Washington Monthly

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ian Johnson discusses thelife of Liu Xiaobo, China’s sole laureate of the Nobel Peace Prize. Though Liu is hardly a household name in America, he is a pivotal figure for understanding modern China, Johnson argues. Johnson's recent ⁠review⁠ of I Have No Enemies, by Perry Link and Wu Dazhi (Columbia University Press), won the Washington Monthly’s ⁠2025 Kukula Award for Excellencein Nonfiction Book Reviewing⁠ for large publications.Host: Anne KimGuest: Journalist Ian JohnsonChapters:00:00 Introduction to Liu Xiaobo and His Significance03:47 The Life and Legacy of Liu Xiaobo06:44 Understanding Chinese History Through Liu Xiaobo09:42 Grassroots Activism and the Role of the Internet12:55 The Decline of Civil Society in China15:21 Future of Chinese Dissidents and Liu Xiaobo's Impact18:28 Engagement vs. Containment: American Perspectives on China21:20 China's Approach to Global Challenges and Future TechnologiesSubscribe to the Washington Monthly's podcast:https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLonp7h9esu5hYFpElBTi8uC8HT5bSqpFQ&si=VMM10M3WJpqDN3RqRead the Washington Monthly:www.washingtonmonthly.comSubscribe to the Washington Monthly's PolicyFix playlist:https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLonp7h9esu5j_rTTHx-0Vv_T_AyQqoRaO&si=AANgMFJ6G2_cOUM4Subscribe to the Washington Monthly's Democracy 101 playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLonp7h9esu5hW58ZQq-q8JVvn5eHWL5PL

The pending sale of an historic federal building by Trump could mean the wrecking ball for the “Sistine Chapel of New Deal Art.”  

Journalist Timothy Noah discusses the masterpieces of New Deal Art housed at the Wilbur Cohen Building in Washington, D.C. that Americans should fight to save.

Hosts: Anne Kim and Garrett Epps

Guest: Timothy Noah

Chapters

00:00 The Hidden Treasures of American Art

03:48 The Legacy of Public Art Programs

06:10 The Life and Work of Ben Shahn

11:50 The Significance of the Cohen Building's Murals

16:27 The Threat to Cultural Heritage

21:59 The Call to Action for Preservation

2025 Kukula Award winner Christoph Irmscher discusses hisreview of Arlie Russell Hochschild’s book, Stolen Pride: Loss, Shame, and the Rise of the Right, and the vital role of criticism in civil society.

Host: Anne Kim

Guest: Christoph Irmscher, Distinguished Professor of English, Indiana University

Chapters

04:56 Insights from 'Stolen Pride' and Empathy Bridge

09:43 The Concept of Stolen Pride and Polarization

14:51 The Role of Book Reviews in Today's Society

18:46 The Art of Book Reviewing

23:39 The Importance of Professional Critics

Virginia’s upcoming gubernatorial election will be a trialrun for next year’s midterms and an early referendum on Trump. Pollster Pete Brodnitz, founder of Expeditioin Strategies, critiques the strategies emerging from these campaigns.

Host: Anne Kim

Guest: Pete Brodnitz, Founder, Expedition Strategies

Chapters:

00:00 Virginia's Upcoming Elections: A Bellwether for the Nation?

06:08 Candidate Profiles: A New Era in Virginia Politics

11:26 Campaign Strategies: Culture Wars vs. Kitchen Table Issues

16:39 Turnout Dynamics: Northern Virginia's Influence

22:29 Down-Ballot Races: The GOP's Split Ticket Strategy

In what’s become increasingly common practice in recentmonths, the Supreme Court recently used its “emergency docket” to lift a lower court injunction barring the use of racial profiling by federal immigration officials. The Court’s order allows ICE officers in Los Angeles to continue aggressive “roving patrols” and detention practices based on a person’sappearance.

While the Court’s order was unsigned, it was accompanied by a rare concurring opinion by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who argued on both procedural and substantive grounds that the raids are legal.

In this episode, Washington Monthly Legal Affairs Editor Garrett Epps speaks with contributing writer Peter Shane about theflaws in Kavanaugh’s reasoning. Chapters

00:00 Supreme Court's Decision on Racial Profiling

06:55 Justice Kavanaugh's Opinion and Its Implications

14:02 The Concept of Standing in Legal Cases

20:18 The Broader Impact of ICE's Targeting Practices

24:52 Concluding Thoughts on Civil Liberties and the Court's Role

In comparison to its glitzy neighbor in Princeton, NewJersey’s Montclair State University cuts a relatively low profile. But its impact on the region is just as profound.Montclair is New Jersey’s second largest public university, with 21,000 students – the majority of whom are racial minorities and half of whom are the first in their families to go to college.

