In part two of this collaboration with WNYC’s On The Media, Claudine Gay is accused of academic plagiarism, just days after giving testimony to Congress. The drip-drip of new allegations keeps the story in the headlines. It also reinforces critics’ allegation that Gay is a “diversity hire,” unworthy of the job. We hear from two of the writers who broke that news, and from a defender of Harvard’s diversity efforts.

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In part one of this collaboration with WNYC’s On The Media, Claudine Gay’s history-making inauguration as Harvard’s first Black president in September 2023 is seen by many as an inspirational moment for the university. 

But by December 2023, that hope sours as her presidency becomes a proxy battleground for American culture wars 

After war breaks out in the Middle East, Gay struggles to navigate  bitter campus  protests over war, anti-semitism, free speech, and the proper role of the university. The tensions are on full display when Gay testifies under oath, providing legalistic answers to outraged members of Congress. 

Claudine Gay’s short tenure as Harvard’s 30th president, a job she started two days  after the Supreme Court struck down Harvard’s program of race-based affirmative action, is seen by some as a symbol of what’s wrong with diversity efforts. 

It’s also a warning to all colleges and universities, who face a hostile incoming administration which has pledged to use its power to bring them into line.

This series slows down the whipsaw chain of events to bring listeners direct eyewitness accounts of what happened, from professors, wealthy donors, and spiritual leaders.

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Universities have become a battlefield in the American culture wars in a way that’s dramatic and new. In the past year, Congress subpoenaed and investigated the inner workings of private colleges for the first time; four ivy league presidents quit their jobs amid mounting pressure and many institutions rolled back their commitments to be welcoming places for all. Meanwhile, President-elect Trump campaigned to “reclaim” universities from the “Marxist maniacs and lunatics.” This series brings all of that into focus by examining the short, troubled tenure of Harvard’s 30th president, Claudine Gay. She started the job two days after the Supreme Court struck down Harvard’s program of race-based affirmative action. By the time Gay resigned, she had been tarred as a symbol of what’s wrong with diversity efforts.

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Donald Trump is poised to become the 47th president of the United States after one of the most turbulent election cycles in modern history. So to make sense of it all, today we’re bringing you a special edition of Boston Globe Today, Boston Globe’s daily news show… I had the pleasure of hosting this post-election 2024 episode. Have a listen for some great analysis from some of the Boston Globe’s best political minds.

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A young police officer unexpectedly finds herself back in New Hampshire, and she’s not the same person she was when she left. Something happened to her – to all of us. But for Officer Emelia Campbell, this thing still lives in her brain and her body.

Lauren Chooljian of NHPR's Document team brings you Emelia’s story of survival and resilience in the wake of Jan. 6, 2021.

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As one of the most provocative religious organizations in the country, the Satanic Temple is no stranger to inciting controversy - it’s one of their main tactics.

In this podcast episode, Globe Magazine's Annalisa Quinn I contemplate religious freedom, democracy, and the fundamentals of the first amendment through the surprising lens of Satanism. And constitutional scholars Steven K. Green and Frank S. Ravitch help me understand the history and legal standing of the constitutional right to religious freedom.

To read more about The Satanic Temple check out Annalisa Quinn’s profile of co-founders Lucien Greaves and Malcom Jarry in Globe Magazine.

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In the epilogue of “The Curse Breakers,” we turn to the fans. Red Sox Nation’s unwavering loyalty fueled the team's historic run in 2004. This episode brings their unforgettable stories to life: a daughter surprises her father with World Series tickets gifted by a Red Sox player. A husband shares how his wife, who was battling cancer, found much-needed escape in watching each night. We also hear the incredible story of a baby born during Game 4 of the World Series as the Sox secured their first championship in 86 years — symbolizing both new life and renewed hope.

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In the second installment of “The Curse Breakers,” follow the 2004 Red Sox from spring training to an unforgettable finish. With a team of scrappy players, the Sox embraced their "Idiots" persona and faced adversity head on. The drama peaks in the American League Championship Series, when the Sox mounted an impossible comeback against the archrivals Yankees in one of the greatest playoff battles ever. From heartbreak to hope, the Red Sox finally win the World Series, breaking the “Curse of the Bambino” and claiming their first title in 86 years.

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The debut episode of “The Curse Breakers” chronicles the history of the Boston Red Sox, from the start of the ball club and the trade of Babe Ruth — “The Great Bambino” — through the decades of painful losses leading up to 2003. From humiliating defeat to near misses, the “Curse of the Bambino” haunted the team and its fans with bitter memories of crushing defeats. The episode dives into the Sox's most agonizing moments, setting the stage for the team’s epic comeback. Hear from fans, journalists, and players as they recount the weight of the heartbreak before everything changed.

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For nearly a century, the Boston Red Sox were defined by futility and near misses. From crushing losses in the 1940s to the heartbreak of 1975, from Bucky Dent in 1978 and the infamous "Buckner Game" in 1986 to Aaron Boone’s blast in 2003, Red Sox fans knew what it meant to lose painfully. All of it was blamed on the “Curse of the Bambino,” a hex said to have haunted the team ever since they traded Babe Ruth to their archrivals in 1920. The Yankees flourished, while the Sox struggled to escape the curse's grip.

But in 2004, everything changed.

“The Curse Breakers” relives the unforgettable journey of the 2004 Red Sox — a team of misfits and underdogs known as "the Idiots" — who defied the odds to break the curse that had loomed over Fenway Park for 86 years. With insights from key players, coaches, die-hard fans, and Boston Globe journalists, the series takes you behind the scenes of one of the greatest sports stories ever told.

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