
Heterodox Out Loud
Heterodox Out Loud, hosted by HxA president, John Tomasi, is an ongoing podcast featuring conversations with people across the academy and beyond. Listen to insightful, thought-provoking episodes from the HxA community by adding our podcast to your lineup.
Latest episodes

Jul 21, 2022 • 28min
Ep. 43: Stop Disparaging Working Class Students, Jonathan Zimmerman
In this episode of Heterodox Out Loud, we speak with Jonathan Zimmerman, Professor of History of Education at the University of Pennsylvania about why social class is one of the last acceptable prejudices in many academic circles — and what we can do about it.Jon has written numerous books, including The Amateur Hour: A History of College Teaching in America and Free Speech, and Why You Should Give a Damn. He has also written for the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Chronicle of Higher Education, The New York Review of Books, and The Atlantic.Let us know what you think! For comments and questions email communications@heterodoxacademy.org.This episode was hosted by Zach Rausch, and produced by Davies Content. Heterodox Out Loud is an ongoing series of selected pieces from heterodox: the blog in audio form with exclusive interviews.
Follow Heterodox Academy on:Twitter: https://bit.ly/3Fax5DyFacebook: https://bit.ly/3PMYxfwLinkedIn: https://bit.ly/48IYeuJInstagram: https://bit.ly/46HKfUgSubstack: https://bit.ly/48IhjNF 🔗 Find out more about Heterodox Academy at: https://linktr.ee/heterodoxoutloud

Jul 7, 2022 • 22min
Ep. 42: How to Have Conversations That Work, John McWhorter and Glenn Loury
In this special episode of Heterodox Out Loud, recorded in-person at Heterodox Academy’s 2022 conference in Denver, we speak with Glenn Loury, Professor of the Social Sciences and Economics at Brown University, and John McWhorter, Professor of Linguistics at Columbia University. John has authored over 20 books on issues of race and language and writes a widely-read biweekly newsletter for the New York Times. Glenn has published numerous influential books on race, inequality, and economics. He is also the host of the well-known podcast, The Glenn Show on BloggingHeads TV, where John is a regular guest. In our interview, we discuss the future of higher education and how we can improve our collective discourse.Let us know what you think! For comments and questions email communications@heterodoxacademy.org.This episode was hosted by Zach Rausch, and produced by Davies Content. Heterodox Out Loud is an ongoing series of selected pieces from heterodox: the blog in audio form with exclusive interviews.
Follow Heterodox Academy on:Twitter: https://bit.ly/3Fax5DyFacebook: https://bit.ly/3PMYxfwLinkedIn: https://bit.ly/48IYeuJInstagram: https://bit.ly/46HKfUgSubstack: https://bit.ly/48IhjNF 🔗 Find out more about Heterodox Academy at: https://linktr.ee/heterodoxoutloud

Jun 30, 2022 • 19min
Ep. 41: Is Woke Media Destroying Democracy? with Batya Ungar-Sargon
In this special episode of Heterodox Out Loud, recorded in-person at Heterodox Academy’s 2022 conference in Denver, we speak with Batya Ungar-Sargon about the declining trust in American journalism, whether trust is warranted at all, and how higher education may be contributing to this growing problem.Our guest is Batya Ungar-Sargon, deputy opinion-editor of Newsweek magazine. Batya is the author of Bad News: How Woke Media Is Undermining Democracy.Let us know what you think! For comments and questions email communications@heterodoxacademy.org.This episode was hosted by Zach Rausch, and produced by Davies Content. Heterodox Out Loud is an ongoing series of selected pieces from heterodox: the blog in audio form with exclusive interviews.
Follow Heterodox Academy on:Twitter: https://bit.ly/3Fax5DyFacebook: https://bit.ly/3PMYxfwLinkedIn: https://bit.ly/48IYeuJInstagram: https://bit.ly/46HKfUgSubstack: https://bit.ly/48IhjNF 🔗 Find out more about Heterodox Academy at: https://linktr.ee/heterodoxoutloud

Jun 16, 2022 • 31min
Ep. 40: Free Speech: A History From Socrates to Social Media, Jacob Mchangama
In this episode of Heterodox Out Loud, we explore the history of free speech, how the understanding of it has changed, and the volatile swings in public opinion about this core value. Our guest is Jacob Mchangama, a Danish lawyer, human-rights advocate, and social commentator. He is the founder and director of Justitia, a Copenhagen-based think tank focusing on human rights, freedom of speech, and the rule of law. He’s also the author of the acclaimed new book, “Free Speech: A History from Socrates to Social Media.” Blog post: Free Speech: A History from Socrates to Social MediaLet us know what you think! For comments and questions email communications@heterodoxacademy.org.This episode was hosted by Zach Rausch, and produced by Davies Content.Heterodox Out Loud is an ongoing series of selected pieces from heterodox: the blog in audio form with exclusive interviews.
Follow Heterodox Academy on:Twitter: https://bit.ly/3Fax5DyFacebook: https://bit.ly/3PMYxfwLinkedIn: https://bit.ly/48IYeuJInstagram: https://bit.ly/46HKfUgSubstack: https://bit.ly/48IhjNF 🔗 Find out more about Heterodox Academy at: https://linktr.ee/heterodoxoutloud

