This week, Nick and Goldy are joined by journalist and historian Yoni Appelbaum to discuss his forthcoming book, Stuck: How the Privileged and the Propertied Broke the Engine of American Opportunity. They explore how decades of failed economic policies and zoning regulations have restricted mobility, stifled economic growth, and worsened inequality—revealing ... Show More
Jan 27
Revisiting Reimagining Capitalism (with Rebecca Henderson)
As inequality deepens, democratic institutions strain, and climate risk accelerates, it’s becoming impossible to ignore a basic question: What is capitalism actually for? This week, we revisit our conversation with Harvard Business School professor Rebecca Henderson who argues th ... Show More
31m 11s
Jan 20
Revisiting the Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order (with Gary Gerstle)
Every era runs on an economic story. For the last half-century, ours has been neoliberalism — the belief that if you free markets from constraints, prosperity will follow. This week we revisit a bracing conversation with historian Gary Gerstle about how neoliberalism took hold, w ... Show More
46m 3s
Jan 13
Revisiting How Neoliberalism Turned the Work Ethic Against Workers (with Elizabeth Anserson)
Americans have been told that working harder is the path to dignity, security, and success. But what if that promise was hijacked? This week, we’re revisiting our episode with Professor Elizabeth Anderson, where she exposes how neoliberalism weaponized the “work ethic” — transfor ... Show More
46m 35s
Jul 2025
Revealing the Secret Architects of Capitalism, with Chris Hughes
<p>After the 2008 financial crisis, and especially after the COVID pandemic of 2020, an increasing number of Americans are questioning the wisdom of unregulated markets and envisioning a more active role for the state. Scholars have coined a panoply of neologisms to capture this ... Show More
49m 27s
Feb 2025
HOT TOPICS | The American Dream is Gone, This is the American Nightmare! - February 13th, 2025
The United States is no longer a land of opportunity—it’s a playground for oligarchs. While millions struggle to afford basic necessities like healthcare, housing, and food, the ultra-wealthy and those in power continue to prioritize tax cuts for the elite. The American Dream has ... Show More
1h 30m
Oct 2023
Stephanie Southworth and Sara Brallier, "Homelessness in the 21st Century: Living the Impossible American Dream" (Routledge, 2023)
An accessible and engaging introductory text on homelessness and housing policy, this timely book uses a sociopolitical framework for understanding issues of homelessness in the United States.
The authors, leading sociologists in their field, use data from over 250 interviews and ... Show More
1h 4m
May 2024
Harry Pettit, "The Labor of Hope:: Meritocracy and Precarity in Egypt" (Stanford UP, 2023)
Capitalism is not only an economic system but also a system of production and allocation of hope. In Egypt, a generation of young men desire fulfilling employment, meaningful relationships, and secure family life, yet find few paths to achieve this.
In The Labor of Hope:: Merito ... Show More
56m 20s
Jun 2025
How The Democrats Lost Labor And Found Capital, with David Sirota
<p>The Democratic Party has become too focused on appeasing its billionaire donors and has failed to communicate its commitment to the working class, argues long-time political journalist David Sirota. The question moving forward, he says, is if the party can ever refocus its bra ... Show More
49m 36s