On July 22, Brent Orrell from AEI and Tony Pipa from Brookings hosted a discussion about Casa Grande Valley Farms, an agricultural cooperative from the New Deal era that faced challenges and eventually failed. AEI's Kevin R. Kosar, who has republished a book on the project, joined the conversation to discuss the lessons this historical case offers for modern federal rural economic development, especially in the context of recent legislative investments like the CHIPS and Science Act.

Mentioned in the episode:

Tony Pipa (Brookings)

Kevin R. Kosar (AEI)

Casa Grande Valley Farms

The Government Project by Edward C. Banfield

Cooperative model

The Great Depression

CHIPS and Science Act

No Child Left Behind

USAID

Russ Roberts, President of Shalem College in Jerusalem and host of the Econtalk podcast, discusses his book, “Wild Problems: A Guide to the Decisions That Define Us. The book discusses Robert’s approach to problems that can’t be solved with normal economics analysis. In this episode, Brent and Russ also discuss the influences Russ had growing up and the advice he has for young people today.

Mentioned in the Episode

Wild Problems by Russ Roberts

Shalem College in Jerusalem

It’s a Wonderful Loaf Poem

Keynes vs. Hayek Rap Battle

The Price of Everything by Russ Roberts

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Kentucky Community College Using AI to Train Peer Support Specialists

F.A. Hayek

Milton Friedman

Deirdre McCloskey

Gary Becker

Divides between rural and urban America have their roots in longstanding demographic, economic, technological, and social factors. In a new event series, AEI’s Brent Orrell and the Brookings Institution’s Tony Pipa are hosting a series of conversations “On the Front Porch” with authors of recent research on issues facing rural America.

These discussions explore the unique challenges and opportunities facing rural America and consider policy options to promote development and opportunity. Today on Hardly Working, we bring you the first of these events, a conversation with Nicholas F. Jacobs, the author of the recent book The Rural Voter: The Politics of Place and the Disuniting of America, which examines the state of politics in rural America.

Orrell, Pipa, and Jacobs consider the book’s central claim that rural Americans have in recent years combined a deep sense of connection to place with increasingly nationalized policy and political concerns to form a distinct voting bloc. They also discuss the history of rural America; the social, cultural, and economic forces that have affected it in recent years; and the popular notion of a stark rural-urban divide. Overall, they emphasize the importance of dispelling myths about rural America to overcome distrust and disunity.

Mentioned in this Episode

Reimagining Rural Policy Initiative

General Social Survey

Omaha Platform of 1892

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance

Federalism

American Exchange Project

Brent talks with Tamar Jacoby on the valuable and often overlooked role community colleges play for both four-year universities and local employeers

The post Tamar Jacoby on the future of community colleges appeared first on American Enterprise Institute - AEI.

Can thinking through the arch of history assist modern thinkers in planning for the future? Or is the future uncertain and separate from the happenings of the past? Brent cohosts today’s episode with Albert Zambone, an Oxford University-trained historian of colonial America and the host of the Historically Thinking podcast. Together, Brent and Al interview […]

The post Future history: looking behind to shape what’s ahead appeared first on American Enterprise Institute - AEI.

Contrary to the popular assumption that people who engage in criminal activity at some point in their life will always be dangerous and criminally-oriented, the data show that the majority of people who leave prison will never become re-incarcerated. Brent talks to Shawn Bushway, a criminologist at the University of Albany and a Senior Policy […]

The post Once a criminal, not always a criminal: What we know about desistance appeared first on American Enterprise Institute - AEI.

Hundreds of thousands of workers are no longer working standard office hours in a corporate setting, but instead work freelance and gig jobs that allow for greater flexibility in hours, job type, and location. Is the future of the American labor market in gig work, and how are workers faring in the new, gig economy? […]

The post Worker without a boss: The new American gig economy appeared first on American Enterprise Institute - AEI.

