Articles I-III of the United States Constitution allow for three separate branches of government (legislative, executive, and judicial), along with a system of checks and balances should any branch get too powerful. Belinda Stutzman breaks down each branch and its constitutionally-entitled powers. [Directed by Johnny Chew, narrated by Belinda St...

Daryl Hannah gathers TED Talks that span the globe, from the Black Hills Mountains of the United States to the underwater worlds of Antarctica.

How can we bridge the gap between left and right to have a wiser, more connected political conversation? Journalist Gretchen Carlson and op-ed columnist David Brooks share insights on the tensions at the heart of American politics today -- and where we can find common ground. Followed by a rousing performance of "America the Beautiful" by Vy Hig...

Take a peek into the fascinating world of American politics -- with a few talks from some political leaders themselves.

Duarte Geraldino is working on a multi-year project that chronicles the lives of citizens who lose people to deportation.

On January 17, 1920, less than one hour after spirits had become illegal throughout the United States, armed men robbed a Chicago freight train and made off with thousands of dollars worth of whiskey. It was a first taste of the unintended consequences of Prohibition. So what exactly was Prohibition, and why did it happen? Rod Phillips investiga...

In the United States today, if you are over eighteen, a citizen, and the resident of a state, you can vote (with some exceptions). So, how have voting rights changed since the first election in 1789? Nicki Beaman Griffin outlines the history of the long fight for a more inclusive electorate. [Directed by Darcy Vorhees, narrated by Addison Anders...

The author of "Whitopia," Rich Benjamin sharply observes modern society and politics.

The Electoral College, gerrymandering — and more! These talks answer your questions and simplify the confusing landscape of the US political system. (For more voting information specific to your location, please visit https://www.vote.org)

From passionate pleas for reform to poetic turns of phrase, these talks take an honest look at everyday realities of Black Americans and illuminate the way forward.

More than 2.3 million people in the United States are in prison or jail. Here, talks that speak to the experience of life behind bars—and different perspectives on what can make it a rehabilitating experience.

Social progress in the United States often seems to take two steps forward and one step back, with hard-fought civil rights wins countered by a seemingly inevitable backlash. In this spirited talk, writer Charles M. Blow makes the case that history, inverted, suggests a potential path forward. It's an unapologetically provocative proposal that B...

While studying future alternatives for China’s global relations, former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has come to an ominous conclusion: conflict is looming.

Curiosity is about seeking what unites us rather than clinging to what divides us, says author and curiosity expert Scott Shigeoka. Drawing on his research into fostering connection and healing division, he shares what he learned traveling across the US meeting people with views opposing his own — and shows why recognizing our shared humanity be...

The electoral system in the United States needs a redesign, says political reformer Andrew Yang. Exposing the flaws of a system built on poor incentives, he proposes a cost-effective overhaul inspired by primary elections already working in places like Alaska and advocates for ranked-choice voting, where voters can choose candidates in order of ...

Over thousands of archived and broadcast interviews, StoryCorps founder Dave Isay -- winner of the 2015 TED Prize -- has created an unprecedented document of the dreams and fears that touch us all.

Jennifer Granick fights for civil liberties in the age of surveillance and powerful digital technology.

Theo E.J. Wilson encourages us to break through the divides that separate us.

Refugees fleeing persecution endure unimaginable hardships in search of a better life. Physician Joseph Shin explains the essential collaboration of doctors and lawyers working together to help asylum seekers in the United States, sharing promising pathways toward securing the human dignities they deserve.

2024 will be a dangerous year for the world, says Ian Bremmer, president and founder of Eurasia Group and GZERO Media. Forecasting the top geopolitical risks set to play out in the months to come, he untangles what's in store for the war in Ukraine, the state of the Israel-Hamas conflict and the tensions putting democracy in the United States to...

Former Marine and Yale Law School graduate J.D. Vance writes about how upward mobility really feels.

In the 1860's, 11 southern states withdrew from the United States and formed the Confederacy. They seceded in response to the growing movement for the nationwide abolition of slavery. Yet barely a year after the Civil War ended, southern sources began claiming the conflict was about state's rights. How did this revisionist history come about? Ka...

The first legal ballot cast in the United States by a woman was in Utah -- a culminating moment in a trailblazing local women's suffrage. In this talk, Neylan McBaine tells the little-known story of this movement and details the ways its triumphs (and setbacks) are relevant to contemporary struggles for equality.

Rick Smolan is the co-founder of the America 24/7 and Day in the Life photography series -- and a natural storyteller in many media. His latest books are America at Home and Blue Planet Run.

Euna Lee strives to be a voice for the voiceless and a window for those with no access to outside information.

The value of money is determined by how much (or how little) of it is in circulation. But who makes that decision, and how does their choice affect the economy at large? Doug Levinson takes a trip into the United States Federal Reserve, examining how the people who work there aim to balance the value of the dollar to prevent inflation or deflati...

Dan Barasch and James Ramsey have a crazy plan — to create a park, filled with greenery, underneath New York City. The two are developing the Lowline, an underground greenspace the size of a football field. They're building it in a trolley terminal abandoned in 1948, using technology that harvests sunlight above-ground and directs it down below....

How can we tap into the potential of all students, especially those who come from disadvantaged backgrounds? Sociologist Anindya Kundu invites us to take a deeper look at the personal, social and institutional challenges that keep students from thriving in the United States -- and shows how closing this "opportunity gap" means valuing public edu...

Based on her work for a CIA task force aimed at predicting civil wars, political scientist Barbara F. Walter examines the rise in extremism and threats to democracies around the globe -- and paints an unsettling picture of the increasing likelihood of a second civil war in the United States.

There's an organization responsible for more terrorism plots in the United States than al-Qaeda, al-Shabaab and ISIS combined: The FBI. How? Why? In an eye-opening talk, investigative journalist Trevor Aaronson reveals a disturbing FBI practice that breeds terrorist plots by exploiting Muslim-Americans with mental health problems.