Modern Age with Dan McCarthy
by Intercollegiate Studies Institute
Latest episode
EP. 036 - Is America a Nation or an Idea?
EP. 036 - Is America a Nation or an Idea?
About this podcast
Join Dan McCarthy, editor of Modern Age, as he cuts through the noise of today’s politics and draws timeless insights from the great books and enduring traditions that have shaped the West. Each episode offers a principled perspective that links the headlines of today with the permanent things that matter most.
Episodes
The newest 20 of 33 episodes
- EP. 036 - Is America a Nation or an Idea? · 54 minIs America a nation like any other, defined by a people, a place, and a shared history? Or is America simply an idea, a creed that anyone can adopt? In this episode, Dan McCarthy…
- EP. 035 - Why Libertarianism and Traditionalism Keep Colliding · 56 minIf conservatives favor limited government, how limited should it be? In this episode, Dan McCarthy explores that unexpected convergence on the American Right. We revisit the…
- EP. 034 - The Left Misunderstands the American Revolution · 52 minWhat if the story you’ve been told about the American Revolution is backwards? Dan McCarthy argues that the Founding was not a revolt against law, authority, or order. It was a…
- EP. 033 - Is This the End of the Conservative Era? · 51 minHas Donald Trump brought the conservative era to an end, or has he exposed something deeper about what conservatism has been for the past eighty years? Dan McCarthy responds to a…
- EP. 032 - The Case for Law Enforcement · 40 minA tragic encounter in Minneapolis has reignited national debate over law enforcement, activism, and the rule of law. In this episode, Dan McCarthy examines the killing of Renee…
- EP. 031 - Venezuela and the "Donroe" Doctrine · 45 minDid the capture of Nicolás Maduro mark a return to America’s original foreign policy or a new era of U.S. interventionism? In this episode, we examine the so-called “Donroe…
- EP. 030 - After 250 Years, What Does "Created Equal" Mean? · 48 minAs America approaches its 250th anniversary (the Semiquincentennial), we return to the Declaration of Independence and its most debated phrase: “all men are created equal.” Why…
- EP. 029 - Should Trump Push Interest Rates Lower? · 14 min · Episode 29During the Christmas season, it’s natural to think about joy, generosity, and prosperity. But it’s also a moment to reflect on restraint, discipline, and the long-term health of…
- EP. 028 - Conservatism Before the Revolution · 47 min · Episode 28What does it really mean to be a conservative? As the 250th anniversary of American independence approaches, Dan McCarthy traces the deeper origins of American conservatism, not…
- EP. 027 - Did America Reject Kings? ...or Just Bad Government? · 1 h 0 min · Episode 27How well do Americans really understand monarchy, constitutionalism, and the actual causes of the American Revolution? In this episode of Modern Age, editor Dan McCarthy peels…
- EP: 025 - The Right’s Generational Divide: Gen Z vs. Boomers · 57 min · Episode 25What explains the growing divide between older and younger conservatives? In this episode, Modern Age editor Dan McCarthy explores the ideological, cultural, and economic rifts…
- EP. 024 - Buckley at 100: The Legacy Conservatives Inherited · 1 h 6 min · Episode 24On the centennial of William F. Buckley Jr.’s birth, Dan McCarthy revisits the towering legacy of the man who shaped postwar American conservatism. From founding National Review…
- EP. 023 - 50-Year Mortgages and the New American Dream · 28 min · Episode 23This week on Modern Age, Dan McCarthy breaks down the economic and cultural consequences of President Trump’s proposed 50-year mortgage and the broader housing crisis facing…
- EP. 022 - Presidential Tariffs Go to Court · 23 min · Episode 22This week on Modern Age, Dan McCarthy explores a pivotal legal and constitutional question: Can President Trump impose tariffs on his own authority? With the Supreme Court…
- EP. 021 - America First, But Not Alone · 32 min · Episode 21In this episode, Modern Age editor Dan McCarthy explores how Donald Trump’s “America First” foreign policy has evolved into something bigger—a coalition of nationalists reshaping…
- EP. 020 - Will Free Markets Win in Latin America? · 22 min · Episode 20In this episode of Modern Age, Dan McCarthy explores President Trump’s evolving strategy toward Latin America—and what it tells us about the new Cold War with China. From…
- EP. 019 - What Trump’s Gaza Peace Deal Means for Ukraine · 33 min · Episode 19Former critics are now calling Trump a serious contender for the Nobel Peace Prize — thanks to a ceasefire in Gaza and the return of Israeli hostages. In this episode of Modern…
- EP. 018 - Why Columbus STILL Deserves a Holiday · 42 min · Episode 18Should Columbus Day still be celebrated in America? In this episode of Modern Age, Dan McCarthy explores the historical, philosophical, and cultural arguments for honoring…
- EP. 017 - Can the West Stay Conservative Without Christianity? · 41 min · Episode 17As the West becomes less Christian and less culturally European, what happens to conservatism? In this episode of Modern Age, Dan McCarthy explores the demographic and religious…
- Episode 016 - What the Media Gets Wrong About the Right · 48 min · Episode 16Why are conservatives being cast as the enemies of free speech—by the very institutions that once championed it? In this episode of Modern Age, Dan McCarthy examines the…
