America's Why Project

What does it take to move from wishing for change to actually creating it?In Part 2 of this conversation with Hahrie Han, Professor of Political Science at Johns Hopkins University, MacArthur Fellow and author of Undivided, host Matt Levinger explores what it takes to turn shared values into lasting change. Building on the story of the Undivided initiative at Cincinnati’s Crossroads Church, Han explains the difference between “performative” action that simply expresses our beliefs and “strategic” action that builds the capacity and commitment “to do what needs to be done.” She discusses the importance of strategic imagination, the essential role of “communities of belonging” in turning stories into action, and why meaningful social change requires more than a single moment of engagement. As Undivided continues to navigate the challenges of race, justice, and political division, Han reflects on a central question: How can we create spaces where people not only imagine a different future, but see themselves as capable of helping build it?Dr. Hahrie Han is the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Professor of Political Science at Johns Hopkins University. She served from 2019 to 2026 as the inaugural director of the SNF Agora Institute, where she directs the P3 Lab. She is also a 2025 MacArthur Fellow.Host: Matthew Levinger – Host of the America’s Why Podcast & Nonresident Scholar at the George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs.Guest: Prof. Hahrie Han – Stavros Niarchos Foundation Professor of Political Science at Johns Hopkins University, former inaugural director of the SNF Agora Institute, and a 2025 MacArthur Fellow.Explore more of Prof. Hahrie Han’s work:https://politicalscience.jhu.edu/directory/hahrie-han/https://www.hahriehan.comLearn more about the SNF Agora Institute and P3 Lab:https://snfagora.jhu.edu/https://snfagora.jhu.edu/our-work/labs/p3-lab/Visit our website to learn more about the America’s Why Project and join the conversation:americaswhyproject.comListen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon MusicThe views expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent those held by the America’s Why Project team or the George Washington University.

In this episode, we continue our discussion of the powerful role that religious faith can play in healing cultural and political divisions. Host Matt Levinger speaks with Professor Hahrie Han of Johns Hopkins University about her book Undivided: The Quest for Racial Solidarity in an American Church. Drawing on her research into a racial justice initiative at Cincinnati’s Crossroads Church, Han explores how people can build relationships across racial and political differences and develop the trust needed for difficult conversations. The leaders of Crossroads, the third largest Evangelical megachurch in the United States, start from the principle that “belonging comes before belief.” The episode examines how empathetic listening in small-group settings can help cultivate lasting friendships that enable people to take risks, work through disagreement, and stay engaged in the difficult work of creating change. But bringing people together does not mean avoiding conflict. In our next episode, Han explores what happens when that work meets resistance and backlash.Dr. Hahrie Han is the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Professor of Political Science at Johns Hopkins University. She served from 2019 to 2026 as the inaugural director of the SNF Agora Institute, where she directs the P3 Lab. She is also a 2025 MacArthur Fellow.Host: Matthew Levinger – Host of the America’s Why Podcast & Nonresident Scholar at the George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs.Guest: Prof. Hahrie Han – Stavros Niarchos Foundation Professor of Political Science at Johns Hopkins University, former inaugural director of the SNF Agora Institute, and a 2025 MacArthur Fellow.Explore more of Prof. Hahrie Han’s work:https://politicalscience.jhu.edu/directory/hahrie-han/https://www.hahriehan.comLearn more about the SNF Agora Institute and P3 Lab:https://snfagora.jhu.edu/https://snfagora.jhu.edu/our-work/labs/p3-lab/Visit our website to learn more about the America’s Why Project and join the conversation:americaswhyproject.comListen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon MusicThe views expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent those held by the America’s Why Project team or the George Washington University.

