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Politicology

Politicology
  • 4.8 (16K)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Politics in America is transforming. We’re embarking on a new series to deepen our understanding of who we are, how we got here, and how we rebuild without repeating the mistakes of the past. Ron Steslow hosts academics, behavioral economists, social psychologists, politicos, philosophers, anthropologists, journalists, poets, and storytellers—and more—to discuss America’s political present and future and dive into the deeper problems we face as a nation. Email us questions or comments: podcast@politicology.com.

  1. 16H AGO ·  BONUS

    [+] 'Credible and Urgent' — Historic UFO Disclosures Begin

    Ron Steslow talks to journalist Brady Dale about the U.S. government's unprecedented UFO/UAP disclosure: from the Pentagon's new PURSUE archive and President Trump's directive to declassify, to David Grusch's whistleblower testimony about crash retrieval programs, the bipartisan congressional fight over eminent domain and "non-human intelligence," the five observables, and how classified programs were stovepiped into private defense contractors beyond congressional oversight. They land on a bigger point — if non-human intelligence is real, the ontological shock may hit the institutions guarding the secret far harder than the rest of us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    43 min

  2. 16H AGO

    Peptide Politics — The Weekly

    Brady Dale (Author of Front Stage Exit) joins Host Ron Steslow to examine the booming gray market for therapeutic peptides and what it reveals about medical freedom, institutional trust, and our resistance to the unfamiliar.  They begin with the market itself, which Brady compares to the early crypto era he covered: people eager to risk their own money against regulators in the way.  Next, they examine the cultural backlash, the moralism that casts GLP-1 weight loss as cheating, and a MAHA coalition at once wary of pharma yet drawn to gray-market compounds.  Then, they turn to safety, where Brady argues the real hazard lies not in the peptides, but in contaminated manufacturing and careless injection. They also weigh the trouble of funding trials for compounds no one can patent. Finally, they consider bodily autonomy and whether medicine should restore a baseline health or enhance it. In Politicology+, they turn to a story Ron has been eager to bring to the show: the U.S. government has begun a historic effort to disclose its UFO files, and the officials behind the push say this is just the beginning. From whistleblower testimony about crash retrieval programs to a bipartisan Senate bill referencing "non-human intelligence" 22 times to the growing ranks of elite scientists taking it seriously, they dig into how we got here and why Congress can't get answers from its own government. POLITICOLOGY+ Not yet a Politicology+ member? Don’t miss all the extra episodes on the private, ad-free version of this podcast. Upgrade now at politicology.com/plus. Follow Brady’s work at Front Stage Exit: https://www.frontstageexit.com/  SPONSORS & PROMO CODES: https://bit.ly/44uAGZ8 Send your questions and ideas to podcast@politicology.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(703) 239-3068‬ Follow this week’s panel on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/RonSteslow https://x.com/BradyDale Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 9m

  3. 1D AGO • POLITICOLOGY+ ONLY

    [+] 'Credible and Urgent' — Historic UFO Disclosures Begin [Members Only]

    Ron Steslow talks to journalist Brady Dale about the U.S. government's unprecedented UFO/UAP disclosure: from the Pentagon's new PURSUE archive and President Trump's directive to declassify, to David Grusch's whistleblower testimony about crash retrieval programs, the bipartisan congressional fight over eminent domain and "non-human intelligence," the five observables, and how classified programs were stovepiped into private defense contractors beyond congressional oversight. They land on a bigger point — if non-human intelligence is real, the ontological shock may hit the institutions guarding the secret far harder than the rest of us.

    38 min

  4. 3D AGO • POLITICOLOGY+ ONLY

    ENCORE: True Crime in the Post-Truth Era

    How does murder during a robbery-gone-wrong become an international conspiracy theory? What even is a true crime story in the post-truth era? Andy Kroll (Investigative Reporter at ProPublica, former DC Bureau Chief for Rolling Stone) joins host Ron Steslow to discuss his new book, A Death on W Street: The Murder of Seth Rich and the Age of Conspiracy. (01:34) What drew Andy to the Seth Rich story (08:48) The facts of the Seth Rich case (12:44) How conspiracy theories have changed in the 21st Century (21:08) Russia, the DNC leak, and the need for a scapegoat (24:22) The intersection of conspiracy theories (29:06) The conspiracy theory economy You should read A Death on W Street: https://andy-kroll.com/ Follow Andy and Ron on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AndyKroll https://twitter.com/RonSteslow

