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What Could Go Right?

Podglomerate

What if instead of being on the brink of disaster, we’re on the cusp of a better world? No one can deny the challenges the world faces, from pandemics to climate change to authoritarianism. But pessimism and despair are too easy a response. Each week, Progress Network Founder Zachary Karabell and Executive Director Emma Varvaloucas convene a diverse panel of experts to discuss the central issues of our era, including sustainability, polarization, work, and the economy, and make the case for a brighter future. They emerge from their conversations with a counterintuitive but informed take: progress is on its way.

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Location:

United States

Networks:

Podglomerate

Description:

What if instead of being on the brink of disaster, we’re on the cusp of a better world? No one can deny the challenges the world faces, from pandemics to climate change to authoritarianism. But pessimism and despair are too easy a response. Each week, Progress Network Founder Zachary Karabell and Executive Director Emma Varvaloucas convene a diverse panel of experts to discuss the central issues of our era, including sustainability, polarization, work, and the economy, and make the case for a brighter future. They emerge from their conversations with a counterintuitive but informed take: progress is on its way.

Language:

English

Episodes

S4. Ep. 17: A Better World with James Pethokoukis

6/7/2023
Did anyone "win" the debt ceiling debate? Where is the economy headed, long-term? And what breakthroughs can be used to build a better world? James Pethokoukis, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he specializes in US economic policy, joins us to share his perspective on a brighter future. Plus, bacteria-fighting AI and tracking social progress. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:00:59:04

S4. Ep. 16: What We Talk About When We Talk About Science with Sara Walker

5/31/2023
What's the nature of the universe? What is life? And what do we talk about when we talk about science? We're joined by Professor Sara Walker, an astrobiologist and theoretical physicist with research interests in the origins of life, artificial life, and detection of life on other worlds, to see how the way we think about the world informs the rest of our being. Plus, Indonesia's growing economy, US job satisfaction, and an update on mapping the human genome. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:00:51:25

S4. Ep. 15: How to Be Optimistic About America with John Avlon

5/24/2023
What road is hyperpartisanship taking us down? Can we learn from our history? And is the current state of American politics worse than ever before? Today, we talk with CNN's senior political analyst and author of "Lincoln and the Fight for Peace," John Avlon, to discuss how the past can inform our understanding of and response to current political conditions. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:00:58:39

S4. Ep. 14: Ukraine's Counteroffensive with Tim Mak

5/17/2023
What is the human side of war? Investigative journalist Tim Mak joins us from Kyiv to share an update on Ukraine's spring counteroffensive, what life is like in a war-torn country, and what he has learned about resilience and mental health covering his first war. Plus, electric vehicles' growth is explosive, and a battery breakthrough that could make electric passenger aircraft possible. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:00:53:55

S4. Ep. 13: Demon Drugs and Moral Panics with Maia Szalavitz

5/10/2023
Is drug use always harmful? How does empathy play a role in addiction? Could it be more beneficial to approach drug use as a public health issue rather than a criminal one? In this episode, we speak with Maia Szalavitz, an award-winning journalist and author, about the potential benefits of harm reduction for addiction treatment and addressing larger societal issues. Plus, we take a look at smart guns and serial killers. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:00:52:51

S4. Ep. 12: Artificial Unintelligence with Baratunde Thurston

5/3/2023
Is technology moving us forward or backward? What is the human cost of progress? And is artificial intelligence making people more divided, or can it help us find common ground? Comedian, commentator, and author Baratunde Thurston joins us to talk about how technology and humanity are sometimes at odds and sometimes companions. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:00:56:13

S4. Ep. 11: Challenging the Consensus on China with Jessica Chen Weiss

4/26/2023
Is China the US's perennial enemy? How do the complexities of China's political landscape affect global affairs? And is conflict over Taiwan inevitable? In today's episode, we explore these questions with Jessica Chen Weiss, a Cornell professor and author specializing in Chinese foreign policy and nationalism. Plus, we learn about Uzbekistan's change in domestic violence criminality and have an update on malaria vaccinations. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:00:50:43

S4. Ep. 10: Demanding More: Politics in Sub-Saharan Africa with Ebenezer Obadare

4/19/2023
Are the tides shifting in Africa? What direction is the continent's progress toward good governance headed? And how should we understand competing international interests and investment there? Ebenezer Obadare, a Douglas Dillon senior fellow for Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, joins us to examine Nigeria's contentious election as well as China's, Russia's, and the US's involvement in Africa. Plus, we look at changes in airport security, US unemployment, and inflation. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:00:53:37

S4. Ep. 9: The Boys Are Not All Right with Richard Reeves

4/12/2023
Is the struggle of boys and men a partisan issue? And how have recent economic and social changes influenced the classroom, the workplace, and the family? Brookings Institution scholar Richard V. Reeves joins us to tackle the complex crisis of boyhood and manhood. Plus, we look at the US's renewable power industry and discuss Malaysia's death penalty change. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:01:03:37

