These days, with catastrophe after catastrophe, it can be easy to turn to despair and to believe that there is nothing we can do. But writer Rebecca Solnit is determined to change that narrative. Over the course of her career, Solnit has published twenty-five books on feminism, popular power, social change and insurrection, and hope and catastrophe. Her most ... Show More
Jun 14
Derek R. Peterson, "A Popular History of Idi Amin's Uganda" (Yale UP, 2025)
Idi Amin ruled Uganda between 1971 and 1979, inflicting tremendous violence on the people of the country. How did Amin's regime survive for eight calamitous years? Drawing on recently uncovered archival material, Derek Peterson reconstructs the political logic of the era, focusin ... Show More
1h 3m
Jun 13
Curtis Dozier, "The White Pedestal: How White Nationalists Use Ancient Greece and Rome to Justify Hate" (Yale UP, 2026)
Curtis Dozier's The White Pedestal: How White Nationalists Use Ancient Greece and Rome to Justify Hate (Yale University Press, 2026) explores how white nationalist thought leaders use ancient Greece and Rome to claim historical precedent for their violent and oppressive politics ... Show More
1h 16m
Jun 12
AI, Algocracy, and Democracy's Challenging Road Ahead with Andrew Sorota
Like many people, I've been following the developments of AI, testing out new models and following the deluge of news stories about the fight for supremacy. Much has been written about the existential and economic risks posed by AI, but the political implications of superintellig ... Show More
45m 54s
Oct 2025
The Case for Hope, With Rebecca Solnit
<p>We explore how embracing uncertainty enables us to move beyond climate anxiety and despair to hope and action, with author and activist Rebecca Solnit.</p><p>Summary: When you think about climate change, do you feel hope? In this episode of The Science of Happiness, we examine ... Show More
21m 45s
Jan 2025
How to turn climate anxiety into action (w/ Luisa Neubauer) (re-release)
Amidst the multiple devastating fires in Los Angeles, where Chris lives, extreme weather events and shifting climate patterns are occurring across the globe, making our everyday lives all the more unpredictable. Today we are re-airing this episode from the very first season of Ho ... Show More
31m 29s
Sep 2024
"We've Hit a Tipping Point" - Riz Ahmed on Protest, Joy, and the Power of Story
Mehdi is joined by Oscar-winning actor and producer Riz Ahmed for a high school reunion (yes, they went to school together back in London in the 1990s!) and catch up on life, work, and how the world has changed for brown folks since their childhood. They talk about Riz's journey ... Show More
46m 17s
Oct 2024
Extra Stupid: Tim Winton's vision for our precarious future
<p>Julia has been reading Tim Winton's new novel, Juice, and it has her thinking about eco-anxiety, climate change and whether a novel can change the public's view on an issue. Join the conversation and email the show at <a href="mailto:notstupid@abc.net.au" target="_blank">notst ... Show More
13 m