The Economist Asks

By The Economist

News & Politics

What's The Economist Asks about?

One question posed to a high-profile newsmaker, followed up with lively debate. Anne McElvoy hosts The Economist's chat show. Recent guests include Henry Kissinger, Chris Patten and Maggie Gyllenhall. Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ at www.economist.com/podcastsplus If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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The Economist Asks: Can we ...

12.29.2022

In a polarised world, the opportunities to disagree are plentiful – and frequently destructive. In one of our favourite episodes of 2022, host Anne McElvoy asks Adam Grant, an organisational psychologist and the author of “Think Again”, why he thinks ...

The Economist Asks episodes:

12.29.2022 The Economist Asks: Can we learn to disagree better? An episode from our archive In a polarised world, the opportunities to disagree are plentiful – and frequently destructive. In one of our favourite episodes of 2022, host Anne McElvoy asks Adam Grant, an organisational psychologist and the author of “Think Again”, why he thinks ...
12.22.2022 The Economist Asks: What's the secret of happiness? The pursuit of happiness continues to puzzle everyone from philosophers to politicians. But how can science help the search? Host Anne McElvoy asks Tal Ben-Shahar, an expert in positive psychology and the author of “Happier: No Matter What”, how evidence-based ...
12.15.2022 The Economist Asks: Why is history a family affair? Host Anne McElvoy asks the historian and writer Simon Sebag Montefiore why he believes the story of human history has been shaped by the family unit. The author of "The World: A Family History" considers what all dynasties have in ...
12.08.2022 The Economist Asks: How is Ukraine coping with the trauma of war? After her brother died fighting in Luhansk in 2017, the historian and author Olesya Khromeychuk channelled her grief by writing “The Death of a Soldier Told by His Sister”. Host Anne McElvoy asks her how war and resistance has shaped ...
12.01.2022 The Economist Asks: Will Germany succeed in transforming its foreign policy? Days after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, announced a radical shift in the country’s foreign and security policy. Host Anne McElvoy asks Christoph Heusgen, a former advisor to Angela Merkel, whether the Zeitenwende (“turning point”) will ...
11.24.2022 The Economist Asks: How could Ukraine win the war? Ben Hodges, a former commanding general of US Army Europe, believes that Ukraine has achieved “an irreversible momentum” since the liberation of Kherson. He predicts the country could declare victory against Russia by the summer. Host Anne McElvoy asks him ...
11.17.2022 The Economist Asks: Will the clean-energy transition be fast enough? As the end of COP27 nears, US energy secretary Jennifer Granholm talks to Anne McElvoy from the climate summit in Egypt. They discuss the impact the global energy crisis is having on Joe Biden’s green agenda, whether the hype around ...
11.10.2022 The Economist Asks: What does Binyamin Netanyahu’s comeback mean for Israel and the world? Binyamin Netanyahu is set to return to power in Israel, after winning a majority in last week’s general election. His coalition is likely to include Religious Zionism, a far-right bloc. Host Anne McElvoy asks Anshel Pfeffer, The Economist’s Israel correspondent ...
11.03.2022 The Economist Asks: Can New York solve its housing crisis? Eric Adams, the mayor of New York, grew up on the verge of homelessness. Now he’s in charge of fixing the city’s housing crisis. Host Anne McElvoy asks him how he plans to do it. They discuss how an influx ...
10.27.2022 The Economist Asks: How will Rishi Sunak lead Britain? On Tuesday, Rishi Sunak became Britain’s new prime minister–its third in two months. Host Anne McElvoy speaks to Matthew Holehouse, The Economist’s British political correspondent, about the new leader’s first few days in office and the shape his premiership could ...
10.20.2022 The Economist Asks: How can America’s voting system be made more fair? The Supreme Court could be on the verge of gutting the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Eric Holder, a former attorney-general, was in office the first time the court hollowed out the VRA. Host Anne McElvoy asks him what’s at ...
10.13.2022 The Economist Asks: Where will Xi Jinping take China next? During his decade-long reign in China, Xi Jinping has amassed more power and wielded it more ruthlessly than any leader since Mao Zedong. At the upcoming Chinese Communist Party congress, Xi is expected to secure an unprecedented third term as ...
10.06.2022 The Economist Asks: How can covid learning loss be overcome? The covid-19 pandemic starved young brains. Estimates suggest that globally schoolchildren may be eight months behind where they’d normally be. Host Anne McElvoy asks Jaime Saavedra, global director of education at the World Bank, how kids can catch up after ...
09.29.2022 The Economist Asks: In times of economic turmoil, can global trade help? The World Trade Organisation was set up in 1995 to enable the multilateral trading system. But in the past decade, it’s come under pressure. Now, the global economy looks set to enter an unstable new phase. Host Anne McElvoy and ...
09.22.2022 The Economist Asks: Why is progress on gender equality slowing? The covid-19 pandemic played havoc with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Progress to achieve gender equality by 2030 has not only stalled, it’s reversed. Host Anne McElvoy asks Melinda French Gates, a philanthropist, if the target still makes sense. ...
