Best The Harvard Crimson Podcasts (2025)

1
Harvard Reacts to Trump’s Return 14:02

4M ago14:02

14:02

Harvard students awoke to a somber campus following Donald Trump’s reelection to the presidency early Wednesday morning. “My heart dropped a little bit,” one student said. Some Harvard professors canceled classes. Others tweaked their lesson plans and asked students to care for their mental health. This week on Newstalk, Harvard reacts to Trump's r…

1
Harvard's Run-Up to the Election 29:54

4M ago29:54

29:54

When you think about election organizing at Harvard, a few words might come to mind. Privilege. Access. Money. The Harvard College Democrats are backed by a federally recognized PAC. Student leaders at the Harvard Republican Club have dined with former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and pulled off speaking events with multi-billionaire Peter Thiel. T…

1
Harvard IOP Student Leader Resigns, Citing ‘Palestinian Exception to Free Speech’ 50:02

5M ago50:02

50:02

As we neared the one-year anniversary of October 7 earlier this month, the Harvard Institute of Politics — the largest student organization on Harvard’s campus and its flagship platform for political discourse — saw a high-profile shakeup in its student leadership. Citing the Palestinian exception to free speech, a vocal pro-Palestine activist resi…

1
Is Harvard Doing Discourse Wrong? 25:46

6M ago25:46

25:46

If you've been a student at Harvard at any point over the past three years, there’s one thing you’ve probably heard over and over again: intellectual vitality. You’ll see it in emails, in videos, from students, from our deans — it’s everywhere. And, overwhelmingly, you’ll get the sense that Harvard’s concerned about the state of discourse on campus…

1
Infighting and Pressure From Above: Inside Harvard’s Legacy of Slavery Initiative 20:18

6M ago20:18

20:18

In 2022, Harvard earmarked $100 Million dollars for an initiative focused on making amends for Harvard’s ties to slavery. Now, that same initiative has faced infighting, a series of resignations, and allegations of attempts to limit the project’s scope. So how exactly did we get here? This week on Newstalk, inside Harvard's Legacy of Slavery Initia…

1
Behind Harvard's Post-Affirmative Action Demographics Numbers 18:16

6M ago18:16

18:16

Harvard released its admissions demographic data for the Class of 2028 last week. This year more so than many years past, those numbers were a big deal. Few things at Harvard are as tightly kept a secret as its admissions process. Every year, tens of thousands of applicants around the world hit submit, hope for the best. And then… it’s sort of a bl…

1
Garber's Path to the Harvard Presidency 15:27

6M ago15:27

15:27

It’s Harvard’s second week back in class and campus tensions are already back in the headlines. Two Harvard graduate students charged with assault and battery during a pro-Palestine protest last May face yet another delay in their arraignment date. A September 5th statement from the University provided updated guidance for those affected by doxing …

1
BREAKING: ALAN GARBER ’76 TO SERVE AS HARVARD’S 31ST PRESIDENT UNTIL JUNE 2027 1:00

8M ago1:00

1:00

Alan M. Garber ’76, Harvard’s longtime provost who suddenly became the interim leader as he sought to steer the University through its worst leadership crisis in decades, was officially confirmed as the 31st president, the Harvard Corporation announced on Friday. Eight months after Garber was appointed interim president, the Corporation — the Unive…

1
Pro-Palestine Student Voices Inside the Harvard Yard Encampment 7:29

11M ago7:29

7:29

For than 100 hours and counting, dozens of Pro-Palestine students and protesters have camped overnight in Harvard Yard, calling on the university to divest from Israel‘s war in Gaza. The encampment has now expanded to 50+ tents stretching across Harvard Yard, some a stone's throw away from Harvard president Alan Garber's office. On Newstalk, host F…

1
Amid Turmoil, Harvard Faculty Demand Greater Say 16:25

11M ago16:25

16:25

As skepticism of Harvard's governance mounts amid a year of turmoil, a group of prominent Harvard professors is seeking to revive a body that hasn’t existed at Harvard in living memory: a University-wide faculty senate. Less than 20 years ago, Harvard faculty speaking with a collective voice helped oust a university president. But this proposal mar…

