America's Why Project

Matthew Levinger
  • 5.0 (13)
  • Politics

To solve America’s toughest challenges, we need to begin by listening to each other’s stories. The America’s Why Project (AWP) creates a space for conversations that invite Americans from all walks of life—and friends of America around the world—to explore their perspectives on America’s past, present, and future. By opening our ears and opening our hearts, we can start to rebuild mutual trust and rediscover our shared purpose. One story, one conversation, one open mic at a time.

  1. Aug 27

    Episode 16: Part 2 — Cultivating Strategic Imagination

    What does it take to move from wishing for change to actually creating it? In Part 2 of this conversation with Hahrie Han, Professor of Political Science at Johns Hopkins University, MacArthur Fellow and author of Undivided, host Matt Levinger explores what it takes to turn shared values into lasting change. Building on the story of the Undivided initiative at Cincinnati’s Crossroads Church, Han explains the difference between “performative” action that simply expresses our beliefs and “strategic” action that builds the capacity and commitment “to do what needs to be done.” She discusses the importance of strategic imagination, the essential role of “communities of belonging” in turning stories into action, and why meaningful social change requires more than a single moment of engagement. As Undivided continues to navigate the challenges of race, justice, and political division, Han reflects on a central question: How can we create spaces where people not only imagine a different future, but see themselves as capable of helping build it? Dr. Hahrie Han is the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Professor of Political Science at Johns Hopkins University. She served from 2019 to 2026 as the inaugural director of the SNF Agora Institute, where she directs the P3 Lab. She is also a 2025 MacArthur Fellow. Host: Matthew Levinger – Host of the America’s Why Podcast & Nonresident Scholar at the George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs. Guest: Prof. Hahrie Han – Stavros Niarchos Foundation Professor of Political Science at Johns Hopkins University, former inaugural director of the SNF Agora Institute, and a 2025 MacArthur Fellow. Explore more of Prof. Hahrie Han’s work: https://politicalscience.jhu.edu/directory/hahrie-han/ https://www.hahriehan.com Learn more about the SNF Agora Institute and P3 Lab: https://snfagora.jhu.edu/ https://snfagora.jhu.edu/our-work/labs/p3-lab/ Visit our website to learn more about the America’s Why Project and join the conversation: americaswhyproject.com Listen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music The views expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent those held by the America’s Why Project team or the George Washington University.

  2. Aug 19

    Episode 15: Part 1 — Race, Class, and Religion in America: Spanning the Divides

    In this episode, we continue our discussion of the powerful role that religious faith can play in healing cultural and political divisions. Host Matt Levinger speaks with Professor Hahrie Han of Johns Hopkins University about her book Undivided: The Quest for Racial Solidarity in an American Church. Drawing on her research into a racial justice initiative at Cincinnati’s Crossroads Church, Han explores how people can build relationships across racial and political differences and develop the trust needed for difficult conversations. The leaders of Crossroads, the third largest Evangelical megachurch in the United States, start from the principle that “belonging comes before belief.” The episode examines how empathetic listening in small-group settings can help cultivate lasting friendships that enable people to take risks, work through disagreement, and stay engaged in the difficult work of creating change. But bringing people together does not mean avoiding conflict. In our next episode, Han explores what happens when that work meets resistance and backlash. Dr. Hahrie Han is the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Professor of Political Science at Johns Hopkins University. She served from 2019 to 2026 as the inaugural director of the SNF Agora Institute, where she directs the P3 Lab. She is also a 2025 MacArthur Fellow. Host: Matthew Levinger – Host of the America’s Why Podcast & Nonresident Scholar at the George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs. Guest: Prof. Hahrie Han – Stavros Niarchos Foundation Professor of Political Science at Johns Hopkins University, former inaugural director of the SNF Agora Institute, and a 2025 MacArthur Fellow. Explore more of Prof. Hahrie Han’s work: https://politicalscience.jhu.edu/directory/hahrie-han/ https://www.hahriehan.com Learn more about the SNF Agora Institute and P3 Lab: https://snfagora.jhu.edu/ https://snfagora.jhu.edu/our-work/labs/p3-lab/ Visit our website to learn more about the America’s Why Project and join the conversation: americaswhyproject.com Listen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music The views expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent those held by the America’s Why Project team or the George Washington University.

