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Hosted by Alexander Heffner, The Open Mind is a thoughtful excursion into the world of ideas across politics, media, technology, the arts, and all realms of civic life. First broadcast in 1956, it explores challenges of the digital age, American politics and emerging issues. These conversations are a primary resource to the public, students, teachers, researchers, and archivists.
A Vote Against Life Expectancy
Vanderbilt’s Jonathan Metzl on “Dying of Whiteness” and the politics of racial resentment.
Ethan Todras-Whitehill and Catherine Vaughan of Swing Left on democratic accountability
Yale’s Jason Stanley on his book “How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them.”
Science journalist Jon Gertner discusses his new book “The Ice at the End of the World.”
Deferred Dreams of Brown and Grutter
University of Richmond president Ronald Crutcher and ACE’s Lorelle Espinosa on race.
Impeachment and the Righteous Republicans
Historian Brenda Wineapple on her book “The Impeachers: The Trial of Andrew Johnson…”
Geopolitical Chess or Checkers?
Columbia University Center for Energy Policy’s Richard Nephew on sanctions and tariffs.
John Bracken of the Digital Public Library of America on the vital role of libraries.
Testing American Righteousness
Jonathan Haidt, NYU professor of ethical leadership, on pluralism, partisanship and 2020
M.R. O’Connor on “Wayfinding: The Science and Mystery of How Humans Navigate the World.”
New University in Exile Consortium’s Arien Mack and scholar Kian Tajbakhsh on freedom.
Economic Security, Mobility, and Progress
NJ Governor Phil Murphy talks about his pro-growth progressive agenda for New Jersey.
Wikimedia Foundation’s Katherine Maher on preserving truth in a post-factual democracy
Mayor Peter Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana on democratic values of the American Midwest
Author Hesh Kestin on U.S.-Israel relations; moving from foreign correspondent to novelist
Chair of Presidential Studies at Texas A&M George Edwards III on President Trump.
'The Americans' and the New Cold War
Creator of FX's The Americans Joe Weisberg on Russian espionage, fact and fiction.
W.K. Kellogg Community Philanthropy Chair Jason Franklin on how to reverse inequality.
Ambassador of the UAE to Russia Omar Saif Ghobash on his book "Letters to a Young Muslim"
Constitutionalism vs. Trumpism
Former presidential candidate Evan McMullin talks about his conservative manifesto.
Cindy Cohn of the Electronic Frontier Foundation on safeguarding rights in a digital world
Ken Roth, executive director, Human Rights Watch, on securing liberty at home and abroad.
Jean Bordewich, Hewlett Foundation and Betsy Wright Hawkings of Democracy Fund on gridlock
A Free Press, If You Can Keep It
Joel Simon, of the Committee to Protect Journalists, on challenges to a free press in 2017
