Vice President Joe Biden

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Vice President Joe Biden

FromAspen Ideas to Go

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Length:

49 minutes

Released:

Dec 7, 2015

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

Vice President Joe Biden spoke at the Aspen Institute Summit on Inequality and Opportunity. Biden discussed root causes of poverty and inequality in America. He separately addressed topics related to terrorism, ISIS, and Syrian refugees.

Released:

Dec 7, 2015

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

Aspen Ideas to Go is a show about big ideas that will open your mind. Featuring compelling conversations with the world’s top thinkers and doers from a diverse range of disciplines, Aspen Ideas to Go gives you front-row access to the Aspen Ideas Festival and other events presented by the Aspen Institute.

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The Politics and Economics of Inequality: Professor Robert Reich examines what's happened to income and wealth in this country, why it's a problem, and what we can expect in future years. Recorded live at the Aspen Ideas Festival. by Aspen Ideas to Go
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Acting Out: From co-founding Artists for a Free South Africa, to working in failing schools to turn them around, actor and 2014 Harman-Eisner Artist in Residence Alfre Woodard has played a role in making change as an activist artist. Woodard joins the Aspen Institute's Damian Woetzel in a conversation about her career and work as an artist on the front lines. by Aspen Ideas to Go
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The Road to Depth, Thinking about what Character Is: Description Some people seem to lead inner lives that are richer and more substantive than the rest of us. How do they do it? In this talk, author and commentator David Brooks explores some of history's leaders in terms of personal character. He asks how love, suffering, struggle, surrender and obedience lead them to their depth. His latest book, "The Road to Character" was released on April 14, 2015. This talk, recorded last summer at the Aspen Ideas Festival, serves as a preview to many of the themes Brooks explores in the book. by Aspen Ideas to Go
58 min listen
A Formula for Happiness: Want to be happy? Arthur C. Brooks, president of the American Enterprise Institute, has read all of the books and studies about what makes us happy — so you don't have to. By marrying ancient wisdom and new data, he says we can identify what brings the most happiness, and the most unhappiness, to the most people. In short, love people, not pleasure. This Aspen Lecture was recorded live at the Aspen Ideas Festival. Check out the Aspen Lectures Compendium on iTunes U. by Aspen Ideas to Go
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"Wild" author Cheryl Strayed: Cheryl Strayed discusses her journey, chronicled in the hugely popular book, Wild, and shares her search to overcome heartache and find healing. (Recorded live at Aspen Words.) The book was adapted for film in 2014, and now the actresses playing Strayed and her mother (Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern, respectively) are up for Academy Awards. Strayed's latest project is Dear Sugar Radio. Check out that podcast, too. by Aspen Ideas to Go
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How Democracy Gets Restored by Aspen Ideas to Go
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"Redeployment" author Phil Klay: Winner of the 2014 National Book Award, "Redeployment" takes readers to the front lines of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Author Phil Klay reads from and discusses this collection of short stories which asks readers to understand what happened there, and what happened to the soldiers who returned. Interwoven are themes of brutality and faith, guilt and fear, helplessness and survival. the characters in these stories struggle to make meaning out of the chaos. NOTE: Contains graphic scenes that may not be suitable for everyone. by Aspen Ideas to Go
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The Obama Doctrine: America's Role in a Complicated World: Benjamin J. Rhodes, the deputy national security advisor to President Obama, was the chief US negotiator in the secret normalization talks with Cuba and has been a central player in the making of American foreign policy since 2009, both as a key advisor and as the president’s chief foreign policy speechwriter. Rhodes and Jeffrey Goldberg, national correspondent for The Atlantic, discuss the worldview of President Obama, focusing on Cuba, the Iran talks, and the continuing crisis across the broader Middle East. by Aspen Ideas to Go
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The Risky Business of Writing: Journalist Katie Couric interviews "House of Cards" creator and producer Beau Willimon. Recorded live at the Aspen Ideas Festival, the two have a lively conversation about Willimon's career (he studied painting in college and later worked on political campaigns) and the turbulent lives of the show's characters. The third season of the political drama hits Netflix on Feb. 27, 2015. NOTE: This episode contains explicit language. by Aspen Ideas to Go
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Flash Boys and the Human Piranha: Michael Lewis is the author of the bestsellers "Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt", "The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game", and "Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game", among other books. After graduating from Princeton University and the London School of Economics, Lewis worked on the bond desk at Salomon Brothers, an experience he recounted in "Liar's Poker", his first book. He left the financial world to become a journalist, writing on politics, finance and more for the New Republic, the New York Times Magazine, Slate and other publications. He is a contributing editor at Vanity Fair and columnist at Bloomberg View. Recorded live at Aspen Words. NOTE: This episode contains explicit language. by Aspen Ideas to Go
