Why we’re still postmodern (whatever that means)
Sean Illing talks with Stuart Jeffries, journalist and author of Everything, All the Time, Everywhere, about why postmodernism is so hard to define, and why — as Jeffries argues — it’s still a very active…
Even Better: Activism when you don’t know where to start
Every Thursday in August, you’ll hear Even Better on Vox Conversations, a special series focused on helping people live better lives individually and collectively. In this first episode, host Julia Furlan talks with activist, writer,…
The Supreme Court’s power grab
Sean Illing talks with Harvard Law professor Nikolas Bowie about the U.S. Supreme Court’s recently-concluded term, which produced landmark opinions restricting the power of the EPA, expanding gun rights, and overturning Roe v. Wade. They…
How middlemen took over the economy
Vox’s Emily Stewart talks with Kathryn Judge, professor at Columbia Law School and author of the new book Direct: The Rise of Middleman Economy and the Power of Going to the Source. They discuss how…
The necessity — and danger — of free speech
Sean Illing talks with Washington Post media columnist Margaret Sullivan about his new book The Paradox of Democracy, which he co-authored with media studies professor Zac Gershberg. Sean and Margaret discuss the relationship between free…
Hacking coral sex to save the reefs
Vox’s Benji Jones talks with marine biologist Hanna Koch about her team’s efforts to repopulate the planet’s coral reefs through cutting-edge scientific intervention. They discuss what makes coral so unique as organisms, how scientists understand…
The price of keeping secrets
Sean Illing talks with professor Michael Slepian, author of The Secret Life of Secrets. This new book explores secret-keeping behavior and its consequences, as well as how secrecy relates to trust. Sean and Michael talk…
Does China control Hollywood?
Vox’s Alissa Wilkinson talks with Wall Street Journal reporter Erich Schwartzel about Red Carpet, his new book detailing the myriad ways that Hollywood movies are affected by China. They discuss how Chinese markets are essential…
Steve Bannon is still at war
Sean Illing talks with Jennifer Senior, the Pulitzer-winning staff writer at the Atlantic, about her recent piece on Steve Bannon called “American Rasputin.” Through incredible firsthand access and detailed reporting, Senior shows how Bannon is…
The Fortress of Solitude saw it all coming
Vox’s Constance Grady talks with writer Jonathan Lethem about his 2003 work The Fortress of Solitude in this recording from a live Vox Book Club event. They discuss the prescient and still-relevant themes of the…