Technology has been rapidly advancing, and along with it has come an increased reliance on artificial intelligence, algorithms, and other forms of computer programming. Can we trust these programs to uphold our values of inclusion, diversity, and fairness? Brent talks to Robert Elliot Smith, an artificial intelligence expert and author of “Rage Inside the Machine: […]

The post How computers and the algorithms that drive them influence our life, work, and future appeared first on American Enterprise Institute - AEI.

Nowhere was the economic shutdown caused by the spread of the coronavirus more apparent than in the nation’s the major cities that became the early epicenters of the pandemic. When cities reopen, will the people and businesses who left come back? This episode of Hardly Working is an interview Brent Orrell did with Bob Zadek […]

The post What does COVID-19 mean for the future of American cities? appeared first on American Enterprise Institute - AEI.

Policymakers and parents alike have been encouraging young people for decades to pursue STEM degrees and careers so they could become financially and socially successful. Does the data support the assumption that going into STEM fields leads to a good career? Brent talks to Dan Cox, a Research Fellow at AEI, and Kadeem Noray, a […]

The post Is STEM education and training working? And for whom? appeared first on American Enterprise Institute - AEI.

In the wake of George Floyd’s death at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer, people across the nation have been urgently calling for meaningful police reform and better treatment of minority groups by law enforcement. Brent talks to Harry Holzer, the LaFarge SJ Professor at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University […]

The post Harry Holzer on racial disparities, crime, policing, and the COVID economy appeared first on American Enterprise Institute - AEI.

The nation’s prison systems have many demands on their limited resources. To use those resources effectively, we need to connect individuals with the right intervention for their needs and risks. Automated risk-need-responsivity (RNR) assessments help take the guess-work out of prisoner transitions, improve efficiency, and increase the chances for success.  Brent talks to Grant Duwe, Research […]

The post Can computers improve reentry outcomes? How automated risk assessments save money and help offenders. appeared first on American Enterprise Institute - AEI.

What started as working from home for a few weeks to flatten the curve of COVID-19, has instead turned into months of telecommuting with no end in sight. While working remotely has presented both benefits and challenges, many workers and employers are asking themselves, is this a permanent change in how we work? Brent talks […]

The post Dilbert’s revenge: Did COVID-19 kill cubicle culture? appeared first on American Enterprise Institute - AEI.

In recent years, confidence in higher education has plummeted. This decline has prompted a vigorous debate on the role of all types of post-secondary education. 

In their recent book America’s Hidden Economic Engines: How Community Colleges Can Drive Shared Prosperity, Robert B. Schwartz and Rachel Lipson make the case for the value of community colleges. Surveying five case studies across the US–in Ohio, Virginia, Arizona, Texas, and Mississippi–they argue that community colleges serve as “engines” of social mobility for individuals and communities. Their research shows that community colleges have proven remarkably effective at mitigating economic inequality and promoting social engagement and economic development.

Today, Brent sits down with Lipson and Schwartz to discuss what their research means for students and policymakers.

Mentioned in this episode

Year Up

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

Pathways to Prosperity Network

Lorain County Community College

Pima Community College

Lightcast

The Coleman Report

Raj Chetty

Opportunity Insights

The past few months have brought an onslaught of new policies attempting to curb the spread of COVID-19, but were they the right decisions based upon the data we have about the virus?  And what comes next? Brent talks to Lyman Stone, an adjunct fellow at AEI and a research fellow at the Institute for […]

The post What’s the next move on COVID? appeared first on American Enterprise Institute - AEI.

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and machine learning in recent decades has had a ripple effect throughout the economy. As the economic landscape continues to change, we are once again asking ourselves about what the future of work looks like, and, when it comes to computers exactly who will be working for whom. Brent […]

The post Meet Your New Colleague: Artificial Intelligence appeared first on American Enterprise Institute - AEI.

Brent talks with a panel of workforce experts about how Austin, TX has found success in getting people back to work where so many cities have struggled.

The post Building workforce and prosperity from the ground up appeared first on American Enterprise Institute - AEI.