S4. Ep. 8: The Globalization Myth with Shannon O'Neil

4/5/2023
How have regional dynamics shifted in an increasingly globalizing world? And what is going on in Latin America and Mexico, and how will it affect the United States? Today we talk with Shannon O'Neil, vice president, deputy director of studies, and senior fellow for Latin America Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, as well as the author of the book "The Globalization Myth: Why Regions Matter." Plus, we take a look at medicine, drug, and vaccine breakthroughs from around the world. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:00:56:39

S4. Ep. 7: How to Create Positive Change with Danielle Moodie and Wajahat Ali

3/29/2023
How does change actually occur? And what are the best tactics for bringing large coalitions together? Hosts of Democracy-ish, Danielle Moodie and Wajahat Ali, discuss the balance between angry revolution and individual hope, and what ultimately gets people on board with a movement. Plus, we take a look at the World Happiness Report and the college enrollment drop. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:01:02:59

S4. Ep. 6: Entangled with Isaac Saul

3/22/2023
Are we as divided as we think we are? Is it possible to move out of our political and news silos? And is there a way to re-establish trust in the media? Isaac Saul, the founder of Tangle News, shares his effort to offer truly bipartisan journalism. Plus, what's going on with Silicon Valley Bank, fentanyl test strips, and declassified Covid information? What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:01:04:36

S4. Ep. 5: Bootstrapping the American Dream with Alissa Quart

3/15/2023
Has the American Dream changed? Is a side hustle the answer to income inequality? And is self-reliance the all-important north star we have been led to believe it is? Today, author, journalist, and Executive Director of the Economic Hardship Reporting Project, Alissa Quart, asserts that at the heart of our distress is a misplaced belief in our independence and the conviction that we must rely on ourselves alone. Plus, a look at women's rights worldwide and a rise in guaranteed paid paternity leave. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:01:00:50

S4. Ep. 4: Government Secrecy with Matthew J. Connelly

3/8/2023
What's with Biden's, Trump's, and Pence's classified documents? Why is everything secret in the first place? And what is this costing democracy? Matthew J. Connelly, professor of international and global history at Columbia University, principal investigator at History Lab, and author of the book "The Declassification Engine," looks at the consequence of unchecked governmental power and the effect it has on citizens. Plus, Human Rights Watch's good news for kids and open source farming. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:01:03:20

S4. Ep. 3: Living Up to America's Promises with Peniel E. Joseph

3/1/2023
Are we actually a "United" States? Has the US lived up to the promise of inclusivity, freedom, equality, and opportunity for everyone? And where can we go from here? Peniel E. Joseph, professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs and the history department in the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin, joins us to ask these questions and point to the successful building of a multiracial democracy. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:01:04:23

S4. Ep. 2: Moral Ambition with Rutger Bregman

2/22/2023
What incentivizes human behavior? How many of our problems come from a lack of cash? And how does shame work as a motivator? Join us and Rutger Bregman, author of “Humankind” and “Utopia for Realists,” to talk about balancing a critical eye with the conviction that the world can be improved upon. Plus, we look at the new billions being spent to fight HIV and malaria abroad, Kenya’s Right to Disconnect, and therapeutic psilocybin use in Australia. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:00:52:04

S4. Ep. 1: Good Indicators: A Bird's Eye View of 2023 with Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas

2/15/2023
What's going on with "the economy"? Is now the best time to be in love in all of human history? Should we be worried about the global state of democracy? "What Could Go Right?" hosts Zachary Karabell, founder of The Progress Network, and Emma Varvaloucas, executive director of The Progress Network, take a look at the world as it currently is and as it could be in 2023. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:00:47:13

"What Could Go Right?" Season 4

2/1/2023
Whether you need a pick-me-up or are already an optimist looking for smart, new solutions to old problems, a new season of "What Could Go Right?" starts February 15th, wherever you listen to podcasts. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:00:01:11

S3. Ep. 12: Misinformation, Climate Momentum, and Negative Headlines with Bina Venkataraman

12/14/2022
Is there a shift in momentum around the climate crisis? Will we ever hit our environmental goals? How has gatekeeping and bias informed our news? Plus, we talk with Editor-at-Large for The Boston Globe and former Senior Advisor for Climate Change Innovation in the Obama White House, Bina Venkataraman. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:00:49:06

S3. Ep. 11: The Modern Muslim World, Social Media's Positive Effects, and Gay Marriage in America with Mustafa Akyol

12/7/2022
Are we in an ebb of liberalism worldwide, or are recent events like the protests in Iran a sign of pushback? What would a "John Locke" movement for Islam look like? We’re joined by Mustafa Akyol, senior fellow at the Cato Institute’s Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity, whose work examines the intersection of religion, culture, and government. Plus, the first GMO aimed at solving a public health issue, social media's surprisingly positive effects on American teens, and the new paradigm for gay marriage in the US. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.

Duration:00:49:46

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