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A Conversation Across Cultures: In this lecture, philosopher, cultural theorist, and author Kwame Anthony Appiah rejects the idea that cross-cultural conversations often lead to the discovery of irreconcilable differences. The argument holds that conversations across groups about ethical questions breakdown because each culture has different and incompatible ethical starting points. Appiah maintains such an argument is mistaken. Because he says, many people have found cross-cultural encounters to be among the most rewarding experiences in their lives and without them, we have little chance of solving the global problems that we face. by Aspen Ideas to Go
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Kids These Days: Technology and Culture in American Life: What is new about how teenagers communicate through services such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram? Do social media affect the quality of teens’ lives? Youth culture and technology expert Danah Boyd talks with The Atlantic’s Hanna Rosin about what Boyd sees as the major myths regarding teens’ use of social media, exploring tropes about identity, privacy, safety, danger, and bullying. Boyd argues that society fails kids when paternalism and protectionism hinder their ability to become informed, thoughtful, and engaged citizens through their online interactions. How will emerging technologies continue to impact a new generation of Americans? by Aspen Ideas to Go
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The Resilience Dividend by Aspen Ideas to Go
59 min listen
Is Violence a Function of our Culture? by Aspen Ideas to Go
59 min listen
A Candid Conversation with John R. Lewis: Congressman John R. Lewis (D-GA), civil rights leader, and co-author of the bestselling graphic memoir March: Book One, is the recipient of numerous awards including the United States' highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His new graphic memoir trilogy, March, is a vivid first-hand account of Lewis' lifelong struggle for civil and human rights, meditating in the modern age on the distance traveled since the days of Jim Crow and segregation. Recorded live for the McCloskey Speaker Series. by Aspen Ideas to Go
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Undaunted: Stories from the Frontlines of Global Health: During the Ebola crisis, strong grassroots relationships and homegrown leadership made the difference between life and death. Drawing on that learning, movers and shakers from the Aspen New Voices Fellowship will share their stories about the silo-busting connections that can be forged under stress. From Sierra Leone to Nepal, these kinds of bonds keep our most vulnerable communities healthier and safer in perilous times. Aspen New Voices Fellows: Rubayat Khan, Relebohile Moletsane, Serufusa Sekidde, David Kuria, Kopano Mabaso, Abraham Leno, Samuel Kargbo, ElsaMarie D'Silva, Esther Ngumbi www.AspenNewVoices.org by Aspen Ideas to Go
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"Our Kids" author Robert D. Putnam: A professor of public policy at Harvard, Robert D. Putnam has consulted for the last three American presidents and many other leaders around the globe. His newest book, "Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis" is a groundbreaking examination of the growing inequality gap and explores why fewer Americans today have the opportunity for upward mobility. He has written fourteen books and been translated into more than twenty languages. His books "Bowling Alone" and "Making Democracy Work", are among the most cited publications in the social sciences in the last half century. This conversation between Putnam and Walter Isaacson, president and CEO of the Aspen Institute, was recorded live at the Institute's Alma and Joseph Gildenhorn Book Series. by Aspen Ideas to Go
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Circuit Training for Your Brain: Well-Being Is a Skill: Scientific evidence suggests that we can change our brains by transforming our minds and cultivating habits of mind that will improve well-being. These include happiness, resilience, compassion, and emotional balance. Each of these characteristics is instantiated in brain circuits that exhibit plasticity and thus can be shaped and modified by experience and training. Mental training to cultivate well-being has profound implications for schools, the workplace, and society as a whole. Richard J. Davidsonis the William James and Vilas Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry and director of the Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Davidson has published over 320 articles and edited 14 books, including The Emotional Life of Your Brain. NOTE: Davidson shared a couple of short video clips during his talk at the Festival. The first shows video games developed for kids to cultivate habits by Aspen Ideas to Go
44 min listen
Will Violence Be Our Legacy?: New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu says that nowhere is America's crisis of violence more evident than in the African-American community. In this talk, he asks: What’s the real cost of violence? And how do we change it? Since taking office in 2010, Landrieu has reformed the city’s police department and launched NOLA for Life, an initiative to reduce murders. And it seems to be working, at least incrementally: The murder rate in New Orleans has dropped for the third straight year. So what can the rest of the country learn from New Orleans? The Aspen Institute found this talk to be so compelling, that we’ll be taking a deeper look at Violence in America at the Aspen Ideas Festival this summer. by Aspen Ideas to Go
57 min listen
Faith and the Public Square: Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) discusses faith and public life with Jim Wallis. The conversation begins from an agreement that the separation of church and state is imperative but that moral values should not be segregated from public life. Coons, who graduated from Yale Law School and Yale Divinity School, has said, "I think it’s foundational to our country that if we allow people to choose their path of faith, they must of course be also free, welcomed, celebrated, to choose not to have faith in a supreme being." Coons was elected to Vice President Biden’s former seat in 2010. He serves on the Appropriations, Foreign Relations, Judiciary, Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and Ethics committees and is the ranking member of two subcommittees. Wallis is president and founder of Sojourners, a nonprofit faith-based organization whose mission is to "put faith into action for social justice." He is a "New York Times" bestselling author, public theologian, speak by Aspen Ideas to Go
