The Harvard Salient Podcast

Dr. Ian Marcus Corbin is a philosopher on faculty in Neurology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital / Harvard Medical School, where he co-directs the Human Network Initiative, and is a Faculty Member at the HMS Center for Bioethics. He serves as a Senior Fellow at the think tank Capita, co-directs the Trust and Belonging Initiative at Harvard’s Human Flourishing Program, and serves on the ethics committee at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. His philosophical work examines the connections between modes of intersubjectivity, community, and cognitive flourishing, and he has a book on belonging and world-making forthcoming from Yale University Press. He advises elected officials at the federal and state level, along with leaders of for-profit and non-profit enterprises, on issues of belonging, culture, and flourishing.Dr. Corbin is spearheading Harvard’s Public Culture Project.The full transcript of this interview can be found here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.harvardsalient.com

Dr. Christine Rosen is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where she focuses on American history, society and culture, technology and culture, and feminism. She is a columnist for Commentary magazine and one of the cohosts of The Commentary Magazine Podcast. She is also a fellow at the University of Virginia’s Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture and a senior editor in an advisory position at The New Atlantis.Dr. Rosen has a PhD in history, with a major in American intellectual history, from Emory University, and a BA in history from the University of South Florida. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.harvardsalient.com

Oren Cass is the founder and executive director of American Compass, a Financial Times contributing editor, and the author of The Once and Future Worker: A Vision for the Renewal of Work in America. He earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School, where he was an editor of Volume 125 of the Harvard Law Review. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.harvardsalient.com

Follow Dr. Swain on X: https://x.com/carolmswainFollow Dr. Swain on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drcarolmswain/#Grab a copy of Dr. Swain’s book, The Gay Affair: Harvard, Plagiarism, & the Death of Academic Integrity on Amazon or wherever you get your books.About Dr. Carol SwainBorn into abject poverty in rural southwest Virginia, Dr. Carol Swain, a high school dropout, went on to earn five degrees. Holding a Ph.D. from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an M.S.L. from Yale, she also earned early tenure at Princeton and full professorship at Vanderbilt where she was a professor of political science and a professor of law. In addition to three Presidential appointments, Carol is a former Distinguished Senior Fellow for Constitutional Studies with the Texas Public Policy Foundation who has also served on the Tennessee Advisory Committee to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the 1776 Commission. Dr. Swain is an award-winning political scientist, cited three times by the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as the author or editor of 11 published books including the bestseller, Black Eye for America: How Critical Race Theory is Burning Down the House and the timely Countercultural Living: What Jesus Has to Say About Life, Marriage, Race, Gender, and Materialism.Ms. Swain is an expert on critical race theory, American politics, and race relations with television appearances that include BBC Radio and TV, CSPAN, ABC’s Headline News, CNN, Fox News, Newsmax and more. In addition, she has published opinion pieces in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, the Epoch Times, The Financial Times and USA Today.Show Notes00:00 Introduction2:01 Writing The Gay Affair: Harvard, Plagiarism, & the Death of Academic Integrity8:51 Larger Trend of Declining Academic Integrity 12:17 What Is “Plagiaritis” and How Widespread Is It? 20:33 How Could So Much Plagiarism Go Unnoticed? 22:21 Being Cancelled is a Badge of Honor25:43 Free Speech on Campus 32:10 A Path Forward This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.harvardsalient.com

Boris Houenou recently graduated from Harvard Kennedy School, where he studied public administration. Before arriving at Harvard, Boris worked for Viasat, a space and military satellite company, and taught economics at Washington State University. At the age of 26, he served as an advisor to the Beninese presidential candidate Adrien Houngbédji. Boris has a PhD in Economics from Washington State University.Note: This episode was filmed in May, shortly before Houenou graduated.00:00 Introduction02:06 Navigating Harvard11:06 From Silicon Valley to Harvard and Beyond14: 55 Political Involvement in Benin29:49 Exploring the Complexities of Voting Technology and Security32:10 The Impact of Technology on Society and the Importance of Trust37:54 Cultural Values and Family Dynamics This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.harvardsalient.com

Edward Somuk is a rising sophomore at Harvard concentrating in History. For 26 years, Edward was an infantry marine, retiring as a master sergeant in 2021 after serving in all four marine divisions and all three Marine Expeditionary Forces—East Coast, West Coast, and Okinawa. Edward serves as the director of administration at the Harvard Undergraduate Veterans Organization. 00:00 Introduction to the Harvard Salient Podcast with Ed Somuk00:09 Ed's Unique Journey: From Marine to Harvard Freshman01:39 The Early Call to Serve: Ed's Path to Becoming a Marine05:57 Military Life and Leadership Lessons17:23 Transitioning from Active Duty to Stay-at-Home Dad33:34 The Harvard Experience: From Application to Acceptance39:21 An Unexpected Arrival: Navigating College Life as an Older Student40:18 Midnight Musings: Offering Wisdom to Younger Peers40:55 The Power of Perspective: Life Lessons from a Veteran42:22 Challenging the Status Quo: A Veteran's Take on Education and Opportunity44:36 Building Community: The Importance of Small Gestures47:49 From Military to Academia: The Transition Challenges01:06:25 The TF System: A Veteran's Critique and Suggestions01:15:51 Concluding Thoughts: Making the Most of the College Experience This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.harvardsalient.com