Religious faith is a uniquely powerful force for building community and forging human connections; yet conflicts over religion have ignited some of the most savage wars in human history. In this episode, host Matt Levinger speaks with Dr. Rollie Lal, a professor at the George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs and the founder of the Global Affairs and Religion Network (GARNET), about what happens when we listen across the boundaries of religion, security, and identity. Drawing on her work on extremism, terrorism, and transnational security, Dr. Lal explains how conversations with religious scholars have challenged assumptions within the security field and opened new ways of understanding the relationship between religion and conflict. The discussion explores why listening to religious communities matters when addressing extremism—and how making space for other perspectives can “create powerful possibilities for building a more peaceful world.”Host: Matthew Levinger – Host of the America’s Why Podcast & Nonresident Scholar at the George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs. Guest: Prof. Rollie Lal – Professor of International Affairs at the George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs and Co-chair of the Global Affairs and Religion Network (GARNET).Explore more of Prof. Rollie Lal’s work:https://elliott.gwu.edu/rollie-lalLearn more about the Global Affairs and Religion Network (GARNET):https://garnet.elliott.gwu.eduVisit our website to learn more about the America’s Why Project and join the conversation:americaswhyproject.comListen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon MusicThe views expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent those held by the America’s Why Project team or the George Washington University.

Some of the most important listening happens in the most emotionally demanding spaces. This episode launches a new subseries within our “How to Listen” chapter: Hard Jobs, conversations with people working in some of society’s most demanding roles. In this episode, AWP Creative Director Amy McCampbell sits down with Anthony, a healthcare complaints specialist responsible for handling hundreds of patient concerns across a large hospital network, to explore what it means to listen when emotions are high and solutions are not always possible. Through stories from the front lines of healthcare, Anthony shares how empathy, honesty, and emotional discipline can transform even the most difficult conversations. His reflections reveal why people often need to feel heard before they can move forward. More than a discussion about customer service, this episode examines listening as an act of compassion and asks what changes when we treat every request for help as a sign of trust.Host : Matthew Levinger – Host of the America’s Why Podcast and Professor of Practice of International Affairs at the George Washington University.Host 2: Amy McCampbell, Creative Director of the America’s Why ProjectGuest: Anthony, healthcare complaints specialistVisit our website to learn more about the America’s Why Project and join the conversation: americaswhyproject.comListen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon MusicThe views expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent those held by the America's Why Project team or the George Washington University. 

What actually changes when people stop talking at each other and start truly listening? In Part 2 of this two-part series, host Matt Levinger continues his conversation with Merissa Khurma, Founder and President of the AMENA Foundation and a strategic communications expert, to move from breaking down the idea of listening to understanding what makes it effective in practice. Through real-world examples—from a funding negotiation to a FIFA policy debate—Khurma shows how listening shifts conversations from assumptions to trust, and from conflict to problem-solving. The discussion highlights how reframing, cultural context, and attention to personal narratives can turn stalled or polarized interactions into meaningful progress. This episode closes the series by showing how listening, when practiced intentionally, becomes a tool for building outcomes that last.Host: Matthew Levinger – Host of the America’s Why Podcast and Professor of Practice of International Affairs at the George Washington University.Guest: Merissa Khurma – Founder and President of AMENA Foundation.Explore more of Merissa Khurma’s work at AMENA Strategies:https://www.amenastrategies.com/Follow AMENA Foundation and AMENA Strategies for more insights and updates:https://www.linkedin.com/company/amena-foundation-inc/posts/?feedView=allhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/amena-strategies/posts/?feedView=allVisit our website to learn more about the America’s Why Project and join the conversation: americaswhyproject.comListen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon MusicThe views expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent those held by the America's Why Project team or the George Washington University. 

In a world where everyone is talking, why does it feel like no one is truly being heard? In Part 1 of this two-part series, host Matt Levinger sits down with Merissa Khurma, Founder and President of the AMENA Foundation and a strategic communications expert, to explore a critical question: why do people stop listening in the first place? Drawing on experiences from global diplomacy to deeply personal moments, Khurma unpacks how emotion, identity, and narrative can distort understanding, fuel division, and even dehumanize those on the other side. From high-stakes geopolitical conflicts to everyday conversations, this episode reveals the hidden barriers that prevent us from truly hearing one another, and sets the stage for what it might take to overcome them.Host: Matthew Levinger – Host of the America’s Why Podcast and Professor of Practice of International Affairs at the George Washington University.Guest: Merissa Khurma – Founder and President of AMENA Foundation.Explore more of Merissa Khurma’s work at AMENA Strategies:https://www.amenastrategies.com/Follow AMENA Foundation and AMENA Strategies for more insights and updates:https://www.linkedin.com/company/amena-foundation-inc/posts/?feedView=allhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/amena-strategies/posts/?feedView=allVisit our website to learn more about the America’s Why Project and join the conversation: americaswhyproject.comListen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon MusicThe views expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent those held by the America's Why Project team or the George Washington University. 

