The Gray Area with Sean Illing

Latest Episodes:

The War in Ukraine, Explained — Part 2: Sanctions Apr 07, 2022

Show notes

Russia's invasion of Ukraine is one of the biggest and most confusing political events of our lifetimes. We aim to bring some clarity in this special four-part series from Vox Conversations and host Zack Beauchamp, The War in Ukraine, Explained.

In part two, Zack speaks with Dan Drezner, international relations professor and columnist for the Washington Post, about the massive slate of sanctions imposed upon Russia by the United States and other Western countries in the aftermath of Russia's invasion. They discuss how the sanctions actually affect the Kremlin and Russian citizens, the ripple effects on the larger global economy, and whether or not these sanctions signal a new global economic order.

Host: Zack Beauchamp (@zackbeauchamp), Senior Correspondent, Vox

Guest: Daniel Drezner (@dandrezner), columnist, Washington Post; professor, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University

References:

"How robust is the global opposition to Russia's invasion of Ukraine?" by Daniel W. Drezner (Washington Post; March 29)
Theories of International Politics and Zombies by Daniel W. Drezner (Princeton; 2014)
The Sanctions Paradox: Economic Statecraft and International Relationsby Daniel W. Drezner (Cambridge; 2010)
"The World Is Splitting in Two" by Michael Schuman (Atlantic; March 28)
The Economic Weapon: The Rise of Sanctions as a Tool of Modern War by Nicholas Mulder (Yale; 2022)

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This episode was made by:

Producer: Erikk Geannikis
Editor: Amy Drozdowska
Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall

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The spirituality of parenting Apr 04, 2022

Show notes

Sean Illing talks with the author and self-described mystic David Spangler about parenting as a spiritual enterprise, where the parent communes in a radical way with the spirit of another and expands the limits of the self. They discuss what it means to adopt the "beginner's mindset" in parenting, relating to children as full individuals, and how to cope with obstacles that all parents experience — from misbegotten family dinners, to the perils of getting dressed in the morning.

Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling), Interviews Writer, Vox

Guest: David Spangler, spiritual director, Lorian Institute

References:

Parent as Mystic, Mystic as Parent by David Spangler (Riverhead; 2000)

Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Conversations ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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Support Vox Conversations by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts

This episode was made by:

Producer: Erikk Geannikis
Editor: Amy Drozdowska
Engineer: Paul Robert Mounsey
Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall

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The War in Ukraine, Explained — Part 1: Why did Putin go to war? Mar 31, 2022

Show notes

In part one, Zack speaks with political scientist Yoshiko Herrera about the country responsible for the war: Russia. They explore why Vladimir Putin decided to launch the invasion, what Russians think about the war, and how this conflict might change Russia's future.

Host: Zack Beauchamp (@zackbeauchamp), Senior Correspondent, Vox

Guest: Yoshiko Herrera (@yoshikoherrera), professor of political science, University of Wisconsin-Madison

References:

"9 big questions about Russia's war in Ukraine, answered" by Zack Beauchamp (Vox; Mar. 30)
"The Bully in the Bubble: Putin and the Perils of Information Isolation" by Adam E. Casey and Seva Gunitsky (Foreign Affairs; Feb. 4)

Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Conversations ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Conversations by subscribing in your favorite podcast app.

Support Vox Conversations by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts

This episode was made by:

Producer: Erikk Geannikis
Editor: Amy Drozdowska
Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall

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The Philosophers: Resisting despair Mar 28, 2022

Show notes

Sean Illing talks with author and professor Robert Zaretsky about the French philosopher, novelist, and journalist Albert Camus (1913–1960). Though Camus might be best known for his novel The Stranger, Sean and Prof. Zaretsky explore the ideas contained in his philosophical essays "The Myth of Sisyphus," The Rebel, and in the allegorical novel The Plague, which saw a resurgence in interest over the past two years. They discuss the meaning of "the absurd," why one must imagine Sisyphus happy, and how the roots of mid-20th-century political nihilism (making sort of a comeback lately) can be found in one's relationship to abstract ideas.

