Rephonic
Artwork for Virtual Sentiments
Democracy
State Capture
Adam Smith
Mary Shelley
The Last Man
Black Lives Matter
Wealth Of Nations
Mercantile System
Reception History
Deliberative Polling
Civil Society
Liberalism

In Virtual Sentiments, Kristen Collins interviews scholars and practitioners grappling with the most pressing problems in political economy today with an eye to the past.

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes30Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Non-ProfitPhilosophySociety & CultureBusiness

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Artwork for Virtual Sentiments

Latest Episodes

On this episode of Virtual Sentiments, Kristen Collins speaks with Glory Liu about the 250th anniversary of both Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations and the Declaration of Independence. Together, they unpack the message of The Wealth of Nations as a c... more

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On this episode of Virtual Sentiments, Kristen Collins speaks with Henry Farrell about AI, democracy, and political economy. Farrell argues that large language models are best understood not as emerging individual intelligences, but as “social techno... more

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On this episode of Virtual Sentiments, Kristen Collins speaks with political theorist Samuel Bagg about his recent book The Dispersion of Power: A Critical Realist Theory of Democracy (Oxford University Press, 2024). Instead of understanding democrac... more

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On this episode of Virtual Sentiments, Kristen Collins speaks with Maria Pia Paganelli about Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations on the occasion of its 250th anniversary. Their conversation situates Smith as a sharp moral and political critic of monopoly ... more

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Recent Guests

Glory Liu
Assistant Professor in the Department of Government at Georgetown University, author of Adam Smith's America
Georgetown University
Episode: Glory Liu on Adam Smith's America
Samuel Bagg
Political theorist; Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
Episode: State Capture and the Meaning of Democracy with Samuel Bagg
Maria Pia Paganelli
Professor of economics specializing in 18th‑century economic thought, Smith expert
Trinity University
Episode: Maria Pia Paganelli on 250 Years of Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations
Amit Ron
Associate professor; history of political economy and democratic theory; co-author of Everyone's Business
Arizona State University
Episode: Amit Ron and Abraham Singer on What Companies Owe Democracy
Abraham Singer
Associate professor of management; business ethics and political theory; co-author of Everyone's Business
Loyola University Chicago
Episode: Amit Ron and Abraham Singer on What Companies Owe Democracy
Susan J. Brison
Professor of Philosophy at Dartmouth College; Susan and James Wright Professor of Competition and Just Communities
Dartmouth College
Episode: Susan Brison on the Aftermath of Sexual Violence and the Remaking of the Self
Deva Woodly
Professor of Political Science, Brown University
Brown University
Episode: Deva Woodly on Civil Society and the Politics of Care
Alice Siu
Associate Director at Stanford's Deliberative Democracy Lab; Senior Research Fellow at the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law
Stanford University
Episode: Alice Siu on Deliberative Polling and the Future of Democratic Dialogue
Hannah Gais
Journalist and researcher focused on the radical right at the Southern Poverty Law Center
Southern Poverty Law Center
Episode: Hannah Gais on the Far-Right Rallies and Social Media Presence

Host

Kristen Collins
Host of the show, with affiliations to the Mercatus Center (George Mason University) and the FA. Hayek Program for Advanced Study in Philosophy, Politics and Economics.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 17 ratings
  • In depth

    Excellent podcast. Always solid in-depth discussions of stimulating topics.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Enough Trump.
    United Kingdom3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests are consistently high caliber, offering fresh perspectives on complex topics.
The discussions balance theory and real-world implications in a way that helps policymakers and scholars alike.
Excellent depth and rigor in every episode, with thoughtful guests and clear takeaways.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

State Capture and the Meaning of Democracy with Samuel Bagg
Q: What concrete reforms do you advocate to shift the balance of power toward more inclusive representation?
Reforms include targeted democratic inputs, more robust antitrust measures, sortition in specific contexts, and fostering civil society organizations that can reliably represent less powerful groups outside the traditional party-political arena.
State Capture and the Meaning of Democracy with Samuel Bagg
Q: How does your view of democracy differ from deliberative democracy, and why does that matter for preventing state capture?
Deliberative democracy emphasizes consensus and orderly discussion, but it can mask power imbalances; true protection against capture requires recognizing ongoing competition among diverse groups and strengthening countervailing forces, not just improving deliberation.
Deva Woodly on Civil Society and the Politics of Care
Q: What role does civil society play in countering polarization and building democratic resilience?
Robust civil society spaces provide cross-class trust, facilitate deliberation, and teach people how to work across differences before polarization hardens, which ultimately strengthens democratic governance.
Deva Woodly on Civil Society and the Politics of Care
Q: How does the semi-federated structure of the movement enable plural, local-to-global organizing?
It preserves local autonomy while allowing coordination across campaigns through tables and federations, enabling diverse groups to collaborate without sacrificing grassroots strength.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Virtual Sentiments

What is Virtual Sentiments about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Across episodes, the show consistently explores how political economy and public policy shape society, with a strong focus on history, institutions, and democratic accountability. Conversations center on how economic ideas, state power, and social movements interact, from Adam Smith's legacy and mercantilist critiques to contemporary questions about state capture, corporate influence, and justice in markets. Guests are scholars and practitioners who dissect theory alongside real‑world implications for democracy, governance, and public policy, often proposing reforms like deliberative mechanisms, anti‑monopoly measures, and innovative civic engagement. A standout pattern is the rigorous, historically informed lens applied to modern issues, i... more

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1. Hayek Program Podcast
2. Conversations with Tyler
3. EconTalk
4. Macro Musings with David Beckworth
5. The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie

How many episodes of Virtual Sentiments are there?

Virtual Sentiments launched 4 years ago and published 30 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Virtual Sentiments?

Recent guests on Virtual Sentiments include:

1. Glory Liu
2. Samuel Bagg
3. Maria Pia Paganelli
4. Amit Ron
5. Abraham Singer
6. Susan J. Brison
7. Deva Woodly
8. Alice Siu

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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