57 min listen
A View from the White House: The President’s Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Advisor tells us what keeps her up at night and how she is working to make us all safe. Lisa Monaco, Deputy National Security Advisor and Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism; Moderator: Mike Isikoff, Chief Investigative Correspondent, Yahoo News. For more, visit: [www.aspensecurityforum.org](http://www.aspensecurityforum.org)- Follow @aspensecurity by Aspen Ideas to Go
47 min listen
From the Big Bang to Black Holes: Time, The Universe, and Everything: Astrophysicist and writer Janna Levin offers an epic tour through time from the beginning of the universe in a big bang, through black holes, past the emergence of life on at least one little planet spinning in a conceivably infinite cosmic ocean, to the possible end of time. by Aspen Ideas to Go
55 min listen
What's Character Got to Do with It?: David Brooks writes about character. Aaron Sorkin writes about characters. The opinionator and consummate storyteller join in a conversation about how Sorkin's connection to and love of character distinguishes his writing and his craft. They discuss Sorkin's new movie Steve Jobs. Aaron Sorkin is a screenwriter, playwright, and film and television producer. His screenplays include the 2012 film adaption of Moneyball, The Social Network, A Few Good Men, Malice, The American President, and Charlie Wilson's War. David Brooks is an op-ed columnist for The New York Times. He also writes frequently about culture and social sciences. Brooks is the bestselling author of four books, most recently The Road to Character. by Aspen Ideas to Go
59 min listen
When Experts Disagree – The Art of Medical Decision Making by Aspen Ideas to Go
59 min listen
Facing Death with Dignity and a Plan: How can our medical and social systems support or hinder dying? Do we have the right to bend the arc of our own death, or that of a loved one? How can we approach the final passage with grace? Dan Diaz (the husband of Brittany Maynard, who died in November 2014 from a brain tumor) discusses the matter with BJ Miller (executive director of Zen Hospice Project and an assistant clinical professor of medicine at UC San Francisco), Samuel Kargbo (director of policy and planning at the Ministry of Health and Sanitation in Sierra Leone) and journalist and author Courtney E. Martin. by Aspen Ideas to Go
66 min listen
Should We Design Our Babies?: The discussion of "designer babies" often revolves around gender or hair color, but as Nita Farahany and Marcy Darnovsky explore, the medical debate is far more complicated. Farahany is Professor of Law and Philosophy, Director of Institute for Genome Sciences and Policy, Duke University; Member, Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues. Should we screen embryos for disease? Should we make genetic modifications? These considerations raise ethical concerns and call into question the validity of surrounding research. The lack of regulation and oversight make this particular biotechnology frightening to some, while the potential for disease eradicating techniques excites others. But how far is too far? What are the major scientific and ethical hurdles to assuage the skeptics? Marcy Darnovsky is the executive director of the Center for Genetics and Society. Nita Farahany is professor of Law and Philosophy and director of the Institute for Gen by Aspen Ideas to Go
58 min listen
On Russia and Putinism: This episode features Nicholas Burns and Strobe Talbott discussing Russia and Putinism. Burns is director of the Aspen Strategy Group and Talbott is an ASG member and president of the Brookings Institution. In this discussion, they follow up on a lecture Talbott gave at the Aspen Institute back in August. That lecture, entitled "Putinism: The Back Story", focused on Russia’s current policies, turning a lens on what Talbott asserts are the undoing of recent reforms. (Watch the full lecture: https://goo.gl/obtm3Y) Here, Burns asks Talbott to reflect on what has changed, and what hasn’t, over the last eight months. by Aspen Ideas to Go
48 min listen
American Musical Traditions: At 28, musician Jon Batiste is considered by many to be one of the most exciting and progressive new crossover talents on the scene today. His modern take on the American songbook — equally influenced by his passion for jazz and classical styles, which he calls "Social Music" — attracts critical acclaim as well as audiences across all demographics. These two New Orleans natives will discuss Batiste's music, their hometown, the importance of music education, and the state and future of American musical traditions more broadly. Batiste demonstrates much of the music they discuss on his melodica. by Aspen Ideas to Go
53 min listen
The Church of Pope Francis: Nancy Gibbs, editor of TIME magazine, leads a conversation with: Michael Gerson, a nationally syndicated columnist whose writing appears twice weekly in 'The Washington Post'; Matt Malone, president and editor in chief of America Media, which publishes 'America: The National Catholic Review'; and Garry Wills, professor, historian, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author ("Why I Am a Catholic" and "The Future of the Catholic Church with Pope Francis"). This conversation took place in July at the Aspen Ideas Festival. by Aspen Ideas to Go
61 min listen
The Supreme Court's Marriage Equality Ruling: The Most Consequential Ruling in Our Lifetimes?: Recorded just four days after the SCOTUS ruling, this episode features a wide-ranging discussion of the cases and history behind the Marriage Equality ruling. Featuring the legal dream team that helped make this a reality, former Solicitor General Ted Olson and star litigator David Boies. Neal Katyal, former Acting Solicitor General, moderates the conversation. by Aspen Ideas to Go
63 min listen

