Capitalism by its nature produces crises and, for the last century, states have responded by imposing austerity measures on the public. Governments claim it’s a bitter but necessary medicine to set economies back on track. But economist Clara Mattei argues that austerity is actually a bludgeon to entrench elite power and repress workers’ aspirations for … Continued
We spend much of our lives at work and, especially in this country, our identities are often closely tied to our jobs. And yet work, along with being exploitative and demeaning, is often meaningless as well. Journalist and playwright Barbara Garson set out fifty years ago to understand how Americans viewed and tried to shape … Continued
Covid has laid bare the inequities of our society and the dysfunction of our medical system, which focuses at great cost on disease-treatment rather than fostering health. So contends epidemiologist Sandro Galea. He argues that the pandemic provides an opening to rethink medicine, along with housing, wages, and racial and social inequality, and to treat … Continued
If we look back over the 20th century and even into the 19th, we can see a series of historical periods that shaped how food was produced and consumed. And we can see how periods of relative stability alternated with periods of crisis. Sociologist Harriet Friedmann discusses her theory of food regimes and what they … Continued
We often hear how poorly educated American students are, ill prepared for 21st century tech jobs, which go to other workers in other countries. But what if more education will not lead to more highly paid skilled jobs? Educational psychologist Gerald Coles discusses how American companies are getting the workers they need, since most of … Continued
Opal Tometi, co-founder of #BlackLivesMatter, Black feminist writer, communications strategist and cultural organizer. She is the Executive Director of the Black Alliance for Just Immigration. And David Cay Johnston, American investigative journalist and author, specialist in economics and tax issues, and winner of the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Beat Reporting joins us to discuss taxes … Continued
