHS’s Jeanne Hoffman takes over the hosting duties and turns the tables on Anthony Comegna. They chat about the ongoing discussion series Anthony is leading on the “World History of Liberalism” and all that goes into it. Throw in some talk of pirates, singularities, and classical liberal concepts and you have the makings of an entertaining half-hour podcast.
On this episode we finally learn the truth about what an algorithm is and how it factors into artificial intelligence. Plus we cover topics like mashing together cybernetic hyper-nudging and COVID research, and even take a short tangent into one particular episode of Star Trek.
Who says Austrians can’t do math? Ideas in Progress host Anthony Comegna catches up with newly minted Doctor Abigail Devereaux to discuss her dissertation defense, economic algorithms, and other topics in this episode of Ideas in Progress.
How do you rank the US presidents? How do historians rank them? Listen in to the Ideas in Progress conversation with Vincent Geloso, Assistant Professor at King's University College, discusses the trials and tribulations historians go through ranking the presidents.
Fresh off of leading a Discussion Colloquium on the topic of toleration and pluralism, IHS President and CEO joins us to discuss the discussion event, the Discourse Initiative and the state of liberalism in academia today. It is a broad discussion curving from one topic to the next. Sit back and listen in to this free-flowing conversation.
Is every aspect of your life dictated by someone else? We sure hope not. We complete our Ideas in Progress interview with social psychologist Sean Rife. Host Anthony Comegna and Dr Rife discuss the recent IHS program on the topic of mental health, certainly a timely topic. Join us, won’t you, for the second half of this fascinating interview.
You might be able to answer that question after listening to this episode of Ideas in Progress when host Anthony Comegna sits down with Sean Rife to discuss the recent IHS Discussion Colloquia, “Liberty, Responsibility, and Mental Health” lead by Dr. Rife. In this time of Corona, mental health should be close to the forefront of our minds.
What kind of anarchist are you? As straightforward a conversation starter as you can get. An host Anthony Comegna poses that question today’s guest, prolific author and Dickinson College professor, Crispin Sartwell. So listen in as Professor Sartwell wades into his style of anarchy and the path he took to get there.
Cities and all their facets take center stage on this episode of Ideas in Progress. Scott Beyer of the Market Urbanism Report (https://marketurbanismreport.com/) joins the show to discuss the intersection of free markets and urban issues. Join us for this fascinating look at market urbanism.
This episode of Ideas in Progress spans the globe. No really, our host Anthony Comega is on the US eastern seaboard, one of our guests is calling in from California, and the other from Melbourne, Australia.
John Thrasher and Dan Halliday talk about their new book “The Ethics of Capitalism.” While listening to the show make sure to stop by their site, www.ethicsofcapitalism.com, and pick up a copy of the book.
Find yourself in an ethical dilemma of the business variety? Perhaps you should pick up this episodes guest’s book “A Good Life in the Market: An Introduction to Business Ethics.” La Sierra University professor and associate dean, Gary Chartier joins us to discuss his book and various aspects of business ethics in today’s world.
Let’s talk about booze! Hot on the heels of her virtual in-house lecture we caught up with Professor Alice Kassens to discuss her lecture and her latest book, “Intemperate Spirits: Economic Adaptation During Prohibition.” Grab your favorite adult beverage, pull up a barstool and tales of Al Capone, rum runners, and the American economy during prohibition!
Anthony Comegna serves as both host and guest on this episode of Ideas in Progress. Anthony revisits a lecture he gave for the IHS Speak for a Sandwich series just before he joined IHS as a full-time employee. Buckle up as we head back in time to discover five figures from libertarian history from @DrLocoFoco.
It's time to free your spirit! Professor Steven Pittz joins host Anthony Comegna to discuss his new book, "Recovering the Liberal Spirit." The pair speak about Nietzsche, living authentically, and the atomized individual
This week we have our second episode in the series of shows on faculty and staff's IHS stories. Last time we spoke with Josh Ammons, a PhD candidate at George Mason University. But this week we move on to former guests of the show, philosopher, Bill Glod and legal scholar, Jeanne Hoffman.
This week we dive deeper into the African concept of Ubuntu and author Mungi Ngomane’s book “Everyday Ubuntu.” A wide variety of topics a covered as they relate to ubuntu. Everything from cultural appropriation to apartheid, and racism. Join us for another fascinating Discussion on “Africa’s gift to the world.”