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Katharine Hayhoe on Fighting Climate Change: Climate change is demanding an extraordinarily rapid transformation of human society, and we don’t have a manual. The people who have done the least to cause the problem are the people who will be feeling it most, and that pattern of inequality exists both within and between nations. Mapping a course to an adapted planet is an incredibly complex task that requires the cooperation of millions. Atmospheric scientist Katharine Hayhoe is one of those pitching in, and she has co-authored the past four U.S. National Climate Assessment reports. She’s also the chief scientist at The Nature Conservancy and a professor in the Texas Tech University Political Science department. Her multiple insider roles give her a unique perspective on what it will take to solve and adapt to the climate crisis, and her practice of finding hope keeps her engaged. NBC “Today” show weather and feature anchor Al Roker interviews Hayhoe at the 2024 Aspen Ideas: Climate eve by Aspen Ideas to Go
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What Makes a Life Worth Living?: For years, Yale undergraduate students have lined up to take a wildly popular course called Life Worth Living. Bucking the highly competitive tone you might expect at an Ivy League school, the class teaches students to look beyond traditional markers of success for deeper meaning. Theology professor Miroslav Volf is one of the co-teachers, and also one of the co-authors of a book version of the course that came out last year called “Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters Most.” Podcast and TV host Kelly Corrigan invited Volf to introduce the book and start an extended and lively conversation with a wide variety of writers and thinkers at the 2023 Aspen Ideas Festival. After setting the stage with Volf, Corrigan poses probing questions to Mónica Guzmán, the author of “I Never Thought of It That Way” and a senior fellow at Braver Angels, James Ijames, a playwright who won a 2022 Pulitzer for his play “Fat Ham,” Alexandra Reeve Givens, a lawyer and CEO by Aspen Ideas to Go
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Our Changing World with Thomas Friedman: The world seems to be moving and evolving faster than ever before, and democratic ideals are under threat in many countries around the globe. New York Times columnist and journalist Thomas Friedman has spent his career learning how to see things from many sides and identify the seams in the fabric of society. He believes we’re at a moment in time when it’s critical that we focus our energy on coming together and rebuilding functional democracy. In the closing session of the 2023 Aspen Ideas Festival last June, Friedman shares his experiences of reporting in the Middle East and at home in the United States, and reflects on witnessing the best and worst of humanity. by Aspen Ideas to Go
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Our Modern Sex Lives: After millennia of human existence, we’re still figuring out and talking constantly about one of our most fundamental behaviors – sex. Despite the sexual revolution of the 60s and 70s and the growth of sex positivity in recent decades, a lot of people still report having a lot of bad sex. The reasons for that are varied and multiple, but culture has a role to play, and we can help each other get to the root of what might be making sex feel unsatisfying, or even scary or shameful. In this panel from the 2023 Aspen Ideas Festival, the renowned sex columnist Dan Savage, longtime author of the Savage Love advice column, joins Washington Post columnist Christine Emba, author of “Rethinking Sex: A Provocation,” for a candid conversation about building healthy sex lives and finding physical connection. Kelly Corrigan, the host of the PBS show “Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan,” moderates the conversation and carefully chooses questions from the audience. by Aspen Ideas to Go
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How Do We Put Guardrails on A.I.?: Artificial intelligence is making world-changing advances every day. But these powerful tools can be used for malicious and nefarious purposes just as easily as they can be used for good. How can society put guardrails on this technology to ensure that we build the most safe and responsible version of the future, where A.I. is assistive rather than weaponized? Google’s senior vice president of research, technology and society, James Manyika, is trying to help solve this problem. He’s been working in A.I. since the 1990s, and is vice chair of Biden’s National AI Advisory Committee. He talks with New York Times journalist Thomas Friedman about finding the right balance between allowing innovation to flourish and preventing runaway negative outcomes. by Aspen Ideas to Go
52 min listen