This is the first episode of The Philosophers, a new series from Vox Conversations. Each episode will focus on a philosophical figure or school of thought from the past, and discuss how their ideas can help us make sense of our modern world and lives today.

Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling), Interviews writer, Vox

Guest: Robert Zaretsky, author and professor, University of Houston

Works by Camus:

The Rebel (1951) ; The Stranger (1942) ; The Plague (1947) ; "The Myth of Sisyphus" (1942) ; "The Century of Fear" (in Neither Victims Nor Executioners;1946) ; "The Human Crisis" (1946) ; The First Man (uncompleted manuscript, pub. 1960)

Other References:

"This is a time for solidarity" by Sean Illing (Vox; Mar. 15, 2020)
"What Camus's The Plague can teach us about the Covid-19 pandemic" by Sean Illing (Vox; Jul. 22, 2020)
A Life Worth Living: Albert Camus and the Quest for Meaning by Robert Zaretsky (Harvard University Press; 2016)
Lo straniero, dir. by Luchino Visconti (Italian film adaptation of Camus's The Stranger; 1967 - English-dubbed version)
Discourse on the Origin and Basis of Inequality Among Men, by Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1755; a.k.a. Rousseau's "Second Discourse")
The Gay Science, by Friedrich Nietzsche (1882; passage on eternal recurrence: Bk. IV, sec. 341)
Albert Camus's "The Human Crisis" read by Viggo Mortensen, 70 years later (Columbia University Maison Française; 2016)

Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Conversations ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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Support Vox Conversations by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts

This episode was made by:

Producer: Erikk Geannikis
Editor: Amy Drozdowska
Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall

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What happened to American conservatism? Mar 24, 2022

Show notes

Vox’s Jamil Smith talks with Charlie Sykes — journalist, author, stalwart "never Trumper," and a founder and editor-at-large of The Bulwark. They talk about the Republican response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the attraction of some self-professed conservatives to Vladimir Putin, the efforts by Republican lawmakers to ban books and topics from schools, and the devolution of conservative values within the post-Trump GOP.

Host: Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith), Senior Correspondent, Vox

Guest: Charlie Sykes (@SykesCharlie), editor-at-large, The Bulwark

References:

"Madison Cawthorn calls Ukraine government 'evil,' Zelenskyy 'a thug'" (WRAL.com; March 10)
How The Right Lost Its Mind by Charles J. Sykes (St. Martins; 2017)
"Florida's Ron DeSantis's CPAC speech champions pro-Covid policies" by Zeeshan Aleem (MSNBC Opinion; Feb. 25)
"Trump-endorsed candidates struggling to raise money" by Josh Kraushaar (National Journal; Feb. 2)
"Mitt Romney warns of 'extraordinary challenge' in preserving democracy" by Martin Pengelly (The Guardian; March 15)

Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Conversations ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Conversations by subscribing in your favorite podcast app.

Support Vox Conversations by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts

This episode was made by:

Producer: Erikk Geannikis
Editor: Amy Drozdowska
Engineer: Cristian Ayala
Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall

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The limits of forgiveness Mar 21, 2022

Show notes

Sean Illing talks with philosopher Lucy Allais about the nature, power, and limits of forgiveness. They talk about the role of forgiveness in the dissolution of apartheid in Allais's native South Africa, the distinction between forgiveness and punishment, and the prospect of using forgiveness as a political tool in order to move forward as a polarized democracy.

Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling), Interviews Writer, Vox

Guest: Lucy Allais, professor of philosophy, University of Witwatersrand and Johns Hopkins University

References:

"Elective Forgiveness" by Lucy Allais (International Journal of Philosophical Studies, v. 21 (5); 2013)
"Forgiveness and Mercy" by Lucy Allais (South African Journal of Philosophy, v. 27 (1); 2008)
"Forgiveness and Meaning in Life" by Lucy Allais, in The Oxford Handbook of Meaning in Life, ed. Iddo Landau (Oxford University Press; 2022)

Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Conversations ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Conversations by subscribing in your favorite podcast app.

