Making Contact
777 episodes - English - Latest episode: 7 days ago - ★★★★★ - 53 ratingsMedia that helps build a movement: Making Contact is an award-winning, 29-minute weekly magazine/documentary-style public affairs program heard on 150 radio stations.
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Episodes
Being Black and Green: African-Americans & the Environment ENCORE
August 21, 2012 16:48 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBAfrican-Americans are helping to lead the environmental movement. We take you to a resettlement community in North Carolina, sustainable farms in Wisconsin and a local bike ride in California, where local black leaders are changing the color of environmentalism.
Returning Fire: Interventions in Video Game Culture
August 14, 2012 20:45 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBInteractive, realistic, pro-war video games have become part of American culture. But protestors and artists are finding ways to turn the virtual world into a place where the military hero narrative can be questioned. On this edition, we hear excerpts from the movie Returning Fire: Interventions in Video Game Culture, written and directed by Roger Stahl.
Undue Influence: the power of Police and Prison Guards' Unions
August 02, 2012 21:46 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBPolice officers and prison guards hold tremendous political sway. Their unions support or opposition can make or break a campaign for office. And their advocacy for better pay, more power, and more jobs has been a major factor in the expansion of the prison industrial complex. For decades, they’ve helped build America’s build America’s criminal justice system. Now that system is changing. Can law enforcement unions change as well?
Lessons of Nagasaki
July 31, 2012 15:28 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBThe US dropped the world’s first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan on August 6, 1945. Three days later, Nagasaki also fell victim. On this edition, we commemorate the anniversary of the bombings with excerpts from two documentaries, Hiroshima Countdown and Nagasaki Journey.
The Struggle for Libya's Future
July 24, 2012 21:13 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBReese Erlich brings us a special report from Libya on the chaos that remains in the wake of the overthrow of hated dictator Muammar Gaddafi. While the west proclaimed a great victory for so-called “humanitarian military intervention,” armed militias once allied with the US and NATO now attack government offices and engage in extortion rackets.
The Olympic Games: Who wins?
July 17, 2012 21:57 - 35 seconds - 576 KBThe Olympic Games have grown into a multibillion dollar industry. But with that growth comes concerns about the negative effects of the event on the people and places where the Games take place. We ask who wins, and who loses, when the Olympics come to town? We take you to Vancouver, London, and Denver -- the only city to ever turn down the Olympics.
Ban the Box! The Campaign for Post-Prison Employment ENCORE
July 11, 2012 00:51 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBIt’s not even the crime that counts sometimes. It’s that little box on an application that asks you to reveal if you have a criminal history. Checking that box can mean the difference between failure and success. We look at the nationwide movement to ‘ban-the-box’, and make criminal histories less of a stigma.
Angela Davis and Tim Wise: Capitalism, Privatization and Hope
July 03, 2012 22:13 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBRenowned anti-racist author Tim Wise examines how society is being divided and conquered on the basis of race and class. But legendary activist Angela Davis says we must not give up hope. On this edition, we hear Davis and Wise discuss privatization, the economy, and other critical issues of our times – moderated by journalist Rose Aguilar.
Prison Crisis: Local Solution?
June 27, 2012 00:11 - 28 minutes - 26.6 MBThe United States imprisons more people than any other country. In California a new policy called ‘realignment’ aims to reduce the number of people in state prison. Could the incarceration nation finally be slowing down?
Population Control or Population Justice?
June 15, 2012 23:45 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBShrinking the world’s population is one way to curb global warming, according to some environmentalists. To make that happen, women need more control of their own fertility. But those perspectives are controversial. Can a movement for ‘population justice’ save our planet while respecting women’s rights?
Arundhati Roy: Jungles of Resistance
June 13, 2012 00:43 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBRenowned Indian author Arundhati Roy takes us deep into the revolutionary-filled jungles of India, as she reads excerpts from her new book Walking with the Comrades.
Obama 2012: The Lesser Evil?
