Conversations with Coleman
The Free Press
Conversations with Coleman is where deep thinkers and curious minds meet for sharp, surprising, and unfiltered chats. Hosted by Coleman Hughes, writer, thinker, and guy who asks the questions other people dodge - this podcast isn’t about debating. It’s about discovery. Politics, philosophy, race, culture, science: it’s all fair game. If you're done with hot takes and hungry for real-talk, come join the conversation.
Episodes
Mentioned books
93 snips
Mar 25, 2026 • 2h 5min
Coleman Hughes and Glenn Greenwald Debate Israel’s Influence on Washington
Glenn Greenwald, journalist and former First Amendment attorney known for co-founding The Intercept, weighs in on Israel’s sway in Washington. They debate the scale of the Israel lobby, U.S. ties and aid, and whether Israel drove moves against Iran. Conversation also covers campus free speech limits, intelligence-sharing controversies, and media alliances and responsibilities.
173 snips
Mar 23, 2026 • 1h 10min
What Keeps Sam Harris Up At Night
Sam Harris, neuroscientist and philosopher known for probing ethics and risk, discusses the biggest dangers facing civilization. He unpacks jihadist threats paired with nuclear weapons. He examines misinformation, rising antisemitism, and the role of conspiratorial media. He also touches on social media harms, declining birth rates, and AI and pandemic risks.
122 snips
Mar 16, 2026 • 1h 3min
The Forgotten History of Slavery in the Islamic World
Justin Marozzi, historian and author of Captives and Companions, draws on travel and archives to map slavery across the Islamic world. He covers the scale and timelines of the trade, legal and religious frameworks, trans-Saharan horrors, Barbary corsairs, hereditary slavery in West Africa, and why some forms persist today.
34 snips
Mar 9, 2026 • 1h 22min
He Wanted to Teach Western Civilization. So He Quit Harvard.
James Hankins, a Renaissance intellectual historian and longtime Harvard professor, left Harvard to revive teaching of Western civilization. He discusses the long historical roots of ideas like free speech, the canon versus diversity debate, the role of Christianity and other traditions, and whether a shared civilizational story can survive in a pluralistic society.
52 snips
Mar 2, 2026 • 1h 3min
Yuval Levin on What Conservatism Is for Today
Yuval Levin, political theorist and AEI director who writes on constitutionalism and civil society, joins to explore conservatism’s purpose today. He contrasts populism with institutional politics. He traces conservatism’s focus on formation, gratitude, and procedure. He discusses higher education reform, the coming politics of AI, and the Constitution’s role in holding a divided nation together.
50 snips
Feb 23, 2026 • 1h 6min
Why Longer Prison Sentences Don’t Work
Jennifer Doleac, an economist who studies crime and criminal justice and leads policy work at Arnold Ventures. She explains why longer prison terms often fail, why swifter and more certain punishment deters more than severity, how DNA databases and more police can reduce recidivism, and how policy must account for incentives and unintended consequences.
44 snips
Feb 16, 2026 • 1h 11min
Is Your Life Morally Ambitious Enough?
Rutger Bregman, Dutch historian and bestselling author known for Utopia for Realists and Humankind, discusses Moral Ambition and using talents to tackle big problems. He challenges "follow your passion," explains why small disciplined groups drive moral breakthroughs, explores abolitionism and modern philanthropy, and considers animal welfare, enforcement, and risks of empowering the wrong moral actors.
Feb 10, 2026 • 43sec
YOU'RE INVITED: Coleman Hughes LIVE in Atlanta!
A live conversation set at Ebenezer Baptist Church explores nonviolence amid modern violence. Civil rights history and personal memories of marches come to the forefront. A Pulitzer-winning biographer and a longtime movement leader reflect on legacy and public memory.
64 snips
Feb 9, 2026 • 1h 31min
Lionel Shriver on the Immigration Taboo
Lionel Shriver, acclaimed novelist and cultural critic known for We Need to Talk About Kevin, discusses her new novel A Better Life and immigration themes. They explore why immigration is so morally charged. Short scenes examine cultural change, assimilation, asylum system failures, border control, and why fiction can reveal truths policy debates avoid.
25 snips
Feb 2, 2026 • 1h 15min
Designer Babies and AI Jobs Are No Longer Sci-Fi
Jamie Metzl, a technology and healthcare futurist and former U.S. national security official, discusses gene editing, embryo selection, and the ethics of heritable changes. He explores the politics around COVID origins, gain-of-function research, GMOs, and how AI will reshape jobs. Short, provocative takes on moral tradeoffs, transparency, and the social impacts of converging biotech and AI technologies.
