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Aspen Ideas to Go

Aspen Ideas to Go

The Aspen Institute 602 Episodes Aug 19, 2026

Aspen Ideas to Go is a show about bold ideas that will open your mind. Featuring compelling conversations with the world’s top thinkers and doers from a diverse range of disciplines, Aspen Ideas to Go gives you front-row access to the Aspen Ideas Festival.

Episodes

The China Calculus
The China Calculus Aug 19, 2026 53:25 China’s ups and downs reverberate across the globe, and unpredictability from Washington has been throwing another wrench into the equation. Good diplomacy and an open trade relationship between these two superpowers is essential, but the playbook keeps changing. In this talk from the 2026 Aspen Ideas Festival, three experts on U.S.-China relations bring us up to date on technological adv
Unchecked: Is American Democracy Out of Balance?
Unchecked: Is American Democracy Out of Balance? Aug 12, 2026 49:18 In an era of executive overreach, Congress and the Supreme Court are becoming less effective at reigning in presidential power. America’s three branches of government–the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial–were created to regulate each other. But the nation’s founders didn’t anticipate headwinds like the rise of modern political parties. A healthier inter-branch dynamic is needed, says
What’s Going Right in a World Gone Wrong
What’s Going Right in a World Gone Wrong Aug 5, 2026 53:01 With so many problems in the world, it can be easy to skip over what’s actually working. But while progress often isn’t linear, history tells us that a lot of societal issues have actually improved. The experts on this panel help us see those bright spots and reframe our thinking to include hopeful visions for the future. Greg Jackson, a professor at Utah Valley University and the host of
Strait-jacket: The Future of the Iran War
Strait-jacket: The Future of the Iran War Jul 29, 2026 50:54 Since the conflict in Iran began in February, the results have been mixed. It has degraded Iran’s nuclear capacity, reduced its missile arsenal, and sunk its navy. But the war has also closed the Strait of Hormuz, divided America’s Gulf allies, fractured the U.S.-Israeli relationship, and failed to achieve objectives like regime change and nuclear elimination. A panel of Iran experts with
Major Questions, Major Consequences: The Supreme Court’s 2025 Term in Review
Major Questions, Major Consequences: The Supreme Court’s 2025 Term in Review Jul 22, 2026 56:37 In an increasingly polarized nation with a divided Congress, the rulings of the Supreme Court’s latest term were as closely watched as ever. The justices took on decisions about birthright citizenship, voting rights, transgender athletes and many other hot button issues, with sometimes surprising results. Immediately after the term wrapped, three experts on the court met onstage at the 20
The Idea of America
The Idea of America Jul 15, 2026 53:33 Before this month’s semiquincentennial celebration, the United States’ last milestone anniversary was in 1976–during a difficult period. “The 1970s were a rough time–9 percent unemployment, 15 percent inflation, violent crime tripled, divorce rates tripled. It was a rough time,” says David Brooks, staff writer for The Atlantic. Still, he says, it was a unifying and uplifting moment. He as
ENCORE: Brené Brown and Kate Crawford on Artificial Intelligence and the Human Spirit
ENCORE: Brené Brown and Kate Crawford on Artificial Intelligence and the Human Spirit Jun 24, 2026 52:42 As artificial intelligence becomes more powerful and pervasive, how will it affect our work, our lives, and our ability to connect? Brené Brown, research professor and best-selling author says she hears a lot of experts trying to soothe people’s anxiety about the pace of technological change by offering platitudes like, What makes us human will ensure our relevance. This is dangerous beca
Unexpected Hope: What Can Religious Traditions Offer Today?
Unexpected Hope: What Can Religious Traditions Offer Today? Jun 17, 2026 55:15 The teachings offered by ancient religious texts are timeless and full of wisdom for today’s world. When hope can be difficult to find in contemporary society, sacred traditions sometimes fill the gap, with help from the interpretations of scholars. In this talk from the 2025 Aspen Ideas Festival, Princeton historian and professor of religion Elaine Pagels unpacks the truths at the center
ENCORE: Leadership that Lifts Us
ENCORE: Leadership that Lifts Us Jun 10, 2026 40:40 Leaders who truly inspire and get the best out of people are few and far between. How do they learn to gain trust and rally a group to action? Steve Kerr has been coaching the Golden State Warriors NBA team for 11 years, four of which have been champion seasons. He joins Maryland Governor Wes Moore, who became the first Black person to hold that office after combat in the Army and a caree
The Complexities of Merit
The Complexities of Merit Jun 4, 2026 47:05 Over the last 50 years or so, the divide between winners and losers in the United States has been deepening, says author and philosopher Michael Sandel. In the era of globalization, inequalities in income and wealth have widened and changed attitudes around success. “Those who landed on top have come to believe that their success was their own doing–a measure of merit. By implication, tho
Remembering Lilly Ledbetter’s Fight for Equal Pay
Remembering Lilly Ledbetter’s Fight for Equal Pay May 28, 2026 41:17 For those who knew her, Lilly Ledbetter was humble, smart, and determined. For the rest of us, she is a symbol of unequal treatment of women in the workplace. A landmark law, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, bears her name and was the result of years of tireless activism. She sued her employer, Goodyear Tire, after she discovered her pay was as much as $2,000 less a month than her male c
ENCORE: Hope is a Muscle with Jason Reynolds & Krista Tippett
ENCORE: Hope is a Muscle with Jason Reynolds & Krista Tippett May 21, 2026 56:10 What does it look like to hope in the face of tough times and undeniable challenges? The speakers in today’s talk might describe true hope as more than a passive platitude, but something closer to a muscle that needs exercise. Krista Tippett, the creator and host of the public radio show “On Being,” reunites with young adult author and MacArthur grantee Jason Reynolds to continue their mu

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