Radio Times

Guest: Dolly Chugh

We are all biased — so social scientists tell us. Even the most well-intentioned among us are prone to making internal judgements based on someone’s race, ethnicity, or gender. But psychologist DOLLY CHUGH says that we can do a lot more to fight our impulses and confront bias in ourselves and the world around us. Chugh, an associate professor of management and organizations at the Stern School of Business at New York University, comes in this hour to talk about ways to spot bias and the actions we can take to be more inclusive. Her new book is, The Person You Mean to Be: How Good People Fight Bias.

Guests: Stephen Medvic, Chris Potter

We’re going to discuss Pennsylvania politics and the mid-term elections. Recent polls and the governor’s, U.S. Senate and some key local races. Our guests are STEPHEN MEDVIC, professor of government at Franklin & Marshall College, and CHRIS POTTER, politics and government editor for WESA-FM in Pittsburgh.

Guests: John Jarboe, Sally Ollove

Philadelphia’s Bearded Ladies Cabaret is debuting Do You Want a Cookie? at this year’s Fringe Festival. It’s a show celebrating the history and evolution of cabaret – from fin-de-siècle Paris and Weimar nightlife to 21st century drag. Set in an old Philly bicycle factory, the show features an international cast of cabaret artists. We’ll talk with the show’s co-creators, JOHN JARBOE and SALLY OLLOVE. 

Guest: David A. Kaplan

Barring some unforeseen circumstance, all indications point to the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to sit on the US Supreme Court.  His presence will have huge implications on the law of the land including reproductive rights, gun control, and executive power. President Trump’s two picks for the court will tip the balance in a conservative direction for a generation or more. How is it that one man, and the court he will likely serve, can alter the shape of a nation? Today our guest is DAVID A. KAPLAN, former legal reporter for Newsweek and author of The Most Dangerous Branch: Inside the Supreme Court’s Assault on the Constitution. His book, based on interviews with politicians and justices, explains the ways in which the judicial branch of the government has grown more powerful, more partisan and more political.

Guests: Jennifer Francis, Juliet Eilperin, Bill Dennison

By all accounts, summer 2018 was hot and steamy — not just in the U.S., but around the world. Record-breaking rainfall has also hit many parts of the globe, and, on the East Coast, we’re anxiously awaiting the arrival of Hurricane Florence. We’ll start off the hour talking about rising temperatures, wild weather and what it all tells us about climate change with Rutgers University research professor, JENNIFER FRANCIS. Then, we discuss the Trump administration’s efforts to roll back Obama-era environmental regulations, including those around coal-fired power plants. The Washington Post’s JULIET EILPERIN discusses the EPA proposals and how the challenges are being met in the courts. Finally, we end the hour with some good news: the Chesapeake Bay’s health is improving. Efforts to control pollution have been successful and water clarity, oxygen levels, seagrass and oyster populations are rebounding. We will look at the Bay’s comeback and the threats that remain with BILL DENNISON, professor of marine science at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science.

Guests: Beth Devine, Travis Dorsch, Tom Farrey

Participation in youth sports is declining, particularly among low-income children, who are about half as likely to play organized sports as higher income kids. The cost of playing (clubs, travel, and equipment), access to good programs and facilities, and the intensity needed to compete these days are all part of the reasons so many children are shut out. But there are also pitfalls for kids who are able to compete. These include pressure to excel, time commitments, and injuries. This hour, we’ll talk about why fewer kids are playing, the equity gap, and the professionalization of youth sports. We’ll also discuss over-involved parents, crazy coaches, and how we can make kids sports fun again. We begin with BETH DEVINE, executive director of the Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative. She’s leading a new initiative, Game On Philly!, which is working on creating more accessible, quality youth sports programs in the city. Then, Utah State professor and sports psychologist TRAVIS DORSCH offers advice on how parents can support their children on the field and in the game. Finally, TOM FARREY, executive director of Sports& Society Program at Aspen Institute, discusses how to fix youth sports and why playing is so important for kids.

Guests: Jeffrey Rosen, Adam Serwer, Tyler Tynes

We’re going to delve into some of the biggest stories of the last week. First, we’ll talk about the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court nominees Brett Kavanaugh with JEFFREY ROSEN, President and CEO of The National Constitution Center. Then, ADAM SERWER of The Atlantic will give us his thoughts on the anonymous op-ed, allegedly written by a senior official in Trump’s White House, published in the New York Times. We’ll close out the hour discussing the ongoing controversy surrounding Colin Kaepernick, which was recently reignited by a Nike ad in which he was featured. TYLER TYNES, staff writer for SB Nation, will talk about the Kaepernick ad and about the nationwide debate surrounding the activist athlete.

Guest: Anand Giridharadas

Do-gooder billionaires–people like Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Michael Bloomberg, George Soros–often tout their commitment to social change, tackling inequities, and making the world a better place. But, ANAND GIRIDHARADAS argues that these global elites’ philanthropic work actually just preserves the status quo and benefits the wealthy and well-connected. In his new book, Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World, Giridharadas, a former New York Times journalist, explores the ways these social entrepreneurs either fool themselves or cover-up the fact that they may be causing a lot of the problems they claim to want to solve.

Guests: Massimo Faggioli, Rocco Palmo, Heidi Schlumpf

The Catholic Church is facing another crisis just weeks after a Pennsylvania grand jury report on clergy sexual abuse was made public. In a letter published over the weekend, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano accuses Pope Francis of covering up sexual abuse by a former U.S. cardinal. Francis supporters argue that the accusations are politically motivated and come from a long time Francis critic with a grudge against the pontiff. But others are calling for the pontiff’s resignation. This hour, we’ll discuss Vigano, the allegations, the rift between conservative and liberal Catholics, and what it all means for the pope’s future and that of the Catholic Church. Our guests are MASSIMO FAGGIOLI, professor of historical theology at Villanova University, ROCCO PALMO, who writes for the news site “Whispers in the Loggia,” and HEIDI SCHLUMPF, national correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter.

Guests: Steve Twedt, Marcel Bonn-Miller, Shalawn James

Medical marijuana was legalized in Pennsylvania more than 2 year ago. While dispensaries are opening, patients are signing up and physicians are getting registered, the roll out has caused some confusion and raised some questions including why no growers in Philadelphia. Today on the show, we’ll talk about the current state of prescription cannabis with Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter STEVE TWEDT. Also joining is medical researcher at The University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine, MARCEL BONN-MILLER, to tell us about the challenges of medical marijuana research. We’ll also hear from SHAWLAN JAMES – she is on the Medical Marijuana Advisory Board as a patient advocate, which helps guide the state in implementing medical marijuana laws.