Radio

• Posturing, Identity Politics and the Presidential Race
  It was a primary season of highs and lows, with identity politics front and center. After a year of controversies and verbal missteps, both Republicans and Democrats have their presidential candidates. Howard Ross joins us to look for hints of whether our conversations about race, gender and generational divides have reinforced or transcended old cultural battle-lines.
  WAMU-88.5 FM - June 9, 2008
  
  
• Race & Pop Culture: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back?
  The American media has come a long way when it comes to racial and cultural stereotypes. But even if nuance increasingly trumps caricature in popular movies and political discourse, progress can be halting. Howard Ross joins Kojo to look at race, representation and pop culture.
  WAMU-88.5 FM - May 5, 2008
  
  
• The Role of Religion at Work and Home
  It's one of the odd contradictions of American life: Religion is an increasingly prominent part of our cultural and political conversations. Yet research shows that many Americans don't understand the basic tenets of the world's faiths. And many feel uncomfortable even talking about their beliefs. We explore these apparent contradictions, and how they affect our approach to religion in our private and professional lives.
  WAMU-88.5 FM - April 7th, 2008

• The "Opressor/Oppressed" Paradigm?
  The world rarely divides neatly into "good guys" and "bad guys". But nonetheless, we often fall back into simple frameworks for interpretting the news. Howard Ross joins Kojo to discuss how these hardened narratives affect the way we talk about race, gender and class. Plus we look at the origins of the term "African American" and the labels we use to describe cultural heritage.
  WAMU-88.5 FM - March 7th, 2008
  
  
• The "New Political Correctness"?
  When issues of race and gender show up in mainstream media coverage, they tend to be discussed in code language and artful omissions. Howard Ross joins Kojo to explore what happens when those codes are violated, and whether we've become conditioned to overreact.
  WAMU-88.5 FM - February 4th, 2008
  

• Pop Culture and Personal Politics
  Guest Host: Matthew Felling
  Can you be against racism but laugh at racist stereotypes on TV? Are you a hypocrite for buying music with mysognistic lyrics while bemoaning the way pop culture portrays women. At a time of unprecedented choice in entertainment, we explore whether "You Are What You Watch."
  WAMU-88.5 FM - January 7th, 2008
  

• Cultural Competency and Islam
  It's a culture gap affecting American soldiers on the streets of Baghdad and corporate executives in boardrooms across the world: American institutions without a dynamic understanding of Islam and Muslim culture. We meet a leading expert who's provided training for law enforcement and military officers on Arab and Muslim Americans.
  WAMU-88.5 FM - December 10, 2007

• A New Look at the Corporate Ladder
  Today, record numbers of women and people of color are at the helm of corporation boardrooms and law firms. And businesses are diversifying recruitment at the ground floor. But race, gender and culture still affect career trajectories in profound, occasionally unexpected ways. Howard Ross joins Kojo to explore the corporate ladder in today's diversified work place, and the personal politics behind the headlines. WAMU-88.5 FM - November 5, 2007
  

• Culture, Politics and Gay Rights
  From the pews of churches to the halls of Congress, American institutions remain divided over rights and protections for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. But these issues have also taken increasingly global significance. Howard Ross joins Kojo to explore the intersection of gay rights, cultural identity and personal politics. WAMU-88.5 FM - October 2, 2007
  

• Scandal and the Court of Public Opinion
  The American public and news media often seems to delight in a public figures' fall from grace -- whether it's Senator Larry Craig's or quarterback Michael Vick. But amid sweeping condemnations, civic dialogue can sometimes turn nasty and hypocritical. Howard Ross joins Kojo to explore what "the court of public opinion" says about us -- the public. WAMU-88.5 FM - September 10, 2007

• The Only One
  Being different isn't always easy. Just ask the male nanny at the playground, the black manager at a Fortune 500 company, the gay member of a temple, the disabled child at the swimming pool, or the only white professor in an African American studies department. In his monthly conversation with Kojo, Howard Ross is back to explore the complicated dynamics that swirl around "the only" in any situation.
  WAMU-88.5 FM - August 6, 2007
  
  
• Howard Ross
  From today's online pundits to niche broadcasters, its possible to completely tailor our news and entertainment to reflect our interests, culture and worldview. But some say today's segmented media landscape is ushering an era of self-segregation. Kojo and Howard explore how today's fragmented media environment is affecting the way we discuss culture and race.
  WAMU-88.5 FM - July 2, 2007
  
  
• Cultural Competency for Globetrotters
  Kojo Nnamdi Show (mp3)
  A summer vacation or business trip overseas is a great opportunity to encounter different cultures. But it's also an endeavor fraught with unwritten rules of social interactions and unforeseen faux-pas. Kojo and Howard Ross explore cultural competency for globetrotters, and insights we can glean about ourselves through travel.
  WAMU-88.5 FM - June 4, 2007