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Intersections
by The Brookings Institution
Economic recovery. Elections. Terrorism. Global poverty. Trade. Policy issues are complex and multi-faceted. Want more than the 30-second soundbyte? Tune in to Intersections, a podcast from the Brookings Institution, where two experts delve into the varying angles of the complicated issues facing our nation and the world. Subscribe now and be the first to hear new episodes.
Episodes
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The shifting map of the 2026 midterm elections
In the debut episode of Please Discuss, Brookings scholar E.J. Dionne moderates a conversation about how changes to voting could have consequences for the 2026 midterm election landscape. Brookings scholars Elaine Kamarck, Elena Patel, and Scott Anderson examine mid-decade redistricting battles,...
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Announcing "Please Discuss …," conversations rooted in research and a search for what's true
From the Brookings Podcast Network, Please Discuss ... is a new show that brings together the sharpest minds at Brookings and their guests to have discussions rooted in facts, research, and a search for what's true. On each episode, scholars unpack the defining issues of our time. Stay tuned in...
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Financing Africa's economic growth
In this episode, Brahima Sangafowa Coulibaly, senior fellow and director of the Africa Growth Initiative at Brookings, and Lemma Senbet, William E. Mayer chair professor of finance at the University of Maryland, explain why national debts in sub-Saharan Africa have risen in recent years, the...
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The roots of America's divided politics
In this episode, Brookings Vice President Darrell West and Senior Fellow Camille Busette discuss themes from West's new book, "Divided Politics, Divided Nation: Hyperconflict in the Trump era," including the economic, geographic, racial, and technological factors that have exacerbated U.S....
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Russia's challenge to the West
In this episode, Angela Stent and Keir Giles, authors of "Putin's World: Russia Against the West and with the Rest" and "Moscow Rules: What Drives Russia to Confront the West" examine the history of Russia's national identity and how the U.S. fundamentally misunderstands Russia's view of itself…
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Preventing violent extremism in fragile states
The Task Force on Extremism in Fragile States recently released its recommendations, calling for a new strategy to prevent violent extremism from developing in fragile states. Brookings Senior Fellow George Ingram and President of the U.S. Institute of Peace Nancy Lindborg explain why the U.S....
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Realizing the value of black neighborhoods
In this episode, David M. Rubenstein Fellows Andre Perry and Jenny Schuetz examine past policies and current attitudes that have devalued homes and business in majority-black neighborhoods and the opportunities to be gained by building on the assets in majority-black places. Full show notes:...
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Advancing women's leadership around the world
In this episode, former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, founder of the Global Institute for Women's Leadership and distinguished fellow with the Center for Universal Education (CUE), and CUE Fellow Christina Kwauk discuss the current state of gender equality in leadership roles, the...
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Priorities for climate change action after COP 24
In this episode, Todd Stern, senior fellow and former special envoy for climate change in the Obama administration, and David Victor, co-chair of the Cross-Brookings Initiative on Energy and Climate, discuss the key issues at stake at the COP 24 negotiations in Poland, the absence of U.S. federal...
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Recommendations for US policy toward Gaza
In between spikes of violence, the people of the Gaza Strip live in a state of perpetual crisis—a man-made humanitarian disaster of severe urban crowding, staggering unemployment, and a dire scarcity of basic services, including electricity, water, and sewage treatment. In this episode, CNAS…
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The promise of community colleges as pathways to high-quality jobs
Brookings Fellows Martha Ross and Elizabeth Mann Levesque discuss the important role that community colleges play in putting young adults on a pathway to higher-quality jobs and other strategies for improving economic outcomes for youth from lower-income and disadvantaged backgrounds. Full show...
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What's next for Israel and the Palestinians 25 years after Oslo?
In a conversation with Natan Sachs, fellow and director of the Center on Middle East Policy, Distinguished Fellow Salam Fayyad, former prime minister and finance minister of the Palestinian Authority, and Visiting Fellow Jeffrey Feltman, former U.N. under-secretary-general for political affairs,...
