INTERVIEW: The Art of Insubordination (with Todd Kashdan)

Issue 46: Tips on how to dissent and defy effectively

This week, we are excited to feature an interview with Professor Todd Kashdan. Todd is an expert on psychological well-being and mental agility, having published more than 200 journal articles and five books on these topics. He’s also known in our own academic circles for expressing his dissent with ideas and papers he doesn’t agree with. He knows what it means to be a devil’s advocate and wade into difficult topics.

We have been looking forward, therefore, to his new book about constructive disagreement, called ‘The Art of Insubordination: How to dissent and defy effectively’. His book is a “practical and research-based toolbox for anyone who wants to create a world with more justice, creativity, and courage”.

We feature a chapter on dissent in our book, arguing that far from being an act of the disengaged and the disloyal, dissent is often motivated by deep concern for the groups and societies in which we live. Todd’s book is an impressive compliment to our work, addressing many aspec…