Rethinking the News
The Christian Science Monitor
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The constant news cycle can leave anyone feeling unsure of what is accurate or who to believe. In this podcast, we create space for constructive conversations across a range of perspectives and give our listeners the information they need to come to their own conclusions. Hosted by staff members of The Christian Science Monitor, a nonpartisan news organization with bureaus around the globe. Visit csmonitor.com/rethinkingthenews to learn more.
Available episodes
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Oldest first
Dec 23, 2021
Holiday Episode No. 5: Joy
Home Forum contributors Murr Brewster and Robert Klose were the top-of-mind answers to Monitor editors’ question: “Who should we bring to the table this holiday season to discuss joy?” Listen as the two writers talk about how, for them, joy requires that you be your authentic self. And that you keep moving, and looking.
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Dec 23, 2021
Holiday Episode No. 4: Hope
In August, the United States left Afghanistan after 20 years. The Taliban poured in. Monitor writers Scott Peterson and Ann Scott Tyson spoke about how Ann managed to find light in this dark situation – in the brave work of PARSA’s Afghan National Scouts. She knew one the organization’s leaders, Marnie Gustavson, and got in touch. “It became apparent,” Ann says, “that this story was important to tell.”
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Dec 23, 2021
Holiday Episode No. 3: Love
Francine Kiefer and her editor, Ali Martin, discuss how the work of two inmates addressing mental health issues in the Los Angeles County Jail reflects brotherly love. “Craigen and Adrian not only work with these men, they live with them,” Francine says. “They are incarcerated right alongside them. They get to know them. And as peers, they earn their trust.”
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Dec 23, 2021
Holiday Episode No. 2: Gratitude
Howard LaFranchi’s encounter with a subway quartet of classically trained musicians in Argentina – Venezuelan refugees who had joined together – opens into a look at genuine appreciation of their musical gift. This quality of gratitude is one that Howard has seen not only in Argentina, but also in other countries where refugees fleeing war or economic crisis seek to use their talents to tangibly say “thank you” to their hosts.
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Dec 23, 2021
Holiday Episode No. 1: Faith
“The places where we learn about God’s love,” says writer Maisie Sparks, “should also be the places where we … learn to accept and respect and worship with each other. She speaks with the Monitor’s Trudy Palmer about a respect that crosses religious and cultural lines, and about the healing work of The Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples in San Francisco.
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Dec 22, 2021
Okere City: A Ugandan hub of progress
In a little more than two years, Ojok Okello has helped transform a small Ugandan village into a model of rural development, adding a preschool, a boxing club, a shea butter co-op, and an adult literacy program. It’s a vision of progress in the heart of Africa. Hosted by Dave Scott.
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Dec 22, 2021
LavaMaeX: Hot showers and radical hospitality
Kris Kepler leads LavaMaeX, a California organization that provides mobile showers for those who are unhoused, and creates Pop-Up Care Villages, providing everything from haircuts to job interviews. A story of hope, empathy, and innovation. Hosted by Dave Scott.
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Dec 22, 2021
Theresa Betancourt: How ex-child soldiers heal
Professor Theresa Betancourt of Boston College has studied why some child soldiers in Sierra Leone heal after the trauma of war. But she took it a step further. She’s helping create programs that foster resilience, love, and hope. Hosted by Dave Scott.
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Dec 17, 2021
Daisy Hampton: Including You
Twelve-year-old Daisy Hampton’s mission is to forge friendships with peers who have disabilities and help close the digital access gap for kids who face income inequality. Hosted by Dave Scott.
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Dec 10, 2021
The Travelling Telescope
Susan Murabana’s mission is to give all Kenyans equal access to the skies, and to inspire the next generation of scientists. She and her husband have reached about 200,000 school kids with their Travelling Telescope program. A tale of dream-building and love. Hosted by Dave Scott
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Dec 3, 2021
Global Gardens: Raising confident children
Global Gardens is in more than a dozen elementary schools in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Yes, it helps kids grow gardens. But sowing seeds is also a path to learning how to cooperate, manage conflict, and nurture critical thinking skills. It's a program about peace, science, and hope. Hosted by Dave Scott.
