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Join Professor Jeffrey Sachs and Professor James Romm, classicist and historian at Bard College, for a captivating discussion on one of the most dramatic and fascinating political experiments of the ancient world: Plato’s involvement with power politics in Syracuse (Siracusa). Drawing on Romm’s newest book, Plato and the Tyrant, Sachs and Romm explore the extraordinary story of how the great philosopher Plato attempted over the course of three decades to bring philosophy into the heart of government.

Together, they delve into Plato’s journey to the court of the autocratic ruler Dionysius in ancient Syracuse, where he hoped to transform a tyrant into a philosopher-king. They discuss the political turmoil that unfolded, Plato’s close relationship with the philosophically minded Dion, and how Plato’s experiences deeply shaped his writing of The Republic.  Romm reveals how Plato’s real-world political experiences ultimately informed his later, more sober work The Laws, and how these texts reflect a lifelong quest to define justice, leadership, and the possibility of a virtuous society.

This episode offers listeners a rich narrative of political intrigue, philosophical ambition, and the enduring relevance of Plato’s quest to unite ethics and power - an ancient story with striking implications for our world today.

The Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs is brought to you by the SDG Academy, the flagship education initiative of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Learn more and get involved at bookclubwithjeffreysachs.org.

Footnotes: 

• Ancient Greek Philosophy
• Plato
• Authoritarianism
• Autocracy
• Syracuse
• Athens
• Dionysius 
• Dion
• Plato’s Academy
• Aristotle
• The Republic (by Plato)
• The Laws (by Plato)
• Carthage
• Philosopher-King

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Join Professor Jeffrey Sachs and Prof. Ilan Pappè, historian at Exeter University, UK, for an in-depth conversation on one of the most enduring and contentious issues of our time: the Israel-Palestine conflict. Drawing on Pappè’s powerful new books—Lobbying for Zionism on Both Sides of the Atlantic and A Very Short History of the Israel-Palestine Conflict, Sachs and Pappè discuss the historical, political, and ideological forces that have shaped the Zionist movement and the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.    

Together, they explore how lobbying networks in the UK and US have influenced the foreign policy of both countries, and the role of the UK and US in the Israel-Palestine conflict. They delve into the historical roots of Zionism, the legacy of British colonial rule in Mandatory Palestine, and the role of the US in the Israel-Palestine conflict from the adoption of the UN Partition Plan in 1947 until today. This episode offers listeners a deeper understanding of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine by delving into the historical processes that shaped the conflict during the past century and more. 

The Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs is brought to you by the SDG Academy, the flagship education initiative of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Learn more and get involved at bookclubwithjeffreysachs.org

Footnotes:

• Zionism
• Israel Palestinian Conflict
• War in Gaza
• Judaism
• Antisemitism
• History of Israel
• History of Palestine
• Settler Colonialism
• Ottoman Empire
• British Imperialism
• Lord Balfour
• Neocons
• UN Resolution 181
• UN Partition Plan for Palestine
• Patrick Wolfe - Elimination of the Local
• 2000 Camp

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Join Professor Jeffrey Sachs and futurist Ray Kurzweil for a compelling conversation on the accelerating pace of technological change and its profound implications for the future of humanity. In his new book, The Singularity Is Nearer, Kurzweil revisits and updates his groundbreaking predictions on AI & AGI, exponential growth, and human evolution and longevity.

Together, they explore a future where AI rivals human intelligence by 2029, nanotechnology rebuilds the world atom by atom, and our minds merge with the cloud to expand intelligence beyond biological limits. They examine radical life extension, the promise of renewable energy, and how exponential technologies are reshaping industries, reducing poverty, and transforming global well-being. But, they also confront the risks while discussing a vision of the future - both awe-inspiring and cautionary - challenging us to rethink what it means to be human in an age of rapid and relentless innovation.

The Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs is brought to you by the SDG Academy, the flagship education initiative of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Learn more and get involved at bookclubwithjeffreysachs.org.

Footnotes:

• AI
• AGI 
• The Singularity is Near 
• Dartmouth Workshop
• Martin Kosinski 
• Neuromed
• Biotechnology
• Frank Rosenblatt
• Perceptron
• Exponential Growth 
• Turing Test
• Longevity 
• Humanoid Robots
• Virtual Reality 
• Neocortex
• Artificial Consciousness

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Join Professor Jeffrey Sachs and American historian Lauren Benton for a discussion on the hidden histories of empires and the lasting impact of imperial violence. In her book, They Called It Peace: Worlds of Imperial Violence Benton uncovers how European powers built and maintained their empires through relentless cycles of raiding, slaving, and plunder—while portraying their conquests as missions of order and peace.

