Amanpour and Company

News and Public Affairs Series / 3 Seasons

Featuring conversations with global leaders and decision makers on the issues affecting the world today, Amanpour and Company adds to the long tradition of public affairs programming that has been a hallmark of public media for decades.

Watch: S2023 E6121

26m 46s

He Fears the Definition of Antisemitism He Wrote Being Used to Silence Others

18m 31s

Kenneth Stern helped draft the working definition of antisemitism, used by multiple governments and universities worldwide. Stern is Director of the Bard Center for the Study of Hate, and he is now worried the definition he helped create is being weaponized. Stern joins the show to explain how his words are being used to harm everyone, including Jewish students.

The World’s First De-Extinction? George Church on Bringing Back the Dire Wolf

17m 57s

This week marked a major scientific breakthrough: the resurrection of the dire wolf, a species that went extinct over 12,000 years ago. A Dallas-based biotech company, Colossal Biosciences, is behind the project and Walter Isaacson speaks to its co-founder, Harvard University geneticist George Church.

Despite Market Dip, This Economist Believes Trump Tariffs Are the Way Forward

17m 55s

Trump's trade war has played havoc with global markets and has intensified fears of a recession. Oren Cass is the founder of the conservative think tank American Compass, which has ties to prominent Republicans like Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Cass joins Walter Isaacson to discuss what might be behind Trump's economic view.

Held by ICE for 12 Days Over Visa Renewal, Canadian Actress Tells Her Story

18m 39s

Trump's crackdown on immigration has already affected thousands of migrants, but one story has grabbed particular attention. Canadian actress and entrepreneur Jasmine Mooney was recently detained by ICE for 12 days while attempting to renew her work visa. Hari Sreenivasan spoke with her about her experience.

“Putting Americans at Risk:” Fmr. CDC Dir. on RFK Jr.’s Public Health Cuts

17m 57s

The US is facing one of its worst measles outbreaks in decades, which last week claimed the life of a second child. This comes as the Trump admin. slashes thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in grants to local authorities. Tom Frieden led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for over a decade. He warns Hari Sreenivasan that these cuts threaten lives in America and around the world.

“The Gen X Career Meltdown:” What Happens When Your Job Becomes Obsolete?

17m 40s

Are we seeing the end of work as we know it? A growing number of creatives in their 40s and 50s have seen their careers upended by social media and artificial intelligence. New York Times reporter Steven Kurutz, who got his start in magazine publishing, has witnessed the career struggles of many in the "unhappy middle." Kurutz speaks with Michel Martin.

The Democratic Brand Is “Toxic,” Says Rahm Emanuel

18m 2s

Democrats are bruised and battered -- but they are starting to fight back. Now, one party stalwart is positioning himself to lead the push against Trumpism: Rahm Emanuel. The former Ambassador to Japan and President Obama’s Chief of Staff talks to Walter Isaacson.

“I’m Not Scared:” Jeffrey Goldberg on Potential Backlash After Signal Leak

18m 20s

The White House has declared "case closed" on the Signal chat scandal, but this story is far from over. Politico is reporting that at least 20 group chats have been set up on the app by National Security Adviser Mike Waltz's team. The Atlantic's Editor-in-Chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, broke the original bombshell story after Waltz added him to the chat. Goldberg joins the show.

Harvard Historian Responds to Trump’s Order Targeting the Smithsonian

17m 51s

Trump is targeting the Smithsonian, the world's largest museum complex, with an executive order designed to eradicate what he calls "a divisive, race-centered ideology" at the institution. Civil rights groups are saying Trump is "whitewashing" America's past. Award-winning author and Harvard professor Tiya Miles joins the show to reflect on what this might mean for the future of the United States.

Does Trump Have Legal Authority to Require Proof of Citizenship for Voting?

18m 8s

Another of President Trump's executive orders is aimed at exerting control over the American election process, an area that is traditionally regulated by individual states. The order calls for mandating proof of citizenship for registered voters and disqualifying ballots arriving post-election day. Loyola Law Professor Justin Levitt explains why the order is both illegal and unconstitutional.

