Reality TV may be popular around the world, but it's also roundly mocked as formulaic and contrived. So, can that kind of fragile fantasy world meaningfully influence reality? We look at the goals and impact of a UN-backed reality show called "Inspire Somalia," that attempted to model democracy and freedom in a country racked by decades of clan warfare and oppression by extremist groups like al-Shabab.

The Other Real World

Unseeable forces control human behavior and shape our ideas, beliefs, and assumptions. Invisibilia—Latin for invisible things—fuses narrative storytelling with science that will make you see your own life differently.

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If you're a kid and a terrible thing happens, what do you do to feel safe? If you're an adult, how do you offer guidance to the kids when you can't even make sense of what's happened—and when it's your job to act as a shield to the children? Those are some of the questions that animate Buffalo Extreme, a new series from NPR's Embedded. Buffalo Extreme follows a group of Black cheerleaders, their coaches and their mothers in the year after a racist mass shooting at a supermarket just three blocks away from their gym. Several former Invisibilia staff worked on this documentary series, and we're bringing you the first of three episodes. You can listen to the rest of the series in NPR's Embedded podcast.

Invisibilia Presents: Buffalo Extreme

In their final episode, Invisibilia searches for the right way to say goodbye.

The Goodbye Show

One Last Callout

This week, we're running an episode from our friends at It's Been a Minute that digs into the cultural phenomenon that is Real Housewives...and why so many of us can't look away.

It's Been A Minute: The molten center of 'The Real Housewives' multiverse

The new year is a time to be reflective and make changes - maybe to yourself or how you relate to others. With resolutions in mind, we bring you this NPR Life Kit episode exploring what attachment styles reveal about your relationships. Reported and guest hosted by our own Kia Miakka Natisse.

The Other Real World

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