Civics 101

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Article II of the Constitution Aug 25, 2026

Show notes

Article II, which lays out the powers, duties, and limits on presidential powers, is one of the most debated and reinterpreted parts of the Constitution. So what does it say?

Today we are joined by Dr. Corey Brettschneider, a professor of political science at Brown, author of several books on presidential power, and co-host of the podcast The Oath and the Office. We go through each and every clause of Article II, but somehow it keeps coming back to the same 35 words.

Be sure to check out Corey's podcast here.

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SCOTUS Decision Roundup Aug 19, 2026

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The Supreme Court wrapped it's 2025-2026 term and headed off on summer recess, so we're running through the biggest decisions from the bench. What did the court have to say about our constitution, our federal government and our individual rights?

This year they got to everything from Birthright Citizenship to mail-in ballots to executive agencies, cementing some principles and throwing others into legal limbo. A lot can change in a year, especially when nine people have the power to profoundly affect constitutional democracy.

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What is communism, socialism, and fascism? Aug 11, 2026

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With the midterms coming up, these words are being uttered more and more each day. So what does it really mean when we call someone a socialist, communist, or fascist? Where did these ideologies come from, and why do we have ideologies in the first place?

Today we speak with Patrick McGovern, professor of political science at Buffalo State University, and Susan Kang, professor of political science at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and host of Left On Red.

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Article I of The Constitution Aug 05, 2026

Show notes

Maybe you’ve read the Constitution a ton of times. Maybe you’ve never read it. Maybe you even have one somewhere in your home! But, even for us civics lovers, there are times we forget what exactly is in it. However, by the end of this episode, you’ll know each and every part of the largest, and most important, section.

Article I, which lays out the powers and restrictions of Congress, is massive. It comprises a full half of the written Constitution, and it’s the part the framers spent the most time debating. Today we’re going through the entire thing, section by section, with the inimitable Linda Monk, JD. Linda is a constitutional scholar and author of The Words We Live By, An Annotated Guide to the Constitution and The Bill of Rights: A User’s Guide.

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Why do Americans love conspiracy theories? Jul 28, 2026

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Conspiracy theories are not new in the United States, but over the years they have taken on a life and power of their own. How did conspiracy theories become so entrenched in the American mind? Why is it that, even if we don't entirely believe them, we like them?

Our guests today are Katherine Olmsted, author of Challenging the Secret Government: The Post-Watergate Investigations of the CIA and FBI and history professor at UC Davis and Derek Arnold, an instructor at Villanova University who teaches communications and conspiracy theory.

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Do we have separation of church and state? Jul 21, 2026

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What did Jefferson mean when he wrote about a "wall of separation" between the church and the state? How have we interpreted the pair of clauses in the 1st Amendment regarding religion? And what is the current relationship between church and state when it comes to the Supreme Court, religious schools, taxes, and growing religious nationalism?

Today we talk to Katherine Stewart, author of The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism and Morgan Marietta, Chair of Political Science at the University of Texas, Arlington and founding editor of the SCOTUS Decisions Series.

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Why is our union so imperfect? (With Jill Lepore) Jul 14, 2026

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Pulitzer-prize winning historian and author Jill Lepore has spent her career uncovering the stories we often do not tell, particularly about American history and democracy. In her most recent books, These Truths and We, the People, she asks what really made and makes the United States and what role citizens have in arching toward a more perfect Union. Listen in as she talks about her work for Writers on a New England Stage, recorded at the Seacoast Litfest in Portsmouth New Hampshire.

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How we started, how it's going Jul 07, 2026

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This is part two of our story about the original story of America we don't talk about...and how it ties to where we are today.

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America's other origin story Jul 03, 2026

Show notes

This episode is being recorded just a couple of days before the 4th of July, and as so many are calling it, America's 250th birthday. And we here at Civics 101 have spent a lot of this year trying to understand when and how America, as we know it was really born. What is our origin story? Why are we like this? And why don't we talk about the empire that was here before the United States?

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Why is Congress like this? Jun 30, 2026

Show notes

Today in our continued exploration of why the US is the way it is, we get to Article I. Why did the framers design Congress the way they did? Why did the small states come out so far ahead? And what, potentially, would James Madison think if he saw its operation in 2026?

To help us navigate the thoughts of men long-dead, we talk to Madison scholar Jack Rakove. He shares his insights on representation, the electoral college, and much more.

Click here to listen to our episode on the Articles of Confederation, our shaggy dog of a first draft of government!

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