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Colloquy

Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

Conversations with visionary scholars and thinkers from the Harvard PhD community

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21 episodes
Avg 24 min
English

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#79
August 21 · 34 min
Is the US Economy “Fair Enough”?
Economic inequality has skyrocketed in the West since the 1970s, especially in the United States. So why have US politicians been unable to build sustained support for policies of redistribution?
#78
August 7 · 34 min
How to Change—for Good
Why is it so hard to build positive habits like exercising and studying regularly? Behavioral scientist Katie Milkman, PhD ’09, breaks down internal obstacles, motivation, and strategies to reach your goals.
#77
July 3 · 29 min
The Radicalism of the American Revolution
In one of the last interviews of his life, the Brown University historian Gordon Wood, known as the "dean of historians of the American Revolution," spoke with Harvard Griffin GSAS about the creation of the American republic, the social and cultural transformations that accompanied those in politics, and why an understanding of the country's early history can provide perspective in our own tumultuous times.
#76
June 19 · 32 min
Was the American Revolution a War Against or for Empire?
In his forthcoming book, University of California, Berkeley historian Brian DeLay, PhD ’04, argues that the great paradox of the Revolution was that the Patriots were fighting not only for their independence, but also for an empire of their own—and that their surprising ability to access guns and ammunition enabled their success.
#75
June 5 · 27 min
Has the Supreme Court Become Too Powerful?
Harvard Law School Professor Nikolas Bowie, PhD ’18, discusses how the Supreme Court seized the power to define what the Constitution means, and how Congress could reclaim that authority.
#74
May 22 · 29 min
Can We Learn to Have Courage?
Harvard Business School Professor Ranjay Gulati, PhD ’93, an expert on leadership strategy and organizational growth, says that bravery is a learned behavior. His new book leverages social science research to put readers on the path to a more courageous mindset.
#73
May 1 · 28 min
More Rules for Aging with Roger Rosenblatt
A generation after the bestselling "Rules for Aging," author Roger Rosenblatt, PhD ’68, is back with "More Rules for Aging," a new book of wry maxims and hard-won wisdom. He reflects on life’s "October," the reality of loss, and finding the beauty in recalling old friends and cherished memories.
#72
April 3 · 32 min
What Was the Boston Tea Party Really About?
The historian Vanessa Williamson, PhD '15, asserts the Patriots who dumped 342 crates of tea into Boston Harbor on December 16, 1773, were actually protesting a corporate tax break for the British East India Company. Discover how the fight for taxation has been central to American democracy, liberty, and the pursuit of equality since the founding.
#71
March 6 · 31 min
How Military Occupation Sparked the American Revolution
Historian and former presidential adviser Ted Widmer discusses the use of state power in the 18th century—and today.
#70
February 20 · 23 min
Harvard’s First Black PhD: Part 2—W.E.B. Du Bois, From Social Scientist to Global Leader
W.E.B. Du Bois was doing groundbreaking research in academia. Why did he leave it behind to become an activist?
#69
February 6 · 21 min
Harvard's First Black PhD: Part 1—W.E.B. Du Bois the Student
Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer David Levering Lewis on how the Harvard PhD experience influenced W.E.B. Du Bois, the man who would become one of the leading Black activists and intellectuals of the 20th century.
#68
January 2 · 45 min
Voting Rights, Climate, and the Most Important Election in US History: A Conversation with Dean Emma Dench and Professor Stephen Ansolabehere
Stephen Ansolabehere, PhD '89, an expert in public opinion and elections on voting, energy, and the mood of the US electorate.
#67
Dec 5, 2025 · 20 min
A Breakthrough in Studying Diseases of the Brain
New research from Harvard Griffin GSAS alumni sheds light not only on how brain trauma leads to long-term decline but also on possible shared mechanisms across different neurodegenerative conditions.
#66
Nov 7, 2025 · 36 min
“Was the American Revolution a Civil War?” and Other Thorny Questions about the Nation’s Founding
In preparation for the Ken Burns documentary event on PBS, we're getting a primer on the founding of the US from Phil Mead, PhD '12, former chief historian and curator of the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia.
#65
Oct 3, 2025 · 30 min
In the Snare of the Devil: What Really Caused the Salem Witch Crisis
Cornell University historian Mary Beth Norton discusses how the conflict on New England’s frontier shaped the Salem witch trials, revealing a story of trauma, refugees, and accusations in 17th-century Massachusetts.
#64
Sep 5, 2025 · 24 min
What Happens When Your Brain Goes to the Supermarket and Other Stories of Human Adaptability
Duke University Professor Herman Pontzer, PhD ’06, says that a deeper understanding of how our bodies evolved and how that process shapes our biology can help us better take charge of our health.
#63
Aug 29, 2025 · 7 min
Living Tombs: Toward a Fluid Understanding of Architectural Space
Sergio Alarcón Robledo’s 2025 Harvard Horizons project, “Entangled Ritual and Architectural Practices at North Saqqara,” explores ancient Egyptian architecture through an interdisciplinary approach that sits at the crossroads of archaeology, Egyptology, and architecture.
#62
Aug 14, 2025 · 8 min
Empire of String: Unraveling the Enigma of Inka Khipus
In his project "Empire of String: Unravelling the Enigma of Inka Khipus," 2025 Harvard Horizons Scholar Mack FitzPatrick is immersing himself in the complex record-keeping system of khipus: intricate knotted cord devices that served as the administrative backbone of the Inka civilization.
#61
Jul 30, 2025 · 7 min
Embracing Twilight: Older Women Poets of the Slavic World and the Unfurling of Their Voices
In her project "Embracing Twilight: Older Women Poets and the Unfurling of Their Voices," 2025 Harvard Horizons Scholar Alex Braslavsky brings together the works of three Slavic poets to explore how the creative process evolves with age and what work by artists in their advanced age reveals about the human condition.
#60
Jul 21, 2025 · 8 min
Pitfalls of Anthropomorphism: Misunderstanding AI’s Potential
We expect machines to think like people. What happens when they don’t? 2025 Harvard Horizons Scholar Raphaël Raux explores the nuanced interplay between human cognition and artificial intelligence (AI).

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