The Good Fight

Latest Episodes:

Kevin Mitchell on Free Will May 03, 2025

Show notes

Kevin Mitchell is Associate Professor of Genetics and Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin. He studies the interplay between genes, brains, and minds. He is the author of Innate: How the Wiring of Our Brains Shapes Who We Are and Free Agents: How Evolution Gave Us Free Will.

In this week’s conversation, Yascha Mounk and Kevin Mitchell discuss the arguments against free will, if evolution supports free will, and how much control we have over our decisions.

Podcast production by Mickey Freeland and Leonora Barclay.

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Claire Lehmann on The Psychology Behind Wokeness May 01, 2025

Show notes

Claire Lehmann is an Australian publisher and journalist who founded the online magazine Quillette in 2015. She serves as Editor-in-Chief of Quillette and contributes regularly to The Australian newspaper.

Email: goodfightpod@gmail.com

Podcast production by Mickey Freeland and Leonora Barclay.

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Sarah Longwell on What Voters Really Think Apr 26, 2025

Show notes

Yascha Mounk and Sarah Longwell also discuss who—if anyone—can save the Democrats.

Sarah Longwell is the publisher of The Bulwark, which she helped found in 2019. She regularly conducts focus groups with voters across the political spectrum and hosts the podcast “The Focus Group,” which is in its fifth season, and co-hosts “The Next Level” podcast and “The Secret Podcast.”

In this week’s conversation, Yascha Mounk and Sarah Longwell discuss which voter segments support Donald Trump, what might change their minds, and which potential candidates could help the Democratic Party stage a comeback.

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Podcast production by Jack Shields and Leonora Barclay.

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Ivan Krastev on American Decline Apr 23, 2025

Show notes

Ivan Krastev is the chairman of the Centre for Liberal Strategies and Albert Hirschman Permanent Fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences, IWM Vienna. His books include Is it Tomorrow, Yet? After Europe, and The Light that Failed: A Reckoning, which was co-authored by Stephen Holmes.

In this week’s conversation, Yascha Mounk and Ivan Krastev explore how Donald Trump is—and isn’t—similar to Mikhail Gorbachev, the impact of the Trump revolution, and whether we’ve finally reached the end of history.

If you have not yet signed up for our podcast, please do so now by following this link on your phone.

Email: goodfightpod@gmail.com

Podcast production by Mickey Freeland and Leonora Barclay.

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Larry Summers on Harvard’s Showdown With Trump Apr 19, 2025

Show notes

Yascha Mounk and Larry Summers also discuss the administration’s tariffs.

Lawrence H. Summers is the Charles W. Eliot University Professor and President Emeritus at Harvard University. He served as the 71st Secretary of the Treasury for President Clinton and the Director of the National Economic Council for President Obama.

In this week’s conversation, Yascha Mounk and Larry Summers discuss why tariffs are so concerning, how Harvard should react to the Trump administration cutting its funding, and whether the Democratic Party can become a credible opposition.

Podcast production by Jack Shields and Leonora Barclay.

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Coleman Hughes on the Legacy of Slavery Apr 16, 2025

Show notes

Editor’s Note: This podcast was produced as part of Persuasion’s partnership with the Civil Discourse @ MIT program, at which Coleman Hughes recently spoke on a panel exploring the topic “Should American Society Commit to Colorblindness?” To learn more about Civil Discourse @ MIT, visit the program’s website here, and to see prior episodes in the series click here.

Coleman Hughes is a writer and the host of Conversations with Coleman. He is the author of The End of Race Politics: Arguments for a Colorblind America.

In this week’s conversation, Yascha Mounk and Coleman Hughes explore the legacy of slavery in the United States, the war on drugs, and if systemic racism exists.

Podcast production by Mickey Freeland and Leonora Barclay.

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Emily Oster on What’s Gone Wrong with Modern Parenting Apr 12, 2025

Show notes

Yascha Mounk and Emily Oster also talk about what public health authorities fell short during the pandemic.

In addition to being a Professor of Economics at Brown University, Emily Oster is the founder and CEO of ParentData, a data-driven guide to pregnancy, parenting, and beyond. Emily is also a New York Times best-selling author, whose books include Expecting Better, Cribsheet, The Family Firm and The Unexpected.

In this week’s conversation, Yascha Mounk and Emily Oster explore how parents can make data-driven decisions, if screen time for kids should be avoided completely, and school closures during COVID.

Please do listen and spread the word about The Good Fight.

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Podcast production by Jack Shields and Leonora Barclay.

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John McWhorter on Pronouns Apr 09, 2025

Show notes

John H. McWhorter teaches linguistics, American studies, and music history at Columbia University. He is the host of the podcast Lexicon Valley and writes a weekly column for The New York Times. McWhorter is the author of twenty-three books, including Nine Nasty Words, Woke Racism, The Power of Babel, and Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue.

In this week’s conversation, Yascha Mounk and John McWhorter explore how language evolves, why English only has one form of you, and if we should embrace the singular they.

Please do listen and spread the word about The Good Fight.

If you have not yet signed up for our podcast, please do so now by following this link on your phone.

Email: goodfightpod@gmail.com

Podcast production by Mickey Freeland and Leonora Barclay.

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Jason Furman on “Liberation Day” Apr 05, 2025

Show notes

Yascha Mounk and Jason Furman also discuss the flaws in Build Back Better.

Jason Furman is the Aetna Professor of the Practice of Economic Policy jointly at Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) and the Department of Economics at Harvard University. Previously Furman served as Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors under Barack Obama.

In this week’s conversation, Yascha Mounk and Jason Furman discuss the economic record of the Biden administration, whether the abundance agenda is the way forward—and what the recent news about tariffs really means.

Please do listen and spread the word about The Good Fight.

If you have not yet signed up for our podcast, please do so now by following this link on your phone.

Email: podcast@persuasion.community

Website: http://www.persuasion.community

Podcast production by Jack Shields, and Leonora Barclay

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Twitter: @Yascha_Mounk & @joinpersuasion

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Yascha Answers Your Questions #2 Apr 02, 2025

Show notes

In this week’s conversation, Persuasion editor-in-chief Yascha Mounk was joined by listeners of The Good Fight for a “mailbag” episode, speaking about everything from domestic and global politics to AI.

Larry Diamond’s piece The Crisis of Democracy can be found in Persuasion.

Please do listen and spread the word about The Good Fight.

If you have not yet signed up for our podcast, please do so now by following this link on your phone.

Email: podcast@persuasion.community

Website: http://www.persuasion.community

Podcast production by Jack Shields, and Leonora Barclay

Connect with us!

Spotify | Apple | Google

Twitter: @Yascha_Mounk & @joinpersuasion

Youtube: Yascha Mounk

LinkedIn: Persuasion Community

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