Weekly podcast from public radio’s award-winning program Humankind
Demagogues
Pultizer Prize-winning historian Gordon Wood discusses how the founders of America intended to thwart the ascendance of demagogues, who could provoke mobs, in the fledgling democracy they were building. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
10/24/2024 • 29 minutes, 6 seconds
Right to Vote, Pt1
This program explores one of the most basic questions facing our democracy: who may participate? To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
10/17/2024 • 29 minutes, 29 seconds
William Ury
William Ury, the coauthor of “Getting to Yes,” a classic on negotiation, maintains that conflict is inevitable—and sometimes desirable—but that violent confrontation can be much more easily prevented than is commonly believed. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH […]
10/15/2024 • 28 minutes, 54 seconds
Solutions to Bullying
Although being teased and picked on are typical challenges for kids growing up, the effects can be traumatizing when a child is relentlessly bullied. The most common targets of bullying are young people who are perceived as gay, or who are disabled or overweight. But any kid who is singled out for harassment may feel […]
10/10/2024 • 29 minutes, 14 seconds
William Ury
The coauthor of “Getting to Yes,” a classic on negotiation, maintains that conflict is inevitable—and sometimes desirable—but that violent confrontation can be much more easily prevented than is commonly believed. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
10/3/2024 • 28 minutes, 54 seconds
Health Care with Kindness, Pt2
In the second half of this Humankind documentary, we listen to nurses in the Twin Cities who are drawn to their profession by compassion for patients. Providers reveal the difficulties of remaining emotionally “present” in a high-stress medical setting, and several patients tell what it’s like to be treated unkindly or to feel undervalued. We […]
9/26/2024 • 27 minutes, 9 seconds
Health Care with Kindness, Pt1
Patients often complain about rushed doctor visits and, of course, the cost of medical services. But a number of studies in recent years highlight a different concern: whether as a patient you actually experience kindness when receiving health care. In this Humankind documentary, we examine that challenge, from the perspective of both health care professionals – […]
9/19/2024 • 26 minutes, 29 seconds
The Present Moment – Jon Kabat Zinn
Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of the renowned Stress Reduction Clinic at the Univ. of Massachusetts Medical School, discusses how the technique of “mindfulness” can be physically and mentally therapeutic. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
9/12/2024 • 29 minutes, 11 seconds
Barely Getting By
In a country as wealthy as the United States, “working poor” should be a contradiction in terms. But tens of millions of Americans fall into that category, affecting a growing population of children. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with […]
9/5/2024 • 29 minutes, 24 seconds
Relaxed Focus, Pt2
In this provocative profile of David Allen, we hear the sounds of communications technology coming at us, and later we stroll through the peaceful garden in Ojai, California where for him “time disappears.” We also hear how he brilliantly defines the widespread problem of “overwhelm” along with very practical solutions that can increase relaxation for […]
8/29/2024 • 29 minutes, 10 seconds
Relaxed Focus, Pt1
How can we deal with the modern sense of feeling overloaded? It is emerging as a broad social problem that takes its toll on both work and home life—and can impinge on our ability to function with personal clarity. Best-selling author David Allen discusses new ways we all can learn to focus—in an age of […]
8/22/2024 • 29 minutes, 21 seconds
After-effects of War with Christal Presley
Christal Presley, an English teacher in Virginia who experienced “secondary trauma” in response to the extreme behavior of her father, a Vietnam-era veteran with PTSD, tells how the family began a journey of recovery. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association […]
8/15/2024 • 29 minutes, 14 seconds
Humor and Health
Because laughter is surely good medicine, we visit with professional comedians who are also cancer survivors, as well as a top surgeon at New York’s renowned Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, to understand the role of humor and a positive attitude in surviving the disease. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind […]
8/8/2024 • 29 minutes, 21 seconds
Doctor’s Movement to Avert Nuclear War, Pt 2
A Harvard medical professor tells the story of how he united with a Soviet cardiologist to launch a physicians movement to end nuclear war that recruited 150,000 doctors worldwide and won the Nobel Peace Prize. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in […]
8/1/2024 • 29 minutes, 11 seconds
Nonviolent Communication
It’s been said that we’ve learned how to speak but not necessarily how to communicate. Rarely are we taught the art of deep listening or how to respond to someone without accusation or blame or the ability to articulate our own needs without putting others on the defensive. To see additional resources and our other […]
7/25/2024 • 29 minutes, 23 seconds
Harlem Renaissance with Geoffrey Canada
Geoffrey Canada designated a crime-ridden 24-block area of New York as the Harlem Children’s Zone and works tirelessly to provide a healthier community for kids who are otherwise vulnerable to developmental and social ills. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association […]
7/18/2024 • 29 minutes, 11 seconds
Tracy Gary
Tracy Gary, Pillsbury heiress and noted philanthropist, calls charity the “new American dream” because it is uniquely able to create change in our world. A founder of over a dozen charities herself, Gary has given nearly all of her inheritance away. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard […]
7/11/2024 • 29 minutes, 21 seconds
The Meaning of America, Pt 2
“The Meaning of America”. Filmmaker Ken Burns, philsopher Jacob Needleman and others take us on a journey through the ideas and beliefs of America’s founders to understand their social and spiritual vision for the United States. Includes historic readings and the sounds of Independence Hall, Monticello and elsewhere. To see additional resources and our other […]
7/8/2024 • 28 minutes, 33 seconds
The Meaning of America, Pt1
On this special two-part episode of Humankind, we explore the basic American right of citizens to follow the dictates of their conscience in their own personal pursuit of happiness. Hear PBS Filmmaker Ken Burns (top), philosopher/historian Jacob Needleman, and the words of America’s founders, as we try to uncover the true meaning of America. To see additional resources […]
7/4/2024 • 28 minutes, 55 seconds
Urban Naturalist with Mike Houck
The integration of the man-made and the natural environments constitutes a green infrastructure we should restore and preserve for the sake of more livable communities, and as an act of social justice in the interest of low-income people unable to take expensive vacations in distant rural locales. To see additional resources and our other programs, […]
6/27/2024 • 29 minutes, 10 seconds
Search for Well-Being, Pt4
Amid medical bureaucracy, the patient’s humanity can get lost. What are the obstacles? How is information and support conveyed to the patient? We look at some solutions. We also learn about the fascinating health benefits of common integrative techniques such as acupuncture, meditation and stress management. To see additional resources and our other programs, please […]
6/20/2024 • 29 minutes, 21 seconds
Search for Well-Being, Pt3
In this segment, we visit medical students at the third largest U.S. college campus, Ohio State University in Columbus, who are committed to a greater focus on wellness. We hear their vision of health care in the future. Medical education is in transition—but not rapidly enough, according to several other reformers we’ll hear. To see […]
