Heterodox Out Loud

What happens when the guardians of cultural narratives and societal norms become inseparable from the very hierarchies they critique? Today, we explore the concept of "symbolic capitalists" with Musa al-Gharbi, author of We Have Never Been Woke: The Cultural Contradictions of a New Elite and assistant professor at the School of Communication and Journalism at Stony Brook University.   In this conv...

Is the principle of free speech being weaponized to legitimize harmful ideologies like racism, sexism, and transphobia? What happens when the sanctity of free speech collides with the complexities of societal power dynamics? In today's episode, we navigate this intricate terrain with Anthony Leaker, a senior lecturer in culture and critical theory at the University of Brighton, and the author of "...

What is the real purpose of a university—truth-seeking or molding active citizens? Are university campuses becoming echo chambers, leading to self-censorship among not just conservatives but liberals too? Today's guest is Amna Khalid, an esteemed Associate Professor of History at Carleton College and a prominent voice within the Heterodox Academy (HxA) community. Together, John Tomasi and Amna exp...

What happens when public policy meets the complex world of modern gender identity? Our guest today is Kathleen Stock, a former professor of philosophy at the University of Sussex, author of the critically-acclaimed " Material Girls ", and an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) awardee. Kathleen joins host John Tomasi to navigate the often-tense intersection of trans rights, gender ide...

What happens when foundational scientific concepts clash with modern identity politics? Today, our guest is Elizabeth Weiss, professor emeritus of anthropology at San José State University, Segal Center research fellow, and a renowned author. Her latest book, " On the War Path: My Battles with Indians, Pretendians, and Woke Warriors ", is now available.   Weiss recounts her tumultuous journey thro...

Can emotional connections to our identities justify restrictions on free speech? This provocative episode of Heterodox Out Loud explores the deep tension between personal relationships and public discussions. Host John Tomasi sits down with Jilian Lederman, a graduate of Brown University and a strong advocate for free speech. Together, they examine the complex landscape of free expression on unive...

They delve into specific instances where these movements have influenced policy changes, discussing the tensions between activism and open inquiry. The conversation highlights recent cases where protests have either stifled or spurred debates about institutional investment ethics and the balance between social justice and academic discourse. Finally, they discuss the politicization of the humaniti...

From Coddling to Crisis. Today, we trace the trajectory of student fragility from playgrounds to classrooms. Welcome to Heterodox Out Loud. In today's episode, our host, John Tomasi, talks with social psychologist and best-selling author Jonathan Haidt about his new book, The Anxious Generation. The book delves into the increasing levels of anxiety and emotional distress experienced by teens today...

Is diversity simply a box-checking exercise, or does it hold a deeper significance in academia? Today we're joined by Azim Shariff, Ph. D, a distinguished professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia, to explore the complex landscape of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in higher education. In this conversation, John Tomasi and Azim delve deep into the multifaceted approach t...

Discover how Ivy League schools might be shortchanging taxpayers to the tune of billions! Today, we're peeling back the layers of an issue that hits our wallets and our values: the billion-dollar taxpayer support of Ivy League institutions. Host John Tomasi is joined by Adam Andrzejewski, founder and CEO of "Open the Books," an advocate for transparency in public finances. Adam brings to light a s...

What really happened in 1945? Explore how students grapple with historical events and figures to understand their distinctness and uniqueness. In this episode of Heterodox Out Loud, host John Tomasi interviews Professor Mark Carnes of Barnard College. Professor Carnes talks about his innovative approach to teaching history, which he calls "reacting to the past." He explains how this method challen...

With the changing 'diploma divide,' what does the new correlation between education and party affiliation tell us about American politics? Today, we're joined by the insightful Diana Mutz as we explore the intriguing shifts within the ideological landscape of higher education and its broader implications for American politics. Universities, once beacons of diverse thought, appear now as battlegrou...

Can we restore the fractured trust in science and steer public health back to its noble roots? Welcome to Heterodox Out Loud. Today, we are joined by Sandro Galea, M.D., M.P.H., Dr. P.H, who provides insights that challenge us to confront the post-pandemic skepticism clouding the scientific community.   In this episode, we will delve into a conversation that dissects how the clamor of political bi...

Today, John Tomasi and award-winning journalist Jamie Kalven explore the complexities surrounding the idea of institutional neutrality within universities and its implications for promoting intellectual freedom and robust argument.  They delve into the Kalven Report of 1967 from the University of Chicago. This landmark report sought to balance the preservation of academic freedom with the responsi...

Are our higher education institutions still nurturing true intellectual diversity? Our guest today is Steven Pinker, a cognitive scientist at Harvard, and today, we'll be exploring the growing concerns within higher ed that institutions are turning into echo chambers, stifling dissent and censoring certain perspectives.   In this thought-provoking episode, we'll be discovering the challenges to ac...

In this episode of Heterodox Out Loud, John Tomasi speaks with Alexandra Lysova. Alexandra Lysova, Ph. D. is an Associate Professor in the School of Criminology at Simon Fraser University (SFU) in Vancouver/Burnaby, Canada. Her research career, spanning more than 20 years, focuses on intimate partner violence, including violence against men, women and children. Having experienced limitations on fr...

In this episode of Heterodox Out Loud, John Tomasi speaks with Musa Al-Gharbi. Musa is a Paul F. Lazarsfeld Fellow in Sociology. His research explores how we think about, talk about, and produce knowledge about social phenomena including race, inequality, social movements, extremism, policing, national security, foreign policy and domestic U.S. political contests. In this episode of Heterodox Out...

In this episode of Heterodox Out Loud, John Tomasi speaks with Greg Lukianoff, an attorney, New York Times best-selling author, and the President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). He is the author of Unlearning Liberty: Campus Censorship and the End of American Debate , Freedom From Speech , and FIRE’s Guide to Free Speech on Campus . Most recently, he co-autho...

In this episode of Heterodox Out Loud, John Tomasi speaks with Carole Hooven, Ph. D., a Lecturer and Co-director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University. We talk with Carole about Sex & Gender, her cancellation story, and the role of scientists in fostering a free speech culture.  Heterodox Out Loud  Heterodox Out Loud with John Tomasi is a bi...

In this episode of Heterodox Out Loud, John Tomasi speaks with Pano Kanelos, President of the University of Austin, Texas (UATX). Kanelos is a leading advocate for free speech and open inquiry in higher education. He believes that UATX can offer a better alternative to the current system, which is often characterized by censorship and groupthink. Heterodox Out Loud  Heterodox Out Loud with John To...

Heterodox Out Loud  Heterodox Out Loud with John Tomasi is a biweekly podcast featuring conversations with people across the academy and beyond. Listen to insightful, thought-provoking episodes from the HxA community by adding our podcast to your lineup.   Follow Eric Kaufmann on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/epkaufm/with_replies Website: https://www.sneps.net/   Follow Heterodox Academy on: Twitt...

In this episode of Heterodox Out Loud, John Tomasi speaks with Yascha Mounk. Yascha is a German born political scientist, author, and lecturer known for his research on the rise of populism and the challenges to liberal democracy. He has authored several influential books, including "Stranger in My Own Country", "The People vs. Democracy", and his new book, "The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and...

Heterodox Out Loud, hosted by HxA president, John Tomasi, is an ongoing podcast featuring conversations with people across the academy and beyond. Listen to insightful, thought-provoking episodes from the HxA community by adding our podcast to your lineup. Follow Heterodox Academy on: Twitter: https://bit.ly/3Fax5Dy Facebook: https://bit.ly/3PMYxfw LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/48IYeuJ Instagram: https...

In our final episode of Heterodox Out Loud, we will listen to the first blog post on the Heterodox Academy website: “Welcome to Heterodox Academy.” It was written in September of 2015 by Jonathan Haidt, sharing his vision of building a community of people who treasure open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and constructive disagreement.  Let us know what you think! For comments and questions email com...

In this episode of Heterodox Out Loud , we speak with Jonathan Zimmerman, Professor of History of Education at the University of Pennsylvania about why social class is one of the last acceptable prejudices in many academic circles — and what we can do about it. Jon has written numerous books, including The Amateur Hour: A History of College Teaching in America and Free Speech, and Why You Should G...