Added 9/4/18. Mega-wealthy do-gooders such as George Soros and Warren Buffet speak forcefully of the moral imperative to guarantee the societal security of the less well-off – but in fact, they can be viewed as merely the latest in a long line of elites who advance that line in alliance with progressive leaders, to preserve their own class hegemony. So argues lawyer and writer Michael Knox Beran. His books include, “Pathology Of The Elites,” “Forge of Empires,” and “Jefferson’s Demons.” In this 2011 interview, Milt draws out and challenges Beran on his contention of elites’ misdirection and duplicity. The conversation is focused around several then-recent articles Beran authored, including “Exposing The Elites,” and “The Descent of Liberalism.”

Added 7.18.18. Urban sociology was born in Chicago at the University of Chicago in the 1930s by street-savvy scholars who got out, explored communities and dug into non-academic realities to develop and test their theories. Broadly speaking, they were seeking  to better understand and document how immigrants, politicians, classes and interest groups in major cities relate to each other and conduct necessary social transactions, so that the urban organism is able to thrive and develop. Milt digs into the roots and present-day lessons of urban sociology for Chicago with two eminent scholars. One is Robert Sampson of Harvard University, author of “Great American City: Chicago And The Enduring Neighborhood Effect.” The other is Philip Nyden, Director of Loyola University’s Center For Urban Research and Learning. Callers add their own insights and observations, including some quite salient intel from a Chicago policeman on escalating gang-related murders.

Added 6.26.18. True, four of the last seven governors of Illinois have gone to jail. And Chicago has long been a leading-edge laboratory of institutionalized political corruption. But don’t overlook the suburbs. Developing this theme further – with plenty of additional insight on state and Chicago corruption – are Milt’s two guests, in this 2012 episode. They are Dick Simpson, a former Chicago alderman who is chair of the political science department at University of Illinois, Chicago; and David Ellis, former chief counsel to Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and lead prosecutor of now-jailed former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich. Simpson reports on findings of a new report he spearheaded, that “corruption is rife” in 61 Chicago suburbs.

Added 6.12.18. Foreshadowing much of the current conversation about the Middle East, Milt plus guests Charles Lipson and Laith Saud explore pressing questions such as, do Israel and Iran actually have any real intention of working out their differences, or is all the rhetorical jousting really just for political affect? How should Israel think about compromise with Palestine while still preserving the Israeli state? Is Israel less a “Jewish” state than a modern, vibrant and pluralistic democracy? Is the dichotomy between Sunni and Shia Arabs greatly overplayed? What role does Islamic fundamentalism continue to play in the Middle East? Does not the U.S. allow for easier assimilation by Arab immigrants than, say, France, because its jobs and housing markets are markedly more open? This and much more is on the table. Lipson is a distinguished expert on foreign affairs, prolific writer, and former chair of the political science department at the University of Chicago. Saud brings a unique perspective to the conversation, having been born in Iraq and migrated with his parents to the U.S. at an early age. He is an assistant professor of religious studies at DePaul University, and founder of a company which provides counsel to media and NGOs focused on the Middle East.

Added 6.5.18. Some of the major charismatic preachers who made a difference in religious life, have also changed the course of history.  For starters, think Martin Luther King, Jr., Mohammed, and Rabbi Hillel. How exactly does this happen, and why? Milt explores the anatomy of religious leaders’ influence on society. He is joined by Chicago Tribune religion reporter Manya Brachear Pashman, and Dartmouth religion professor and author Randall Balmer.  He is the author of numerous books, including, “The Making Of Evangelism,” and “God In The White House: How Faith Shaped The Presidency From John F. Kennedy to George W. Bush.”