Think from KERA

Many Americans are looking to Inauguration Day with hope, while others are filled with dread. Michael Kirk joins us to talk about how the extreme partisanship from the recent election cycle has infiltrated nearly every area of our lives. He explores the topic in the two-night Frontline documentary “Divided States of America,” which airs on PBS stations Jan. 17 and 18.

Unrest in the Middle East and Africa has forced tens of thousands of refugees to flee their homelands in search of a peaceful existence. As the migration correspondent for The Guardian, Patrick Kingsley has traced their paths and documented their stories of survival. He joins us to talk about why the rest of the world can’t afford to ignore this humanitarian emergency, which he writes about in “The New Odyssey: The Story of the Twenty-First-Century Refugee Crisis” (Liveright).

LSD may trigger euphoria and joy in some, and anxiety, paranoia and delusions in others. In very small doses, though, some people have found it can boost productivity while providing a sense of calm. That was Ayelet Waldman’s experience. She joins us to talk about her monthlong experiment with microdosing – and about the history and mythology of LSD – which she writes about in “A Really Good Day: How Microdosing Made a Mega Difference in My Mood, My Marriage, and My Life” (Knopf).

Many hospitals are nonprofits or owned by large chains. Some facilities – particularly in smaller towns – though are owned by individuals who see them as a source of easy cash. And with little regulation, it’s common for these hospitals to fall into disarray. Dallas Morning News reporter Miles Moffeit joins us to talk about how mismanagement of these facilities is leaving some communities short on healthcare and jobs.

Martin Luther King Jr. emphasized nonviolent protests during the Civil Rights era. On MLK Day, Columbia University journalism professor and New Yorker staff writer Jelani Cobb joins us to talk about how Black Lives Matter, Occupy Wall Street and other groups are following Dr. King’s model. He’s in Dallas to deliver the keynote address at tonight’s Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture MLK Symposium.

For many undocumented immigrants, crossing the border into the U.S. is the culmination of a journey that can last hundreds or even thousands of miles. We’ll talk about what that trek is like with Texas Tribune reporter Alexa Ura, who followed refugees from Central America. We’ll also talk with Marco Malagón, who crossed the border from Mexico as a teenager, as well as immigration attorney Paul Zoltan.

With Netflix, smart phones and an endless Internet, there’s really no excuse for boredom. And yet it’s in that downtime – when we pause to reflect – that we actually grow. Eva Hoffman joins us this hour to talk about the importance of regularly unplugging and disengaging with life, which she writes about in “How to be Bored” (Picador).

For many of us, the two hardest words to say in the English language are “I’m sorry.” Psychologist Harriet Lerner joins us to talk about why it’s so tough to admit when we’re wrong – and why making amends is good for everyone. Lerner is the author of “Why Won’t You Apologize? Healing Big Betrayals and Everyday Hurts” (Touchstone).

Teacher attrition sits at about 8 percent a year. The discouraging piece of that statistic, though, is that two-thirds of those teachers are leaving the business out of dissatisfaction rather than retirement. We’ll talk about efforts to bridge the teacher gap with Kelly Kovacic, director of regional educator initiatives for Commit!; John Gasko, dean of the School of Education at the University of North Texas at Dallas; and DISD deputy superintendent Ivan Duran. They’ll take part in today’s Extra Yard For Teachers Legacy Summit in Dallas.

We all know people who freak out in even the most trivial situations.  And we’re in awe of those who tackle great challenges without breaking a sweat. UT-Dallas psychology professor Ian Robertson joins us to talk about the mental and physical benefits of embracing tension. He writes about the idea in “The Stress Test: How Pressure Can Make You Stronger and Sharper” (Bloomsbury USA).