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The Long View: Understanding the Forces Shaping Our Economy Nov 04, 2026

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What will define the next era of economic growth and how can we see what’s ahead? Technological changes like AI, shifting global power, and a changing energy landscape present new opportunities alongside challenges and unknowns. Larry Fink, the chairman and CEO of BlackRock, the world’s largest asset management company, joins CNN journalist Fareed Zakaria for a conversation about how to read the forces defining today’s world to prepare for tomorrow’s uncertainties.

In Service of the Common Good Oct 28, 2026

Show notes

It might be hard to see–with political attacks in high gear this election season–but there is something hopeful taking root. People with a moral foundation are running for public office and they’re driven by an ethic of service. These individuals are able to put service above self, says Rye Barcott, author of Courage Can Save US. “Courage is the conscious acceptance of risk in service of the common good, whether that’s your family, faith, community, or country but it cannot be yourself,” he says. Barcott, who co-founded With Honor, sits down with other nonprofit leaders working to put people of character into public life. Emma Bloomberg leads Murmuration and Mike Buman is the executive director of Lee. Their conversation is led by David Brooks, former New York Times columnist and staff writer for The Atlantic.

Watch the video of their conversation at the Aspen Ideas Festival.

Rhythm of Belonging Oct 21, 2026

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Music has the power to unite our brains and bodies and connect us with people on the other side of the world. Humans have been making and sharing music for thousands of years, but modern medicine and research tools have only recently given us the ability to see what’s going on in the brains of creators and listeners. Cava Lee Menzies, a musician and educator at the Oakland School for the Arts joins otolaryngologist and music researcher Charles Limb for this talk on the power of music to bring us together, alter our neurochemistry and change our lives. Kelly Corrigan, host of the podcast and NPR show “Kelly Corrigan Wonders,” moderates the conversation.

Why Consumers Still Believe in Small Business Oct 15, 2026

Show notes

Small businesses and entrepreneurship play a powerful role in American life. They help people build wealth and strengthen communities. In fact, small businesses are one of the most highly trusted institutions. The Pew Research Center reports 86 percent of Americans believe small businesses have a positive national effect–even outranking the military and churches. But emerging technologies are changing how businesses operate. How can we ensure these institutions receive the support they need in a new era? Francesca de Quesada Covey, vice president of community impact at the Knight Foundation, leads a conversation with Chiling Tong, Karen Kerrigan, Angie Cooper, and Elizabeth Kelly. Tong is president and CEO of the National Asian/Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship. Kerrigan is president and CEO of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council. Cooper is president of the nonprofit, Heartland Forward and Elizabeth Kelly is head of beneficial deployments at Anthropic.

Watch a video of their conversation.

Rules of Engagement: The State of Civil-Military Relations Oct 07, 2026

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Civilian control of the military is a cornerstone of American democracy. But what happens when the relationship between military and civilian leadership comes under strain? Amid significant changes in senior military leadership and renewed debate over the boundaries between military authority and civilian oversight, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Charles Q. Brown, Jr. joins foreign policy and defense expert Kori Schake of the American Enterprise Institute and Duke political science professor Peter Feaver. David French, New York Times columnist and former Army Reserve major, moderates a candid conversation about the state of civil-military relations and what comes next.

News You Can Trust, Maybe Sep 30, 2026

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The number of people using chatbots for their news is increasing. According to a 2026 report, 10 percent of all people globally use chatbots–that’s up from 7 percent in 2025. Trust and interest in news is also declining. The highest purpose of journalism is to serve needed information to the public. But what happens when AI is affecting every aspect of news–how it's produced, distributed, and consumed? How can media and technology best respond? Patrick J. McGovern Foundation CEO Vivian Schiller leads a conversation with Laurie Richardson, Nabiha Syed, and Sam Gregory. Richardson is Vice President for Trust and Safety at Google. Syed leads the Mozilla Foundation, a nonprofit whose mission is to build a better technology future, and Sam Gregory fights deepfakes and deceptive AI with his organization, WITNESS.

We the Curious: Teaching Democracy in a Divided Age Sep 23, 2026

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We don’t all learn in school how to participate in democracy. And a lack of understanding about how our government works can feed frustration, cynicism and apathy. In the age of the internet, there’s an opportunity to fill those educational gaps for people and empower them to get involved. But how do you send a signal through the noise, and motivate people civically? Sharon McMahon is a former public school teacher who turned to social media and found a new audience. With her civics content, she’s built up an audience of 1.8 million people who call themselves “The Governerds.” She also writes a daily government and current events newsletter called The Preamble, and wrote the best-selling book “The Small and the Mighty.” McMahon sits down with Kelly Corrigan, the host of the podcast and NPR show “Kelly Corrigan Wonders,” for a conversation about bringing democratic basics to more Americans.

Journalism’s Next Chapter Sep 16, 2026

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Some internet content creators are building major platforms by analyzing, dispensing and sometimes reporting current events. But how can viewers gauge credibility in this Wild West? And what is the role of legacy journalism in an increasingly fragmented media landscape? Veteran reporter Katie Couric joins two leaders charting a new course in journalism, Jerusalem Demsas, founder of The Argument web magazine, and Aaron Parnas, an independent journalist and former attorney speaking to audiences from TikTok and Substack. The dean of Columbia Journalism School and New Yorker writer, Jelani Cobb, moderates and guides the conversation.

9/11, DHS, and the Rule of Law Sep 09, 2026

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After the deadliest terror attacks in United States history occurred the morning of September 11, 2001, sweeping changes to security were put in place. The 9/11 attacks gave rise to the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Congress passed the Patriot Act and President George W. Bush declared a global war on terror, leading to the detention of terrorism suspects at Guantanamo Bay. Now, 25 years later, the effects of the nation’s large-scale security response linger. NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly asks former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and former US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales whether the measures adopted then should still be used today. The speakers, who were all involved in the 9/11 response, share sobering memories of that day. Their conversation was held in June.

The Democratic Reckoning Sep 02, 2026

Show notes

The current appeal of authoritarian regimes around the world is raising questions about whether democracy has a future. What’s sparking these political backlashes and what has soured voters on democratic systems and values? Stanford political scientist and the author of “The End of History,” Francis Fukuyama, joins Canadian journalist-turned-politician Chrystia Freeland and New York Times columnist David French at the 2026 Aspen Ideas Festival for an informed and varied conversation taking a harder look at democracy. CNN journalist Fareed Zakaria moderates the discussion.

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