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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. 23H AGO

    What Is the Real Goal of the War in Iran?—The Weekly

    Ron Steslow is joined by Hagar Chemali (Fmr. spokesperson for the U.S. Mission to the UN) for a wide-ranging conversation on the war in Iran, the confusion surrounding the Trump administration’s goals, and its vision for the United States in the world. Then, in Politicology+, Marc Polymeropoulos joins to discuss the explosive new reporting about the CIA’s coverup of Anomalous Health Incidents—also known as Havana Syndrome—and the dangerous classified weapon that causes them. 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/HagarChemali Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 23m

  2. 23H AGO

    [+] The Havana Syndrome Coverup [Members Only]

    Hagar Chemali and Marc Polymeropoulos join Ron Steslow to discuss the explosive new reporting about the CIA’s coverup of Anomalous Health Incidents—also known as Havana Syndrome—and the dangerous classified weapon that causes them. They break down what the latest investigations reveal: evidence that there's a device that could cause these symptoms, growing questions about whether the government tried to discredit victims, and why these revelations could force a broader reckoning inside the intelligence community.  Marc reflects on the personal toll of the saga, the “moral injury” of feeling abandoned by former colleagues, and why accountability matters now. Related Reading:  War on the Rocks - We Were Right About Havana Syndrome The Insider - Inside the CIA’s attempt to make Havana Syndrome disappear Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    35 min

  3. FEB 25

    ENCORE: Briefly, Perfectly Human

    Alua Arthur (Death Doula) joins host Ron Steslow to discuss the importance of embracing mortality, talking about death, and her new book, Briefly Perfectly Human: Making an Authentic Life and Getting Real About the End.  Segments to look forward to: (02:31) What is a death doula?  (05:39) Alua’s journey and embracing mortality  (07:28) The impact of avoiding conversations about death  (10:33) Practical ways to approach contemplating death  (26:00) Having conversations about death with your loved ones  (28:10) Supporting loved ones facing end-of-life challenges  (30:30) Reframing our language about death and disease  (32:19) The desire for “more time” at the end of life  (38:10) The importance of quality of life in end of life care (40:00) Assisted Suiceide and personal autonomy  (43:40) Meaningful rituals for death  (47:14) Mourning people with troubled legacies  (51:10) Being briefly, perfectly human Read Briefly Perfectly Human: https://bit.ly/4a5UYJb Check out Going With Grace: https://goingwithgrace.com/ Follow Ron on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/RonSteslow Email your questions to podcast@politicology.com or leave us a voicemail at ‪(202) 455-4558‬  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 2m

  4. FEB 21

    The Epstein Files and the Collapse of Trust—The Weekly

    The Epstein files were supposed to bring clarity—what happened, who knew, and who was protected. Instead, the slow drip of disclosures, redactions, and missing records has deepened a broader crisis: collapsing trust in institutions in the U.S. and beyond. Guest Host Hagar Chemali and Mike Madrid (Author of The Latino Century) unpack what the files reveal (and what they still don’t), why the rollout feels like a coverup even to Trump’s base, and why the fallout is landing harder overseas than at home. They also dig into the darker question underneath the headlines: whether Epstein’s operation functioned as an intelligence-gathering and kompromat machine, and what “accountability” can even mean if the real scandal isn’t just individual crimes, but institutional complicity. To close, Madrid argues the Epstein revelations are one more signal that America is entering a “great transformation”—and that rebuilding trust may require a radical reimagining of governance itself. Then, in Politicology+ they dive into how Charlie Kirk’s death created a power vacuum inside the MAGA media ecosystem that even Donald Trump can’t control. 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/madrid_mike https://x.com/HagarChemali Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 7m

  5. FEB 20 • POLITICOLOGY+ ONLY

    [+] The MAGA Power Vacuum [Members Only]

    Hagar Chemali and Mike Madrid dive into how Charlie Kirk’s death created a power vacuum inside the MAGA media ecosystem that even Donald Trump can’t control. Mike connects that breakdown to Trump’s political weakness: sliding approval, growing independent-voter fatigue, and fractures inside the GOP coalition—from House unrest over the Epstein files to high-profile defections and intra-party dissent. Related Reading: The Great Transformation: Turning Point GOP: MAGA’s Collapse After Charlie Kirk's Death

    35 min

  6. FEB 18

    The Devil’s Advocates—Part 2

    For the ad-free version of this episode, subscribe to Politicology+ at https://politicology.com/plus In part two of this series, Ron talks to Rebecca Roiphe (Joseph Solomon Distinguished Professor of Law at New York Law School) about critical legal studies, the attacks on our understanding of what the law is and how it should function from across the political spectrum.  They focus on how the chilling actions of the Trump Administration stem from a belief that law is merely an instrument of power, and why that belief is corrosive—to the everyday practice of law and to liberal democracy itself. They discuss: (08:00) Understanding liberalism vs progressivism (09:08) Fairness in the legal system  (16:43) The role of the Federalist Society and its shift at Harvard  (21:19) The Trump Administration’s legal philosophy (25:39) The independence of the Justice Department  (28:33) The impact of executive orders targeting law firms  (32:33) The future of legal representation  Follow Ron and Rebecca on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RonSteslow https://x.com/rroiphe Email your questions to podcast@politicology.com or leave us a voicemail at ‪‪(703) 239-3068‬ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    53 min

  7. FEB 13

    The Nerd Reich—The Weekly

    What if the “next big thing” out of Silicon Valley isn’t an app—it’s a political project engineered to bypass democracy? In this episode, Guest Host Mike Madrid sits down with Gil Durán (journalist and author of “The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fascism and The War on Democracy”) who’s been tracking an increasingly explicit ideology emerging from venture capital and tech power circles that treats democratic governance as a constraint to be engineered around. Gil explains how what started as odd local political behavior in San Francisco and San Jose led him to a deeper story: a network of ideas, money, and influence reaching all the way to international politics.  He argues the threat isn’t a classic “tanks in the streets” coup. It’s a quieter capture: narrative control, unlimited spending, regulatory rollback, and a worldview that positions billionaires as the rightful architects of a post-national, post-democratic future.  Along the way, he breaks down the intellectual roots of the “network state” movement, why J.D. Vance matters in this story, and how tech-funded “moderation” in deep-blue places can function as a parallel political brand—Democratic in label, Republican in policy, and billionaire-aligned in practice. Then, in Politicology+ they dig into what kind of leadership Democrats do actually need in the post-Trump era.  Pre-order The Nerd Reich: https://bit.ly/4rhnD7K 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/madrid_mike https://x.com/gilduran76 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    58 min

  8. FEB 13 • POLITICOLOGY+ ONLY

    [+] Strong and Wrong? [Members Only]

    Mike Madrid and Gil Durán take on the question: What kind of leadership do Democrats actually need in the post-Trump era? They discuss Gil’s recent op-ed in The Guardian, where he argues that Gavin Newsom has built his political brand on ambitious promises he ultimately failed to deliver. The conversation widens into a broader critique of modern political culture on both the right and the left—and accepting broken promises as “just politics” fuels cynicism and creates space for stronger, more dangerous demagogues. Related Reading: The Guardian—Gavin Newsom’s likely presidential bid is built on broken promises | Gil Durán | The Guardian

    23 min
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4.8
out of 5
15,880 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
    926
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    ℗ & © 2021 Politicology
  • Show Website
    Politicology
  • Provider
    Politicology, LLC

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