In this opening episode of Chapter 2, host Matt Levinger brings together the team behind the project to reflect on their journey so far and where they believe they should go next. Through personal stories from multiple continents, cultures, and backgrounds, this episode explores why listening is more than a skill; it is a method and a path toward rebuilding trust and mutual respect. As the podcast expands beyond interviewing experts to include voices from all walks of life, this conversation sets the stage for a more open, curious, and grounded exploration of America's story—one that asks: what becomes possible if we start truly listening to one another?Host: Matthew Levinger – Host of the America’s Why Podcast and Professor of Practice of International Affairs at the George Washington University.GuestSeda Guneş – Project Manager.Amy McCampbell – Creative Director.Jason Bogovich – International Correspondent.Lakshmi Dev – Digital Media Manager.Blake Nicholas – Correspondent.Visit our website to learn more about the America’s Why Project and join the conversation: americaswhyproject.comListen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon MusicThe views expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent those held by the America's Why Project team or the George Washington University. 

In Part 2 of our deep-dive on migration, writer Sohrab Ahmari continues to explore the future of global mobility and what it means for democracy, culture, and the American common good. As climate shocks, conflict, and economic pressures displace millions worldwide, Ahmari and host Matt Levinger ask a sharp, urgent question: How do we manage a world on the move without losing our political sanity? This conversation ranges from climate-driven displacement to party polarization, from the limits of technocratic solutions to why genuine democratic debate, not executive orders or expert decrees, may be the only path forward. What this discussion ultimately delivers is not agreement, but orientation, and a renewed sense of how to navigate a future shaped by movement, memory, and hard choices.Host: Matthew Levinger – Host of the America’s Why Podcast and Professor of Practice of International Affairs at the George Washington University.Guest: Sohrab Ahmari – Writer, public intellectual, and U.S. Editor of UnHerd.Explore more of Sohrab Ahmari’s writing at UnHerd:https://unherd.com/author/sohrab-ahmariunherd-com/?edition=usVisit our website to learn more about the America’s Why Project and join the conversation: americaswhyproject.comListen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon MusicThe views expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent those held by the America's Why Project team or the George Washington University. 

Immigration is the hottest flashpoint in American politics, but far too often, the conversation skips past the most important question: why do people leave home in the first place? In this first episode of a two-part series, writer and thinker Sohrab Ahmari joins host Matt Levinger for a candid, surprising, and deeply personal conversation about global migration. Drawing on his own journey from revolutionary Iran to rural Utah, Ahmari opens up about the forces that push people across borders, the economic realities often overlooked in partisan debates, and how his own thinking has evolved over a decade of reporting and reflection. Honest, nuanced, and refreshingly un-TV-ready, this episode peels back the layers on one of the toughest issues of our time and sets the stage for a wider exploration of migration’s future in the second part.Host: Matthew Levinger – Host of the America’s Why Podcast and Professor of Practice of International Affairs at the George Washington University.Guest: Sohrab Ahmari – Writer, public intellectual, and U.S. Editor of UnHerd.Explore more of Sohrab Ahmari’s writing at UnHerd:https://unherd.com/author/sohrab-ahmariunherd-com/?edition=usVisit our website to learn more about the America’s Why Project and join the conversation: americaswhyproject.comListen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon MusicThe views expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent those held by the America's Why Project team or the George Washington University. 

What happens when a handful of corporations hold the power to shape everything: what we buy, how we work, even how we connect with each other? In this episode, anti-monopoly expert Matt Stoller joins host Matt Levinger to break down how decades of consolidation have reshaped American life far beyond consumer prices. From defense and tech to baby formula and dating apps, Stoller exposes the hidden ways concentrated corporate power undermines competition, weakens communities, and erodes democratic self-government. But he also makes the case that the anti-monopoly tradition is one of America’s oldest, and most hopeful, paths forward. A sharp, accessible, and urgent conversation about reclaiming the economy for the public good.Host: Matthew Levinger – Host of the America’s Why Podcast and Professor of Practice of International Affairs at the George Washington University.Guest: Matt Stoller – Director of Research at the American Economic Liberties Project and author of Goliath: The 100-Year War Between Monopoly Power and Democracy.Explore Matt Stoller’s work and analysis on monopoly power and economic policy: https://mattstoller.com/Visit our website to learn more about the America’s Why Project and join the conversation: americaswhyproject.comListen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon MusicThe views expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent those held by the America's Why Project team or the George Washington University. 