Millions of youth are neither in school nor working, falling through the cracks of the various systems put in place to help them transition into adulthood. The spread of COVID-19 will become another barrier in these young people’s lives as they pursue economic independence. On this episode, Brent talks to Anne Kim, author of “Abandoned: […]

The post It will take a village to help youth navigate life post-COVID appeared first on American Enterprise Institute - AEI.

Brent and Michael Blastland discuss the advantages and risks of our scientific and technological dependance in the COVID-19 age

The post The limits of science: How our obsession with data interferes with our pursuit of knowledge appeared first on American Enterprise Institute - AEI.

Brent talks to Mauricio Miller about the success working with low-income families to develop generational change has in lifting people out of poverty

The post Is There a Better Way to Solve Poverty? appeared first on American Enterprise Institute - AEI.

AEI's Brent Orrell and Mason Bishop discuss the value of many government workforce development programs and how to find a more effective solution

The post The building blocks of the federal workforce system appeared first on American Enterprise Institute - AEI.

Goodwill CEO and former HUD Secretary Steve Preston talks with Brent about how to provide disadvantaged workers with the skills needed in the modern economy

The post COVID-19: Another barrier to employment for low-skilled workers? appeared first on American Enterprise Institute - AEI.

Chris Wilson joins Brent to discuss how goal-setting gave his life purpose in prison, and how those same goals allowed him to give back once out of prison.

The post Finding purpose behind bars (with Chris Wilson) appeared first on American Enterprise Institute - AEI.

Computer technology and robotics are transforming the global economy in ways still not fully known. What implications does this have for the US workforce?

The post Will technological advances transform work? appeared first on American Enterprise Institute - AEI.

As artificial intelligence (AI) bounds ahead, many are rightfully concerned about the risks and ethical issues it raises. Perhaps some of the most practical of these is the potential that AI will be biased against minority populations because of deficiencies in the data used to build it. If true, this would have serious implications for human resources and hiring. 

Today, Brent sits down with Keith Sonderling, a commissioner on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or EEOC. Sonderling delves into the challenges and opportunities presented by the integration of AI into the workplace, particularly in hiring and employment decisions. And he emphasizes the complexity of AI and the difficulty – yet necessity – of regulating it so that it can benefit everyone.

We hope you enjoy this conversation.

Mentioned in this Episode

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

Fair Labor Standards Act

Family Medical Leave Act

Goldman Sachs on AI’s Impact on the Labor Market

World Economic Forum on AI’s Impact on the Labor Market

New York Local Law 144

European Union AI Act

Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs

Every year, 600,000 Americans are released from prison, and nearly two-thirds of them will be rearrested for new crimes within three years. Many attempts at reducing criminal recidivism have yielded disappointing results, leading researchers and policymakers to ask “what works” in improving the odds of a successful return to society? Brent Orrell is joined by […]

The post What, if anything, works in prisoner reentry? appeared first on American Enterprise Institute - AEI.

Can the writings of an 18th century philosopher help the modern person find meaning and purpose? Before he wrote the Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith wrote another book, The Theory of Moral Sentiments, which helps us understand how a good life, one marked by both prosperity and personal happiness, is achieved.

Join Brent Orrell and Ryan Hanley, a professor of political science at Boston College, for a discussion of his latest book “Our Great Purpose: Adam Smith on Living a Better Life (Princeton University Press, 2019)”. 

Babies begin learning from the moment they are born, absorbing and processing the world around them. However, their ability to process and understand large quantities of information diminishes over time. Research shows that if a child enters kindergarten behind, they are unlikely to catch up to their peers. Because of this, the early years of life are crucial to human capital development and our nation’s ability to maintain an efficient and productive workforce.

In this episode, AEI Scholar Katharine Stevens and Brent discuss how quality child care is a form of workforce preparation.

Family is the seedbed of skill development for young children: relationships within the family influence a child’s development in all areas of their life. Furthermore, as family structure has morphed and shifted over the past few decades, so have the economic outcomes for children.

In this episode, Brent Orrell hosts Alan Hawkins of Brigham Young University and W. Bradford Wilcox of AEI to discuss marriage, family life, and the economics of family formation. Join us as they discuss the impact of family structure on long-term outcomes for kids.