Can Trump Use Economic Warfare to America’s Advantage?

17m 59s

Delving into the U.S. economy, author Edward Fishman speaks with Michel Martin about why he believes that leveraging America's economic power carries great risks, both to the nation's economy and to the global world order.

Graydon Carter on Donald Trump, Anna Wintour and the Golden Age of Magazines

16m 57s

For 25 years Graydon Carter was the editor of Vanity Fair. In his new memoir, Carter reflects on his career adventures, including encounters with New York celebrities from Anna Wintour to Donald Trump. Carter talks to Walter Isaacson about his rise to the top during the golden age of magazines.

Tariffs, Taiwan & Trump 2.0: What's Next for U.S.-China Relations?

18m 36s

Beijing has accused the US of violating WTO rules since Trump announced 25% tariffs on all cars and auto parts imported from anywhere in the world. In Beijing the foreign ministry spokesman said that "there are no winners in a trade war or a tariff war.” Jessica Chen Weiss, Professor of China Studies at Johns Hopkins, discusses China's effort to manage an unpredictable second Trump administration.

EXCLUSIVE: “How Fascism Works” Author Jason Stanley Plans to Leave the U.S.

19m 11s

Trump's America has started to challenge and redefine academic freedom, and Yale Professor Jason Stanley is sounding the alarm. He is the author of "Erasing History: How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future." Stanley joins the show to discuss how new teaching guidelines are stoking a culture of fear, and why he's taking drastic measures as a result.

The New Red Scare? Historian on McCarthyism and Parallels to Today

18m 27s

The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 was passed amid anti-communist fears during the early Cold War. That period of history is the focus of the new book "Red Scare: Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America." Author and reporter Clay Risen joins the show to discuss past political hysteria and what it can tell us about the present.

“The Calling:” A Look Inside the Emotional Journey of Medical School

18m 21s

From America's withdrawal from the WHO to the appointment of vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of HHS, the public health sector has seen radical change since Trump's return to the Oval Office. The importance of healthcare is underscored in a new documentary, "The Calling: A Medical School Journey." Filmmaker Asako Gladsjo and Dr. Le’Shauna Phinazee join the show to discuss.

“We Are Worried:” The Future of Public Land Under Trump

17m 41s

The Trump administration is slashing key federal projects, and fears are growing that public lands — including iconic areas of natural beauty — could be devastated. In a conversation with Walter Isaacson, Carrie Besnette Hauser, President and CEO of The Trust for Public Land, explains how these sweeping cuts will impact America’s parks and why every community needs access to green spaces.

“A Tide of Suffering and Death:” NYT’s Nicholas Kristof on Musk’s USAID Cuts

18m 7s

A federal judge has halted the shutdown of USAID following relentless efforts by Elon Musk's DOGE to slash the agency's resources. Musk insists that no lives were lost from the pause in foreign aid. But New York Times Opinion columnist Nicholas Kristof reports otherwise. Kristof speaks to Hari Sreenivasan about the harrowing picture in Kenya and Sudan after USAID supply lines were cut.

“Everything Is Tuberculosis” John Green on Funding Cuts & the Fight to End TB

17m 34s

A federal judge in Maryland is blocking the Trump/Musk dismantling of USAID. Author John Green argues the Trump administration's cuts to foreign aid are disastrous for global health outcomes, especially for infectious diseases like tuberculosis. Green explains why TB is still so prevalent in his new book "Everything Is Tuberculosis." The author joins the show to discuss what can be done.

“Abundance:” Ezra Klein & Derek Thompson’s Bold Vision for Democrats

18m 2s

The Trump administration is creating a task force to identify federal lands suitable for building affordable homes. The initiative marks a first step by the Trump White House to address one of the worst housing shortages in decades. The housing crisis is a focal point of the new book "Abundance." Co-authors Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson join Walter Isaacson to discuss it.

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