Beyond Biology: Rethinking What Makes A Family

November 24, 2021 Culture, History, Race/Identity, Science and Technology

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at the University of Cambridge and a professional fellow at Newnham College, Cambridge, joins us to talk about the outdated ideas we have about creating a happy home and the variety of parents out there who are thriving.

They served the U.S. – and are now being deported

November 16, 2021 Current Events, History, Politics, Think

Filmmaker John Valadez joins us to tell the story of Vietnam veterans who were served with deportation papers for misdemeanor offenses.

A statue of Harriet Tubman and some of the people she helped.

Black history is not just for Black people

November 8, 2021 Current Events, History, Race/Identity

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.

When birth mothers were shamed into adoption

October 29, 2021 Culture, Health, History, Race/Identity

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.

Can someone else own your DNA?

October 28, 2021 History, Race/Identity, Science and Technology, Think

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.

A Black scholar’s contrarian take on antiracism

October 27, 2021 History, Race/Identity, Think

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.

An illustration of a dark-haired woman dreaming of space

The science of your dreams

October 25, 2021 History, Mental Health, Science and Technology, Think

Neuroscientist Sidarta Ribeiro joins us to discuss how dreams are connected to how we learn and even how we understand our existence.

A behind-the-scenes look at the Mark Twain Prize

October 20, 2021 History, Politics, Think

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.

Bad Bunny performs alongside a bass player at the BIllboard Music Awards.

How Reggaeton Conquered Pop Music

October 1, 2021 Culture, History, Race/Identity, Think

Katelina Eccleston is a producer of the Spotify podcast “Loud,” and she joins us to tell the story of reggaeton’s humble origins and how it spread from Panama to Puerto Rico, Jamaica and now the U.S.

A photo of a set of professional decorative cosmetics.

Our 2,000-Year Obsession With Makeup (from 8/3/21)

September 27, 2021 History, Race/Identity, Think

Rae Nudson joins us to discuss the power of the powders and creams with which we adorn our skin, and how they’ve created the powerful beauty standards currently being challenged.

William Randolph Hearst is seen working in his suite aboard the S.S. Europa during a transatlantic crossing in 1931.

How William Randolph Hearst Made The Media

September 27, 2021 Economics, History, Think

Stephen Ives joins us to tell the story of William Randolph Hearst – the subject of a new American Experience documentary.

50 Seasons Of ‘Texas Country Reporter’

September 23, 2021 Culture, History

Bob Phillips joins us to talk about 50 seasons of the beloved Texas travel show and highlight some of the places and people that have made their mark on the state over the years.