Support Vox Conversations by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts

This episode was made by:

Producer: Erikk Geannikis
Editor: Amy Drozdowska
Engineer: Sofi LaLonde
Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall

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The madness behind The Method Mar 17, 2022

Show notes

Vox's Alissa Wilkinson talks with cultural critic and author Isaac Butler about his new book, The Method. They discuss the transformation that the craft of acting underwent, tracing its origins from Konstantin Stanislavski in post-revolution Russia, through Hollywood in the mid-twentieth century, up to today. They talk about some of the lesser-known influences and practices associated with The Method, evaluate some touchstone performances in the history of cinema, and speculate about what might happen at this year's Academy Awards.

Host: Alissa Wilkinson (@alissamarie), film critic and senior culture reporter, Vox

Guests: Isaac Butler (@parabasis), cultural critic, theater director, author

References:

The Method: How the Twentieth Century Learned to Act by Isaac Butler (Bloomsbury; 2022)
"Why the Oscars are so weird about real people roles" by Alissa Wilkinson (Vox; Feb. 22)
"Remembering Hollywood's Hays Code, 40 Years On" by Bob Mondello (NPR; Aug. 8, 2008)
United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc. (334 U.S. 131; 1948)

Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Conversations ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Conversations by subscribing in your favorite podcast app.

Support Vox Conversations by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts

This episode was made by:

Producer: Erikk Geannikis
Editor: Amy Drozdowska
Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall

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David Cross is disappointed in you guys Mar 14, 2022

Show notes

Sean Illing talks with comedian David Cross, well-known for his decades-long stand-up career, as well as for his role on the cult hit TV show Arrested Development. They talk about the relationship between comedy and politics, whether comedy audiences are different than they used to be, what social media has done to us, and about his new special, I'm From the Future, which is available for streaming on David's website.

Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling), Interviews Writer, Vox

Guest: David Cross (@davidcrosss), comedian & actor

References:

David's special, I'm From the Future (2022), is available for rental on officialdavidcross.com here.
"David Cross on why his comedy tour pissed off people right and left" by Sean O'Neal (AV Club; Aug. 18, 2016)
"Comedy's existential crisis" by Aja Romano (Vox; Feb. 8)

Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Conversations ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Conversations by subscribing in your favorite podcast app.

Support Vox Conversations by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts

This episode was made by:

Producer: Erikk Geannikis
Editor: Amy Drozdowska
Engineer: Paul Robert Mounsey
Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall

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Author Kiley Reid on why we read novels Mar 10, 2022

Show notes

Vox's Constance Grady talks with Kiley Reid, author of the critically-acclaimed novel Such a Fun Age. In this episode, which is a recording of a live Vox Book Club event, they discuss what novels are really for, the ways that we all craft stories in our relationships and personal lives, and the nuanced ways in which Reid takes on race, class, and friendship in her engaging, fast-paced literary debut.

Host: Constance Grady (@constancegrady), staff writer, Vox

Guests: Kiley Reid (@kileyreid), author

References:

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid (G.P. Putnam's Sons; 2019)
"The smart political argument behind the satire Such a Fun Age" by Constance Grady (Vox; Nov. 19, 2021)

Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Conversations ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Conversations by subscribing in your favorite podcast app.

Support Vox Conversations by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts

This episode was made by:

Producer: Erikk Geannikis
Editor: Amy Drozdowska
Engineer: Paul Robert Mounsey
Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The conversation about guns we're not having Mar 07, 2022

Show notes

Sean Illing talks with firearms journalist Stephen Gutowski, founder of TheReload.com. They discuss the major barriers, principles, and blind spots on both sides of the largely stagnant national conversation on guns and gun control in the United States. The conversation touches on political, legal, and emotional arguments motivating both gun enthusiasts and gun opponents; the Dickey Amendment, and its effective twenty-year ban on federally-funded gun violence research, and whether or not guns are truly part of American identity.

Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling), Interviews Writer, Vox

Guest: Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski), firearms reporter and founder, TheReload.com

References: