IdeaSphere: A Platform for Today's Voices

Series produced by Guy Rathbun

Series image

This weekly show is devoted to political, social, economic, ecological, philosophical and religious ideas.

This series has been broadcast on public radio, and podcast on National Public Radio for the past 10 years, and has included such luminaries as Robert Reich, Chris Hedges, Michael K. Hudson, Vincent Buligosi, Richard Heinberg, and many more.


561 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
Caption: Steve Almond
You've heard part of this story on two NPR shows. Here is an extended interview: Football is not good for us, Steve Almond concludes, it’s not goo...

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  • Added: Sep 01, 2014
  • Length: 29:00
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: Timothy K. Kuhner, Credit: Georgia State University
As of the latest national elections, it costs approximately $1 billion to become president, $10 million to become a Senator, and $1 million to beco...

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  • Added: Aug 21, 2014
  • Length: 29:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Peter Matthews
Big corporations and their super wealthy owners have bought many American politicians through campaign contributions and lobbying, according to pol...

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  • Added: Aug 13, 2014
  • Length: 29:00
  • Purchases: 1
Piece image
Writer Helen Thorpe provides a detailed account of what happened to the three women who served in the military during the last decade.

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  • Added: Aug 05, 2014
  • Length: 29:00
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: Chris Tomlinson
After spending eleven years in Africa as bureau chief for The Associated Press, Chris Tomlinson returned home to Texas. Seeing oppression and apart...

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  • Added: Jul 31, 2014
  • Length: 29:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Dr. Sigrid Fry-Revere
America has a shortage of organs for transplant. Iran has abundance. That’s the reason many wealthy American’s turn to Iran for help when they’re s...

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  • Added: Jul 23, 2014
  • Length: 28:59
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: Julia Schopick
Author Julia Schopick introduces four lifesaving treatments that have been effectively treating, and in some cases curing, people for 25 to 90 year...

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  • Added: Jul 16, 2014
  • Length: 29:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Jennifer Michael Hecht
In a position that some will find controversial, Jennifer Michael Hecht argues that suicide is quite simply wrong, from a secular point of view. To...

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  • Added: Jul 10, 2014
  • Length: 28:45
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: Nell Bernstein, Credit: NPR
In her new book, award winner journalist Nell Bernstein takes us behind the scenes into the hidden lives of incarcerated children. She has spent mo...

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  • Added: Jul 02, 2014
  • Length: 29:00
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: David Gottfried
When David Gottfried come up an idea for green environmental building 20-years ago, he ran into a number of hurdles. The building industry had been...

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  • Added: Jun 24, 2014
  • Length: 29:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: John Kuhn
There is a vast divide between those in the “education reform movement” and those who recognize the very real problem of inequality. School superin...

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  • Added: Jun 17, 2014
  • Length: 28:59
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: Scott E.D. Skyrm
When one of Wall Streets biggest scams was revealed in a segment on 60 Minutes, viewers were outraged. Front Running. Although it is legal, it’s, a...

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  • Added: Jun 06, 2014
  • Length: 29:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Bruce Dancis
Bruce Dancis arrived at Cornell University in 1965 as a youth who was no stranger to political action. He grew up in a radical household and took p...

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  • Added: May 30, 2014
  • Length: 28:59
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Dr. Eric C. Leuthardt
The year is 2053. Neurosurgeon and scientist, Dr. Hagan Maerici, is to designing "neuromorphic artificial intelligence." This is the setting for Dr...

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  • Added: May 23, 2014
  • Length: 29:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Charlie Brown & Franz Stigler
On December 20, 1943, a severely damaged American bomber struggles in its flight over war-torn Germany. The 21-year-old pilot had his hands full wi...

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  • Added: May 14, 2014
  • Length: 28:59
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: David M. Howitt
David M. Howitt is the founder and CEO of Merriweather Group, and he has guided the financial, strategic, brand, and marketing of companies ranging...

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  • Added: May 13, 2014
  • Length: 28:59
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: Professor Wade Graham
The Western United States has entered a very difficult drought season. Nevada’s water supply is in danger. Realistically California is not any bett...

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  • Added: Apr 29, 2014
  • Length: 28:59
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: William Ostrander
In 2010, the US Supreme Court ruled that the First Amendment prohibits the government from restricting political donations. That is, so long as the...

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  • Added: Apr 27, 2014
  • Length: 28:59
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: Dr. Betsy Leondar-Wright
In Missing Class, Betsy Leondar-Wright looks at class dynamics in twenty-five groups of social movement organizations. Included in her study are; t...

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  • Added: Apr 22, 2014
  • Length: 28:59
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: Dr. Richard Carrier
Almost all experts agree that the Jesus of the Bible is a cmoposite of myth, legend, and some historical evidence. So what can we know of the rel J...

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  • Added: Apr 07, 2014
  • Length: 28:35
  • Purchases: 1