The Documentary Podcast: Archive 2014

Neal Razzell goes to work with Copenhagen’s hot dog vendors who tell how the humble sausage is a barometer for changing attitudes to class, identity and immigration.

Since the 18th Century, Tamil fishermen have claimed to navigate by the mysterious music of the singing fish of the Batticaloa lagoon in eastern Sri Lanka. The fishermen's ancient name for the creature is Oorie Coolooroo Cradoo (crying shells); scientists believe that the underwater choristers are some kind of fish. But, after 30 years of civil war and the ravages of the tsunami, does any evidence of this strange nocturnal chorus remain?

The rockets and missiles fly, from Israel into Gaza, from Gaza into Israel. It is the latest iteration of the conflict between Israel and its Arab neighbours, which has flared since the very founding of the Jewish state in 1948. Why does this particular conflict, above all others, attract the attention it does?

Tim Mansel on the lives of people in Sierra Leone as they face a three day "lock-down" designed to counter Ebola which has already killed nearly 500 of their compatriots.

In the late 1930's a young Mildred Cummings from Dayton, Ohio is barefoot, standing in the spotlight on stage, wearing that same old shabby dress and a broken straw hat. This is Little Miss Cornshucks and she has the audience in the palm of her hand, a unique act and larger than life personality. By the 1940's she made top-billing at nightclubs across America, performing heartbreaking ballads. But who remembers her now?

Music from the most promising bands of the Mexican music scene. Hear rapper Eptos One, the rock anthems of Zoé, Mexico’s biggest rock band, and happy-go-lucky artist Caloncho. Plus, we talk to the diva of Mexican pop, Julieta Venegas, Centavrus, Hello Seahorse and Little Jesus.

In Ivory Coast, men are going back to the classroom. It's an innovative project dubbed the 'school for husbands' - and designed to save the lives of mothers and children.

The legacy of jazz pianist James Booker. Classically trained in piano and a child prodigy, Booker toured with Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin and played on sessions with Fats Domino and Little Richard. But, gay at a time when homosexuality was a huge taboo and black in a divided America, Booker died alone, aged 43, after a life of drug and alcohol abuse.

After becoming a Paralympics champion, Oscar Pistorius rose to fame as the first double amputee to compete in the Olympics. He became a hero to millions – until the fateful night when he shot dead his girlfriend, the model Reeva Steenkamp.

Hilary Andersson investigates the more than one million mentally ill prisoners held in US jails and prisons, most of whom are incarcerated for relatively minor offences.