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Religious Freedom for All, Not Just the Majority Jan 27, 2021

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Most Americans see religious freedom as an important right. Yet how that freedom is defined and applied isn’t consistent, and efforts to safeguard the religious freedom of some may be discriminatory for others. Experts say it is critical to address this issue politically, socially, and culturally or risk alienating people from all backgrounds. Religious liberty lawyer Asma Uddin works for the protection of religious expression for people of all faiths. She speaks with Montse Alvarado of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, The Sikh Coalition’s legal director Amrith Kaur, and political and religious strategist Michael Wear. They discuss the causes of political and religious polarization, tribalism, and ways to find a path forward and a common cause, while advocating for equal freedom and fairness for all. They also talk about the role religious freedom played in motivating the mob that attacked the Capitol on January 6.

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How Joe Biden’s Successes, Failures and Tragedies Prepared Him to Be President Jan 20, 2021

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Joe Biden is a centrist who believes in the power of bipartisanship. To get both sides to listen to each other, he’ll have to break down the barriers created by today’s polarized politics, says New Yorker magazine staff writer Evan Osnos whose latest book is “About Joe Biden: The Life, the Run, and What Matters Now.” Osnos speaks with Margaret Brennan of Face the Nation on CBS News. They discuss how Biden’s experience with loss and grief gives him the ability to connect with people in relevant ways, how Catholic faith is truly part of who he is, and why it’s valuable to make the vice presidency into a meaningful role. Osnos also speaks about his perspective being in the Capitol during the violence on January 6th.

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Unpacking Cybersecurity and Social Media Failures: Where Do We Go from Here? Jan 13, 2021

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Last year Russia infiltrated the digital networks of federal agencies and many of America’s largest corporations, and last week’s armed insurrection on the US Capitol was fomented through disinformation campaigns on social media. Cyberattacks and manipulation of elections and domestic affairs threaten national security and global relations. John Carlin of the Aspen Institute’s Cybersecurity & Technology Program leads a conversation with Kevin Mandia, CEO of FireEye, the cybersecurity company that uncovered last year’s massive Russian hack, Senator Mark Warner, Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and Luta Security’s founder and digital defense expert Katie Moussouris. They discuss how the Russian hack was discovered and what it means for the future of digital security worldwide, including how to assign responsibility for cybersecurity and social media failures. Senator Warner also shares his assessment of the damage of a foreign-led cyber attack compared to the domestic insurrection he experienced at the Capitol. Their conversation was recorded on January 7, 2021.

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Brain Health and the Pitfalls of "Bikini Medicine" Jan 06, 2021

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Even though women are likely to live longer than men, their hormonal changes make them far more susceptible to age-related memory loss like Alzhemier’s disease and other conditions. Yet gender is often not a primary consideration by the medical community — but more and more research shows that it should be. Professor of neuroscience, neurology, and radiology Lisa Mosconi directs the Women’s Brain Initiative at Weill Cornell Medical College. Her latest book is “The XX Brain.” She discusses the female brain’s unique risks and strengths and ways to maximize cognitive health with Natalie Morales of NBC’s TODAY Show.

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The World Needs Women in Leadership Roles Dec 29, 2020

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Today’s women are warriors and peacemakers, athletes and artists. Women in leadership roles can play a crucial role in leading us toward a better and more equitable future, and women must be part of the solution to the current global crises. Former US secretary of state Madeleine K. Albright and former prime minister of New Zealand the Honorable Helen Clark are trailbreaking leaders and powerful advocates for women’s empowerment. They speak with the Aspen Institute’s Forum on Women and Girls co-chair Peggy Clark about women’s roles on the global stage now and into the future.

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Can Character Be Learned? (Rebroadcast) Dec 22, 2020

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Psychologist Angela Duckworth explains how to raise a child with strong character. Duckworth, who's the author of Grit and a MacArthur "Genius," talks with Jackie Bezos about how young people learn to be grateful, vulnerable, and fearless by modeling the adults in their lives. (This conversation is from the 2018 Aspen Ideas Festival.)

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Profit and Purpose Go Hand in Hand: Corporate Leaders Dan Schulman and Mellody Hobson on Values-Driven Business Dec 16, 2020

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Corporations can play a critical role in closing the wealth gap and confronting systemic racism in America. Taking a hard look at diversity in their workforces, supply chains, and customer bases will pay off — not just in a better corporate image but in an improved economy that benefits everyone, including the corporations. “We as leaders, those of us in positions of power, have an obligation to stand up and act as true corporate citizens, says Dan Schulman, CEO of PayPal. “It also gives us competitive advantage when we do that.” Schulman and Ariel Investment Co-CEO Mellody Hobson discuss corporate responsibility, financial literacy, supporting small businesses, and more. Aspen Institute CEO Dan Porterfield leads the conversation.

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Building Public Confidence in COVID-19 Vaccines Dec 09, 2020

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With millions of Americans already infected with COVID-19, public health officials are working to ensure that a safe and effective vaccine is available for every American who wants one. They also want to be sure people aren’t afraid of getting those shots. Nancy Messonnier, M.D., is director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. She leads the Center for Disease Control’s COVID-19 vaccine efforts in the areas of distribution, administration, implementation, safety, and access. For 25 years, she’s worked to strengthen public trust in vaccines and prevent vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks. Dr. Messonnier speaks with award winning journalist and National Geographic science editor Nsikan Akpan about the speed of development of coronavirus vaccines, safety concerns, and the government’s work to distribute them quickly and equitably.

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How Meritocracy's Luster Tarnishes The American Dream Dec 02, 2020

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The American Dream says hard work will lead to a better life. But Harvard professor Micheal Sandel says climbing the ladder of success is getting harder in the United States, because the rungs on the ladder are growing further apart. He says inequality is deeper and upward mobility has stalled — and that’s a failure of the meritocracy, the governing elites, a group desperate to hold on to status and wealth as evidenced by recent college admission scandals. Elliot Gerson, executive vice president at the Aspen Institute, speaks with Sandel about his latest book, “The Tyranny of Merit: What’s Become of the Common Good.”

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The Most Important Rule for a More Civil Thanksgiving: No Eye Rolling Nov 24, 2020

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Current political fault lines are fracturing American society as people grow further apart from one another due to differing beliefs and opinions. We often see people we disagree with as caricatures, and think we can never reconcile our differences. Yet despite that sense of contradiction we are much closer to each other than we think. To bridge the divide, we have to strengthen the bonds that make us human. In this special Thanksgiving conversation Krista Tippett longtime host of the radio program “On Being,” and Harvard professor Arthur Brooks who writes the “How to Build a Life” column for The Atlantic, discuss ways we can share our humanity and work towards re-creating politics and civil society. Their discussion is part of Unfinished Live, an online event series produced in collaboration with Aspen Ideas partner, Unfinished. Learn more at www.unsfinished.com

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