Montclair is also among the top-ranked colleges inWashington Monthly’s 2025 College Guide and Rankings as a “Best Bang for the Buck” institution in the Northeast. In this sponsored episode, Montclair’s president, Jonathan Koppell, describes his institution as both public and public serving.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Montclair State University

03:23 Affordability and Financial Aid Programs

06:13 Work-Based Learning Experiences

09:28 Student Success and Retention Programs

12:04 Community Engagement and Public Service

15:29 Advice for Prospective Students

Donald Trump recently declared on TruthSocial that he plans to “lead a movement to get rid of mail-in ballots.” He claimed that “ELECTIONS CAN NEVER BE HONEST WITH MAIL IN BALLOTS/VOTING, and everybody, IN PARTICULAR THE DEMOCRATS, KNOWS THIS.”

In truth, vote-by-mail is a bulwark of American democracy.

Trump’s efforts to end vote-by-mail are an extension of hisefforts to control the nation’s elections apparatus in advance of the 2026 midterms and to tilt the system in his favor. And if he succeeds, he could disenfranchise the millions of Americans – including seniors and people with disabilities – who depend on vote by mail to participate in elections.

In this episode of the Washington Monthly podcast, Anne Kim and Garrett Epps spoke with Phil Keisling, the former Oregon Secretary of State who pioneered modern systems of vote by mail and the founder of the National Vote at Home Institute.

Chapters

00:00 Understanding Vote by Mail

08:42 Debunking Myths: Fraud and Partisan Advantage

16:28 The Impact of Mail-in Voting on Turnout

24:47 Addressing Voter Suppression and Access

30:50 Empowering Citizens: Actions to Preserve Voting Access

President Donald Trump has condemned the District ofColumbia as a crime-ridden hellhole. He’s warned that “caravans of mass youth rampage through city streets,” and that the district’s murder rate is higher than “theworst places on Earth.”

More than 2,200 National Guard troops now rove the streets of the nation’s capital, at a cost of more than $1 million per day.

In truth, violent crime in D.C. is at a 30-year low, and Trump's real goal with his occupation of DC is to suppress resistance, not combat crime.

Washington Monthly Legal Affairs Editor spoke with Contributing Editor James Fallows about what life is really like in an occupied DC: Empty streets and an atmosphere. of fear. Chapters

00:00 The Current Mood in Washington, D.C.

11:42 Home Rule and Its Limits in D.C.

21:39 The Future of D.C. and Its Challenges

Higher education finance expert Sandy Baum explains what the“One Big Beautiful Act” means for student borrowers. Medical student and many middle-class parents could be in for a shock.

Guest: Sandy Baum, Senior Fellow, Urban Institute

Host: Anne Kim, Senior Editor, Washington Monthly

Unlike other college rankings that rate institutions for their “prestige” and selectivity, the Washington Monthly’s College Guide and Rankings scrutinizes schools for what really counts – their commitments to public service, research and social mobility for their students.

Founded by an abolitionist minister as the first inter-racial, coeducational college in the South, tiny Berea College in Kentucky – with about 1,550 students – is an exemplar of this ideal. That’s why it’s ranked number one in the Monthly’s 2025 College Guide. Fully 99 percent of its students are low- and moderate-income students eligible for Pell Grants. They pay no tuition and graduate nearly debt-free. The vast majority ofgraduates remain in the region, contributing to its economy and growth.

Monthly Editor in Chief Paul Glastris spoke with Berea President Cheryl Nixon about the college’s philosophy, approach and formula for student success.

Chapters

00:00 Celebrating Berea's Ranking

02:50 Understanding Berea College's Unique Model

06:17 Student Employment and Work College Model

08:32 Demographics and Community Impact

10:50 Academic Rigor and Career Preparation

13:20 Financial Accessibility and Student Debt

19:28 Berea's Endowment and Funding Model

22:09 Campus Life and Community Engagement

24:52 Admissions Process and Student Criteria

26:26 Dr. Nixon's Journey and Educational Philosophy

29:24 Berea's Lessons for Higher Education Today