Dark 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 …
Mineral Fights: The Role of Geology in Civil War Battles
Virginia was the most populous Southern state and the most agriculturally and industrially developed. But it wasn’t Virginia’s cities, farms or factories that set the stage for some of the …
Seeing Green: The Economics of Environmentalism
For more than 30 years, environmentalists have stressed the long-term benefits of environmentally friendly business practices, but has big business finally gotten the message? Some economists are even trying to …
Heal Thyself: Over-The-Counter Drugs and Alternative Medicines
Part I: With the explosion of over-the-counter drugs, consumers can treat dozens of illnesses that once required trips to the doctor. Dr. Graham Patrick, professor of pharmacology at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Medical …
E 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 …
The 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 …
Innocence 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 …
Home 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 …
Up a Creek: The Health of Virginia’s Waterways
Erosion, farm run-off, and expanding development are placing a strain on Virginia’s streams and rivers. Virginia State University marine scientist Barry Fox joins Virginia Tech wildlife scientist Richard Neves for a look at the …
Rival Visions: The Political Legacies of Adams and Jefferson
Few historians question the contributions of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson to democracy, but the two giants seldom saw eye to eye. Both were egotistical, opinionated, and downright ornery, and …
Simply 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 …
Replay: Risky Business: Storing Hazardous Chemicals and Waste
Part I: Virginia Tech environmental scientist David Conn discusses the dangers of above-ground storage of hazardous chemicals in Virginia and what can be done to prevent a potentially fatal accident. Find the segment …
Good Cops/Bad Cops: New Efforts to Prevent Police Misconduct
A nation was shocked to view the Rodney King video. Some argue that beatings of civilians by police officers seem sadly commonplace. What’s causing these apparent breakdowns? Criminal justice professors Tod …
What’s My Line? Managing Careers in the 21st Century
American businesses have been downsizing, right-sizing and, in some cases, capsizing for more than a decade. Some American workers are more anxious than ever. Virginia Military Institute economist Doug Woundy and Virginia …
Featured
Voices of Vietnam
The Vietnam War pulled America apart, dividing our country into factions. And yet, memories of the Vietnam War unite us. In a new eight-part special series, With Good Reason explores the unresolved tensions in our understanding of the war and the perspectives and people it forever changed.
