In this episode of Conversations with Peter Boghossian, Peter speaks with Dr. Howland who traces how historical atrocities resurface in today’s progressive rhetoric. From the psychology behind Nazi youth and post-Holocaust Europe to the ideological alignment between liberal activism and Jew hating narratives, the discussion spans generations of hatred cloaked in “righteous” causes. 

Jake shares how witnessing the wreckage of post-Soviet Eastern Europe - marked by crumbling infrastructure, cultural amnesia, and the lingering shadows of totalitarianism - shaped the course of his scholarly life. His experience serves as a sobering prelude to today’s rise in Jew hatred. Their conversation culminates in insights about scapegoating, identity politics, and moral confusion. Peter draws out Jake's insights about victimhood culture, the legacy media’s complicity, and the dangers of ignoring history’s warnings. What happens when critical thinking is replaced by propagandistic slogans  and moral clarity is abandoned for righteous activism? We know the answer. Nothing good.

Howland reminds us that confronting these challenges demands honesty and intellectual rigor, not obsequiousness and ideological surrender. At UATX, Howland and colleagues are doing just this by equipping students to think clearly, carefully, and critically and to be forthright in their speech. Peter and Jake understand that the stakes —freedom and humanity—are too high to ignore.

Guest: Jake Howland, Ph.D., Author, Holocaust Scholar, Provost at UATX Find Jake Howland Online: www.uaustin.org/people/jacob-howland Jake Howland LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-howland-7565938/

 

I had a fascinating conversation with Dr. Patrick Gray, Dean of the Center for Arts and Letters and Professor of Literature at the University of Austin (UATX). We spoke about issues of free speech as they pertain to college campuses.   Patrick brings a nuanced perspective: He’s a defender of free speech but insists it needs guardrails. Patrick argues that pushing universities to adopt the Chicago Statement (“Report of the Committee on Freedom of Expression”)—a blanket commitment to unrestricted expression—is a mistake. Students should be free to debate diverse, even controversial ideas, but within a framework of civil, respectful dialogue. He argues that the approach he advocates fosters real intellectual growth without descending into chaos.    Watch this episode on YouTube.

Harry Saul Markham, a 25-year-old recent graduate of University College London (UCL), takes a keen interest in addressing threats to democracy, social cohesion, and the rights of minorities.

In his roles as a Junior Research Fellow at the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy and an Advisory Board member of Academics for Academic Freedom, he has been involved in media interviews, discussions with policymakers, journalists, and other prominent public figures in advancing centrist, but bold approaches, to some of the major social issues facing Western Europe. 

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I spoke with US commentator and author David Pakman, host of the wildly popular progressive YouTube channel, The David Pakman Show. David just published a new book, "The Echo Machine: How Right-Wing Extremism Created a Post-Truth America". It’s extraordinarily rare for a left-leaning figure to accept my invitation to come on the show and have a conversation, and I’m grateful David did. Our conversation was civil, respectful, and engaging.

We dove into the state of America, with David sharing his views on the left, right, and MAGA. We tackled major issues—from the Trump administration’s strategy to Elon Musk and the future Tesla stock.

The David Pakman Show (TDPS) started as a radio show called Midweek Politics in the basement of community radio station WXOJ’s studio in Northampton, Massachusetts. Today, it is one of the most watched independent progressive podcasts and online shows. 

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In a candid conversation with Dutch sociologist Dr. Eric Hendriks, we dive into the geopolitical currents shaping Europe, America, and China. From Europe’s identity crisis to the specter of a U.S.-China conflict, we wrestle with questions about immigration, power, and morality in a world in which the US is no longer the global hegemon.

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In Budapest, US scholar Raymond Ibrahim and I hit the streets to confront the growing problem of Muslim immigration in Western countries and the cowardice of our leaders to be honest about the nature of the problems this creates.

It is often claimed that Muslims and Christians have coexisted peacefully for centuries. Raymond dismantles this myth, tracing a history of Islamic doctrines that sow division. Beyond cultural practices like polygamy, he highlights laws targeting non-Muslims: The mandate to harbor hatred, even toward a Christian spouse, and the demand to convert or accept second-class status, paying tribute to Muslims.

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I sat down with Australian science educator Brett Hall to tackle the claim: The universe is “queerer than we can suppose.” This idea stems from British scientist J.B.S. Haldane, who wrote in his 1927 book Possible Worlds and Other Essays, “The universe is not only queerer than we suppose, but queerer than we can suppose.” Haldane was struck by reality’s strangeness, esp. in light of early 20th-century science. He thought that our minds might hit a wall when facing the universe’s oddities. 

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Every month, I host a virtual hangout for my Paid Substack Subscribers (Join now and join us for the next one! https://boghossian.substack.com). In February, I was joined by Mia Hughes and Brett Hall to tackle delusional transgender ideology.

My subscribers brought thoughtful questions that cut to the heart of the issue: The concept of gender, the pressure to use preferred pronouns, the rise of furries(!), and men in women’s spaces. We dug into the composition of the trans community, which often includes transvestites, autogynophilic men, autistic youth, and women grappling with severe trauma. To be clear, and for the millionth time, I strongly believe that adults can lead any type of life they want to lead, providing it does not harm others. The key word in that sentence, of course, is “adults”.

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Ian Rowe, founder of Vertex Partnerships Academy and Katharine Birbalsingh, headmistress of Michaela Community School in England, and I had a fireside chat. Ian and Katherine are pioneers in education, building schools that should be models for all to emulate.

Their approach is grounded in timeless virtues: resilience, courage, justice, temperance, wisdom, and virtue. Indeed, these virtues are posted on the walls in every Vertex classroom. Just imagine schools that root their educational process in these principles—how much different would our future look? Now contrast this to what students currently ingest in high dosages: intersectionality, victimhood, and grievance. 

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Is it possible to objectively assess the value of art? Robert Mckenzie, an expert with the Cayre Art Group, says yes. In our lively discussion, we explored whether art’s worth can be quantified, diving into the objectivity of valuation, the art-buying process, and what makes a piece “good.” Does your perception of a work need to align with the artist’s intent?

Watch this episode on YouTube.