  3. Aug 7

    Episode 14: How Religion Shapes the Way Americans Listen - Listening Across Religious Divides

    Religious faith is a uniquely powerful force for building community and forging human connections; yet conflicts over religion have ignited some of the most savage wars in human history. In this episode, host Matt Levinger speaks with Dr. Rollie Lal, a professor at the George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs and the founder of the Global Affairs and Religion Network (GARNET), about what happens when we listen across the boundaries of religion, security, and identity. Drawing on her work on extremism, terrorism, and transnational security, Dr. Lal explains how conversations with religious scholars have challenged assumptions within the security field and opened new ways of understanding the relationship between religion and conflict. The discussion explores why listening to religious communities matters when addressing extremism—and how making space for other perspectives can “create powerful possibilities for building a more peaceful world.” Host: Matthew Levinger – Host of the America’s Why Podcast & Nonresident Scholar at the George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs.  Guest: Prof. Rollie Lal – Professor of International Affairs at the George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs and Co-chair of the Global Affairs and Religion Network (GARNET). Explore more of Prof. Rollie Lal’s work: https://elliott.gwu.edu/rollie-lal Learn more about the Global Affairs and Religion Network (GARNET): https://garnet.elliott.gwu.edu Visit our website to learn more about the America’s Why Project and join the conversation: americaswhyproject.com Listen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music The views expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent those held by the America’s Why Project team or the George Washington University.

  4. May 27

    Episode 13: Hard Jobs – Listening on the Front Lines of Healthcare

    Some of the most important listening happens in the most emotionally demanding spaces. This episode launches a new subseries within our “How to Listen” chapter: Hard Jobs, conversations with people working in some of society’s most demanding roles. In this episode, AWP Creative Director Amy McCampbell sits down with Anthony, a healthcare complaints specialist responsible for handling hundreds of patient concerns across a large hospital network, to explore what it means to listen when emotions are high and solutions are not always possible. Through stories from the front lines of healthcare, Anthony shares how empathy, honesty, and emotional discipline can transform even the most difficult conversations. His reflections reveal why people often need to feel heard before they can move forward. More than a discussion about customer service, this episode examines listening as an act of compassion and asks what changes when we treat every request for help as a sign of trust. Host : Matthew Levinger – Host of the America’s Why Podcast and Professor of Practice of International Affairs at the George Washington University. Host 2: Amy McCampbell, Creative Director of the America’s Why Project Guest: Anthony, healthcare complaints specialist Visit our website to learn more about the America’s Why Project and join the conversation: americaswhyproject.com Listen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music The views expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent those held by the America's Why Project team or the George Washington University.

  5. Apr 22

    Episode 12: Part 2 — How Deep Listening Builds Trust

    What actually changes when people stop talking at each other and start truly listening? In Part 2 of this two-part series, host Matt Levinger continues his conversation with Merissa Khurma, Founder and President of the AMENA Foundation and a strategic communications expert, to move from breaking down the idea of listening to understanding what makes it effective in practice. Through real-world examples—from a funding negotiation to a FIFA policy debate—Khurma shows how listening shifts conversations from assumptions to trust, and from conflict to problem-solving. The discussion highlights how reframing, cultural context, and attention to personal narratives can turn stalled or polarized interactions into meaningful progress. This episode closes the series by showing how listening, when practiced intentionally, becomes a tool for building outcomes that last. Host: Matthew Levinger – Host of the America’s Why Podcast and Professor of Practice of International Affairs at the George Washington University. Guest: Merissa Khurma – Founder and President of AMENA Foundation. Explore more of Merissa Khurma’s work at AMENA Strategies: https://www.amenastrategies.com/ Follow AMENA Foundation and AMENA Strategies for more insights and updates: https://www.linkedin.com/company/amena-foundation-inc/posts/?feedView=all https://www.linkedin.com/company/amena-strategies/posts/?feedView=all Visit our website to learn more about the America’s Why Project and join the conversation: americaswhyproject.com Listen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music The views expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent those held by the America's Why Project team or the George Washington University.