Shakespeare in Contemporary America, with 'Fat Ham' Creator James Ijames: Shakespeare is ubiquitous in literature classes and theater, but the avenues of relating to his work are not always clear to young people and modern audiences. Some, such as Shakespeare scholar and professor Ayanna Thompson, argue that his plays make sense as living, breathing, adaptable instruments that can be shaped to fit the times. Playwright, director and professor James Ijames created a prime example of interpretation with his play “Fat Ham,” an adaptation of Hamlet that won the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The two come together on stage at the festival to talk about what makes a good Shakespeare adaptation work, and why people have been inspired to run with his work and messages for centuries. Oskar Eustis, NYU Tisch School of the Arts professor and the artistic director of The Public Theater in New York, where “Fat Ham” premiered, moderates the conversation. by Aspen Ideas to Go
54 min listen
Building a Zero Carbon American Future: Climate change catastrophes are already happening with increasing regularity, and it’s clear we need to take action. The Biden administration has set a target of zero carbon emissions in the United States by 2050. Reaching that ambitious goal will require a major transition in many sectors, including energy, agriculture, transportation, manufacturing and construction. John Podesta leads the Office of Domestic Climate Policy in the White House, and is focused on implementing the projects funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, the largest investment in clean energy the country has ever made. As he puts it, we have to get good at building things again, with an eye toward a carbon-free future. Podesta talks with Noticias Telemundo reporter Vanessa Hauc about what it will take to meet our climate goals, and what success looks like. by Aspen Ideas to Go
60 min listen
Who Can Track and Hack Our Brains?: A technological future where our brain waves could be monitored and our thoughts decoded and analyzed — sometimes against our will — is not as far away as we think. But our existing legal protections and conception of human rights around cognitive liberty are trailing innovations in neurotechnology. Brain hacking tools and devices could bring massive benefits, for people suffering from dementia or mental health disorders, for instance. If we want to avoid dystopian outcomes, though, we have to be deliberate about how we allow this technology to develop, says Nita Farahany, a bioethics researcher and professor at Duke University. In this talk, Farahany points to what we need to watch out for, and explains how to proceed carefully. With her 2023 book, “The Battle for Your Brain: Defending Your Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology,” as a guide, she explains why several major tech companies are betting big on brain data collection tools. A by Aspen Ideas to Go
52 min listen
Investing in Shared American Prosperity: Even when the economy is booming and unemployment is low, millions of Americans still face economic hardship. And in the last few years the United States has dealt with supply chain challenges, inflation and financial instability. The economic tools we have to identify, address and talk about those problems aren’t always up to the task, and sometimes the picture we get is hard to match with reality. Gene Ludwig is a longtime financial advisor to Wall Street, and founder of the Ludwig Institute for Shared Economic Prosperity. His organization aims to help middle and low-income families achieve prosperity, in part by developing new headline statistics for economic data that bring us closer to truly understanding Americans’ experiences. Ludwig joins Heather Boushey from Biden’s Council of Economic Advisors on stage at the Aspen Institute, for a conversation about how to truly invest in American industry from the ground up. What principles and polic by Aspen Ideas to Go
49 min listen
Where Ancient Faiths Meet Modern Lives: The United States is a more secular society than many, and the percentage of people who don’t identify with organized religion is rising. Some of the impacts from that shift might be obvious, such as declining membership in congregations or decreased support for religious organizations and institutions. But some of the consequences are less obvious. How do we change as people when we don’t practice religious ritual? When we aren’t part of a community? Three scholars and leaders from different religious traditions come together on stage at the Aspen Ideas Festival to grapple with these questions. They point out how ancient faiths permeate our modern lives even where we don’t notice, and speak about the spiritual gaps religion fills for people and society. Kate Bowler is a podcast host and history professor at Duke Divinity School. Haroon Moghul is an imam and director of The Concordia Forum, a network of Muslim leaders. And Shira Stutman is interi by Aspen Ideas to Go
53 min listen
