KERA's Think

Children who live in war zones face untold horrors that strip them of innocence. Zarlasht Halaimzai, writer and founder of Amna, which specializes in supporting the psychosocial well-being of refugees and other displaced communities. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss her life growing up amid the bombs and guns of the war in Afghanistan, and her work to help heal the trauma of children living through conflict worldwide. Her article, published in The Guardian, is “‘I remember the silence between the falling shells': the terror of living under siege as a child.”

The end of Reconstruction can be chronicled by listening to the music of the era. Vann Newkirk, senior editor at The Atlantic, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the Fisk Jubilee Singers, who sang songs that evoked passion and heartbreak, and in doing so, saved an American art form. His article is “How the Negro Spiritual Changed American Popular Music– and America Itself.”

The demographic charts are clear: childlessness started to rise as soon as Millennials hit childbearing age. Andrew Van Dam writes the Department of Data column each week for The Washington Post. He joins host Krys Boyd to talk about why Millennials are not having children – from finances to lack of partners – even though they still want them. His article is “Millennials aren't having kids. Here are the reasons why.”

Visiting Mars one day is the ultimate trip from some tourists, but is that a good idea? Kelly Weinersmith, adjunct faculty member in the BioSciences department at Rice University, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the impracticalities of space colonization and the conflicts it could create back on Earth. Her book, co-written with husband Zach Weinersmith, is “A City on Mars: Can we settle space, should we settle space, and have we really thought this through?”

Genetic medicine once looked like the future of health care, but its promises have yet to materialize. James Tabery is a professor at the University of Utah in the Department of Philosophy and a member of the Center for Health Ethics, Arts, & Humanities. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why precision medicines focused on gene technology benefit only the rich, while average citizens are left behind in this new model of curing disease. His book is “Tyranny of the Gene: Personalized Medicine and Its Threat to Public Health.”

Want to know why your flight was delayed and your baggage lost? Blame capitalism. Ganesh Sitaraman is a law professor and director of the Vanderbilt Policy Accelerator for Political Economy and Regulation. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why he feels unregulated capitalism created a handful of airline competitors – all too-big-to-fail and receiving government funding – and why he feels improvements are possible. His book is “Why Flying is Miserable: And How to Fix It.”

How is it that we can travel anywhere in the world faster than ever before, but actual travel times have become slower? David Leonhardt writes The Morning, the flagship daily newsletter for The New York Times. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how a lack of investment in infrastructure has put the U.S. behind peer countries in nearly every category from education to transportation to even life expectancy. His book is “Ours Was the Shining Future: The Story of the American Dream.”

There was a time in the early 1990s when everyone seemed to have carpal tunnel syndrome—now, not so much. Health and science reporter Benjamin Ryan joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how carpal tunnel became an epidemic and what its disappearance says about how seriously we take workplace injuries today. His article published by The Atlantic is “Whatever Happened to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?”

We have a fascination with identical twins, and twins themselves also grapple with ideas of selfhood. Helena de Bres is a philosophy professor at Wellesley College and a twin herself, and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the endless questions she's asked about her and her sister – and to reflect upon what being a multiple is really like. Her book is “How to Be Multiple: The Philosophy of Twins.”

Gun ownership in this country is as much about one's identity as it is about self-protection. Alexandra Filindra is associate professor of political science at the University of Illinois, Chicago. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how 21st Century gun culture is a product of the 18th Century and how that has left non-white Americans with limited access to gun rights. Her book is “Race, Rights, and Rifles: The Origins of the NRA and Contemporary Gun Culture.”

One way to bridge deep divides is to get curious about the people on the other side. Scott Shigeoka has taught at UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center and the University of Texas at Austin. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what he calls deep curiosity, which pushes people to move beyond biases to see the value in another person's worldview. His book is “Seek: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World.”

Divas fill stadiums with screaming fans, and we still can't get enough of their star power. Spencer Kornhaber, staff writer at The Atlantic, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the magnetism, narcissism and perfectionism of the people we call divas … and why they matter so much to the rest of us mere mortals. His book is “On Divas: Persona, Pleasure, Power.”

The difference between top performers and the rest of us can often be traced back to an ability to maximize potential. Adam Grant is an organizational psychologist at the Wharton School, and he joins host Krys Boyd to discuss strategies for Average Joe's to excel. His book is “Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things.”

Nowhere else in the world does a presidential candidate win the popular vote but lose the election due to an electoral college. Harvard government professor Steven Levitsky joins guest host John McCaa to discuss how minority rule undermines democracy and why the U.S. is vulnerable to partisan takeovers from both the left and the right. His book, written with co-author Daniel Ziblatt, is “Tyranny of the Minority: Why American Democracy Reached the Breaking Point.”

