The Law & Liberty Podcast

Law & Liberty’s James Patterson interviews prominent authors and thinkers. A production of Liberty Fund.

The Recent History of Free Speech 11/18/2025

The Recent History of Free Speech The English-speaking world has long enjoyed free speech rights unheard of in other parts of the world. But where did this legal regime come from? And as partisan strife becomes more heated on both sides of the Atlantic, what does free speech's future hold? In his new book, Law & Liberty contributing editor Adam Tomkins argues that understanding the history of our rights is essential to maintaining a free constitution. He joins James Patterson on the podcast to discuss his book, On the Law of Speaking Freely, as well as several pressing current free speech cases in the United Kingdom. Related Links by Adam Tomkins "," by Adam Tomkins "," a book review by Helen Dale by John Trenchard and Thomas Gordon by John Milton Adam Tomkins's /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/39060425

Decline and Fall? 11/04/2025

Decline and Fall? For most of the twentieth century, conservatives argued for a strong Congress whose closer connection to voters could check the grand delusions of presidential administrations. Now, however, everyone seems to have opted for Wilsonian, top-down executive leadership. Philip Wallach explains how we got here, why Congress remains indispensable for republican self-government, and what sort of structural reforms could help it reclaim its place in our constitutional system. Related Links Philip Wallach, (2023) Philip Wallach, "," Law & Liberty Yuval Levin, "," Commentary (2018) /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/38893975

Byzantines, Bishops, and Bolsheviks 10/21/2025

Byzantines, Bishops, and Bolsheviks /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/38604335

The Unfree Press 10/07/2025

The Unfree Press Especially since the controversies of 2020, the commanding heights of American culture have been dominated by left-wing moral panic. In his new book, Adam Szetela analyzes this toxic mentality’s influence on the publishing industry specifically. Many writers are either drafted into ideological crusades–or else become their victims. In this episode of the Law & Liberty Podcast, Szetela joins James Patterson to discuss his book and the sorry state of American literature. /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/38478825

Ho, Hey! Western Civ Is Here to Stay 09/23/2025

Ho, Hey! Western Civ Is Here to Stay From colonial times through the twentieth century, Western civilization became America’s own cultural heritage, and it was always taught in schools and universities. Then, in the later part of the twentieth century, Americans turned on Western Civ. Why did that happen? What are the consequences for our culture today? What can we do now to recover that heritage? Professor James Hankins joins John Grove, editor of Law & Liberty, to discuss these questions in connection with his new book, The Golden Thread: A History of the Western Tradition. /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/38304300

The West's Quest 09/09/2025

The West's Quest Robert Nisbet is best known for his books The Quest for Community and The Twilight of Authority. Luke Sheahan joins the podcast to discuss a new edition of Nisbet's lesser-known but perhaps most important book The Social Philosophers, a sweeping account of the history of community and its treatment by Western political philosophers. /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/38105435

From Equality to DEI—and Back Again? 08/19/2025

From Equality to DEI—and Back Again? What is the future of DEI? Does it have at least some laudable goals, and are there better ways to achieve them? What do the American people really want when it comes to tolerance, inclusion, and discrimination law? The Manhattan Institute’s Robert VerBruggen discusses all these questions and more with host James Patterson in this episode of the Law & Liberty Podcast. Related Links “,” by Robert VerBruggen /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/37862695

The Hubris of the Covid Planners 08/05/2025

The Hubris of the Covid Planners America is still reeling from the coronavirus pandemic that broke out in 2020. Not only was it one of the most deadly health incidents in our history, the strategies imposed by central planners to contain its spread also inflicted countless costs on everything from the economy and education to social life itself. Stephen Macedo, an author of a recent book evaluating the pandemic's aftermath, joins Law & Liberty contributing editor G. Patrick Lynch to discuss the price of the pandemic on this episode of the Law & Liberty Podcast. /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/37665065

Mission Accomplished for the Roberts Court? 07/15/2025

Mission Accomplished for the Roberts Court? /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/37373400

Woke Delusions 07/01/2025

Woke Delusions Although they understand themselves as missionaries to the marginalized, woke elites use their ideology of oppression to protect their own privilege and social status. Contributing Editor G. Patrick Lynch discusses these dynamics with Musa al-Gharbi, author of We Have Never Been Woke, and a shrewd diagnostician of elite hypocrisy. Related Links by Musa al-Gharbi “,” by Jesse Smith (Review of We Have Never Been Woke) /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/37218465