6/13/2024 • 29 minutes, 8 seconds
Search for Well-Being, Pt2
The practice of integrative medicine has achieved high success with heart patients and is now covered by Medicare. We hear from Doctors, patients and other experts about how this practice fits into today’s healthcare landscape. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in […]
6/6/2024 • 29 minutes, 27 seconds
Search for Well-Being, Pt1
More than three-fourths of U.S. medical costs are attributed to largely-preventable illnesses related to our lifestyle behaviors – what we eat, whether we exercise, how we manage stress, if we smoke. Yet in most health care today, visits to the doctor are often too brief to get a handle on these complicated challenges. The focus […]
5/30/2024 • 29 minutes, 13 seconds
The Rights of Civilians, Pt2
We learn about the birth of the International Criminal Court, how it operates, and how cases fall under its jurisdiction — all toward ensuring human rights for people who get caught up in the crossfire of war. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX […]
5/27/2024 • 24 minutes, 34 seconds
The Rights of Civilians, Pt1
Can the rule of law can help to limit the worst horrors of war — and hold transgressors accountable? This question may soon face Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, for whom the Hague prosecutor is seeking arrest warrants for war crimes. We also hear about the indictment of Vladimir Putin […]
5/23/2024 • 30 minutes, 6 seconds
The Garden Project with Cathrine Sneed
Step inside the garden of Cathrine Sneed, a prison social worker, who has found that when inmates leave their cells and connect with nature their rate of recidivism drops. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
5/16/2024 • 28 minutes, 48 seconds
Compassionate Presence
Perhaps more than any other trait in a spiritual caregiver, recipients of care yearn for the attention of an open-hearted person who can bear witness to their challenges. But what does it mean to bring that presence into an encounter with someone who may be up against adversity?Spiritual caregiving can offer deep personal rewards to […]
5/13/2024 • 33 minutes, 13 seconds
Whole Teachers – Whole Students, Pt2
In the second part of this Humankind documentary, we visit two venues where leaders are taking strides toward an enlightened educational experience for young people – and for faculty. The stories you will hear in each part are truly inspiring. But in the first case, it has meant coming to terms with, then gradually working past a […]
5/9/2024 • 26 minutes, 1 second
Whole Teachers – Whole Students, Pt1
Faced with the deep divisions roiling America, can education that is “pro-social” provide an alternative path for healing and understanding? And can schools cultivate students’ skills for social awareness and self-reflection? To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
5/2/2024 • 26 minutes, 38 seconds
Welcoming the Stranger
Several chaplains reflect in-depth on the experience of connecting with people who are facing challenges related to mental health, addiction and homelessness. We hear from a social worker, Larry Clum, who explores what it means to companion homeless people without an intent to “fix” their problem. To see additional resources and our other programs, please […]
4/29/2024 • 33 minutes, 57 seconds
Lovingkindness with Sharon Salzberg
Sharon Salzberg, an author and teacher of Buddhist meditation, describes the technique of “lovingkindness,” a way of seeing others and relating to oneself that allows the practitioner to get past resentments and have a clearer view of reality. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and […]
4/25/2024 • 29 minutes, 13 seconds
Diet-Climate Connection, Pt2
What was the carbon footprint of your dinner last night? Physician Walter Willett, who served as the long-time Nutrition Dept. chair at Harvard, describes the benefits of eco-friendly eating to your health and to the environment. And you’ll meet Olivia Calkins, Liam Reardon and Genesis Butler, youth activists for a “thriving planet”. To see additional resources and our other programs, […]
4/18/2024 • 27 minutes, 35 seconds
Diet-Climate Connection, Pt1
Agriculture is a huge emitter of greenhouse gases associated with climate change. This is an important emerging topic as Americans grapple with record-breaking heatwaves, drenching rains, coastal flooding, prolonged droughts, sprawling wildfires and other weather extremes as “the face of global warming”. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are […]
4/11/2024 • 26 minutes, 51 seconds
Safe Place in a War Zone
Rev. Chris Antal, a Unitarian Universalist minister, was drawn to service in response to the attacks of 9/11. He entered military chaplaincy partially as a way to help soldiers who are prone to harming themselves in the wake of war. In this profile, Rev. Antal also explores how he was drawn to faith-based engagement with […]
4/8/2024 • 33 minutes, 41 seconds
Count Your Blessings
Austrian-born author and Benedictine Brother David Steindl-Rast, recorded at his monastery near Corning, NY, believes that acquiring an attitude of “gratefulness” can calm the mind and give life a simple joy. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
4/4/2024 • 29 minutes, 23 seconds
Second Chances
This documentary explores the transition of a young mother from addiction treatment to a clean and sober life, with the help of a family mentoring program known as “shared family care.” To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
3/28/2024 • 29 minutes, 15 seconds
Green Congregations
Rev. Sally Bingham of San Francisco, lay organizer Steve MacAusland of Boston and members of a concerned church discuss the movement for a religious response to climate change that has spread to more than 4,000 U.S. congregations. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX […]
3/21/2024 • 29 minutes, 2 seconds
Health Inequality, Pt2
Nationwide, even with more people covered through the Affordable Care Act, nearly 28 million Americans remain without medical coverage. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
3/14/2024 • 29 minutes, 18 seconds
Health Inequality, Pt1
In this documentary, we ask why it is that the wealthiest Americans live as many as fifteen years longer than the poorest. It’s a troubling question at a time when income inequality has reached levels not seen since the run up to the Great Depression. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . […]
3/7/2024 • 29 minutes, 3 seconds
Taking Back Childhood
The author of “Taking Back Childhood,” education professor Nancy Carlsson-Paige, examines the impact on kids of media violence, overly structured school days and a culture that preaches rampant consumerism. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
2/29/2024 • 29 minutes, 23 seconds
Anthony Burns/Fugitive Slave
In this documentary we explore how federal courts enforced fugitive slave laws. Historians, actors and legal scholars re-create the famous case of a young escaped slave who was sent back by a Boston judge, provoking America’s largest abolitionist protest. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR […]
2/22/2024 • 29 minutes, 14 seconds
Rubin Carter’s Hurricane, Pt2
After a court declared his murder conviction a miscarriage of justice, Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter has been a tireless advocate for other wrongly-convicted inmates who face an uphill battle behind bars, in a nation that imprisons more people than any other. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on […]
2/21/2024 • 29 minutes, 14 seconds
Anthony Burns/Fugitive Slave
In this documentary we explore how federal courts enforced fugitive slave laws. Historians, actors and legal scholars re-create the famous case of a young escaped slave who was sent back by a Boston judge, provoking America’s largest abolitionist protest. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR […]