The framers of the Constitution warned against forming political parties, buy they happened anyway. H.W. Brands is Jack S. Blanton Sr. Chair in History at the University of Texas at Austin, and he joins guest host John McCaa to discuss the early days of the Republic, when Federalists and Anti-Federalists battled it out and planted the seeds of our current state of division. His book is “Founding Partisans: Hamilton, Madison, Jefferson, Adams and the Brawling Birth of American Politics.”

The ability to remain aware during cardiac arrest is little understood. Sam Parnia, Director of Critical Care and Resuscitation Research in the Department of Medicine at New York University School of Medicine, joins guest host Courtney Collins to discuss his research into cognitive awareness during resuscitation and why studying it has profound implications for our understanding of the gray area between life and death. His journal article was published in Resuscitation.

In best-selling author Julia Heaberlin's latest page-turner, a heroine is pulled between science and psychic visions. She joins guest host Courtney Collins to discuss her new novel, featuring a cast of characters trying to solve the disappearance of a missing child, and the prominent role Texas plays in her writing. Her book is “Night Will Find You.”

The medical field has been pretty successful in creating insulin pumps, dialysis machines, pacemakers and other instruments to assist organs with their natural functions. Philip Ball is a science writer and former editor of the journal Nature, and he joins host Krys Boyd to talk about the next frontier: organic matter designed to help faulty organs while living in the body. His article “Synthetic Morphology Lets Scientists Create New Life-Forms” appears in Scientific American.

Marriage is as old as recorded history, but philosophers and other intellectuals have been mostly quiet on the subject. Devorah Baum is a writer, film director and associate professor in English literature at the University of Southampton. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why marriage is left out of philosophical discussion and what the institution actually means for power dynamics and utopian ideals. Her book is “On Marriage.”

Since the death of George Floyd and advent of #metoo, societal movements are making their way into couples counseling sessions. Orna Guralnik is a clinical psychologist, a psychoanalyst and an academic who serves on the faculty of the N.Y.U. postdoctoral program in psychoanalysis. She joins host Krys Boyd to talk about what she's seen in her practice, where couples are bringing to the table issues of race and privilege and trauma like she hasn't seen before. Her article in the New York Times Magazine is “I'm a Couples Therapist. Something New Is Happening in Relationships.”

Once known only as an illicit party drug, MDMA is now being seriously studied as a tool to help treat patients' mental health. Science journalist Rachel Nuwer was among the inaugural recipients of the Ferriss–UC Berkeley Psychedelic Journalism Fellowship. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how MDMA – once a Schedule 1 drug – is now being heralded as a treatment for PTSD and other afflictions. Her book is “I Feel Love: MDMA and the Quest for Connection in a Fractured World.”

When looking back at the 2000s, is the decade defined more by George W. Bush or “Gossip Girl”? Kristian Vistrup Madsen is a writer based in Berlin, and he joins host Krys Boyd to make the case that the aughts were marked by sexualization, obscenity and war – and why we ate it up. His article published in The White Review is “Chains or Whips? The Cruel Decade and its Aftermath.”

Bilingual speakers effortlessly mix multiple languages into conversation – but something much more complex and fascinating is happening in their minds. Washington Post columnist Theresa Vargas and Sarah Phillips, a postdoctoral scholar in the neurology department at Georgetown University Medical Center, join host Krys Boyd to discuss bilingualism in our culture and the neurological pathways that allow language switching to flow so freely.

There's a growing call for the federal government to consider breaking up some of the country's largest tech companies – similar to how it went after railroad barons of the 19th century. Elizabeth Nolan Brown is a senior editor at Reason and the main author of Reason's morning newsletter, the Reason Roundup. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why this focus on anti-trust lawsuits isn't popular with the general population and may be blowing the problems created by big tech well out of proportion. Her article is “The Tech Giants Were Always Doomed.”

With a president in his 80s and an election season looming, where is Kamala Harris? Elaina Plott Calabro, staff writer at The Atlantic, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the work the vice president has been doing the last three years, why it's been mostly invisible, and her struggle to convey her readiness for the top job to voters. Her article is “The Kamala Harris Problem.”

When we're feeling lonely, maybe the best thing to do is pick up a paint brush or pen and express how we're feeling. Dr. Jeremy Nobel is a primary-care physician, public health practitioner and poet with faculty appointments at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Harvard Medical School. He is the founder and president of the Foundation for Art & Healing, and he joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how we can use creative expression to connect with others. His book is “Project UnLonely: Healing Our Crisis of Disconnection.”