Sharp Dressed Man 06/03/2025

Sharp Dressed Man Driven in part by the revival of a classic knit sweater emblazoned with an American flag, "Ralph Lauren nationalism" has emerged as a trope among online talking-heads. Well-dressed political scientist Samuel Goldman is also known for his sharp takes on menswear. He joins host James Patterson to discuss his recent article for Compact magazine that tackled the concept. There may be something to the Ralph Lauren aesthetic that captures an essential quality of the American character, Goldman argues, but it's not exactly what the highly-online chatterers think it is. Related Links "" by Samuel Goldman /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/36775290

The Need for Neighborhoods 05/20/2025

The Need for Neighborhoods Neighborhoods are one of the most important human support structures, argues Seth D. Kaplan. Yet modern politics, economics, and social habits all seem aligned to undermine them. Discussing his recent book, Fragile Neighborhoods, Kaplan explains why neighborhoods are irreplaceable sources of human community, and why they are often in such bad shape today. "No government or philanthropic program can replace the benefits that the day-in-day-out love of parents and the continuous support of the community provide. Social services may address material needs and they may help mitigate specific problems after the fact, but they're rarely equipped to provide the care nurturing and targeted discipline that a supportive family and community deliver.” /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/36567300

Border Disorder 05/06/2025

Border Disorder Daniel DiMartino calls balls and strikes on the ongoing, highly partisan debate over immigration, legal and illegal. The border ought to be secure, and asylum limited to those who have a genuine need for it, he argues. But border policy ought always to bound by law. When it comes to legal immigration, according to DiMartino, we do well to avoid an economics of nostalgia and should welcome the kind of immigration that adds to American life. DiMartino also recalls a recent run-in with the residual cancel culture at Columbia University. /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/36312350

In the Rubble of Totalitarianism 04/08/2025

In the Rubble of Totalitarianism What Solzhenitsyn called "the ideological lie" was not limited to a single country, government, or movement. And it did not, unfortunately, die off in 1989. In his new book, Mahoney presents the lie as the replacement of traditional categories of "good and evil" with "progress and reaction," a change that ripples through political and social ideas in a way that opens the door to the replacement of truth by an imposed, false reality. Though we shouldn't pretend that America today approaches the kind of tyranny seen in the twentieth century, we should recognize that the totalitarian impulse is alive and well. /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/36036315

The Pursuit of Ignorance? 03/18/2025

The Pursuit of Ignorance? The drive to pursue wisdom is engrained in every human being, right? Many have believed so. But in his new book, Ignorance and Bliss, Mark Lilla argues that a certain "will to ignorance" is also part of the human experience. Like Plato's Thrasymachus, many often want to throw up their hands in resignation rather than commit themselves to the pursuit of truth, creating a tension in human life that is sometimes reasonable and sometimes pathological. Lilla offers an explanation for this phenomenon, drawing on philosophy, religion, psychology, and history. He joins James Patterson to discuss the book. /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/35681855

Scrutinizing Christian Nationalism 03/04/2025

Scrutinizing Christian Nationalism "Christian Nationalism" splashes across headlines regularly. But there is no clear definition of it. Is it just an epithet? A concept used for partisan manipulation? A real trend in socio-religious thought in America? Smith, Hall, and Williams consider different definitions, which ideas might be lumped into the category, and how it relates to American pluralism, historical Christianity, and contemporary populism. /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/35410435

The Moral Life in a Therapeutic Age 02/18/2025

The Moral Life in a Therapeutic Age Philip Rieff adopted the categories and language of Freud, but reinterpreted them in a way that supported culture and the moral life. Batchelder and Harding have edited a new volume of essays on Rieff, who they argue is a key thinker for any attempt to diagnose late modern cultural life. They join host James Patterson to discuss Rieff, Martin Luther King, Jr., Susan Sontag, and unimaginable depravities. /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/35284255

Religion and the Republic 02/04/2025

Religion and the Republic Historically grounded assessments of the American republic's relationship with religion require nuanced thinking and an appreciation for ambiguity. Unfortunately, those qualities don't sell. So American history is replete with attempts to construct a simple narrative of a Christian nation or a wholly secular liberalism. Jerome Copulsky and Mark Noll join James Patterson to discuss Copulsky's book, American Heretics, which examines certain strands of religious thinking that, in one way or another, have sought to overcome the fact of American religious pluralism. /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/35089995

