Aspen Ideas Festival

Perhaps it is because of her exceptional, inspiring approach to linking geography, environment, and community in her work that Chicago architect Jeanne Gang is one of the most celebrated architects in her adopted city of Chicago. Touted as being bold, ingenious, and courageous in her work, Gang employs the best of nature and sustainable practice throughout the structures she creates

Should we ever intentionally drive a species extinct? Most people probably agree on smallpox and malaria, but what about the New World screwworm? Its very existence in the wild causes horrific suffering. Humans didn’t create the unrelenting drumbeat of suffering that occurs in nature every single day. Nature is amoral, because evolution doesn’t care.

We love the convenience of living online. But we want more control over where our personal information goes and who can see it. Manoush Zomorodi, creator of the Privacy Paradox experiment on WNYC’s “Note to Self,” along with ProPublica senior reporter Julia Angwin and tech entrepreneur and writer Anil Dash, illuminate practical ways to reign in control of your personal data.

The Rev. Adam Hamilton, who ministers to nearly 20,000 Methodists in and around Kansas City, is determined to mollify the deep divisions that he observes in his congregation and, he thinks, are tearing at our social fabric. His plan: to get people to think differently by focusing on influencing, not irritating, and seeing the humanity in others — even those they strongly disagree with.

“Our people are our most important asset” is a common refrain from the C-suite — but does the walk match the talk? For decades, working Americans have seen rising living expenses and flat paychecks, resulting in widespread financial stress among American families, communities, and the nation. What constitutes a “good job”? What roles should business and government play in creating them?

What are the drivers of economic growth and opportunity in a changing world, given tectonic shifts in the markets, political leadership and priorities, consumer spending patterns, innovation, and demographics?

Despite controlling both the White House and the US Congress, the Republican Party has had a bumpy ride for the first few months of the Trump administration. With a president who is not a traditional party standard-bearer, can the party and the White House get in alignment on priorities and core values? Will President Trump and the party’s traditional conservatives ever get in sync

Tens of thousands of men and women have left comfortable, privileged lives to join the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria—and kill for it. The highest-ranking American currently fighting for ISIS is John Georgelas, a Texan whose dad was a US Air Force colonel. Who are the Westerners who join ISIS? Where do they come from? What do they believe? And most importantly, what can we do to stop them?

A grand strategy is a framework through which a country like the United States understands its place in the world: its goals, its biggest challenges, and the best way to promote its security and way of life. Post-war American grand strategy has typically been characterized by the notion of American global primacy and a commitment to the liberal international order, though different administrations

2017 Harman Eisner Artist in Residence Jeff Koons and entertainment industry titan and former Walt Disney Company chairman and CEO Michael Eisner, join in a conversation about creating wonder. From household appliances to iconic large-scale inflatables, Koons has pioneered transforming familiar subjects into captivating works of art, and democratizing access through major public art displays.

Can companies determined to support solutions to some of society’s larger dilemmas make the kinds of returns that Wall Street — which judges bottom-line performance above all — happy? Yes. Take a cue from Capricorn Investment Group, born from a belief that values-based, sustainable investment practices can enhance return rates.

Making Tech Humane Again