Together, they explore the brutal mechanics of colonial expansion, the blurred lines between war and peace, and how fragile truces paved the way for endless conflict. Was imperial violence an aberration, or did it set the stage for the perpetual wars that define our world today? With insights spanning centuries and continents, this episode confronts the uncomfortable truths about power, violence, and the myths that continue to shape global order.

The Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs is brought to you by the SDG Academy, the flagship education initiative of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Learn more and get involved at bookclubwithjeffreysachs.org.

Footnotes:

• Imperialism
• International Law
• Empires
• History of Wars
• Law of War
• Long 19th Century
• State of Exception 
• Perpetual War
• Reconquista
• Exterminatory Violence
• 1492: Conquest of Paradise
• War Trueces
• Informal Empire
• Neocolonialism
• British Merchants 
• Policing 
• The Dividing of Africa by Europe
• War Against Tasmanian Aborigines 
• Drone Warfare

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Join Professor Jeffrey Sachs and historian, Professor Richard Overy for an insightful conversation on one of humanity’s most unsettling questions: Why do we wage war? In his book, Why War? Overy takes us on a journey across time, from the ancient battlefields of the Roman Empire to the devastation of the World Wars and the conflicts shaping our present.

Together, they examine what drives organized violence? Is it hardwired into human nature, or does it stem from competition for resources, power, and security? Drawing on psychology, history, and political strategy, Overy dissects the deep-rooted forces behind war— confronting the stark realities of conflict and examining whether war is an inescapable part of our past—or an unavoidable part of our future. This episode doesn’t shy away from the hard truths—there are no easy answers, and Overy delivers no false hope.

The Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs is brought to you by the SDG Academy, the flagship education initiative of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Learn more and get involved at bookclubwithjeffreysachs.org.

Footnotes:

• Why Do Humans Make War?
• Statecraft
• Yugoslav Wars
• Aristotelianism
• Barbarian 
• Proxy War
• Peloponnesian Wars
• Thucydides
• Jihad 
• Israeli - Palestinian Conflict
• Nuremberg Trials
• Hermann Goering
• Demagogue of Athens
• Britain Mercantile State
• New Imperialism
• Hobbes Social Contract
• Munich Agreement
• Operation Paperclip
• Stalin’s Rise to Power

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Join Professor Jeffrey Sachs and global security expert Jon Wolfsthal to unravel the stark reality behind the Doomsday Clock - now set at a perilous 89 seconds to midnight. What does this ominous timepiece truly measure, and why has humanity never been closer to catastrophe? Wolfsthal offers a behind-the-scenes look at the decision-making process that determines the clock’s position and insights into how and if we can move the clock further away from midnight. 

Together, they dive deep into the rising threats of nuclear war, climate change, AI-driven warfare, and biological risks, exposing the fragile state of global security. The conversation traces the history of the clock—from moments of de-escalation, like the Cold War’s end, to the unraveling of arms control agreements and the resurgence of dangerous geopolitical tensions. But it’s not all doom and gloom—this episode also lays out real, actionable solutions to push back from the brink and build a safer future. Can world leaders act in time, or are we sleepwalking into disaster? Tune in for a crucial discussion on humanity’s future—before it’s too late.

Footnotes:

• Doomsday Clock
• Bulletin of Atomic Scientists 
• Einstein and the Nuclear Arms Race
• Treaty on the Prohibition Nuclear Weapons
• Ivana Nikolić Hughes
• Nuclear Weapon
• Oppenheimer 
• Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty 
• JFK Peace Speech
• Cuban Missile Crisis
• Biowarfare
• Alpha Fold Nobel Prize 
• Dual-use Technology
• Biosafety Level 
• Genetic Engineering
• Disruptive Technologies
• Truman and Oppenheimer
• Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System

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Join Professor Jeffrey Sachs and historian Eugene Rogan, professor of Modern Middle Eastern History at Oxford, as they delve into the complex history of the Arab world, from the Ottoman conquest in 1516 to today’s geopolitical crises of the modern Middle East. Through the lens of his acclaimed book The Arabs: A History, Rogan brilliantly examines the long history of foreign domination, the rise of Arab nationalism, the roles of Europe and the US as outside powers, and the unresolved conflicts shaping the Middle East until today.  

