Talks from the Hoover Institution

John Scott, Naval War College faculty and wargaming educator, and Norman Friedman, naval historian and strategist, discuss interwar Naval War College games and their influence on Pacific planning. They cover game design and adjudication, how games trained decision-making, technology assumptions and AI risks, iteration versus public persuasion, and lessons for professional military education and procurement.

Ryan Holiday, bestselling author and modern Stoic interpreter, and General Jim Mattis, retired Marine Corps general and former Secretary of Defense, discuss the character that sustains a republic. They explore Stoic virtues, Washington and Lincoln as models, civic duty versus rights, the responsibilities of military obedience, and how disciplined leadership shapes strategy and alliances.

Fr. Francisco Nahoe, a Catholic chaplain experienced in interreligious education; Eboo Patel, founder of Interfaith America focused on pluralistic institutions; Robert George, Princeton jurist and civic engagement scholar. They discuss how higher education can foster civic unity amid religious diversity. Conversations cover integrating religion into campus diversity work, public engagement across faiths, and practical interfaith cooperation in civic life.

Michael McConnell, former federal appellate judge and Stanford law professor; Genevieve Lakier, University of Chicago law professor focused on free speech; Tom Clark, Stanford political scientist on the judiciary. They debate courts as dispute resolvers and democratic backstops. Topics include judicial legitimacy in polarization, the shadow docket, enforcement against the executive, justiciability limits, and originalism’s practical reach.

Andrew Preston, distinguished professor of diplomacy and statecraft at the University of Virginia and author of Total Defense, joins to explore the rise of national security. He traces its 1930s origins, links to the New Deal, and how rearmament and WWII reshaped institutions and culture. The conversation also covers homeland security after 9/11 and whether current policies continue or break with past traditions.

Andrew Preston, historian of diplomacy who traces national security to the New Deal; Anthony Gregory, Hoover fellow and commentator who situates and critiques Preston’s claims. They discuss how FDR reframed defense beyond borders, the New Deal’s role in creating security institutions, shifting threat perceptions, and the 1937–47 transformation that led to a permanent wartime state.

Meira Levinson, political theorist and former middle‑school teacher; Joshua Dunn, constitutional scholar who runs civics academies; Jennifer McNabb, history professor leading pre‑service teacher civic initiatives. They discuss what civics looks like in K–12 classrooms. They explore civic skill‑building through projects and simulations. They cover teacher professional development, legal constraints, and creative outreach like theater and plug‑and‑play lessons.

Rachel Wahl, a scholar of political dialogue, studies how structured conversations change attitudes. Trygve Throntveit, a higher education researcher, designs civic curricula and assessment. Joseph Kahne, an expert on youth civic development, analyzes school practices and digital media. They discuss measuring civic learning, Third‑Way Civics and classroom evidence, dialogue outcomes, scaling assessments, and the risks of measurement.

Dr. Hung-mao Tien, former foreign minister of Taiwan and current INPR president, offers a concise perspective on Taiwan’s strategic role. He discusses the island’s geostrategic position, semiconductor-driven tech leverage, rising PRC coercion tactics, and the case for deeper U.S.–Taiwan–Japan cooperation. Short takes on democratic resilience and the dilemmas open societies face round out the conversation.

Michael Anton, Jack Ross Senior Fellow and former White House official, reflects on his public‑service career and controversial 2016 essay. He revisits conservative grievances about media, immigration, and foreign interventions. He assesses recent presidencies, trade and border achievements, Middle East diplomacy, and strategic debates on China, Russia, Iran, and Taiwan.