09.15.2022 The Economist Asks: Could Vladimir Putin lose the war in Ukraine? Ukraine has made a remarkable turnaround. In a few days, its army liberated 6,000 square kilometres of territory–more than Russia had seized in the previous five months. Host Anne McElvoy asks Wesley Clark, a retired four-star US general, if Ukraine’s ...
09.08.2022 The Economist Asks: Can Britain’s new prime minister solve an economic crisis? The new leader of the Conservative Party, Liz Truss, faces an enormous task. Britain is contending with soaring energy bills, double-digit inflation and the unresolved backwash of Brexit. Host Anne McElvoy asks Lord Razzall and former Tory leader Iain Duncan ...
09.01.2022 The Economist Asks: How can mental health-care crises be solved? During the 13 years Thomas Insel led America’s National Institute of Mental Health, medicines and treatments for those with serious mental health disorders improved, but outcomes did not. Host Anne McElvoy asks him what has gone wrong–and how it might ...
08.25.2022 The Economist Asks: Can Russian history explain the Ukraine crisis? Six months into Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine, host Jon Fasman asks historian Orlando Figes how Russian history can help make sense of the conflict. The bestselling author explains how past myths and ideologies continue to shape Russia’s attitude to ...
08.18.2022 The Economist Asks: What can America expect from the Supreme Court’s next term? The Supreme Court is changing America. In its last term, it eliminated the constitutional right to abortion, loosened gun laws and eroded the separation of church and state. Host Jon Fasman asks Eric Segall, professor of law at Georgia State ...
08.11.2022 The Economist Asks: What does it mean to win a war today? As the prospect of a long war in Ukraine looms, host Anne McElvoy asks national security expert Philip Bobbitt how to define victory in 21st-century warfare. They assess the war on terror, as the one-year anniversary of America’s withdrawal from ...
08.04.2022 The Economist Asks: Can we learn to disagree better? In a polarised world opportunities to disagree are plentiful – and frequently destructive. Host Anne McElvoy asks Adam Grant, an organisational psychologist and author of “Think Again”, why he thinks the key to arguing well is to be open-minded. They ...
07.28.2022 The Economist Asks: How can America counter China and Russia? Joe Biden and Xi Jinping bonded on basketball courts when they were vice-presidents. Today their relationship has turned tense as they tussle over Taiwan and trade. But the war in Ukraine is also consuming much of President Biden’s attention. Host ...
07.21.2022 The Economist Asks: How should America tackle the border problem? The deaths of 53 migrants in San Antonio, Texas are a reminder of the risks taken to enter America illicitly. Border crossings are at record levels. President Joe Biden promised to fix immigration, but his critics say his policies stoke ...
07.14.2022 The Economist Asks: How has Ukraine changed warfare? As the Ukraine conflict grinds into its fifth month, host Anne McElvoy and Shashank Joshi, The Economist’s defence editor, ask Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, Britain’s chief of the defence staff, how Ukraine can win as Russia wages a long war ...
07.07.2022 The Economist Asks: Boris Johnson resigns – what next? After days of mounting pressure–sparked by a scandal involving his deputy chief whip–Britain’s prime minister quit as Conservative Party leader. The scandal is one of many that plagued his leadership, but the problems facing the Tories run far deeper. Host ...
06.30.2022 The Economist Asks: What’s the future for Hong Kong? Twenty-five years ago, Britain returned Hong Kong to China. The handover was based on a promise the city would retain its high degree of autonomy. That pledge now lies in tatters. Host Anne McElvoy asks Chris Patten, the last colonial ...
06.23.2022 The Economist Asks: How can governments fight inflation? Consumer prices across the rich world are rising by more than 9% year on year, the highest rate since the 1980s. Paul Krugman, the Nobel prize-winning economist, talks to host Anne McElvoy and Henry Curr, The Economist’s economics editor, about ...
06.16.2022 The Economist Asks: Will America finally pass gun-control legislation? The US Senate has reached a bipartisan gun-reform agreement that, if passed into law, could be the most significant in 30 years. Guest host Jon Fasman speaks to Chris Murphy, the Connecticut senator who led the negotiations for the Democrats, ...
06.09.2022 The Economist Asks: How do our culinary choices shape the world? When chef Alice Waters opened her restaurant Chez Panisse, she sparked a food revolution in America. She talks to guest host Jon Fasman about leading the Slow Food movement and fighting against fast-food culture. In her latest book, “We Are ...
06.02.2022 The Economist Asks: How is the Russian crisis changing Germany? Since reunification, Germany has sought stable relations with Russia. That changed with Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. But is this Zeitenwende (“turning point”) really a new era for Europe’s powerhouse? Anne McElvoy asks John Lough, former NATO strategist, why risk-averse ...
05.26.2022 The Economist Asks: How will the war in Ukraine change the world economy? This week the global elite gathered in Davos for the World Economic Forum against a backdrop of rising commodity prices, soaring inflation and conflict in Europe. Host Anne McElvoy assesses the economic fallout with Patrick Foulis, The Economist’s business affairs ...
