The Week in Philly from KYW Newsradio

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“We sometimes just want to believe” - the theory behind conspiracy theories Oct 12, 2023

Show notes

There seems to be a conspiracy theory for everything these days, especially with the way social media has grown. Why can it be so easy for people to believe them, even when there are facts that disprove the theories? Derek Arnold is an assistant instructor at Villanova University who teaches a course on conspiracy theories, taking an academic and critical approach to how they catch on. We talk with him to learn more about the appeal behind these ideas, how people get so deep that these theories become part of their identities, and how to try to counter them if you know someone who supports a conspiracy theory.

Searching for clarity in Speaker of the House chaos Oct 10, 2023

Show notes

Kevin McCarthy dared a tired and fed up faction of Republicans to try and oust him. In the end, they succeeded, setting in motion a historic tailspin of events that left the third-most powerful role in the United States government vacant, and the House of Representatives in a state of chaos. Now what? Where do House Republicans go from here? How long will it take to find a replacement? Who will it be? Dr. John J. Kennedy is a professor of political science at West Chester University, and has studied American government and politics for decades. He explains the significance of the Speakership, and why resolving this situation sooner rather than later is in the best interest of Republicans and Democrats alike.

Reckoning with accountability in American politics - from Watergate to January 6th Oct 05, 2023

Show notes

We’re starting to see some sentences in the January 6th investigation, and former President Trump is facing multiple trials - but will the consequences be enough to discourage similar things in the future? We’ve talked in the past with Dr. Ben Berger, Associate Professor of Political Science at Swarthmore College and Executive Director of the Lang Center for Civic & Social Responsibility, about the gaps in our system when it comes to holding people in power accountable. Today, we bring Dr. Berger back to check in - have we been doing better, or are we still lacking accountability where it really counts? We discuss whether the January 6th cases are making progress towards change and how it affects public trust when politicians on both sides of the aisle get away with bad behaviors.

School vouchers: system saver or educational smoke screen? Oct 03, 2023

Show notes

There’s not much people in the United States seem to agree on these days. That every American child deserves a quality education is probably one of the few exceptions. Where things get dicey, though, is how to pursue this goal. The role that school vouchers should or shouldn’t play in the solution falls right at the center of the debate. What are vouchers? Why have they become such a politicized, hot-button issue? Dr. Zora M. Wolfe is the Associate Dean for the College of Health and Human Services at Widener University. She’s also the Director, K-12 Educational Leadership & Instructional Technology, and goes beyond vouchers to look at other big picture issues affecting education in the United States.

Lantern flies aren’t as destructive as we thought. What changed? Sep 29, 2023

Show notes

In Pennsylvania, we all know what to do when we see a spotted lantern fly. Kill it, immediately, with no hesitation. But, according to a recent Penn State study, hardwood trees such as maple, willow and birch may be less vulnerable to the flies than first thought. What changed? Are we totally in the clear? And, is this just the beginning? We dissect the study with Dr. Christopher Tipping, the chair and professor in the department of biology at Delaware Valley University. He tells us what this new information means and what to look for moving forward.

What the end of emergency childcare funding mean for parents Sep 26, 2023

Show notes

Emergency childcare funding passed early into the pandemic as part of the American Rescue Plan included funds to help improve worker’s compensation and cover expenses like rent and costs of personal protective equipment. But the funding is set to expire on September 30 and is set to close down 70,000 childcare programs and cause 3.2 million children to lose care. Why is this funding essential? How will ending it affect parents? We talked to Krista Scott, the senior program officer at the Rober Wood Johnson Foundation, a nonprofit community advocacy organization. She tells us about the need for childcare funding and what ending this funding could mean for the future of childcare.

The death penalty: questions posed by data and possible alternatives Sep 21, 2023

Show notes

In August, a federal jury handed out its first death sentence since 2019. But will the killer who carried out the mass shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue ultimately face execution? Views on the death penalty have evolved over time, and Robert Dunham has some data that shows why. The Director of the Death Penalty Policy Project, Special Counsel at Phillips Black, and Adjunct Professor of Death Penalty Law at Temple University shares his thoughts on the complex issues surrounding capital punishment, and how, in his mind, the United States could adopt more practical alternatives.

How to re-evaluate your relationship with work and money Sep 19, 2023

Show notes

It’s easy to get caught up in always reaching for more. No matter how much money you make or how many accomplishments you achieve, it can feel like it’s never enough. Financial wellness expert Manisha Thakor felt that way, until she hit a crisis point, where she had to re-evaluate her relationship with work and money and how that was hurting other aspects of her life. She joins us to discuss what she learned and how you can escape what she calls “the cult of never enough”.

Take Manisha’s quiz to find out if you’re part of the cult, and check out her book, “MoneyZen: The Secret to Finding Your ‘Enough’".

“An American problem”: youth sports and its hurdles Sep 14, 2023

Show notes

Increasing costs. The pandemic. Crazy parents. American youth sports is facing some serious hurdles, and the numbers bear it out. Millions of kids still play, but participation has dipped. Dr. Amy Giddings, chair of Sport & Recreation Management at Temple University and a former collegiate scholarship athlete, even finds herself questioning how much youth sports, in their current environment, are worth it. The outlook for youth sports in the United States, however, isn’t all doom and gloom. Giddings says that despite recent struggles, the country’s youth sports culture could very well be positioned for long-term improvement.

Loneliness: what to do when it gets serious Sep 12, 2023

Show notes

We’ve all felt lonely, it’s a human emotion. But after the pandemic, Americans reported an increased feeling of loneliness. With quarantine and more people isolating themselves, it makes sense, but does that make it a bad thing? What role does social media play in feeling lonely? And, what can we do to remedy it? Dr. Jaime Zuckerman is a licensed clinical psychologist from Delaware Valley. She talks about what causes loneliness and when to know to ask for help.

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