Navigating the complexity of war stories with Elizabeth Samet

Go to the movies or visit the bookstore and you’ll see that war stories are everywhere—whether the protagonists are gods, super-heroes, or human beings. But author and West Point professor Elizabeth D. Samet warns that the appeal of the good war story obscures the complexity of conflict and shapes …

Analyzing the societal challenges of the Vietnam War with Wil Haygood

The war in Vietnam was the first war in U.S. history fought by a fully-integrated military. But award-winning author and journalist Wil Haygood says that the challenge beyond the battlefield was that American society was not as fully integrated as the fighting force that served it—and that differen…

Michael McFaul on the enduring strength of American democracy

Some are concerned that the advantages autocracies like Russia and China have over democracies like the United States are insurmountable. But Ambassador Michael McFaul argues that it’s just the opposite—that it’s the very messiness of American democracy that is the source of our greatest strength. 

The future of the Voice of America with Patsy Widakuswara

From World War II through the Cold War, and into this century, the Voice of America and its journalists demonstrated the strength and power of a free society and the weakness of America’s enemies. Now, Patsy Widakuswara—a seasoned veteran of VOA—finds herself at the heart of a legal battle over the…

Discussing the role of private equity firms with Megan Greenwell

Private equity firms wield enormous control over the American economy, public utilities, and even the health of local newspapers. Author Megan Greenwell explores the extent of their unchecked power and the ways in which these firms—and their private owners—are reshaping America.

Remembering the impacts of a tropical cyclone at Camp Fuji with Chas Henry

On October 19, 1979, a massive tropical cyclone struck Japan and the Marines stationed at Camp Fuji. Retired Marine and journalist Chas Henry recounts the ensuing firestorm that swept the island, killing 13 Marines and wounding more than 70 others.

A closer look at immigration policy today with Caitlin Dickerson

As a candidate in 2016 and 2024, Donald Trump promised to crack down on undocumented immigrants—and after one year in office, the president has moved fast. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Caitlin Dickerson says that the policies and their implementation come with a very high price—for the immigra…

The Case for American Power with Shadi Hamid

It’s easy to be skeptical of idealistic notions of American power, the indispensable nation that some have talked about, when the history of the last 25 years is of misguided conflicts in the Middle East and a democratic backsliding at home. But through it all, Washington Post columnist Shadi Hamid…

Navigating challnges posed for foreign-born doctors in underserved American communities with Eram Alam

Nearly one in four doctors in the U.S. is foreign-born—many from South Asia—and they often serve in rural and underserved urban communities where American physicians are scarce. Harvard medical historian Eram Alam describes the public health challenges posed when immigrants are frequently met with …

The 2025 Story of the Year with Evelyn Farkas

As 2025 draws to a close, we look back on the major stories that shaped public life in the last year with Evelyn Farkas of the McCain Institute at Arizona State University.