Jun 2, 2022 • 36min
Ep. 39: A Defense of Faith Statements, Shirley Mullen
In this episode of Heterodox Out Loud, we look at a deeply counterintuitive claim within the free speech movement in higher education: that mandatory faith statements at universities may actually support and advance academic freedom. Our guest is Shirley Mullen, who served as president of Houghton College for 15 years, retiring in May of 2021. Prior to becoming Houghton’s president, she served at various times as a classroom professor, chief academic officer and residence life director. Blog post: In Defense of Faith StatementsLet us know what you think! For comments and questions email communications@heterodoxacademy.org.This episode was hosted by Zach Rausch, and produced by Davies Content. IMPORTANT NOTE: In this episode, we discuss HxA's upcoming conference in Denver, June 12 - 14. Tickets are now sold out. For those who are unable to attend, we will post video footage of the conference in the weeks following.Heterodox Out Loud is an ongoing series of selected pieces from heterodox: the blog in audio form with exclusive interviews.
Follow Heterodox Academy on:Twitter: https://bit.ly/3Fax5DyFacebook: https://bit.ly/3PMYxfwLinkedIn: https://bit.ly/48IYeuJInstagram: https://bit.ly/46HKfUgSubstack: https://bit.ly/48IhjNF 🔗 Find out more about Heterodox Academy at: https://linktr.ee/heterodoxoutloud

May 21, 2022 • 30min
Ep. 38: An HxA Conference Preview: The Trust Crisis In Higher Education, Erec Smith and Kyle Vitale
In this episode of Heterodox Out Loud, we’re giving our podcast community a first look at the vital conversations to expect at HxA Conference 2022 in Denver this June, as we host a discussion between two of our conference speakers on the crisis of trust in higher education—a central theme in both our upcoming conference and summer programming.Our guests on the show are Kyle Vitale, HxA’s Director of Programs and Erec Smith, Associate Professor of Rhetoric at York College of Pennsylvania and co-founder of Free Black Thought, a non-profit that highlights black viewpoint diversity.Before hearing from Kyle and Erec, you’ll listen to a blog post on this core topic of HxA Conference 2022: The Trust Crisis in Higher Education. The post features four perspectives from four of our conference speakers:
Erec Smith, today’s podcast guest and Associate Professor of Rhetoric at York College of Pennsylvania
Holden Thorp, Editor-in-Chief at the Science family of journals,
Shirley Mullen, President Emerita at Houghton College
Michael Roth, President of Wesleyan University.
Blog post: On The Crisis of Trust in Higher Education For more from our guests, you can follow Erec on Twitter at @Rhetors_of_York, and Kyle at @kylesebvitaleLet us know what you think! For comments and questions email communications@heterodoxacademy.org.This episode was hosted by Zach Rausch, and produced by Davies Content. Heterodox Out Loud is an ongoing series of selected pieces from heterodox: the blog in audio form with exclusive interviews.
Follow Heterodox Academy on:Twitter: https://bit.ly/3Fax5DyFacebook: https://bit.ly/3PMYxfwLinkedIn: https://bit.ly/48IYeuJInstagram: https://bit.ly/46HKfUgSubstack: https://bit.ly/48IhjNF 🔗 Find out more about Heterodox Academy at: https://linktr.ee/heterodoxoutloud

May 5, 2022 • 21min
Ep. 37: The Life and Philosophy of HxA President, John Tomasi
In this special episode of Heterodox Out Loud, we’re sharing excerpts from a personal and wide-ranging interview between Heterodox Academy President, John Tomasi, and philosopher turned podcast host, Zohar Atkins.We hear Tomasi discuss his deep interest in philosophy, how skepticism and faith can be friends, and the challenges he’s faced throughout his career, both as an academic and now as president of Heterodox Academy. You can hear the full 70 minute interview on Zohar’s podcast, Meditations with Zohar.Let us know what you think! For comments and questions email communications@heterodoxacademy.org.This episode was hosted by Zach Rausch, and produced by Davies Content. Heterodox Out Loud is an ongoing series of selected pieces from heterodox: the blog in audio form with exclusive interviews.
Follow Heterodox Academy on:Twitter: https://bit.ly/3Fax5DyFacebook: https://bit.ly/3PMYxfwLinkedIn: https://bit.ly/48IYeuJInstagram: https://bit.ly/46HKfUgSubstack: https://bit.ly/48IhjNF 🔗 Find out more about Heterodox Academy at: https://linktr.ee/heterodoxoutloud