2/21/2024 • 29 minutes, 14 seconds
Rubin Carter’s Hurricane, Pt2
After a court declared his murder conviction a miscarriage of justice, Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter has been a tireless advocate for other wrongly-convicted inmates who face an uphill battle behind bars, in a nation that imprisons more people than any other. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on […]
2/15/2024 • 29 minutes, 14 seconds
Rubin Carter’s Hurricane, Pt1
As dramatized in a Bob Dylan song and ‘The Hurricane’ starring Denzel Washington, ex-prize fighter Rubin Carter tells how he was wrongly convicted of a triple homicide and ultimately exonerated by a federal judge, and trained his mind in prison to transcend hatred. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials […]
2/8/2024 • 29 minutes, 25 seconds
Equal Ground
The moving tale of the late Mae Bertha Carter, a sharecropper who raised thirteen children and also stood firm—against harassment—in her quest to integrate public schools in Sunflower County, Mississippi. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
2/1/2024 • 29 minutes, 11 seconds
Thich Nhat Hahn
We remember Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hahn, a best-selling author, Zen master and peacemaker, who taught part-time in the U.S. In this interview, he described lessons he learned about peacemaking that resulted from the Vietnam war. Hanh died in 2022 at age 95. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials […]
1/25/2024 • 28 minutes, 56 seconds
The Lost Cause, Pt2
We explore the bitter legacy of racial division left over from the Civil War and how it’s still affecting American life today. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
1/22/2024 • 24 minutes, 48 seconds
Moments of Truth w/Jean Shinoda Bolen
Bay Area author and psychiatrist Jean Shinoda Bolen explores the connection between a person’s emotional state affects their physical health, and how “moments of truth” may be revealed when facing dire illness. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH […]
1/18/2024 • 29 minutes, 46 seconds
The Lost Cause, Pt.1
Are we still living with the racial divide left over from the Civil War? This provocative audio documentary explores the history of a conflict that nearly tore America apart. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
1/15/2024 • 29 minutes, 14 seconds
The Literary Barber – Reuben Martinez
Announced as a winner of the prestigious MacArthur “genius” awards, colorful Rueben Martinez launched a literacy campaign from his small barber shop outside Los Angeles. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
1/11/2024 • 29 minutes, 41 seconds
Spiritual but not Religious
A conversation with Bradley University Prof. Robert Fuller who has studied a large sector of Americans who regard themselves as spiritually inclined, but who do not affiliate with organized religion. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
1/4/2024 • 29 minutes, 58 seconds
A Humankind Sampler
Listen to these extraordinary excerpts from Humankind: how victims overcome hatred, the triumph of a child with disabilities, how a fractured family experienced healing, and more. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
12/28/2023 • 33 minutes, 8 seconds
The Christmas Truce
Over a century later, we recall the remarkable Christmas Truce that spontaneously occurred — contrary to orders — among opposing troops in the frozen WWI battlefield of Flanders, Belgium. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
12/25/2023 • 29 minutes, 52 seconds
The Illumination of Rumi
To the astonishment of publishers, Jalaluddin Rumi has become the best-selling poet in America. Rumi’s sensational popularity is notable not only because of its content—an intoxicated, rapturous love letter to the divine—but also because his mystical poems were written in Persian in the 13th century. To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . […]
12/21/2023 • 29 minutes, 52 seconds
Reclaiming the Holidays
Author Annie Leonard, whose film “The Story of Stuff” has had over 10 million hits online, discusses ways to reduce the huge environmental toll from holiday-related purchases, but still connect with loved ones. To view additional resources for this episode please visit our website at humanmedia.org. Human Media performs public broadcasting productions and distribution activities in association with WGBH/Boston, […]
12/18/2023 • 29 minutes, 52 seconds
High School Pressure Cooker
This episode examines the level of stress experienced by many secondary school students in America. We probe the causes and effects. And we look at positive coping skills kids can learn—and ideas on how to restructure school life to minimize stressful conditions. To view additional resources for this episode please visit our website at humanmedia.org. Human Media […]
12/14/2023 • 29 minutes, 52 seconds
Steps to Recovery, Pt2
In the second half of our documentary on the history of Alcoholics Anonymous, we examine the AA recovery principles that have promoted sobriety for millions of recovering alcoholics and have created a template to help people worldwide who struggle with many forms of addiction. To view additional resources for this episode please visit our website at humanmedia.org. […]
12/7/2023 • 29 minutes, 53 seconds
Steps to Recovery, Pt1
Alcoholics Anonymous marks its beginning when one hopelessly addicted drunk realized that connecting with a fellow-sufferer would create a safe zone in which both could stop their downward spiral. To view additional resources for this episode please visit: humanmedia.org/EPISODEPAGELINK Follow “Humankind on Public Radio” at: https://www.humanmedia.org/podcast/ Human Media performs public broadcasting production and distribution activities in association […]
11/30/2023 • 29 minutes, 51 seconds
An Attitude of Gratitude
New research suggests that people who actively cultivate gratitude in their lives become both more content and physically healthier, but Oakland, California writer Catherine Price wanted to find out for herself. To view additional resources for this episode please visit: humanmedia.org/EPISODEPAGELINK Follow “Humankind on Public Radio” at: https://www.humanmedia.org/podcast/ Human Media performs public broadcasting production and distribution activities […]
11/23/2023 • 29 minutes, 45 seconds
Helping Prisoners to Heal, Pt2
More than a million Americans are locked in jails and prisons. Helping them recover from earlier trauma can safeguard society. Hear the stories of ex-prisoners who’ve begun to heal, through the inspired work of Robin Casarjian. To view additional resources for this episode please visit: humanmedia.org/EPISODEPAGELINK Follow “Humankind on Public Radio” at: https://www.humanmedia.org/podcast/ Human Media performs public […]
11/16/2023 • 22 minutes, 52 seconds
Helping Prisoners to Heal, Pt1
More than a million Americans are in jails and prisons — a human tragedy. Many committed grave offenses. Some have experienced racial disparities at the hands of courts and police. They may have endured deep emotional wounds as children; a high number of inmates were abused. Many are caught up in addiction from opioids to alcohol. People […]
11/9/2023 • 32 minutes, 25 seconds
JoBeth Walt
A woman who was severely burned in an accident reveals her personal journey of healing and self-acceptance and describes what she’s learned from working with young people who are also coping with burns. To view additional resources for this episode please visit: humanmedia.org/EPISODEPAGELINK Follow “Humankind on Public Radio” at: https://www.humanmedia.org/podcast/ Human Media performs public broadcasting production and […]
11/2/2023 • 29 minutes, 38 seconds
Horizons of Attention with David Allen
