The Brookings Cafeteria

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Where does nationalism come from? Jun 21, 2019

Show notes

Liah Greenfeld, professor of sociology, political science, and anthropology at Boston University, talks with Brookings Institution Press Director Bill Finan about her new book, "Nationalism: A Short History." She explains her broad definition of nationalism, Shakespeare's role in shaping the language of democracy and modernity, and how modern notions of "white nationalism" may not be nationalism at all. Also on the program, Senior Fellow David Wessel looks at why the Federal Reserve may cut interest rates and allow inflation to rise. Subscribe to Brookings podcasts here or on iTunes, send feedback email to BCP@Brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Brookings Cafeteria is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

Rebroadcast: Former USTR Charlene Barshefsky on the obstacles to a US-China trade deal Jun 19, 2019

Show notes

This is a rebroadcast of a "Dollar & Sense: The Brookings Trade Podcast" episode. On it, former United States Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky joined host David Dollar to discuss the history of the United States' economic engagement with China. Their conversation covered China's entry and membership in the World Trade Organization, how domestic Chinese politics have affected the country's trade policies, and the lasting impact of the global financial crisis on U.S.-China relations. Finally, Barshefsky outlined the prospect of the two countries reaching a trade deal in the near future. Subscribe to Brookings podcasts here or on iTunes, send feedback email to BCP@Brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Brookings Cafeteria and Dollar & Sense are part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

How to fix capitalism for America's workers Jun 14, 2019

Show notes

From slow wage growth, to increasing numbers of men out of the labor market, to rising inequality and rising compensation for CEOs, today's capitalism may not be working for workers. In May, the Guardian newspaper published a series of solutions to these and related problems, titled How to fix capitalism: Nine expert solutions for America's broken system. On this episode, two of the authors in the series—Isabel Sawhill and Steven Pearlstein—join Richard Reeves to discuss their ideas for helping workers in today's economy. During the conversation, Reeves calls four outside experts to ask them for their solution, and then the trio of experts in the studio discuss the idea. Richard Reeves is the John C. and Nancy D. Whitehead Chair, a senior fellow in Economic studies, director of the Future of the Middle Class Initiative, and co-director of the Center on Children and Families at Brookings. He is the author of "Dream Hoarders: How the American Upper Middle Class Is Leaving Everyone Else in the Dust, Why That Is a Problem, and What to Do about It," published by the Brookings Institution Press. Isabel Sawhill is a senior fellow in Economic Studies at Brookings and author, most recently, of "The Forgotten Americans: An Economic Agenda for a Divided Nation." Steven Pearlstein, business and economics columnist for the Washington Post and Robinson professor of public affairs at George Mason university. His recent book is titled, "Can American Capitalism Survive?" Subscribe to Brookings podcasts here or on iTunes, send feedback email to BCP@Brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Brookings Cafeteria is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

The power of parents in accelerating global education progress Jun 07, 2019

Show notes

Senior Fellow Rebecca Winthrop, director of the Center for Universal Education at Brookings, says that global organizations project that by 2030 half of the world's young people will not have the 21st-century skills and academic competencies they will need to thrive. The pace of change is too slow, and it could take a century for the poorest children to catch up. What's needed, she said, is a way to rapidly accelerate progress by leapfrogging education. And parents have a crucial role to play in this transformation. In this episode, Winthrop talks with four education leaders, whom she met at the LEGO Idea Conference in Denmark, about the role of parents and the power of innovative approaches like playful learning in pursuing education transformation. The four episode guests are: Ziauddin Yousafzai, co-founder and board member, Malala Fund Brijpal Patel, director of global program development, Right to Play Jen Lexmond, founder and CEO, EasyPeasy Eszter Salamon, director general of Parents International, and president, European Parents' Association Also, listen to the episode about the book, "Leapfrogging Inequality: Remaking education to help young people thrive" Subscribe to Brookings podcasts here or on iTunes, send feedback email to BCP@Brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Brookings Cafeteria is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

China's epic push for cleaner energy May 31, 2019

Show notes

In its dominance of low-carbon industries that range from solar and wind power, to electric vehicles, to more-efficient coal combustion, China is emerging as a clean-energy juggernaut. That's according to Jeffrey Ball, the author of a new paper from the Cross-Brookings Initiative on Energy and Climate titled "Grow Green China Inc." Ball, argues that the West, instead of seeing this development as a threat, should see it as an opportunity both for business and for the planet. In this episode, Ball is interviewed by David Victor, the co-chair of the energy and climate initiative here at Brookings. Victor is also a professor of international relations at UC San Diego and director of its Laboratory on International Law and Regulation. In addition to his Brookings affiliation as a nonresident senior fellow, Jeffrey Ball is also a scholar in residence at Stanford University's Steyer-Taylor Center for Energy Policy and Finance, and a lecturer at Stanford Law School. Also on today's show, a look at how housing and transportation trends in the Washington capital region impact commuting, the climate, and the economy with Jenny Schuetz, a David M. Rubenstein Fellow in the Metropolitan Policy Program. Subscribe to Brookings podcasts here or on iTunes, send feedback email to BCP@Brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Brookings Cafeteria is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

