On Point

WBUR

Let's make sense of the world – together. From the economy and health care to politics and the environment – and so much more – On Point host Meghna Chakrabarti speaks with newsmakers and everyday people about the issues that matter most. On Point is produced by WBUR.

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Location:

Boston, MA

Networks:

WBUR

Description:

Let's make sense of the world – together. From the economy and health care to politics and the environment – and so much more – On Point host Meghna Chakrabarti speaks with newsmakers and everyday people about the issues that matter most. On Point is produced by WBUR.

Language:

English

Contact:

On Point Radio 890 Commonwealth Avenue, 3rd Floor Boston, MA 02215 1 800 423 8255

Episodes

First person: Finding everyday awe in nature in Yosemite National Park

2/3/2023
John Reynolds has lived in Yosemite National Park his entire life. In this 'First person' diary, he shares how living in nature helps him maintain a sense of awe.

Duration:00:05:37

Everyday awe: Science's answer to your search for happiness

2/3/2023
How do you find deep happiness? Researcher Dacher Keltner says the answer is to find everyday wonder.

Duration:00:47:19

Rebroadcast: The Eichmann tapes and the comforting myth of the 'banality of evil'

2/2/2023
The banality of evil. That was Hannah Arendt's famous observation during the trial of Adolf Eichmann, the ‘architect of the Holocaust.’ Now, there's evidence that Eichmann's evil was anything but banal. Yariv Mozer and Bettina Stangneth join Meghna Chakrabarti.

Duration:00:47:31

Do 'elite' police teams like Memphis's SCORPION unit do more harm than good?

2/1/2023
Special police units like the now-disbanded SCORPION team in Memphis are common around the country. Police chiefs say they’re essential for fighting crime. Critics say their elite status and lack of accountability is a recipe for abuse.

Duration:00:47:21

First person: The fight to 'ordain women' in the LDS church

1/31/2023
A recent edition of On Point explored the role of patriarchal power in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the consequences of that for Mormon women in abusive relationships. Currently, only men in the Mormon Church get to ascend the religious hierarchy. Kate Kelly founded the group Ordain Women roughly a decade ago to try to change that.

Duration:00:08:06

Mormon women confront power and patriarchy in the LDS church

1/31/2023
This month, a Utah man murdered his wife, and their five children, and his mother-in-law, before killing himself. That’s sparked a conversation among Mormon women about power and safety in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Duration:00:47:30

How the world came together to save the ozone layer

1/30/2023
In the 1980s, the world came together to ban CFCs, commonly used chemicals that were destroying the atmosphere’s ozone layer. Are there lessons we can apply to tackling climate change? Paul Newman and David Victor join Meghna Chakrabarti.

Duration:00:47:21

The GOP's ambitions in the House

1/27/2023
House Republicans are getting down to business, drafting legislation to spend more money on border control, less on the IRS. Hardliners are calling for radical changes to social security and Medicare. How will the GOP advance its agenda in the House? Rep. Gary Palmer, Scott MacFarlane and Philip Wallach join Kimberly Atkins Stohr.

Duration:00:47:03

Why some anxiety is good, even though it feels bad

1/26/2023
Over 40 million adults in America suffer from an anxiety disorder. But anxiety, the emotion, has an evolutionary purpose: It helps us prepare for an uncertain future. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary and Marc Brackett join Kimberly Atkins Stohr.

Duration:00:46:58

The U.S. immigration crisis through the eyes of a border town mayor

1/25/2023
Until recently Bruno Lozano was the mayor of Del Rio, Texas. Once seen as a rising star in the Democratic party, he’s now a fierce critic of President Biden’s handling of the southern border.

Duration:00:47:05

Rethinking diversity, equity and inclusion training

1/24/2023
Almost every major company in the U.S. requires their employees to participate in diversity, equity and inclusion training. But is DEI training achieving what it aims to do? Frank Dobbin, Robert Livingston and Chloé Valdary join Anthony Brooks.

Duration:00:47:33

'The fight of his life': Journalist Chris Whipple's inside look at the Biden White House

1/23/2023
So far, the presidency of Joe Biden has seen some big legislative successes, but a disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. With a new Republican House majority determined to block his agenda, what’s next for the Biden presidency?

Duration:00:47:33

The future of small colleges

1/20/2023
College enrollment is down across the nation. Demographic changes are largely driving that. What does the decline mean for the future of small colleges?

Duration:00:47:13

Is it time to rethink how we care for dementia patients?

1/19/2023
In Europe there are ‘dementia villages’ where residents can live freely despite their memory loss. Could that work here in the United States? Iris Van Slooten and Dr. Tia Powell join Meghna Chakrabarti.

Duration:00:46:14

Inside the mind of a fabulist

1/18/2023
Representative George Santos has lied about almost every aspect of his life. How do uncontrolled fabulists get that way -- going way beyond the little fibs we all tell -- to cutting all ties with the truth?

Duration:00:47:13

New guidelines recommend early, aggressive treatment for childhood obesity

1/17/2023
The American Academy of Pediatrics has released new guidelines to tackle the obesity epidemic. They’re calling for family counseling, early treatment with drugs and even surgery. Can pediatricians turn the epidemic around?

Duration:00:43:22

Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts on a decade of taking on the NRA

1/16/2023
In 2012, horrified by the Sandy Hook school shooting, stay-at-home mom Shannon Watts founded Moms Demand Action. It’s now one of the largest anti-gun violence groups in the nation. Shannon Watts joins Meghna Chakrabarti.

Duration:00:47:11

Can gun liability insurance make our neighborhoods safer?

1/13/2023
The nation’s first gun insurance mandate took effect this year in San Jose, California. Gunowners in the city are required to have liability insurance, or they'll be fined a minimum of $250. But can insurance actually curb gun violence?

Duration:00:47:24

How fast fashion and social media fuel a high consumption, low quality world

1/12/2023
Fast fashion retailers like Shein sell t-shirts for less than $5 apiece. This business model, along with social media, fuels an erosion in the quality of clothing at every level. What price are we really paying for super-affordable fashion? Danielle Vermeer and Mandy Lee join Meghna Chakrabarti.

Duration:00:47:25

Earth's growing population: 'A direct affront to our own survival'

1/11/2023
The population of planet Earth reached 8 billion people late last year. By the year 2100, we're headed for 2 billion more. What does that mean for us and our planet? Elizabeth Hadly is a professor of biology at Stanford University, and director of the Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve in California's Santa Cruz Mountains. For four decades, she's been an eyewitness to dramatic changes in the plant and animal kingdoms caused by human beings.

Duration:00:05:01

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