Podcasts

Policymakers worry that “ungoverned spaces” pose dangers to security and development. Why do such spaces exist beyond the authority of the state? In a new book, Melissa M. Lee argues that foreign subversion undermines state authority and promotes ungoverned space. In this episode, Lee discusses the findings from her book, “Crippling Leviathan: How Foreign Subversion Weakens the State,” published by Cornell University Press. Lee is an assistant professor of politics and international affairs at Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School. She specializes in the international and domestic politics of statebuilding and state capacity. Endnotes is a series…

The United States would be wise to avoid further conflict with Iran, especially given America’s history of war in poor countries with politically mobilized populations. If past conflicts serve as a guide, such armed intervention could attract a dangerous wrath of nationalists in these countries. This is one of many conclusions drawn from a new book published by Atul Kohli, David K.E. Bruce Professor of International Affairs at Princeton's Woodrow Wilson School. In this episode, he discusses this and other findings from the book, "Imperialism and the Developing World: How Britain and the U.S. Shaped the Global Periphery," published by Oxford…

Some argue that U.S. foreign affairs should be left to Congress and the President. But as more executive and legislative actions arise in this arena, is a judicial defense of fundamental rights needed? “Restoring the Global Judiciary: Why the Supreme Court Should Rule in U.S. Foreign Affairs,” turns old arguments on their head, making the case for a stronger judiciary role in U.S. foreign policy. The book was penned by Martin Flaherty, a long-time visiting professor at Princeton’s Wilson School and a professor at Fordham Law School, who joins us in this episode. Endnotes is a series produced by WooCast, the podcast enterprise of the Woodrow…

Free markets and representative elections triumphed throughout the 20th century, giving rise to a robust form of democratic capitalism. Today, this is under threat due to insurgent populism, extreme polarization, and crippling income inequality. How did we get here, and where are we going next? Carles Boix traces the history of democratic capitalism and how it’s evolving in his new book, “Democratic Capitalism at the Crossroads: Technological Change and the Future of Politics.” We discuss it on the show today. Boix is the Robert Garrett Professor of Politics and Public Affairs in the Department of Politics and the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and…

Health care in America is expensive, but it doesn’t have to be, according to the late Uwe Reinhardt, a leader in health care policy. Reinhardt provides an incisive look at the American health care system in a new book, “Priced Out: The Economic and Ethical Costs of American Health Care,” published by Princeton University Press.Tsung-Mei Cheng, health policy research analyst at Princeton and Uwe’s partner in work and life, discusses the nuances of health care in this episode and why Uwe was so passionate about explaining (and fixing) this complex system.Reinhardt taught at Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and…