For much of the twentieth century, progressives in America wanted to expand the Federal Government. They created regulation, bureaucracy, and agencies capable of managing a complex industrial society. And often state governments were the obstacles they had to flatten – that was most obviously true of the movement for racial equality: the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 empowered the Federal government to step in and override the racist laws and practices that state governments implemented or failed to prevent. The working assumption of liberal politicians was that rights should be equally protected everywhere – from women’s access to abortion, to criminal justice, to the right to vote – and that idea even justified Federal government action in areas like education, which were otherwise clearly the preserve of the states.

But today, things look different. The right is in control in Washington; maybe the states and state courts provide alternative pathways for liberals, in the way that they once were for conservatives? Can states not only resist federal power but also pioneer new forms of governance? Adam is joined by Emily Zackin, Associate Professor in the Political Science Department at Johns Hopkins and currently the Winant Professor of American Government at Oxford. And by Judge Daniel Korobkin, who sits on the Michigan Court of Appeals.

The Last Best Hope? is a podcast of the Rothermere American Institute at the University of Oxford and is kindly supported by Tom Amraoui. For details of our programming, go to rai.ox.ac.uk

If you would like to support us by making a donation go to https://www.rai.ox.ac.uk/giving

Producer: Emily Williams. Presenter: Adam Smith

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hillary Rodham Clinton has been at the centre of American public life for thirty years. She has exercised more power from more senior positions than any other woman in American history. Clinton has just co-edited a new book Inside the Situation Room: The Theory and Practice of Crisis Decision-making. and in this special episode, she discusses with Adam a key case study in that book -- the raid in which Bin Laden was killed -- and in doing so, reflects on her idea of what America is and can be.

The Last Best Hope? is a podcast of the Rothermere American Institute at the University of Oxford and is kindly supported by Tom Amraoui. For details of our programming, go to rai.ox.ac.uk

If you would like to support us by making a donation go to https://www.rai.ox.ac.uk/giving

Producer: Emily Williams. Presenter: Adam Smith

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the new series beginning on the 11th of February 2026, Adam speaks to Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton about her vision of America and its place in the world and considers whether “states’ rights” should now become the battle cry of progressives. And this year of course marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, in special two-part documentary, The Last Best Hope explores why the authors chose to use write it in the way they did, and why that matters.

"The Last Best Hope is an absolutely brilliant podcast. Thoughtful, clever, engaging and accessible, Adam Smith always gets the best out of his guests, and I’ve learned an enormous amount from every episode. I love it."

Dominic Sandbrook, Historian and co-host of The Rest is History

“The must-listen US podcast”

Nick Bryant, former BBC Correspondent in New York

The Last Best Hope is a podcast produced by the Rothermere American Institute at Oxford University. The presenter is Adam Smith, Orsborn Professor of US Politics and Political History, and the Producer is Emily Williams.

For more information about the Rothermere American Institute and our programme of events visit https://www.rai.ox.ac.uk/home

The RAI achieves all it does through the generosity of individual benefactors, trusts, and foundations who share the Institute's commitment to world-class research on the United States. If you would like to support us by making a donation go to https://www.rai.ox.ac.uk/giving

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.