Video and Audio programming

Filmmakers who exposed military sexual assaults turn cameras to colleges PBS Newshour, aired 3/3/2015. "A new film called "The Hunting Ground" offers a disturbing look at sexual assault at colleges around the country. Producer Amy Ziering and director Kirby Dick previously examined the widespread crisis of sexual assault in the U.S. military in their film "The Invisible War." Ziering and Dick talk to Jeffrey Brown about what they see as an epidemic of rape on campus.

As diversity increases, will U.S. be more or less politically divided? PBS, Newshour aired 2/5/2015. "The United States is rapidly transforming into a more diverse, more educated and older nation. Gwen Ifill talks to Karlyn Bowman of the American Enterprise Institute and Ruy Teixeira of the Center for American Progress about a special collaborative report that analyzes the implications of these changes and what they mean for American politics."

What are the biggest barries to educating girls around the globe? PBS Newshour, aired 3/3/2015. "A new U.S. government effort in partnership with the Peace Corps is aimed at educating the 62 million girls around the world who do not attend school. The initiative, called the Let Girls Learn program, will train volunteers to support locals in becoming champions for girls’ education. Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet joins Jeffrey Brown to discuss the new program."

Map: The Most Common Job in Every State NPR, Planet Money: the economy explained posted 2/5/2015. "*We used data from the Census Bureau, which has two catch-all categories: "managers not elsewhere classified" and "salespersons not elsewhere classified." Because those categories are broad and vague to the point of meaninglessness, we excluded them from our map."

The extra costs of extra weight for older adults PBS Newshour, original air date 2/27/2015. "Lifelong obesity, now common in the U.S., is beginning to change how Americans age. Along Alabama's Gulf Coast, one in three adults is obese, and many who have lived with the negative health effects of excess weight are entering their senior years. Special correspondent Sarah Varney of Kaiser Health News reports on the added costs, disabilities and challenges for older obese patients." If you are interested in health and health systems, this story includes 3 related stories -- check them out too.

D.C. makes pot legal, with restrictions PBS Newshour, original air date 2/26/2015. "The District of Columbia joined Colorado, Alaska and Washington state in legalizing recreational use and possession of marijuana. Federal law still outlaws the drug, however, putting the nation’s capital at the high-profile crossroads of both state and federal laws. Gwen Ifill talks to Mike DeBonis of The Washington Post to discuss the restrictions on the new law." There are at least 3 stories related to this as well; pay attention to the macro and meso level factors.

Silicon Valley lwasuit shines light on struggles for women in tech PBS Newshour, original air date 2/25/2015. "A discrimination lawsuit in California involving a former employee at a Silicon Valley venture capital firm signals another instance of that industry being critiqued for its treatment of women. Jeffrey Brown talks to Nicole Sanchez of Vaya Consulting and Nellie Bowles of Re/code." This story does a pretty good job of illustrating why social change reducing discrimination seems a slow process; pay attention to how micro, meso, and macro level factors intersect to make change slow and difficult. There are related stories as well including racial diversity issues as well as gender discrimination.

Praise for the printed page: Will Amazon leave French bookstores in peril? PBS Newshour, original air date 2/21/2015. "In France, even though the price of books was fixed years ago to prevent price differentiation, some worry the country's thousands of bookstores may now be in jeopardy as more customers flock to online retailers, such as Amazon. The online giant has come under fire by French booksellers who believe the way Amazon sells books is threatening their business and even undermining French culture. NewsHour's Megan Thompson reports."

Millions of low-income households burdened by fuel insecurity PBS Newshour, original air date 2/22/2015. "During this time of year, millions of people across the country struggle to pay their heating bills. But how widespread is the issue of fuel insecurity, and what assistance is available? Mark Wolfe, Executive Director of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, joins Hari Sreenivasan from Washington." Also check out the related stories; at least one aired the previous night.

Ban Ki-moon on preventing terrorism by protecting human rights PBS Newshour, original air date 2/19/2015. "In an interview with Judy Woodruff, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says that military action cannot be not the sole response to extremism, and stresses the importance of protecting the rights of marginalized people. They also discuss Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, the crisis in Ukraine and worries about the relevancy and transparency of the United Nations." Also check out related stories.

