In this week’s episode, we interview New Yorker staff writer and principal contributor to the Q. & A. interview series Isaac Chotiner. We begin by discussing his challenging interviewing style, which has led to many notable and controversial moments. Seeking controversy himself, David asks why Isaac has seemingly interviewed every Yale Law School professor other than him. Isaac also describes the mission behind his interviews and why he thinks a Q&A format is best for bringing academic ideas to light. Beyond Isaac’s own interviewing and writing styles, we talk about the state of journalism overall, including the role of public intellectuals and the effect of nationalized media coverage. Lastly, we get Isaac’s takes on a variety of topics, including the lack of India coverage in American journalism, the media coverage on Biden’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, media coverage on the War on Terror, and SubStack!

Referenced Readings:

Isaac Chotiner, “LeBron James’s Agent Is Transforming the Business of Basketball,” The New Yorker (June 7, 2021).

Isaac Chotiner, “V.S. Naipaul on the Arab Spring, Authors He Loathe, and the Books He will Never Write,” The New Republic (Dec. 7, 2012).

Isaac Chotiner, “The Limits of Resistance: Are Democrats focused on the wrong things?” Slate (Dec. 12, 2017).