The success sequence shows that people who finish high school, work full-time, and marry before having children have a low chance of experiencing poverty. Yet fostering and developing those behaviors is complex and affected by countless external factors.

In this episode, host Brent Orrell joins Isabell Sawhill of the Brookings Institution and Ian Rowe, a visiting fellow at AEI and Fordham Institute and cohost of AEI's "Are You Kidding Me?" podcast. Together, they discuss ways to help young people find and maintain pathways to success as they enter adulthood. 

Most people know that the human brain is divided into two hemispheres: the left brain and the right brain. But what purpose does this division serve, and how does it influence perception, behavior, economics, and culture?

In this episode of "Hardly Working," host Brent Orrell is joined by Dr. Iain McGilchrist, author of "The Master and His Emissary," to discuss how the makeup of our brain influences our work and social lives. Dr. McGilchrist is a psychiatrist and professor of literature residing on the Isle of Skye in North West Scotland.

We know... do we really need another podcast in this world? How will this actually help us in our careers and lives?

Host Brent Orrell explains what drove him to create Hardly Working, what this podcast provides, the experience he brings, and how he believes this podcast will make you a better worker, a better citizen, and a better person.

Whether you are working hard or hardly working, join AEI Resident Fellow Brent Orrell as he explores national trends and public policies affecting the vitality of the American workforce and how to prepare yourself for success in our rapidly-changing economy. And whatever else happens, we promise it will take your mind off of your job.

Join Brent as he introduces the newest addition to the AEI Podcast Network: "Hardly Working."

Many urban Americans have come to believe that there’s a growing chasm separating urban and rural America. While urban America bounds ahead, rural America, many assume, is being left behind, struggling with material and spiritual impoverishment, and cultural confusion. 

This week on Hardly Working, Brent talks with University of Southern California professor Elizabeth Currid-Halkett, who dispels some of the myths about the so-called urban-rural divide. Currid-Halkett and Brent discuss her fantastic book The Overlooked Americans: The Resilience of Our Rural Towns and What it Means For Our Country, which Brent reviewed for the Dispatch in September. As you’ll hear, rural America is doing a lot better than you might think.

Mentioned in this episode

Jane Jacobs

University of Chicago General Social Survey

Raj Chetty

Posse Foundation

American Exchange Project

Times/Siena Poll on Trump's advantage in battleground states

Regrettably, the debate about post-secondary education has devolved into just another culture war issue with one camp saying “everyone go to college” and another saying “skip college learn a trade.” 

Today, Brent sits down with Ben Wildavsky, a visiting scholar at the University of Virginia’s School of Education and Human Development, who challenges this false dichotomy. In his recent book “The Career Arts,” Wildavsky argues that education, job, and career success require integrating broad-based skills (such as those acquired through a liberal arts and social science education) with more narrow, technical skills (such as those acquired through credential programs). Such integration, Wildavsky contends, supports well-rounded and resilient workers who can more easily adapt to an unpredictable and rapidly changing economy. 

Mentioned in this Episode

Strada Education Foundation

College wage premium

Larry Katz

Tony Carnevale

Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce

Project Basta

Climb Higher

Western Governors University

Point Loma Nazarene University

Seth Bodnar, president, University of Montana

Society for Human Research Management

Skills-based hiring

Artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing at breakneck speed. Michael Chui, a partner at the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), leads research on how this technology is reshaping business, the economy, and society more broadly. According to MGI, the next wave of AI-generated productivity improvements will send shockwaves through the labor market as it reaches–and surpasses–human-level ability across a wide range of skills but ultimately make the entire world wealthier and healthier. We hope you enjoy this conversation.