Why we pick and choose which science to believe PBS Newshour, original air date 2/18/2015. "Climate change, vaccines, genetically modified foods -- those topics are ripe for debate and disbelief among people of every political persuasion who aren’t convinced by scientific evidence. What accounts for the rift between scientists and the public? Gwen Ifill talks to Joel Achenbach of the Washington Post and Cary Funk of the Pew Research Center about whether the divide is here to stay." Also check out related stories.

Will 'Fresh Off the Boat' turn the tide for Asian Americans on TV? PBS Newshour, original air date 2/14/2015. The new ABC sitcom "Fresh Off the Boat" debuted to winning ratings and marked the first time in 20 years you could watch a network series centered on an Asian-American family. But will the popular sitcom clear the path for more exposure of Asian Americans in pop culture? NewsHour's Mori Rothman reports.

Using rational economics to simply the search for romance Paul Solmon's Making Sen$e, PBS Newshour, original air date 2/12/2015. What can online matchmaking sites teach us about the marketplace? When an economist turned to the Internet to find a date, he found that searching for a life partner isn’t much different from other kinds of shopping. Economics correspondent Paul Solman reports. Check out the related The 3 first date questions that will predict your romantic compatibility also.

Hawaii's aquarioum fish industry in deep water over collection controversies PBS Newshour original air date 2/15/2015. A proposed bill in Hawaii has ignited renewed discussion about the impact of the state's largest aquarium fishery, which catches hundreds of thousands of gem-like saltwater fish each year for shipment to collectors around the world. Supporters say the industry is sustainable and regulated. But environmental activists say the practice is destructive and depletes populations of popular fish species. NewsHour's Mike Taibbi reports.

Bewtween a rock and cannabis: How neighboring states struggle when pot becomes legal PBS Newshour, original air date 2/14/2015. Since recreational marijuana became legally available in Colorado last year, officials say more pot is illegally coming through the border of states like Nebraska and Oklahoma, draining state resources as the number of arrests keeps growing. Now, the attorneys general of those states filed a federal lawsuit asking the Supreme Court to declare Colorado's marijuana law unconstitutional. NewsHour's Alison Stewart reports. PBS has also covered other aspects of legalizing marijuana -- search 'legalized marijuana' on their site and see what you get.

Study: Black Girls Are Being Pushed Out of School from CodeSwitch (NPR Blog linked above) posted 2/13/2015. "News surrounding a confrontation in a Baltimore school is raising new questions about the role race plays in discipline for black girls. Baltimore television station WBAL has been reporting on an October incident that led to three students at the city's Vanguard Middle School being injured, and later arrested and suspended, after an altercation with a school security officer." Check out WBAL's coverage of the incident and web-search 'Black Girls Matter' for more information.

Can the music industry survive the streaming revolution? PBS Newshour; original air date 2/5/2015 Do streaming services like Spotify and Pandora hurt musicians? Artists, established and aspiring, can flow both ways on the debate, but there’s no denying that the new model has had a dramatic impact on the industry and its profits. Hari Sreenivasan reports.

Using rational economics to simplify the search for romance PBS Newshour's Making Sen$e aired 2/5/2015 This is a fun video demonstrating a number of sociological concepts including cultural diffusion, contagion theory, and fads. Solman's use of rationality and irrationality are NOT sociological, however.

Progress in curbing childhood obesity, but major racial gaps persist PBS Newshour aired 2/5/2015. Identify the social forces, particularly the ones related to the racial gap in successes with reducing childhood obesity.

How music on demand is killing the album PBS Newshour aired 2/6/2015. Technology and change are major issues; PBS does a nice job covering how changes in technology has changed consumption, production, and distribution of music. See related stories and if you search 'Spotify' you'll find earlier coverage of Taylor Swift and other related stories.