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Nov 19, 2021
The Grace Project
Megan Cohen struggled with addiction and homelessness for nearly a decade. But then, aided by small acts of kindness by strangers, she turned her life around. Today, at age 28, she leads The Grace Project, which brings food and medical supplies – and hope – to people who are experiencing homelessness and dealing with addiction in Philadelphia. Hosted by Dave Scott.
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Nov 15, 2021
The Sewing Machine Project
Margaret Jankowski has given away more than 3,300 secondhand sewing machines. But The Sewing Machine Project is also a vehicle for teaching empathy, generosity, and how to repair lives. And she has learned to trust that a good idea has power, and is often shaped in ways she could never have imagined. Hosted by Dave Scott.
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Oct 21, 2021
A more equitable new-pilot pipeline
In preparing its students for the future of flying, the Chicago organization Tuskegee NEXT – named for the esteemed Black military airmen – also represents a small part of a growing effort to supply a new wave of qualified pilots as many in an aging workforce reach retirement age. In an industry where 3.4 percent of pilots are Black, many realize that inclusion efforts are key considerations in filling this important workforce pipeline. Meet Jaylen Bush, a young pilot whose career and life goals this organization is bringing into reach. Produced by Ashley Lisenby.
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Sep 2, 2021
Reflections on Being Muslim in the Aftermath of 9/11
The Monitor’s London correspondent Shafi Musaddique was 10 years old at the time of 9/11. He, like Monitor editor Husna Haq, experienced the shift as “a flick of a switch,” he says. As the world reflects on 20 years of loss and conflict since the 9/11 attacks, Ms. Haq and Mr. Musaddique reflect on how Western views of Islam and Muslims shaped their view of faith, country, and self. Produced by Ashley Lisenby.
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Jul 23, 2021
Stronger: The Sisters
While millions of women lost or left their jobs in the pandemic, college student Jennifer Ashley Ciballos and her sister Jaelynn, a high school senior, faced a different problem: They had to start working to keep their multigenerational household afloat. For more than a year, they’ve juggled their studies with long hours at low-wage jobs to pay the rent and other bills. Their story shows the lengths women go to support the people they love – even if it means putting their own dreams on hold. Hosted by Jessica Mendoza and Samantha Laine Perfas.
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Jul 21, 2021
Stronger: The Teacher
Leslie Stevenson had been resisting burnout for years. Though she loves being a teacher, the daily grind of blurred boundaries, after-hours demands, and lack of community support had made it harder and harder to stay on. The pivot to remote and hybrid learning only made things worse for her. Now, as the US prepares for its first post-pandemic school year, she’s wondering: Is the work still worth it? Hosted by Jessica Mendoza and Samantha Laine Perfas.
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Jul 19, 2021
Stronger: The Service Worker
When Mariza Rocha lost her job as a utility porter at The STRAT Hotel in March 2020, she turned to her union. Through the organization, she was able to get unemployment benefits and food assistance. And when she was diagnosed with COVID-19, the union fought for compensation for her and others like her. Now she’s convinced she wouldn’t have survived the pandemic without that community help. In this episode, we see how a support network can be vital in helping people face crises – and find their voice. Hosted by Jessica Mendoza and Samantha Laine Perfas.
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Jul 16, 2021
Stronger: The Nurse
The pandemic is not Yarleny Roa-Dugan’s first trial by fire. But it's the hardest she’s faced by far. A nurse and mother of two, she's come up against everything that parents and frontline workers have been having to deal with. And when members of her own family were diagnosed with COVID-19, she had to care for them while running the household on her own. Despite all that, she’s determined not just to survive – but to come out of this period better than ever. Hosted by Jessica Mendoza and Samantha Laine Perfas.
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Jul 14, 2021
Stronger: The Artist
Christine Hudman Pardy had made it. After decades of touring on and off Broadway, she was performing in a nightly show she loved, for a company that paid well and let her go home to her kids. Then the pandemic hit. Her show closed for good – and so did her husband’s. After more than a year without work, she’s asking herself: What’s next? When the odds seem to be against you, how do you keep on dreaming and growing? Hosted by Jessica Mendoza and Samantha Laine Perfas.
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Jul 12, 2021
Stronger: Women, Work, and the Pandemic
The numbers were grim: 2.3 million women pushed out of the workforce between March 2020 and March 2021. A generation’s worth of progress in women’s workforce participation lost, by some accounts. Women of color hit especially hard. Now, as the U.S. recovers from the pandemic, it’s time to look not only at what we’ve lost, but also at what we’ve learned. Can we rethink how and when we work to better support women? Hosted by Jessica Mendoza and Samantha Laine Perfas.
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Jul 11, 2021
Introducing: Stronger
Through job loss, burnout, and the pressures of caregiving, women are fighting to win back what they’ve lost to COVID-19. This podcast follows six women from Las Vegas, one of the hardest hit economies in the U.S. Their stories capture what the pandemic has cost – and what it truly takes to move forward. Hosted by Jessica Mendoza and Samantha Laine Perfas.
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May 27, 2021
Introducing: Tulsa Rising
How does a city confront a racist past? Tulsa, Oklahoma, is commemorating the centennial of the 1921 Tulsa race massacre, one of the worst incidents of racist violence in U.S. history. Producers and hosts Jessica Mendoza and Samantha Laine Perfas share a teaser for their new podcast, “Tulsa Rising,” which explores how a community rebuilt in the face of hostility – and what it truly takes to repair what hate has broken.
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Apr 30, 2021
For the newly food insecure, help that preserves dignity
Odessa Davis is used to helping families as a public school teacher and summer camp director in Maryland’s Montgomery County. But when the pandemic forced camps to close, she realized her own family was in need. Ms. Davis is one of many Americans who struggled to put food on the table for the first time during the past year, raising the question: how do we effectively combat hunger and support those newly in need? Guests: Odessa Davis, Hilary Salmon and Radha Muthiah of Capital Area Food Bank, Alex Moore of DC Central Kitchen, and food insecurity expert Caitlin Caspi. Hosted by Ibrahim Onafeko.
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Apr 12, 2021
It’s About Time: How to Be Nicer to Future You
You have a superpower: The ability to imagine the future. But when we procrastinate, we get disconnected from that superpower. So how do we stop procrastinating, get unstuck from the present, and get connected to our future selves? Guests: Evolutionary anthropologist Dorsa Amir, procrastination expert Fuschia Sirois, and social psychologist Tim Wilson. Part 6 of 6. Hosted by Rebecca Asoulin and Eoin O'Carroll. Visit csmonitor.com/time for the full transcript, episode art, and links to research mentioned in this episode.
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Apr 5, 2021
It’s About Time: The Fight for Equal Time
JJJJJerome Ellis used to think his stutter was his fault. But he’s done blaming himself. This is the story of how he took his time back – and how disability, gender, and race all affect our access to time. Guests: cultural critic, academic, and activist Brittney Cooper, linguist Deborah Tannen, and composer, performer, and poet JJJJJerome Ellis. Part 5 of 6. Hosted by Rebecca Asoulin and Eoin O'Carroll. Visit csmonitor.com/time for the full transcript, episode art, and links to the research and performances mentioned in this episode.
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Mar 29, 2021
It's About Time: On the Clock
Have you ever been too glued to the clock? Ten-year-old Madeline was becoming a little obsessed with her alarm clock. So her mom took it away. But Madeline isn’t alone. We look at how the clock became king in the West – and how its rule is both tyrannical and liberating. Guests: Historian Alexis McCrossen, time and work expert Dawna Ballard, and clock enthusiast Madeline Hanes. Part 4 of 6. Hosted by Rebecca Asoulin and Eoin O'Carroll. Visit csmonitor.com/time for the full transcript, episode art, and links to research mentioned in this episode.
