Recent Programs

  • Living on the Edge
    Over a third of Americans lack sufficient savings to handle a $400 emergency. We consider the plight of tens of millions living on the edge of poverty in the United States.
  • The Lost Cause (Pts 1 & 2)
    Are we still living with the racial divide left over from the Civil War? Has it resurfaced today in the rise of white supremacism and election denialism?
  • Constant Emergency
    Have we entered an age of unrelenting chaos? As we grope for a “new normal”, has humanity reached a kind of turning point? Hear inspiring stories of survivors, along with specific guidance to help people navigate these choppy waters.
  • The Rights of Civilians
    Can the rule of law protect innocent men, women and children? Learn about the International Criminal Court in The Hague, which has opened an investigation into Russia's ruthless invasion of Ukraine. And hear the history of earlier tribunals.
  • Aging in Community
    70 million Baby Boomers are now entering their retirement years. For the first time in history, there will be more older adults than children. On this special project from Humankind public radio, you’ll hear stories of transition and dignity — and meet people who are showing the way.
  • Judicial Independence
    Have our courts – intended by America’s founders to be an independent arbiter of justice – turned into another political battlefield? Are today’s judges mere “politicians in robes”? This public radio documentary series looks at the challenges and proposed solutions.

Staff Picks

  • Resilient Nurses
    A no-holds-barred look at the stressful conditions in which many nurses work: the long hours, the emotional toll, the rapid pace, and the way that technology and institutional practices can make it hard to form a caring bond with patients.
  • Simple Relaxation Exercise
    A 15-minute stress reduction session to calm the body and mind.
  • Libraries Reimagined
    In 2019 Americans visited the library more often than they went to a movie or attended a sporting event. But far from institutions of the past, libraries today are rapidly evolving, ensuring free access to knowledge and protecting democracy.

Producer’s Note

  • The Paradox of Fall

    “Autumn is a season of great beauty, but it is also a season of decline: the days grow shorter, the light is suffused, and summer’s abundance decays toward winter’s death. Faced with this inevitable winter, what does nature do in autumn? She scatters the seeds that will bring new growth in the spring—and she scatters them with amazing abandon.”

    — author Parker Palmer