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How 'Fascism' became a meme Nov 10, 2025

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The word "fascism" is being thrown around a lot right now. Does it capture our current cultural and political moment?
Nearly 50% of Americans have associated President Trump with "fascism." Trump himself has used the word against his own opponents. Others have used the word to denounce skinny-tok as "body fascism." But why are Americans so willing to use the word? And is its ubiquity making it lose its meaning?
In this episode, Brittany is joined by Nicholas Ensley Mitchell, a professor of education and policy at the University of Kansas and author of "On Bigotry: Twenty Lessons on How Bigotry Works and What to Do About It." He explains how Black Americans mapped the blueprint for fighting fascism in America, and questions whether the word "fascism" fits our current moment.
(0:00) How 'Fascism" solidified 'American' identity
(5:32) Why 'Fascist' is a useful word for the right and the left
(12:45) Why the civil rights movement is a model for fighting fascism
(17:39) Is *this* a better word than 'fascism' for this moment?
Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluse
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Rosalía & the evolving definition of Latinidad Nov 07, 2025

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Spanish artist and musical chameleon Rosalía released her latest album, Lux, today. The single, "Berghain," seems like a return to form. Operatic vocals, grand instrumentals, beautiful visuals -- the album is primed for critical praise. But for those who are hyperaware of Rosalia’s transformations -- from flamenco songstress to Afro-Caribbean queen -- they have other questions about this evolution. Brittany is joined by writer-critics Bilal Qureshi and Michelle Santiago Cortés to unpack Rosalía’s “church girl era,” and the complicated nuances of Latinidad in music.
Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluse
For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.

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Should we all start locking up our phones? Nov 05, 2025

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Does your phone feel like a blessing or a burden? Either way, there's probably a lot you can learn from new phone bans.
Many K-12 students are going phone-free - but not by choice. In over half the country, there are now restrictions on cellphone possession and use in class. The goal is to increase student focus and enhance learning...but when you think about school shootings, phones have been a big part of parents' safety plans for their kids. So are phone bans the best solution? And what do these policies teach all of us about the role phones play in our lives?
Brittany is joined by David Figlio, professor of economics at the University of Rochester, and Kathy Do, Assistant Project Scientist at University of California Los Angeles to find out.
Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluse
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How 'Socialism' got sexy to young people Nov 03, 2025

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What does ‘socialism’ mean to a generation that grew up with COVID… not the Cold War? How have the compounding effects of college protests, financial insecurity, and student loan debt shaped a culture?
This is… The ABCs of the Culture Wars. For the next few weeks, Brittany breaks down the history, subtext, and evolving meanings of the buzzwords you hear all over the news and social media. Today we're talking about the S-word: Socialism. And why the word has gained new meaning for a younger generation looking for relief.
Brittany is joined by Axios senior politics reporter Holly Otterbein and head of Teen Vogue’s politics section, Lex McMenamin.
Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluse
For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.
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The politics of hunger Oct 31, 2025

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Is hunger in America a choice?
This week, over 40 million people worried about losing their SNAP benefits due to the government shutdown. But with Thanksgiving just around the corner, who's hurt most by hunger? And why do some believe that if you’re hungry, it’s your fault? Brittany gets into it with Poonam Gupta, research associate at the Urban Institute, and Maggie Dickinson, associate professor at Queens College and author of Feeding the Crisis: Care and Abandonment and America's Food Safety Net.
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Brittany meets Sam Sanders, and things get spooky Oct 30, 2025

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For longtime fans of this show, here's a name you know: Sam Sanders. Before Brittany, Sam was the host of It's Been A Minute, and recently Brittany ran into Sam at an event. The two got to talking and came up with an an idea...what if Brittany came on Sam's new show, KCRW's The Sam Sanders Show? And then...what if they brought all of you longtime IBAM fans the podcast multiverse event of the season to this feed?!
That's how we got here.
In this special bonus episode, Sam, Brittany, and Tre'vell Anderson rank the best spooky season films of all time and talk through their pop culture hot takes.
Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluse
For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.
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Are you caught in a bad bromance? Oct 29, 2025