If you instantly feel better when a favorite song comes on the radio – or just feel seen when a sad song plays – you're tapping into humankind's deep connection with music. Larry Sherman is professor of neuroscience at the Oregon Health and Science University, and he joins host Krys Boyd to talk about how music works in the brain and how it affects our emotions. His new book is “Every Brain Needs Music: The Neuroscience of Making and Listening to Music.”

A vast network of volunteers and professionals alike is connected by a love of animals and a duty to protect them from harm. Kendra Coulter is professor in management and organizational studies at Huron University College at Western University and a fellow at the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the animal advocates battling abuse and pushing for pro-animal policies in legislatures – and how their work benefits humans, too. Her book is “Defending Animals: Finding Hope on the Front Lines of Animal Protection.”

In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson signed into law the Civil Rights Act with The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. standing at his side. Peniel Joseph is the Barbara Jordan Chair in Political Values and Ethics at the LBJ School of Public Affairs and professor of history and the founding director of the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy at the University of Texas at Austin. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the contentious but essential relationship between the president and Civil Rights leader. His essay appears in the book “LBJ's America: The Life and Legacies of Lyndon Baines Johnson.”

Policies created by both the left and right have failed to curb illegal immigration. Marcela Valdes, a staff writer for The New York Times Magazine, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the continued inflow of international migrants to the U.S. and how employers here benefit from their arrival. Her article is “Why Can't We Stop Unauthorized Immigration? Because It Works.”

Stories of deadly predators abound, but often those animals fear humans much more than we must fear them. Adam Hart is professor of science communication at the University of Gloucestershire. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the realities of people who live among predators and why the line between conservation and eradication is a difficult tightrope to walk. His book is “The Deadly Balance: Predators and People in a Crowded World.”

For centuries, we humans have placed ourselves above other animals in part because of the belief that we are the only creatures with the cognitive ability to turn thought into speech. Science journalist Sonia Shah joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what it means now that researchers are discovering that animals communicate in languages, too, and the moral dilemmas that is bringing up for biologists. Her article “The Animals Are Talking. What Does It Mean?” appeared in The New York Times Magazine.

The internet is not free – we pay for it with our personal information sold with every click. Atlantic staff writer Charlie Warzel joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the vast and unregulated systems set up to capture our data, and why even stricter data capture policies in the E.U. won't help repair breaches of our privacy. His recent article on the topic is called “What is Privacy?”

For Aparna Nancherla, the hardest part of performing for a crowd is believing she should even be there in the first place. The L.A.-based comedian's work has been seen on late-night television, HBO, Netflix and Comedy Central. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how depression, anxiety and imposter syndrome make it into her work – and the ways her art reflects her mental state. Her book is “Unreliable Narrator: Me, Myself, and Impostor Syndrome.”

We've come a long way as a species from hunter-gatherers to sedentary jobs at a keyboard. Manoush Zomorodi is host of NPR's TED Radio Hour, and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss a six-part series exploring the relationship between technology and the body, and the tools we can use to offset the harms screens and sitting are doing to our health. The NPR podcast is called “Body Electric.”

When asked to deliver his father's eulogy, Rev. Esau McCaulley realized he needed to figure out how to understand the relationship between his dad's many shortcomings and the obstacles he faced during his lifetime. McCaulley is associate professor of New Testament at Wheaton College and theologian in residence at Progressive Baptist Church, a historically Black congregation in Chicago. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the deep work that led him to seeing his father in a new light and how his father's struggles are echoed in the experiences of many Black Americans. His book is “How Far to the Promised Land: One Black Family's Story of Hope and Survival in the American South.”

After billions of years of Earth's development, it's still the same five elements that shape so much of human evolution. Stephen Porder is associate provost for sustainability and professor of ecology, evolution and organismal biology at Brown University. He is also a fellow in the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, and he joins host Krys Boyd to discuss hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus and how these building blocks of life affect the climate. His book is “Elemental: How Five Elements Changed Earth's Past and Will Shape Our Future.”

Even in the face of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln engaged constructively with his political adversaries. Steve Inskeep, cohost of NPR's Morning Edition, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss Lincoln as the politician, deftly negotiating encounters with his critics as he sought to build a social revolution and hold the nation together. His book is “Differ We Must: How Lincoln Succeeded in a Divided America.”

