A new series from the University of Chicago will explore how power dynamics are changing among the branches of the U.S. government. The “Battle of the Branches” series, which launched on July 29, is a collaboration between the Law School, Harris School of Public Policy, and the Social Sciences Division. It draws on faculty expertise to discuss current challenges to traditional roles in executive authority, legislative oversight, and judicial intervention.
Each episode features Professor Will Baude, an expert in constitutional law and faculty director of the Constitutional Law Institute at UChicago. He speaks with university scholars about topics such as free speech, foreign policy, judicial decrees, and executive orders, focusing on how these issues relate to shifts in federal power. The series is available in both video and audio formats.
“There is no better time than now to carefully examine the balance of powers in American government,” said Baude. “The University of Chicago has renowned scholars across disciplines whose expertise can help us understand timeless questions. It is also a place where complex issues can be examined from diverse points of view. Our goal with this series is to have thoughtful, scholarly discussions that help move conversations beyond headlines and to the heart of democratic governance.”
The first episode—titled “Who checks the executive?”—features Baude speaking with Associate Professor Ruth Bloch Rubin from Political Science and Professor Bridget Fahey from the Law School about whether Congress or states can serve as counterweights to presidential power.
New episodes will be released weekly on Tuesdays. Viewers can subscribe through YouTube or listen via the podcast page for “Battle of the Branches.”