AUDIO LIBRARY

Supreme Court Review
Among its recent decisions, the Supreme Court issued two landmark rulings on affirmative action and sodomy law. In these cases, the Rehnquist Court departed from its characteristically conservative path. Yet the Court remains divided - with narrow majorities and sharp dissenting opinions. Where does the law stand at the end of the Supreme Court term?
Guests:
Tom Merrill — Northwestern University School of Law
Dennis Hutchinson — University of Chicago Law School

Auteur Theory
In the 1970s, critics began heaping praise on American film directors for their distinct visual style. But in France, Hollywood directors were already considered “auteurs,” that the authors of their films are responsible for artistic merit. Is this still a useful way to think about movies?
Guests:
Andrew Sarris — Columbia University
Dudley Andrew — Yale University
Viriginia Wright Wexman — University of Illinois at Chicago

Rethinking the Y Chromosome
It is well known that the Y chromosome determines sex. But a recent study suggests that the Y is far more complex — and important — than we imagined. What can the Y chromosome contribute to our understanding of genetic processes?
Guests:
Steve Rozen — Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Tom Cline — University of California

Sex and Literature
Pornography or Erotica are the usual places to go to find stories about sex. But what about literature? Novels explore all kinds of sexual scenarios—from fantasies to sex. ed. lessons. What is sex doing In literature?
Guests:
Laura Frost — Yale University
Terry Castle — Stanford University

Demography
Baby Boomers! Latinos! Soccer Moms! Is there a demographic that describes you? Politicians and Marketers, even public radio stations use demographic information to reach their constituents or customers. But do demographic categories describe, or do they influence the way people identify themselves?
Guests:
Joseph Turow — University of Pennsylvania
Melissa Nobles — Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Landscape
Landscape is a central theme in American art and literature, frequently used to evoke the nation. These depictions explore the kinds of connections Americans have made to the land. Why is landscape so central to notions of American identity?
Guests:
Angela Miller - Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri
Louise Westling - University of Oregon

European Power
The EU originated from a common market among six nations, but it has developed into a political power - and potential rival to the United States. What drives European integration?
Guests:
Michael Loriaux - Northwestern University
George Ross - Brandeis University

The Victorian Culture
Nancy Armstrong — Author of Desire and Domestic Fiction: A Political History of the Novel
Michel Faber — Author of The Crimson Petal and the White, a novel set in Victorian England
Elaine Hadley — Author of the forthcoming book, Living Liberalism, which examines cultural forms of Victorian liberalism
rebroadcast

Free Speech and the Media
The Federal Communications Commission argues that its decision to relax a number of restrictions on media ownership protects free speech. What is the relationship between the organization of the media and free speech in America?
Guests:
C. Edwin Baker — University of Pennsylvania Law School
Ben Compaine — Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Catholic Culture in America
Catholicism might be thought of as a minority religion in the United States. Catholics have had a important voice in many political debates - from birth control to social welfare. How has American culture been shaped by Catholicism?
Guests:
James Fisher — Historian at Fordham University
John McGreevy — Historian at the University of Notre Dame

Violence in America
The United States is viewed as one of the most violent societies in the world, but the historical picture is more complicated. Violence has surged at various times in our nation’s history and nature of violent crime have changed. How does history help us understand contemporary violence?
Guests:
Jeffrey Adler — Historian at the University of Florida, Gainesville
Roger Lane — Historian at Haverford College

Film Forum: Women in the Western
For one hundred years, the Western film has given us images of strong, stoic, men. But how has the Western portrayed women? Gretchen Helfrich and guests look at Women of the Western.
Guests:
Gaylyn Studlar — Director of the Program in Film and Video Studies at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Alexandra Keller — Film Scholar at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts
rebroadcast

Freedom and Consumerism
Freedom of choice is considered an inalienable American right. Does this include the right to shop? Gretchen Helfrich and guests discuss the relationship between consumerism and freedom.
Guests:
Lizabeth Cohen — Harvard University
T. H. Breen — Northwestern University
rebroadcast

America and Empire
The United States has unsurpassed military, economic, and cultural power. Does this make America an empire? Gretchen Helfrich and guests examine what it means to call the United States an empire.
Guests:
Brian Edwards — Northwestern University
Walter LaFeber — Cornell University
Amy Kaplan — University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia
rebroadcast

Reckoning with Empire
From Britain to Belgium and France, nations are still reckoning with their legacy of empire. Gretchen Helfrich and guests discuss what it means to address an imperialist past.
Guests:
Steven Pincus — University of Chicago
Alec Hargreaves — Florida State University
Adam Hochschild — University of California, Berkeley
rebroadcast

American Individualism
The American narrative is one of individual freedom and autonomy. But is this an accurate portrait? Gretchen Helfrich and guests examine American Individualism.
Guests:
Jim Block — DePaul University
Bill Novak — University of Chicago
rebroadcast

The Novel and Consciousness
Private thoughts and internal emotions are the province of novels. What do novels have to say about how our minds work?
Guests:
Nicholas Dames — Scholar of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University
Sandra Macpherson — Department of English Language and Literature at the University of Chicago
rebroadcast

Truth and Presidential Politics
The Bush Administration is facing allegations that it exaggerated the threat that Iraq posed. If true, this wouldn’t be the first time an American President has misled the public. What are the consequences of presidential deception?
Guests:
Bruce Miroff — Political Scientist at the State University of New York
Jeffrey Tulis — Department of Government at the University of Texas at Austin

The Militant Right in America
The recent capture of fugitive Eric Rudolph reminds us that the United States is home to a number of extreme right political movements. From anti-government militias to white supremacists, what place do these movements occupy in American political culture?
Guests:
Mark Potok — Director of Publications and Information at the Southern Poverty Law Center
Daniel Levitas — Author of The Terrorist Next Door: The Militia Movement and the Radical Right

Race and Science
Are race-based studies are needed to bring better health care to minorities? What is the relationship of race and science?
Guests:
Jenny Reardon — Harvard University
Joseph Graves — Howard University in Washington, D.C.
Patricia King — Georgetown University

Separation of Church and State
Separation of church and state was a hallmark principle in the founding of this country. But in recent years, Americans have been renegotiating this boundary. Separation is giving way to a policy of neutrality for religious organizations. What are the implications of this change?
Guests:
Marci Hamilton - Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University
Robert Tuttle - Legal scholar at the George Washington University Law School