June 06, 2012 00:07 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBBarack Obama’s first term has been a disappointment for many, and leaves open the question for those with a progressive agenda—is voting for Obama in 2012 the best route to take? We hear excerpts of a panel discussion titled “The 2012 Elections: Lesser Evil or Left Alternative?”
Seeking Justice and Police Accountability in Jamaica ENCORE
May 30, 2012 03:30 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBOn the second anniversary of the 2010 uprisings, this special documentary looks at police violence in Jamaica. In May 2010 a government crackdown left 73 people dead and a city in chaos. Their families continue to fight for justice and accountability, despite Jamaica’s long record of police violence and government corruption.
Poisoned Water, Fossil Fuels
May 22, 2012 22:04 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBThe endless search for fossil fuels is polluting our waterways, and our water supplies. The fight to protect clean drinking water is motivating Americans to take action. But with regulatory agencies in the pocket of industrial polluters, will it be enough and will it be too late?
Farming Underwater: Steve Mello's Story
May 15, 2012 19:37 - 29 minutes - 26.6 MBFarmer Steve Mello has put down roots in “The Delta” in central California. But climate change is threatening the levees which protect Delta farms. Can we defend our farms from the impacts coming with climate change?
Mexico's Drug War: The Politics of Violence
May 08, 2012 17:11 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBOn this edition, political science professor David Shirk sheds light on the history and politics of the war on drugs in Mexico. And, an emerging movement in Mexico points to how both Mexicans and Americans can play a role in creating change.
Mending the Past: International Truth and Reconciliation
May 01, 2012 21:36 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBAfter Apartheid, after genocide and after civil wars—how do nations, or people who’ve been pitted against each other, resolve their differences and live together in peace? We host a round table discussion on reconciliation with community organizers from Serbia, South Africa, Azerbaijan, and Sudan.
Police Tape: From Rodney King to Aiyana Jones
April 24, 2012 20:18 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBIt’s been 20 years since four white police officers were cleared of unlawfully beating Rodney King in Los Angeles. But we might never have heard of Rodney King had it not been for an amateur cameraman who caught the whole thing on tape. On this edition, we hear how video cameras have changed the way we see the police.
Bigger Than Hip-Hop: Youth Speakin' for Themselves
April 18, 2012 02:09 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBSpoken word. It’s poetry…it’s hip-hop…and increasingly, it’s the chosen means of expression for today’s youth. On this edition, to celebrate National Poetry month, we bring you performances by the poets and students of Youth Speaks, from their annual event in honor of another master orator, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Justice in the Home: Domestic Workers Re-define the Labor Movement
April 06, 2012 22:38 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBWith the passage of New York’s Domestic Workers Bill of Rights in 2010, workers are now organizing in California and other states to win basic rights and protections long denied to this labor force. On this edition, we look at past and present struggles of domestic workers.
Bees: The Threatened Link in Food Security ENCORE
April 03, 2012 23:03 - 29 minutes - 26.6 MBHoney bees help pollinate 1 in every 3 bites we eat. But they’re fighting to survive, in a world filled with pesticides and parasites. We’ll learn about colony collapse disorder and hear from beekeepers, researchers, and gardeners who are trying to protect the honey bee.
Cities Underwater: Venice and New Orleans Seek Solutions
March 27, 2012 19:26 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBWe’ve all seen how high water devastated New Orleans. But another historic Jewel, Venice, Italy, is struggling to plan for sea level rise. On this edition, Producer Zoe Sullivan takes us to both Venice and New Orleans, to look at some creative solutions they’re trying, and what other coastal cities might do as the effects of climate change set in.
Justice For Sale: Glenn Greenwald on the Rule of Law
March 20, 2012 20:48 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBAuthor Glenn Greenwald talks about his book, ‘With Liberty and Justice for Some.’ Americans claim to live under the rule of law; that no one is above our system of justice. But as we witness more exceptions to that rule, there are growing doubts that fairness is a value we as a nation, still hold dear.
