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Studying the Humanities in the 2020s
At a time of tumultuous and sometimes vitriolic debates on American campuses, here are seven guiding principles to help college student thinking about studying history or any other humanities subject.
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Smith College’s Carol Zaleski on The Lord of the Rings & Narnia
Prof. Carol Zaleski discusses the literary impact of the Inklings, focusing on J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, exploring their lives, works, and enduring moral contributions in today's cultural landscape.
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Boston’s Building Bargain: Coaxing Commercial Conversions to Condos
Joe Selvaggi discusses the strategic goals of Boston's Downtown Office to Residential Conversion Pilot Program with Arthur Jemison, the head of BPDA planning. The aim is to transform underutilized offices in Downtown into vibrant places to live.
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Better Civics Education Is the Massachusetts Way
The fight for more comprehensive civics education in the Bay State has persisted for years. The Legislature's recent override of Gov. Maura Healey’s cut to the state’s modest civics instruction budget suggests that in many in Massachusetts — including parents, teachers, and lawmakers — support strengthening the state’s civics and history curriculum, particularly with mounting evidence of declined student performance across the country.
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Emily Hanford on Reading Science & K-12 Literacy
Emily Hanford, host of the hit podcast Sold a Story: How Teaching Kids to Read Went So Wrong, discusses the science of reading, the long whole language v. phonics debate, the impact of the digital age on learning, and the importance of academic background knowledge for children becoming better readers.
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SCOTUS Wealth Tax: Are Appreciated Assets Income?
Joe Selvaggi talks with CATO Institute constitutional scholar Thomas Berry about the recently argued Moore v. U.S.A. case, which challenges the idea that income must be realized before it can be taxed.
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Francine Klagsbrun on Golda Meir’s Leadership and the State of Israel
This week on The Learning Curve, Francine Klagsbrun, author of "Lioness: Golda Meir and the Nation of Israel," discusses the remarkable life and legacy of the woman who left Kiev as a child, grew up in Milwaukee, emigrated to Mandatory Palestine, was a signatory to the declaration of independence for the state of Israel, and rose to become that nation's fourth prime minister.
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Busting Big Business: Antitrust Comes for Google and Big Sandwich
Joe Selvaggi talks with Dr. Brian Albrecht, an economists with the International Center for Law and Economics. They separate fact from fiction when it comes to the public’s and politicians’ concerns over allegedly anti-consumer practices of big business and discuss when antitrust action by the federal government is justified.
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The Massachusetts Workforce: Abundant Resources, Steep Challenges
Massachusetts features a strong workforce training system with abundant resources yet faces challenges in matching jobs and applicants, training youth, and attracting sufficient numbers of skilled immigrants, according to a pair of studies from Pioneer Institute.
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Except in Florida, There’s Really No (High School) Debate
In much of the country, the state of America’s High school debate is not strong. Teachers and education professionals have become indoctrinated in an identity-obsessed, grievance-seeking body politic. But in Florida, students must thoroughly research debatable positions and are actually expected to engage with those who disagree.
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Navigating Labor Shortages: The Role of Immigrants and the Potential of Schedule A
Milliken underscores the current unprecedented combination of low unemployment and high job openings, particularly in sectors like hospitality, healthcare, and education. She addresses the vital role immigrants play in the workforce, and advocates for leveraging Schedule A, a regulation that expedites the green card process for occupations facing high labor demand.
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Hillsdale’s Dr. Kathleen O’Toole on K-12 Classical Education
Dr. O'Toole explores Hillsdale's mission and its impact on K-12 education, delving into classical education, Greco-Roman ideals, Enlightenment principles, and the college’s efforts to enhance education. She discusses the challenges faced in exporting Hillsdale's model to K-12 public schooling, critiques of American education, and the role of the liberal arts in fostering academic unity amidst societal divisions.
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Supreme Oral Arguments: Do Gun Rights Rest on Responsible Behavior
Joe Selvaggi engages in a conversation with constitutional scholar Attorney Clark Neily to explore the oral arguments presented in the US Supreme Court case USA v Rahimi. The discussion delves into the intricate examination of behavioral history and the legal processes involved in restricting an individual from owning a firearm.
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A nuclear winter is coming for biopharma
The life sciences sector in Massachusetts — which has been flying so high for so long — is about to experience a very hard landing. With the adoption of prescription drug price controls in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), drug research and development — the heart of the life sciences sector in Massachusetts — is about to experience a nuclear winter.
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National Alliance’s Nina Rees on Charter Public Schools in America
Prof. Albert Cheng and Charlie Chieppo interview Nina Rees from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools on policy gains, charter school growth, challenges, debates, federal spending, and academic recommendations.