    47 min

  5. MAY 16

    The Battlefield Laboratory — The Weekly

    Molly McKew (writer and lecturer on Russian influence and information warfare) joins Host Ron Steslow to take stock of the war shifting beneath the surface. They begin with the state of the fighting: Putin’s nuclear theater around Victory Day and the quiet vibe shift on the battlefield as Ukrainian resilience compounds.  From there, they turn to Ukraine as a laboratory for the future of war: unmanned systems, data hubs, and the battlefield coordination American defense companies are scrambling to get their hands on. They also weigh the dual-use dilemma of companies like Palantir, whose tools help Ukraine target Russian commanders abroad while building surveillance architecture at home. Then, they examine Europe’s slow awakening from its post-World War II illusions and the persistent reach of Russian hybrid influence.  Finally, they unpack the pro-Russian talking points that are proliferating on both ends of the political spectrum and refuse to die.  In Politicology+, they dig into what Viktor Orbán’s defeat means for European unity on Ukraine, the differences between healthy and toxic nationalism, and how Europe is quietly rebuilding its defense planning where Article 5 can’t be assumed. POLITICOLOGY+ Not yet a Politicology+ member? Don’t miss all the extra episodes on the private, ad-free version of this podcast. Upgrade now at politicology.com/plus. Check out Molly’s Newsletter: https://www.greatpower.us/ CONTRIBUTE TO POLITICOLOGY politicology.com/donate SPONSORS & PROMO CODES https://bit.ly/44uAGZ8 Send your questions and ideas to podcast@politicology.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(703) 239-3068‬ Follow this week’s panel on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/RonSteslow https://x.com/MollyMcKew Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 14m

  6. MAY 15 • POLITICOLOGY+ ONLY

    [+] The “Big Stinky No” Is Gone [Members Only]

    Ron Steslow and Molly McKew dig into what Viktor Orbán’s defeat means for European unity on Ukraine, the differences between healthy and toxic nationalism, and how Europe is quietly discussing its defense strategies and challenges outside the NATO framework.

    19 min

  7. MAY 13

    What Happens After The End of Majority-Minority Districts? [Plus Preview]

    Not yet a Politicology+ member? Don’t miss all the extra episodes on the private, ad-free version of this podcast. Upgrade now at ⁠politicology.com/plus⁠. Ron Steslow and Mike Madrid discuss the redistricting wars, the Supreme Court case that could upend a central part of the Voting Rights Act, how Latinos becoming the largest minority group will make us rethink what being a “minority” even means, and how partisanship is becoming our primary identity. Contribute to Politicology at politicology.com/donate Find our sponsor links and promo codes here: https://bit.ly/44uAGZ8 Get 15% off OneSkin with the code RON at  https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Send your questions and ideas to podcast@politicology.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(703) 239-3068‬ Related Reading:  Axios - Virginia judge lets Democrats' redistricting plan move forward - Axios Richmond Politico - The Republicans thwarting the White House’s redistricting hopes - POLITICO Sac Bee - Prop. 50 in California is trivial compared to this U.S. Supreme Court case | Opinion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    38 min

  8. MAY 9

    The End of Financial Privacy? — The Weekly

    Nicholas Anthony (Research Fellow at the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives) joins Host Ron Steslow to examine how the stablecoin legislation moving through Congress is quietly remaking the financial system and expanding the surveillance state in the process. They dig into the Bank Secrecy Act and the third-party doctrine, the legal architecture that lets the government access Americans' financial records without a warrant. Next, they examine how AI is turning mass financial surveillance from aspiration into operational reality, and how political designations can be weaponized against ordinary Americans through their banks. Then they unpack the contradictions in the Trump administration's posture—anti-CBDC in name, enthusiastically pro-stablecoin in practice—and why programmable private money is functionally a central bank digital currency at arm's length. Finally, they discuss the prosecutions of open-source developers behind privacy tools like Tornado Cash and Samurai Wallet, and what's at stake if the precedent that code is protected speech gets tested in the Supreme Court. In Politicology+, they unpack a 2021 federal mandate that will require every new car sold in America to passively monitor its driver for "impairment" by next year. POLITICOLOGY+ Not yet a Politicology+ member? Don’t miss all the extra episodes on the private, ad-free version of this podcast. Upgrade now at politicology.com/plus. CONTRIBUTE TO POLITICOLOGY politicology.com/donate SPONSORS & PROMO CODES https://bit.ly/44uAGZ8 Send your questions and ideas to podcast@politicology.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(703) 239-3068‬ Follow this week’s panel on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/RonSteslow https://x.com/EconWithNick Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 11m
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4.8
out of 5
15,881 Ratings

About

Politics in America is transforming. We’re embarking on a new series to deepen our understanding of who we are, how we got here, and how we rebuild without repeating the mistakes of the past. Ron Steslow hosts academics, behavioral economists, social psychologists, politicos, philosophers, anthropologists, journalists, poets, and storytellers—and more—to discuss America’s political present and future and dive into the deeper problems we face as a nation. Email us questions or comments: podcast@politicology.com.

Information

  • Creator
    Politicology
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    958
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    ℗ & © 2021 Politicology
  • Show Website
    Politicology
  • Provider
    Politicology, LLC

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