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Divides between rural and urban America have their roots in longstanding demographic, economic, technological, and social factors. In a new event series, AEI’s Brent Orrell and the Brookings Institution’s Tony Pipa are hosting a series of conversations “On the Front Porch” with authors of recent research on issues facing rural America. These discussions explore the unique challenges and opportunities facing rural America and consider policy options to promote development and opportunity. Today on Hardly Working, we bring you the first of these events, a conversation with Nicholas F. Jacobs, the author of the recent book The Rural Voter: The Politics of Place and the Disuniting of America, which examines the state of politics in rural America. Orrell, Pipa, and Jacobs consider the book’s central claim that rural Americans have in recent years combined a deep sense of connection to place with increasingly nationalized policy and political concerns to form a distinct voting bloc. They also discuss the history of rural America; the social, cultural, and economic forces that have affected it in recent years; and the popular notion of a stark rural-urban divide. Overall, they emphasize the importance of dispelling myths about rural America to overcome distrust and disunity. Mentioned in this Episode Reimagining Rural Policy Initiative General Social Survey Omaha Platform of 1892 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance Federalism American Exchange Project

In recent years, confidence in higher education has plummeted. This decline has prompted a vigorous debate on the role of all types of post-secondary education.  In their recent book America’s Hidden Economic Engines: How Community Colleges Can Drive Shared Prosperity, Robert B. Schwartz and Rachel Lipson make the case for the value of community colleges. Surveying five case studies across the US–in Ohio, Virginia, Arizona, Texas, and Mississippi–they argue that community colleges serve as “engines” of social mobility for individuals and communities. Their research shows that community colleges have proven remarkably effective at mitigating economic inequality and promoting social engagement and economic development. Today, Brent sits down with Lipson and Schwartz to discuss what their research means for students and policymakers. Mentioned in this episode Year Up Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Pathways to Prosperity Network Lorain County Community College Pima Community College Lightcast The Coleman Report Raj Chetty Opportunity Insights

As artificial intelligence (AI) bounds ahead, many are rightfully concerned about the risks and ethical issues it raises. Perhaps some of the most practical of these is the potential that AI will be biased against minority populations because of deficiencies in the data used to build it. If true, this would have serious implications for human resources and hiring.  Today, Brent sits down with Keith Sonderling, a commissioner on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or EEOC. Sonderling delves into the challenges and opportunities presented by the integration of AI into the workplace, particularly in hiring and employment decisions. And he emphasizes the complexity of AI and the difficulty – yet necessity – of regulating it so that it can benefit everyone. We hope you enjoy this conversation. Mentioned in this Episode Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Fair Labor Standards Act Family Medical Leave Act Goldman Sachs on AI’s Impact on the Labor Market World Economic Forum on AI’s Impact on the Labor Market New York Local Law 144 European Union AI Act Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs

Many urban Americans have come to believe that there’s a growing chasm separating urban and rural America. While urban America bounds ahead, rural America, many assume, is being left behind, struggling with material and spiritual impoverishment, and cultural confusion.  This week on Hardly Working, Brent talks with University of Southern California professor Elizabeth Currid-Halkett, who dispels some of the myths about the so-called urban-rural divide. Currid-Halkett and Brent discuss her fantastic book The Overlooked Americans: The Resilience of Our Rural Towns and What it Means For Our Country, which Brent reviewed for the Dispatch in September. As you’ll hear, rural America is doing a lot better than you might think. Mentioned in this episode Jane Jacobs University of Chicago General Social Survey Raj Chetty Posse Foundation American Exchange Project Times/Siena Poll on Trump's advantage in battleground states

Regrettably, the debate about post-secondary education has devolved into just another culture war issue with one camp saying “everyone go to college” and another saying “skip college learn a trade.”  Today, Brent sits down with Ben Wildavsky, a visiting scholar at the University of Virginia’s School of Education and Human Development, who challenges this false dichotomy. In his recent book “The Career Arts,” Wildavsky argues that education, job, and career success require integrating broad-based skills (such as those acquired through a liberal arts and social science education) with more narrow, technical skills (such as those acquired through credential programs). Such integration, Wildavsky contends, supports well-rounded and resilient workers who can more easily adapt to an unpredictable and rapidly changing economy.  Mentioned in this Episode Strada Education Foundation College wage premium Larry Katz Tony Carnevale Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce Project Basta Climb Higher Western Governors University Point Loma Nazarene University Seth Bodnar, president, University of Montana Society for Human Research Management Skills-based hiring

Artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing at breakneck speed. Michael Chui, a partner at the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), leads research on how this technology is reshaping business, the economy, and society more broadly. According to MGI, the next wave of AI-generated productivity improvements will send shockwaves through the labor market as it reaches–and surpasses–human-level ability across a wide range of skills but ultimately make the entire world wealthier and healthier. We hope you enjoy this conversation. Mentioned in this Episode McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) MGI report: The Economic Potential of Generative AI Accenture report: Strategy at the Pace of Technology Study on AI's capacity for theory of mind John Maynard Keynes

