Can free trade help developing nations achieve economic prosperity? Not according to economist Ha-Joon Chang. He argues that protectionism played an important role in the development of the world’s super-economic powers in his new book “Bad Samaritans: The Myth of Free Trade and the Secret History of Capitalism” (Bloomsbury, 2008).
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Is religion a product to be sold, bought, and even advertised? We’ll talk this hour with Professor Mara Einstein, who’s new book is “Brands of Faith: Marketing Religion in a Commercial Age” (Routledge, 2008).
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Did Lee Harvey Oswald act alone? Documentarian Robert Stone will join us to discuss his new film “Oswald’s Ghost” which airs on PBS’ American Experience this evening. We’ll also be joined by Hugh Aynesworth who reported extensively on the JFK assassination and appears in the program.
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What are the environmental effects of China’s exponentially growing economy? Journalist Jacques Leslie writes about it in his current Mother Jones Magazine cover story “The Last Empire: Can the World Survive China’s Rush to Emulate the American Way of Life?”
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Touchpoints: Birth to 3 (Da Capo Lifelong Books, 2006) by Dr. T. Berry Brazelton and Dr. Joshua D. Sparrow
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What exactly is Asperger’s Syndrome? Until recently, the high-functioning form of Autism was largely unknown to the public and even to those who suffered from the illness. We’ll spend the hour with one such person. John Elder Robison is a self-described “machine aficionado” who restores high-end automobiles and even created and built fire-shooting guitars for the band KISS. His best-selling book is “Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s” (Crown, 2007).
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What’s for dinner? It’s an age-old question. But if you want to know what people were eating in late 11th Century England, you can consult the Bayeux Tapestry or turn to Yale History Professor Paul Freedman. He’s the editor of the impressively comprehensive volume “Food: The History of Taste” (University of California Press, 2007). Freedman will join us this hour.
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While some have already left the race for the Presidency, other candidates are either working to solidify early primary and caucus gains or stage a come-from-behind campaign before the massive 22-state contest on February 5th. We’ll discuss last night’s New Hampshire results, the remaining candidates, and the rest of the race this hour with Franklin Foer, editor of The New Republic and the recent book “Election 2008: A Voter’s Guide” (Yale University Press, 2007).
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Why are more than 6 million American children taking psychiatric drugs? We’ll talk this hour with producer Marcela Gaviria, whose film “The Medicated Child” airs tonight on PBS’ FRONTLINE. You can see it at 9pm on KERA 13.
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What was your childhood like? Clane Hayward spent her first thirteen years in a series of communes, campsites, and makeshift homes before running away and eventually joining the U.S. Navy. A teacher in Austin, Texas today, Hayward has just published “The Hypocrisy of Disco: A Memoir” (Chronicle Books, 2007). She’ll join us for the hour.
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India, home to one of the oldest and most influential civilizations on the Earth is now poised to become a global leader once again. Michael Wood, historian and filmmaker, who’s just published his latest book “India” (Basic Books, 2007), will join us this hour to discuss the country’s fascinating culture and to preview his forthcoming BBC television series “The Story of India” which is set to air on PBS.
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Can we really help ourselves? Self-help gurus certainly want you to believe the hype, buy their books, and attend those seminars. Writer and performer Beth Lisick spent 2006 test-driving a dozen different programs for her new book “Helping me Help Myself: One Skeptic, Ten Self-Help Gurus, and a Year on the Brink of the Comfort Zone” (William Morrow, 2008). Lisick will join us for the hour.
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