The Open Mind, Hosted by Alexander Heffner

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The Open Mind is a thoughtful excursion into the world of ideas across media, politics, technology, the arts and all realms of civic life.

WNET


    • Nov 22, 2023 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 27m AVG DURATION
    • 448 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Open Mind, Hosted by Alexander Heffner

    Math Rules the World

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2023 28:08


    Mathematician Manil Suri discusses why the objectivity of math is essential to preserving civil society. 

    A Multiplicity of Generational Crises

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2023 28:43


     Elder justice leader M.T. Connolly discusses her new book "The Measure of Our Age." 

    The Science of Decisionmaking

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2023 27:48


    University of Minnesota neuroscientist David Redish discusses the science of our choices.

    Rejuvenating American Citizenship

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 18, 2023 28:30


    Raj Vinnakota of Institute for Citizens & Scholars discusses how rejuvenate American citizenship. 

    Porn and Us

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2023 28:54


    University of Nebraska sociologist Kelsy Burke discusses pornography in American society.UFO's and Aliens PodcastIn this podcast, I will research, UFO sightings, Alien abductions and similar...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

    Food Will Save the Union

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2023 28:07


    Historian Alex Prud'homme discusses diplomacy in American political life. 

    Speaking of Empathy and Patriotism

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2023 28:07


    Army National Guard veteran Joseph Earl Thomas discusses his new book "Sink: A Memoir." 

    Empowering Without Disempowering

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2023 28:12


    University of Oklahoma bestselling author Honorée Fanonne Jeffers discusses free speech and book banning. 

    A Just Law Enforcement

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2023 28:08


    Hear Foundation cofounders Leon Ford and Ret. Pittsburgh Police Chief Scott Schubert discuss public safety. 

    The Science of Bridging Divides

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2023 28:20


    Stanford Graduate School of Education's Geoffrey Cohen discusses how to bridge ideological and political differences. 

    How Gen Z Will Govern

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2023 28:23


    Political strategists Annie Wu and Victor Shi discuss how Gen Z will govern.

    The Nonexistent Left and Right

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2023 27:55


    "The Myth of Left and Right" coauthors Verlan Lewis and Hyrum Lewis discuss U.S. political ideologies.

    Are Polarized Resentments Calming?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2023 28:50


    American University scholar Elizabeth Suhay discusses "The Politics of Truth in Polarized America." TAG: Talking About Guns“Talking About Guns” (TAG) is a podcast created to demystify a typically loaded and...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

    Making Politics Work Again

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2023 29:17


    Institute for Political Innovation founder Katherine Gehl discusses the key to fixing a politics industry. 

    The Ponzi of Crypto

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2023 28:24


    "Tracers in the Dark" author Andy Greenberg discusses crypto corruption. 

    Objective and Subjective Definitions of Democracy

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2023 27:57


    Oxford University Press "Democracies in America" coauthor Bert Emerson discusses disparate and shared understandings of democratic rule 

    Gen Z > Millennials?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2023 28:26


    USC Center for Inclusive Democracy director Mindy Romero and Voters of Tomorrow director Santiago Mayer discuss youth turnout in the 2022 elections and the future of representative government. 

    Of Quietude and Inquietude

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 28, 2022 27:40


    Bestselling novelist Xochitl Gonzalez discusses rights to fairness amid gentrification.

    Rudiments of Humanity

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2022 27:16


    Violinist Arianna Warsaw-Fan Rauch discusses her new book Declassified: A Low-Key Guide to the High-Strung World of Classical Music. 

    Realities of Black Lives

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2022 28:10


    British-Congolese filmmaker Kiosa Sukami discusses his new film “A Letter to Black Men” and representation of Blackness in the press and film. 

    Who Broke American Education?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2022 28:00


    Historian Nicole Hemmer and columnist Will Bunch discuss the politicization of the U.S. education system. 

    Climate Inaction Comes Home to Roost

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2022 28:00


    Science journalist Madeline Ostrander discusses her new book "At Home on an Unruly Planet: Finding Refuge on a Changed Earth."

    Science, Plagues, and Denials

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2022 29:04


    Georgetown international health lawyer Alexandra Phelan, USC psychologist Gale Sinatra, and RAND security analyst Brian Michael Jenkins discuss the triple threat of COVID-19, monkeypox, and polio. Someone Talked! The Official National D-Day Memorial podcast with Host Dr. John C. McManus.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

    Reproductive Rights in a Bottle

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2022 26:30


    Hey Jane founder Kiki Freedman discusses her company's mission to provide medication abortion in the most restrictive climate in U.S history. 

    Can Whistleblowers Still Create Societal Change?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2022 27:25


    National Whistleblower Center executive director Siri Nelson discusses the historical and contemporary role of the whistleblower.

    Cancer Virus Hunters

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2022 27:32


    Stevens Institute of Technology science historian Gregory Morgan discusses his new book Cancer Virus Hunters: A History of Tumor Virology. 

    Voting Safely at Home

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 19, 2022 27:53


    United States Postal Service governor Amber McReynolds discusses the future of vote by mail.

