Regional tensions in the South China Sea are in danger of spilling over into a global conflict between the U.S. and China. Craig Singleton is a senior China fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a former U.S. diplomat. He joins guest host John McCaa to discuss the ways China has made end runs around the policies of the Biden, Trump and Obama presidencies and the troubling clashes we’re now seeing around Taiwan and the Philippines. His article “China and the U.S. Are Careening Toward a South China Sea Crisis” was published in Foreign Policy.

America has endured eras of political violence before. But after the assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump, is political violence now part of our current reality? Adrienne LaFrance, executive editor of The Atlantic, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why feelings of powerlessness can lead to violence and the disturbing historical patterns that seem to be repeating today. Her article is “American Fury.”

For an underprivileged student to succeed in college, it takes much more than financial aid. Anthony Jack is inaugural faculty director of the Boston University Newbury Center and associate professor of higher education leadership at the Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why, even as colleges and universities have moved to make their campuses more diverse, they are leaving economically disadvantaged students behind. His book is “Class Dismissed: When Colleges Ignore Inequality and Students Pay the Price.”

When Kamala Harris announced her presidential bid after President Biden dropped out, a record $81million poured in in 24 hours. So what role will cash play in her race against Donald Trump? Theodore Schleifer covers campaign finance for The New York Times. He joins host Krys Boyd to give us an overview of the immense amount of money the campaigns are raising, a refresher on how PACs work, and how all this money from mega donors to average Joes will affect the race to the White House.

In these politically divisive times, it’s a challenge to remember we have so much in common. Diana McLain Smith joins host Krys Boyd to discuss building bridges to connect with people with whom we disagree and how most people can resolve to meet in the middle on even the most challenging political issues. Her book is “Remaking the Space Between Us: How Citizens Can Work Together to Build a Better Future for All.”

For anywhere from $100 to $3,000 or more, you can get ready for doomsday with a prepper kit. Michael Mills, lecturer in criminology at the University of Kent, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the phenomenon of preparing for disaster, if this is unique to America or to a political party affiliation, and if stockpiling food and supplies actually does anything to relieve anxiety. 

Autocrats are rising across the globe — is democracy to blame? Anne Applebaum, staff writer at The Atlantic, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss dictators from Putin to Maduro, the networks they rely on, and why democracies around the world have been complicit in the rise of these despots. Her book is “Autocracy, Inc.: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World.”

Roxane Gay has written extensively about everything from Black feminism to office culture – and now she tackles a new topic: gun ownership. The author and contributing opinion writer for The New York Times joins host Krys Boyd to discuss her surprise at the thrill of shooting, why owning a gun is a political act for a Black American and what “stand your ground” laws mean to her. She writes about this in “Stand Your Ground,” an ebook/audiobook original essay found on the subscription service Everand.

One underreported fact about obesity: you could have it and still be considered healthy. Christie Aschwanden is host and producer of “Uncertain,” a podcast from Scientific American. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what being overweight and metabolically healthy means, why BMI might not be a great tool for understanding health and body size, and what new research is revealing about the how weight and health intersect. Her article is “People Who Are Fat and Healthy May Hold Keys to Understanding Obesity.”

As our understanding of gender evolves, it’s important for caretakers of young people to understand this new reality. Diane Ehrensaft is a developmental and clinical psychologist and the cofounder and director of mental health at the Child and Adolescent Gender Center, as well as professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how to support a child exploring gender and why expressing gender in new ways might signal a cultural zeitgeist. Her book, written with co-author Michelle Jurkiewicz, is “Gender Explained: A New Understanding of Identity in a Gender Creative World.”