An examination of the current moment demonstrates that the United States is mired in a social crisis which is intensifying political polarization. What role do institutions play in staving off further discord? Yuval Levin is the founding editor of National Affairs and the Director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at the American Enterprise Institute.  He joins Jeremy to discuss his book A Time to Build and delves into a conversation on the role of institutions in shaping people and common goals. Yuval touches on the ways in which institutional failures are engendering social difficulties, paying particular attention to the shifting role of higher education. While the cultural debate concerning free speech on campus seems to have captured the attention of the American public, Yuval notes that renewed discussion on the purpose of higher education—one that focuses on the pursuit of truth through teaching and learning—may hold promise not only for the formative experience of college itself, but may also provide answers to the growing enrollment quandary in the U.S. today. Send questions or comments to [email protected].

Host Jeremy Tate @JeremyTate41
Guest Yuval Levin
A Time to Build: From Family and Community to Congress and the Campus, How Recommitting to Our Institutions Can Revive the American Dream
National Affairs