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The Disconnect Between Education and Activism
I’m sympathetic when I hear individuals lament cancel culture, radicalized student bodies, and anti-free speech climates in our institutions of higher learning. In many ways, it's right to do so. But in our defense, I might suggest that our lack of aptitude is the result of increasingly substandard history and civics education.
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Harvard Prof. Leo Damrosch on Jonathan Swift & Gulliver’s Travels
Harvard Prof. Leo Damrosch discusses Jonathan Swift's satirical genius, political critiques, and literary legacy. He emphasizes Swift's wit, insights, and commitment to liberty, and closes the interview with a reading from his book, Jonathan Swift: His Life and His World.
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Powering Earth’s Unplugged: Overcoming Barriers to Electricity Benefits Billions
Joe Selvaggi talks with energy journalist Robert Bryce about his views on the benefits and barriers to bringing cheap, abundant electricity to the nearly 4 billion people without access.
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Why Study History?
Intern Jude Iredell emphasizes the importance of history education for informed citizenship, citing Pioneer's survey on Massachusetts residents' historical knowledge. He encourages supporting organizations and initiatives promoting civic engagement and history literacy.
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Vanderbilt’s Dr. Carol Swain on U.S. History, Race, & 1776 Unites
Dr. Carol Swain, a political scientist, discusses her background, experiences with discrimination, faith's role in justice, and her work with 1776 Unites and public intellectuals on The Learning Curve podcast.
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Peace Through Compassion
In a conversation between Joe Selvaggi and George Mason law professor Ilya Somin, Somin presents his viewpoint on the moral and strategic case for allowing free emigration of Palestinian refugees from the conflict zone to bolster Israel’s fight against Hamas terrorism.
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Pioneer Study: Specifics on School Pandemic Relief Spending Hard to Come By
With the deadline for spending $2.9 billion in federal pandemic relief funds now less than a year away, it’s difficult to know exactly how Massachusetts school districts are spending the money and what impact those expenditures are having on students, according to a new study published by Pioneer Institute.
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New Report Explores Impact of Welfare Benefit Cliffs
In “Benefit Cliffs: A Literature Review on Welfare Structures as a Disincentive to Work,” Pioneer researcher Aidan Enright examines the extent to which complicated federal and state requirements related to welfare programs can provide a disincentive to employment or to working additional hours.
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Inflationary Debt Spiral: Fiscal Cliff Getting Closer, Faster
Joe Selvaggi discusses the consequences of record structural deficits and debt with budget expert Brian Riedl, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. They delve into how these factors could impact the financial stability of Medicare and Social Security and examine the limited time available to avert a potential crisis.
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Leslie Klinger on Sherlock Holmes, Horror Stories, & Halloween
Mr. Klinger discusses Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, Edgar Allan Poe's influence on the detective genre, and the significance of 19th-century horror stories such as Dracula, Frankenstein, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in popular culture.
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Statement on Massachusetts Falling from 34th to 46th on Tax Foundation’s 2024 Business Tax Climate Index
Massachusetts policymakers should pay close attention to the latest evidence of the Commonwealth’s declining competitiveness. Last week, the Tax Foundation published its 2024 State Business Tax Climate Index, which showed Massachusetts’ ranking falling more than any other state, from 34th to 46th.
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Empowering Immigrant Entrepreneurs: Natalia Frois’ Journey to Success in Building Business Networks on Cape Cod
Natalia Frois, a Brazilian immigrant and CEO of International Business Relations in Massachusetts, discusses how she supports immigrants and Hispanic entrepreneurs by offering classes, resources, and English education, drawing on her trilingual skills and personal experience. Frois shares how her mission aids business success and community integration.
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Pioneer’s U.S. History & Civics Book with Chris Sinacola
Chris Sinacola discusses Pioneer's new book "Restoring the City on a Hill: U.S. History & Civics in America's Schools" based on U.S. K-12 history and civics education, highlighting declining standards, leadership importance, crisis, primary sources, and state profiles, underscoring academic content's value.
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New Book Calls on States to Improve U.S. History and Civics Education
Pioneer Institute is today releasing Restoring the City on a Hill: U.S. History and Civics in America's Schools, which details the decline of history and civics knowledge among students and offers a plan for how states and local school districts can foster understanding of and curiosity about our nation's history.
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Identity Politics Ideology: Woke’s Orthodoxy and Opposition to Liberal Values
Joe Selvaggi hosts a conversation with Johns Hopkins University Professor Yasha Mounk regarding "The Identity Trap," Mounk's latest book that delves into the origins of woke identity politics, its potential impact on classical liberal values, and strategies for its informed opponents to effectively counter its influence.