Connections Podcast

The new Congress is considering measures related to the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. The Palestinian-led campaign promotes forms of boycott against Israel with the goal of what it describes as ending Israeli violations of international law. Our guests explain the debate over BDS and its potential impact. In studio: Iman Abid , chapter director for the Genesee Valley Region of the ACLU Larry Fine, former longtime CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester

A number of new and evolving technologies were discussed at last week's Consumer Electronics Show. Facial recognition technology and location mapping were among them. RIT professor Steve Jacobs attended the show and will share what he learned. We also discuss the ethical and legal implications of those controversial technologies. In studio: Steve Jacobs , professor in the College of Computing and Information Sciences at RIT Larry Torcello , associate professor in the Department of Philosophy at

Is your home energy efficient? The goal of the Sustainable Homes Rochester campaign is to encourage community members to install clean heating and cooling systems to improve energy efficiency. What does that look like? Our guests discuss the different technologies, how they work, and how homeowners can decide what might be the right fit for their energy goals. In studio: Abby McHugh-Grifa, executive director of the Rochester People's Climate Coalition Scott Oliver, deputy for energy programs at

Weekend Connections is a collection of some of the most noteworthy moments from the week on Connections with Evan Dawson. This episode includes conversations about: The challenges local students of color say they face in suburban schools; The "sex recession" among teens and young adults; The Netflix film, "Bird Box," and how it depicts mental illness; Why job ghosting is on the rise.

After surveying the events of the last week and the dialogue surrounding those events, local broadcaster Scott Fitzgerald wrote, "I’m surprised at how some of my progressive friends have suppressed the opposition on threads. Subject matter aside, if you ever want the progressive movement to gain mainstream traction, please engage in dialogue with the opposition." At Connections, we've received a number of emails from listeners who want us to hear this out further, so we do so. Our guests: Scott

NYU journalism professor Jay Rosen is challenging journalists to change the way they cover political campaigns. Rosen writes that voters care about actual issues that impact their lives; meanwhile, he sees journalists becoming addicted to polls – who's up, who's down, the so-called "horse race." Rosen wants reporters to essentially abandon polling coverage, and to stop analyzing whether something someone said could impact so-and-so's campaign. Our guests discuss it: Jeremy Moule , staff writer

The new film “Bird Box” has generated a lot of buzz. Some of that buzz comes from advocates for mental health awareness, who say the film perpetuates stigma of mental illness. This hour, we discuss how mental health challenges are depicted in the media and the effects those depictions have on viewers. We also discuss when and where trigger warnings should be used. In studio: Kristina Mossgraber , events coordinator and walk manager for NAMI Rochester Sara Passamonte, program director at Compeer

There’s a lot of discussion about how to make Rochester more inclusive. But what about the suburbs? PittsForward is an organization that was formed for that purpose. It helped propel Kevin Beckford to a town board seat. We sit down to discuss the progress that the organization has made; the response of government; and the work ahead. Our guests: Kevin Beckford , member of the Pittsford Town Board Kendra Evans, founding member of PittsForward

A new Harry Potter exhibit is opening in New York City, and we ask the question, will there ever be another book series like Harry Potter? The first book came out before the internet was a regular time-suck in American households; it also came out just as Facebook was taking off. Can a young adult book series be as successful, given all the new distractions with technology? Our guests -- all Harry Potter super fans -- discuss it: Jackie McGriff , owner of Jackie Photography Chris Fanning ,

City Lab is reporting that the number of car-rich households is on the rise in many cities, even in those which are transit-oriented and where ride-sharing is heaving used. Why? We discuss the economic impact of more vehicle ownership and what it means for public transit. In studio: Arian Horbovetz , creator of The Urban Phoenix Roger Brown , creative consultant for the Community Design Center Rochester Shannon Ealy , senior manager of marketing and engagement for the Greater Rochester Chamber