Simoncast is the official podcast of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. Hosted by John Shaw. Season One is produced and edited by Alee Quick. This podcast is produced through a partnership with WSIU Public Radio. For more, visit paulsimoninstitute.siu.edu.
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John Shaw, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute and host of Simoncast, becomes the focus of today's interview with Alee Quick. -
Novelist Jennifer Close talks about the long and winding novel-writing process, how she encourages young writers as an instructor, and why politics snuck into her latest novel -
Tanisha Fazal, a professor of political science at the University of Minnesota, talks about why she studies war — "my motivation is usually about trying to mitigate war's worst effects," she says. -
New York Times global economic correspondent Peter S. Goodman talks about his book "Davos Man: How the Billionaires Devoured the World," which explores the contradictions on display at the World Economic Forum. -
Chicago Tribune investigative reporter Ray Long talks about his book "The House That Madigan Built," which covers the long and powerful career of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and serves as an unofficial primer on Illinois politics. -
Journalist Melinda Henneberger talks about her work at the Kansas City Star, including a series of columns about a retired police officer who was accused of rape, for which she won the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for commentary. -
East St. Louis, Illinois Mayor Robert Eastern III talks about his philosophy for economic development in the city he leads, which he describes as "intentional." He also talks about the impact of COVID-19 on his Mississippi River city. -
Illinois State Senator Dale Fowler, a Republican from Harrisburg, talks about advocating for economic development in Southern Illinois, working to keep young people in the region, and how his relationships across the aisle help him do both. -
Illinois State Senator Jason Barickman, a Republican from Bloomington, talks about his path from the county board to the state Senate, his work on education funding and redistricting reform, and more. -
April Kornfield, director of debates for Braver Angels, explains her organization's unique style of debate, which Kornfield describes as a "collective search for truth" rather than a fight to be won or lost. -
Danielle Allen, Harvard University professor and director of the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics, talks about how the United States' COVID-19 response got caught in our political polarization, how we can rebuild trust in our civic institutitons, and the power and magnificence of the Declaration of Independence. -
Julian Zelizer, CNN political analyst, author, and public affairs and history professor at Princeton University, traces the history of political polarization in the United States