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Mar 22, 2021
It’s About Time: Out of Time? You're Not Alone.
If you feel like you don’t have enough time, you’re not alone. We objectively have more free time than ever before, but we feel more pressed for time than ever. Why do we feel this way? And are there ways to get the most out of the time we do have? Part 3 of 6. Guests: Psychologist Ashley Whillans and sociologist Leah Ruppanner. Hosted by Rebecca Asoulin and Eoin O'Carroll. Visit csmonitor.com/time for the full transcript, episode art, and links to research mentioned in this episode.
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Mar 18, 2021
Bonus: Alan Lightman Talks Creativity, Time, and Einstein
Why the most exciting parts of being alive are creative moments. For the renowned physicist and writer Alan Lightman, dreaming up a fictional character or discovering a new equation leads to unparalleled exhilaration. In this interview, Dr. Lightman shares his definition of time, and discusses Albert Einstein's work, and the joys of creating. This is a bonus episode of “It’s About Time.” Hosted by Rebecca Asoulin and Eoin O'Carroll. Visit csmonitor.com/time for the full transcript, episode art, and links to Dr. Lightman’s books that are mentioned in this episode.
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Mar 15, 2021
It’s About Time: Can We Change the Past?
Have you ever wanted to time travel? Modern physics shows that it's possible to manipulate time. But does that mean we can travel to the past? And what does this say about what time actually is? The last word often comes from physicists, but there are many definitions of time. Guests: sci-fi writer Ted Chiang (17:16), physicist Ron Mallet (9:02), and philosopher Heather Dyke (3:00). Part 2 of 6. Hosted by Rebecca Asoulin and Eoin O'Carroll. Visit csmonitor.com/time for the full transcript, episode art, and links to books and stories mentioned in this episode.
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Mar 8, 2021
It's About Time: Why Time Flies
Why does time fly when you're having fun? But slow to a crawl when you're under stress? Experiencing the world more like a child could help us all slow down and make the most of our time. Guests: Psychologist Peter Tse and magician Debbie O'Carroll. Part 1 of 6. Hosted by Rebecca Asoulin and Eoin O'Carroll (yes, he's Debbie's son). Visit csmonitor.com/time for the full transcript, episode art, and links to research mentioned in this episode.
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Mar 1, 2021
What Is Time? Introducing: It's About Time
Do you know what time is? No, not "what time is it?" But "what time is." In this six-part science series, "It's About Time," experts unravel the mysteries of time. Because understanding time more deeply can help you make the most of the time you have. Hosted by Rebecca Asoulin and science reporter Eoin O'Carroll. Visit csmonitor.com/time for episode transcripts, episode art, and links to research mentioned in the show.
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Jan 28, 2021
21 in ‘21: Does a Pandemic Define a Generation?
For many societies, 21 is a significant age. It’s a period of promise and potential, of leaving behind childhood to forge a way into the world. So what happens when a pandemic stalls that momentum? In this episode, we talk with Ryan Lenora Brown, the lead reporter in the Monitor’s new special global report “21 in ‘21.” She shares how the project came to be, the experiences of the 12 young adults the Monitor interviewed, and the common threads they all shared – wherever they were in the world. Hosted by Jessica Mendoza and Samantha Laine Perfas.
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Jan 19, 2021
Trusting Our Elections: Why Are Conspiracy Theories So Compelling?
The false narrative that President Donald Trump won the 2020 election was powerful. It led to his supporters storming the Capitol, his second impeachment by the House of Representatives, and even to extremists discussing the possibility of infiltrating President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration. In this episode, we take a close look at political conspiracy theories. Why are they so compelling? And how do we combat them? Part 2 of 2. Hosted by Jessica Mendoza and Samantha Laine Perfas.
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Jan 14, 2021
Trusting Our Elections: What Makes Our Elections Secure?
Ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, Americans remain divided over the integrity of the election. This is despite Congress having certified the results, and officials assuring the public that the 2020 election was perhaps “the most secure in American history.” But what does it mean to have secure elections? And why do conspiracy theories around our elections continue to thrive? In this episode, we look at what truly makes elections fair, free, and secure. Part 1 of 2. Hosted by Jessica Mendoza and Samantha Laine Perfas.
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Dec 23, 2020
Lenora Chu on the Power of Cultural Influences
Lenora Chu, the Monitor’s special correspondent for Europe, is a keen observer of culture and politics. She draws part of that from her background as the U.S.-born grandchild of migrants who fled China during the 1949 Communist revolution. But over 18 years of reporting, she’s also found that her personal connections inform her coverage of unfolding events. Ann Scott Tyson, the Monitor’s Beijing bureau chief, talks to Lenora about her experience writing for the Monitor and how own history enriches her reporting. In this four-part holiday series, we hear from Monitor reporters about how they find the humanity and compassion behind today's headlines.
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Dec 23, 2020
Francine Kiefer on How One Beat Informs Another
The Monitor’s Francine Kiefer is nothing if not passionate. For 30 years, she’s brought energy and intensity to her reporting, whether it’s about the fall of the Berlin Wall, 9/11, or the tumultuous politics of the past decade. Multimedia reporter Jessica Mendoza talks to Francine, now serving as West Coast bureau chief, about how her experience gives her an edge – and why she still responds to every reader email she gets. In this four-part holiday series, we hear from Monitor reporters about how they find the humanity and compassion behind today's headlines.
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Dec 23, 2020
Sara Miller Llana on Finding What Matters
After 15 years and three international posts at the Monitor, Sara Miller Llana has all the qualities of a veteran journalist: curiosity, energy, persistence. But Sara’s stories also radiate with compassion – and a commitment to listening to and understanding her sources. Managing editor Amelia Newcomb talks to Sara about her appreciation for the people she interviews, her love for getting to know what matters to them, and her effort to convey that to readers. In this four-part holiday series, we hear from Monitor reporters about how they find the humanity and compassion behind today's headlines.
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Dec 23, 2020
Ken Makin on Race, Justice, and Hope
Columnist Ken Makin just started writing for the Monitor this year. But he’s already brought incredible insight into issues like racial justice and the Black experience in America. Noelle Swan, editor of the Monitor Weekly, talks to Ken about why he thinks the past matters in news coverage, and where he turns when he’s looking for hope. In this four-part holiday series, we hear from Monitor reporters about how they find the humanity and compassion behind today's headlines.
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Oct 29, 2020
Black Wall Street: ‘Everything is Us’
Tulsa’s efforts to commemorate the centennial of the 1921 race massacre seem to be moving the city toward racial reconciliation. But reconciliation means different things to different people, including within the Black community. This episode looks at how a new generation of Tulsans is finding ways to process, and to own, the story of the massacre and Black Wall Street. What can we, as a country, learn from their efforts? Part 3 of 3, hosted by Jessica Mendoza.
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Oct 28, 2020
Black Wall Street: ‘The Illusion of Inclusion’
The idea that “the Black vote” is a monolith suggests that Black Americans are politically unified. But in Tulsa – and across the country – the reality is much more complicated. Though both Democrats and Republicans promise benefits to Black voters, both parties have also systematically failed them for generations. What gives Black voters in Tulsa hope in our political system? Part 2 of 3, hosted by Jessica Mendoza.
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Oct 27, 2020
Black Wall Street: ‘Their Blood Still Speaks’
The legacy of the 1921 Tulsa race massacre – its horrific violence and the subsequent silence – is still front of mind for many of its Black residents. How has this history shaped the politics of the city? This episode shows listeners Tulsa as it is and as it was – and paints a picture of a city reckoning with racism both past and present. Part 1 of 3, hosted by Jessica Mendoza.
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Oct 20, 2020
Introducing: Rethinking the News
Today’s news cycle can leave us feeling uncertain – about what’s true, about whom to believe, and about what’s really important to us. We want to bring you something different. Welcome to “Rethinking the News,” a new podcast by The Christian Science Monitor.
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