Learning how to focus on different life horizons—from daily responsibilities to broader personal goals—is covered in this enlightening dialogue about “Making It All Work,” the new book by best-selling author David Allen. To view additional resources for this episode please visit: humanmedia.org/EPISODEPAGELINK Follow “Humankind on Public Radio” at: https://www.humanmedia.org/podcast/ Human Media performs public broadcasting production and distribution […]
10/26/2023 • 29 minutes, 53 seconds
Helen Keller, Pt 2 The Adult Years
Stricken blind and deaf by a fever at infancy, Helen Keller once described herself as “an optimist in spite of all.” This truly inspiring biography recounts how Keller emerged from solitary confinement in silent darkness to become one of the 20th century’s greatest women and greatest human spirits. To view additional resources for this episode […]
10/19/2023 • 29 minutes, 49 seconds
Diet and Health, Pt 2
We examine current federal dietary recommendations that Americans significantly increase our intake of vegetables and fruits, and – particularly for men and boys – to cut back on consumption of protein. Yet, sale of meat products is setting records. And the portion sizes served in restaurants are often twice and sometimes triple what we need […]
10/12/2023 • 29 minutes, 44 seconds
Diet and Health, Pt 1
In this Humankind documentary, we hear from a growing movement of physicians and others who — concerned by the rising rates of obesity, diabetes and heart disease — are placing greater emphasis on advising patients about more healthful eating. But changing our diets is notoriously difficult, especially in a culture that heavily promotes unhealthy foods. […]
10/5/2023 • 29 minutes, 46 seconds
Dignity with Donna Hicks
Donna Hicks, author of Dignity, recounts her experiences as an international conflict mediator that led her to an understanding of how an assault on the dignity of a person or a group must be healed, before strife can stop. To view additional resources for this episode please visit: humanmedia.org/EPISODEPAGELINK Follow “Humankind on Public Radio” at: https://www.humanmedia.org/podcast/ Human […]
9/28/2023 • 29 minutes, 52 seconds
Maintaining Focus with Daniel Goleman
Former NY Times science reporter Daniel Goleman, the best-selling author of Emotional Intelligence, discusses current research on the importance and mechanics of attaining personal focus. To view additional resources for this episode please visit: humanmedia.org/EPISODEPAGELINK Follow “Humankind on Public Radio” at: https://www.humanmedia.org/podcast/ Human Media performs public broadcasting production and distribution activities in association with WGBH/Boston, NPR and […]
9/21/2023 • 29 minutes, 51 seconds
Equal Ground
The moving tale of the late Mae Bertha Carter, a sharecropper who raised thirteen children and also stood firm—against harassment—in her quest to integrate public schools in Sunflower County, Mississippi. To view additional resources for this episode please visit: humanmedia.org/EPISODEPAGELINK Follow “Humankind on Public Radio” at: https://www.humanmedia.org/podcast/ Human Media performs public broadcasting production and distribution activities in […]
9/18/2023 • 29 minutes, 42 seconds
Proverbial Wisdom
Elementary school students learn about ethics, language and common sense when a folklorist leads them through a fascinating exploration of age-old wisdom sayings and their relevance to everyday life. To view additional resources for this episode please visit: humanmedia.org/EPISODEPAGELINK Follow “Humankind on Public Radio” at: https://www.humanmedia.org/podcast/ Human Media performs public broadcasting production and distribution activities in association […]
9/14/2023 • 30 minutes, 4 seconds
Interfaith Understanding on Campus
We hear from chaplains and students on a college campus (Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennesee) with a long tradition of promoting dialogue among various groups. To view additional resources for this episode please visit: humanmedia.org/EPISODEPAGELINK Follow “Humankind on Public Radio” at: https://www.humanmedia.org/podcast/ Human Media performs public broadcasting production and distribution activities in association with WGBH/Boston, NPR and […]
9/7/2023 • 33 minutes, 26 seconds
Free Time/Free People
Overworking has become a cultural norm in Rabbi Arthur Waskow’s opinion. Waskow’s coalition “Free Time/Free People” is spearheaded by members of various faiths, and insists that a workable culture must actually work less, and a functional population functions best when there’s less to do. . A timely and persuasive philosophy, Waskow and his associates urge […]
9/6/2023 • 30 minutes, 8 seconds
Connections that Heal
At the typical nursing station of today’s hospitals, it can sometimes seem like high-tech medical machinery supersedes a personal connection between the patient and nurse or other health care professional. But for many caregivers, that one-to-one relationship is the essence of their service. To view additional resources for this episode please visit: humanmedia.org/EPISODEPAGELINK Follow “Humankind on […]
8/31/2023 • 31 minutes, 53 seconds
Listeners, Pt2
What does it mean to set aside one’s own agenda and truly focus on another person, perhaps someone who is suffering?
8/24/2023 • 29 minutes, 34 seconds
Listeners, Pt1
There’s a kind of mystery in sitting calmly, patiently, attentively and tuning into someone else’s personal story and life journey. In this special program, you’ll hear the reflective insights of people who listen for a living: physicians, counselors and clergy. To view additional resources for this episode please visit: humanmedia.org/EPISODEPAGELINK Follow “Humankind on Public Radio” at: https://www.humanmedia.org/podcast/ […]
8/17/2023 • 29 minutes, 46 seconds
Encore Careers
Although many people crave the break from daily work they receive upon retirement, in some cases the experience of an “endless vacation” eventually causes individuals to feel purposeless. Marc Freedman has been tracking the trend of seniors returning to the workforce to give something back to society in areas such as education, health care, and […]
8/10/2023 • 29 minutes, 50 seconds
Doctors’ Movement to Avert Nuclear War
This program recounts how American and Soviet physicians joined together on a mission to educate their governments and their peoples about the medical effects of nuclear war beginning in the early 1960s. Calculating the medical consequences of a nuclear war eventually led to the founding of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, […]
8/3/2023 • 29 minutes, 47 seconds
Mindful Parenting
Parenting today is performed in the face of an almost impossible arsenal of influences. Such influences can cloud, distract, and even displace the parent from his or her greatest responsibility: guidance. The Kabat-Zinns, a couple from Lexington, MA, authors, and parents, reach out to their fellow parents in this thoughtful and clarifying episode of Humankind. […]
7/27/2023 • 30 minutes, 12 seconds
The Clash of Science and Ethics
We consider the moral implications of scientific research, especially when the aim is to develop military arms. Are the scientists involved morally responsible for the use of these weapons on civilians? Author and historian Robert Neer recounts the top-secret research conducted at Harvard in the early 1940s, which yielded the weapon napalm. We also hear […]
7/24/2023 • 30 minutes, 47 seconds
Dorothy Day, Pt2
This is the second part of our special on the revered journalist and ‘Catholic Worker’ founder Dorothy Day. Recalling the words of her grandmother, Kate Hennessy recalls, “She always said they did not intend to start a soup line. They did not intend to open up houses of hospitality. That this just happened because of […]
7/20/2023 • 30 minutes, 8 seconds
Dorothy Day, Pt1
When Pope Francis addressed Congress in 2015, he cited four great Americans: President Abraham Lincoln, civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., theologian Thomas Merton, and Dorothy Day, the famous writer and activist. Day, who died in 1980 at age 83, was a remarkable 20th century figure: journalist and founder of the “Catholic Worker” movement, […]
