EpisodeDrawing the Line: The Legacy of Warren Burger
Chief Justice Warren Burger presided over the Supreme Court from 1969-86, issuing/landmark decisions on abortion, pornography, and Constitutional questions related to Watergate. Law professor John Jeffries, who clerked in the Burger …
EpisodeBoth Sides Now: Multiculturalism in the Classroom
Many people feel multiculturalism is a plot by liberal professors to undermine the accomplishments of dead, white, European males. Not true, says George Mason historian Lawrence Levine, author of The Opening of …
EpisodePut to the Test: The Controversy over Standards of Learning
Racial and ethnic divisiveness made the creation of statewide standards for history in Virginia a lengthy and controversial process. Now some educators are calling for national standards. Are we up …
EpisodeIt’s a Small World: The Threat of Unchecked Population Growth
The world’s population is expected to double between 1990 and 2050, the shortest doubling rate in man’s history. The pressures on food and water supplies will be unprecedented. George Mason …
EpisodeThe Sky’s the Limit: The Role of the Heavens Across Cultures
From astrology to Zen, the heavens have been revered in every culture under the sun. Have Martian bacteria and multiple moon walks demystified the skies for modern man? University of …
EpisodeTis the Season: The Pleasures and Pitfalls of Gift-Giving
Part I: It may be the thought that counts, but often its the gift that gets sparks flying between the sexes. Virginia Commonwealth University marketing professor Pam Kiecker and Mary Washington College English …
EpisodeDark Passages: The Role of Evil in Literature
From ancient Greek epics to the latest best seller, depictions of evil have remained a staple of human literacy output. Why are we fascinated by what we fear? English professors Roy …
EpisodeE Pluribus Unum? Divisiveness and Defining America
Melting pot or seething cauldron? Americans strive to forge a national identity while clinging to their own ethnic, racial, social, political, historical, or sexual identities. University of Virginia historian James Davison …
EpisodeThe Shadow of a Doubt: Minorities and the Courts
The percentage of black inmates on death row is 10 times higher than that of whites. Penalties for possession or distribution of crack are much more severe than those for …
EpisodeInnocence Lost: The Politics of Child Abuse
Is child abuse in America on an alarming increase or merely better reported? Who stands to gain—or lose—in the debate? James Madison University psychologist Anne Stewart joins Virginia Commonwealth University sociologist David Stoesz, author …
EpisodeHome Improvement: Building Family Communication Skills
Kids say the darndest things. Sometimes so do their parents. Longwood psychologist David Stein specializes in family therapy, especially controlling difficult teens. He is joined by Mary Washington psychologist Thomas Moeller for a frank …
EpisodeSimply Irresistable: The Changing Face of Popular Culture
From cars to computers, from movies to murder trials, pop culture remains a vivid reflection of the best and worst that is America. Marshall Fishwick, Virginia Tech communications professor and author of The …