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What can we all learn from stories of men trying to find friends...and failing?
Men in real life - and in the movies - are trying to figure out how to be friends. There's been a lot of talk alleging lonely men are the cause of cultural tensions, and Hollywood has caught on (despite a similar number of women saying they are lonely, too!). Several films this year depict how society leads men into fraught, messy friendships. So, what can we all learn from toxic (or good!) friendships between men?
Brittany is joined by NPR arts and culture reporter Neda Ulaby and IndieWire awards editor Marcus Jones to dig into it.
(0:00) We're all obsessed with lonely men...why?
(3:12) 'Friendship' and how to deal with being rejected
(8:17) 'Twinless' and how friendship is kinda romantic
(13:43) 'Lurker' and how real life relationships are parasocial too
(17:55) What male friendships can teach us all about being more vulnerable
Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluse
For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.
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How 'Capitalism' became a dirty word Oct 27, 2025

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Is it a bad thing to be a "capitalist?" Why is the word being used as a diss?
And how do Americans' shifting attitudes towards it show up in your discourse and your favorite movies?
This is… The ABCs of the Culture Wars. For the next few weeks, Brittany breaks down the history, subtext, and evolving meanings of the buzzwords you hear all over the news and social media. Today we're talking about the C-word: Capitalism. And why the word is increasingly divisive in politics and culture.
Brittany is joined by NPR political correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben and writer & editor Morgan Jerkins.
(0:00) How pop culture got obsessed with eating the rich
(3:11) When did anti-capitalist rhetoric enter our politics?
(7:05) Why the rich started looking more evil...
(12:46) From 'Clueless' millionaires to bumbling billionaires...
(17:26) How anti-capitalism is showing up in American politics now
Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluse
For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
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Nazism has entered the group chat Oct 24, 2025

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Why is there so much Nazism in the news? And when does a "joke" become hate speech?
Politico broke a story last week featuring what it said were leaks from a Telegram group chat that included Young Republican National Federation leaders. These chats made headlines for reportedly racist and pro-Nazi messaging. But this is not the only story in the news about people in politics engaging with Nazi rhetoric. Is it happening more often? And is this kind of thing just a “joke”?
Brittany is joined by Odette Yousef, domestic extremism correspondent for NPR, and Gene Demby, co-host of NPR's Code Switch, to get into it.
(0:00) Young Republicans group chat screenshots go viral...
(3:40) Where's the line between joking and hate speech?
(5:56) Is Nazi talk more common, or are we just more aware of it?
(10:29) Why white adults are considered "kids" even in their 30s
(14:45) Are there consequences for spreading hate? And what you can do about it.
(19:41) 'Wait, What?' - a pop culture trivia game
(23:29) Responding to listener comments :)
Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluse
For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
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How to make friends & get good gossip Oct 22, 2025

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Do you want to know the secret to making deeper friendships? Throw a dinner party.
You'll feel less lonely, take care of people you love, and find out what's really going on in your community. Dinner parties are sort of a lost art, and our notions of what makes a worthy dinner party are being warped by social media. We're here with tips on how to throw one without feeling self-conscious.
Brittany is joined by two dinner party experts: architecture & design journalist Carly Olson and chef & writer Garrett Schlichte. They discuss the pitfalls and pleasures of modern dinner parties, including how to host one without breaking the bank.
(0:00) Why dinner parties are the perfect way to connect
(2:01) Dinner parties of the past vs. now
(4:57) How modern home design prioritizes individualism
(8:32) Why social media discourages community building
(14:00) Advice for throwing a good dinner party
(16:58) How to let go of your anxiety of having people in your home
(19:51) Ban the phones at home!
Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluse
For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
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