Ban the Box! The Campaign for Post-Prison Employment
March 13, 2012 07:00 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBIt’s not even the crime that counts sometimes. It’s that little box on an application that asks you to reveal if you have a criminal history. Checking that box can mean the difference between failure and success. We look at the nationwide movement to ‘ban-the-box’, and make criminal histories less of a stigma.
The Light Inside: Giving Birth Behind Bars
March 05, 2012 15:46 - 29 minutes - 26.6 MBA look at pregnancy, and motherhood, inside US jails and prisons. What does the huge number of incarcerated women in prison foretell for the next generation of America’s kids?
Drips of Change: Preserving Our Freshwater
February 28, 2012 17:40 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MB40 years after the Clean Water Act became law, the landscape of our water supply has been transformed, and regulation is being framed by some as an enemy of progress. On this edition, we look at how we manage our water in the twenty-first century. Are we doing too little, or are we trying to control too much?
Capitalism Makes us Crazy: Dr Gabor Maté on Illness & Addiction
February 22, 2012 01:22 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBWhat’s the connection between the increase in chronic diseases, mental illness and drug addiction in our society today? On this edition, Dr. Gabor Mate talks about the relationship between mind and body health – and what the rise of capitalism has done to destroy both.
How to Occupy the Economy, According to Richard Wolff
February 06, 2012 22:50 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBOccupy Wall Street has changed the conversation about the distribution of wealth. So what now? What policy changes and initiatives should the movement be pushing for? Economics Professor Richard Wolff has some answers.
Who Controls Black Women's Bodies? (Encore)
January 26, 2012 19:26 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBReproductive health services for women are under attack, leaving poor women and women of color lacking access. But a broad coalition of women is striking back, changing the conversation on abortion and race.
Tariq Ali on the Rise of the "Extreme Center"
January 23, 2012 02:37 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBAs the U.S. prepares for another presidential election, journalist Tariq Ali says the ‘choices’ don’t present much in the way of options. On this edition, Ali speaks about the growth of the ‘extreme center’ and how Occupy and other emerging social movements are challenging the status quo.
How to Change a System: Occupy and the Question of Non-Violence
January 18, 2012 01:55 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBThere’s a raging debate within the Occupy movement over what tactics should be used. On this edition, a debate from Oakland, California between practitioners of non-violence, versus those who believe a diversity of tactics is what Occupy needs to move forward.
Inside the Syrian Uprising
January 07, 2012 23:52 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBAs the popular uprising against the Syrian government continues, reporter Reese Erlich is one of the few foreign reporters who got into Syria to interview opposition demonstrators, government officials and impassioned supporters of President Bashar al Assad. On this edition, Erlich takes us inside the Syrian uprising.
Cornel West & Carl Dix: Pursuing Justice in the Age of Obama
January 02, 2012 00:28 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBA dialogue between Princeton University professor Cornel West, and Revolutionary Communist Party USA spokesman Carl Dix about the future of America’s youth in the age of Obama.
Looking Back, Moving Forward: 2011 Year in Review
December 26, 2011 21:05 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBA look back at some of the most important issues of 2011: Attacks on organized labor, the Egyptian revolution, and the struggle to address climate change. We’ll hear highlights from some of our best programs of the year, and get updates on where those stories stand now.
Melissa Harris-Perry: Confronting Stereotypes of the Black Woman
December 19, 2011 01:25 - 29 minutes - 26.6 MBOn this edition, author and political science professor Melissa Harris-Perry speaks about the stereotypes black women face, its impacts on their identity and how it has limited the ways in which society views them as true “citizens.”
Gang Injunctions: Problem or Solution?
December 09, 2011 00:26 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBGang injunctions are a controversial crime fighting tool that some people say should be illegal, and others say is a necessary last resort for communities plagued by violence. On this edition, we go from the birthplace of gang injunctions in L.A., to their newest use in London.
The Toxic Truth About Nail Salons (Encore)
December 01, 2011 20:32 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBWe take a look at the health impacts of chemical exposure in nail salons, the shoddy regulation of cosmetics, and the movement towards greener nail salons.
