Best Daniel Bessner Podcasts (2025)

1
Saving Private Ryan w/Shamira Ibrahim & Daniel Bessner 1:46:46

3d ago1:46:46

1:46:46

We take a deep dive into Steven Spielberg's 1998 WWII epic, Saving Private Ryan with culture writer Shamira Ibrahim and American Prestige's Daniel Bessner.By Daniel Bessner, Shamira Ibrahim, Trevor Beaulieu & Josh Olson

1
What American Global Empire? with Daniel Bessner & Derek Davison 53:48

23d ago53:48

53:48

What can be done to change United States foreign policy? Zachary and Emma speak to US foreign policy experts and co-hosts of the American Prestige podcast, journalist Daniel Bessner and historian Derek Davison. Daniel is the author of Democracy in Exile and Derek runs the Foreign Exchanges newsletter. They discuss the American public’s engagement w…

1
From Cold War Legacies to Modern Political Challenges with Daniel Bessner 1:10:18

25d ago1:10:18

1:10:18

Is U.S. foreign policy under President Biden really different from Trump's approach? Join us as we welcome Daniel Bessner from the American Prestige podcast to unravel this and other pressing questions, with a bold examination of leftist perspectives on international relations. We scrutinize the position of Palestine within American leftist discour…

1
The Supreme Court vs. Donald Trump with Stephen Vladeck 53:29

2d ago53:29

53:29

It’s time for a lesson on the U.S. Supreme Court. Zachary and Emma speak with Stephen Vladeck, CNN's Supreme Court analyst, law professor at the University of Texas, and author of the newsletter One First. The Supreme Court is at a crucial historical moment as it clashes with the Trump Administration. Stephen, Zachary, and Emma dive into the contro…

1
Special - India attacks Pakistan (Preview) 2:51

2d ago2:51

2:51

Danny and Derek talk about India’s attack on Pakistan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Daniel Bessner & Derek Davison

1
E210 - White American Liberals, Pt 1 w/ Kevin Schultz 1:04:08

3d ago1:04:08

1:04:08

Subscribe now for an ad-free experience and much more content! Kevin Schultz, Chair of the Department of History at the University of Illinois Chicago, joins the program to talk about his new book Why Everyone Hates White Liberals (Including White Liberals): A History. In this first part of the discussion, they get into liberalism’s consistent spir…

1
The Echoes of General Boulanger: When Leftists Flirt With Right-Wing Populism with Donald Parkinson 2:35:26

3d ago2:35:26

2:35:26

As normie conservatives casually throw around terms like "Bonapartist" to describe Trump's new administration, we've entered a peculiar moment where Marxist terminology has infiltrated mainstream political discourse—often without its theoretical underpinnings. This wide-ranging conversation explores the historical parallels between today's politica…

1
The Secret Clubhouse for Reactionary Plutocrat 41:57

5d ago41:57

41:57

Silicon Valley has moved to the right in the last few years, with Elon Musk being the public face of a larger trend of tech lords aligning themselves with Trumpism. We now have a window into just how reactionary Silicon Valley has become thanks to reporting about private group chats where the tech elite gather to complain about wokeness and celebra…

1
Bonus - Dispatch from Russia w/ Peter Slezkine (Preview) 8:37

5d ago8:37

8:37

Subscribe now for the full episode and much more content! Peter Slezkine, Senior Fellow and Director of the Russia Program at the Stimson Center and host of The Trialogue Podcast, joins the program for a conversation about his recent visit to Russia and his impressions of the political discourse there. They talk about the atmosphere in light of the…

1
News - WFP Out of Food in Gaza, US-Rwanda Migrant Deal, National Security Advisor Waltz Reassigned 57:36

7d ago57:36

57:36

May Day is no more, but the world, sadly, does not revolve around the left. This week: a new report on 2024 global military spending shockingly shows it has increased (2:05); the UN’s World Food Programme is out of food in Gaza (4:05), the IDF herds people into Rafah (5:55), and the PLO creates a vice presidency in anticipation of a successor to Ma…