7/13/2023 • 29 minutes, 49 seconds
Jailhouse Chaplains
The United States incarcerates more people than any other nation in the world. Some in this diverse population are dangerous and apparently don’t seek rehabilitation to a more productive life. For many others, though, incarceration is a forced opportunity for self-examination and positive change – a process that can be supported and stimulated by spiritual […]
7/6/2023 • 35 minutes, 48 seconds
An Informed Republic, Pt2 with Sandra Day O’Connor
America’s founders recognized that without a king, the fledgling nation would need an informed citizenry—or their bold experiment in democracy would fail. So in early America, the government subsidized newspapers, established the postal system to facilitate information flow and drew up plans for public education. But now in the digital age, does the demise of […]
6/29/2023 • 29 minutes, 39 seconds
The Unabomber’s Brother, Pt2
The second part of our documentary on the brother of Unabomber Ted Kaczynski who reminds us that, “We’ve got to take back the ideal of justice, we’ve got to take back this principle of human dignity. We’ve got to take it back from vengeance, from hatred, we’ve got to say: look, we’re all in this […]
6/26/2023 • 30 minutes, 26 seconds
Women of Faith
Actress Joanne Hamlin looks at the role of outstanding women in America’s spiritual history. Among other women of strong faith, Hamlin re-creates the life and philosophy of Christian Science founder, Mary Baker Eddy. To view additional resources for this episode please visit: humanmedia.org/EPISODEPAGELINK Follow “Humankind on Public Radio” at: https://www.humanmedia.org/podcast/ Human Media performs public broadcasting production and […]
6/22/2023 • 30 minutes, 19 seconds
The Unabomber’s Brother, Pt1
In a remarkable contrast within one family, we meet social worker David Kaczynski, who in early 1996 had a “dark night of the soul” when he realized that his older brother Ted was the “Unabomber,” a serial murderer. Supported by his wife, and later by his mother, David felt compelled to notify federal authorities, leading […]
6/19/2023 • 30 minutes, 26 seconds
Defending the Poor
Our system of public defenders—who provide legal representation to indigent clients—is widely regarded as malnourished due to inadequate funding. On the fiftieth anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that affirmed the right to a fair trial as guaranteed by the Constitution’s Sixth Amendment, Eric Holder, then U.S. Attorney General, pronounced the system to be in […]
6/15/2023 • 29 minutes, 33 seconds
Society of Friends
We hear diverse voices of Quakerism, known as The Society of Friends, a rich American tradition dating to before the United States was founded. The Friends have long been a vocal presence in expressing concerns about warfare, inequality, and prejudice. To view additional resources for this episode please visit: humanmedia.org/EPISODEPAGELINK Follow “Humankind on Public Radio” at: https://www.humanmedia.org/podcast/ […]
6/8/2023 • 29 minutes, 28 seconds
Humor and Health
Because laughter is surely good medicine, we visit with professional comedians who are also cancer survivors, as well as a top surgeon at New York’s renowned Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, to understand the role of humor and a positive attitude in surviving the disease. To view additional resources for this episode please visit: humanmedia.org/EPISODEPAGELINK Follow “Humankind […]
6/1/2023 • 29 minutes, 53 seconds
Living on the Edge, Pt2
Most of us hold misconceptions about who is struggling to get by on low income, and whether the social safety net — intended to prevent vulnerable people from falling through the cracks — is actually adequate. The number of folks using these services has noticeably increased as the Covid-19 crisis has tapered off. At the […]
5/25/2023 • 23 minutes, 50 seconds
Meeting Hate with Love, Pt1
This public radio documentary explores the practice of nonviolence in the quest for justice and equality. You’ll hear archival sound from the U.S. civil rights movement, including interviews with associates of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.: Dr. Vincent Harding, a King speechwriter and first director of the King Center in Atlanta; Dorothy Cotton, who served as Education Director […]
5/22/2023 • 29 minutes, 56 seconds
Living on the Edge, Pt1
Over a third of Americans lack sufficient savings to handle a $400 emergency. In this revealing public radio documentary, we consider the plight of tens of millions of Americans living on the edge of poverty. They may be among your family members or neighbors. To view additional resources for this episode please visit: humanmedia.org/EPISODEPAGELINK Follow “Humankind […]
5/18/2023 • 29 minutes, 8 seconds
Meeting Hate with Love, Pt2
Dr. Arun Gandhi, as a troubled youth was tutored for an hour each day by his famous grandfather Mahatma Gandhi. The experience transformed Dr. Gandhi’s life. He was interviewed at the University of Rochester, where he led the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence. In May 2023 Arun Gandhi passed away at age 89. To view […]
5/15/2023 • 30 minutes, 20 seconds
Avoiding Burnout
A core principle of David Allen’s approach to “getting things done”—his remarkable and hugely popular system for stress-free productivity—is to keep focused on the process of working through the items in our personal list of unfinished business. But Allen says taking care of business can’t be relentless. Human beings are constructed to need breaks, time […]
5/11/2023 • 29 minutes, 52 seconds
Upholding Human Rights
More than two decades have elapsed since the historic creation in 2002 of the UN’s International Criminal Court (ICC), headquartered in The Hague. The Court was intended to investigate allegations of the worst human rights crimes (including genocide and war crimes) and to be a forum where victims can tell their truths and obtain justice. […]
5/4/2023 • 29 minutes, 51 seconds
First Responders
From firefighters to police officers to the Red Cross and many others, First Responders play an essential role in protecting public safety and helping people cope with emergencies. In this documentary, we consider the work of providers of disaster spiritual care. These folks look after both survivors of tragedies and the responders, who are sometimes […]
4/27/2023 • 35 minutes, 31 seconds
The Way of Tao, Pt 2
To faithfully carry the meaning of Tao te Ching by Lao Tsu, Jonathan Star devoted 12 years to learning the ancient dialect in which the original Chinese text was written. The fruits of his labors have yielded perhaps the greatest-ever English version of a spiritual treasure. To view additional resources for this episode please visit: humanmedia.org/EPISODEPAGELINK […]
4/20/2023 • 29 minutes, 51 seconds
The Way of Tao, Pt1
Tao te Ching by Lao Tsu is the masterwork of Chinese philosophy. Its reflections on maintaining life’s delicate balance are as relevant today as when first written some 2,000 years ago. Next to the Bible, no other book has been more widely translated. Yet the Taoist wisdom ideas and sayings are often subtle and hard […]
4/13/2023 • 29 minutes, 52 seconds
The Practice of Forgiveness, Pt 2
Robin Casarjian tells of the deep trauma she experienced earlier in life, and how she was forced to work through what it means to let go. She explains that the origin of the word “resent” is to have a repeated feeling, and that resentment of a bitter event causes us to experience it over and […]
4/6/2023 • 29 minutes, 46 seconds
The Practice of Forgiveness, Pt 1
Most people regard forgiveness of others to be a virtue worth striving for, even as many of us struggle to forgive, especially when we’ve been deeply hurt. In this remarkable program, we examine misconceptions about forgiveness (that it is a form of excusing bad behavior) and explore how forgiving someone for misconduct can release us […]
3/30/2023 • 29 minutes, 59 seconds
Why Does God Allow Suffering?
