
Deep Background with Noah Feldman
Behind every news headline, there’s another, deeper story. It’s a story about power. In Deep Background, Harvard Law School professor and Bloomberg View columnist Noah Feldman will bring together a cross-section of expert guests to explore the historical, scientific, legal, and cultural context that help us understand what’s really going on behind the biggest stories in the news.iHeartMedia is the exclusive podcast partner of Pushkin Industries.
Latest episodes

Oct 16, 2024 • 51min
Bush v. Gore: Episode 2 – Real Numbers
On election night 2000 an ad hoc network of statisticians, news producers, TV anchors, and political operatives tried to figure out what the hell was going on in Florida–and failed spectacularly. For a full list of sources, check out the Fiasco website.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 16, 2024 • 52min
Bush v. Gore: Episode 1 – Homestead
How the largely forgotten race between Al Gore and George W. Bush roiled Florida long before anyone had ever heard of a hanging chad. For a full list of sources, check out the Fiasco website.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

16 snips
Jan 27, 2022 • 37min
The Future of COVID-19 with Marc Lipsitch
Harvard epidemiologist and recurring guest Marc Lipsitch discusses what we can learn from omicron surge. Lipsitch also addresses some common omicron myths and discusses the possibility of a “master vaccine.” Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

32 snips
Jan 20, 2022 • 32min
How One Bank Shaped American Capitalism
Zachary Karabell, financial executive and historian, discusses his recent book Inside Money: Brown Brothers Harriman and the American Way of Power, outlining the formation of American capitalism told through the history of one often-overlooked bank. He explains how the evolution of trust in financial systems has shaped American capitalism today and informs where it could go in the future. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 12, 2022 • 39min
Inside The Facebook Oversight Board
Jamal Greene, co-chair of the Facebook Oversight Board, discusses transparency, decision-making, and context in rights conflicts within the oversight board. The blurred line between misinformation and politicized beliefs, cultural differences, and future challenges are also explored.

Dec 23, 2021 • 44min
What’s the Deal with Decentralized Autonomous Organizations?
Erik Voorhees, founder of crypto management platform ShapeShift, makes a case for decentralized autonomous organizations, known as DAOs. Earlier this year, ShapeShift became a DAO, “moving from a centralized, closed-source application with bank accounts, governed and owned by shareholders, to a decentralized, open-source application without bank accounts, governed and owned by holders of the FOX Token.” Voorhees explains how DAOs works could reshape business, economics, and politics. . Read Erik Voorhees’ Medium post about moving to a DAO structure here: https://erikvoorhees.medium.com/shapeshift-is-decentralizing-639bb4c82fc8 Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 15, 2021 • 29min
The Supply Chain Crisis Isn’t Going Away
Hannah Kain, CEO of supply chain management company Alom, shares her analysis of how we got into the supply chain crisis and the larger story it reveals about trade wars, labor shortages, and the need for better automation systems. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 9, 2021 • 39min
James Carville Calls for Democratic Party Unity
Political strategist and media commentator James Carville shares his frank concerns about the Democratic party’s strategy and leadership. Carville discusses the risks of party disunity in this crucial time, the false equivalency of the far left and right, and why the Democratic party needs better salespeople. Harvard political scientist Theda Skocpol’s 2021 report on political organizing in Georgia and North Carolina can be read here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 25, 2021 • 39min
A New Media Business Model
Description: Jason Feifer, editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine, discusses the complicated role of revenue in publishing, especially in the world of business media. He also gives a surprisingly frank look at how Entrepreneur Magazine leans into non traditional practices to balance reader’ interest with the magazine’s revenue model. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 18, 2021 • 42min
Miseducation and Climate Change
Katie Worth, investigative reporter and author of the new book Miseducation: How Climate Change Is Taught in America, reviewed science textbooks from all fifty states and travelled the country interviewing teachers and students to compile a narrative about how climate change is being taught in American public schools. She joins Noah to discuss the partisan divide in climate change education, the lobbying forces shaping curriculum around the country, and challenge of balancing students’ right to learn the facts with teachers’ values and opinions. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.