1
The Progress Report: Science Tastes Like Chicken 15:10

7d ago15:10

15:10

This week on The Progress Report, hosts Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas share a roundup of positive news from around the globe. Starlink has surged to become Nigeria’s second-largest internet provider, offering much-needed fast and reliable connectivity despite government concerns about foreign control. Japanese scientists have made a breakth…

1
Special - 50 Years Since the Fall of Saigon w/ Carolyn Eisenberg (Preview) 6:18

8d ago6:18

6:18

Subscribe now for the full episode! Danny and Derek welcome back to the program Carolyn Eisenberg, professor of history at Hofstra University, to talk about the fall of Saigon on its 50th anniversary. Be sure to check out Carolyn’s award-winning book ⁠Fire and Rain: Nixon, Kissinger, and the Wars in Southeast Asia.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices…

1
Is the US Repeating Brexit's Mistakes? with Gillian Tett 59:05

8d ago59:05

59:05

By The Progress Network with Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas

1
E207 - The Sino-Soviet Split, Pt. 2 w/ Jeremy Friedman 58:43

10d ago58:43

58:43

Subscribe now for an ad-free experience and much more content⁠. Please listen to ⁠our Sino-Soviet primer episode⁠ and part one of this discussion for some background! Danny and Derek welcome back Jeremy Friedman, assistant professor in the Business, Government, and International Economy at Harvard, to talk about the Sino-Soviet Split. The conversat…

1
What's Next for May 2025 0:52

11d ago0:52

0:52

One week before each episode, we're going to give you a heads up as to what we'll be discussing so you have time to catch up with it and get the most out of our next episode. Next up, Steven Spielberg's 1998 masterpiece, Saving Private Ryan! Earn this!By Trevor Beaulieu & Josh Olson

1
Ethics Unbound: Marx's Revolutionary Framework with Vanessa Wills 2:03:47

11d ago2:03:47

2:03:47

Dr. Vanessa Wills takes us on an intellectual journey through the heart of Marx's ethical vision – perhaps the most misunderstood aspect of his revolutionary philosophy. As we trace her path from anti-war activism to Marxist scholarship, Dr. Wills demolishes the persistent myth that Marx had no ethics or moral framework. Instead, she reveals how hi…

1
Bonus - The Trump 2.0 First Hundred Days Panel w/ Van Jackson, Elizabeth Shackelford, and Ishaan Tharoor 14:00

12d ago14:00

14:00

Subscribe now for the full episode and much more content! Danny and Derek are joined by Van Jackson, author of the ⁠Un-Diplomatic⁠ newsletter and podcast, Elizabeth Shackelford, Senior Policy Director at Dartmouth’s Dickey Center and foreign affairs columnist with The Chicago Tribune, and Ishaan Tharoor, foreign affairs columnist and anchor of Toda…

1
Trump’s Trade War is Also a Class War w/ Marshall Steinbaum 43:44

12d ago43:44

43:44

Donald Trump’s tariff war is usually framed in terms of how it would impact consumers and America’s relationship with other countries, but it is also part of a larger project to remake taxation policy. Trump is very explicit that he wants tariffs to replace personal and corporate taxes with tariffs as the main source of revenue. As such, tariffs ar…

1
News - Kashmir Attack, US Airstrikes in Yemen, Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks Falter 56:24

14d ago56:24

56:24

Subscribe now for an ad-free experience and much more content. Derek makes his grand return to the AP newsroom! This week: Pope Francis dies (0:30); India sees the worst attack on civilians in Kashmir in years, prompting fallout on India-Pakistan relations (6:35); the US carries out its deadliest airstrike on Yemen to date (14:39); Qatar and Egypt …

1
The Progress Report: We've Got Aliens! 16:32

14d ago16:32

16:32

In this week's episode of The Progress Report, Zachary and Emma discuss positive news stories, including New Mexico’s free childcare program that has lifted 120,000 people out of poverty, an FBI initiative addressing unresolved crimes in Indian Country across the US, and the signs of life on a distant planet that NASA just detected. What Could Go R…

1
Breaking Constitutional Boundaries with Elijah Emery 2:05:47

15d ago2:05:47

2:05:47

America's constitutional foundation is buckling under the weight of executive fiat, with a president governing almost exclusively through executive orders while Congress passes fewer bills than at any point in history. Elijah Emery comes back to discuss the following: • Executive power has been expanding since WWII, but the current administration r…

1
Navigating and Negotiating the Middle East with Dr. Jon Alterman 57:51

16d ago57:51

57:51

What does the future of the Middle East look like? Zachary and Emma speak with Dr. Jon Alterman, senior vice president and director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, where he holds the Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy. They discuss the complexities of achieving peace between Israel …

1
E208 - Israel Ramps Up its Campaigns in Gaza and the West Bank w/ Mohammad Alsaafin 1:04:29

17d ago1:04:29

1:04:29

Subscribe today for an ad-free experience and much more content! Derek once again speaks with Mohammad Alsaafin, journalist at AJ+, this time to talk about where things stand in Gaza and the West Bank. They discuss the collapse of the January ceasefire, the blockade on Gaza aid, the push for outright ethnic cleansing in Gaza, what country would be …

1
The Dark Side of Jimmy Carter with Robert Buzzanco 1:00:49

18d ago1:00:49

1:00:49

Behind the celebrated image of Jimmy Carter as a Nobel Peace Prize-winning humanitarian lies a presidential legacy that demands closer examination. This revealing conversation with historian Robert Buzzanco challenges the sanitized narrative of Carter's presidency, exposing how he functioned as a crucial transitional figure between postwar liberali…

1
Bonus - The 2025 Canadian Election Preview w/ Luke Savage (Preview) 10:52

19d ago10:52

10:52

Subscribe now for the full episode! Danny and Derek welcome to the program Luke Savage, writer at Jacobin and host of the Michael and Us podcast, to talk about next week’s election in Canada. They delve into why Justin Trudeau resigned, Liberal Party candidate Mark Carney, how Pierre Poilievre and the Conservative Party are handling Trump, the US t…

1
Trump Upturns Canadian Politics w/ Luke Savage 50:36

19d ago50:36

50:36

Even as he imposes authoritarianism on the United States, Donald Trump has given a new lease on life to the center left in many other countries. Canada is holding an election at the end of April under the shadow of the American presidents threat to turn it into the 51st state. Until Trump’s inauguration, the Conservative Party of Canada had a comma…

1
68 - Broken clocks (fascism debate pt. 2 w/John Ganz) 59:32

21d ago59:32

59:32

As a follow up to our previous episode on the "fascism debate", writer John Ganz argues for the "yes" side, addressing the points Danny Bessner and other critics have made. He and Ted discuss parallels between the current far right and interwar fascism, suggesting there are important similarities we can learn from. Listen to part 1 (episode 66) her…

1
News - Sudan Rival Government, US Pushing Ukraine-Russia Deal, US-Saudi Nuclear Tech Talks 1:11:14

21d ago1:11:14

1:11:14

Subscribe now for an ad-free experience and much more content! One last news roundup without Derek, but Danny and Alex Jordan of the Quincy Institute are on the case! This week: the RSF announces plans to form a parallel government in Sudan (1:33); US-Iran nuclear negotiations continue in Oman (7:21); the US and Saudi Arabia discuss giving the King…

1
The Progress Report: Brazil Could Go Right! 18:50

21d ago18:50

18:50

In this episode of the Progress Report, Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas dig into some seriously overlooked good news. Brazil and South Korea have both pushed back against anti-democratic power grabs—and won. From Bolsonaro facing trial to South Korea's president getting the boot after a wild six-hour martial law stunt, democracy is holding it…

1
The Journey of Freedom: Unpacking Hegel's Philosophy with Borna Radnik 1:31:01

22d ago1:31:01

1:31:01

The episode explores Hegel's complex understanding of freedom as self-determination and its historical evolution through time, juxtaposed with Kant and Rousseau's perspectives. It emphasizes that freedom is a relational and collective struggle that necessitates recognition and social action, questioning the practical implications of Hegel's thought…

1
E207 - The Sino-Soviet Split, Pt. 1 w/ Jeremy Friedman 1:01:08

24d ago1:01:08

1:01:08

Subscribe now for an ad-free experience and much more content. Please listen to our Sino-Soviet primer episode for some background! Danny and Derek welcome back Jeremy Friedman, assistant professor in the Business, Government, and International Economy at Harvard, to talk about the Sino-Soviet Split. They lay out the state of play in the mid-1950s,…

1
Unlocked: The Sino-Soviet Split Primer w/ Jeremy Friedman 44:32

25d ago44:32

44:32

In anticipation for our two-part conversation on the Sino-Soviet split, we're reposting the episode we did laying the groundwork. Danny and Derek welcome Jeremy Friedman, Marvin Bower associate professor at Harvard Business School, for a discussion about the Sino-Soviet split. They talk about the early days of the revolutionary states’ relationship…

1
67 - Merz's Comeback w/ Lukas Hermsmeier 1:01:19

25d ago1:01:19

1:01:19

Over his long career, Friedrich Merz has gone from rising CDU star to Blackrock executive and back to the very top of German politics. To discuss his trajectory—and the country's likely future—Ted speaks with NYC-based journalist Lukas Hermsmeier to discuss the "back to the future" qualities of Merz's political outlook. Read Lukas' NYT piece on Mer…

1
Bonus - South Africa: Land Policies, Musk, and a Crumbling Coalition w/ Ben Fogel 10:01

26d ago10:01

10:01

Subscribe now for the full episode! Danny and Derek welcome back to the program Ben Fogel, head of publishing at the Alameda Institute and contributing editor at Jacobin, to chat about South Africa. They get into the struggling coalition government, the stories of “white genocide” stemming from eminent domain policies, Musk and how South Africa hel…

1
Special - The Mahmoud Khalil Ruling w/ Branko Marcetic (Preview) 5:02

26d ago5:02

5:02

Subscribe now for the full episode and access to all breaking news specials. Danny sits down with Jacobin’s Branko Marcetic to talk about yesterday's ruling that Columbia organizer Mahmoud Khalil may be deported for his political views. They discuss precedents, the use of Cold War anti-communist laws as a means to arrest and deport people, whether …

1
News - Tariff Chaos, US-Iran Talks, Trump Considers Drones Against Cartels 1:05:56

28d ago1:05:56

1:05:56

We reluctantly approved Derek’s vacation time, but the news marches on, so Danny welcomes back to the show Alex Jordan of the Quincy Institute to help bring you headlines from around the world. They first take some time to catch up about where things stand with Trump 2.0 and critique what they see as premature analyses of this administration before…

1
The Progress Report: All Aboard the 3D Express! 16:16

28d ago16:16

16:16

In this week’s Progress Report, Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas highlight some truly global good news—stories that are too often buried under the avalanche of daily doomscrolling. Emma brings data from the World Health Organization showing that maternal mortality has dropped by over 40% since 2000, with real success stories in sub-Saharan Afr…

1
The Antitrust Advocate with Matt Stoller 50:57

30d ago50:57

50:57

What would the U.S. look like after a corporate breakup? Zachary and Emma speak with author of the BIG newsletter, host of the Organized Money podcast, and director of research at the American Economics Liberties Project, Matt Stoller. They discuss the major political issues from concentrated economic power, the bipartisan movement against monopoli…

1
E206 - Alternative Media, Trump 2.0, and the Moment in Politics w/ Katrina vanden Heuvel 56:52

1M ago56:52

56:52

Danny and Derek welcome to the show Katrina vanden Heuvel, editorial director and publisher of The Nation, for a wide-ranging discussion on this moment in politics. They delve into the radicalization that led to Trump, the Democrats’ devotion to the Third Way, the need for a coherent leftwing media structure, Ukraine, NATO, the “Pivot to Asia”, the…

1
Navigating Socialist Strategy and Tensions in the Post-Trump Era with Sudip Bhattacharya 1:22:52

1M ago1:22:52

1:22:52

Sudip Bhattacharya joins us to unravel the post-Trump landscape of socialist strategy, wading through the murky waters of political transitions and internal leftist tensions. How can we nurture class consciousness and fight against anti-DEI rhetoric that threatens to strip away essential rights? Together, Sudip and I confront these urgent questions…

1
Bonus - Trump, Xi Jinping, and Tariffs w/ Andy Liu (Preview) 9:59

1M ago9:59

9:59

Danny and Derek welcome to the show Andy Liu, professor of history at Villanova, for a discussion on Trump, Xi, their respective histories, and the current trade situation between the US and China. They explore Trump’s relationship with Japan in the 80s and how that helped shape his idea of trade and tariffs, the US security apparatus emboldening T…

1
The Making of Chuck Schumer w/ David Klion 56:15

1M ago56:15

56:15

By helping the Republicans pass a spending bill that made no compromises with the Democrats and extend Donald Trump’s power over the government, Chuck Schumer has made himself widely unpopular in his own party. Anger at Schumer is so intense that he had to cancel parts of his tour to promote his new book Antisemitism in America: A Warning. David Kl…

1
Special - The Trump Tariffs Escalate w/ Vivek Chibber (Preview) 5:51

1M ago5:51

5:51

Danny and Derek welcome to the show Vivek Chibber, editor of Catalyst and host of the Confronting Capitalism podcast, to talk about the widespread tariffs Trump announced this week, what it would mean to try and bring back manufacturing to the US, the leftist critique of this approach, neoliberalism and neomercantilism, and what we might expect to …

1
News - US and Iran Inch Toward Conflict, Myanmar Earthquake, Trump Tariffs 42:17

1M ago42:17

42:17

This week on the news roundup: the US and Iran are making moves risking escalation to a conflict (0:43); Israel rejects another Gaza ceasefire as it plans to carve up the Strip (7:28); the IDF resumes bombing Beirut (11:41); Myanmar suffers a devastating earthquake (13:44); the South Korea supreme court will rule on Yoon’s impeachment today (17:16)…

1
The Progress Report: The World Bank Goes Nuclear 13:55

1M ago13:55

13:55

In this week's episode of The Progress Report, Emma highlights positive news stories, including potential changes in the World Bank's nuclear energy policy, innovative cancer treatments, decreasing breast cancer mortality rates, and bipartisan efforts to combat ticket price gouging. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The P…

1
From Dawn to Decadence, Part 3: Is Samir Amin's Challenge to Eurocentric Narratives About Decadence? 1:52:35

1M ago1:52:35

1:52:35

What if the concept of decadence holds the key to understanding our societal and political structures today? This episode challenges traditional narratives by dissecting Samir Amin's unfinished work on revolution and decadence through a Marxist lens. We navigate through Afibung's critique of decadence theory, contrasting Marxist views with more coh…

1
Good Night And Good Luck w/Jared Ball & Adam Johnson 1:22:38

1M ago1:22:38

1:22:38

This month, we take a look at George Clooney's Oscar nominated historical drama, Good Night And Good Luck. Our guests are Professor of Media and African studies at Morgan State Jared Ball and Citations Needed's Adam Johnson.By Trevor Beaulieu & Josh Olson

1
Are We the Real Fossil Fools? with Emily Atkin 53:58

1M ago53:58

53:58

Why doesn't the media name and shame the real villains of the climate change story? How can tobacco industry-like litigation impact fossil fuel companies? What are the obstacles of transitioning to a clean energy future? Zachary and Emma speak with journalist, author, and founder of the Heated Substack, Emily Atkin. They discuss the Trump administr…

1
E205 - Mobility in America’s Past, Present, and Future w/ Yoni Appelbaum 1:08:26

1M ago1:08:26

1:08:26

Yoni Appelbaum, a deputy executive editor at The Atlantic, joins the program to talk about his book Stuck: How the Privileged and the Propertied Broke the Engine of American Opportunity. They discuss mobility in the US and how that might sacrifice community for opportunity, the “frontier” as a way of taking land and easing class antagonism, the bir…

1
Doomscolling Through Fandom to Politics: Unraveling the Digital Influence on Ideologies with Joshua Citarella 3:01:01

1M ago3:01:01

3:01:01

Exploring the intersection of fandom culture and political engagement reveals a new landscape of activism and ideology. Our discussion with Joshua Citarella of Doomscroll emphasizes how passionate fandoms are shaping today's political climate, shifting the nature of activism beyond traditional frameworks and leading to a more dynamized political id…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Daniel Bessner Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen