The United States imprisons more people than any other country in the world. And Black people bear the burdens of mass incarceration the most. In 2019, Connecticut was one of seven states where Black people were incarcerated at over nine times the rate of white people. That’s according to an analysis done by The Sentencing Project. These problems aren't new, but they also aren't going away. Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Yale law professor James Forman Jr. hopes the new book he co-edited, Dismantling Mass Incarceration: A Handbook for Change, will inspire readers to work towards change. It talks about finding solutions at every level of what he calls "the criminal system," from policing to prisons to courts. GUEST: James Forman Jr.: J. Skelly Wright Professor of Law at Yale University. His book Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America won a Pulitzer Prize in 2018. He recently co-edited Dismantling Mass Incarceration: A Handbook for Change. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you've never spent time in Appalachia, your idea of the region might be shaped by what you see in media like vice presidential nominee JD Vance’s bestselling memoir Hillbilly Elegy and its subsequent movie adaptation. But many popular depictions of Appalachia ignore its rich diversity. This hour, we talk to people who grew up in Appalachia to go beyond the stereotypes. Neema Avashia discusses her book Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place and tells us about searching for belonging with multiple marginalized identities. And Crystal Wilkinson, former Poet Laureate of Kentucky and author of the culinary memoir Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts: Stories and Recipes from Five Generations of Black Country Cooks, reflects on her family's long and complex history in Appalachia stretching back to a marriage between a white man and an enslaved Black woman. GUEST: Neema Avashia: Educator and author of Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place. Crystal Wilkinson: Writer and former Poet Laureate of Kentucky. She teaches creative writing at the University of Kentucky and is author of Perfect Black. Her latest book is Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts: Stories and Recipes from Five Generations of Black Country Cooks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to a Washington Post analysis, from 2021 to 2023, states passed 70 laws restricting education about race, sex and gender. In the four years before that, states passed zero such restrictions. That change accompanies a wave of criticism of U.S. universities brought forward by politicians like Vice Presidential Nominee JD Vance. This, hour, we look into what is behind these attacks on education. Yale philosophy professor Jason Stanley's latest book is called Erasing History: How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future. He argues that restrictions on education parallel the methods of fascist leaders and discusses why some politicians who graduate from selective universities later criticize them. GUEST: Jason Stanley: The Jacob Urowsky Professor of Philosophy at Yale University. His newest book is Erasing History: How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future. Special thanks to our intern Frankie Devevo.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For years, Dr. Jonathan Metzl thought about gun violence as a public health issue. His approach treated it like an epidemic and treated guns as a health risk. But as he studied a mass shooting that happened near where he lives in Nashville, he realized he had been missing something crucial for years— the cultural power of guns. He joins us to talk about his new book, What We’ve Become: Living and Dying in a Country of Arms. GUEST: Dr. Jonathan Metzl: Frederick B. Rentschler II Professor of Sociology and Psychiatry, and the director of the Department of Medicine, Health, and Society, at Vanderbilt University. His latest book is What We’ve Become: Living and Dying in a Country of Arms. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Author Amy Tan is best known for popular novels like The Joy Luck Club and its 1993 film adaptation. The book and movie explore several mother-daughter relationships — some of which were shaped by Amy’s own experiences. Amy’s latest book, The Backyard Bird Chronicles, hits close to home in a different way. In it, she brings the birds in her backyard to life with humor and tragedy through observations and drawings from her nature journals. But the book isn’t just a recounting of wildlife. Amy vividly imagines the birds’ inner thoughts and comes away with piercing observations about wildlife, humanity and the relationship between them. This hour, Amy talks to us about that book and offers her insights on a wide range of topics including how birds have led her to reflect on mortality, her changing experience of racism and overcoming her fear of sharks. A note to our radio listeners: Starting the week of September 23, Disrupted moves from Wednesdays at 2:00 PM to Fridays at 9:00 AM and a rebroadcast at 8:00 PM, plus our Sunday at 2:00 PM rebroadcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour, we are returning to conversations about the stories we see represented on the small screen. Elizabeth Ito is the creator of 'City of Ghosts' and also worked on Adventure Time. She'll discuss using people's real voices in her work and covering topics like gentrification on a series that children watch. Bethonie Butler, author of 'Black TV: Five Decades of Groundbreaking Television from Soul Train to Black-ish and Beyond,' talks to us about shows centering Black characters from 1968's Julia up to the present day. GUESTS: Elizabeth Ito: writer, director and storyboard artist in the animation industry. She is the creator of the series 'City of Ghosts,' which is currently on Netflix. She also worked on Adventure Time. Bethonie Butler: author of 'Black TV: Five Decades of Groundbreaking Television from Soul Train to Black-ish and Beyond.' Bethonie is a former reporter for The Washington Post where she covered television and pop culture. This episode originally aired on February 21, 2024. Disrupted is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This year, Michael Morand, director of community engagement for Yale's Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, was appointed New Haven's official city historian. We talk with him about bringing New Haven’s history to life and the exhibit he collaborated on at the New Haven Museum. The exhibit includes years of Michael's research as part of The Yale and Slavery Research Project documenting Yale’s historical ties to slavery. The exhibit, which is on view until March, 2025, is called Shining Light on Truth: New Haven, Yale, and Slavery. Guest: Michael Morand: Director of community engagement for Yale's Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library and New Haven's official city historian. Disrupted is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listening to the news, it feels like there are more natural disasters than ever. This hour, we return to conversations about why flooding and droughts are becoming so common and how the word "disaster" affects the way we view an event. First, Connecticut State Historian Andy Horowitz explains why understanding disasters involves looking at the decisions people made before the devastation, sometimes decades before. And Professor Mohammed Ombadi breaks down the science behind how climate change is causing an increase in extreme weather. GUESTS: Andy Horowitz: Associate Professor of History at UConn, Connecticut State Historian, author of 'Katrina: A History, 1915-2015' Mohammed Ombadi: Assistant Professor in the department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering at the University of Michigan Special thanks to interns Lateshia Peters and Joey Morgan. This episode originally aired on November 8, 2023. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Disrupted will be back with new episodes in September. In the meantime, as we prepare for the election, we are bringing you some highlights from the New Hampshire Public Radio series 'Civics 101.' Why Vote, And How To Do It The United States is supposed to be a representative democracy. We vote for our leaders, and those leaders represent our interests. But the impact of your vote isn't always so clear. On Civics 101, NHPR's show about the basics of how our democracy works, we talk about why you should vote, and provide wisdom to help you prepare for the polls.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Disrupted will be back with new episodes in September. In the meantime, as we prepare for the election, we are bringing you some highlights from the New Hampshire Public Radio series 'Civics 101.' Are We A Democracy Or A Republic? Civics 101 has a tagline: we’re a show about the basics of how our democracy works. And there’s a complaint we get pretty often around here, that our tagline contains the word "democracy," but the United States is actually a republic. So...do we need to make a change? We dig into that question, and talk about how our two-party system compares to other countries.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Disrupted, we dive deep into one of the wildest election cycles in recent history. Journalist and editorial director for Mother Jones, Jamilah King, offers her take on some of the latest political developments. We also discuss Vice President Kamala Harris’s candidacy with Higher Heights for America, an organization that supports Black women in politics. You can also watch Disrupted host Khalilah Brown-Dean's interview with C-Span's Washington Journal about the role of black sororities and fraternities and why they could play a huge role in the election. Guests: Jamilah King: Editorial Director at Mother Jones Glynda C. Carr: President and CEO of Higher Heights for America See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour, we listen back to conversations with people who think a lot about religion— both their own experiences and how it impacts society. NPR National Political Correspondent Sarah McCammon grew up in Kansas City as an Evangelical. Her book, The Exvangelicals - Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church tells her story and the story of others who felt disenchanted by the movement and walked away. Three Gen Z-ers talk about their relationship with religion and spirituality. Later in the show, we’ll hear from Myokei Caine-Barrett, Shonin. She’s the first person of African-American and Japanese descent—and the only American woman—to be fully ordained as a Buddhist priest in the Nichiren lineage. GUESTS: Sarah McCammon: NPR National Political Correspondent and author of The Exvangelicals - Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church Myokei Caine Barrett, Shonin: Resident Priest of Myoken-Ji Temple in Houston This episode originally aired on April 3, 2024. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.