This summer, I worked with other faculty members at the University of Chicago — in the Law School, the Social Sciences Division, and the Harris School of Public Policy — to launch a podcast/video series about current issues in American politics. It’s called Battle of the Branches. Each week, I sat down with two other faculty members from around campus to discuss structural issues in government today, like the growth of executive power and the battle for control of our public fora. Our goal was for these conversations to be topical and scholarly, showcasing the important work people are doing at the University of Chicago and its relevance to public affairs.
The final episode of our first mini-series has just launched, and it’s a particularly great discussion with my colleague and co-blogger Sam Bray and with Ethan Bueno De Mesquita, dean of Harris, on Trump v. CASA: Universal Injunctions and the Politics of Restraint. You can listen to it wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on our YouTube channel, or below:
The other episodes are listed below. The whole series made me proud to be at the University with so many great people.
Episode One: Who Checks the Executive? Federalism and the separation of powers with Bridget Fahey and Ruth Bloch Rubin.
Episode Two: How Did We Get Here? Historical antecedents with Alison LaCroix and Jim Sparrow.
Episode Three: Commander in Chief - Who Holds the Reins? War and foreign affairs with Curt Bradley and Austin Carson.
Episode Four: The Tipping Point: When Democracies Being to Slide — Democratic Backsliding with Sue Stokes and Aziz Huq
Episode Five: Who’s Really in Charge? The President vs. the Bureaucracy with Jennifer Nou and Jon Rogowski
Episode Six: The Public Forum Under Pressure — free speech with Genevieve Lakier and Anthony Fowler