05.19.2022 The Economist Asks: Is the United Nations fit for purpose? The war in Ukraine has put the organisation’s founding principles and its authority on the line. Anne McElvoy asks Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the United States ambassador to the UN, how the Security Council can function in a time of division. Is ...
05.12.2022 The Economist Asks: What if America reverts to abortion bans? For 50 years, women in America have had a constitutional right to terminate a pregnancy. Now, a leaked draft opinion suggests that the Supreme Court will overturn Roe v Wade. Anne McElvoy asks Mary Ziegler, a legal historian, about the ...
05.05.2022 The Economist Asks: Could the Ukraine war turn nuclear? In ten weeks of conflict Vladimir Putin has not been afraid to rattle the nuclear sabre. Western leaders have responded by tempering their own rhetoric – but the risk of nuclear war is greater than it has been for more ...
04.28.2022 The Economist Asks: Will Russia’s war criminals face justice? Evidence of Russian war crimes litters the landscape of Ukraine. But it’s a long trudge from the battlefields to the courtroom. Anne McElvoy asks Oona Hathaway, an expert on law and warfare and a professor at Yale University, whether the ...
04.21.2022 The Economist Asks: Carl Bildt The war in Ukraine has driven Finland and Sweden to rethink their long-held position on neutrality. Anne McElvoy asks the former Swedish prime minister whether the two countries will join Nato. Will membership bring stability and security to Europe and ...
04.14.2022 The Economist Asks: Bob Menendez President Joe Biden began his presidency wanting “stable and predictable” relations with Russia. As war in Ukraine rages on, Anne McElvoy asks Senator Bob Menendez how it will test US foreign policy. The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee ...
04.07.2022 The Economist Asks: Ingrida Simonyte Host Anne McElvoy asks the prime minister of Lithuania if today’s Russia threatens the Baltic states – and how does she assess the strengths and weaknesses of Nato’s defence? Her country took the step to ban Russian gas, but will ...
03.31.2022 The Economist Asks: Volodymyr Zelensky At his headquarters in Kyiv, Ukraine’s president tells Zanny Minton Beddoes, The Economist’s editor-in-chief, and Russia editor Arkady Ostrovsky why his country must defeat Vladimir Putin. He explains how people power is the secret to Ukrainian resistance and urges international ...
03.24.2022 The Economist Asks: What more should the West do to help Ukraine? As the war in Ukraine enters its second month, Nato and European leaders have pledged to send in more weapons and to ramp up sanctions against Russia. But is it enough? Anne McElvoy assesses the strength of those promises with ...
03.17.2022 The Economist Asks: Andrei Kozyrev Host Anne McElvoy asks the former Russian foreign minister how war in Ukraine will change Vladimir Putin’s standing at home and abroad. They discuss the remarkable acts of dissent happening around Russia and what methods Western leaders should use to ...
03.10.2022 The Economist Asks: Malala Yousafzai Amid the war in Ukraine and a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, the Nobel peace-prize laureate urges more progress in equal access to education. She tells The Economist’s editor-in-chief Zanny Minton Beddoes how keeping girls in school can benefit economies and ...
03.03.2022 The Economist Asks: What will Vladimir Putin do next? As the war in Ukraine enters a bloodier phase, Anne McElvoy assesses what moves the Russian president will make. She asks General Sir Nick Carter, the former chief of Britain’s defence staff, how urban warfare could shape the conflict and ...
02.24.2022 The Economist Asks: War in Ukraine – what happens next? Russian tanks have poured into Ukraine in what is all-out war. Host Anne McElvoy asks The Economist's editor-in-chief Zanny Minton Beddoes, defence editor Shashank Joshi and business affairs editor Patrick Foulis whether Ukraine's defensive capabilities can withstand Russian forces, and ...
02.17.2022 The Economist Asks: Ro Khanna The Democratic congressman for Silicon Valley represents a district home to tech industry titans. Anne McElvoy asks him how their power can be checked. Can Capitol Hill regulate online hate speech without impinging on free speech? Plus, how does the ...
02.10.2022 The Economist Asks: Senator Tim Scott As the Republican Party prepares for crucial mid-term elections in November, host Anne McElvoy asks Senator Tim Scott what the GOP now stands for as it deals with the fallout from the 2020 election. The party’s only African-American senator discusses ...
02.03.2022 The Economist Asks: Will there be war or peace in Ukraine? Host Anne McElvoy assesses Moscow’s readiness for conflict and Kyiv’s defensive capabilities with Oleksander Danylyuk, Ukraine’s former national security chief. And Anne asks Shashank Joshi, the Economist’s defence editor, and Arkady Ostrovsky, our Russia editor, what war would mean for ...
01.27.2022 The Economist Asks: Maggie Gyllenhaal As awards season gets underway, Anne McElvoy asks the Oscar-nominated actor and filmmaker how streaming platforms will change cinema. The director of “The Lost Daughter” reveals why she chose to adapt Elena Ferrante’s novel and what drew her to the ...
01.20.2022 The Economist Asks: Carl Bernstein The veteran reporter was a teenager when he first walked into a newsroom. He tells Anne McElvoy how that moment led him to become one half of the most famous bylines in journalism. They discuss the decline in trust in ...

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