June 29, 2024

119. The Rise of Institutional Mistrust: Prof. Ethan Zuckerman (Author of "Mistrust" and Associate Prof. @ University of Massachusetts at Amherst)

28 minutes

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Throughout the 21st century, mistrust in our societal institutions has become commonplace. Regardless of your political leanings, we’ve become skeptical and suspicious of the governmental, educational, and religious institutions meant to support and protect us. How did this happen? What should we do about it? Perhaps, this mistrust is the very catalyst for reform? In today's episode, Prof. Ethan Zuckerman dissects this phenomena.

Topics:

The rise of institutional mistrust
Is influencer culture a response to mistrusting institutions?
How to transform institutions
Social media and worldview differences
"What books have had an impact on you?"
"What advice do you have for teenagers?"

Bio:
Prof. Ethan Zuckerman is an associate professor of public policy, communication and information at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He is the founder of the Institute for Digital Public Infrastructure, a research group that is studying and building alternatives to the existing commercial internet. Prof. Zuckerman is the author of two books: Mistrust: Why Losing Faith in Institutions Provides the Tools to Transform Them and Rewire: Digital Cosmopolitans in the Age of Connection, both published through W.W. Norton. He is also the co-founder of global blogging community Global Voices and works with social change nonprofit organizations around the world. He is an alumnus of the Berkman Klein Center at Harvard, the MIT Media Lab and Comparative Media Studies at MIT, Geekcorps, and Tripod.

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