Mentioned in this Episode

McKinsey Global Institute (MGI)

MGI report: The Economic Potential of Generative AI

Accenture report: Strategy at the Pace of Technology

Study on AI's capacity for theory of mind

John Maynard Keynes

Today, we continue to explore Appalachia with Chris Stirewalt, a senior fellow at AEI. Stirewalt, who grew up in Wheeling, West Virginia, speaks to Brent about the unique culture and values of Appalachia, the role that strong families and institutions play in the region’s success, and potential solutions to the region’s challenges, from its opioid epidemic to educational “brain drain.” He also takes us through much of the history of the region, offering deep insight into the region’s identity. As you’ll hear, Stirewalt is optimistic about Appalachia and confident that the region can overcome its most difficult challenges.

Mentioned in this Episode

More than a Paycheck

Deaths of despair

Anne Case and Angus Deaton

Jay Rockefeller

Robert Byrd

Big White Ghetto by Kevin Williams

Randy Moss

West Virginia Hills by Reverend David King

The media has told us a very straightforward, and depressing, story about Appalachia: it is a region that is being left behind as the rest of the U.S. economy chugs on; it’s a destitute, hopeless place without good jobs, and filled with communities in decline.

In his recent report on the region, Aaron M. Renn, a senior fellow at American Reformer, a Protestant nonprofit, complicates this picture. Appalachia, Renn shows, is no monolith (it consists of a diversity of areas with their challenges and identities); it has a rich cultural heritage, especially in music and the arts and natural beauty; and, while it faces its share of problems, it has tremendous opportunities for growth and several trends working in its favor. Today, Brent speaks with Renn about this much-maligned region, offering an insightful perspective on a region that has a crucial role to play in boosting social mobility for millions of Americans.

Mentioned in this Episode

The Future of Appalachia by Aaron Renn

Joel Kotkin

Joelkotkin.com

Open and Closed Networks

Appalachia on Our Mind by Henry Shapiro

Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance

Systemic Disadvantage

Our Kids by Robert Putnam

In cities across America, homelessness, poverty, crime, addiction, and mental illness are perennial, and deeply intertwined, problems. The New York City-based Doe Fund, however, has made real progress on these challenges. Emphasizing work and personal responsibility, the fund has served struggling and at-risk individuals for nearly 40 years.

In this episode, Brent sits down with the Doe Fund’s outgoing President and CEO, Harriet McDonald, and its incoming leader, Jennifer Mitchell. They discuss the Fund’s model and track record of success, offering valuable lessons for government, nonprofits, and individuals who aspire to support vulnerable populations.

Mentioned in this Episode

George McDonald

Ready, Willing, and Able

Sector-based training

From tech companies to healthcare providers and fast food services, organizations are deploying AI technologies to boost productivity and improve service. As these technologies filter into the economy and workplace, a host of questions are arising: will AI replace human labor? How will new technology affect the nature of work? How can we equip workers for the future and help them adapt to change?

In their recent book Working with AI: Real Stories of Human-Machine Collaboration, management and technology experts Tom Davenport and Steven Miller explore these questions through real-world case studies. Pushing back against the growing anxiety over AI’s impact on work, Davenport and Miller contend that AI will not be a job destroyer, but a job-enhancer, a tool that will largely make work better–not only more productive but also more fulfilling and even more accessible–for most workers.

In this episode, Davenport and Miller join Brent to discuss their book, offering a vision of the future of work in which AI and other “smart” technologies complement human labor–and make us richer and more productive in the process.

Mentioned in this Episode

AI life insurance underwriting

Salesforce

European AI Regulation

Lump of labor fallacy

DBS Bank's use of generative AI

Eric Brynjolfsson

On July 8, AEI’s Brent Orrell hosted the fifth event in the “On the Front Porch” series with the Brookings Institution’s Tony Pipa featuring Stanford University Professor Keith Humphreys and AEI’s Sally Satel, two experts in opioid treatment and the societal effects of drug abuse in rural areas. They discuss the factors that led to the opioid crisis and the challenges in resolving it.

