UCLA Egyptologist Kara Cooney discusses her research into the Egyptian pharaohs and why their system of rule and religious beliefs can help us to understand why the many still so often give power to the few.
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How America mythologizes war
West Point English professor Elizabeth D. Samet talks about the picture of American exceptionalism that emerged post-World War II, the ways it has shaped domestic and foreign policy, and the myths it created.
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Beyond Biology: Rethinking What Makes A Family
Susan Golombok, director of the Centre for Family Research at the University of Cambridge and a professional fellow at Newnham College, Cambridge, joins us to talk about the outdated ideas we have about creating a happy home and the variety of parents out there who are thriving.
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They served the U.S. – and are now being deported
Filmmaker John Valadez joins us to tell the story of Vietnam veterans who were served with deportation papers for misdemeanor offenses.
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Black history is not just for Black people
Leonard Moore has taught Black history for more than 25 years, and he joins us to talk about asking students to consider uncomfortable questions about racism to move beyond words toward paths of reckoning and reconciliation.
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When birth mothers were shamed into adoption
Gabrielle Glaser joins us to tell the story of how a system of closed adoptions across the nation operated on shifty moral ground and separated mother from child in the name of a wholesome environment.
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Can someone else own your DNA?
Law professor Jorge L. Contreras joins us to discuss a landmark case brought when the U.S. government issued patents to biotech companies to use human genes, and the field of human genetics law it created.
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A Black scholar’s contrarian take on antiracism
Columbia University’s John McWhorter joins us to make the case that people of color are sometimes harmed by well-meaning antiracists who sometimes lose sight of the thing they are fighting against.
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What it’s really like to be incarcerated
Nigel Poor and Earlonne Woods are co-hosts of the podcast “Ear Hustle,” and they join us to talk about what they’ve learned about life on the inside from the inmates who shared their stories.
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Who we build monuments to and why it matters
Paul M. Farber of the National Monument Audit joins us to discuss a recent study of 50,000 monuments across the U.S. and what the research shows about who we memorialize and who we leave out.
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The science of your dreams
Neuroscientist Sidarta Ribeiro joins us to discuss how dreams are connected to how we learn and even how we understand our existence.
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A behind-the-scenes look at the Mark Twain Prize
Cappy McGarr joins us to discuss the creation of the Mark Twain Prize and share behind-the-scenes stories of when comedy and politics intersect.
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