PODCAST

The Curious Task

Institute for Liberal Studies

We explore philosophy, politics, economics, and other ideas from a classical liberal perspective.

education social sciences

All Episodes

64:14

Aris Trantidis - Why Should We Care About Clientelism?

The Curious Task ·

2026/04/22

In this episode, Alex speaks with Aris Trantidis about his book Clientelism and why it matters for anyone concerned with democracy, public choice, and the modern state. Trantidis explains clientelism as a system of political exchange in which politicians trade targeted favours, contracts, regulation, and other private benefits for support, campaign resources, and loyalty - arguing that this dynamic is not a "bug" but a structural feature of politics that can distort markets and

56:58

Dan Griswold — Can You Win a Trade War?

The Curious Task ·

2026/04/15

In this episode from 2020, Alex Aragona speaks with Dan Griswold as he explores the benefits of open markets and free trade, and whether you can "win" a trade war.References 1. “Mad About Trade: Why Main Street America Should Embrace Globalization” by Daniel Griswold Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Mad-About-Trade-America-Globalization/dp/193530819X 2. “Section 232 Investigation on the Effect of Imports of Steel on U.S. National Security” by U.S Department of

44:44

Thomas Bunting - What Can Baseball Tell Us About...

The Curious Task ·

2026/04/08

In this episode from 2022, Alex speaks with Thomas Bunting about politics, democracy, social progress and more as they relate to baseball and athletics more broadly.

76:01

Bryce Tingle - How Are Regulations Damaging Markets?

The Curious Task ·

2026/04/01

In this episode from 2024, Alex speaks with Bryce Tingle about corporations, how these unique legal entities are governed, how changes we have made to corporate governance has discouraged companies from joining Canada’s public markets, and how the decline in our public market is hurting Canadians.   Episode Notes: 1. Bryce’s article “Returning Markets To The Centre Of Corporate Law” https://jcl.law.uiowa.edu/sites/jcl.law.uiowa.edu/files/2023-09/Tingle_Final.pdf 2. Bryce’s profile at

54:02

Nigel Ashford - Can We Change The World For Liberty?

The Curious Task ·

2026/03/25

In this episode from 2023, Alex speaks with Nigel Ashford about the prospects for a freer world and how the memory of history, the hope of younger persons, and the teaching of ideas can shape the future of classical liberalism. Further Reading: https://libertarianism.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/socin003.pdf Chapter 2 of this book:

63:26

Is An Examined Education Better? - Nick Cowan

The Curious Task ·

2026/03/18

In this episode, Alex speaks with Nick Cowan about why an “examined education” is better than an unexamined one. Drawing on his paper, Nick argues that exams are valuable not just as external assessments but as opportunities for students to test themselves, build confidence, develop resilience, and discover what they actually know rather than what they merely think they know.References “An Examined Education” — Nick Cowan https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6261178 The Theory of

41:08

Stefanie Haeffele - Can We Live Better Together?

The Curious Task ·

2026/03/11

In this episode from 2023, Alex speaks with Stefanie Haeffele about her book Living Better Together, which explores the work of Elinor Ostrom and Viviana Zelizer. Episode Notes: "Living Better Together" by Stefanie Haeffele and Virgil Henry Storr: https://a.co/d/hJNCxw6 Viviana Zelizer's homepage at Princeton: https://sociology.princeton.edu/people/viviana-zelizer Elinor Ostrom's bio and short autobiography on the Nobel

50:24

Eric Mack - Why Read Anarchy, State and Utopia? (Part...

The Curious Task ·

2026/03/04

In part two of this episode from 2022, Alex speaks again with philosopher Eric Mack about "Anarchy, State and Utopia", this time touching on some of the challenges to Nozick's theory and Eric's own personal connection to Robert Nozick during his life.References 1. Part 1 of Eric Mack’s The Curious Task Episode on “Why Read Anarchy, State, and Utopia?” Link: https://thecurioustask.podbean.com/e/ep-145-eric-mack-why-read-anarchy-state-and-utopia/ 2. Eric Mack’s Previous Episode “Why Not Socialism?”

54:06

Eric Mack - Why Read Anarchy, State and Utopia?

The Curious Task ·

2026/02/25

In this episode from 2022, Alex speaks with Philosopher Eric Mack about Robert Nozick's "Anarchy State and Utopia" and how the book shaped the conversation around natural rights theory, philosophical libertarianism, and the study of political utopias for decades to come.References 1. Eric Mack’s Previous Episode “Why Not Socialism?” on the Curious Task Podcast Link: https://thecurioustask.podbean.com/e/ep-7-eric-mack-%e2%80%94-why-not-socialism/ 2. “Anarchy, State, and Utopia” by Robert

72:42

Eric Schliesser - Is Post-Liberalism Already Here?

The Curious Task ·

2026/02/18

In this conversation from 2024, Alex speaks with Eric Schliesser about the growing declarations of the end of liberalism and what this means for the socio-political future in general.Episode Notes: Eric Schliesser’s page at the University of Amsterdam https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/s/c/e.s.schliesser/e.s.schliesser.html#Publications Kevin Vallier’s episode of this podcast discussing religious anti-liberalism:

58:40

Reem Ibrahim - Did Brexit Succeed?

