Civics 101

The Smithsonian is the world's largest research institution, but much of it is out of public sight. And one particular kind of collection is part of a growing debate over where ethical lines and scientific discovery should be drawn.

This week, we present the first part of a special series from our colleagues at Outside/In. You can listen to the rest of the series here, or get Outside/In wherever listen to podcasts. 

You can support our journalism by making a donation to our show! Thanks so much. 

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Corruption in politics is a trope that's been around ever since we had politics. And it can feel inevitable. Regardless of anticorruption legislation and executive orders, it seems like it will never go away.

David Sirota, editor in chief of The Lever and host of the podcast Master Plan, argues the opposite.  

Today on Civics 101 we learn about what corruption is, how it influences (or doesn't influence) policy, and what needs to be done to eradicate it from our political system.

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Whenever there's a big strike in the news, someone inevitably invokes the phrase "Taft-Hartely Act" when talking about whether or not the president should intervene. But what is Taft-Hartley? How did it come about? And what can it actually do?

Nick chats with Erik Loomis, a professor at the University of Rhode Island and expert on all things labor-related. 

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Why don't people "civically engage?" Because they're too busy! Politicians are busy! Or maybe...they don't care?

In this special episode of Civics 101 recorded in front of a live audience, we hear from experts who break down what it means to participate in our democracy, how to break down barriers to participation, and how to be who you already are and make a VERY big difference. 

This episode was recorded at NHPR's Civics 101 Summit at Southern New Hampshire University. Learn more about that event right here. 

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What does it mean if a SCOTUS justice is a self-proclaimed "originalist?" When was the word first used in that context? And what are we missing about the framers when we look only upon the recent interpretation of their words in the court?

Today our guide is Mackenzie Joy Brennan;  lawyer, media commentator, and author of the upcoming book The Original ‘Original Intent,’ Recovering the Lost Constitution of the Founders.

Click here for more of Mackenzie's research on originalism, including Terry Brennan's essay in the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy.

Click here for our episode on the Second Amendment.

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For more than two hundred years Americans have tried to tame the Mississippi River. And, for that entire time, the river has fought back. 

This week we present an episode of our sister podcast Outside/In. 

Journalist and author Boyce Upholt has spent dozens of nights camping along the Lower Mississippi and knows the river for what it is: both a water-moving machine and a supremely wild place. His recent book, “The Great River: The Making and Unmaking of the Mississippi River” tells the story of how engineers have made the Mississippi into one of the most engineered waterways in the world, and in turn have transformed it into a bit of a cyborg — half mechanical, half natural. 

In this episode, host Nate Hegyi and Upholt take us from the flood ravaged town of Greenville, Mississippi, to the small office of a group of army engineers, in a tale of faulty science, big egos and a river that will ultimately do what it wants. 

Featuring Boyce Upholt

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Today, we bring you a special bonus - a SMACKDOWN episode of NPR's It's Been a Minute featuring our own hosts Nick and Hannah! 

IBAM host Brittany Luse has been taking this smackdown on the road  to cities all across the country.  Hear the other debates on the It's Been a Minute podcast.

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Today we discuss what a president is, what a president does, and what a president "should be."  To quote Professor Amar, it can be hard to find someone to fill those shoes because they were designed for Washington's feet.

Our guests are Akhil Amar, Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale University, and Andy Lipka, president of EverScholar.

Akhil and Andy co-host Amarica's Constitution, a podcast that explores the constitutional issues of our day. It is a perfect companion show to Civics 101, and one we endorse wholeheartedly. 

Here is where you can listen to our episode on the Executive Branch, here is a link to our episode on the Presidential Veto, and here is where you can learn about the President and the Price of Gas.

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For most of our nation's history, the voting age was 21. So how'd we get it down to 18? In one sense, it was the fastest ratified amendment in history. In another, it took three decades. Our guide to the hard-won fight for youth enfranchisement is Jennifer Frost, author of "Let Us Vote!" Youth Voting Rights and the 26th Amendment.

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Why do very different political candidates say the same things over and over? Things like "middle class," "coastal elites" and "middle America?" What do those things even mean? That's what this episode is all about. 

Also...some civics and history trivia that's VERY much on-topic. Sort of.

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