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Politics · Hoover Institution

Uncommon Knowledge

by Hoover Institution

For more than two decades the Hoover Institution has been producing Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson, a series hosted by Hoover fellow Peter Robinson as an outlet for political leaders, scholars, journalists, and today’s big thinkers to share their views with the world.

Chart trend

Position in the Politics chart (US), last 90 days.

#23
all-time peak
16
days in the top 50 since Nov 2024

Latest episodes

Showing 20 · updated from the feed

Why Churchill Still Matters: Andrew Roberts on Great Men in History

#39 trending · Politics

In this special, crossover edition of Secrets of Statecraft and Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson, Andrew Roberts is the guest and is interviewed by Peter Robinson.

Sep 8
1 h 03 min

The Lapsed Atheist: Charles Murray Makes the Case for God

For most of his life, Charles Murray was a casual agnostic who assumed smart people had left religion behind. Now he’s not so sure. Murray joins Peter Robinson to discuss

Aug 17
1 h 06 min

Make IPOs Great Again: SEC Chairman Paul Atkins on Ending Regulation by Enforcement

"America was an investment before it was a nation." That idea anchors this conversation between SEC Chairman Paul Atkins and Peter Robinson. Atkins argues that vibrant ca

Jul 21
1 h 04 min

The Declaration of Independence and the Fight For America’s Future with Victor Davis Hanson

Victor Davis Hanson—fifth-generation rancher in California’s San Joaquin Valley, classicist, military historian, Hoover Institution senior fellow, and author of more than

Jun 29
1 h 21 min

Frank Dikötter and the True History of Communist China

Renowned historian and Hoover Institution senior fellow Frank Dikötter discusses his new book, Red Dawn Over China: How Communism Conquered a Quarter of Humanity. Drawing

Jun 15
1 h 13 min

Five More Questions With Stephen Kotkin: Can America Still Lead The World?

Stephen Kotkin returns to Uncommon Knowledge for another round of five questions, this time on Iran, China, Ukraine, and the future of the American republic. Kotkin argue

May 29
1 h 17 min

Palmer Luckey Wants America to Win | Peter Robinson | Hoover Institution

Why is America struggling to keep pace with China? Can Silicon Valley help rebuild US military power? And what happens when artificial intelligence transforms warfare? An

May 20
53 min

Governor Ron DeSantis and The Free State of Florida | Peter Robinson | Hoover Institution

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis joins Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson at the Governor’s Mansion in Tallahassee to explain how Florida transformed from a razor-thin s

May 5
1 h 08 min

Stephen Meyer, John Lennox, and James Tour: Three Scientists on the Origins of Everything | Peter Robinson | Hoover Institution

Peter Robinson sits down with mathematician John Lennox, philosopher of science Stephen Meyer, and chemist James Tour to examine what modern science really suggests about

Apr 20
1 h 01 min

Ben Shapiro and The Battle For The Soul of Conservatism | Peter Robinson | Hoover Institution

Is conservatism losing its way? Ben Shapiro says yes—and explains why. In this candid interview, Shapiro takes aim at conspiracy culture, fractures inside the right, and

Apr 8
58 min

How Israel Fights: Inside the Mossad with Zohar Palti | Peter Robinson | Hoover Institution

Peter Robinson is joined by Zohar Palti — Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution and former head of the Intelligence Directorate in Israel’s Mossad— for

Mar 23
50 min

“They’re Not Like Us”: Michael McFaul on Autocrats vs. Democrats and the Fight for the Twenty-First Century | Peter Robinson | Hoover Institution

Former US ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul returns to Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson to discuss his new book, Autocrats vs. Democrats: China, Russia, America,

Mar 2
1 h 12 min

Basketball in the Last 60 Seconds: Ben Sasse on Mortality, Meaning, and the Future of America | Peter Robinson | Hoover Institution

In December 2025, former US Senator Ben Sasse announced that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. That’s the primary topic for this far-reaching conversa

Feb 17
59 min

Thomas Sowell on School Choice and the Price Our Children Pay for Bad Ideas | Peter Robinson | Thomas Sowell | Hoover Institution

Thomas Sowell delivers a sweeping critique of American education, affirmative action, and modern universities, drawing on his own life story—from Harlem classrooms to Ivy