Apr 21, 2022 • 26min
Ep. 36: The Case for Courageous Truth-Seeking, Robert George
In this episode of Heterodox Out Loud, we explore the flawed human tendency to reject and censor opposing arguments — especially when they contradict values and beliefs that are held with conviction. Our guest on the show, Robert George, the sixth McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and Director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University, explains how we can remain confident and passionate in our commitments, while also embracing and engaging opposing perspectives.In addition to his academic accolades, George has served as Chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom as well as a presidential appointee of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and the President’s Council on Bioethics. In addition, Professor George has served as the U.S. member of UNESCO’s World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology. George’s blog post: On Critics and Bullies. The post was originally published on the Blog, Mirror and Justice. For more from George, you can follow him on Twitter at @McCormickProfLet us know what you think! For comments and questions email communications@heterodoxacademy.org.This episode was hosted by Zach Rausch, and produced by Davies Content. Heterodox Out Loud is an ongoing series of selected pieces from heterodox: the blog in audio form with exclusive interviews.
Follow Heterodox Academy on:Twitter: https://bit.ly/3Fax5DyFacebook: https://bit.ly/3PMYxfwLinkedIn: https://bit.ly/48IYeuJInstagram: https://bit.ly/46HKfUgSubstack: https://bit.ly/48IhjNF 🔗 Find out more about Heterodox Academy at: https://linktr.ee/heterodoxoutloud

4 snips
Apr 7, 2022 • 28min
Ep. 35: Diversity Is Not Enough: Why Collective Intelligence Requires Both Diversity and Disagreement, Ravi Kudesia
In this episode of Heterodox Out Loud, we explore a concept revered by many and challenged by few in higher education—the value of diversity. We look beyond the surface of this belief, and consider how different kinds of diversity impact team building, decision making, and collective intelligence. Our guest on the show is Ravi Kudesia, Assistant Professor at the Fox School of Business at Temple University. He teaches courses on Power, Influence, and Negotiation, has won numerous teaching awards, and has appeared in The Financial Times, New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, CNN, and a number of other outlets.Ravi’s blog post: Diversity Is Not Enough: Why Collective Intelligence Requires Both Diversity and DisagreementFor more from Ravi, you can follow him on Twitter at @rskudesia.Let us know what you think! For comments and questions email communications@heterodoxacademy.org.This episode was hosted by Zach Rausch, and produced by Davies Content. Heterodox Out Loud is an ongoing series of selected pieces from heterodox: the blog in audio form with exclusive interviews.
Follow Heterodox Academy on:Twitter: https://bit.ly/3Fax5DyFacebook: https://bit.ly/3PMYxfwLinkedIn: https://bit.ly/48IYeuJInstagram: https://bit.ly/46HKfUgSubstack: https://bit.ly/48IhjNF 🔗 Find out more about Heterodox Academy at: https://linktr.ee/heterodoxoutloud

Mar 25, 2022 • 29min
Ep. 34: Part 1: Political Diversity Will Improve Social Psychological Science, Lee Jussim and Jonathan Haidt (Blog Audio-Only)
On part 1 of this episode of Heterodox Out Loud, we’ll listen to Jonathan Haidt’s edited summary of a seminal academic paper that helped lead to the founding of Heterodox Academy. The original paper, “Political Diversity Will Improve Social Psychological Science,” was published in Behavioral and Brain Sciences in 2015, and was written by Jonathan Haidt, Lee Jussim, Jose Duarte, Jarret Crawford, Phil Tetlock, and Charlotta Stern. Make sure to listen to listen to part 2 where we speak with co-author Lee Jussim, Social Psychologist and Distinguished Professor at Rutgers University, about how political bias in academia can solidify into orthodoxies that undermine truth-seeking and critical inquiry. Let us know what you think! For comments and questions email communications@heterodoxacademy.org.This episode was hosted by Zach Rausch, and produced by Davies Content. Heterodox Out Loud is an ongoing series of selected pieces from heterodox: the blog in audio form with exclusive interviews.
Follow Heterodox Academy on:Twitter: https://bit.ly/3Fax5DyFacebook: https://bit.ly/3PMYxfwLinkedIn: https://bit.ly/48IYeuJInstagram: https://bit.ly/46HKfUgSubstack: https://bit.ly/48IhjNF 🔗 Find out more about Heterodox Academy at: https://linktr.ee/heterodoxoutloud