Today, we continue to explore Appalachia with Chris Stirewalt, a senior fellow at AEI. Stirewalt, who grew up in Wheeling, West Virginia, speaks to Brent about the unique culture and values of Appalachia, the role that strong families and institutions play in the region’s success, and potential solutions to the region’s challenges, from its opioid epidemic to educational “brain drain.” He also takes us through much of the history of the region, offering deep insight into the region’s identity. As you’ll hear, Stirewalt is optimistic about Appalachia and confident that the region can overcome its most difficult challenges. Mentioned in this Episode More than a Paycheck Deaths of despair Anne Case and Angus Deaton Jay Rockefeller Robert Byrd Big White Ghetto by Kevin Williams Randy Moss West Virginia Hills by Reverend David King

The media has told us a very straightforward, and depressing, story about Appalachia: it is a region that is being left behind as the rest of the U.S. economy chugs on; it’s a destitute, hopeless place without good jobs, and filled with communities in decline. In his recent report on the region, Aaron M. Renn, a senior fellow at American Reformer, a Protestant nonprofit, complicates this picture. Appalachia, Renn shows, is no monolith (it consists of a diversity of areas with their challenges and identities); it has a rich cultural heritage, especially in music and the arts and natural beauty; and, while it faces its share of problems, it has tremendous opportunities for growth and several trends working in its favor. Today, Brent speaks with Renn about this much-maligned region, offering an insightful perspective on a region that has a crucial role to play in boosting social mobility for millions of Americans. Mentioned in this Episode The Future of Appalachia by Aaron Renn Joel Kotkin Joelkotkin.com Open and Closed Networks Appalachia on Our Mind by Henry Shapiro Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance Systemic Disadvantage Our Kids by Robert Putnam

In cities across America, homelessness, poverty, crime, addiction, and mental illness are perennial, and deeply intertwined, problems. The New York City-based Doe Fund, however, has made real progress on these challenges. Emphasizing work and personal responsibility, the fund has served struggling and at-risk individuals for nearly 40 years. In this episode, Brent sits down with the Doe Fund’s outgoing President and CEO, Harriet McDonald, and its incoming leader, Jennifer Mitchell. They discuss the Fund’s model and track record of success, offering valuable lessons for government, nonprofits, and individuals who aspire to support vulnerable populations. Mentioned in this Episode George McDonald Ready, Willing, and Able Sector-based training

From tech companies to healthcare providers and fast food services, organizations are deploying AI technologies to boost productivity and improve service. As these technologies filter into the economy and workplace, a host of questions are arising: will AI replace human labor? How will new technology affect the nature of work? How can we equip workers for the future and help them adapt to change? In their recent book Working with AI: Real Stories of Human-Machine Collaboration, management and technology experts Tom Davenport and Steven Miller explore these questions through real-world case studies. Pushing back against the growing anxiety over AI’s impact on work, Davenport and Miller contend that AI will not be a job destroyer, but a job-enhancer, a tool that will largely make work better–not only more productive but also more fulfilling and even more accessible–for most workers. In this episode, Davenport and Miller join Brent to discuss their book, offering a vision of the future of work in which AI and other “smart” technologies complement human labor–and make us richer and more productive in the process. Mentioned in this Episode AI life insurance underwriting Salesforce European AI Regulation Lump of labor fallacy DBS Bank's use of generative AI Eric Brynjolfsson

From Elizabeth Warren to former president Trump, actors on both the political left and right show increasing willingness to expand the role of government in the country’s economic affairs. Skepticism of free markets, long confined to the left, is now in vogue across the political spectrum, fueling a renewed interest in industrial policy and trade protectionism.  Samuel Gregg, a distinguished fellow in political economy at the American Institute for Economic Research and an Affiliate Scholar at the Acton Institute, pushes back against these trends and what he calls “state capitalism.” In this episode, Gregg joins Brent to discuss his recent book The Next American Economy, which is a forceful defense of free markets and the moral and historical foundations of economic policy in the broader context of American values and history. Mentioned in this Episode Adam Smith’s moral and political philosophy The Theory of Moral Sentiments The Wealth of Nations Michael Novak Patrick Deneen Sohrab Ahmari

As AI permeates our world, many are forecasting transformational impacts on work and the economy. With AI, the future is highly uncertain, but it's imperative that we prepare workers to the best of our ability today. In this episode, we bring you a live event with Brent and Shane Tews, a nonresident senior fellow at AEI and head of AEI’s Tech Policy Center, on the intersection of AI, skills, and the workforce. Here, Brent and Shane speak to AEI’s 2023 Summer Honors students and offer advice on how future workers like them can thrive in an AI-driven world. Mentioned in the Episode UPenn/OpenAI 2023 study on exposure to AI Claude ChatGPT Bard Dr. Nouriel Roubini OECD Employment Outlook 2023: AI and the Labor Market Polanyi’s paradox Stanford University 2023 study on use of AI in call centers The Age of AI: And Our Human Future (2021 book) Precautionary principle McKinsey & Company 2023 study on generative AI