Could Reparations Actually Happen in America? With Prof. Dorothy Brown

Could Reparations Actually Happen in America? With Prof. Dorothy Brown

Author: The Progress Network with Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas September 16, 2026 Duration: 57:47
In the United States, we have constant debates about long-standing systemic issues like classism, racism, and economic inequality, and we speak about these issues as if they are complicated and impossible to address. But what if history tells us that we already have the solutions to some of our biggest and oldest problems? What if there is a bold path that looks to the past to redirect our economic future? Georgetown Law Professor Dorothy Brown joins host Zachary Karabell to talk about her book Getting to Reparations: How Building a Different America Requires a Reckoning with Our Past. They discuss whether reparations are practical and actually possible in the near future. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope.For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.orgSubscribe to our (FREE) Substack newsletter: https://theprogressnetwork.org/newsletter/Watch the podcast on YouTube: / theprogressnetworkFollow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrkSubscribe to Zachary’s Substack: www.edgyoptimist.substack.com/

It’s easy to feel that everything is falling apart, but what if the dominant narrative of decline is missing a crucial piece of the story? What Could Go Right? asks that question directly, offering a necessary counterpoint to the daily drumbeat of crises. Hosted by The Progress Network’s Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas, this podcast operates from a simple but radical premise: while the problems are real, so is the human capacity for ingenuity and constructive change. Each episode brings together a diverse group of thinkers, from scientists and activists to policymakers and cultural commentators, for conversations that go beyond diagnosing issues to exploring tangible solutions and underreported advances. You’ll hear nuanced discussions on everything from climate technology and economic innovation to the reshaping of governance and culture, all grounded in a realistic sense of possibility. This isn’t about blind optimism; it’s about engaged, evidence-based hope. Tuning in means joining a community that believes understanding what’s working is just as important as understanding what’s broken. If you’re weary of doomscrolling and looking for substantive dialogue that charts a path forward, this is the podcast for you.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

What Could Go Right?
Podcast Episodes
The World Map You Grew Up With Is Wrong [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:59
Maps have distorted the true size of the African continent for 500 years, but a new UN resolution is changing that. Progress Network Executive Director Emma Varvaloucas examines this historic shift toward a more accurate…
AI Was Supposed to Destroy Jobs. Here's What Actually Happened [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:50
There’s been a lot of doom and gloom around artificial intelligence taking our jobs. Even founders of AI companies like Sam Altman have said that many jobs will go poof and disappear. But is the AI job apocalypse all hyp…
Why We Can't Picture a Good Future Anymore | With Ari Wallach [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:28
Are we trapped in a cultural doom loop that forces us to fear the future instead of dreaming of a better one? In this episode, futurist Ari Wallach joins host Zachary Karabell to examine why modern society defaults to sh…
Introducing: The Ongoing Transformation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:31
This week, we want to share a podcast from our friends at Issues in Science & Technology. It’s called The Ongoing Transformation and it looks at how science and society are continually transforming each other. From count…
The Crime Wave Is Over. Why Does Nobody Believe It? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:10
The media is constantly telling us that danger is everywhere. Between true crime binges and political rants, we're led to believe that our streets are a war zone. However, recent statistics released by the FBI tell a com…