Do we need a NEW America? | with Anne-Marie Slaughter

Do we need a NEW America? | with Anne-Marie Slaughter

Author: The Progress Network with Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas April 15, 2026 Duration: 54:15
What do we do when our systems stop working? Anne-Marie Slaughter, the CEO of New America, former Director of Policy Planning at the U.S. State Department under Secretary Hillary Clinton, and one of the most influential voices in American foreign policy joins Zachary Karabell to reckon with a country in the middle of a massive realignment. From democratic reform and the collapse of the two-party system to America's fraying role on the world stage, this conversation refuses easy answers. In this wide-ranging discussion, they explore the shifting geopolitical landscape, including the heightened risks associated with the war in Iran, and how the escalating competition with China challenges us to look inward and ask what we truly stand for. Then they revisit the question Anne Marie has been trying to answer for much of her career, whether or not modern women really can have it all.  So, what does it mean to still believe in liberal democracy when the system isn't delivering? Is this a moment of unraveling, or the messy beginning of a rebirth? What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.org Subscribe to our (FREE) Substack newsletter: https://theprogressnetwork.org/newsletter/ Watch the podcast on YouTube: / theprogressnetwork Follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrk Subscribe to Zachary’s Substack: www.edgyoptimist.substack.com/ Follow him LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/zacharykarabell Follow Zachary on X @zacharykarabell

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: 100

What Could Go Right?
Podcast Episodes
Maggots, Monkeys, and Mars with Mary Roach [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:09
Why are the elderly our top candidates for a Mars mission? How bad is sexual intercourse while researchers are asking questions? What's it like to be mugged by monkeys? Zachary and Emma speak with Mary Roach, the eclecti…
The Progress Report: Looming Changes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:34
In this week's Progress Report, Zachary and Emma discuss various topics including the upcoming US presidential election, concerns about political violence, historical context of such violence, recent changes in citizensh…
Past and Present Power with Peter Frankopan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:55
Has western civilization fallen behind the rest of the world? Should the United States and Great Britain establish better foreign policy with the rising Global South? What can history teach us about global viewpoints? Za…
The Progress Report: Advancements and Deposits [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:20
In this week's Progress Report, Zachary and Emma discuss positive developments in various sectors, including election insights, advancements in mRNA vaccine technology, the environmental impact of COVID-19 on flu strains…
Undertaking Utopia with Kristen R. Ghodsee [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:21
How does one define utopia? Is it a place, a plan, or a proposal? Have we come closer to utopia through progress in feminism? Zachary and Emma speak with Kristen R. Ghodsee, ethnographer, professor, and author of "Everyd…
The Progress Report: Improving Communication [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:27
In this week's Progress Report, Zachary and Emma discuss various positive developments in the world, including breakthroughs in drug development for schizophrenia and lung cancer, advancements in weather forecasting, and…
The Beleaguered Club of Eternal Optimists with Bill Burke [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:59
Why is there a need for optimism? Are we really worse off than we were decades and centuries ago? How could the next generation be the "greatest generation"? Zachary and Emma speak with Bill Burke, founder of the Optimis…
The Progress Report: Good Decreases [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:55
In this episode of the Progress Report, Zachary and Emma discuss positive news stories that highlight progress in various areas. They explore the recent stabilization of obesity rates in the US, the decline in fentanyl o…
From Hamas to Hezbollah with Steven A. Cook [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:04
What is going on in the Middle East now that the conflict has expanded to include Hezbollah? How has the United States struggled to bring resolution and peace to this part of the world? And where does the region go from…
A Community Fight in Wisconsin, From To See Each Other [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:22
Sharing an episode of To See Each Other, a show that complicates the narrative about small town Americans in our most misunderstood, and often abandoned, communities. This season, host George Goehl travels to Lincoln Cou…