Why does God allow suffering? This age-old question is considered by Rabbi Harold Kushner, author of “When Bad Things Happen to Good People,” who arrived at some soothing answers after facing his young son’s death.
3/23/2023 • 28 minutes, 43 seconds
Libraries Reimagined, Pt 4
Here we consider the constant imperative of distinguishing fact from falsehood online. How can we tell whether information is reliable? We’ll hear from the CEO who leads Wikipedia, which tests for valid information in the 50 million articles they’ve published online; a librarian who wrote the American Library Association poster, “How to Protect Yourself from […]
3/20/2023 • 25 minutes, 58 seconds
Libraries Reimagined, Pt 3
In this segment, we examine the importance of early literacy, starting with the simple act of reading aloud to a very young child. Librarians, pediatricians and others weigh in on how these bonding experiences demonstrate for children that reading can be a source of pleasure (just ask a toddler who requests to be read the […]
3/16/2023 • 27 minutes, 47 seconds
Libraries Reimagined, Pt 2
Sociologist Eric Klinenberg treats libraries as hallowed spaces. “We are sitting here today in an incredible public library solely because you and I have inherited from the generations that came before us an institution born of a principled commitment to advance the public good…because everyone should be able to make something better of themselves.”
3/13/2023 • 26 minutes, 38 seconds
The Medicine Garden, Pt 1
Herbal remedies: Do they work? Are they safe? In The Medicine Garden, a special series drawn from our archives, you’ll take a fascinating tour of this relatively low-cost form of health care. It’s an approach to healing that has become enormously popular among Americans dissatisfied with conventional medicine.
1/2/2023 • 29 minutes, 5 seconds
Practicing Prevention with Ralph Snyderman
In this episode, we hear from physician Ralph Snyderman, MD, a proponent of preventive medicine, who believes that our health care system should place greater emphasis on preventive practices (such as healthy diet and stress management), because it is more humane to avoid disease than to cope with it, and because it is a far […]
12/8/2022 • 29 minutes, 47 seconds
Constant Emergency Pt1
Have we entered an age of unrelenting chaos? As we grope for a “new normal”, has humanity reached a kind of turning point? In this timely audio documentary, you’ll hear inspiring stories of survivors. We also listen to health care providers, clergy and others who offer specific guidance to help people navigate these choppy waters. […]
7/21/2022 • 28 minutes, 7 seconds
Seeds of Peace
Take a trip to a pristine spot in Maine for an afternoon spent with Palestinian and Israeli youth as they come together to play, connect, and discuss the imperiled region they struggle in eleven months out of the year. Despite the hardened conditions in which they were raised, the teenagers here reveal an innocence and […]
7/21/2022 • 29 minutes, 50 seconds
Constant Emergency, Pt2
As we grope for a “new normal”, has humanity reached a kind of turning point? It feels that way — in the wake of the Covid pandemic, intensifying impacts of climate change, the war in Ukraine, mounting threats to our democracy, repeated mass shootings and so much more. In this second part of our documentary, […]
6/23/2022 • 27 minutes, 1 second
Healing the Trauma of War, Pt1
After war, our veterans face a new battle: emotional and spiritual conflict that is normal to human beings who’ve experienced intense brutality. In this documentary, we examine the effects of military violence and how people begin the journey of healing from it. We hear deeply moving stories of veterans who served in Iraq, Afghanistan and […]
6/23/2022 • 29 minutes, 39 seconds
Books to Prisoners
The Prisoners Literature Project, an all-volunteer service based in Berkeley, California, packages and ships books to people who are incarcerated, as a humanitarian gesture and one that helps inmates prepare for re-entry into society.
6/9/2022 • 29 minutes, 47 seconds
Uncommon Ground, Pt1
In the wake of shocking violence at abortion clinics, two apparent enemies — women representing pro-choice and pro-life factions in the Boston area, where shootings had occurred — were forced to communicate, for the sake of everyone’s safety. What unfolded over many months was one of the most mysterious and moving conversations among people of […]
5/30/2022 • 27 minutes, 40 seconds
After-Effects of War with Christal Presley
Christal Presley, an English teacher in Virginia who experienced “secondary trauma” in response to the extreme behavior of her father, a Vietnam-era veteran with PTSD, tells how the family began a journey of recovery.
12/16/2021 • 30 minutes, 24 seconds
Rubin Carter’s Hurricane, Pt 2
Following incarceration in New Jersey for a multiple homicide he did not commit, Rubin Carter managed to emerge from prison in 1985 with an astounding attitude about life. A famous prize-fighter on the outside, Carter suffered great deprivation behind bars: Not only more than nineteen years of his life had been taken, he also lost […]
12/9/2021 • 30 minutes, 15 seconds
Rubin Carter’s Hurricane, Pt 1
As dramatized in a Bob Dylan song and ‘The Hurricane’ starring Denzel Washington, ex-prize fighter Rubin Carter tells how he was wrongly convicted of a triple homicide and ultimately exonerated by a federal judge, and trained his mind in prison to transcend hatred. After a court declared his murder conviction a miscarriage of justice, Rubin […]
12/2/2021 • 30 minutes, 25 seconds
Steps to Recovery, Pt 2
Today over two million people partake of the storytelling, the good humor, the words of wisdom and the gallons and gallons of free coffee made available to attenders of Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. AA’s basic text has been translated into more than 60 languages and has sold over 35 million English copies. We consider the history […]
11/25/2021 • 30 minutes, 24 seconds
Steps to Recovery, Pt 1
Alcoholics Anonymous marks its beginning when one hopelessly addicted drunk realized that connecting with a fellow-sufferer would create a safe zone in which both could stop their downward spiral. In the second half, we examine the AA recovery principles that have promoted sobriety for millions of recovering alcoholics and have created a template to help […]
11/18/2021 • 30 minutes, 25 seconds
The Way of Tao, Pt 2
“At the end of the day,” says Jonathan Star about his English translation of Tao te Ching from the original Chinese, “it’s not about attaining anything. The Tao keeps saying ‘it’s everywhere!’ It’s to notice another part of yourself that’s just overlooked. You know, we see what the mind shows us, but there’s another dimension […]
11/11/2021 • 30 minutes, 25 seconds
The Way of Tao, Pt 1
Jonathan Star took twelve years to master the nuances of ancient Chinese in his quest to produce a remarkably lucid and evocative English translation of Lao Tsu’s brilliant masterpiece of wisdom. Guidance in the subtle art of attaining mental and emotional balance pervades Star’s brilliant translation of Lao Tsu’s timeless poetic volume of Taoist philosophy […]
