From Harvard to Heartland: How Education Defines Today’s Politics

Michael speaks with Dr. Alan Wiseman of Vanderbilt University about groundbreaking new research into the education divide in American politics. Once, both parties in Congress shared a common bond: many lawmakers, regardless of ideology, came from elite universities. Today, that landscape has dramatically shifted. While Democrats have largely maintained their ties to Ivy League and other selective institutions, Republicans have moved sharply away from them. Dr. Wiseman explains how this 50-year transformation has reshaped Congress, what it reveals about polarization, and why the educational background of lawmakers may be just as important as their party affiliation. It’s a thought-provoking conversation about the intersection of education, politics, and democracy itself. Original air date 11 September 2025.