The Disgrace of Legal Ed 01/21/2025

The Disgrace of Legal Ed A poorly worded tweet became a career-altering conflagration for Ilya Shapiro in a particularly egregious example of cancel culture. It prompted him to take a hard look at the state of legal education, which he now skewers in Lawless: The Miseducation of America's Elite. He and host James Patterson discuss the book, the atrocious impact critical theory and DEI has had on our law schools, and what the future might hold. /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/34886610

A Voice in the Modern Wilderness 01/07/2025

A Voice in the Modern Wilderness Anyone could be forgiven for not knowing much about Peter Viereck. The eccentric historian and poet was one of the first mid-century thinkers to robustly embrace the "conservative" label, but he fell out of favor with movement conservatives and has been largely forgotten. John Wilsey thinks that's a mistake. He joins Law & Liberty's editor, John Grove, to talk about Viereck and his unique conservative manner of approaching the challenges of modern life. Related Links John Wilsey, "," Law & Liberty Peter Viereck, Peter Viereck, Peter Viereck, John Wilsey, (pre-order) Claes Ryn, "" Law & Liberty Robert Lacey, /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/34714560

Optimism for the Western Project 12/17/2024

Optimism for the Western Project Konstantin Kisin has emerged as a powerful voice opposing "wokeness" in part because he has a unique appreciation for what makes Western civilization special. He and Helen Dale discuss the current state of wokeness, his own engagement with it, and the politics of the US, UK, and Australia. Ultimately, the moment calls not just for diagnosing Western malaise, but also gratitude for all the West offers us, and optimism for its future. /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/34475450

Debt Politics 11/19/2024

Debt Politics In the wake of the 2024 election, former Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels joins James Patterson to talk about the one issue politicians all try to avoid: the national debt. Though we have an impending debt disaster, both sides of the aisle avoid the hard choices that will eventually need to be made. Today, Daniels worries, it may be too late for a soft landing. We chose not to find solutions, and we'll start living with consequences very soon. Daniels and Patterson also touch on the state of higher education, the election, and our evolving partisan dynamics. Further Reading: Mitch Daniels, "," Washington Post Mitch Daniels, "," Law & Liberty (2022 Purdue University Commencement Remarks) Vance Ginn and Thomas Savidge, "," Law & Liberty Samuel Gregg, "," Law & Liberty /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/33973797

A Higher-Ed Renaissance? 10/22/2024

A Higher-Ed Renaissance? The past five years have been tumultuous ones for elite higher education. Campuses have been rocked by plagiarism scandals, ugly and violent protests, and revelations about admissions discrimination that went on under the guise of affirmative action. Meanwhile, reformers are trying out new approaches, from civics institutes to more robust legislative oversight of public universities to brand new private institutions. How pivotal will these years turn out to be? And what strategies are most likely to revive the mission of the university? Law & Liberty senior writer James Hankins has hope for a higher-ed renaissance. /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/33545962

Conservative Fusion 10/08/2024

Conservative Fusion When conservatives debate fundamentals, it does not take long for "fusionism" to come up. But it's not always clear what it is. Is it a philosophical stance or a practical coalition? Was it a historically contingent response to the Cold War or an integral part of any conservative disposition? An all-star panel joins host James Patterson to discuss and debate what fusionism really is and what the prospects are for its future. Charles C. W. Cooke, Samuel Goldman, and Stephanie Slade consider fusionism's origins in mid-century America, its culmination in the 1980s and its current status. Charles C. W. Cooke is a senior editor at National Review and the host of The Charles C. W. Cooke Podcast. Samuel Goldman is an associate professor of political science and executive director of the Loeb Institute for Religious Freedom at George Washington University. He is author of God’s Country: Christian Zionism in America, and After Nationalism: Being American in an Age of Division, and has written for many publications. He is the editor of FUSION. Stephanie Slade is a senior editor at Reason and a fellow in liberal studies at the Acton Institute. Related Links: Charles C. W. Cooke, "" (Law & Liberty) Stephanie Slade, "" (Reason) , (Samuel Goldman, Editor) Charles C. W. Cooke, /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/33363492