Tracing the origins of the anti-vaccine movement PBS Newshour aired 2/2/2015. A related story aired the same night; see also, Friday, 2/6/2015 segment with Mark Sheilds and David Brooks; and Diane Rehm also discussed it on her Friday 2/6/2015, News Round-up -- Domestic show scroll down to find the segment. Vaccines and measles demonstrate how micro, meso, and macro level are interrelated.

Jane Fonda: "Being a Teen: Everything Teen Girls and Boys Should Know about Relationships, Sex, Love, Health, Identity and More" Diane Rehm from March 27, 2014 Why 'should' teens know the things Fonda is talking about? How much of this did you 'know' before you listened? What explains why you did or didn't know it?

Rosie King: How autism freed me to be myself TED: Rosie King (2014) "People are so afraid of variety that they try to fit everything into a tiny little box with a specific label," says 16-year-old Rosie King, who is bold, brash and autistic. She wants to know: Why is everyone so worried about being normal? She sounds a clarion call for every kid, parent, teacher and person to celebrate uniqueness. It’s a soaring testament to the potential of human diversity.

Encouraging rural Alaska's students to become teachers PBS Newshour aired 11/13/2014. This is about sustaining culture, flexibility, adaptation, and ensuring not just the survivability but the resilience of communities. It's way bigger than the issue of Alaskan rural communities -- in what ways are the issues and problems pointed out in the video apparent in the research and issues you are working on?

Aspiring filmmakers get a kickstart on their teen zombie movie PBS Newshour aired 11/13/2014. This video is about social entrepreneurship, and building resilience in social networks big and small. It's a great 'look' at the value of beliefs and social support.

CDC directo Frieden: We're 'nowhere near out of the woods' with Ebola PBS Newshour aired 11/14/2014. This is the video I picked out for Week 13 and the issue of resilience; who is demonstrating resilience? What structural factors increase (or lessen) resilience in the face of Ebola? In what ways is this health issue a 'test case' for the kinds of things we need to adapt to and be flexible in dealing with in the future?

Field of weeds: Could agriculture crisis crop up from herbicide resistance? PBS Newshour aired 11/15/2014. This is is a problem that is well known by those who have been farming organically for a while as well as others who have studied environmental issues and the industrialization of our food production systems. My question is this; to the extent that the development of these pesticide resistant weeds is a 'natural' response to the use of pesticides, what is the logic of (and sustainability of) continuing to rely upon pesticides as a solution to the problem? The video mentions an alternative but does not pursue it. This 'logic' is also related to bacteria resistance and the development of 'superbugs' that are resistant to all known anti-biotics -- we have less of a problem with this in the US than they do in Europe (where children get ear-infections that are completely resistance to all antibiotics) only because the US has practiced using different classes of anti-biotics on animals than we use on humans.

Massachusetts town mulls nation's first total tobacco ban PBS Newshour aired 11/16/2014. This reveals a deep cultural divide in the US -- on the one hand, the value of laws/change designed to 'protect the public' and on the other 'individual freedom of choice'. The US has an interesting history with respect to these kinds of issues: the shift to and expansion of non-smoking regulations (of which this is the latest example); seatbelt laws, drinking and driving laws, helmet laws for motor- cyclists, bicyclists, and not increasing regulations regarding football safety, EPA regulations, etc. have all been -- and continue to be -- met with resistance from some segments of the public. Resistance to Obamacare -- and to managing climate change -- also reveals this tension. In this particular case, the Health Department is going to make (or not make) the recommendation; the city will not vote on it but (presumably) the members of the Health Department are elected so, even if the recommendation is enacted it could be repealed. Considerable evidence suggests, however, that some of the most valuable 'public safety' decisions (and social change decisions) that have been made were not voted upon but imposed by those in power. The Civil Rights Act is an example; the laws mentioned above are similar -- they were not voted on. They resulted from decisions made on the basis of science and well-founded beliefs about public safety and, in many cases, expected/projected costs of NOT making the change.

