Thought Huddle Podcast

Many of life’s daily interactions depend on trust. That’s especially true for the healthy functioning of a democratic government and its institutions. But what happens when trust erodes? We talk to Daniel Rothenberg, co-director of ASU’s Center on the Future of War and professor in the School of Politics and Global Studies, about reasons why people mistrust the government — and how to build back trust in a deeply flawed system.

The rise of advanced information technologies has resulted in sophisticated efforts to fragment American society — from foreign actors like Russia, to conspiracy theorists and political campaigns — and these efforts are working. ASU’s Braden Allenby tells us what this looks like, how it works and what we can do to restore a robust, pluralistic democracy.

Democracy flourished in Athens 2500 years ago — but lasted only about a century. Why was it so influential in the thousands of years that followed? And how do the struggles and conflicts of ancient Greece mirror our own? We explore these questions with scholar Catherine Zuckert, professor emerita of political science at the University of Notre Dame and visiting professor in ASU’s School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership.

American capitalism was built on the backs of slaves and the slave economy — and not just in the South. Some of these practices are still with us. Historian Calvin Schermerhorn explains how slavery built America without returning virtually any of the gains to the enslaved people — or their descendants. He also describes how racial inequality is part of our national DNA and why it persists. Schermerhorn is a professor of history in ASU’s School of Historical, Philosophical, and Religious Studies, and the author of four books on the history of slavery in the U.S., including “Unrequited Toil: A History of United States Slavery.”

The practice of lynching was originally used against British loyalists. But after the Civil War it became a way of brutally suppressing the rights and agency of African American citizens. We speak with ASU Professor Ersula Ore about her book, "Lynching: Violence, Rhetoric, & American Identity," and the continuing reality of racial injustice. Ore traces the ways in which the practice and the language of violence are embedded in American identity, and how that affects citizens — specifically ex-slaves, Native Americans and other people of color. Ore is the Lincoln Professor of Ethics in the School of Social Transformation and an assistant professor of African and African American studies, and rhetoric.

Organizations serving the public during the crisis of COVID-19 are facing their own challenges. Myriad nonprofits — from front-line service providers to museums and performing arts organizations — are feeling the impact of the pandemic in everything from revenues to volunteerism. Robert Ashcraft, executive director of the Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation at ASU, talks about the challenges, creativity and collaboration he’s seeing in nonprofits across the country, including the innovative use of farm animals on Zoom calls.

Romantic love was long considered an illness — with some bizarre and harrowing treatments. In Shakespeare’s time, the plague and disease are metaphors for love — the overwhelming, intoxicating, love-at-first-sight kind of love. Remedies for this “love sickness” ranged from lettuce to surgery. We talk to Ian Moulton, professor of English and cultural history in ASU's College of Integrative Sciences and Arts, who takes us on a journey from ancient Greece through the early modern period, and the literature and medical history of illness and love.

Poor and minority communities were at a disadvantage before COVID-19, but they are getting hit hardest now. Can the U.S. use this moment for positive change? African Americans and Native American communities have been particularly hard hit by COVID-19, as well as people in the lowest income strata — many of whom work jobs that expose them to the virus, and have limited access to our nation’s fragmentary social safety net. Swapna Reddy, clinical assistant professor at Arizona State University's College of Health Solutions and adjunct professor in health care administration at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine-Arizona, describes both problems and potential solutions to the long standing crisis of inequity that this pandemic is highlighting.

Reliable and fast testing are needed all over the US to confront the spread of COVID-19. We talk to Dr. Joshua LaBaer about his lab’s robotic systems—and how to use and expand testing most effectively. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, LaBaer, executive director of ASU’s Biodesign Institute, transformed one of his labs into a high-volume coronavirus testing lab. This lab was originally developed to do high-volume testing for radiation in case of nuclear disaster. We talk about how the lab works, how to best do testing and contacting tracing, and how to incorporate both of these into strategic plans to reopen society.

In 18th century England, viruses and bacteria were not understood — but the idea of contagion was part of the social fabric. We talk to Annika Mann, an ASU scholar of 18th century and Romantic-era British literature and culture, about both disease contagion in the period before pathogens were well understood, and how that period resonates during the current pandemic. Mann, who authored the book "Reading Contagion" and co-edited the anthology "Transforming Contagion," also discusses the concept of contagious ideas and emotions, like panic, passion, sexuality and democracy.

In this time of coronavirus crisis, how do we best care for others and ourselves? And how do nurses in particular manage amid this pandemic? Thought Huddle host Mary-Charlotte Domandi talks to Dr. Teri Pipe, Arizona State University’s Chief Well-Being Officer, and founding director of ASU’s Center for Mindfulness, Compassion, and Resilience, about the psychological and emotional challenges of navigating this global health crisis—whether alone in your apartment or on the frontlines of the medical system. Pipe and her colleagues are producing a YouTube series, Monday through Friday, on topics related to resilience and mindfulness. You can find it here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNrrxHpJhC8mQ9ASLgp2AyOYJ8cDHPkVl

In the 14th century, a virulent plague killed nearly half of Europe’s population. What can we learn from that time as we navigate COVID-19? This is the first program in a series addressing the Covid-19 pandemic. We talk to ASU historian Hannah Barker about a time in history when the plague, a disease spread by rodents and their fleas, took the lives of tens of millions of people across Europe, Asia, and Africa. We explore the parallels—and differences—between that time and our own, including social, medical and religious responses, and resulting seismic shifts in society.