1
Harvard Law School Students Targeted by Doxxing Truck 16:46

11M ago16:46

16:46

On Friday morning, March 29th, the Harvard Law School Student Government passed a resolution calling on the Harvard Management Corporation to divest from Israel. On Tuesday, April 2nd, a truck displaying the faces of the HLS Student Government co-presidents made its way around campus. The “Doxxing” truck, as it’s known, has been a familiar presence…

1
Harvard Admissions After Affirmative Action 15:31

11M ago15:31

15:31

Harvard emerged mostly unscathed from its first application cycle since the fall of affirmative action, silencing critics who speculated the University’s recent controversies would deter students from applying to the College. This week on Newstalk, reporters Elyse C. Goncalves '27 and Matan H. Josephy '27 join host Yael S. Goldstein '26 to discuss …

1
Harvard's DEI Dilemma 19:47

12M ago19:47

19:47

As Harvard navigates its way out of a historic leadership crisis, DEI has come under heavy fire. Supporters point to DEI's capacity to support student wellbeing. Critics say it can get in the way of free speech. Today on Newstalk, two members of The Crimson’s Editorial Board, Tommy Barone ‘25 and Allison P. Farrell ‘26, join host Frank S. Zhou '26 …

1
The Saga of Francesca Gino 10:31

12M ago10:31

10:31

Harvard Business School professor Francesca Gino — who came under fire for allegations of data manipulation — suggested that Boston University professor and co-author Nina Mažar tampered with her data, according to an internal HBS report. This week on Newstalk, reporters Benjamin Isaac '27 and Kyle Baek '26 join host Yael S. Goldstein '26 to break …

1
Meet John Manning, Harvard’s New Conservative Interim Provost 9:41

1y ago9:41

9:41

Earlier this month, Interim Harvard President Alan M. Garber ’76 announced that Harvard Law School Dean John F. Manning ’82 will serve as the University’s second highest administrator: the University provost. Unlike most top administrators, however, Manning has declined to schedule regular interviews with The Crimson and has proven to be one of Har…

1
Inside Harvard's Lackluster Social Scene 8:58

1y ago8:58

8:58

Many Harvard students describe a social scene where besides a handful of bright spots — such as Housing Day and the Harvard-Yale game — traditional college revelry characterized by roaring parties, vibrant and frequent tailgates, and school spirit in abundance has been missing at Harvard. While administrators cite a hands-off approach to social lif…

1
Is Harvard Next to Leave Standardized Testing Requirements Behind? 8:47

1y ago8:47

8:47

Harvard will release regular decisions for the Class of 2028 later this month. But as tens of thousands of students around the world brace themselves to hear Harvard’s answer on whether they got in, one question remains: will Harvard continue to keep standardized test scores optional in its application? After Yale University and Dartmouth College a…

1
Congress Subpoenas Harvard's Top Leadership 20:54

1y ago20:54

20:54

House Republicans subpoenaed three top Harvard officials last Friday, demanding internal documents and communications for an investigation into the University’s handling of antisemitism on campus. This week on Newstalk, reporters Emma H. Haidar '26 and Cam E. Kettles '26 join host Frank S. Zhou '26 to discuss the threats the subpoena poses to Harva…

1
Harvard President’s Rocky Path Ahead 12:26

1y ago12:26

12:26

The tenure of interim Harvard President Alan M. Garber '76 will likely be one of the most consequential for the University in recent history as he looks to heal a deeply divided campus. The longtime administrator has insisted that he is up for the challenge. This week on Newstalk, reporters Cam E. Kettles '26 and Emma H. Haidar '26 join host Frank …

1
MBTA Red Line Closures Affect Boston-Area Commuters 4:06

1y ago4:06

4:06

The MBTA Red Line is closed maintenance from Feb. 5 to Feb. 14 as part of a project to reduce slowdowns and increase safety by upgrading track infrastructure. This week on Newstalk, reporters Aisling A. McLaughlin and Madeline E. Proctor join Nyla Nasir '27 to discuss their effect on Boston-area commuters. Music in this episode comes from freesound…

1
Interim President Garber’s Uneasy Relationship With Harvard Unions 4:30

1y ago4:30

4:30

When longtime Harvard Provost Alan M. Garber ’76 suddenly became interim president earlier this month, the powerful but largely invisible administrator was unfamiliar to most Harvard affiliates. But not Harvard’s unions. They know Garber well — and they can’t stand him. This week on Newstalk (Season 2), reporters Aran Sonnad-Joshi '27 and Sheerea X…