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Why racial inequality and regional economic inequality can't be separated
In this episode, Bradley Hardy, associate professor in the Department of Public Administration and Policy at American University and nonresident senior fellow in Economic Studies at Brookings, and Frederick Wherry, professor of sociology at Princeton University, explain how some economic policies...
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How India and China are reshaping their neighborhood
In this episode, Dhruva Jaishankar, fellow in Foreign Policy at Brookings India, and Rush Doshi, post-doctoral fellow in Foreign Policy at Brookings, discuss the balance of power across the Indo-Pacific as China's influence grows and India seeks to increase economic connectivity and strengthen...
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Americans stuck on the sidelines
In this episode, Isabel Sawhill, Brookings senior fellow and author of "The Forgotten Americans: An Economic Agenda for a Divided Nation," and Andrew Yarrow, senior fellow at the Progressive Policy Institute and author of "Man Out: Men on The Sidelines of American Life" look at two different…
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Is anyone winning the US-China trade war?
In this episode, Brookings experts David Dollar, senior fellow with the John L. Thornton China Center, and Joseph Parilla, fellow in the Metropolitan Policy Program, examine what effect the trade war has had on the U.S. and Chinese economies–and workers–so far. They explain why trade wars don't...
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How Africa's historic free trade agreement will change the continent
In this episode, Nonresident Fellow Witney Schneidman and David M. Rubinstein Fellow Landry Signé discuss how Africa's Continental Free Trade Agreement will transform trade across the continent, accelerate industrialization and economic development, and what it means for future commercial…
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Trump and the crumbling of the US-led world order
In this episode, Robert Kagan, author of the forthcoming "The Jungle Grows Back: America and Our Imperiled World," and Thomas Wright, author of "All Measure Short of War: The Contest for the 21st Century and the Future of American Power," discuss with guest host Will Moreland how the success of…
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What the Supreme Court's Janus decision means for unions and workers
In this episode of Intersections, Vanessa Williamson and Elizabeth Mann Levesque review the Supreme Court's ruling on Janus v. AFSCME, which bars public-sector unions from collecting "fair share" or "agency" fees from non-union members to offset collective bargaining costs. Levesque and…
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How to make infrastructure work for people
In this episode, Brookings Fellow Adie Tomer, CityLab's Tanvi Misra, and Route Fifty's Mitch Herckis revisit the themes of Infrastructure Week with an examination of historical patterns of urban and suburban planning that separated communities and discuss infrastructure as system for stitching...
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The politics of reconstruction in Syria
In this episode, Tamara Cofman Wittes, senior fellow with the Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings, and Steven Heydemann, nonresident senior fellow at Brookings and Janet Wright Ketcham '53 Chair of Middle East Studies at Smith College, break down the difficult questions of how and when...
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How should schools measure student success?
In this episode, Lauren Bauer, post-doctoral fellow in Economic Studies and the Hamilton Project at Brookings, and Anne Wicks, director of education reform at the George W. Bush Institute, explain how states are developing new measures of school quality and student success as required under the...
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What the U.S. withdrawal means for the future of the Iran deal
On May 8, President Trump announced that the United States will reimpose sanctions on Iran, withdrawing the country from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). In this episode of Intersections, Suzanne Maloney, senior fellow and deputy director of Foreign Policy, and Robert Einhorn…
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Transforming public spaces with learning landscapes
When children as young as two and three years old are already facing significant gaps in their exposure to words, numbers, and spatial understanding, urban planners and child psychologists are developing ways to transform community spaces - from bus stops to supermarkets - into opportunities to...
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China, the U.S., and Africa's transforming trade environment
Witney Schneidman and Yun Sun examine the shape of U.S. and Chinese trade and investment in Africa, Africa's growing regional economic power, and how both China and the U.S. weigh in on political as well as economic development in African countries. Full show notes available here:...
