On this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, J. Peder Zane and James Varney speak with Robert P. George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University, about the national civics education he has spearheaded and how to have conversations across the political divide. On the news round-up, Zane and Varney discuss a range of articles responding to the violence that erupted in England and Belfast following racially charged incidents. 00:00 Introduction and Personal Anecdote 01:30 Current Events and Political Climate 03:52 Racial Inequality and Public Response 06:16 Media Framing and Public Perception 09:44 Civics Education and Its Importance 13:01 Interview with Robert George on Civics Education 20:32 The Shift in Academic Focus 24:25 Conservative Perspectives in Academia 31:17 The Pursuit of Truth and Intellectual Humility 32:04 The Role of Academic Freedom in Education 33:25 Bridging the Gap: Intellectual Honesty in Discourse 37:34 Navigating the Age of Feeling and Humility 48:44 The Machinery of Dispute Resolution in Democracy 56:35 Hope vs. Optimism: The Future of American Democracy
On this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, J. Peder Zane and James Varney speak with Robert P. George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University, about the national civics education he has spearheaded and how to have conversations across the political divide.
On the news round-up, Zane and Varney discuss a range of articles responding to the violence that erupted in England and Belfast following racially charged incidents.
00:00 Introduction and Personal Anecdote
01:30 Current Events and Political Climate
03:52 Racial Inequality and Public Response
06:16 Media Framing and Public Perception
09:44 Civics Education and Its Importance
13:01 Interview with Robert George on Civics Education
20:32 The Shift in Academic Focus
24:25 Conservative Perspectives in Academia
31:17 The Pursuit of Truth and Intellectual Humility
32:04 The Role of Academic Freedom in Education
33:25 Bridging the Gap: Intellectual Honesty in Discourse
37:34 Navigating the Age of Feeling and Humility
48:44 The Machinery of Dispute Resolution in Democracy
56:35 Hope vs. Optimism: The Future of American Democracy
Articles Discussed in This Podcast:
Robert P. George Official Website
https://robertpgeorge.com/
Robert P. George X Account
https://x.com/McCormickProf
Video: Robert P. George in Conversation with Cornel West
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwBxVjkOeV0
New York Times: In the U.K., a Violent Cycle: Hateful Attacks, Right-Wing Agitation and Riots
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/11/world/europe/northern-ireland-stabbing-immigration.html
Atlantic: How Britain Became as Poor as Mississippi
https://archive.is/6q9Gp
Telegraph: Erect Sea Barrier Off Belgium To Halt Migrant ‘Taxi Boats,’
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/belgians-propose-sea-barrier-halt-151307951.html