KERA's Think

Is the U.S. in charge of the Americas?

The violence in El Salvador has come to American attention with the deportation of accused gang members to a notorious prison there. Viet Thanh Nguyen, professor of literature at the University of Southern California, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss his trip to El Salvador, which coincided with Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s trip, and how their versions of American greatness differ immensely as they look to immigration and violence in the region. His article “Greater America Has Been Exporting Disunion for Decades” was published in The Nation.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Why are Gazans starving?

The U.N. says people in Gaza are under “famine-like conditions.” Ciarán Donnelly, SVP for International Programs with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), joins host Krys Boyd to discuss starvation in the Gaza strip, how it’s especially impacting children and what’s keeping food aid groups from helping. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The joy of being a word nerd

 The English language is full of words that both communicate and confound. Martha Barnette, co-host of the popular radio show and podcast “A Way with Words,” joins host Krys Boyd to discuss her love of language and all the myriad ways words bring us joy, how words can surprise and delight us, and why the meaning of some words can often be tricky to determine. Her book is “Friends with Words: Adventures in Languageland.”  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

When organ donations go wrong… for the donor

Organ transplants save lives, but rushing into them could harm donors nearing the end of their own lives. Brian M. Rosenthal, investigative reporter at The New York Times, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how some donors, thought to be deceased, have shown signs of life just before vital organ harvesting, why one particular harvesting method could be part of the problem, and how government regulation might up the risks. His article is “A Push for More Organ Transplants Is Putting Donors at Risk.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

How dogs are helping cure cancer

Dogs suffer from cancer similarly to how humans do – and they may hold the keys to curing us. Bob Holmes, contributor for Knowable Magazine, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the biomedical bond between dogs and people, why dogs develop cancer more quickly and how that can help researchers test treatments without lengthy clinical trials. His article is “How Cancer Research for Dogs Is Helping Improve Treatment for Pets and Humans Alike.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices