
The Radio Free Hillsdale Hour
The Radio Free Hillsdale Hour is a one-hour, weekly radio show/podcast advancing the efforts of Hillsdale College in radiating its knowledge and teaching to the world outside of campus. Listeners will hear the arguments and debates that make up the liberal arts education and will experience the learning and teaching that happens on campus. Hosted by Scot Bertram.
Latest episodes

Jul 21, 2023 • 46min
Kimberley Strassel Wants To Reverse The Biden Malaise
Guests: Adam Carrington, Kimberley Strassel, & Dwight Lindley Host Scot Bertram talks with Adam Carrington, Associate Professor of Politics and William and Patricia LaMothe Chair in the U.S. Constitution at Hillsdale College, about the impact of the Supreme Court's recent opinion regarding affirmative action on College campuses. Kimberley Strassel, Editorial Board member and Columnist at the Wall Street Journal, discusses the Biden Administration and her new book The Biden Malaise: How America Bounces Back from Joe Biden's Dismal Repeat of the Jimmy Carter Years. And Dwight Lindley, Associate Professor of English at Hillsdale College, continues his series on Charles Dickens, this time focusing on Dickens' masterpiece of political commentary, Bleak House.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 14, 2023 • 43min
Matthew Mehan Shares the Magic of Children's Literature
Guests: Arthur Milikh & Matthew Mehan Host Scot Bertram talks with Matthew Mehan, Associate Dean & Assistant Professor of Government at Hillsdale's Van Andel Graduate School of Government, to discuss the current state of children's literature and his recent book The Handsome Little Cygnet. And Arthur Milikh, Executive Director of the Claremont Institute's Center for the American Way Of Life, outlines the arguments inside Up From Conservatism, a collection of essays that seek to reframe the ideological and policy direction of the American Right.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 7, 2023 • 49min
Heather Mac Donald Shows The Danger Of Forced Equity
Guests: Gary Wolfram, Heather Mac Donald, & Todd Mack Host Scot Bertram talks with Gary Wolfram, William Simon Professor of Economics and Public Policy at Hillsdale, to discuss his recent article, "Why It’s High Time the Federal Reserve Stopped Raising Interest Rates." Heather Mac Donald, Thomas W. Smith Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, discusses her new book When Race Trumps Merit: How the Pursuit of Equity Sacrifices Excellence, Destroys Beauty, and Threatens Lives. And Todd Mack, Department Chair and Associate Professor of Spanish at Hillsdale, gives insights into the discipline of Myth Criticism.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 30, 2023 • 51min
Hadley Arkes on the Anchoring Truths of the Constitution
Guests: Miles Smith, Hadley Arkes, & Ingrid Jacques Host Scot Bertram talks with Miles Smith, Assistant Professor of History at Hillsdale College, about his recent Op-ed at Chicago Tribune, "Activism and niches are killing the history profession." Hadley Arkes, Professor of Jurisprudence and American Institutions emeritus at Amherst College, discusses the natural law tradition and his new book Mere Natural Law: Originalism and the Anchoring Truths of the Constitution. And Ingrid Jacques, Columnist at USA Today and Hillsdale alumna, talks about the state of journalism and opinion writing and how Hillsdale helped prepare her for her career. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 23, 2023 • 49min
Amul Thapar Says Clarence Thomas Is "The People's Justice"
Guests: Gary Wolfram, Amul Thapar, & Timothy McDonnell Host Scot Bertram talks with Gary Wolfram, William Simon Professor of Economics and Public Policy and Director of Economics at Hillsdale College, about his recent essay at the Washington Examiner, "Cuts to discretionary spending won't solve America’s debt crisis." Amul Thapar, a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, gives us insight on Justice Clarence Thomas in his new book, The People's Justice: Clarence Thomas and the Constitutional Stories that Define Him. And Timothy McDonnell, Associate Professor of Music at Hillsdale, tells us about the role of music in the origins of liberal education. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 16, 2023 • 50min
Peachy Keenan On How to Win the Culture War
Guests: Matthew Spalding, Peachy Keenan, & Bruno Cortes Host Scot Bertram talks with Matthew Spalding, Vice President of Washington Operations and Dean of the Van Andel Graduate School of Government at Hillsdale, about the dangers that the DEI agenda poses to academia. Peachy Keenan, senior contributor at The Federalist, discusses her new book Domestic Extremist: A Practical Guide to Winning the Culture War. And Bruno Cortes, a recent graduate of Hillsdale's Van Andel Graduate School of Statesmanship, walks through his dissertation on American expansion in the Northwest Territory.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 9, 2023 • 51min
Andrew Puzder Exposes the Failures of the Biden Economy
Guests: Daniel Coupland, Andrew Puzder, & Mardi Billman Host Scot Bertram talks with Daniel Coupland, Dean of Masters in Classical Education and Professor of Education at Hillsdale, about the war on phonics. Andrew Puzder, former Chief Executive of CKE Restaurants, lays out the failures of the Biden economy and how to fix it. And Mardi Billman, Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Hillsdale, returns for an installment in her “Drama in Scientific Discovery” series to tell us about the birth of Chemistry as a science.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 2, 2023 • 40min
Hans von Spakovsky on Protecting the Integrity of Elections
Guests: John J. Miller, Hans von Spakovsky, & Richard Samuelson Host Scot Bertram talks with John J. Miller, Director of the Dow Journalism Program at Hillsdale College, about George Orwell's Homage to Catalonia and how it led to his future better-known works. Hans von Spakovsky, Manager of the Election Law Reform Initiative and Senior Legal Fellow at The Heritage Foundation, dives into a study refuting false claims against voter ID laws and provides details on new documented cases of voter fraud. And Richard Samuelson, Associate Professor of Government at Hillsdale in DC, looks into the future to show us America after affirmative action. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 26, 2023 • 49min
Brandon Weichert Warns Us About China's Plans to Weaponize Biotech
Guests: Kenneth Calvert, Brandon Weichert, & Stephen Naumann Host Scot Bertram talks with Kenneth Calvert, Professor of History at Hillsdale College, about the College's new free online course on the history of Ancient Christianity. Brandon Weichert, Senior Editor at 19FortyFive.com, discusses China's plan to weaponize biotech in his new book Biohacked: China's Race To Control Life. And Stephen Naumann, Associate Professor of German at Hillsdale, gives an inside look at Hillsdale's study abroad program for students in the German department. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 19, 2023 • 47min
Brad Birzer Explains How the War of 1812 Changed the Republic
Guests: Patrick Whalen, Walter Nicgorski, & Brad Birzer Host Scot Bertram talks with Patrick Whalen, assistant to the president of Hillsdale College, about the College's new free course on the U.S. Constitution for American Law Enforcement Officers. Walter Nicgorski, professor emeritus of Political Philosophy and Great Books at Notre Dame, stops by the studio to discuss Cicero and Stoicism. And Brad Birzer, Professor of History and Russell Amos Kirk Chair in American Studies at Hillsdale, remembers one of America's forgotten wars, the War of 1812. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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