This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Professor of History and expert on Russian and Ukrainian policy, Dr. Michael Kimmage to discuss the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Zachary sets the scene with a section of his poem "Our Ukrainian Love Story"

Dr. Michael Kimmage is a professor of history at the Catholic University of America in Washington DC. He is also a fellow at the German Marshall Fund, and chair of the Advisory Council for the Kennan Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington DC. From 2014 to 2017, Kimmage served on the Secretary’s Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. Department of State, where he held the Russia/Ukraine portfolio. He publishes widely on international affairs, U.S.-Russian relations and American diplomatic history. Kimmage is the author of: The Conservative Turn: Lionel Trilling, Whittaker Chambers and the Lessons of Anti-Communism (2009); In History’s Grip: Philip Roth’s Newark Trilogy (2012); The Abandonment of the West: The History of an Idea in American Foreign Policy (2020).

This week, Jeremi and Zachary discuss the future and potential of Artificial Intelligence and our Democracy with Aurna Mukherjee.

Jeremi and Zachary discuss youth political activism in Latin America with Dr. Andrés González.

Dr. Andrés González is a political scientist based in Quito-Ecuador. He obtained his Ph. D. in Political Science and International Relations at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich and has taught in several universities and high schools in Germany and Ecuador. He is currently the President and Academic Director of POLITIKUM, an independent education corporation focused on citizenship and political education for students of all levels in three languages. See their website: https://www.politikumecuador.com. Dr. González is also the author of the book, Governance for the 21st Century: The Fight Against Corruption in Latin America (LIT Verlag).

This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Jason Flowers, a high school teacher, to discuss how teaching has changed during COVID.

Zachary sets the scene with his poem: "Nowadays"

Jason Flowers is entering his seventeenth year teaching AP US History at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy in Austin.  In addition to APUSH, Mr. Flowers teaches American Film and coaches Quiz Bowl and History Bowl.  He is originally from South Louisiana and has a B.A. in history from LSU along with a master’s degree in social studies education from North Texas.  Mr. Flowers is also the head coach and team leader for Team USA for the International Geography Olympiad and serves on the board of directors of the National Consortium of Specialized STEM Schools. Under normal circumstances, Mr. Flowers spends lots of time traveling, but since March has spent lots of time riding his road bike around Austin.  He lives in Austin with his partner Meagan and his two kittens Moxie and Muffin. 

This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Hanna Senko and Major Pro Tem Alison Alter to discuss sexual assault.

Zachary sets the scene with his poem: "Around the Corner"

Hanna Senko is a sexual assault survivor whose case was closed via exceptional clearance by the Austin Police Department. She now serves as a survivor speaker, writer, and advocate fighting for change in the understanding, reporting, and handling of sex crimes.

Alison Alter serves as Mayor Pro Tem of Austin, Texas and represents District 10 on the City Council. Among many other things, she has led efforts to improve the city's sexual assault response system to provide healing and justice to sexual assault survivors.

cw: Sexual Assault

This week, Jeremi, Zachary, and Paul Stekler discuss their feelings about Biden's first year, and what the future holds for his office.

Jeremi, Zachary, and guest Nataliya Gumenyuk discuss the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the current position of Ukraine in the global political landscape.

Jeremi, Zachary, and guest Dr. Samuel J. Abrams, argue that the United States should lower the voting age requirement to 16 years old.

Zachary sets the scene with his poem, "What You Still Have Left To Give."

Samuel J. Abrams is a professor of politics at Sarah Lawrence College and a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. He is the co-author, with Jeremi and Zachary Suri, of a recent article in The Hill: "Give Young People the Vote," https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/587055-give-young-people-the-vote.

Jeremi and Zachary sit down and reflect what they learned from this year, from the January 6th insurrection to the new Omicron Variant, and how we can move forward as a country.

Zachary caps the year off with a new poem, "This year I'd like to love my country"

Jeremi, Zachary, and Dr. Garret J. Martin discuss the recent German election of chancellor Olaf Scholz last November. What could Germany's new, center-left government mean for global democracy?

Zachary sets the scene with his poem, "Not Just Us".

Dr. Garret J. Martin is a Senior Professorial Lecturer and the Co-Director of the Transatlantic Policy Center in the School of International Service at American University. He has written widely on transatlantic relations and Europe. He focuses on security, US foreign policy, NATO, European politics, European foreign policy and defense, and the European Union. He is a frequent media commentator, providing analysis and interviews, among others, to NPR, the BBC, CNN, Voice of America, USA Today, WUSA, ABC News Australia and France 24.