The temperature range that can sustain human life on Earth is incredibly narrow. Michael Mann is Presidential Distinguished Professor and Director of the Center for Science, Sustainability and the Media at the University of Pennsylvania. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the precarity of human evolution and how previous changes in temperatures have affected life on the planet. His book is “Our Fragile Moment: How Lessons from Earth's Past Can Help Us Survive the Climate Crisis.”

When the Supreme Court knocked down Roe v Wade, it seemed like the question of where someone could seek an abortion was settled. Emily Bazelon is a staff writer at The New York Times Magazine and the Truman Capote Fellow for Creative Writing and Law at Yale Law School. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss efforts to get abortion rights on the ballot in several states, and how those pushes are resulting in popular wins. Her article is “The Surprising Places Where Abortion Rights Are on the Ballot and Winning.”

We've all told the occasional white lie, but what makes someone a true liar? Christian L. Hart is professor of psychology at Texas Woman's University, where he is director of the Psychological Science program and director of the Human Deception Laboratory. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the psychology of people who lie all the time and how we can make sure we don't become their next victim. His book, written with Drew A. Curtis, is “Big Liars: What Psychological Science Tells Us About Lying and How You Can Avoid Being Duped.”

Is it possible to take our five senses to new, heightened levels? Maureen Seaberg is a columnist for Psychology Today, and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the science of the senses; understanding how we see, hear and touch at the molecular level; and what it means for human potential. Her book is “Fearfully and Wonderfully Made: The Astonishing New Science of the Senses.”

A decade ago, a large majority of Americans believed in the value of a college education. More recently, that sentiment has fallen off a cliff. Paul Tough is a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine, and he joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why only a third of Americans now say they have a lot of confidence in higher education and why the U.S. is an outlier globally when it comes to college popularity. His article is “Americans Are Losing Faith in the Value of College. Whose Fault Is That?”

Nationally, about 43 million people are believed to need treatment for substance abuse – and if they actually seek it out, many will hit real barriers to finding care. Wilson M. Sims is a writer and behavioral health worker, and he joins host Krys Boyd to discuss his own journey from addict to working for a behavioral health company helping fellow addicts navigate the roadblocks to becoming sober. His essay, “Unknown Costs,” was published by Longreads.

Undocumented immigrants face daily worries about government surveillance. Asad L. Asad is assistant professor of sociology at Stanford University, where he is a faculty affiliate of the Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss his research into the ways immigrants take part in U.S. systems – like registering with the IRS – while also fearing they will be deported for taking part. His book is “Engage and Evade: How Latino Immigrant Families Manage Surveillance in Everyday Life.”

In trying to reconcile human impact on nature, perhaps we should turn to one of our planet's longest living creatures. Sy Montgomery joins host Krys Boyd to discuss her visit to the Turtle Rescue League, where injured turtles are given a second chance at life, and asks why these creatures have such a treasured place in our hearts. Her book is “Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell.”

There are countless sci-fi tales centered on contact with aliens, and an astrophysicist has an idea of how that could really happen. Avi Loeb is the Frank B. Baird, Jr., Professor of Science at Harvard University, the founding director of Harvard's Black Hole Initiative and the director of the Institute for Theory and Computation within the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss identifying and having contact with an extraterrestrial and the implications it would have for humankind. His book is “Interstellar: The Search for Extraterrestrial Life and Our Future in the Stars.”

The way we're taught to forgive might never actually lead to reconciliation. Myisha Cherry is an associate professor of philosophy at the University of California, Riverside, where she also directs the Emotion and Society Lab. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why models of traditional forgiveness are wrong and offer guidance for individuals and families on how to forgive and heal. Her book is “Failures of Forgiveness: What We Get Wrong and How to Do Better.”

American history is largely taught through the lens of white people's experiences. Michael Harriot is a columnist at theGrio.com, where he covers the intersection of race, politics and culture. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss a new way to look at historical narratives – one that reworks the American story to include the voices most often overlooked. His book is “Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America.”

The military is built around tradition and protocol — which can be problems if you're looking for innovation. Eric Lipton is an investigative reporter for The New York Times. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss new global threats that require change by the U.S. Navy and the resistance by top brass to bend to the future. His article is “Faced With Evolving Threats, U.S. Navy Struggles to Change.”

Words we use in the English language to describe women have changed through the centuries – sometimes for good and sometime, not so much. Jenni Nuttall teaches medieval literature at the University of Oxford. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss transformations in the English language that take on femininity and how words have influenced how we view female roles in society. Her book is “Mother Tongue: The Surprising History of Women's Words.”