Spencer Sindhusen is an undergraduate student at MIT studying brain and cognitive science and management. Since he arrived at MIT in September 2023, Spencer has spearheaded a conservative resurgence on campus as the President of MIT Students for Open Inquiry, which works to expose the MIT community to a variety of viewpoints and promote honest dialogue.00:00 Introduction00:49 The Mission of MIT Students for Open Inquiry09:56 COVID-19 and the Political Shifts on Campus Culture19:48 Scientific Consensus and the Culture of Silence28:16 Conspiracies and Trust in the Digital Age32:47 Navigating Free Speech and Controversy at MIT37:40 The MIT Encampment46:18 Future Plans For MIT Students for Open Inquiry This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.harvardsalient.com

Carlos Larreategui is from Quito, Ecuador and is currently pursuing an MBA at Harvard Business School. He also earned an MPP from the University of Oxford and a bachelor’s in finance from George Washington University. After a brief stint in at JP Morgan in New York City, Larreategui transitioned to higher education management and public policy with projects in Ecuador and Spain.02:33 Introduction04:03 Growing Up in a Political Family in Ecuador08:15 Navigating Political Tensions11:50 From Left to Right: A Political Transformation15:26 Economic Philosophy21:48 Education in the United States28:59 MBA Expectations vs. Reality32:59 The Culture of Harvard Business School38:49 China's Growing Influence In Latin America47:39 Political Aspirations and the State of Global Politics53:25 Reimagining the U.S. Election Process This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.harvardsalient.com

Adam Omary is a Psychology Ph.D. Student in the Affective Neuroscience and Development Laboratory at Harvard University. His research centers on how hormones influence brain development and sex differentiation during sensitive windows of pubertal and perinatal development. Before coming to Harvard, Adam received his B.A. in Cognitive Science and M.S. in Biostatistics at the University of Southern California, where he studied brain and cognitive development in children with congenital adrenal hyperplasia, a rare intersex disorder.02:46 Introduction03:41 Adam's Journey to Harvard and Interest in Neuroscience13:39 Free Will, Consciousness, and Artificial Intelligence33:37 The Evolutionary Psychology of Dating Apps39:05 The Paradox of Choice in Relationships46:43 The Science of Gender Identity and Transgender Health01:03:57 The Use of Puberty Blockers01:16:14 Closing Thoughts on Scientific Inquiry and Impartiality This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.harvardsalient.com

Shabbos Kestenbaum is a graduate student at Harvard University researching the intersections between public policy and contemporary Jewish life in America. Presently, Shabbos is the lead plaintiff against Harvard University alleging pervasive and systemic antisemitism on campus. We discuss Shabbos’ path to Harvard, his experiences at Harvard Divinity School, and his ongoing efforts to highlight the antisemitism that plagues America’s institutions of higher education.02:36 Introduction05:35 Harvard Divinity School Culture09:38 Political Activism Disguised as Theological Study13:37 Antisemitism: Personal Experiences and Campus Incidents33:34 Contrast in Campus Activism34:18 Legal Battles and Media Strategies35:44 Ideological Challenges in Higher Education37:28 The Future of American Jewish Activism59:54 The Lawsuit Against Harvard01:04:17 Reflections and the Path Forward This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.harvardsalient.com

Gabriel Kelvin is a second-year master's student at Harvard Kennedy School. In this episode, he shares his journey overcoming personal and financial challenges to becoming an influential figure in the Harvard conservative scene. Gabriel shares insights into his roles as co-chair of the HKS Republican Caucus and the founder of the student policy institute at Berkeley. He discusses his passion for economic development and job creation, and his efforts to foster conservatism on Harvard through organizing the first ever university-wide conservative conference, CoreCon.00:00 Introduction00:29 A Journey from Hardship to Harvard04:09 From Community College to Harvard Kennedy School09:16 The Power of Faith and Community Service12:36 Vision for Conservative Economic Development18:38 CoreCon: A Milestone for Conservative Voices at Harvard31:38 The Role of Student Groups in Promoting Ideological Diversity45:57 CORE Society: A New Chapter for Conservative Students at Harvard52:14 Looking Forward: The Future of Conservatism in Higher Education This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.harvardsalient.com

In this episode of the Harvard Salient Podcast, hosts Sarah and Will interview Mr. William Brown, a history and German languages concentrator at Harvard College and co-founder of the Harvard Salient, Harvard’s only conservative publication. Mr. Brown discusses the mission of the publication, the initial challenges of starting the magazine during COVID-19 lockdowns, the influence of conservative ideas at Harvard, and Mr. Brown's academic interests.00:00 Introduction to the Harvard Salient Podcast01:08 The Birth and Evolution of the Harvard Salient04:29 Challenges and Triumphs: Publishing During COVID-1905:28 Navigating Campus Life and Conservative Identity08:02 The Salient's Impact and Editorial Philosophy21:36 Exploring Intellectual Pursuits and Academic Achievements28:17 Reflecting on the Harvard Experience and Looking Ahead This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.harvardsalient.com