    The Science of Changing Your Mind

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2022 28:46


    University of Washington neuroscientist Chantel Prat discusses her new book The Neuroscience of You: How Every Brain is Different and How to Understand Yours. Couture & ConstructionWeekly conversations about luxury building & design. Brought to you by Textures Nashville.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

    What China Wants

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2022 27:42


    UC Irvine historian and Vigil: Hong Kong on the Brink author Jeff Wasserstrom discusses U.S.-China relations. 

    The Politics of Imagination

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 29, 2022 27:52


    Campaign operative and Any Given Tuesday author Lis Smith discusses the future of American politics.

    The Mass Shooting State of America

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 22, 2022 28:19


    Mother Jones magazine journalist Mark Follman discusses his new book “Trigger Points: Inside the Mission to Stop Mass Shootings in America.” 

    Hearts and Minds of Rural Folk

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2022 27:02


    Maine State Senator Chloe Maxmin and political strategist Canyon Woodward discuss their new book "Dirt Road Revival: How to Rebuild Rural Politics and Why Our Future Depends On It."

    Marching for a Strategy

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 15, 2022 28:26


    Women's March Executive Director Rachel O'Leary Carmona discusses tactics to restore women's rights.

    The Freedom of Literacy

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2022 28:51


    Wikimedia Foundation Executive Director and CEO Maryana Iskander discusses freedom of information and literacy. My Love Letter Time Machine - Victorian HistorySerialising 200 charming + often funny love letters left by Fred & Janie courting in 1878 Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

    How to Preserve Dignity in the Digital Age

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 25, 2022 27:46


    Digital privacy leader Danielle Citron discusses her forthcoming book "The Fight for Privacy: Protecting Dignity, Identity, and Love in the Digital Age." 

    Incarceration and Injustice

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 5, 2022 28:42


    University of Connecticut historian Melanie Newport discusses the contemporary prison and jail system. Film The World PodcastWelcome, we review 1 book a week & focus on Gaming/Movies/Music/Pop-Culture & UAPListen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

    Paradoxes of Democracy and Illiberalism

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2022 28:46


    Idaho State University scholar Zac Gershberg discusses the future of democracy and illiberalism in America.Historically High History Classes from the College of Cannabis. New episodes every Wednesday. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

    Diagnosing the Infodemic

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2022 28:56


    Committee to Protect Journalists executive director Robert Mahoney discusses the pandemic-era Fourth Estate.Ways to Change the Workplace with Prina Shah + GuestsFor those who stand against crappy work cultures, lousy leaders and toxic teams!Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

    Increasing Restrictions on the 1st Amendment in School

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2022 28:25


    National Coalition Against Censorship executive director Christopher Finan discusses bans of books and reproductive choice. THEY'RE NOT SHADOWSSpooky stories of the paranormal, the supernatural and the unexplained with no...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

    A Moral Irresponsibility of America

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2022 28:31


    U.S. military veterans Michael Robillard, and Bradley Strawser discuss their new book "Outsourcing Duty: The Moral Exploitation of the American Soldier."WikiListenExplore Wikipedia in a daily podcast with Rachel Teichman, LMSW, and Victor Varnado.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

    March of the Autocracies

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2022 28:07


    Justitia CEO Jacob Mchangama discusses the threat to free speech around the world. 

    Detecting Malarkey

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2022 27:59


    Wake Forest University psychologist John Petrocelli discusses the importance of fact- and nonsense-checking. 

    The Future of Privacy in America

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2022 28:18


    Tulane Law scholar Amy Gajda discusses her new book "Seek and Hide: The Tangled History of the Right to Privacy."

    Energy, Nukes, and Deterring WWIII

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2022 28:25


    Nuclear Choices for the Twenty-First Century coauthors and scientists Richard Wolfson and Ferenc Dalnoki discuss the potential for nuclear annihilation.

    Is Voter Suppression Recreating Segregation?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2022 27:43


     North Carolina State historian Blair Kelley discusses the present and historical conditions of segregation in the United States.

    Masking and Unmasking Civilization

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2022 28:09


    Author Virginia Postrel discusses the history of fabric and contemporary mask-wearing practices to protect public health. 

    How Democracy Survives Disinformation

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2022 27:36


    Columbia University president Lee Bollinger and University of Chicago scholar Geoffrey Stone discuss their book “Social Media, Freedom of Speech, and the Future of Our Democracy."

    Reading and Thinking Freely

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2022 26:25


    Author Azar Nafisi discusses her new book “Read Dangerously: The Subversive Power of Literature in Troubled Times.” 

    The Quest to Merge Human and Computer

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2022 27:31


    "In Silico” documentarian Noah Hutton discusses the project to simulate the human brain on a supercomputer. 

    American Jail and Prison

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2022 27:37


    University of Minnesota sociologist Michael Walker discusses his new book "Indefinite: Doing Time in Jail." 

    Between Cold and Hot Civil War

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2022 27:45


    UC San Diego political scientist Barbara Walter discusses American political tribalism and civil unrest.

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