The Curious Task ·

2026/02/11

In this episode, Matt speaks with Reem Ibrahim about whether Brexit can be considered a success six years after the UK left the European Union. They examine the classical-liberal case for Brexit (focused on sovereignty, deregulation, and free trade) and contrast it with a post-Brexit reality in which many EU-era regulations, trade barriers, and interventionist policies remain. While the most catastrophic “Project Fear” predictions did not come true, Ibrahim argues that Brexit’s promised freedoms

59:40

Franco Terrazzano - What Is Government Waste?

The Curious Task ·

2026/02/04

In this episode, Alex speaks with Franco Terrazano about government spending, taxation, and fiscal accountability in Canada, with a focus on how deficits, debt, and expanding bureaucracy effect affordability for ordinary Canadians. Franco outlines where federal spending has grown most rapidly, critiques the lack of clear priorities and performance measurement, and explains how interest payments on the debt increasingly crowd out core public services.References Canadian Taxpayers Federation

62:06

Sabine Benoit - Why Is Canada In A Housing Crisis?

The Curious Task ·

2026/01/28

Alex interviews Sabine Benoit of the Consumer Choice Center on Canada’s housing crisis. Sabine argues the main causes are chronic undersupply plus policy barriers: zoning that blocks “missing middle” density, long approval timelines/red tape, and high development fees that get passed to buyers. They also cover why immigration is often scapegoated despite being only part of the story, and why governments should focus on enabling private building (and targeted skilled-trades immigration) rather than

74:44

Graeme Thompson - What Is Canada's Role In The World?

The Curious Task ·

2026/01/21

In this conversation from 2025, Alex Aragona speaks with Graeme Thompson about Canada's evolving role on the global stage, from Confederation through to the post-Cold War era and into the geopolitical uncertainties of today. They explore Canada’s historical balancing act between major powers, its close alignment with the United Kingdom and later the United States, and its present-day challenges in maintaining global relevance amid military underinvestment and economic stagnation. Thompson argues

61:38

Abigail Hall - How Does Government Propaganda...

The Curious Task ·

2026/01/14

In this episode from 2022, Alex speaks with Abigail Hall about propaganda - an elusive and at times far-reaching concept that can be found everywhere: from overt wartime speeches by presidents to covert uses of sports and film to promote the ends of state militarism.References 1. “Manufacturing Militarism: U.S. Government Propaganda in the War on Terror” by Christopher J. Coyne and Abigail R. Hall Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Manufacturing-Militarism-Government-Propaganda-Terror/dp/1503628361 2

73:16

Chris Coyne - How Do You Run A War?

The Curious Task ·

2026/01/07

In this episode from 2024, Alex speaks with Chris Coyne about the complexities and ramifications of war, focusing on the interplay between media narratives, propaganda, and the impact on civil liberties, drawing insights from Coyne's book co-authored with Abigail Hall, which is a satirical guide on war strategies and their broader societal implications.Episode Notes: Chris and Abigail's book "How to Run Wars": https://www.independent.org/store/book.asp?id=145 1. Bruce Winton Knight's "How To

53:30

What Is The Path Out Of Poverty? - Randy Hicks

The Curious Task ·

2025/12/31

Matt speaks with Randy Hicks (CEO of the Georgia Center for Opportunity) about why jobs and social capital matter, how government programs can stabilize but often fail to help people escape poverty, and what reforms might better support work and self-sufficiency. They also discuss the benefits cliff, UBI, the role of civil society (including faith-based organizations), Utah’s “one door” model, and the minimum wage.References The Georgia Center for Opportunity:

77:00

Kevin Erdmann - Why Are We Afraid Of Building Homes?

The Curious Task ·

2025/12/24

In this conversation from 2024, Alex speaks with Kevin Erdmann about how zoning, the 2008 economic crisis, and the desire to live away from "those people" is effecting the state of housing. Episode Notes: Kevin's page at the Mercatus Centre: https://www.mercatus.org/scholars/kevin-erdmann The Erdmann Housing Tracker: https://kevinerdmann.substack.com/ Kevin on X: https://x.com/KAErdmann?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Kevin's book "Shut Out: How a Housing Shortage Caused

53:20

What Is The New Right? - Sean Speer

The Curious Task ·

2025/12/17

In this episode, Matt speaks with Sean Speer about the rise of the so-called “New Right” and the growing tension between conservatism and classical liberalism. Speer defends a fusionist vision rooted in ordered liberty, pluralism, and institutional restraint, arguing that attempts to use state power to impose cultural outcomes misunderstand how culture actually evolves. Together, they explore elite anxiety, civil society, immigration, and why liberal means remain essential even for those with

68:02

What Do Companies Owe Society? - Abraham Singer

The Curious Task ·

2025/12/10

In this episode, Alex speaks with Abraham Singer about his book Everyone’s Business, exploring why businesses and other private organizations should be understood not only as economic entities but as political communities that shape power, responsibility, and moral life. Singer explains how firms structure our choices, why classical liberals must take internal organizational governance more seriously, and what it means to treat workplaces as sites of real political and ethical

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