Have American elites and everyday Americans drifted apart — and can that be fixed? In this episode of Project Cosmos, a production of ISI, we bring together leading thinkers to explore how the U.S. economy shifted from mid-century industrial giants (Ford, GM, IBM) to an intellectual-property-driven, capital-light model, and what that's meant for immigration, the industrial base, and national security.

Featuring: Oren Cass, Brent Parton, Michael Lind, Helen Andrews, Julius Krein and Johnny Burtka

Timestamps:

0:00 – Regional elites and the idealized industrial past

5:54 – Globalization, the "fissured economy," and national security

32:07 – Reindustrialization and workforce training

1:07:24 – Tariffs, immigration, and labor markets

1:33:47 – Monopolies, antitrust, and industrial policy

1:59:02 – Beyond consumer welfare: Hamilton's vision for America

What does economic freedom actually look like in an age of artificial intelligence, automation, and geopolitical competition? ISI's flagship long form podcast brings together leading thinkers for a candid roundtable on free markets, innovation, national security, and what it all means for American workers and communities.

Timestamps:
0:00 – Intro: AI, deregulation & tech growth
6:11 – AI and job displacement
8:56 – The GOP's working class vs. economic dynamism tension
16:34 – Are we losing skills to AI?
28:24 – Theology, human dignity & what makes us different from machines
38:41 – The data center investment bubble
52:21 – Industrial policy, national security & reshoring
1:00:29 – Disruption without a path forward: the trucker problem
1:06:31 – UBI, WALL-E, and the dystopia of purposeless leisure
1:10:24 – Closing thoughts: humility, embodiment & conservatism's answer to AI

Project Cosmos: Conversations on the Future of Civilization is a production of ISI, the Intercollegiate Studies Institute.

Visit isi.org/join to learn more.

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Are the "strong gods" returning to American life — and what does that mean for politics, Christianity, and civilization?

In this episode of Project Cosmos, host Johnny Burtka is joined by a distinguished panel of scholars to discuss NS Lyons' essay on the long 20th century and the Return of the Strong Gods — building on Rusty Reno's influential work.

Guests:
Tom West — Paul Ermine Potter and Dawn Tibbetts Potter Endowed Professor of Politics
Khalil Habib — Allison and Dorothy Rouse Professor in Politics, Associate Professor of Politics
Miles Smith IV — Assistant Professor of History
Daniel O'Toole — Assistant Professor of Politics
Rich Bacigalupi — Director, Deany's Days Foundation

Timestamps:
0:00 – Introduction: NS Lyons & the Return of the Strong Gods
0:19 – Why the left calls conservatives "fascists"
3:58 – Malcolm X, identity, and strong gods on the left
8:08 – The structure of progressive movements: weak gods as the ideal
26:43 – Is traditional Christianity making a comeback?
43:09 – Two versions of Christianity & the immigration debate
1:08:37 – AI, Silicon Valley & the political realignment
1:09:24 – AI as a threat to elections and public opinion
1:31:19 – Can the republic be saved? The role of the statesman

Project Cosmos is a production of ISI — the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. Visit isi.org to learn more about our educational programs on Western and American civilization.