Live at the National Constitution Center

The National Constitution Center hosted a symposium on campus free speech and academic freedom on March 18, and this episode shares two panels from that event. On the first panel—Amy Wax of The University of Pennsylvania  Law School, Anita Bernstein of Brooklyn Law School, and Cary Nelson of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne share what academic freedom means to them and discuss their differing views on how some on-campus controversies should be handled. Next, university administrators have the chance to respond, and detail how they have handled such controversies. The second panel features Dean Ted Ruger of Penn Law, President Tom Sullivan of the University of Vermont, President Ken Gormley of Duquesne University, and President Julie Wollman of Widener University. Note: The second panel includes a discussion of the University of Chicago principles—a set of guiding principles that some colleges and universities have adopted in an effort to show their commitment to free speech and expression—and you can read them here.This coming May, be sure to tune in to our special series on the First Amendment—in partnership with Duquesne University—on Live at America’s Town Hall. The series features audio of the 2018 National Conference on the First Amendment held at Duquesne University, which the NCC helped coordinate. We’ll be sharing conversations with leading First Amendment scholars, activists, journalists and more—from First Amendment lawyer Floyd Abrams and U.S. Solicitor General Noel Francisco, to New York Times executive editor Dean Baquet, and more.  Questions or comments about the podcast? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.

Are we in the midst of a global crisis of decline in democracy? And is the United States vulnerable to that trend? Sharing insights from their book “How to Save a Constitutional Democracy,” University of Chicago law professors Aziz Z. Huq and Tom Ginsburg to explain why they think democracy might be headed for “death by 1,000 cuts” in places like Hungary and Poland and is at risk elsewhere in the world—but offer solutions to save it. They also evaluate the state of democracy in the United States through the lens of the Special Counsel investigation, access to the polls, and institutions like the Electoral College. National Constitution Center Director of Content and Constitutional Fellow Lana Ulrich moderates.Questions or comments about the podcast? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.

With 2020 election campaigns gearing up, we’re sharing one of our favorite past programs that explores Citizens United, corporate speech rights, and much more. Adam Winkler, author of "We the Corporations: How American Business Won Their Civil Rights"and Kent Greenfield, author of "Corporations Are People Too",explain how corporations won their rights through landmark cases and showdowns—including the case of Henry Ford versus the Dodge Brothers. National Constitution Center Scholar in Residence Michael Gerhardt hosts this wide-ranging discussion of the history of corporations in America and the evolution of corporate law. 

Exploring how the Bible influenced the American Founding and the creation of the Constitution—National Constitution Center President Jeffrey Rosen is joined by leading religion scholars Professor Marci Hamilton of the University of Pennsylvania, Professor Daniel Mark of Villanova University, and author/historian Russell Shorto. This program was presented in partnership with the Faith and Liberty Discovery Center in Philadelphia. Questions or comments about the podcast? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.

In this special episode, we’re bringing you the chamber ensemble premiere performance of Notorious RBG in Song—a musical portrait of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg that illuminates aspects of her professional and personal life through song renditions of letters, conversations, and Court opinions—performed by Patrice Michaels. Michaels—composer, soprano, creator, and daughter-in-law of Justice Ginsburg— is joined by Inscape Orchestra's new music ensemble, pianist Andrew Harley, the a capella group Capital Hearings, and guest speaker Jeanette Lerman Neubauer. This program features musical selections from The Long View: A Portrait of Ruth Bader Ginsburg in 9 Songs by Patrice Michaels, with music by Lori Laitman, Lee Hoiby, Stacy Garrop, Vivian Fung, and John Musto. The music director for this performance was Kuang-Hao Huang. Support for this program was generously provided by the Bernstein Family Foundation.Questions or comments about the podcast? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.

Michael Tomasky, special correspondent for The Daily Beast, stops by the National Constitution Center to discuss his new book If We Can Keep It: How the Republic Collapsed and How It Might be Saved. Speaking to a sold-out crowd, in conversation with NCC President Jeffrey Rosen, Tomasky tells of the unique history of American political parties, the rise of polarization and its negative effects on government, and possible solutions for healing the divides we face today. – like expanding the House of Representatives, eliminating the filibuster and the Electoral College, and encouraging moderate Republicans to run for office. Tomasky even offers his take on a possible presidential run by Howard Schultz. Questions or comments about the podcast? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.

Professor Holly Brewer of the University of Maryland, Dean Risa Goluboff of the University of Virginia School of Law, and Professor Lea VanderVelde of the University of Iowa College of Law detail the battle over race and equality across American history, from the Founding to Reconstruction to the Civil Rights Revolution. NCC president Jeffrey Rosen moderates.This program was presented in partnership with the Guggenheim Foundation.Questions or comments about the podcast? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.

The first in a two-part series honoring African American History Month and chronicling the struggle for racial equality throughout American history—this episode features leading Reconstruction historians Thavolia Glymph of Duke and David Blight of Yale. Glymph and Blight explore the meaning of freedom, equality, and emancipation, in conversation with National Constitution Center scholar-in-residence Michael Gerhardt. This panel was part of the 2017 celebration of the 150th anniversary of the ratification of the 14th Amendment held here at the NCC in Philadelphia.Questions or comments about the podcast? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.

Four star General Stanley McChrystal visited the National Constitution Center to discuss his new book - Leaders: Myth and Reality. The book was inspired by McChrystal’s own experiences working with numerous leaders as he served for thirty-four years in the US Army, eventually becoming commander of all American and coalition forces in Afghanistan. Gen. McChrystal shares his insights into the complex question, “What makes a leader great?” and discusses real life leaders past and present from Robert E. Lee to Presidents Obama and Trump. National Constitution Center President Jeffrey Rosen moderates. Questions or comments about the podcast? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.

Last week, National Constitution Center Members had the chance to attend a private film screening of the new biopic on Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, On the Basis of Sex, which depicts Justice Ginsburg's early life and legal career and tells the story of the landmark case Moritz v. Commissioner—the first gender-discrimination lawsuit she argued in court. Following the screening, Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center and author of the forthcoming book Conversations with RBG, hosted a Q&A to shed light on the real life trials and tribulations that inspired the film (spoiler alert!). Jeff was joined by panelists Carrie Rickey, film critic and chief book critic at Film Quarterly, Kelsi Corkran, appellate lawyer and former law clerk to Justice Ginsburg, and Marty Moss-Coane, host of WHYY’s weekday program Radio Times. Questions or comments about the podcast? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.