What's in a name? Political family ties may nudge wins in battleground states PBS Newshour aired 11/1/2014. This is the video I picked out for social mobility precisely because it illustrates how 'the family business' gets passed down from generation to generation. It also illustrates how structural social mobility 'changes' the family business'. In addition to politics, we now have 2nd generation professional football players as well as other professional athletes -- but we have 'lost' a great number of farmers. Opportunity structures for individuals are determined by social class; opportunity structures for cohorts (like Millennials) are determined by the structure of economy and the kinds of jobs that exist as well as those that are being lost and those that are being created by ongoing social change. Millennials have a substantially different opportunity structure than previous generations -- what individual characteristics give you agency to take advantage of it?

Positive jobs report many not reassure Americans with part-time work PBS Newshour aired 11/8/2014. This touches on many of the issues contributing to lack of legitimacy of major social institutions in the US -- namely the economy and political structures. It also reflects dysfunction associated with the perception that the American Dream is no longer possible, as well as meso level and micro level dysfunctions for the people who are working part-time and trying to manage family life as well.

Devastating 2004 tsunami cleared way for better infrastructure in Indonesia PBS Newshour aired 11/6/2014. This is an interesting story of the end of a war and the rebuilding of community in both literally and socially as a result of the earthquake and Tsunami that devastated Indonesia at the end of 2004. It is the 'flip side' of legitimacy issues in the US -- these people reflect high levels of trust, and seem to regard their social institutions as legitimate and functional. What are the differences in social organization between the US and the city that is the focus of this video?

'The other one percent': Bridging the military-civilian divide PBS Newshour aired 11/9/2014. This story is about the subculture of military service, particularly in recent conflicts in the Middle East which are substantially different experiences for soldiers who are older in earlier conflicts. The gap in 'lived experiences' creates the social distance between civilians and those who have served in the military; see what they are doing about it. See the related stories as well.

Political advertisers take note: Millennials are not impressed PBS Newshour aired 11/4/2014. More evidence of differences between Millennials and older generations as well as more evidence of Millennials' social distance from institutions.

Will saying yes to affirmative consent curb college sexual assault? PBS Newshour aired 11/6/2014. This is about rape culture on college campuses and about shifting the balance of power by shifting to 'Yes means yes' over 'no means no'. It seems to me that Shikha Dalmia is nervous but actually does a pretty good job of pointing out both how powerful a shift this is and her (organizations') resistance to it at the same time. Compare Jaclyn Friedman's argument (as well as her presentation of self) suggesting that a shift to 'affirmative yes' is 'normal' and demonstrates respect for partners. Those of you who have been studying rape culture, what do you think?

How U.S. 'aggressive support' for Ebola patients saves lives PBS Newshour aired 11/6/2014. Is a recent installment in PBS's ongoing coverage of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa; this one provides a detailed look at what global inequality means comparing health care in the US (core) to health care in the Africa countries dealing with the Ebola outbreak (periphery). Check out the rest of PBS's coverage of this issue as well.

Is soccer safe for kids? Amid concussion fears, a parent searches for answers PBS Newshour aired 10/25/2014. In the wake of last years uproar about consussions among NFL players and changes in the 'rules' of football, this story examines the anomie parents and coaches experience regarding kids, soccer, heading balls, and likelihood of concussion.

Music Maker eases the blues for down-and-out artists PBS Newshour aired 10/27/2014. This is a nice look at the structural difficulties musicians experienced after Hurrican Rita hit New Orleans and what one guy has managed to socially reconstruct by providing just a little bit of support.

Empowering students with disabilities to find exercise they love PBS Newshour posted 10/27/2014. Social justice, social resources, empowerment, and reducing stigma -- they do it all.

A felony for a selfie? Teen sexts pose a paradox for police PBS Newshour aired 10/29/2014. Here is a clear example of how technology is socially reconstructing our social lives and how social change creates anomie. Find the structures that are disorganized by teen sexting and selfies.

Paralyzed man walks after transplanted cells repair his spine. PBS Newshour aired 10/21/2014. This story provides a different look at the role of technology in society, particularly associated with the role of science and medicine. This is potentially a very different outcome of 'medicalization' than some others; notice how issues of institutionalization are being discussed in this video. What process do they expect to have to go through to fully implement this procedure?