In this second installment of our two-part series with Brian Katulis and Danielle Pletka, the conversation shifts from the craft of foreign-policy storytelling to the pressures that warp it. They discuss how algorithms reward confrontation, how outside actors manipulate division, and how the simple fear of standing apart from one’s peers can reshape what experts are willing to say. Katulis and Pletka illuminate not just what drives polarization, but what can soften it: curiosity, humility, and the willingness to stay in the room when disagreements arise. This episode offers a thoughtful look at how we might rebuild spaces for debate, that informs rather than divides and how stronger public narratives can help restore a healthier democratic culture.Host: Matthew Levinger – Host of the America’s Why Podcast and Professor of Practice of International Affairs at the George Washington University.GuestsDanielle Pletka – Distinguished Senior Fellow in Foreign and Defense Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute.Brian Katulis – Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute.Explore Taking the Edge Off the Middle East, the Middle East Institute podcast hosted by MEI Senior Fellow Brian Katulis: https://mei.edu/taking-the-edge-off/Visit our website to learn more about the America’s Why Project and join the conversation: americaswhyproject.comListen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon MusicThe views expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent those held by the America's Why Project team or the George Washington University. 

Leadership depends not only on power and policy, but also on the stories that give them meaning. In this first episode of a two-part series, Brian Katulis, Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute, and Danielle Pletka, Distinguished Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, dig into why America’s national narrative has fractured. They discuss how social media’s attention economy distorts foreign-policy debates and why fear-driven storytelling so often overwhelms clarity, purpose, and moral vision. Drawing on decades of experience in foreign policy analysis, they explore what effective leadership and compelling national narratives once looked like—and what it would take to recover America’s sense of “why” on the global stage. This energetic, thought-provoking conversation models how to argue, listen, and think across divides.Host: Matthew Levinger – Host of the America’s Why Podcast and Professor of Practice of International Affairs at the George Washington University.GuestsDanielle Pletka – Distinguished Senior Fellow in Foreign and Defense Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute.Brian Katulis – Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute.Explore Taking the Edge Off the Middle East, the Middle East Institute podcast hosted by MEI Senior Fellow Brian Katulis: https://mei.edu/taking-the-edge-off/Visit our website to learn more about the America’s Why Project and join the conversation: americaswhyproject.comListen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon MusicThe views expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent those held by the America's Why Project team or the George Washington University. 

In the second half of our conversation with historian Jeremy Suri, we turn from America’s complex past to the pressing question of how leadership works today in a time of turbulence and distrust. From Lincoln’s unexpected transformation to the barriers that prevent capable leaders from rising, Suri explores what history can teach us about strengthening democracy. He examines the structural forces shaping our politics, the everyday acts of citizenship that still make a difference, and the ways hope endures even in difficult moments. This episode offers a candid and thought-provoking look at leading with clarity and purpose in a divided age—and serves as a powerful conclusion to his contributions to our exploration of America’s “why.”Host: Matthew Levinger – Host of the America’s Why Podcast and Professor of Practice of International Affairs at the George Washington University.Guest: Jeremy Suri – Professor of Public Affairs and History at the University of Texas at Austin.Learn more about Jeremi Suri’s podcast This is Democracy and explore its episodes at: https://www.jeremisuri.net/this-is-democracyVisit our website to learn more about the America’s Why Project and join the conversation: americaswhyproject.comListen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon MusicThe views expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent those held by the America's Why Project team or the George Washington University. 

