In Service of Humanity

World leaders have been tested in their ability to protect their citizens against Covid-19, which has upended nearly every facet of society. Stable leadership is needed now more than ever.In this episode, Dr. Laura Kahn shares her take on the skills necessary to lead during such uncertain times, the subject of her book, “Who’s In Charge? Leadership during Epidemics, Bioterror Attacks, and Other Public Health Crises”. Kahn is a physician and research scholar with the Program on Science and Global Security at Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School. Her work centers around a “One Health Initiative,” which brings together human, animal, and environmental health specialists to improve the health of all species.

Policymakers worry that “ungoverned spaces” pose dangers to security and development. Why do such spaces exist beyond the authority of the state? In a new book, Melissa M. Lee argues that foreign subversion undermines state authority and promotes ungoverned space. In this episode, Lee discusses the findings from her book, “Crippling Leviathan: How Foreign Subversion Weakens the State,” published by Cornell University Press. Lee is an assistant professor of politics and international affairs at Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School. She specializes in the international and domestic politics of statebuilding and state capacity.

“Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism” is a groundbreaking account of how the flaws in U.S. capitalism have dire consequences for America’s working class. In this interview, authors Anne Case and Sir Angus Deaton discuss why capitalism is destroying blue-collar America, laying a large part of this at the door step of the U.S. health care system. They also chart a way forward, providing solutions that can rein in capitalism’s excesses.Their book was published March 17 by the Princeton University Press.

The United States would be wise to avoid further conflict with Iran, especially given America’s history of war in poor countries with politically mobilized populations. If past conflicts serve as a guide, such armed intervention could attract a dangerous wrath of nationalists in these countries. This is one of many conclusions drawn from a new book published by Atul Kohli, David K.E. Bruce Professor of International Affairs at Princeton's Woodrow Wilson School. In this episode, he discusses this and other findings from the book, "Imperialism and the Developing World: How Britain and the U.S. Shaped the Global Periphery," published by Oxford University Press.

Paul Volcker has spent most of his professional life in public service. In this WooCast, he discusses the importance of public service, its role in good governance and his advice for students charting career paths in public service. He also talks about the papers he donated to Princeton’s Seely G. Mudd Manuscript Library.

Some argue that U.S. foreign affairs should be left to Congress and the President. But as more executive and legislative actions arise in this arena, is a judicial defense of fundamental rights needed? “Restoring the Global Judiciary: Why the Supreme Court Should Rule in U.S. Foreign Affairs,” turns old arguments on their head, making the case for a stronger judiciary role in U.S. foreign policy. The book was penned by Martin Flaherty, a long-time visiting professor at Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School and a professor at Fordham Law School, who joins us on the show today.

Free markets and representative elections triumphed throughout the 20th century, giving rise to a robust form of democratic capitalism. Today, this is under threat due to insurgent populism, extreme polarization, and crippling income inequality.How did we get here, and where are we going next? Carles Boix traces the history of democratic capitalism and how it’s evolving in his new book, “Democratic Capitalism at the Crossroads: Technological Change and the Future of Politics.” We discuss it on the show today.Boix is the Robert Garrett Professor of Politics and Public Affairs in the Department of Politics and the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University.

Health care in America is expensive, but it doesn’t have to be, according to the late Uwe Reinhardt, a leader in health care policy. Reinhardt provides an incisive look at the American health care system in a new book, “Priced Out: The Economic and Ethical Costs of American Health Care,” published by Princeton University Press. Tsung-Mei Cheng, health policy research analyst at Princeton and Uwe’s partner in work and life, discusses the nuances of health care in this episode and why Uwe was so passionate about explaining (and fixing) this complex system.Reinhardt taught at Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and Department of Economics for nearly 50 years. Throughout his career, he strongly influenced American health care, serving as an adviser to the White House and other governments.

Party polarization and economic inequality have had profound impacts on America’s governing institutions. Frances E. Lee, co-editor of “Can America Govern Itself?” with Nolan McCarty, discusses what’s new and what’s perennial in challenges to democracy at this fraught moment.Lee is jointly appointed in Princeton University’s Department of Politics and the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, where she is professor of politics and public affairs. She has broad interests in American politics, with a special focus on congressional politics, national policymaking, party politics, and representation.

Are Americans more likely to vote for celebrities than traditional politicians? And what exactly enables these stars to win? Lauren Wright, author of “Star Power: American Democracy in the Age of the Celebrity Candidate," discusses celebrities in power in this episode.Wright is associate research scholar and lecturer in politics and public affairs at Princeton University, where she teaches courses on The Presidency and Executive Power, Women and Politics, and Political Communication.