Roughly translated it means, "I am because you are,” Ubuntu has been heralded as Africa’s gift to the world. A gorgeous and daringly compassionate trumpet blasts for everything organizations like the IHS stand for. Author Mungi Ngomane joins Ideas in Progress to discuss her book, “Everyday Ubuntu,” and what is at the heart of practicing Ubuntu.
James Stacey Taylor speaks with host, Anthony Comegna on the idea of markets for everything and discussing Professor Taylor’s upcoming book “Bloody Morality: How Prohibiting Compensation for Blood and Blood Products Harm Patients and Wrongs Donors.” Join us for for a philosophical conversation regarding the market for blood.
On this episode of Ideas in Progress we begin a sporadic series we will be running during the next few months featuring the faculty and staff of IHS. We will hear about how they got started with IHS, what drew them to this organization, and some tales along the way. First up is PhD candidate and staffer Josh Ammons.
Reason Magazine editor-at-large, Nick Gillespie is back with us this week. This week we dive into postmodern libertarianism and how Dr. Gillespie came to be one. Join us for a half hour look into this facet of liberalism.
This week on Ideas in Progress, Reason Magazine's, Nick Gillespie joins us. That's right. Do not adjust your sets. The Duke of Leather Jackets, the King of Weird Cultural References. And did you know this? A PhD in English literature. Dr. Gillespie doesn't make a big deal about his degree, but we are sure you are just as curious as we are to know more about his time in academia.
We continue our conversation with Aaron Ross Powell and Paul Matzko, diving into visions of the future and thoughts of a libertarian utopia. Plus our guests weigh in with predictions of a future we could have.
Welcome to our first Ideas in Progress podcast recorded under quarantine, with all the usual caveats that you graciously forgive any audio aberrations or house sounds that may pop up from time to time. Aaron Ross Powell and Paul Matzko from Libertarianism.org and the Cato Institute, have recently published "Visions of Liberty," a series of case studies in what you might call libertarian utopianism, or what we on this show, have been calling liberal futurism.
Sociologist Abigail Saguy joins the show to discuss intersectionality, the decisions we make due to that idea, and her book “Come out, Come out, Whoever you are.”
Dr. Chris Coyne drops by the studio to discuss his recent "Speak for a Sandwich" lecture at IHS on the topic of war and peace, peaceful solutions, and how the powers holding nuclear weapons aren't that different from the people running the subway.
From its origins in a falling ancient empire and the emancipation it brought with it, liberalism has always been an emancipatory movement, but can we really have emancipation without full-on abolition? This week, Professor Pete Boettke joins us to answer this and more on the problem of public governance.
Professor Marcus Witcher is back. A few weeks ago we shared the audio from one of our in-house lecture series that had Professor Witcher speaking about his book on Ronald Regan. He sits down with host Anthony Comegna to discuss his next book, this time about Bill Clinton.
Last episode, professor James Caton and Anthony Comegna sketched out the broad picture of what technological change might look like over the next 30 years or so, but what about that balance of doom and gloom with liberal optimism? Is there room in such a tumultuous time for liberal futurism? What would it look like, and what can liberal scholars do to ensure that the future is freer than the world today? Tune in to find out more.
Professor James Caton joins us in studio to discuss the singularity, artificial intelligence, and the role liberalism can play along side AI.
Professor Jessica Flanigan speaks with Ideas in Progress host Anthony Comegna to discuss the classical liberal cornerstones of equal dignity and individual autonomy in relation to her work regarding the decriminalization of sex work. Plus the get into the idea of the FDA killing people.
Must Politics Be War? Is the question Kevin Vallier asks as the title of his most recent book. It is also the question Anthony Comegna explores with Prof. Vallier in this episode as they discuss public reason liberalism and other classical liberal concepts.
We have had a variety of U.S. presidents in the last 50 years. Some better than others, however Ronald Reagan is in rarefied air when it comes to status of former presidents. Why? In this episode of Ideas in Progress we listen in to a presentation given by Prof. Marcus Witcher on his book “Getting Right with Reagan.”
IHS senior faculty liaison, Jeanne Hoffman stops by the show to discuss Elinor Ostrom. We've had two recent events focused on this important classical liberal figure and Nobel Prize winning economist. If you are an Ostrom enthusiast, then settle in for the next half-hour for a discussion dedicated to her and her work.
We have the pleasure of welcoming our own Bill Glod to this episode. Bill is a senior program officers at IHS, a philosopher by training, he helps graduate students become professors, and helps professors flourish in their careers. His latest venture is the forthcoming book, “Why It's OK to Make Bad Choices.”
