Synopsis: Films like The Sting, Oceans’ 11, and American Hustle show con artists as charismatic heroes out to help the little guy get his due. Well, our guest says that they are charismatic, but they’re hardly heroes. She’ll explain the personalities of the con man and woman, tell us some of the techniques they use …
Continue reading 16-09 Segment 1: The Confidence Game: Why no one is immune
Synopsis: Cheetahs are the fastest of all land animals – they can reach speeds of up to 70 mph in short bursts. Despite their speed and hunting ability, cheetahs are endangered in Africa and Asia, and don’t breed especially well in captivity. In Africa, they can attack livestock herds for food, and that puts them …
Synopsis: At the beginning of the 20th century, the study of sociology was dominated by the University of Chicago and other, historically white universities. Scholars at these schools conducted “armchair” theorizing – developing theories without actually going into cities and towns to talk to the people they were studying. One man – an African-American …
Continue reading 16-08 Segment 1: W.E.B. Du Bois: The scholar denied
Synopsis: A great many books and films these days deal with a dark, forbidding world where young people are warring with the villainous adults to save civilization. Teens are drawn to these stories, but why? What is it about dystopian fiction that fascinates young people? We talk to two successful authors of these stories …
Continue reading 16-08 Segment 2: Teens and Dystopian Literature
Synopsis: Sex and labor trafficking are big business in the U.S. and around the world. Often it’s young people and immigrants who are forced to work in the sex industry or in sweatshops, restaurants and hotels with little pay, horrible hours and horrible living conditions. We talk to an author who’s experienced dealing with …
Continue reading 16-07 Segment 1: Human Trafficking: The problem and some solutions
Synopsis: About this time of year, New Year’s resolutions begin to wane -- and most die. How do you keep them going? And how can you make better ones that you’re more likely to keep in the future? Our guests give advice on crafting a goal and setting up a process that will help …
Continue reading 16-07 Segment 2: Keeping Those Resolutions: The key is low and slow
Synopsis: It’s campaign season, and we’re hearing from politicians about the wage gap between the top 1% of earners in this country and the rest of us. What is the gap? When did it begin to develop and why? And what can we do to narrow it? Our guests offer their opinions on the …
Continue reading 16-06 Segment 1: Wage Inequality: Why we have it and how to narrow it