Jan 27
1 h 11 min

Why Does 2 + 2 = 4? What Math Teaches Us About Deep Reality | Peter Robinson | Hoover Institution

Is math something humans invent—or something we discover? And why does it describe the universe so uncannily well? In this episode of Uncommon Knowledge, Peter Robinson

Jan 15
57 min

Russian Soul, American Life: A Conversation with Ignat Solzhenitsyn | Peter Robinson | Hoover Institution

Pianist and conductor Ignat Solzhenitsyn reflects on growing up in exile as the son of Nobel laureate Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, moving from Soviet persecution to a quiet ch

Dec 16 2025
1 h 04 min

Teaching Gorbachev Capitalism: Jerome Powell, Condoleezza Rice, and Michael Boskin Discuss George Shultz, the Economist | Peter Robinson | Hoover Institution

For the second edition of the George P. Shultz Memorial Lecture Series, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, Hoover Institution Director Condoleezza Rice, and Hoover Seni

Dec 5 2025
1 h 02 min

Why the Cold War Still Matters with John Lewis Gaddis | Peter Robinson | Hoover Institution

Peter Robinson sits down at Yale University with the “dean of Cold War historians,” John Lewis Gaddis—Pulitzer Prize–winning biographer of Long Telegram author George F.

Nov 19 2025
1 h 07 min

Listening to the Law: How Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett Does Her Job | Peter Robinson | Hoover Institution

How does the Supreme Court really work—and how does one of its youngest justices balance life, law, and seven children? In this in-depth conversation, Justice Amy Coney

Nov 5 2025
1 h 12 min

Thomas Sowell: A Free Man | Peter Robinson | Hoover Institution

This special episode of Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson features our most requested guest: Hoover senior fellow and acclaimed economist and author Dr. Thomas Sowel

Oct 21 2025
1 h 05 min

Chart positions

Where Uncommon Knowledge ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Sep 9, 2026).

#67 ▲ 64 Politics US

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

Outstanding series of pods regarding life in the 1960s during the civil rights movement. The antidotes are thought-provoking, compelling, balanced, and, yes, some even were funny. if they gave out Nobel prizes for educational pods, this one would win hands-down every year!

AndyFromConnecticut · Jul 2024

This podcast has refreshed my love and understanding of all things involving history and politics! I appreciate the truth in each episode and love that Peter and his guests are so articulate in their discussions and studies. As a conservative, it’s hard to find a good podcast with no hidden agenda!! I truly appreciate their point of view on each topic and love how easy matured the host is! Discovered this podcast today and am on my 6th episode already. 10/10

AlyMcElhaney · Jul 2023

The podcast with guests Tom Holland, Stephen Meyer, and Douglas Murray was excellent and provided a conversation most do not get to hear. It was one of Robinson‘s best. Then, I listened to his conversation with the inestimable John Lennox, Michael Behe , and Stephen Meyer. I had to listen to it twice. These people are so interesting and their ideas transcend the current intellectual box all of us were raised up in, Scientific materialism. As a trained geologist, I never questioned Darwinian evolution, but over time I kept running up against the wall that is described perfectly by these gentlemen. Thank you for bringing them together. I hope more people open up their minds.

old lady geologist · Feb 2023

Great content with thoughtful insights. Unfortunately some of the shows are recorded at such a low level that they are almost “unlistenable” if the listener has any ambient background noise. I follow several podcasts and this is the only one with this problem. The content is too good and too deserving - please increase the recording volume.

buck06daliard · Nov 2022

Peter, thank you for all your preparation and provocative sessions. Please consider sometimes permitting your guest to finish his or her sentence. Often you spoke for five or more sentences, then interrupted during your guest’s first or second sentence.

tivenner1 · Apr 2024

The topic is exceptional, the delivery was frustrating w/ both guests talking over each other & occasionally all 3 talking over each other. Peter, it is sometimes the case that the moderator has to moderate & control the discussion rather than be an engaged listenee.

Dr g4tay · Dec 2023

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About Uncommon Knowledge on Reason.fm

Here you find the Apple Podcasts chart positions of Uncommon Knowledge, its latest episodes to listen to directly, and reviews from listeners. Rankings are updated daily for the United States.

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