Ramapo College of New Jersey’s professor Murray Sabin joins us to discuss his storied career as political candidate, author, radio host, and most importantly his research of the Federal Reserve and why it is so awful.
We've invited Professor Lauren Hall on the show to discuss her latest book, “The Medicalization of Birth and Death.” It tells the story of all the humanity lost, ground under the wheel of terrible medical bureaucracy and a system that crushes the individual in their moments of greatest tenderness and need.
This week we dive into some classical liberal scholarship that isn’t jammed full of allusions to Adam Smith or F.A. Hayek. Instead we sit down with Professor Richard Bell and discuss his latest book, “Stolen: Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and Their Astonishing Odyssey Home.”
Throughout the year IHS hosts graduate student research workshops. These events feature our students and their work, we also fill out the weekends with faculty presentations on their current work. As part of our show's efforts to track all of these ideas and progress, we caught up with our November research workshop faculty, professors Claudia Williamson, Randy Simmons and Richard Bell. This week we take a look at Prof. Williamson’s and Prof. Simmons’ current offerings.
Last week, professor Tawni Hunt Ferrarini joined us to talk about our recent education compulsion in the state colloquium and this week she's back. We'll get a little techie, a little visionary and then we'll bring it back to the ground and try to come to some real solutions.
Virtually everyone seems to think, and perhaps it's because government schools have shaped us to think this way, that without the state forcing everyone into it, none of us would ever teach our kids to read, or basic numeracy, let alone things like astrophysics or Latin. But despite all that wide political agreement, maybe, just maybe kids don't even need to learn Latin. How would we ever know, though? Joining us to talk about education compulsion in this state is Professor Tawni Hunt Ferrarini.
We continue our conversation with Dr David Beito pivoting the discussion to T.R.M. Howard, an enigmatic and larger than life figure from the civil rights era, who was both fascinating and challenging. Dr. Beito takes us through some of the highlights and behind the scenes tales from his book "T.R.M. Howard Doctor, Entrepreneur, Civil Rights Pioneer"
Host, and historian, Anthony Comegna has a conversation with Professor David Beito regarding FDR’s completely ridiculous boondoggle, “The New Deal.”
This week is the conclusion to our showcase of new faculty research from the three scholars who recently helped us moderate a graduate research workshop.
These conference style programs feature grad student projects, but our faculty also get the chance to tell us all what they're up to, where they're going, and why it matters.
Today, we pick up with our political scientist, Gary Uzonyi and economist, Kathleen Sheehan.
This week and next we will be spending time with three scholars who recently helped us moderate a graduate research workshop. These conference style programs feature grad student projects, but our faculty also get the chance to tell us all what they're up to, where they're going, and why it matters. First up, it's philosopher, Brian Kogelmann and political scientist, Gary Uzonyi.
Last week, Georgetown philosopher Jason Brennan joined us to talk about classical liberalism and contemporary political philosophy and we covered a wide range of contributions and themes that dominate the landscape, but what about the things we are best at? The things we do the worst, what work should we be doing but we don't? Let's get down to it with part two from Jason Brennan.
This week we prepare for another discussion colloquium on classical liberalism in contemporary political philosophy. We take you now to our discussion leader and political philosopher at Georgetown University, Jason Brennan to get his thoughts on the subject.
This week, we pick up halfway through our Grad School 101 program, and turn from preparation to execution. Host Anthony Comegna welcomes in Professors Brandon Davis and Theo Christov.
Grad school is a very strange place. It's a weird time in one's life and a long series of milestones on the way to an academic career. For those of us who yearn for that academic lifestyle, we almost have to go through this trial by fire. We've invited on faculty from our recent Grad School 101 program to help us talk through it all. This week professors Jayme Lemke and Mark LeBar
Professor Brad Birzer joins us once again. Last week we talked federalists and anti-federalists, but this week we'll take that story forward a generation or two. We're wrestling with Old Hickory, tackling Birzer's recent book "In Defense of Andrew Jackson."
Ideas in Progress host Anthony Comegna chats with Professor Brad Birzer and asks if he is now, or ever has been a Federalist.
In part two of our women and the classical liberal tradition conversation, host Anthony Comegna speaks with IHS president and CEO, Emily Chamlee-Wright, after she moderated a discussion colloquium on the topic. They discuss how it went, what she discovered, and what readings she might have included had there been no limits.
In this inaugural episode host Anthony Comegna sits down with IHS president and CEO, Emily Chamlee-Wright. Dr. Chamlee-Wright discusses women and the classical liberal tradition and her upcoming discussion leader duties at an IHS-hosted discussion colloquium the day before the event.