Think from KERA

Latest Episodes:

Why do we still judge women who don’t have kids? May 12, 2023

Show notes

Women who choose not to have children are not abnormal. Peggy O’Donnell Heffington is an instructional professor of history at the University of Chicago, and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the many reasons women live childless – from infertility to lack of social support to a desire to live a different life than society prescribes. Her book is “Without Children: The Long History of Not Being a Mother.”

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It’s giving linguistics: How young people slay English May 11, 2023

Show notes

For some people, using slang is, like, not the vibe. But for others, it’s hella easy to embrace in everyday life. Valerie Fridland is a professor of linguistics in the English department at the University of Nevada, Reno. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why she thinks we should embrace our changing language — slang, vocal fry, and all — and celebrate its ingenuity. Her book is “Like, Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English.”

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We need more research on women athletes May 10, 2023

Show notes

To be an elite athlete, you need to follow the latest science and training routines — which, unfortunately, are built for men. Journalist Christine Yu joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the gender gap in sports science and how the rise in women’s athletics is finally changing the game. Her book is “Up to Speed: The Groundbreaking Science of Women Athletes.”

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The myth of American self-reliance May 10, 2023

Show notes

There’s an American myth that with enough self-determination we can pull ourselves up by our bootstraps in hard times. Alissa Quart, executive director of the Economic Hardship Reporting Project, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why we’ve put so much effort into the ethos of DIY independence, and the need for a larger social safety net to address poverty. Her book is “Bootstrapped: Liberating Ourselves from the American Dream.”

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What Holocaust education misses May 08, 2023

Show notes

Holocaust education was brought about to battle antisemitism, but perhaps there’s more that could be done. Dara Horn joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why focusing on the atrocities of WWII hasn’t stopped growing antisemitism today – and to offer ways we need to expand education about Jewish life to combat it. Her article published in The Atlantic is called “Is Holocaust Education Making Anti-Semitism Worse?”

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Pregnant people deserve better May 05, 2023

Show notes

The U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rate compared to the world’s wealthy nations. Host Krys Boyd and guest host Courtney Collins talk with journalists about how pregnant women in the U.S. are facing a health crisis. They’ll discuss the complications of navigating pregnancy as an immigrant or without health insurance, and how Covid-19 has caused even more challenges to maternal health care.

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The tech that could change babymaking May 04, 2023

Show notes

In Japan, scientists created baby mice from a mouse’s tail cells — and they were perfectly healthy. New Yorker staff writer Emily Witt joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the quest to move beyond IVF to IVG – a process that involves using nonreproductive cells to produce offspring – and the potential for same-sex couples to each be biologically related to their child. Her article is “Fertile Ground.”

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Are we over Twitter? May 03, 2023

Show notes

Twitter revolutionized how we communicate; it also might’ve broken human interaction. Willy Staley is story editor for The New York Times Magazine, and he joins host Krys Boyd to discuss Twitter beyond Elon Musk’s takeover, how it’s changed how we talk with one another over the last 15 years, and if it’s all been worth it. His article is “What Was Twitter, Anyway?”

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The purr-plexing evolution of cats May 02, 2023

Show notes

House cats are more akin to wild animals than dogs are (something cat owners already know). Jonathan B. Losos, evolutionary biologist at Washington University and the founding director of the Living Earth Collaborative, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the evolution of our feline friends and explore the relationship we humans have with Felis catus. His book is “The Cat’s Meow: How Cats Evolved from the Savanna to Your Sofa.”

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The case for letting children vote May 01, 2023

Show notes

Ending child labor at the beginning of the last century allowed children more room to grow – but there’s still work to be done. Drexel University law professor Adam Benforado joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why cracks in public education and juvenile justice have left children vulnerable, and why making kids a policy priority bodes well for all our futures. His book is “A Minor Revolution: How Prioritizing Kids Benefits Us All.”

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