The Dissidents

In this gripping episode of Free Speech Forward, Chris and Joia speak with Naya Lekht—a Soviet-born educator and research fellow. Dr. Lekht exposes how American colleges mirror the totalitarian censorship her family escaped in the USSR. Drawing shocking parallels between Marxist indoctrination and today's campus culture, Lekht reveals why the "marketplace of ideas" has been replaced...

On the eve of July 4th, co-authors Jennifer Richmond and Winkfield Twyman joined Equiano Project Head of Content Ada Akpala for an insightful conversation about blackness and race identity with noted podcaster Danielle Romero.    A native of Troy, New York, Danielle discovered one day that her putative French and Irish maternal great grandmother Lola Perot had spent all her married life passing fo...

In this inspired episode of Free Speech Forward (recorded and released right around Independence Day), Joia and Chris speak with educator and free speech advocate Jason Littlefield, who reveals why the First Amendment isn't just about politics—it's about human flourishing and psychological well-being. Drawing from groundbreaking neuroscience research, Littlefield explains how self-censorsh...

In this week’s podcast, Jennifer Richmond sits down with Dmitri Shufutinsky’s to discuss his latest article for White Rose Magazine,  The Woke Right Keeps the Pendulum Swinging . In his article Shufutinsky argues that a faction he terms the "Woke Right" has emerged within conservative movements, mirroring the identity politics and grievance-based ideology of the progressive left while si...

Welcome to the latest release from the Free Speech Forward podcast! In this episode, Chris and Joia meet with Angel Eduardo, an artist, writer, and advocate of Free Speech who works with FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression). This episode delves into critical free speech arguments, such as the Weimar Fallacy and consideration of 2nd Order consequences, exploring why free speech is...

In this timely episode, FAIR Executive Director Monica Harris, joined by Gabriel Nadales and Suzannah Alexander, examines the troubling rise of mandated ideological conformity across professional education programs with Zander Keig and Nafees Alam. Following FAIR's groundbreaking formal complaint to the Department of Education against CACREP (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related...

In this retrospective episode of the Free Speech Forward podcast, co-hosts Chris and Joia reflect on their first year of discussions surrounding free speech. They highlight key themes such as the importance of education, the challenges of speaking out, and the diversity of perspectives among their guests. The conversation emphasizes the value of community and collaboration in advocating for free s...

Podcast description In this week's episode clinical psychologist Patrick Lockwood joins Elizabeth for a discussion about why, despite all evidence to the contrary, beliefs in learning styles remain strong.  We talk about the psychological and institutional forces that promote the myth including the countless journal articles, opinion pieces and websites that make fuzzy suggestions about neuroscien...

In 2022 Counterweight, the organization that Helen Pluckrose founded and that was absorbed into the Institute for Liberal Values had a virtual conference on Alternatives to Diversity and Inclusion. Starting in 2025, we will be rolling out one talk a month that was presented at the conference. We sit down with the original presenters throughout 2025 to see what has changed since 2022. With Diversit...

In this episode of the Free Speech Forward podcast, Chris and Joia engage with Arnold Cantú, a clinical social worker and psychotherapist, discussing the critical role of free speech in academia and education. Arnold shares his personal experiences as a Colorado State University doctoral student, where he faced challenges to his beliefs and values from faculty. The conversation explores the import...

In this week's episode Winkfield Twyman Jr. joins Elizabeth to explore our lay view of the pros and cons of artificial intelligence. Our discussion is guided by several reports, popular press articles, and opinion pieces that expose different types of challenges and perspectives. We start with education. teaching, and learning. We include concerns about the effects of AI on information literacy, d...

In this week's Dissident's podcast, James & Chris explore some of the legal, political, and moral arguments that undercut the basis for the modern welfare-regulatory state - which sees coercive powers concentrated in a central government body that intervenes into most human affairs, often in illiberal ways that pit one interest group against another or prioritize the interests of those...

"Because of lack of freedom of speech, no one was able to tell the truth.” Welcome back – this is the Free Speech Forward podcast. In today’s show, host Chris Bush interviews Yukong Mike Zhao, a prominent advocate for free speech and equal education rights. Mike shares his personal journey from growing up in communist China to becoming a vocal opponent of censorship and political correctness...

In this episode of The Dissidents Podcast , Jennifer Richmond and Nafees Alam dive into an engaging conversation on the intersections of fitness, mental health, faith, and societal challenges. Beginning with personal stories of their fitness journeys, they explore how physical well-being impacts mental clarity, self-awareness, and day-to-day productivity. Drawing on new scientific insights into ge...

"Courage is essential for sharing your ideas." In this episode of the Free Speech Forward podcast, host Chris Bush interviews Dumisani Washington, founder of the Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel. They discuss Dumisani's journey into advocacy for free speech and liberal values, particularly in the context of Israel and the Black community. The conversation emphasizes the imp...

In 2022 Counterweight, the organization that Helen Pluckrose founded and that was absorbed into the Institute for Liberal Values had a virtual conference on Alternatives to Diversity and Inclusion. Starting in 2025, we will be rolling out one talk a month that was presented at the conference. We sit down with the original presenters throughout 2025 to see what has changed since 2022. With Diversit...

In this week's episode we honor the importance of men and masculine traits for a functioning society and human survival, for productive and enjoyable interactions, and for the sake of diversity. That's right, Nafees Alam joins Elizabeth to talk about men--men in the gym, men in the classroom, men and ideology, men's portrayal in the media, masculinity, and relationships. We use as a ju...

“Academia is an extremely unfree place”. Welcome to the latest episode of the Free Speech Forward podcast. Today, we welcome Professor Jake Mackey, Associate Professor of Classics, author of Belief and Cult: Rethinking Roman Religion (Princeton University Press, 2022), and founding member of Free Black Thought. Jake shares his journey from a repressive upbringing in a cult to becoming an advocate...

In this bonus episode, we share the recording of our Liberal Values in Practice livestream about transgender sports policies. The panelists, Social Work Professor Nafees Alam, Psychotherapist Stella O'Malley, and author and Social Worker Zander Keig, discuss the nuance and complexities of balancing competitive fairness with inclusivity. They explore scientific research, share their relevant li...

In this week's episode Ken Pope indulges Jen, Matt and Elizabeth in a discussion of the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Ken, a retired Army officer, shares his personal experiences of living and working in both Ukraine and Russia. He patiently listens to our often naive and occasionally probing questions and does his best to answer in language we can understand without sacrificing the complex nature of t...

Diverse Black Thought Matters. In this episode of the Free Speech Forward podcast, hosts Chris and Joia speak with Mike Bowen, a founding member of Free Black Thought and prominent advocate for free speech and diversity of thought within the Black community. They discuss the importance of recognizing the varied experiences and perspectives among African Americans, the role of free speech in foster...

 In 2022 Counterweight, the organization that Helen Pluckrose founded and that was absorbed into the Institute for Liberal Values had a virtual conference on Alternatives to Diversity and Inclusion. Starting in 2025, we will be rolling out one talk a month that was presented at the conference. We sit down with the original presenters throughout 2025 to see what has changed since 2022. With Diversi...

In this week's episode Mike and Elizabeth discuss an article that provides a brief history of how tyrants break confidence in democracy by destroying public trust in institutions, and attacking the government as wasteful and incompetent.  The author (Anthony Brunello) describes the tactic of cutting government to ensure it is less effective, thus making it easier to sell the idea that governme...

“Modeling civil discourse is crucial”. In this episode of the Free Speech Forward podcast, Chris and Joia engage with Erec Smith, an expert in Rhetoric, discussing the critical role of free speech in society. Smith emphasizes the importance of effective communication skills, the concept of Defensive Confidence, and the need for resilience in the face of criticism. He shares insights on preparing f...

In this week's episode frequent contributors Mark Horowitz, Nafees Alam join Elizabeth to discuss quality college teaching and how it is measured. University students typically complete one of several commercially available evaluation forms at the end of each semester.  Administrators use responses to evaluate faculty for reappointment, tenure, and for other forms of recognition. The research...