Keeping It Real 09/16/2024

Keeping It Real Human beings are flawed, finite creatures. But they are not problems to be solved, argues AEI senior fellow Christine Rosen, author of The Extinction of Experience. In the technological age, we too often see basic human activities, from reading and writing, to shopping and conversing, as obstacles to efficiency that must be overcome, simplified, or replaced. And while digital technology has provided many benefits, it has also come with unintended consequences for our habits of mind and social interactions. Rosen argues that we need a "new humanism" that puts the human person front-and-center and encourages people to regularly "touch grass." Related Links: (Christine Rosen) ( Jeffrey M. Berry and Sarah Sobieraj (Dannagal Goldthwaite Young) "" (A Law & Liberty forum on artificial intellegence led by Rachel Lomasky) "," (A Law & Liberty review by Joseph Holmes of Jonathan Haidt's The Anxious Generation) Christine Rosen is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a columnist for Commentary magazine, senior editor at the New Atlantis and fellow at the University of Virginia’s Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture. She lives in Washington, DC. /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/33039527

Back to School 09/02/2024

Back to School As students head back to classrooms, host James Patterson welcomes education experts Frederick Hess and Michael McShane to the podcast. We are still finding the "new normal" after Covid lockdown shook our education system—and public confidence in schools. Too often, our schools are guided by ideas developed by policymakers, intellectuals, and administrators who are separated from the needs of the classroom. Ranging from cell phones in class to school choice, from gender theory to administrative bloat, the conversation points in hopeful directions, drawn in part from their recent book, Getting Education Right. Related Links: Frederick Hess and Michael McShane, "," Frederick Hess and Michael McShane (Law & Liberty) "," Frederick Hess (Law & Liberty) "," Frederick Hess and Michael McShane (National Affairs) (Education Week) (Education Next) Frederick M. Hess is a senior fellow and the director of education policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he works on K–12 and higher education issues. Michael Q. McShane is an adjunct fellow in education policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) and director of national research at EdChoice, where he studies and writes about K–12 education policy, including private and religious schools and the politics of education. /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/32810272

England’s Troubles 08/19/2024

England’s Troubles On the latest episode of the Law & Liberty Podcast, Helen Dale joins host James Patterson to discuss the rise of new sectarianism in the UK, political and civil unrest, and how the Australians performed in the Olympics. Helen Dale is a Senior Writer at Law & Liberty. She won the Miles Franklin Award for her first novel, The Hand That Signed the Paper, and read law at Oxford and Edinburgh. Her most recent novel, Kingdom of the Wicked, was shortlisted for the Prometheus Prize for science fiction. She writes for a number of outlets, including The Spectator, The Australian, Standpoint, and Quillette. She lives in London, is on substack at , and on Twitter Show Notes: "" (Helen Dale for Law & Liberty) "" (Rachel Lu for Law & Liberty) /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/32627077

Constitutional Tensions 08/05/2024

Constitutional Tensions In a time of partisanship and dissention, can the Constitution provide the kind of unity we seek? Yes and no, argues AEI Senior Fellow and author Yuval Levin in his new book, American Covenant. The Constitution offers a kind of unity, but a limited one, that falls short of what many hope for. He joins host James Patterson to discuss constitutional history, our present social tensions, and what's wrong with our institutions. Notes: /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/32368267

The SCOTUS Summer 07/15/2024

The SCOTUS Summer On the latest episode of the Law & Liberty Podcast, host James Patterson sits down with contributing editor John O. McGinnis and AEI’s Adam White to discuss what the Supreme Court's latest rulings mean for the future of law in America. Show notes: Law & Liberty Supreme Court coverage: /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/32121212

Observing American Freedom 07/01/2024

Observing American Freedom On the first episode of The Law & Liberty Podcast, host James M. Patterson sits down with Richard M. Reinsch, who was the founder of Law & Liberty and the host of our original podcast series, and is currently a Senior Writer for the magazine. Listen to Patterson and Reinsch discuss contemporary trade policy blunders and prospects, the economic resilience of blue-collar towns, and Reinsch’s new projects at the American Institute for Economic Research. Richard M. Reinsch II is Editor-in-Chief and Director of Publications at AIER. He is co-author with Peter A. Lawler of A Constitution in Full: Recovering the Unwritten Foundation of American Liberty. He writes regularly for National Review and Acton’s Journal of Religion & Liberty. Further reading: Liberty Fund is a private, non-partisan, educational foundation. The views expressed in its podcasts are the individual's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Liberty Fund. /episode/index/show/libertylawtalk1/id/31929077

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