1
Harvard Takes Aim at Sidechat Antisemitism 5:58

1y ago5:58

5:58

Sidechat, a popular social media platform on Harvard's campus, has come under scrutiny for an allegedly increasing amount of antisemitic posts and criticisms of insufficient content moderation. Host Yael S. Goldstein '26 discusses the issue with Joyce E. Kim '26 and Michelle N. Amponsah '26. Music in this episode comes freesound.org.…

1
Inside Harvard’s Historic Leadership Crisis 32:18

1y ago32:18

32:18

National Winner, 2024 Associated Collegiate Press Podcast of the Year Harvard’s crisis didn’t end with Gay’s resignation. As the University faces a federal lawsuit and congressional investigation into antisemitism, Newstalk takes you inside Harvard’s most tumultuous crisis in recent memory. We take you inside the fallout — from the Capitol building…

1
BREAKING: HARVARD PRESIDENT RESIGNS 1:09

1y ago1:09

1:09

Harvard President Claudine Gay will resign Tuesday afternoon, bringing an end to the shortest presidency in the University's history. Gay’s resignation — just six months and two days into the presidency — comes amid growing allegations of plagiarism and lasting doubts over her ability to respond to antisemitism on campus after her disastrous congre…

1
BREAKING: Harvard President Survives Calls For Resignation 25:13

1+ y ago25:13

25:13

Harvard President Claudine Gay testified before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce hoping to tell the nation how she was fighting antisemitism at Harvard. By the end of the nearly six hour hearing, she was fighting to keep her job. Now, in news scooped by The Crimson, Harvard’s governing boards will allow Gay to stay on as universit…

1
Harvard President to Testify on Antisemitism Before Congress 19:42

1+ y ago19:42

19:42

In the days since Hamas’ October 7 attack against Israel, Harvard has faced division on campus and national backlash over its response. Tomorrow, Harvard President Claudine Gay will stand before Congress’s House Committee on Education and the Workforce. Lawmakers will press her on antisemitism at Harvard as top donors continue to fume over the Univ…

1
Inside Harvard-Yale 2023 10:29

1+ y ago10:29

10:29

This week on The Harvard Crimson's Newstalk, guest host Yael S. Goldstein ’26 takes us inside the 2023 Harvard-Yale Game. We talk to the players, students, and alumni to hear what it’s like to make the trek to the Yale Bowl in the team’s 150th season, with spirits high and the full Ivy League title on the line.…

1
Harvard Kennedy School Course ‘Walks the Razor’s Edge’ 29:08

1+ y ago29:08

29:08

This week on The Harvard Crimson's Newstalk, reporter Asher J. Montgomery ’26 joins host Frank S. Zhou ’26 to dive deep into a controversial course at the Harvard Kennedy School that some students say has left emotional scars. Also in this episode, Muskaan Arshad ’25, Sally E. Edwards ’26, and Jack R. Trapanick ’26 discuss the results of last week’…

1
Sex Week at Harvard 24:56

1+ y ago24:56

24:56

This week on The Harvard Crimson's Newstalk, Sex Week president Julia R. Bhuiyan ’25 joins host Frank S. Zhou ’26 to discuss Sex Week at Harvard, a weeklong series of events encouraging students to better explore sex, sexuality, and body. Also in this episode, Jack R. Trapanick ’26 discusses Harvard’s agreement with the cities of Boston and Cambrid…

1
Harvard Undergrads Unionize Amid National Wave 17:31

1+ y ago17:31

17:31

This week on The Harvard Crimson's Newstalk, reporter Cam E. Kettles '26 joins host Frank S. Zhou '26 to discuss Harvard's first primarily undergraduate union and its formation with a 99.4% vote amidst a national wave of undergraduate unionization. Also in this episode, Emily R. Willrich '25 and Camilla Wu '26 talk about faculty reactions to previo…