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The U.S., China, and India balancing act in the Indo-Pacific
In this episode, Tanvi Madan, fellow and director of the India Project, guest-hosted a conversation between Distinguished Fellow Shivshankar Menon and Nonresident Fellow Joshua White on how China's deepening economic investments across South and Southeast Asia and India's own expanding presence…
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Raising wages and strengthening economic progress for American workers
In this episode, Jay Shambaugh and Jared Bernstein discuss the decades-long trend of real wage stagnation and policy solutions for increasing productivity, strengthening wage growth, and ensuring that national economic growth is reflected in the living standards of all American workers. Full show...
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The women working to improve girls' education
For International Women's Day, we're showcasing the work of the Echidna Global Scholars – leaders from NGOs and academia who work to improve learning opportunities and outcomes for girls in the developing world. In this episode, Dasmine Kennedy, Armene Modi, Maria Cristina Osorio, and Damaris...
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The changing identity of America's middle class
In this episode, Camille Busette, senior fellow and director of the Race, Prosperity and Inclusion Initiative at Brookings, and Richard Reeves, senior fellow and co-director of the Center on Children and Families at Brookings, discuss the changing racial demographics of the U.S. middle class,...
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America's "lost Einsteins": The importance of exposing children to innovation
In this episode, Stanford Professor Raj Chetty explains his new research that examines who becomes an inventor in America and who gets left behind, and discusses with Brookings expert Richard Reeves how innovation isn't a zero-sum game, and how inequality stifles American innovation. Full show...
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Avoiding nuclear conflict on the Korean peninsula
Bruce Jones, Jung Pak, and Ryan Hass discuss Kim Jong-un's strategic goals and the dynamics of the U.S., China, and South Korea in trying to denuclearize North Korea. Full show notes available here: https://www.brookings.edu/podcast-episode/avoiding-nuclear-conflict-on-the-korean-peninsula Hosted...
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An Israeli Knesset member's perspective on activism and politics
For the last Intersections episode of the year, we're releasing a short conversation with Stav Shaffir, the youngest female member of Israel's Knesset, and Brookings Senior Fellow Tamara Wittes, held between sessions at the 2017 Saban Forum. Full show notes:...
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Russia, Iran, and the Future of Syria
Itamar Rabinovich and Amos Harel discuss the state of the civil war in Syria, Iran's growing presence and what that means for Israel, and the changing relationship between the Assad regime and Russia. Full show notes available here: http://brook.gs/2zRPguj Intersections is part of the Brookings...
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Africa's expanding middle class
In this episode of Intersections, Haroon Bhorat, nonresident senior fellow with the Africa Growth Initiative, and Homi Kharas, interim vice president and director of the Global Economy and Development Program, discuss how the global trend of a rising middle class has played out in sub-Saharan...
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Promoting inclusive economic growth in Washington, D.C.
In this episode of Intersections, Amy Liu, vice president and director of the Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings, and Jason Miller, nonresident senior fellow at Brookings and CEO of the Greater Washington Partnership, discuss the economic dynamics of the Washington, D.C. metro area…
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Madeleine Albright and Mehdi Jomaa on democracy and security
In this episode of Intersections, Brookings Senior Fellow Ted Piccone talks with former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former Prime Minister of Tunisia Mehdi Jomaa about the importance of liberal democracy in strengthening international security, and why states should encourage...
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Who's getting left behind in broadband internet access?
In this episode, Brookings experts Adie Tomer and Elizabeth Kneebone discuss the findings from their new report, "Signs of Digital Distress: Mapping broadband availability and subscription in American neighborhoods," which examines the neighborhoods lacking in broadband infrastructure, and which...
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Measuring financial inclusion around the world
Darrell West, vice president and director of Governance Studies, and Camille Busette, senior fellow and director of the Race, Prosperity, and Inclusion Initiative, discussed the findings of the latest Brookings Financial and Digital Inclusion Project report, which measures how well individuals…
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America's prisoners of war: Changing U.S. norms on torture
"Men who take up arms against one another in public war do not cease on this account to be moral beings, responsible to one another and to God." - Instructions for the Government of Armies of the United States in the Field, Francis Lieber, 1863 This episode of Intersections features a discussion...
