From trade wars to rising prices, America’s economic landscape is being reshaped by powerful forces. How do tariffs affect U.S. industry and global standing? With inflation cooling but uncertainty lingering, where are things headed next—and what does it mean for policy and growth? Economist John Cochrane joins the Institute to explore the pressures and policies defining this critical moment for the U.S. economy.

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At a time when civic knowledge is in decline, political scientist Jeffrey Sikkenga makes the case that the health of our democracy depends on how—and whether—we teach American principles.

Sikkenga, executive director of the Ashbrook Center, joined the O’Connor Institute to discuss A Republic, If We Can Teach It, which he coauthored with Hoover Institution fellow David Davenport. The book explores the challenges facing civic education today and argues that a strong republic requires citizens who understand and value its constitutional foundations. What role should schools, parents, and institutions play in preparing the next generation for informed, engaged citizenship?

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Is democracy in trouble? Many Americans believe so: recent polls consistently rank "threats to democracy" as one of respondents' top concerns. In the new book The Civic Bargain, authors Brook Manville and Josiah Ober look to history for examples of democracies under threat. By examining the ways in which historical democracies confronted their own challenges, the authors are able to distill lessons and principles that can benefit us today.

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At a time when many Americans struggle with economic insecurity, sociologist Jessica Calarco offers an exploration of how women have become America’s default social safety net.

Calarco joined the O’Connor Institute to discuss her latest book, Holding It Together: How Women Became America’s Safety Net. Drawing on extensive research and interviews, she argues that American society relies disproportionately on women’s unpaid and underpaid labor and that this reliance has concealed critical gaps in public policy. What can we learn from women’s experiences about building stronger, fairer support systems for all Americans and strengthening our civic fabric?

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As we transition from Black History Month into Women's History Month, we share "Heroes of Abolition and Suffrage" from our podcast library. This powerful conversation brings together descendants of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Frederick Douglass, and Booker T. Washington. Coline Jenkins and Kenneth B. Morris, Jr. continue the work of their three significant ancestors, honoring their legacy of work in civil rights history and shaping the world around us today. Grab your headphones and join us for this fascinating exploration of American history through the families of these barrier-breaking civic leaders. You can watch the original conversation with video and images here: https://oconnorinstitute.org/constitutionseriessuffrage-heroes-of-abolition-suffrage/

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At a time when Americans seem more divided than ever, Yuval Levin offers a compelling argument for how we can rebuild a shared national identity. Levin, the director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at the American Enterprise Institute, joined the O’Connor Institute to discuss his latest book, American Covenant, which examines the Constitutional foundations of American unity.

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We are pleased to share this conversation with Dr. Carla Hayden of the Library of Congress led by moderator Chevy Humphrey, CEO of the Museum of Science and Industry, originally recorded in 2021. In it, she discusses the Library of Congress's significant history and the information available at the country's most extensive library. Specifically, she spotlights crucial pieces of African American History, the 13th Amendment, and the life of President Abraham Lincoln.

You can listen to this illuminating conversation on your favorite platform, watch it, and view the visuals referenced here.

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The story is the same in many places: citizens aren't currently wild about their leaders. As John A. Burtka IV writes in the introduction to Gateway to Statesmanship, the "examples of elite failures are so ubiquitous that there is no reason to chronicle them all here." Better, Burtka argues, to turn to history to "rediscover the time-tested principles of leadership."

Listen to or watch the conversation here: https://civicsforlife.org/rediscovering-political-leadership-with-john-a-burtka-iv/

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