1
Harvard President Claudine Gay's First 100 Days 28:02

1+ y ago28:02

28:02

This week on The Harvard Crimson's Newstalk, reporters Miles J. Herszenhorn '25 and Claire Yuan '25 join host Frank S. Zhou '26 to discuss Harvard President Claudine Gay's first 100 days as her administration navigates backlash over the University's response to the war in Israel and Gaza, the fall of affirmative action, and a slew of deans searches…

1
Protesters Demand Dismissal of Officer in Fatal Faisal Shooting 15:56

1+ y ago15:56

15:56

A note before our regular episode this week. In the days following Hamas’ attacks, the war in Israel and Gaza has reverberated across Harvard’s campus. Backlash against student groups. Widespread criticism against the University’s response. A thousand-person rally that stretched across Harvard Yard. The Crimson is committed to providing extensive c…

1
Cambridge Candidates Under Fire for Racist, Transphobic Tweets 23:45

1+ y ago23:45

23:45

This week on The Harvard Crimson's Newstalk, reporters Muskaan Arshad ’25 and Julian J. Giordano ’25 join host Frank S. Zhou ’26 to discuss the racist, transphobic tweets that sparked a protest and left Cambridge City Council candidates under fire. Also in this episode, J. Sellers Hill ’25 and Nia L. Orakwue ’25 talk about mental health resources a…

1
Harvard Admissions’ New Interview Guidelines 13:35

1+ y ago13:35

13:35

This week on The Harvard Crimson's Newstalk, reporters Michelle N. Amponsah ’26 and Emma H. Haidar ’26 join host Frank S. Zhou ’26 to discuss changes to admissions interviews guidelines for alumni interviewing college applicants. Also in this episode, Rahem D. Hamid ’25 and Elias J. Schisgall ’25 talk about the controversial proposal to merge Harva…

1
Cambridge Teachers Remain Without Contract 24:22

1+ y ago24:22

24:22

This week on The Harvard Crimson's Newstalk, reporters Sally E. Edwards '26 and Azusa M. Lippit '26 join Frank S. Zhou '26 to discuss the contract impasse between unionized Cambridge Public Schools educators and the school district. Also in this episode, Jasmine Palma '26 and Austin H. Wang '26 talk Harvard astrophysics and cosmology professor Abra…

1
Candidates Contend for Cambridge Council 18:15

1+ y ago18:15

18:15

This week on The Harvard Crimson's Newstalk, reporters Julian J. Giordano '25 and Samuel P. Goldston '26 join host Frank S. Zhou '26 to discuss the city of Cambridge's elections season and two recent candidate forums. Also in this episode, Thomas J. Mete '26 and Asher J. Montgomery '26 talk Harvard Kennedy School's Dean Douglas W. Elmendorf decisio…

1
Affirmative Action Falls: Inside the Protests at Harvard and Washington D.C. 41:03

1+ y ago41:03

41:03

National Honorable Mention, 2024 Associated Collegiate Press Podcast of the Year | Winner, 2023 Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence Awards for Conversational Podcast Fights erupted in Washington D.C. and at Harvard when affirmative action fell. In the crowds, a dozen Harvard student journalists set out to find what the protests —…

1
Harvard's Denaming Dilemma 11:33

2y ago11:33

11:33

From The Harvard Crimson: Harvard sophomore Ricky R. Razon IV ’25 recalls his grandmother living off a highway named after Jefferson Davis, the first and only president of the Confederacy. At Harvard, he's found buildings and institutions with names intertwined with fraught histories. But, those names happen also to be some of the most memorable na…

1
Does Harvard Have an Academic Freedom Problem? 19:41

2y ago19:41

19:41

From The Harvard Crimson: some would say Harvard has an academic freedom problem. That superstar professors censor themselves for fear of blowback, and that the world’s sharpest students are afraid to debate ideas. But others disagree. This week on The Harvard Crimson’s Newstalk, Rahem D. Hamid '25 and J. Sellers Hill ’25 join host Frank S. Zhou ’2…

1
The Harvard Alumni Who Run Massachusetts 16:49

2y ago16:49

16:49

From The Harvard Crimson: Massachusetts governors Mitt Romney, Deval L. Patrick ’78, Charlie D. Baker ’79, and Maura T. Healey ’92 don’t share a party, vision, or even home state. But the four most recent governors of Massachusetts do have one thing in common: a Harvard diploma. This week on The Harvard Crimson’s Newstalk, Sally E. Edwards ’26 and …