 Mentioned in the Episode

Tony Pipa (Brookings)

Keith Humphreys (Stanford)

Sally Satel (AEI)

Pavlovian conditioning

Origins of the Opioid Crisis and its Enduring Impacts by Abby Alpert et. al

Death in Mud Lick Book by Eric Eyre

Dr. Art Van Zee

Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism by Anne Case and Angus Deaton

Golden Leaf Foundation

From Elizabeth Warren to former president Trump, actors on both the political left and right show increasing willingness to expand the role of government in the country’s economic affairs. Skepticism of free markets, long confined to the left, is now in vogue across the political spectrum, fueling a renewed interest in industrial policy and trade protectionism. 

Samuel Gregg, a distinguished fellow in political economy at the American Institute for Economic Research and an Affiliate Scholar at the Acton Institute, pushes back against these trends and what he calls “state capitalism.” In this episode, Gregg joins Brent to discuss his recent book The Next American Economy, which is a forceful defense of free markets and the moral and historical foundations of economic policy in the broader context of American values and history.

Mentioned in this Episode

Adam Smith’s moral and political philosophy

The Theory of Moral Sentiments

The Wealth of Nations

Michael Novak

Patrick Deneen

Sohrab Ahmari

As AI permeates our world, many are forecasting transformational impacts on work and the economy. With AI, the future is highly uncertain, but it's imperative that we prepare workers to the best of our ability today. In this episode, we bring you a live event with Brent and Shane Tews, a nonresident senior fellow at AEI and head of AEI’s Tech Policy Center, on the intersection of AI, skills, and the workforce. Here, Brent and Shane speak to AEI’s 2023 Summer Honors students and offer advice on how future workers like them can thrive in an AI-driven world.

Mentioned in the Episode

UPenn/OpenAI 2023 study on exposure to AI

Claude

ChatGPT

Bard

Dr. Nouriel Roubini

OECD Employment Outlook 2023: AI and the Labor Market

Polanyi’s paradox

Stanford University 2023 study on use of AI in call centers

The Age of AI: And Our Human Future (2021 book)

Precautionary principle

McKinsey & Company 2023 study on generative AI

In this episode, we invite you to listen in on a recent AEI event on the book System Error: Where Big Tech Went Wrong and How We Can Reboot (Harper Academic, 2021). On June 22, 2023, AEI’s Brent Orrell and Shane Tews were joined by Rob Reich of the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence and Jeremy M. Weinstein of the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies to discuss their book, which they co-authored along with their fellow Stanford professor Mehran Sahami.

The panelists discuss the challenges that Big Tech in the 21st century—particularly artificial intelligence—poses to democracy. They explore the dangers of the "optimizing" mindset that competition in technology encourages; the trade-offs between the values of privacy, safety, agency, and productivity; the rise of misinformation and disinformation; and issues of power concentration and regulatory capture in the technology sector.

Mentioned in the Episode

System Error: Where Big Tech Went Wrong and How We Can Reboot

Rob Reich

Mehran Sahami

Jeremy Weinstein

Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies

Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI

“Get Rich U.” in the New Yorker

DoNotPay - Your AI Consumer Champion

Facebook “Connect the World” Memo

Sen. Schumer’s SAFE Innovation Framework

AI Bill of Rights

NIST AI Risk Management Framework

The Precautionary Principle

EU AI Act

In this episode, we invite you to listen in on a Workforce Futures Initiative (WFI) event from February 2023. WFI is a collaboration between the American Enterprise Institute, the Brookings Institution, and the Harvard Kennedy School Malcolm Wiener Center for Social Policy that analyzes the latest research on various aspects of the workforce development system to inform policy at the federal, state, and local levels.

In this event, Brent Orrell is joined by leading workforce experts Harry Holzer, Greg Wright, and Rachel Lipson to discuss the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), sector-based training programs, community colleges and their connection to the workforce, and labor market data information. 

Mentioned in the Episode

Workforce Futures Initiative

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)

Harry Holzer

Greg Wright

Rachel Lipson

Year Up

Per Scholas

Project Quest

CHIPS Act

Trade Adjustment Assistance for Community College Program

Good Jobs Challenge

Social Innovation Fund

Matt Sigelman, Burning Glass Institute

Julia Lane, NYU

Rich Hendra, MDRC

ASAP program, CUNY

Anne Kress, Northern Virginia Community College

For our 100th episode, we look back at some favorite moments in our podcast's history.

