Deep Background with Noah Feldman

Small groups of people make massive decisions about the future of our world. They’re global leaders, corporations, large NGOs, and the mega-rich. In this first episode in a mini-series on international power players, Anne-Marie Slaughter, political scientist, international lawyer, and former Director of Policy Planning for the U.S. State Department weighs in on the global power shifts of the last 50 years.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Palestinain Israeli human rights lawyer Rabea Eghbariah explains why violence erupted in Israel this month and what it might mean for the future of Palestinian Israelis. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Heidi Larson, founding director of the Vaccine Confidence Project, discusses the complicated relationship between vaccine hesitancy, choice, and democracy. Dr. Larson is the author of the recent book, “Stuck: How Vaccine Rumors Start and Why They Don't Go Away.”

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Marc Lipsitch explains why it’s unlikely the United States will hit the threshold for herd immunity, and what that might mean for the future of the pandemic. He also weighs in on the possibility of lab-grown COVID variants and the surging variants abroad.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Noah Feldman comments on the Facebook Oversight Board's decision about Trump's account.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

During the pandemic, we’ve been looking at our screens more than ever before. As the country starts reopening, what do we do about our kids’ extreme attachment to their devices? How should we think about it and do we need to do anything about it?

Parenting expert Dr. Wendy Mogel joins us to discuss these deep questions about pandemic parenting. Dr. Mogel is the author of “The Blessing of a Skinned Knee” and host of the podcast Nurture vs. Nurture. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Bomber Mafia is the new audiobook by Revisionist History host (and Pushkin co-founder) Malcolm Gladwell. It examines the rise of air power, which created one of the greatest moral challenges of the Second World War. In The Bomber Mafia, you’ll hear the voices of the generals, aircraft soaring, and bombs crashing. It is history brought to life through the power of audio. Buy the audiobook at bombermafia.com and receive an exclusive Listener's Guide full of photos and commentary. Print and ebook editions available wherever books are sold.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Noah Feldman has a lot of questions about cryptocurrency. Is it currency or is it an asset? How should governments regulate it? Is it sustainable? 

Crypto pioneer Bobby Lee, co-founder and former CEO of China’s first bitcoin exchange and current CEO of Ballet, a startup that helps people securely store their crypto assets, weights in on the most pressing questions about crypto. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Jeannine Bell, law professor at Indiana University who has studied hate crimes for more than 20 years, discusses the complex process of defining and charging someone with a hate crime. She also explains the larger significance of hate crime legislation and how police departments can expand prosecution of hate crimes.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A case currently before The Supreme Court presents the single largest legal battle the NCAA has ever faced. The case, which comes after years of player activism, argues that the current limits on athlete compensation constitute a violation of antitrust law. It’s a case that could challenge the entire college sports system. 

Dr. Eddie Comeaux, professor at UC Riverside who studies the student athlete experience discusses the history, current structure and power imbalances within the NCAA. Dr. Comeaux also offers radical re-imaginings for a more equitable, student-centered college athletics system.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.