Story in the Public Square

Popular culture would insist that the rise of the American newspaper is the history of big, urban dailies. Author Alex Wright says that misses the point, that newspapers emerged in the 19th century because of the will and innovation of countless local publishers across the young and growing country. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The summer of 1968 has long been associated with protest and counterculture. Historian Micki McElya takes us to one particular moment in September of that year when feminism, the civil rights movement, and conservative politics all began to change with results we’re still navigating today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most people cannot fathom just how much money one billion dollars actually is. Author Gil Durán says we also don’t understand just how dangerous the extreme political ideas coming from a group of billionaires is to American democracy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Arguments are natural and can be authentic. But media critic Eric Deggans warns that the rise of so-called “argument culture” breeds cynicism while sapping the public’s confidence in reliable news and information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For 30 seasons, female professional athletes in the United States have been part of an effort to build a professional basketball league while also confronting racism, sexism, and anti-LGBTQ bias. Award-winning journalist Tamryn Spruill recounts that history—and the players whose gritty determination on and off the court—built the league and changed the country.  See omnystudio.com...

From the oracles of antiquity to the AI-driven tech giants of today, humanity’s desire to foresee the future is long-standing. AI ethicist Carissa Véliz warns that predicting the future is not the same as foretelling the truth.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Cheryl L. Willman, Director of the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses cancer’s toll as the second leading cause of death throughout the world and the research aimed at improving outcomes and bettering lives. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Historian Nicholas Reynolds and award-winning journalist Katie S. Sanders tell the story of a combat-veteran of the French Foreign Legion who ultimately distinguished himself for valor as a U.S. Marine fighting in Europe during the Second World War.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Vatican has long concerned itself with the practical interaction of theology with the world in which its followers live. Scholar Sean O’Callaghan says that the recent message from Pope Leo XIV on Artificial Intelligence follows in that tradition and offers profound insights for believers and non-believers alike.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been said that the only things certain in life are death and taxes. But Amy Hanauer of the Institute on Tax Policy and Economic Policy says that for some, taxes might not be on that list anymore—with societal implications for us all.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The data says that more than half of the country’s population is made up of women. But women’s healthcare has grown increasingly politicized. Dr. Mary Fariba Afsari is on the front lines of care, offering healthcare from a mobile clinic that meets patients where they are. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The United States and Israel began bombing Iran in February 2026. In the months that followed, we have seen spasms of violence and claims of diplomatic progress. New York Times reporter Farnaz Fassihi covers the conflict, its impact on the Iranian people, and the diplomatic efforts to end it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton stand astride the core debates in American history from neutrality to civil rights and beyond. New York Times bestselling author and constitutional scholar Jeffrey Rosen traces that history, the rise and falls of each man’s reputation, and the enduring questions they asked about power, the citizen, and the American state.  See omnystudio.com/liste...

Scholars of religion and philosophy, and even some spiritual leaders, have long identified key similarities in the world’s different moral codes. Author and futurist Jamie Metzl asks whether artificial intelligence can distill a compelling moral code that synthesizes the greatest thinking from across humanity. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To Americans, it’s soccer. To most of the rest of the world, it’s football. Author and journalist Nick Greene traces the evolution of the game played with our feet from a 19th century British past-time to today’s glittering World Cup.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-hundred and fifty years ago, patriots gathered in Philadelphia declared America’s independence from England. Former U.S. ambassador David McKean and historian M. Todd Bennett explore the celebrations that have followed every 50 years since, revealing the enduring challenges and promise of the American republic. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The prognosticators of doom for traditional newspapers are everywhere and it’s hard to argue with them. But for more than a decade, Matthew Watkins has been part of a new model of non-profit journalism at The Texas Tribune as editor in chief. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For all the pages and documents in libraries and archives around the world, there are some stories that remain veiled in mystery. Through her historical fiction, award-winning author Dolen Perkins-Valdez helps us understand events and people largely lost to the passage of time.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The history of American-Iranian relations is complex, sometimes contradictory, and repeatedly violent. Author Scott Anderson explains that history with a special focus on the Islamic revolution in Iran, the fracture that followed, and its continued relevance today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

American audiences know the history of slavery in the United States—from 1619 to the emancipation proclamation. Historian Carrie Gibson reminds us that slavery in the Western hemisphere predates the British colonies of North America, lasted decades after the end of the American Civil War, and was punctuated by perpetual resistance, especially from enslaved persons themselves. See omnystudio....

The human mind has difficulty comprehending just how much money one billion dollars actually is. The New York Times’ Steven Rich is part of a reporting team that has unpacked the power of billionaires in American communities and American politics—where their influence is substantial. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Journalist Stuart Jeffries explores the concept of stupidity from the ideas of ancient philosophers to today’s age of AI, examining how it has been defined throughout history and how it is monetized and exploited in contemporary culture. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After the Cold War, some hoped that the end of superpower competition would usher in a world of lasting peace and cooperation. Former CIA operations officer Sean M. Wiswesser saw where that hope faded only to be replaced by a new era of espionage and covert affairs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is a curious debate about the health of American elections. Some allege they are sick. Others say they are thriving. Fair-elections advocate Rebekah Caruthers peels away competing claims to help us understand the real challenges to American voting rights today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s easy, in this 250th Anniversary year of the Declaration of Independence, to find things that divide Americans. But best-selling author Colin Woodard says we’re still bound together as a people by the ideals of our founding. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.