Interviews Archives - The Politic

AI and the Historian: Interview with John Lewis Gaddis

Melissa AdamantidiAugust 3, 2026August 3, 2026

John Lewis Gaddis is the Robert A. Lovett Professor of Military and Naval History at Yale. Named the “Dean of Cold War Historians” by The New York Times, his landmark works include Strategies of Containment, The Cold War: A New History, The Landscape of History, and On Grand Strategy. In 2012, Gaddis won the Pulitzer Prize for the official biography of the diplomat George F. Kennan. A recipient of the National Humanities Medal who advised President George W. Bush and his speechwriters, Gaddis is the founding director of Yale’s Brady-Johnson Program in Grand Strategy and winner of multiple undergraduate teaching awards. Gaddis has incorporated AI into both his teaching and his research, using it to test the same questions about patterns, judgment, and interpretation that have defined his work for decades.

Politics in the Arts: Interview with Ari Weinzweig

Rory SchoenbergerJanuary 28, 2026January 28, 2026

Ari Weinzweig was born in 1956 in Chicago, Illinois. He is a co-founder of Zingerman’s, a gourmet food business group in Ann Arbor, Michigan, comprising eateries such as Zingerman’s Delicatessen, Miss Kim, and Zingerman’s Bake House.

Politics in the Arts: Interview with Dread Scott

Rory SchoenbergerJanuary 28, 2026January 28, 2026

Born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1965, Dread Scott would become an artist whose work would ignite national outrage, reach the Supreme Court, and redefine the limits of political art in America. He attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and works in a variety of media—including performance, photography, painting, and printmaking.

Politics in the Arts: Interview with Janeil Engelstad

Rory SchoenbergerJanuary 28, 2026January 28, 2026

Janeil Engelstad was born in Seattle, Washington, in 1961. She has an MFA in photography from New York University and the International Center of Photography’s dual program. Her work spans different media and is focused upon making “a generative and positive contribution to people and the planet.”

Politics in the Arts: Interview with Mark Seliger

Rory SchoenbergerJanuary 28, 2026January 28, 2026

Mark Seliger was born in Amarillo, Texas, in 1959. He is an acclaimed photographer, most recognized for his portraiture, and was the chief photographer for Rolling Stone from 1992 to 2002. Afterwards, he worked at GQ and Vanity Fair until 2012.

Politics in the Arts: Interview with Raye Zaragoza

Hanna Klingbeil CanaleJanuary 28, 2026January 28, 2026

Raye Zaragoza is a singer-songwriter and proud Japanese-American and Indigenous artist based in Los Angeles. Her music challenges traditional expectations of women and explores themes of self-discovery, strength, and joy. Her latest album, Hold That Spirit, explores the female experience and emotional healing, featuring collaborations exclusively with female artists. Zaragoza writes for Netflix’s Spirit Rangers, a Native-led animated series, and recently toured nationally in the reimagined Broadway production of Peter Pan.

Politics in the Arts: Interview with Silver Iocovozzi

Hanna Klingbeil CanaleJanuary 28, 2026January 28, 2026

Silver Iocovozzi is the chef-owner of the Filipinx restaurant Neng Jr.’s in Asheville, North Carolina. Neng Jr. has been nominated for a James Beard Award and recognized as one of the Best Restaurants by The New York Times and Bon Appétit. A second-generation Filipinx and Southern native, Silver blends Filipinx flavors with Southern barbecue traditions. A 2023 Time100 Next honoree, Silver has cooked in cities worldwide and has held roles at acclaimed spots including Asheville’s Buxton Hall Barbecue and Palm Heights Grand Cayman.

Politics in the Arts: Interview with Deborah Copaken

Hanna Klingbeil CanaleJanuary 28, 2026January 28, 2026

Deborah Copaken is a New York Times bestselling author of seven books, including Shutterbabe, The Red Book, Between Here and April, and Ladyparts. A contributing writer at The Atlantic, she has also written for Emily in Paris. Her work as a photojournalist and Emmy Award–winning news producer has appeared in Time, Newsweek, and The New York Times. Her essays have been published in The New Yorker, The Guardian, The Financial Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Her New York Times column “When Cupid Is a Prying Journalist” inspired an episode of the Modern Love series. She currently leads the Webby Award-winning Substack newsletter Ladyparts as its founder, writer, and publisher.