11/4/2021 • 30 minutes, 15 seconds
The Practice of Forgiveness, Pt 2
When we nurse grudges, the person clinging to a resentment often pays a high price in anxiety, hostility, perhaps depression. What follows from that for many people, says Robin Casarjian of the Lionheart Foundation, are health-related symptoms. “And it stops you,” she says, ‘from really being able to be fully present to yourself, and to […]
10/28/2021 • 30 minutes, 18 seconds
Aging in Community, pt. 2: Participants
Within a decade, America will be looking different. In addition to other demographic changes, 70 million Baby Boomers are now entering their retirement years. For the first time in our history, there will be more older adults than children. This huge societal change will affect how families provide eldercare, how older Americans access transportation, and […]
10/28/2021 • 23 minutes, 30 seconds
The Practice of Forgiveness, Pt 1
Author and prison therapist Robin Casarjian reframes the act of forgiveness not to condone hurtful behavior, but as a shift in perception that allows us not to take someone’s else’s misconduct so personally. Casarjian has spent decades teaching forgiveness. Drawing on her own experience of having been abused — and learning how to move on […]
10/21/2021 • 30 minutes, 24 seconds
Aging in Community, pt. 1: Connecting to Community
Within a decade, America will be looking different. In addition to other demographic changes, 70 million Baby Boomers are now entering their retirement years. For the first time in our history, there will be more older adults than children. This huge societal change will affect how families provide eldercare, how older Americans access transportation, and […]
10/21/2021 • 31 minutes, 19 seconds
Judicial Independence, pt. 4: Term Limits
The Constitution specifies that once federal judges are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, they can hold their office “during good behavior,” in other words for life — unless they’ve misbehaved, that is. But the average American today lives a lot longer today than in 1789, when President George Washington signed the […]
2/4/2021 • 26 minutes, 30 seconds
Judicial Independence, pt. 3: Expanding the Court
The Republican party has not won the majority of votes in six of the last seven presidential elections. And yet vacancies on the Supreme Court have allowed Republican presidents to appoint six of the last ten justices. Does this skew the Court in a way that’s out of step with public opinion? Here we explore […]
1/28/2021 • 28 minutes, 14 seconds
Judicial Independence, pt. 2: Politicians In Robes?
Have our courts – intended by America’s founders to be an independent arbiter of justice – turned into another political battlefield? Are today’s judges mere “politicians in robes”? This public radio documentary series looks at crucial flashpoints in recent decades. In this divisive climate, will the frequency of 5-4 decisions by the Supreme Court increase, as […]
8/20/2020 • 27 minutes, 25 seconds
Judicial Independence, pt. 1: Our Divided Court
Have our courts – intended by America’s founders to be an independent arbiter of justice – turned into another political battlefield? Are today’s judges mere “politicians in robes”? This public radio documentary series looks at crucial flashpoints in recent decades. Because federal judges are nominated by the president and confirmed the U.S. Senate, inevitably the process […]
8/13/2020 • 27 minutes, 20 seconds
The Worry Solution with Martin Rossman
Bay Area physician and Univ. of California medical professor Martin Rossman, author of “The Worry Solution”, describes ways to distinguish between what we can change and what we must learn to accept.
3/12/2020 • 30 minutes, 15 seconds
Safe Place in a War Zone
Rev. Chris Antal, a Unitarian Universalist minister in the town of Rock Tavern, New York, was drawn to service in response to the attacks of 9/11. He entered military chaplaincy partially as a way to help soldiers who are prone to harming themselves in the wake of war. He also wanted to bring a “liberal voice into a very conservative chaplaincy,” consistent with the commitment of his tradition of acceptance for people representing different faiths and sexual orientation backgrounds.
6/19/2018 • 33 minutes, 30 seconds
Interfaith Understanding on Campus
This episode of ‘Humankind on Public Radio’ is part of a special series, ‘The Spiritual Care Podcast’. For more episodes exploring the role of spiritual caregivers helping those in need, look for ‘The Spiritual Care Podcast’ on your preferred podcast platform. We hear from chaplains and students on a college campus (Vanderbilt University in Nashville, […]
6/12/2018 • 32 minutes, 33 seconds
Jailhouse Chaplains
This episode of ‘Humankind on Public Radio’ is part of a special series, ‘The Spiritual Care Podcast’. For more episodes exploring the role of spiritual caregivers helping those in need, look for ‘The Spiritual Care Podcast’ on your preferred podcast platform. The United States incarcerates more people than any other nation in the world. Federal […]
6/5/2018 • 34 minutes, 45 seconds
Welcoming the Stranger
This episode of ‘Humankind on Public Radio’ is part of a special series, ‘The Spiritual Care Podcast’. For more episodes exploring the role of spiritual caregivers helping those in need, look for ‘The Spiritual Care Podcast’ on your preferred podcast platform. We visit a shelter at Seattle’s Mission for a rich exchange with a formerly […]
5/29/2018 • 33 minutes, 34 seconds
Introducing the Spiritual Care Podcast
David Freudberg, host of Humankind public radio, announces a new podcast on the fascinating practice of “spiritual care”: stories of caregivers (chaplains, nurses, social workers, etc.) who provide nonsectarian support for people in need and sometimes in distress.
1/26/2018 • 2 minutes
The Diet-Climate Connection, pt. 4: Growing Locally, Thinking Globally
The new urban agriculture movement offers a way for us to re-connect our lives to nature.
1/17/2017 • 30 minutes, 24 seconds
The Diet-Climate Connection, pt. 3: The Carbon Footprint of Your Dinner
Which foods have the largest global warming footprint—and which are most climate-friendly?
1/10/2017 • 30 minutes, 25 seconds
The Diet-Climate Connection, pt. 2: Sustainable Meals for Schoolchildren
Public school cafeterias are changing! We visit two in New England where recent policies reflect much greater attention to healthy meal options than were typically available in the past.
1/3/2017 • 30 minutes, 28 seconds
The Diet-Climate Connection, pt. 1: College Dining Goes Green
Hundreds of colleges are now moving toward healthier, more climate-friendly food choices on campus.
12/27/2016 • 29 minutes
Simple Relaxation Exercise
A 15-minute stress reduction session to calm the body and mind.
12/20/2016 • 14 minutes, 59 seconds
Passengers, pt. 4: Taxation for Transportation
Gas taxes you pay at the pump go into a huge pool of federal transportation funds. How should the money be divided up? Plus high-speed rail, pro and con.