Occupy: From Encampments to a Movement
November 23, 2011 19:18 - 29 minutes - 26.6 MBAs the Occupy movement continues to grow participants, activists and community organizers are grappling with how to ensure that Occupy develops beyond tents and into long-term systemic change.
Words As the Way to Freedom: Jimmy Santiago Baca
November 17, 2011 20:42 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBHe went from illiterate street kid, to world renowned poet. But it was in prison that Jimmy Santiago Baca connected with his Native American and Chicano heritage, and began learning the lessons of his people’s past. On this edition, Progressive Magazine editor Matthew Rothschild sits down with Jimmy Santiago Baca.
Veterans of Occupation: From Iraq to Wall Street
November 03, 2011 19:01 - 29 minutes - 26.6 MBOn this edition, we bring you the voices of Veterans from Occupy Wall Street and a special report on veterans returning home from war and the struggles they endure from inadequate healthcare to the inability in finding employment.
Who Controls Black Women's Bodies?
October 26, 2011 21:54 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBReproductive health services for women are under attack, leaving poor women and women of color lacking access. But a broad coalition of women is striking back, changing the conversation on abortion and race. WARNING: This program contains graphic language.
Democratic Boundaries: Corporate Cash vs. the 99%
October 20, 2011 23:49 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBThe people of the U.S. have seemingly awakened, and are out in the streets, demanding changes to a system in which money controls politics. On this edition, corporations, elections and the 99%. In a post-citizens united world, is it too late to reclaim our democracy?
Voices from the Diaspora: Resistance & Community
October 19, 2011 01:25 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBRiots all over the world are calling on us to get involved in societal change. But what kind of action is needed, and how do we create real change? We feature a round-table discussion that explores political action, strategies, and leadership.
A Woman's Rise to Power: Struggle and Success
October 11, 2011 22:27 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBIn 2011, why are there fewer than 20 female heads of state around the world? A former President, a Supreme Court justice and other women leaders reflect on the battles they’ve won on the way to the top of their fields, and just how far there still is to go.
Transforming the Trauma: Soldiers Stories
September 29, 2011 20:28 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBTwo generations of veterans cope with PTSD—looking to heal themselves and the world. Featuring S. Brian Willson, author of Blood on the Tracks.
Tales & Tools of Revolution: From Serbia to Egypt
September 22, 2011 19:07 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBA new generation is telling their stories of overthrowing corrupt regimes. And in the digital age, their lessons can spread more quickly than ever before. We’ll hear from Egyptian, Serbian, and Azerbaijani activists, about their work to topple undemocratic rulers.
Bees: The Threatened Link in Food Security
September 21, 2011 01:18 - 29 minutes - 26.6 MBHoney bees help pollinate 1 in every 3 bites we eat. But they’re fighting to survive, in a world filled with pesticides and parasites. We’ll learn about colony collapse disorder and hear from beekeepers, researchers, and gardeners who are trying to protect the honey bee.
The War You Don’t See
September 08, 2011 20:07 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBWas mainstream media in cahoots with government forces in the lead up to the Iraq War? In his film, “The War You Don’t See,” Australian journalist John Pilger reveals how American and British journalists contributed to the drumbeat of war and how they could have prevented the invasion of Iraq.
Presumed Guilty: American Muslims and Arabs (9-11 Encore Edition)
September 01, 2011 18:31 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBAmerican Arabs and Muslims are under the microscope, and many feel demonized and say they are living in fear of arrest. On this edition, we'll hear stories about the past 10 years of anti-Arab profiling and prosecution. We also look at parallels with the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II.
Who Won the Egyptian Revolution?
August 25, 2011 19:21 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBHosni Mubarak’s dictatorship is gone, but a military council now rules Egypt, and has kept much of Mubarak’s repressive apparatus. Meanwhile extremist Islamist groups want to adopt undemocratic, right-wing policies. Producer Reese Erlich goes to Cairo to ask: “Who Won the Egyptian Revolution?”