Together, they offer us a masterclass in history that sheds light on the urgent questions of war, power, and the possibility of peace in the region. From Ottoman rule to European colonialism, the impact of the Balfour Declaration, and the ongoing Israeli Palestinian conflict, the conversation provides crucial historical context for today’s challenges.

The Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs is brought to you by the SDG Academy, the flagship education initiative of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Learn more and get involved at bookclubwithjeffreysachs.org.

Footnotes:

• Zionist
• Palestine and Israel Conflict
• British Mandate for Palestine
• Balfour Declaration
• Capture of Cairo (1517)
• Potentates
• Fly Whisk
• Panic of 1819
• Creditor Nation
• Sovereignty
• World War I
• Constantinople Agreement
• The Fall of the Ottomans: The Great War in the Middle East
• Balkan Wars
• King Krane Commission
• White Paper of 1939
• Ethnic Cleansing

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Join Professor Jeffrey Sachs and award-winning journalist Annie Jacobsen as they discuss Jacobsen’s chilling and rigorous depiction of nuclear war in her groundbreaking book, Nuclear War: A Scenario. With meticulous research and interviews with military and political insiders, Jacobsen takes us through a riveting, heart-pounding, second-by-second scenario of a world-ending nuclear war.  From the technological aspects of nuclear weapons and missile defense systems to the horrifying and total incapacity of modern society to survive a nuclear onslaught, Jacobsen depicts the razor-thin margin separating us from catastrophe.

Together, they delve into the sobering realities behind nuclear war games, miscalculated missile strikes, and the relentless risks of omnicidal escalation that history and simulations reveal. They reflect on the lessons of Cold War diplomacy, near-miss incidents, and past disarmament efforts. This conversation isn’t just a wake-up call—it’s a rallying cry to face and address the ultimate existential threat of our age: nuclear war. Tune in for a discussion that is as riveting as it is vital.

The Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs is brought to you by the SDG Academy, the flagship education initiative of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Learn more and get involved at bookclubwithjeffreysachs.org.

Footnotes:

• Nuclear War
• American Security State
• US Weapons Systems
• The Pentagon's Brain
• Operation Paperclip 
• Doomsday Clock
• STRATCOM
• Interceptor Missile
• The Effects of Nuclear Weapons
• Nuclear Electromagnetic Pulse
• Thermonuclear Weapon
• Ivy Mike Bomb
• Richard Garwin
• Theodore Postol
• Bolt Out of the Blue Attack
• Americas Satellite System 
• Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

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Join Professor Jeffrey Sachs and political scientist Glenn Diesen as they discuss Professor Diesen’s new book, The Ukraine War & the Eurasian World Order. Professor Diesen explains Europe’s fractured security framework which he believes has steered the continent toward conflict with no clear way to reverse course. The conversation focuses on Ukraine - a nation itself divided within a divided Europe, and a pivotal piece in the deadly geopolitical chess game between NATO and Russia.

Together, they dissect the high-stakes battle between NATO and Russia, where compromise has so far been impossible, and yet where the potential consequences of escalation are catastrophic, up to nuclear war. Join in as they unpack the dynamics of a rapidly changing world order and what these changes portend for the future of war and peace, geopolitics, and global governance.

The Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs is brought to you by the SDG Academy, the flagship education initiative of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Learn more and get involved at bookclubwithjeffreysachs.org.

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Join Professor Jeffrey Sachs and retired Air Force Command Chief Master Sergeant Dennis Fritz, a former Pentagon insider, as they explore the extremely important insights in Fritz’s new book, Deadly Betrayal, which uncovers the ugly truths behind the Iraq War in 2003. Drawing from dramatic evidence, Fritz explains how a group of high-level Pentagon officials (a “cabal” in Fritz’s description) in the Bush Jr. Administration manipulated intelligence, pressured other nations, and swayed Congress and public to support a disastrous war. 

Together, they delve into the astounding evidence that Fritz uncovered during his work at the Pentagon while examining the documentary record of the war.  Fritz discovered three reasons for the utterly misguided Iraq War: to restore American “credibility” in the Middle East, to go to war on Israel’s behalf, and to deliver “democracy” at gunpoint. The results were a massive failure on all counts. 

The lessons of the Iraq War remain crucial for our own time, as various lobbies continue to try to manipulate the US into still more unnecessary and reckless wars.

The Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs is brought to you by the SDG Academy, the flagship education initiative of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Learn more and get involved at bookclubwithjeffreysachs.org.

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