Balancing Work and Life with Mary Louise Kelly: About two decades ago, NPR host Mary Louise Kelly had her first child and went down the extremely common yet commonly daunting life path of balancing a demanding career with a family. As a national security correspondent on assignment war zones, she missed family events and emergency phone calls from her kids’ school. As the daily weekday co-host of “All Things Considered,” she missed almost all of her sons’ soccer games. She’s tried working full time, working part time, working from home and working far away from home, and in each, there’s been something missing. Every year, she said she would figure it out next year. But as she writes in her latest book, the memoir “It. Goes. So. Fast.: The Year of No Do-Overs,” next year came quickly. Her sons were about to leave for college, and she had to make the most of the time they had left. Kelly talks with podcast and TV host Kelly Corrigan, host of PBS’ “Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan,” abou by Aspen Ideas to Go
60 min listen
Thinking, Innovating and A.I. with Walter Isaacson: Artificial intelligence is clearly going to change our lives in multiple ways. But it’s not yet obvious exactly how, and what the impacts will be. We can predict that certain jobs held by humans will probably be taken over by computers, but what about our thoughts? Will we still think and create in the same ways? Author and former Aspen Institute president Walter Isaacson has been writing biographies about big thinkers and innovators for decades, including Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs, Benjamin Franklin and Jennifer Doudna. Isaacson returned to the world of technology for his most recent book on Elon Musk. Journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin interviews Isaacson on stage at the Aspen Ideas Festival about whether a society fully integrated with AI can foster the same qualities shared by many influential people. Will A.I. augment the best that humans have to offer, or will it compete with or even degrade human intelligence? And are there some t by Aspen Ideas to Go
54 min listen
Harnessing A.I. in Education with Sal Khan: When Sal Khan created Khan Academy, he was trying to scale up the successful experiences he’d had tutoring his cousins one-on-one in math. He saw how effective it could be for students to go at their own pace, ask questions and be questioned about their reasoning, and he wanted to make those benefits available to as many kids as possible. The organization eventually grew to include free online content on just about every subject taught in schools, and even test prep for the LSATs and MCATs. Now Khan Academy has been experimenting with the next level of scalable tutoring. In March, the organization launched Khanmigo, a generative artificial intelligence tool made specifically for learning. Educators have been embroiled in debate about the role A.I. could and should play in school, and how to ensure that it’s effective for students and trustworthy for teachers. Khanmigo is aimed at quelling some of those fears and finding the opportunity in tec by Aspen Ideas to Go
57 min listen
The Dilemmas of Hostage Diplomacy: The White House has declared hostage-taking to be a national emergency. In July 2022, Biden issued an executive order outlining steps to deter the practice and help bring Americans back sooner. Increasingly, autocratic nation states such as Russia and Iran are detaining U.S. citizens unlawfully or on minor and bogus charges with the aim of getting something they want. Hostage diplomacy is no longer a tactic of terrorists or rogue actors, but a tool government officials are turning to. Roger Carstens, the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, is the person who takes charge and tries to start negotiations when the State Department determines that a detainment is a diplomatic issue. At the Aspen Ideas Festival, NBC correspondent Tom Llamas talks with Carstens about the process, as well as Jason Rezaian, who spent 544 days in an Iranian prison for being a Washington Post reporter. Hostage expert Dani Gilbert, a political science professor at Nor by Aspen Ideas to Go
59 min listen
Wicked Problem: The Road Ahead for Immigration Policy: Almost everyone agrees that immigration policy in the United States is lacking, but despite decades of debate, Congress has not been able to pass comprehensive reform on the issue. For some, the primary issues are border security and economic concerns, and for others, labor needs and a commitment to humanitarianism take precedence. Why is it so hard to find common ground, and what are some visions for a different immigration future? NBC correspondent Tom Llamas moderates a panel of experts at the Aspen Ideas Festival who identify the key immigration pressure points and share thoughts on moving forward. Former Arizona Governor Doug Ducey joins Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, the head of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, U.S. representative Tony Gonzales from Texas and Mary Kay Henry, the international president of the Service Employees International Union. by Aspen Ideas to Go
41 min listen

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