The rise and fall of America's monuments

Is there a humane way for the state to kill someone? Guest host Miles Bryan sits down with New York Times Magazine writer and ProPublica reporter Pamela Colloff to pull back the curtain on critical flaws in America's approach to the death penalty. From the tragedy of wrongful con ...  Show more

Is wanting to be rich selfish? Does making money require exploiting other people? Or can the pursuit of wealth actually benefit society? In this episode guest host Sally Herships speaks with philosopher Jason Brennan about his book, Why It's OK to Want to Be Rich. Jason makes the ...  Show more

In recent years, there’s been a movement to remove statues of Confederate leaders and other monuments that some see as celebrations of America’s racist history. But does taking down these statues help address the racial inequities that plague our nation to this day? Or is it just ...  Show more

In the United States, questions of how we celebrate – or condemn – leaders in the past have never been more contentious. In 2017, a statue of Robert E. Lee was removed – leading to a race riot and terrorist attack. But in 2020, statues of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Chri ...  Show more

As statues of controversial historical figures continue to hit the headlines, Alex von Tunzelmann – author of Fallen Idols: Twelve Statues that Made History – looks at some of the most illuminating examples from across the centuries. She explores why the debate has proven so divi ...  Show more

Confederate statues and symbols are being removed all over the country. This is long overdue for some, while others say that it’s a dangerous effort to erase history. Don speaks with the descendants of a Confederate general whose statue was recently toppled as they come to grips ...  Show more