Viewpoints Radio
Award-winning reporting on current issues featuring America's leading experts.
Opera is a beloved art form, but its racial history is as flawed as the rest of our culture. We talk to Naomi Andre, a professor at the University of Michigan, about the history of race in opera and how this traditional art form is evolving with the times.
The perspectives of black authors are vital in understanding why racial bias still plagues our country. We offer up some timely recommendations to add to your 2021 reading list.
Segregation not only divides cities but leads to divided people as well. It fuels biases against people who may look or act different than us, leading to generations of inequity and discrimination. Viewpoints speaks with social justice activist, Tonika Johnson about the many impacts’ segregation has had on the city of Chicago.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere leading to a warmer planet. The largest source of greenhouse gas emissions due to human activities is from burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas for electricity, heat and transportation. In recent years, the increasingly dry and warm climate in the …
Reading the works of black authors is an important part to better understanding why racial inequities still plague our country. We offer up some recommendations to add to your reading list.
International influence is pervasive in today’s interconnected, social media-driven world. Swedish author Elisabeth Åsbrink joins Viewpoints to discuss how her home country of Sweden has changed in recent years, and the perception of the country versus the reality of what’s happening within its borders.
When we think of a typical high school football player, most of us imagine a sweaty, muscled teenage boy in a uniform. One of our guests this week is K-Lani Nava, the first female football player to play, score and win in a Texas high school state championship game. She, along with Dr. Christia Spears Brown, both discuss the importance of breaking gender …
Diversity in reporting is vital to news that showcases differing perspectives. We speak with Zahra Hankir, journalist and author of the new book, Our Women on the Ground, to learn more about some of the courageous female journalists who’ve risked their lives to report from within the Middle East during tumultuous periods. These women defy terrorists, the …
What exactly is implicit bias and how does it form? We breakdown this complicated issue and discuss why it’s so important for parents to address implicit bias with kids early on through candid conversations and exposure to diverse environments.
Student loan debt is set to skyrocket to two trillion dollars by 2022. We talk to students about their differing perspectives on financial aid and debt. We also speak with Mike Bartini, the director of student aid at Bowdoin College, about how important it is that students and families take time to focus on the financials of higher education before …
Many of us throw an emoji or two in a text or social media message to help get our point across. But do you ever wonder how emojis came about and why we pick certain ones over others? We speak with three experts about their rise in popularity and reflection of different cultures and generations.
Social media has become an all-consuming way of life for many. It’s hard to get away from unconsciously opening Facebook or Instagram throughout the day and scrolling through your feed. While social media can be positive, the unrealistic posts can also lead to damaging outcomes. We discuss its negative effects and the rise in the number of plastic surgery …
For decades, science fiction was a genre written almost exclusively by white males. Now, the genre is flourishing with diverse voices, thanks in part to the trailblazing writer Octavia E. Butler. Historian Gerry Canavan discusses the obstacles Butler faced and her legacy on one of the most popular genres in American literature.
Opera is a beloved art form, but its racial history is as flawed as the rest of our culture. We talk to Naomi Andre, a professor at the University of Michigan, about the history of race in opera and how this traditional art form is hopefully getting with the times.
Picture books can teach children valuable lessons that will stick with them for life. Our guests discuss the importance of producing books about social issues like race, gender, and disability. And how as a combination of text and images picture books have an advantage when it comes to depicting diversity.
For decades, science fiction was written almost exclusively by white males. Now, it is flourishing with diverse voices, thanks in part to the trailblazing writer Octavia E. Butler.
We talk to one expert about how cognitive diversity can improve the results for a school, business, or even an entire society.
Can race be taught as a school subject, like chemistry and foreign language? And if so, what kinds of curricula are best for making students understand how different races fit into and benefit society? We talk to two researchers about the answers to these questions and take a slightly different look at race, ethnicity, religion and how they affect our …