12/13/2016 • 30 minutes, 20 seconds
Passengers, pt. 3: Cars and Carbon
What is the global warming footprint of cars vs. public transit? Story of a family seeking a low-carbon lifestyle. Also, hear the views of transportation experts, the president of AAA, and others.
12/6/2016 • 30 minutes, 25 seconds
Passengers, pt. 2: The Business of Public Transit
Business people and environmentalists come together: improved public transportation helps to grow the economy, for lots of reasons. Bankers and the Sierra Club on the same side.
11/29/2016 • 30 minutes, 19 seconds
Passengers, pt. 1: Going Car-Free
The story of a Virginia man who accepted his county’s “challenge” to go car-free for a month; plus voices of motorists filling up at the pump; bus riders in a low-income neighborhood and others.
11/22/2016 • 30 minutes, 25 seconds
The Search for Well-Being, pt. 4: Maintaining Compassion for Patients
Professors of medicine and nursing describe ways to treat the whole patient. And a look at medical use of acupuncture and meditation, for which evidence of effectiveness continues to grow.
11/15/2016 • 30 minutes, 20 seconds
The Search for Well-Being, pt. 3: Doctors of the Future
With diet a factor in ailments from diabetes to obesity, medical students at the country’s third largest campus attend cooking classes to learn how to help patients. And future MDs tell how they would heal our health system.
11/8/2016 • 30 minutes, 25 seconds
The Search for Well-Being, pt. 2: When a Doctor Has Time to Listen
The problem of rushed medical visits, now standard nationwide, can strain both doctors and patients. The story of a Calif. woman who was misdiagnosed with MS, until a different doctor had the time to listen and discovered the error.
11/1/2016 • 30 minutes, 20 seconds
The Search for Well-Being, pt. 1: Treating the Whole Person
This look at the emergence of “integrative medicine” begins with a visit to America’s busiest trauma center, in Baltimore, where patients receive both emergency care and natural treatments to soothe the challenges of serious illness.
10/25/2016 • 29 minutes, 49 seconds
Catching Up with Granny D, pt. 2
A lively profile of “Granny D,” (Mrs. Doris Haddock of Dublin, New Hampshire) famous for her 14-month walk across the United States to promote campaign finance reform. (Part 2)
10/18/2016 • 30 minutes, 20 seconds
Catching Up with Granny D, pt. 1
A lively profile of “Granny D,” (Mrs. Doris Haddock of Dublin, New Hampshire) famous for her 14-month walk across the United States to promote campaign finance reform. (Part 1)
10/11/2016 • 30 minutes, 26 seconds
The Right to Vote, pt. 2
Hear a diversity of voices and views on today’s debates over whether voters should be required to show ID at the polls. Some Americans believe that ensures honest elections; while others see it as an unnecessary obstacle to minority voters. And we consider whether people who’ve committed felonies should be allowed to vote, after serving […]
9/30/2016 • 30 minutes, 25 seconds
The Right to Vote, pt. 1
A fascinating history of the much-contested right to vote in America: from slaves freed after the Civil War, to women’s suffrage, to the civil rights movement. Included is the moving first-person story of a young woman who participated in the 1964 Mississippi Freedom Summer project for voter registration of African Americans.
9/30/2016 • 30 minutes, 41 seconds
The Power of Nonviolence, pt. 8: Moral Injury
We hear from veterans who wrestle with healing from “moral injury” which occurs after a violation of conscience, based on events they witnessed or participated in while on military duty.
9/22/2016 • 30 minutes, 26 seconds
The Power of Nonviolence, pt. 7: Healing the Trauma of War
We hear profiles of American soldiers who, after military duty, returned home to face another battle—the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
9/21/2016 • 30 minutes, 25 seconds
The Power of Nonviolence, pt. 6: Deep Listening
When we’re in a disagreement, it’s sometimes hard simply to listen to the other person. But skillful listening is a core practice of conflict resolution and, potentially, a doorway to improved relations and greater self-understanding.
9/20/2016 • 30 minutes, 19 seconds
The Power of Nonviolence, pt. 5: Seeds of Peace
A return visit to the Seeds of Peace summer camp, when teenagers from opposing sides of conflict regions, including the Middle East, arrive for amazing encounters of dialogue and fun.
9/13/2016 • 30 minutes, 25 seconds
The Power of Nonviolence, pt. 4: Unblocking our Natural Empathy
How can we avoid reacting furiously when someone provokes us? Hear a fascinating array of answers from theologian Frank Rogers, Rabbi Michael Lerner, Rev. Betty Stookey and legendary folksinger Noel Paul Stookey, who performs.
2/4/2016 • 30 minutes, 25 seconds
The Power of Nonviolence, pt. 3: Compassion Practice
In a world given to so much brutality, it would be easy to underestimate the impact of basic human compassion in actually resolving strife, yet even in tense environments, people are transformed by gestures of understanding.
1/28/2016 • 30 minutes, 27 seconds
The Power of Nonviolence, pt. 2: The Spirituality of Nonviolence
We hear stories of peacemakers who draw from their diverse lives and religious traditions as a basis for breaking down barriers and promoting conflict resolution.
1/21/2016 • 30 minutes, 28 seconds
The Power of Nonviolence, pt. 1: Soul Force
We look back on the stunning display of forgiveness and nonviolence by the grieving families and congregants of Mother Emanuel church, where a gunman murdered black worshipers. Roof was sentenced to death today by a federal jury.
1/14/2016 • 28 minutes, 56 seconds
Radioactive, pt. 1
In this episode of Humankind, hear nuclear experts pro and con, an emergency room physician, and a variety of voices telling the story of a controversial reactor in Vermont. Part 1 of 2.
4/9/2015 • 30 minutes, 24 seconds
Resilient Nurses, pt. 4: Compassion Fatigue
This episode explores the very human level at which some nurses interact with patients at their most vulnerable moments. What spiritual questions about life and death arise in such encounters? We do nurses turn for their own support? And we look at the concept of “compassion fatigue” and ways nurses can maintain open-hearted care.
3/14/2015 • 30 minutes, 20 seconds
Resilient Nurses, pt. 3: The Art of Listening
How do nurses, who are exposed to continual suffering by patients, manage to keep their hearts open and maintain compassion? Nurses describe the centrality of communication with patients and the skills of “active listening.” Nurses are regenerated by the bond of caring they build with patients in need.
3/13/2015 • 30 minutes, 25 seconds
Resilient Nurses, pt. 2: Regaining Your Center
Inspiring stories of how active nurses use self-care techniques that help them manage, and transcend, the stresses of their essential work life, both on the job and after hours.
3/12/2015 • 30 minutes, 25 seconds
Resilient Nurses, pt. 1: Facing Challenge and Change
A no-holds-barred look at the stressful conditions in which many nurses work: the long hours, the emotional toll, the rapid pace, and the way that technology and institutional practices can make it hard to form a caring bond with patients.