Liberian immigrants face Ebola stigma in U.S. PBS Newshour aired 10/24/2014. The story examines one response to fear-based anomie, in this case, ethnocentrism, stigma, and discrimination based solely on percieved social distance from Ebola. What other classic tensions does this story include?

State Department faces criticism in uphill social media war agains Islamic State group. PBS Newshour aired 10/22/2014. ISIL is fighting for some kind of social mobility -- which appears to be one of the attractions for those they are recruiting. This also reveals ways in which technology is changing social organization and cultural lag, particularly of large bureaucracies, to restructure rapidly enough to deal with it.

How the values, uphill optimism of the Millennials compare to older generations PBS Newshour posted 3/19/2014. This is the video we watched for the start of Week 10 classes; if you are interested in more about your generation, go to PBS Newshour's website and search 'millennials' -- you'll get a bunch of interesting coverage beginning in 2010, I think.

What Wall Street's wild swings say about the global economy PBS Newshour aired 10/14/2014. This is a snapshot look at 'globalization' and global economic integration and demonstrates that these ideas that are internalized by corporate decision-makers.

Photos: These punk hippies prefer horses to cars Art Beat: PBS Newshour posted 10/29/2014 4:20 pm. This is a photo essay based on an ethnography of Gypsies who are resisting globalization, institutionalization, rationalization and industrialization.

Americans consider inequality world's greatest danger PBS Newshour Making Sen$e, posted 10/17/2014 12:02 p.m. Hmmmmmm! Check out the Pew poll this blogger is writing about too!

" What You Think, You Become - Wow! Really? ""The Secret Life of Scientists", NOVA

Gamergate leads to death threats against women in the gaming industry PBS Newshour aired 10/16/2014. This demonstrates deviance through differential association and social disorganization as well as gender-based violence associated with gender polarization.

Out of many faces, one American portrait: Artist creates 'facescape' on the National Mall PBS Newshour aired 10/7/2014. A REALLY interesting example of of how rationalization plays a role even in ART!

Artist Ai Weiwei explores definition of freedom at Alcatraz PBS Newshour aired 10/16/2014. This is another great example of 'rationalized' art.

Meet the disease detectives tracking Ebola at the CDC PBS Newshour aired 10/8/2014. This is both an example of highly organized and systematic data collection and analysis AND an example of a highly rationalized system for 'tracking' global disease issues.

Wave of child migrants pose challenges for Florida schools PBS Newshour aired 9/26/2014. This is nice coverage of how some schools are making structural changes to accommodate a large number of non-native English speaking students with limited teacher and space resources.

Why half of U.S. adults no longer believe in the American Dream PBS Newshour making Sen$e posted 9/24/2014, 8:40 a.m. by Simone Pathe. This reviews recent survey data attitudes toward the American Dream. It would be a great place to start an interview!

What's the financial case for divesting from fossil fuels? PBS Newshour aired 9/22/2014. Transcript attached. This is an interview with Jenna Nicholas of Divest-Invest Philanthropy discussing divesting from the fossil fuel industry. In addition to comparing this divestment strategy to divesting from South Africa in the 1980s/1990 (argued to be a social movement leading to the end of Apartheid), she mentions repeatedly that divesting from fossile fuels and investing in 'sustainable' projects is a more financially sound investment decision - but, she provides no data to support her claims. Filling in the blanks of her argument requires other sources, but in short, she is making a connection between environmental 'destruction' through use of fossil fuels. Specifically, that investing in the fossil fuel industry does not make economic sense because it destroys the one thing we all need to survive. Check out the Related Stories (on this page) for more information.

How Nigeria has succeeded in containing Ebola PBS Newshour aired 9/22/2014. Transcript attached. This is ongoing coverage of the Ebola outbreak and describes how Nigeria has socially constructed controlling the spread of Ebola in Nigeria. It also points out what is not working in Nigeria and agency being exercised (and the structural constraints) to change. There is also some comparison between Nigeria and Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, the 3 countries dealing with the majority of Ebola cases. This is an example of how media can be an agent of change.

