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Open to Debate

Latest episodes

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Jul 25, 2020 • 43min

Agree to Disagree: Broadband for All?

Introducing "Agree to Disagree," a new series from Intelligence Squared U.S. In this episode, two guests join John Donvan to debate Broadband for All, the internet as a public utility, and just who should make sure you have the connection you need.A message from our sponsor:Get an extra 3 months Free on a one year package. Expressvpn.com/debate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Jul 10, 2020 • 53min

#183 - Is Nationalism a Force for Good?

From Brexit to “America First,” Modi in India, Erdoğan in Turkey, and Bolsonaro in Brazil, nationalism – or allegiance to a nation-state over other group affiliations – has been on the rise. Now, borders around the world are closed and the coronavirus pandemic is sparking staunch debate about the future of global governance and political identity. The nation-state has been praised for securing the needs of its citizens and serving as the most efficient form of political organization, while also criticized for being insular and inciting anti-immigration policies. Nationalism has been credited for both uniting disparate communities under a common culture and identity, as well as promoting violence based on race and ethnicity. As global problems continue to mount, does the 21st century require international leadership, or is nationalism a force for good?A message from our sponsor:Get an extra 3 months Free on a one year package. Expressvpn.com/debate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Jun 26, 2020 • 58min

#164 - Should Social Media Companies Honor the First Amendment?

MOTION: Constitutional Free Speech Principles Can Save Social Media Companies from ThemselvesPresident Trump posted similar content on Facebook and Twitter. Twitter flagged it. Facebook did not. Both have come under fire for those decisions. Just how should social media companies police user content? Revisit our debate on social media content moderation policies and whether the U.S. Constitution should be the guiding light in a new era of political speech. FOR THE MOTION:David French - Senior Writer, National ReviewCorynne McSherry - Legal Director, Electronic Frontier FoundationAGAINST THE MOTION:Nathaniel Persily - Professor, Stanford LawMarietje Schaake - International Policy Director, Stanford's Cyber Policy Center & Fmr. Member, European ParliamentWe're funded by our listeners. To support our debates, donate online at iq2us.org/supportA message from our sponsor:Get an extra 3 months Free on a one year package. Expressvpn.com/debate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Jun 12, 2020 • 53min

#182 - Will Coronavirus Reshape the World Order in China's Favor?

How might coronavirus reshape geopolitics? For some, the answer is clear: China is on the rise. While Washington embraces “America First” and abdicates its global leadership role, they argue, Beijing is stepping up to fill the void. But others see a global future where Beijing’s standing is diminished, not bolstered. Panelists Kurt M. Campbell, Kishore Mahbubani, Minxin Pei, and Susan Thornton.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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May 29, 2020 • 53min

#181 - Has The Electoral College Outlived Its Usefulness?

DEBATE: Has The Electoral College Outlived Its Usefulness?Five American presidents — two in the last 20 years — have assumed office without winning the popular vote. As the nation gears up for another contentious presidential election, some are calling for an end to the Electoral College. They argue that the college subverts the will of the American people by unfairly prioritizing rural and swing states over the nation’s majority. But others say the Electoral College, which the Founders established in the Constitution, is necessary to ensure voters in less populous states have a voice in picking our president. Has the Electoral College outlived its usefulness?This debate is presented in partnership with the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law as part of the Newt and Jo Minow Debate Series.  Motion: The Electoral College Has Outlived Its UsefulnessFor the Motion:Jamelle Bouie - Columnist, New York TimesKate Shaw - Law Professor & Supreme Court Contributor, ABC NewsAgainst the Motion:Tara Ross - Author, "Why We Need the Electoral College"Bradley A. Smith - Law Professor & Former Chairman, Federal Election CommissionA note from our sponsor:Get an extra 3 months Free on a one year package. Expressvpn.com/debate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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May 15, 2020 • 54min

#180 - Was the Global Financial System Better Prepared for the Pandemic Than 2008?

More than a decade ago, Lehman Brothers collapsed, and the world witnessed one of the worst financial crises in global history. In January 2019, Intelligence Squared U.S. hosted a debate on the motion “Ten Years After the Global Financial Crisis, the System Is Safer,” to assess how resilient markets would be in the future. With the emergence of a global pandemic, this has put the debater’s arguments to the ultimate test – whose claims have been vindicated by this unprecedented event?Cast Your Vote: www.iq2us.org/vote Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Apr 24, 2020 • 53min

#179 - Is the Defense Production Act Being Underutilized?

As health professionals and leaders around the nation rush to procure the supplies Americans need to combat coronavirus, we ask: Is the Defense Production Act being underutilized? This little-known law, which dates back to the Korean War, gives the president vast authority to compel private companies to act in the interest of national defense. While President Trump has invoked the act in recent weeks, many across the nation are calling on his administration to use its powers much more broadly.Cast Your Vote: https://smarturl.it/DefenseProdAct Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Apr 3, 2020 • 53min

How to Fight an Infodemic

As the coronavirus pandemic sweeps the globe, the World Health Organization is warning of the spread of something else – an information epidemic or “infodemic.” And while diligent consumers of the news are inundated with stats, graphs, press conferences, and think-pieces, so too are they exposed to dubious data, miscredited quotations, and outright harmful claims. In this episode, John Donvan sits down with two leading experts in the spread of information, journalist and editor-in-chief of PolitiFact Angie Drobnic Holan and computer scientist and associate professor of Human Centered Design and Engineering at the University of Washington Kate Starbird, for a discussion on how to be discerning communicators during a time of crisis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Mar 20, 2020 • 54min

#178 - Does Maximum Pressure Against Iran Work?

The targeted killing of General Qassim Suleimani sent shockwaves around the world and sparked staunch debate about the Trump administration's "maximum pressure" campaign. Supporters argue that this strategy, which includes leaving the JCPOA and imposing harsh economic sanctions, will safeguard American interests, quell Tehran's human rights abuses, and halt the state's support of terrorist networks. But opponents see "maximum pressure" as dangerously misguided. They argue that abandoning the hard-fought JCPOA and undermining the Iranian economy has promoted violence, isolated allies, and fueled anti-American sentiment. Is the maximum pressure campaign against Iran working? Presented in partnership with the Hoover Institution at Stanford UniversityMotion: The Maximum Pressure Campaign Against Iran Is WorkingFor the Motion:Victor Davis Hanson - Military Historian & Author, “The Case for Trump”H. R. McMaster - Retired Lieutenant General, U.S. Army & Former National Security AdvisorAgainst the Motion:Martha Crenshaw - Terrorism Studies Expert & Author, “Explaining Terrorism”Abbas Milani - Iranian Studies Program Director, Stanford University Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Mar 6, 2020 • 54min

#177 - Is Anti-Zionism the New Anti-Semitism?

Zionism, or the belief in the Jewish right to self-determination in the land of Israel, has been the topic of contentious global debate for decades. And while the United States government is making moves to strengthen its special relationship with Israel, such as relocating the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, scrutiny of Israel and its government looms large in American politics. Is it possible to distinguish anti-Zionism from anti-Semitism?For the Motion:Bret Stephens - Op-Ed Columnist, New York TimesEinat Wilf - Former Member, Israeli ParliamentAgainst the Motion:Peter Beinart - Journalist & Author, “The Crisis of Zionism”Yousef Munayyer - Executive Director, US Campaign for Palestinian Rights Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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