The American Idea

In this episode of The American Idea, Jeff is joined by Peter Myers, Professor of Political Science at University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire and the 2016-17 B. Kenneth Simon Fellow in American Political Thought at the Heritage Foundation, for a conversation on Martin Luther King Jr.'s philosophy "character not color" comes into direct conflict with the ideas of Critical Race Theory. Host: Jeff Sikke...

Jeff welcomes Dr. Natalie Taylor of Skidmore College to discuss the place of feminism within the American sociopolitical reform tradition, and its connection to the contemporary #MeToo movement. Jeff and Natalie focus, in particular, on Susan B. Anthony, discussing her ideas and place in the arc of women's reform movements in American history and society. Host: Jeff Sikkenga Executive Producer: Gr...

In this episode The American Idea Jeff is joined by Stephen Knott, Professor of National Security Affairs at the United States Naval War College and the Thomas and Mabel Guy Professor in American History and Government at Ashland University, for a conversation on John F. Kennedy and his leadership during the Cold War. Their conversation explores Kennedy's anti-Communist policies, his relationship...

In this episode of The American Idea, Jeff is joined once again by Cara Rogers, Professor of History at Ashland University and Co-Director of the Ashbrook Scholar Program, for a conversation on the friendship of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Jeff and Cara explore the development of their friendship during the American Revolution and the Second Continental Congress, the fracturing of the relatio...

Jeff and Dr. Chris Burkett of Ashland University discuss the ideas and ideals expressed in America's most fundamental document, the Declaration of Independence. Host: Jeff Sikkenga Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer Producer: Jeremy Gypton

In this special episode, Jeff sits down with Dr. Joshua Dunn to discuss the overturning of Roe v. Wade and blockbuster decisions about religious liberty, free speech, and the 2nd Amendment. You can download a free PDF copy of Josh's Core Documents Collection on the Judiciary. Host: Jeff Sikkenga Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer Producer: Jeremy Gypton

Jeff talks with Dr. Lucas Morel about Ralph Ellison, his novel Juneteenth, the role of literature in sociopolitical discourse and thought, and their connection to American history and politics. Mentioned in this episode are Lucas' book, Ralph Ellison and the Raft of Hope: A Political Companion to Invisible Man , Ellison's Juneteenth , and Ellison's essay, What America Would Be Like Without Blacks...

In this episode Jeff discusses two fascinating heroes of the American Civil War with Dr. Jason Stevens of Ashland University, and Pat Maloney of the Ashbrook Center . Learn more about Ashbrook's programs for students, teachers, and citizens at Ashbrook.org . Host: Jeff Sikkenga Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer Producer: Jeremy Gypton

In this episode of The American Idea, Jeff welcomes back Dr. Jason Stevens, Professor of Political Science at Ashland University and the Co-Director of the Ashbrook Scholar Program, to talk about the Great Triumvirate; the greatest American statesmen of the early nineteenth century. Over the course of nearly forty years, Henry Clay of Kentucky, Daniel Webster of Massachusetts, and John C. Calhoun...

In this episode of The American Idea, Jeff is joined by David Davenport, Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and Senior Fellow at Ashbrook, for a conversation exploring the crisis in civic education and what we can do about it. The former president of Pepperdine University from 1985-2000, David is a regular columnist for the Washington Examiner and his study, "Commonse...

In this episode of The American Idea, Jeff welcomes back Dr. Greg McBrayer, Associate Professor of Political Science at Ashland University and Ashbrook's Director of Citizen Programs, for a conversation on Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1963 Letter from a Birmingham Jail. Host: Jeff Sikkenga Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer Producer: Tyler MacQueen

In this episode of The American Idea, Jeff welcomes back Dr. Chris Burkett, Associate Professor of Political Science at Ashland University and Director of the Ashbrook Scholar Program, for a conversation on Benjamin Franklin's famous Autobiography, his dramatic rise from the ninth of twelve children in an impoverished household to the most famous American of his time, and why he is - rightly - rem...

In the second episode of The American Idea's Presidential Portraits series, we explore the life and controversial presidency of George W. Bush, the two-term Texas Governor who became the unexpected wartime president with the horrific attacks on September 11th, 2001. For this conversation, Jeff is joined by Stephen Knott, Professor of National Security Affairs at the United States Naval War College...

In this episode of The American Idea, Jeff is joined by Cara Rogers, Professor of History at Ashland University and Co-Director of the Ashbrook Scholar Program, for a conversation on Thomas Jefferson and his controversial book, Notes on the State of Virginia. Jeff and Cara discuss Jefferson's long history of anti-slavery sentiments and emancipation proposals, and his disturbing comments regarding...

In the first episode of The American Idea's Presidential Portraits series, we explore the life and times of George Washington: "First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen." For this conversation, Jeff is joined by Marc Landy, Professor of Political Science at Boston College and visiting faculty in Ashbrook's Master of Arts in American History and Government program at...

In this special episode of The American Idea, Jeff welcomes Sohrab Ahmari, prolific columnist, former Op-Ed Editor for the New York Post, and the author of the recent book, The Unbroken Thread: Discovering the Wisdom of Tradition in the Age of Chaos (2021) for a conversation on his journey from Iran to the United States, his conversion to Catholicism, the threats facing the great traditions of Wes...

In this episode of The American Idea, Jeff welcomes back two old friends of the show, Dr. Greg McBrayer, Associate Professor of Political Science at Ashland University and Ashbrook's Director of Citizen Programs, and Dr. John Moser, Professor of History and Chair of the Department of History and Political Science at Ashland University, for an in-depth conversation about the ascension of Ronald Rea...

The American Idea is a podcast presented by Ashbrook that explores America’s Founding principles and their effect on American history and government. Through lively and thoughtful conversations with renowned academics and public figures, the podcast will examine the history and political thought behind our country’s greatest documents and debates, as well as American popular culture and political...

In this special episode of The American Idea, Jeff welcomes Ken Starr, Independent Counsel for the Whitewater Controversy, former United States circuit judge, and the 39th solicitor general of the United States of America, for a conversation on religious liberty in the twenty-first century, the collapse of civic education across the country, and the prospects for reviving the ways American history...

In this special holiday episode of The American Idea, we are privileged to share with you a very special Christmas story. A story of hope and freedom, of overcoming tyranny and opression, of finding love for a country and its ideas. A story of a boy whose father gave him the gift of America. This is the story of Peter Schramm. Peter was born in Hungary in 1946. Fleeing the Soviet invasion of Hunga...

In this episode of The American Idea, Jeff welcomes Dr. Peter Myers, Professor of Political Science at University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire and the 2016-17 B. Kenneth Simon Fellow in American Political Thought at the Heritage Foundation, for a revealing conversation on the greatest American speech of the twentieth century: Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream." Peter and Jeff will examine the h...

In this episode of The American Idea, Jeff welcomes Dr. John Moser, Professor of History and the Chair of the Department of History and Political Science at Ashland University, to talk about the rise of Franklin Roosevelt and the origins of his radical presidency. John and Jeff will examine these topics through a fascinating and engaging conversation on Roosevelt's 1932 campaign speech, the Common...

Building on our recent conversation with former Vice President Mike Pence, Jeff welcomes Stephen Knott, Professor of National Security Affairs at the United States Naval War College, to The American Idea for a conversation on the evolution of the vice presidency. Stephen is a renowned presidential scholar, having recently participated in the C-SPAN Presidential Leadership survey and published a bo...

On this very special episode of The American Idea, Jeff welcomes former Vice President Mike Pence to the Schramm Library. As many of our listeners know, Mr. Pence was the 48th Vice President of United States, serving alongside President Donald J. Trump from 2017 to 2021. Before that, he was a six-term congressman from the State of Indiana and Governor of the same state from 2013 to 2017. In their...

In this episode of The American Idea, Jeff welcomes Donald Drakeman, Distinguished Research Professor at the University of Notre Dame and the Founding Chairman of the Advisory Council of the James Madison Program in Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University for a conversation how we should interpret the Constitution. Donald is a renowned constitutional scholar, having been cited by the Supre...