Why the History of Colonialism and Slavery in the Bahamas Matters to Hurricane Recovery

Guest: Christopher Jones, PhD, Assistant Professor of history, BYU

The official death toll of Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas is 50, but that number will likely be much higher as responders sift through the wreckage of communities on Grand Bahama Island and the Abaco Islands. More than 2,000people are missing. Food, water and electricity supplies have been disrupted. Thousands of people are in need of evacuation and shelter. International aid organizations, the US Coast Guard and even the cruise ship industry are helping with the relief effort. As we’ve seen after natural disasters in Haiti, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, the history of a place has affects its ability to recover.

David Sischo fights to Save Hawaiian Snails from Extinction

Guest: David Sischo, Snail Extinction Prevention Program (SEP) Coordinator with the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources

One is the loneliest number. And if you’re the last one of you’re the last of your kind, you’re not just lonely, you’re on the verge of extinction. That was the sorry fate of George –a Hawaiian tree snail, the last known member of his species. He died in January after spending all 14 years of his life in a captive breeding facility that was trying to save his species.

Staying Compassionate in the Face of Mass Suffering

Guest: Daniel Lim, PhD, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Empathy and Moral Psychology Lab, Pennsylvania State University

We are bombarded with stories of suffering in the news and on our social media feeds –and even in our personal circles. Researchers have noticed something strange about our ability to feel compassion for others: Compassion does not generally grow as the number of people suffering increases. Rather, we’re subject to something called “compassion fatigue” as the scale of suffering grows. Psychologist Daniel Lim’s research has identified some possible solutions to this –ways to help us feel more compassion for more people.

A View of Brexit from the Heart of the EU

Guest: Dirk Wouters, Ambassador of Belgium to the United States

Britain is set to leave the European Union on October 31, with or without a deal. The UK’s own government analysis says leaving without a deal could be extremely disruptive. So, a majority of Britain’s parliament has passed a law that forces Prime Minister Boris Johnson to go back to the EU and ask for another extension so they can work out a Brexit deal. The Prime Minister said he’d “rather be dead in a ditch” than do that. If he does go through with the ask, the rest of European Union will have to be unanimous in giving another extension. They’ve already done it twice. But there’s also some evidence EU members are getting weary of the Brexit drama. Why drag it out? 

When I Was White: A Complicated Personal Journey Across Race

Guest: Sarah Valentine, Author of “When I Was White”

Sarah Valentine grew up the white daughter of white parents in suburban Pittsburgh. But not everyone seemed to agree she was white. A high school guidance counselor suggested she apply for academic scholarships for minority students. “I don’t qualify for those,” was Valentine’s reply. One time her boyfriend’s black friend asked her point blank if she was black. “No,” was the reply. It wasn’t until Sarah Valentine was 27 and in graduate school that she learned the truth about her identity.