You'll hear clips from conversations about the future of work with Jamie Merisotis; male worklessness with my colleague Nicholas Eberstadt; happiness and civic engagement with my colleague Ryan Streeter; thinking for yourself with author and Harvard lecturer Vikram Mansharamani; and identifying talent with renowned economist Tyler Cowen.

Whether you're a new member of our community or you've been with us since the start, we know you'll love these clips. We hope this look-back inspires you to revisit episodes or dive into them for the first time. One hundred episodes in the books; here's to 100 more!

Joe Fuller, a Nonresident Senior Fellow at AEI and Professor at Harvard Business School, discusses two new reports, Delivering on Degrees and The Partnership Imperative. The first examines the effectiveness of programs that facilitate the transition from postsecondary education to employment and finds programs such as career coaching and experiential coursework can improve persistence in training and employment outcomes. The second report explores how partnerships between community colleges and employers can help address the skills gap.

Mentioned in the Episode

Joseph B. Fuller AEI Profile

Joseph B. Fuller HBS Profile

Managing the Future of Work Project at Harvard Business School

Delivering on Degrees Report Workforce Futures Initiative

Prof. Raj Chetty’s Work on Economic Mobility

Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do About It by Richard V. Reeves

The Partnership Imperative: Community Colleges, Employers, and America’s Chronic Skills Gap

Wake Tech Community College

San Jacinto College

Monroe Community College

Valencia

College Partnership with Walt Disney World Resort

Disney Aspire - Disney’s Education Benefit Program

The Republican Party has been the main political vehicle for American conservatism over the past 100 years. Periods of tension between the intellectual/elite faction and the grassroots faction have defined the party’s history. Matt Continetti, senior fellow at AEI, has spent his career studying the Republican Party and the American conservative movement in the 20th century, in particular the tug-of-war between the party’s factions and how this has shaped national politics.

Mentioned in the Episode

The Right: The Hundred-Year War for American Conservatism

Plato’s Republic

The Politics of Rage: Why do They Hate Us?

The Washington Free Beacon

George Wallace 1968 Presidential Campaign

Trump: “I love the poorly educated.”

House Passes Debt Limit Bill

CHIPS Subsidies Come with Lots of Strings

Roe v. Wade

What is Compassionate Conservatism?

Responses to the sudden emergence of widely available artificial intelligence tend to swing between those who believe these technologies will deliver a utopia of unlimited growth and opportunity or inflict a robot-dominated dystopia of human obsolescence. In the space between those two polls, some are engaged in serious ethical reflection that attempts to weigh out the possible impacts of AI in light of the preexisting social trends.

One of the more thoughtful, and fair-minded critics of emerging technologies is Evan Selinger, a professor of philosophy at Rochester Institute of Technology. In his research, Dr. Selinger asks how technology has affected our personal obscurity in society (the right not to be known), and how mass surveillance and optimization affects human work. 

Mentioned in the Episode

Don Ihde

Patrick Grim

Woodrow Hertzog

Social obscurity paper

Digital doubles – in production and manufacturing

Reengineering Humanity

Taylorism

Frederick Winslow Taylor

Brett Frischmann

Scott Lincicome is the Vice President of General Economics and Trade at the CATO Institute, where he works to keep the economy open to innovation and change while preserving safety and opportunity for families, communities and the economy. In this episode, we discuss the intra-conservative debate over how to balance the need for stability in the market with openness to the innovation and change that have been the hallmarks of American development and prosperity throughout the nation’s history. Lincicome discusses these and other themes as they are laid out in his recent edited volume, “Empowering the New American Worker”.

Mentioned in the Episode

Empowering the New American Worker

CATO Institute – Scott Lincicome

University of Virginia Law School

Libertarianism

Liya Palagashvili interview

CATO Trade Policy Bracket Challenge

Scott Lincicome Atlantic column on the Jones Act

Scott Lincicome Dispatch column – egg prices

Scott Lincicome Twitter