Per Capita

Per Capita: In Conversation with Nils Gilman

At a moment when the old global order is fraying and the future feels radically uncertain, how can we prepare for what comes next? In this episode of Per Capita, Joe Waters speaks with Nils Gilman, Senior Advisor at the Berggruen Institute, about how to think systematically about the future in a moment of institutional rupture and geopolitical instability. Drawing on his intellectual journey—from Berkeley in the aftermath of the Cold War to Silicon Valley and his work in scenario planning—Nils explains the importance of interrogating assumptions, analyzing intersecting technological, demographic, political, and ecological trends, and challenging the “official future” narratives that shape collective expectations. He reflects on how historical change often emerges either from centers of power or from the periphery, and situates today’s disruptions within a broader pattern of punctuated equilibrium. Nils discusses the concept of the “planetary,” developed in his book Children of a Modest Star: Planetary Thinking for an Age of Crises, and its ethical commitment to multispecies flourishing. He argues that existing institutions are ill-equipped to manage planetary-scale challenges. Rather than advocating world government Nils proposes “planetary subsidiarity”: narrowly tailored institutions that address specific transboundary problems while preserving local democratic agency.  Addressing America’s current political trajectory, democratic fragility, and the retreat from international institutions, Nils urges us to learn from other countries' experiences with authoritarianism and to strengthen civil society, scientific capacity, and participatory governance as foundations for a more resilient and ecologically grounded future. www.capita.org

Per Capita: In Conversation with Blessing Adesiyan

Africa’s demographic future is arriving faster than most policymakers are prepared for.  In this episode of Per Capita, Joe Waters speaks with Blessing Adesiyan, Founder and Chief Care Officer of Caring Africa, about how rapid population growth, urbanization, and changing family structures are creating an urgent care crisis in Nigeria. With nearly half of the country’s population under 15 and a growing elderly population, families and workers are increasingly overstretched by care responsibilities in systems that remain largely informal and unregulated. Blessing argues that care must be treated as essential infrastructure, not a private family matter. She describes how the absence of professionalized, affordable care limits women’s participation in the workforce, reduces productivity, and increases inequality. The lack of existing policy and regulation is a unique opportunity to design modern, inclusive care systems from the ground up. From public policy to private investment, building a robust care economy is not only a social imperative, but also a foundation for long-term economic growth across the African continent. www.capita.org

Per Capita: In Conversation with Joseph Asunka

Africa’s rapid urbanization is shaping the future of cities and families in the continent.  In this episode of Per Capita, Joe Waters speaks with Joseph Asunka, CEO of Afrobarometer, about what Africans across more than 40 countries say their governments should prioritize—from the recent rise of health as a top concern to ongoing challenges around unemployment, security, and economic opportunity. The conversation explores how current global transformations are influencing migration, religion, and the role Africa will play in the global workforce, as well as what it will take to build cities and systems that serve families and their communities. Joseph also discusses the opportunities and risks of artificial intelligence for the continent, and why African data, talent, and infrastructure must be part of shaping the technologies that will define the future. www.capita.org

Per Capita: In Conversation with Ron Ivey

Artificial intelligence is advancing faster than our social, moral, and political frameworks, and families are feeling the consequences first. In this episode of Per Capita, Joe Waters speaks with Ron Ivey, Founder & CEO of Noēsis Collaborative, about how artificial intelligence is reshaping family life, work, and education. They explore why many parents fear AI will undermine economic stability, how rapid technological change is outpacing governance, and why education must focus less on tool use and more on developing moral, relational, and human capacities.  The conversation argues for a new framework for AI policy and design which is centered on human and family flourishing rather than economic growth. www.capita.org

Per Capita: In Conversation with Marshall Kosloff

The United States and many other democracies are in the midst of a dramatic political realignment with shifting views on national security, economics, technology, and the role of government.  In this new episode of Per Capita, Joe Waters is joined by Marshall Kosloff, Senior Fellow and Director of Special Projects at the Niskanen Center, and host of The Realignment, one of the most insightful podcasts on how economic and cultural shifts are remaking politics in the U.S. and beyond. The conversation focuses on how today’s realignment is reshaping the right, what it means for the center-left, how families and their communities are feeling these pressures, and why structural economic change matters as much as cultural identity. www.capita.org