 What happens when a country loses its unifying story? When the story of 1776 squares off against the story of 1619, when the smoldering legacies of the Civil War erupt into 21st-century culture wars?  In this episode, historian and bestselling author Professor Jeremi Suri joins host Matt Levinger to dig into the tangled roots of American identity. From 1619 to 1776, from Civil War legacies to today’s culture wars, Suri unpacks how competing origin stories shape our politics, our pride, and our fears. With his signature mix of honesty and hope, he explores how nations confront painful history without collapsing into shame or retreating into myth. This is the first of a two-part series that reframes the debate about America’s past and sets the stage for a deeper conversation about leadership in turbulent times.Host: Matthew Levinger – Host of the America’s Why Podcast and Professor of Practice of International Affairs at the George Washington University.Guest: Jeremi Suri – Professor of Public Affairs and History at the University of Texas at Austin.Learn more about Jeremi Suri’s podcast This is Democracy and explore its episodes at: https://www.jeremisuri.net/this-is-democracyVisit our website to learn more about the America’s Why Project and join the conversation: americaswhyproject.comListen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon MusicThe views expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent those held by the America's Why Project team or the George Washington University. 

Last week, Dr. David Rock showed us how fear hijacks the brain. This week, he flips the script by diving into the power of love. Host Matt Levinger and Dr. Rock looks into the high-reward states that unlock people’s capacity to care, create, and collaborate despite the presence of stress and social tension in our day-to-day lives. Through tiny shifts in status, certainty, autonomy, relatedness, and fairness, our minds can find calm and focus. From defusing conflict at work to rebuilding trust in our political life, this episode offers a practical, science‑backed roadmap for working together when everything feels divided. Host: Matthew Levinger – Host of the America’s Why Podcast and Professor of Practice of International Affairs at the George Washington University.Guest: David Rock – Co-founder and CEO of the NeuroLeadership Institute​*SCARF is an acronym of the words "Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness, & Fairness."​​Dr. David Rock is the Co-founder and CEO of the NeuroLeadership Institute, which has partnered with more than 2/3 of the Fortune 100 corporations. With operations in 24 countries, the institute brings neuroscientists and leadership experts together to make organizations better for humans through science. David has written for and been quoted in hundreds of articles about leadership, organizational effectiveness, and the brain. He is the author of three books: Your Brain at Work, Coaching with the Brain in Mind, and Quiet Leadership: Six Steps to Transforming Performance at Work. Originally from Australia, David has been based in the United States since 2010.  Learn more about the NeuroLeadership Institute's mission, research, and global impact at: https://www.neuroleadership.com/Visit our website to learn more about the America’s Why Project and join the conversation: americaswhyproject.comListen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon MusicThe views expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent those held by the America's Why Project team or the George Washington University. 

Modern life pushes our brains in ways they were never built to handle. In this episode, Dr. David Rock, neuroscientist, bestselling author, and the creator of the SCARF™ model*, joins host Matt Levinger to reveal why fear, uncertainty, and social threats so often hijack our thinking. Together, they unpack the hidden neural patterns that shape how we collaborate, lead, and respond to conflict, and explore practical tools for keeping calm in a world full of noise. This fast, insightful conversation sets the stage for a powerful two‑part series on fear, love, and how understanding the brain can help us work together more effectively.Host: Matthew Levinger – Host of the America’s Why Podcast and Professor of Practice of International Affairs at the George Washington University.Guest: David Rock – Co-founder and CEO of the NeuroLeadership Institute​*SCARF is an acronym of the words "Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness, & Fairness."​​Dr. David Rock is the Co-founder and CEO of the NeuroLeadership Institute, which has partnered with more than 2/3 of the Fortune 100 corporations. With operations in 24 countries, the institute brings neuroscientists and leadership experts together to make organizations better for humans through science. David has written for and been quoted in hundreds of articles about leadership, organizational effectiveness, and the brain. He is the author of three books: Your Brain at Work, Coaching with the Brain in Mind, and Quiet Leadership: Six Steps to Transforming Performance at Work. Originally from Australia, David has been based in the United States since 2010.  Learn more about the NeuroLeadership Institute's mission, research, and global impact at: https://www.neuroleadership.com/Visit our website to learn more about the America’s Why Project and join the conversation: americaswhyproject.comListen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon MusicThe views expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent those held by the America's Why Project team or the George Washington University. 

To solve America’s toughest challenges, we need to start by listening to each other’s stories. Visit our website to learn more about the America’s Why Project and join the conversation: americaswhyproject.comListen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music