1
Chemistry Giant Charles Lieber Avoids Prison Time 28:00

2y ago28:00

28:00

This week on The Harvard Crimson’s Newstalk, Miles J. Herszenhorn ’25 and Managing Editor Brandon L. Kingdollar ’24 join host Frank Zhou ’26 to discuss the sentencing of renowned nanoscience pioneer and convicted felon Charles Lieber: the trial and downfall of an American chemist once named “the leading chemist in the world” and its impact on U.S.-…

1
The Unabomber 17:29

2y ago17:29

17:29

Winner, 2023 Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence Awards for Narrative Podcast Listen to The Unabomber: The Man, The Myth, and The Manifesto: https://unabomber.transistor.fm. This week on The Harvard Crimson's Newstalk, a preview of Fifteen Minutes Magazine's 50-minute audio scrutiny, The Unabomber: The Man, The Myth, and The Mani…

1
The Stories We Tell 7:37

2y ago7:37

7:37

“What do you get when you mix Harvard, homemade bombs, and a deep-seated fear of technological advancement?” In this episode, JKW and MMFW introduce Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber. They ask why, several decades later, we still talk about him. More importantly, they ask how we can talk about him responsibly and with integrity.…

1
I: The ‘Unknowable’ 16:10

2y ago16:10

16:10

In this episode, JKW and MMFW start from the beginning talking to Ted’s brother, David, and his neighbor, Jamie Gehring, to dive into the Unabomber’s many “origin stories.” Some point to his participation in a psychological study at Harvard as the reason for his crimes — some point earlier, to when he was hospitalized at just nine months old. Some …

1
II: Catch and Release 10:16

2y ago10:16

10:16

In Sept. 1995, Ted Kaczynski published his manifesto in the Washington Post. JKW and MMFW talk to Donald Graham, the publisher of the Post at the time, to learn about how the Post came to its decision to publish the Manifesto. They interview Jake Hanrahan, terrorism journalist, about how the Manifesto has been adopted and adapted by far-right extre…

1
III: One Person's Revolutionary 9:54

2y ago9:54

9:54

In this episode, JKW and MMFW interview extremist experts Graham Macklin and Joshua Farrell-Molloy to talk about how the Unabomber has captured the attention of eco-fascists. They speak with Mick Grogan, producer of a Netflix documentary about the Unabomber, to understand how Ted has also captured media attention. Gehring discusses the mechanics of…

1
IV: Picking Up the Pieces 10:34

2y ago10:34

10:34

What is the role of the media in all of this? That is, what is our role? MMFW and JKW finish up the series by talking about the benefits and the harms of Ted’s media coverage, and they reflect on how we force narratives unto people, and how the real stories will inevitably elude us.By The Harvard Crimson

1
Police Killing Spurs Protests at City Hall 21:51

2y ago21:51

21:51

This week on The Harvard Crimson's Newstalk, reporters Yusuf S. Mian '25 and Ryan H. Doan-Nguyen '25 join host Frank S. Zhou '26 to discuss activists' week-long picketing to protest the police killing of Sayed Faisal at Cambridge City Hall. Also in this episode, Rahem D. Hamid '25 and Elias J. Schisgall '25 talk about Republican megadonor Kenneth C…

1
A Harvard Acceptance Letter 18:17

2y ago18:17

18:17

This week on The Harvard Crimson's Newstalk, reporters Michelle N. Amponsah ’26 and Emma H. Haidar ’26 join host Frank S. Zhou '26 to discuss interviews with Harvard's newly admitted Class of 2027 and Harvard Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid William R. Fitzsimmons ’67. Also in this episode, Jasmine Palma '26 on the lawsuit brought by Tamara K. …

1
Meet Harvard's Newest Phi Beta Kappa Students 18:24

2y ago18:24

18:24

This week on The Harvard Crimson's Newstalk, reporters Rahem D. Hamid ’25 and Ryan H. Doan-Nguyen ’25 join host Frank S. Zhou '26 to discuss Harvard's chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation's oldest academic honor society. Last week, 24 Harvard juniors learned that they were the first members of their class tapped for the chapter. Hear them share th…

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