Justice Department aims to rebuild trust in police with community engagement initiative PBS Newshour aired 9/18/2014. Transcript attached. This is ongoing coverage of the Ferguson issues and Michael Brown's death. Tracie Keesee and Ronald Hampton have both appeared in previous PBS coverage. This is about changing the social context of 'policing' in communities to resolve race-based and other structural social distances between the police and members of the community.

Why the typical worker is struggling to share U.S. prosperity PBS Newshour; aired 9/18/2014. Transcript attached. If you choose the Conflict Perspective for Week 5 OR if the information you have is identifying social class and economic inequality as a structural issue, this is a great overview of what has changed and how it has affected social class issues in the US.

How scandals could change the business of football PBS Newshour; aired 9/17/2014. Transcript attached. For those of you interested in Sports, this does a GREAT job of providing partial answers to all 3 central questions. Fantastic coverage of sociological issues by Gregg Easterbrook! While you are on the PBS Newshour website, search 'athletes role models' and you'll get conversations with highschool students about professional athletes as role models.

Edible Packaging? Retailers Not Quite Ready to Ditch the Wrapper Sam Evans-Brown for NPR, All Things Considered; aired 9/16/2014. Transcript attached.

Thanks to Nutella, The World Needs More Hazelnuts Dan Charles for NPR, All Things Considered; aired 9/16/2014. Transcript attached.

A 'Circle' of Support Helps Families Stay Out of Poverty Pam Fessler for NPR, All Things Considered; aired 9/16/2014. Transcript attached.

David Pogue explains why consumers care so much about net neutrality PBS, Newshour; aired 9/16/2014. This guy is pretty funny and does a good job explaining a complicated issue that may result in a change in the structure of the internet.

Malala explains why she risked death to speak up for girls' education part of PBS's ongoing coverage of education; aired 9/16/2014

What's the best way to teach teachers? part of PBS's ongoing coverage of education; aired 9/16/2014

The NFL's power extends beyond the game 2 minute audio from Marketplace on NPR, 9/11/29/2014; this is great structural analysis of the popularity of football.

Morning person, or night owl? It matters 5 minute audio from Marketplace on NPR, 9/9/29/2014; the transcript is attached. This is about how sleep is social! If you are having trouble managing your time effectively, check this out!

Treating mental illness with medicine and religion in India PBS Newshour 9/10/29/2014

Ebola Outbreak Frontline PBS 9/9/29/2014 -- Frontline episodes are an hour (usually); excellent coverage of the issues

Digital Nation Frontline PBS 2/9/2010; runs 90 minutes, the first chapter, Distracted by Everything is about 8 1/2 minutes. Sherry Turkle is a psychologist

Colleges emphasize student stickiness boost graduations PBS Newshour 8/29/2014

Can a cell phone video get your kid into college? PBS Newshour 9/4/2014

More part-time workers suffer instability, long hours to make ends meet PBS Newshour 9/1/2014

How did the West Africa Ebola epidemic get out of control so fast? PBS Newshour, 8/31/2014 -- and search the PBS Newshour site for more recent stories on Ebola

'It just doesn't add up': Amid Ferguson fallout, students sound off on race in America PBS Newshour 8/31/2014

Teens reflect on impact of Ferguson unrest PBS Newshour 8/29/2014 -- this and the one above it are related.

Why do foreign fighters join the Islamic State? PBS Newshour 8/27/2014

Can online courses replace a campus education? PBS Newshour 8/27/2014

Misty Copeland makes a point of sharing her art with unlikely ballet fans PBS Newshour 8/27/2014

Mistaken identity in background checks can cost applicants job offers PBS Newshour 8/23/2014

Explore the future of higher education with Hari Sreenivasan PBS Newshour -- series, first episode, 8/22/2014

Study find that home-cooking disproportionately burdens mothers PBS Newshour, The Rundown: a blog of news and insight 9/4/2014 posted 6:25 p.m.

UPDATE: NFL suspends Ray Rice after domestic abuse video surfaces PBS Newshour 9/8/2014 posted 4:30 p.m.

Why it's not a beautiful day in the neighborhood"Making Sen$e", PBS Newshour, posted 9/4/2014, 11:20 a.m.