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Summer vacation - Fall preview
While Intersections is on summer vacation, don't forget to tune into 5 on 45 and the Brookings Cafeteria, or catch up on some older episodes you might have missed. Thanks as always to Gaston Reboredo and Vanessa Sauter. Intersections will return on August 23.
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Renewable energy and the path to a low-carbon energy future
David Victor, co-chair of the Energy Security and Climate Initiative at Brookings and professor of international relations at the University of California, San Diego, and Christopher Clack, CEO of Vibrant Clean Energy, discuss the complexities of adopting sources of renewable energy, why the U.S....
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Why taxes in Kansas matter
William Gale and Vanessa Williamson discuss what can be learned from state-level experiments in taxation in Kansas and California, Americans' feelings about paying their taxes, and the empirical evidence versus ideology on how tax policy affects economic growth. Full show notes available here:...
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Professionalism in politics: The paradox of populism
In this episode of Intersections, Benjamin Wittes and Jonathan Rauch, senior fellows in Governance Studies, address the importance of political institutions in relation to direct democratic participation and discuss their new report, "More professionalism, less populism: How voting makes us…
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The 1967 War, the rise of Saudi Arabia, and modern energy politics
During the 50th anniversary of the 1967 war between Israel and its Arab neighbors, Brookings experts Bruce Riedel and Samantha Gross detail the consequences of that struggle for Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states and the lasting reverberations for energy and geopolitical relations in the region...
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Cash assistance for child poverty
In this episode of Intersections, guest interviewer Ron Haskins, co-director of the Brookings Center on Children and Families, discusses changes in the social safety net and the role of cash assistance in meeting the needs of families with children with Luke Shaefer of the University of Michigan...
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Macron's election and the European project
Visiting Fellow Philippe Le Corre and Robert Bosch Senior Fellow Constanze Stelzenmüller with the Center on the U.S. and Europe at Brookings discuss Emmanuel Macron's victory in France's presidential election, upcoming elections in the UK and Germany, and the need to reboot the European project....
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Carbon pricing: Harnessing market efficiency in pursuit of clean energy
Adele Morris, senior fellow and policy director for Climate and Energy Economics, and David Victor, co-chair of the Energy Security and Climate Initiative, discuss how putting a price on carbon emissions is one of the most effective measures by which the United States and the international...
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Teaching for the 21st century: Broader skills for global citizens
Guest interviewer Esther Care, senior fellow in the Center for Universal Education, discusses with Ramya Vivekanandan, program specialist at the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau for Education, and Sean Slade, director of outreach at the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development…
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U.S.-Mexico relations: Beyond "America first" rhetoric
Dany Bahar, fellow in Global Economy and Development, and Vanda Felbab-Brown, senior fellow in the Center for 21st Century Security and Intelligence, discuss how U.S.-Mexico relations have been affected by the Trump administration, misconceptions about NAFTA, immigration, and crime, and why…
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Scaling to sustainability: Meeting the challenge of the Sustainable Development Goals
Jenny Perlman Robinson, fellow with the Center for Universal Education, and John McArthur, senior fellow in the Global Economy and Development program, address progress toward meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals and explain how scaling up local development efforts enables the learning,...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Economic recovery. Elections. Terrorism. Global poverty. Trade. Policy issues are complex and multi-faceted. Want more than the 30-second soundbyte? Tune in to Intersections, a podcast from the Brookings Institution, where two experts delve into the varying angles of the complicated issues facing our nation and the world. Subscribe now and be the first to hear new episodes.
HOSTED BY
The Brookings Institution
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Intersections have?
Intersections currently has 76 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Intersections about?
Economic recovery. Elections. Terrorism. Global poverty. Trade. Policy issues are complex and multi-faceted. Want more than the 30-second soundbyte? Tune in to Intersections, a podcast from the Brookings Institution, where two experts delve into the varying angles of the complicated issues facing...
How often does Intersections release new episodes?
Intersections has 76 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Intersections?
You can listen to Intersections on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Intersections?
Intersections is created and hosted by The Brookings Institution.
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