Statistics can be used to say anything. But on some issues, statistics show how policy can directly affect the quality of citizens’ lives.
Monday, October 3 |
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Income Disparity and Poverty Reduction
Timothy Smeeding—Director, Center for Policy Research and Luxembourg Income Study, Syracuse University
The U.S. has some of the richest people in the world. But it also has the greatest divide between rich and poor. And while the number of children in poverty in countries such as Mexico and Russia is declining, it's starting to climb in the U.S. We talk with a researcher with the Luxembourg Income Study about wealth disparity around the world.
Related Link
Luxembourg Income Study
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Tuesday, October 4—Kids and Work |
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Infant Mortality
Dr. Paul Wise—Richard E. Behrman Professor of Child Health and Society and Professor of Pediatrics, Stanford University
By some studies, the U.S. is number 42 in the world at preventing death among young children. Even Cuba is ranked higher. Dr. Robert Wise of Stanford University says the main reason is a lack of health care for women before and after pregnancy. We talk with him about inequalities in the care of women and infants.
Related Link
Centers for Disease Control Infant Mortality Fact Sheet
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“Family-friendly” Work Policies
Willem Adema—Economist, Social Policy Division, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
Some governments in Scandinavia offer families child care support from birth to school age. Other countries are trying to balance a need for women to be in the workforce with making it easier for families to have children. We talk with a researcher at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development about how other countries promote “family-friendly” policies.
Related Link
OECD Family-friendly Policies |
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Wednesday, October 5—Taxes and Other Imprisonments |
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Taxes and Value for Your Dollar
David Cay Johnston—Writer
Europeans get more services from their governments because they pay more in taxes, right? We discuss the balance between public services and private wealth.
Johnston is the author of
Perfectly Legal: The Covert Campaign to Rig Our Tax System to Benefit the Super Rich—and Cheat Everybody Else.
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Immigration Policy
Demetrios Papademetriou—President, Migration Policy Institute; Former Director of Immigration Policy and Research for the U.S. Department of Labor
How do other countries deal with immigrants, both legal and illegal?
Related Link
Migration Policy Institute |
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Thursday, October 6–Politics |
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U.S. and E.U. in the War on Terrorism
Human rights commentator Doug Cassel compares U.S. and European tactics in the war on terrorism.
Doug Cassel is the director of the Center for Civil and Human Rights, University of Notre Dame Law School.
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Women in Government
Mary Ann Tetreault—Professor of Political Science, Trinity University
Some countries have a quota system to guarantee representation for women in government. Does it result in a more equal society? |
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Military in Domestic Affairs
Lindsay Cohn—Doctoral Candidate, Duke University
The U.S. has a law to prevent the military from getting involved in domestic law enforcement. But after Hurricane Katrina, some are calling for more military involvement in domestic affairs. We discuss how other countries view the separation of civilian and military power. |
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Friday, October 7–Access to Information
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The U.S., Europe, and the Language of Film
Milos Stehlik—Film Contributor
Commentator Milos Stehlik of Facets Multimedia reflects on the universal language of U.S. filmmaking. |
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Media Ownership in the U.S. and Abroad
Robert McChesney—Professor of Communication, University of Illionis, Urbana-Champaign
In some countries, you can fit the major media owners around a card table. The U.S. has a much more diversified media, but that's changing. U.S. media conglomerates are turning their attention abroad, where there's growth potential for advertising. We talk about the state of media ownership in the U.S. and around the world.
Related Link
Robert McChesney |
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“Liberal”And “Conservative” in the U.S. and Europe
Jan-Werner Mueller—Assistant Professor of Politics, Princeton University
A French socialist and an American neo-conservative could meet at a café and both agree that they hate liberals—and mean completely different things. We discuss exactly what “conservative” and “liberal” mean in Europe and in the U.S. |
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Wednesday, October 12 –Prison |
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Prison Population
Rob Allen—Director, International Centre for Prison Studies; King’s College, University of London
The U.S. has more people in prison than any other country—more than China, more than Russia. Does the U.S. just have more criminals?
Related Link
International Centre for Prison Studies
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