Story in the Public Square

Ep. 202 | Originally aired: July 15-16, 2017 

Policy debates in Washington have long been dominated by think-tanks and academics who populate the marketplace of ideas. Daniel Drezner argues that new players are entering the field, such as global consultancies and billionaire-funded pet projects.

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Ep. 123 | Originally aired: June 24-25, 2017

Each year, the Pell Center at Salve Regina University presents the Pell Center Prize for Story in the Public Square to a storyteller whose work makes a vital contribution to the public dialogue. This year, we honor Daphne Matziaraki, a documentary filmmaker who reminds us of our shared humanity.

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Ep. 122 | Originally aired: June 17-18, 2017

The media’s role in modern American politics is that of investigator, arbitrator, and even king maker. Guest Thomas Patterson argues that, contrary to popular belief, media bias is not about left and right, but about positive and negative.

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Ep. 121 | Originally aired: June 10-11, 2017

Music and art, like storytelling, are distinctively human creations. Guest Joseph “Butch” Rovan works in both media to tell stories, challenge assumptions, and explore our humanity.

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Ep. 120 | Originally aired: June 3-4, 2017

In the aftermath of the Second World War, political leaders built a global system of free trade because they believed it was crucial to world peace. Like so much of the post-war order, that belief is under assault in the 21st century. Guest Karen Tramontano argues that free trade agreements can serve their original purpose even while helping workers.

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Ep. 103 | Originally aired: January 28-29, 2017

Science is simultaneously celebrated, ignored, and criticized in public life. In this episode of “Story in the Public Square,” hosts Jim Ludes and G. Wayne Miller sit down with Pulitzer-Prize winning science journalist Dan Fagin to better understand the power of science to explain the world around us, whether we like what it’s telling us, or not. 

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Ep. 108 | Originally aired: March 4-5, 2017

Everyone who has ever gone to school has something to say about teachers, about schools, and about education in general. But is popular opinion—fueled, often, by myth and anecdote—as valid as the considered judgments of educators and researchers? Educational leader Dr. Irvin Scott joins hosts Jim Ludes and G. Wayne Miller to help make sense of the education debate.

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Ep. 107 | Originally aired: February 25-26, 2017

This week we’re joined by a remarkably talented scholar and novelist whose work, whether for academic or popular audiences, traces the role of both narrative and truth in public life. Eric Bennett is the author of several books, including the novel A Big Enough Lie.

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Ep. 106 | Originally aired: February 18-19, 2017

With the transfer of power in Washington, the stories the United States tells the world are changing, too. Hosts Jim Ludes and G. Wayne Miller are joined by Katherine Brown, a public diplomacy professional who has served the United States from the corridors of Foggy Bottom to Kabul, Afghanistan.

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Ep. 105 | Originally aired: February 11-12, 2017

Politicians and voters may hate crime, but American audiences can’t get enough of shows like CSI or Law and Order. This week on “Story in the Public Square,” hosts Jim Ludes and G. Wayne Miller are joined by Marc Smerling, an Emmy-winning filmmaker who has intimately chronicled some of America’s most notorious criminals. 

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