  6. Apr 15

    Episode 11: Part 1 — The Power of Listening in Divided Worlds: Narrative, Trust, and Conflict

    In a world where everyone is talking, why does it feel like no one is truly being heard? In Part 1 of this two-part series, host Matt Levinger sits down with Merissa Khurma, Founder and President of the AMENA Foundation and a strategic communications expert, to explore a critical question: why do people stop listening in the first place? Drawing on experiences from global diplomacy to deeply personal moments, Khurma unpacks how emotion, identity, and narrative can distort understanding, fuel division, and even dehumanize those on the other side. From high-stakes geopolitical conflicts to everyday conversations, this episode reveals the hidden barriers that prevent us from truly hearing one another, and sets the stage for what it might take to overcome them. Host: Matthew Levinger – Host of the America’s Why Podcast and Professor of Practice of International Affairs at the George Washington University. Guest: Merissa Khurma – Founder and President of AMENA Foundation. Explore more of Merissa Khurma’s work at AMENA Strategies: https://www.amenastrategies.com/ Follow AMENA Foundation and AMENA Strategies for more insights and updates: https://www.linkedin.com/company/amena-foundation-inc/posts/?feedView=all https://www.linkedin.com/company/amena-strategies/posts/?feedView=all Visit our website to learn more about the America’s Why Project and join the conversation: americaswhyproject.com Listen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music The views expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent those held by the America's Why Project team or the George Washington University.

  7. Apr 10

    Episode 10: Chapter 2 — How to Listen

    In this opening episode of Chapter 2, host Matt Levinger brings together the team behind the project to reflect on their journey so far and where they believe they should go next. Through personal stories from multiple continents, cultures, and backgrounds, this episode explores why listening is more than a skill; it is a method and a path toward rebuilding trust and mutual respect. As the podcast expands beyond interviewing experts to include voices from all walks of life, this conversation sets the stage for a more open, curious, and grounded exploration of America's story—one that asks: what becomes possible if we start truly listening to one another? Host: Matthew Levinger – Host of the America’s Why Podcast and Professor of Practice of International Affairs at the George Washington University. Guest Seda Guneş – Project Manager. Amy McCampbell – Creative Director. Jason Bogovich – International Correspondent. Lakshmi Dev – Digital Media Manager. Blake Nicholas – Correspondent. Visit our website to learn more about the America’s Why Project and join the conversation: americaswhyproject.com Listen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music The views expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent those held by the America's Why Project team or the George Washington University.

  8. Apr 1

    Episode 9: Talking About Migration, Part 2: The Coming Wave

    In Part 2 of our deep-dive on migration, writer Sohrab Ahmari continues to explore the future of global mobility and what it means for democracy, culture, and the American common good. As climate shocks, conflict, and economic pressures displace millions worldwide, Ahmari and host Matt Levinger ask a sharp, urgent question: How do we manage a world on the move without losing our political sanity? This conversation ranges from climate-driven displacement to party polarization, from the limits of technocratic solutions to why genuine democratic debate, not executive orders or expert decrees, may be the only path forward. What this discussion ultimately delivers is not agreement, but orientation, and a renewed sense of how to navigate a future shaped by movement, memory, and hard choices. Host: Matthew Levinger – Host of the America’s Why Podcast and Professor of Practice of International Affairs at the George Washington University. Guest: Sohrab Ahmari – Writer, public intellectual, and U.S. Editor of UnHerd. Explore more of Sohrab Ahmari’s writing at UnHerd: https://unherd.com/author/sohrab-ahmariunherd-com/?edition=us Visit our website to learn more about the America’s Why Project and join the conversation: americaswhyproject.com Listen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music The views expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent those held by the America's Why Project team or the George Washington University.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

To solve America’s toughest challenges, we need to begin by listening to each other’s stories. The America’s Why Project (AWP) creates a space for conversations that invite Americans from all walks of life—and friends of America around the world—to explore their perspectives on America’s past, present, and future. By opening our ears and opening our hearts, we can start to rebuild mutual trust and rediscover our shared purpose. One story, one conversation, one open mic at a time.

Information

  • Creator
    Matthew Levinger
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    17
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 America's Why Project
  • Show Website
    America's Why Project