Preparing for the next recession May 24, 2019

Show notes

When the next recession comes, and it certainly will, how will policymakers respond? In a new volume of policy proposals from the Hamilton Project at Brookings and the Washington Center for Equitable Growth, a group of experts propose new and updated antirecession solutions to boost the economy and save jobs. These ideas center on the concept of automatic stabilizers, which are simply policy responses that trigger when a crisis is starting, and when policymakers may be too overwhelmed by the crisis to respond. On this episode, Jay Shambaugh—a senior fellow at Brookings and director of the Hamilton Project—and Heather Boushey—executive director and chief economist of the Washington Center for Equitable Growth—address these policy proposals. Also on today's show, Senior Fellow Molly Reynolds discusses what steps the House of Representatives would have to take in any impeachment process, and also other business that Congress is pursuing, including a budget deal. Subscribe to Brookings podcasts here or on iTunes, send feedback email to BCP@Brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Brookings Cafeteria is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

The power of private investment for the developing world May 17, 2019

Show notes

Foreign aid money from governments is getting scarcer, and in the U.S., private philanthropy exceeds US government funds in the foreign assistance realm. But, what about the role of business and private capital in development, reducing poverty, and alleviating hunger? So called "impact investing" is now one of the most important trends in addressing some of the world's most pressing problems. In this episode, Homi Kharas, the interim vice president and director of the Global Economy and Development Program, speaks with Philippe Le Houérou, the CEO of the International Finance Corporation, about the IFC's new report on impact investing. Also, Senior Fellow David Wessel asks, and answers, three key questions about tariffs and U.S.-China trade issues. Subscribe to Brookings podcasts here or on iTunes, send feedback email to BCP@Brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Brookings Cafeteria is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

How to avoid a great power war over small stakes May 10, 2019

Show notes

In the East China sea, in waters bounded by Japan, China, and Taiwan, lies a small archipelago of uninhabited islands known in Japan as the Senkaku Islands, and in China as Diaoyu Islands. Both countries claim them, but they are covered by the US-Japan security treaty. What would be the U.S. response if China landed military forces on them? Similarly, what would happen if "little green men" from Russia occupied a Russian-speaking village in Estonia, a NATO member country? In his new book, "The Senkaku Paradox: Risking Great Power War Over Small Stakes," Brookings Senior Fellow Michael O'Hanlon explores these and similar scenarios in which a local crisis could erupt into a major war between the United States and China or Russia. In this episode, Brookings Fellow Tarun Chhabra talks with O'Hanlon about his book and his argument for a better range of options to deal with these risks. Also on the program, Martha Ross, a fellow in the Metropolitan Policy Program, shares her recent research on unemployed youth. While the current national unemployment rate is below four percent, joblessness among American workers aged 18 to 24 in mid to large cities is much higher at about 17 percent. Subscribe to Brookings podcasts here or on iTunes, send feedback email to BCP@Brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Brookings Cafeteria is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

Congressional oversight in the Trump era May 03, 2019

Show notes

In our constitutional system, congressional oversight of the executive branch is an important tool. As a co-equal branch of government, and the one that passes legislation and appropriates funds to carry out public policy, Congress has an obligation to the Constitution, and to citizens, to hold the executive branch accountable. In this episode, Senior Fellow Molly Reynolds introduces the new House Oversight Tracker interactive, explains why oversight is so important, and shares her views on recent news about some of the Trump administration's responses to oversight requests. Also on today's episode, meet new scholar DJ Gribbin, who joined the Metropolitan Policy Program after serving in the White House as the nation's first special assistant to the president for infrastructure. Subscribe to Brookings podcasts here or on iTunes, send feedback email to BCP@Brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Brookings Cafeteria is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

Offensive cyber operations in US national security Apr 26, 2019

Show notes

A discussion about a new volume from the Brookings Institution Press on the increasing role of offensive cyber operations in U.S. national security. Herbert Lin and Amy Zegart are co-editors of "Bytes, Bombs, and Spies: The Strategic Dimensions of Offensive Cyber Operations." Lin and Zegart are scholars at the Hoover Institution and co-directors of the Stanford Cyber Policy Program. Bill Finan, director of the Brookings Press, conducts the interview. Also, Brookings Senior Fellow Molly Reynolds examines congressional oversight of the Trump administration, from subpoenas to impeachment Subscribe to Brookings podcasts here or on iTunes, send feedback email to BCP@Brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Brookings Cafeteria is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

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