KQED's Forum

Brie Jensen, host of the popular Pontifacts podcast, joins Jeffrey Guhin, a sociology professor at UCLA, and Joshtrom Isaac Kureethadam, chair at the Salesian Pontifical University, to discuss the future of the papacy after Pope Francis's passing. They explore the conclave process and potential successors, emphasizing the need to continue Francis's legacy of environmentalism and social justice. The conversation highlights hopes for an inclusive and compassionate leader who prioritizes global issues like poverty and climate change.

Caregiving is the most universal of human acts. But also one of the most invisible. While caring for a child, parent or loved one can be meaningful, and life defining, it can also be exhausting and life breaking. Drawing on her groundbreaking research on baby’s brains, UC Berkeley psychologist and philosopher Alison Gopnik is leading a multidisciplinary project to better understand the social science of caregiving with hopes of translating those insights into practical policies. Gopnik and policymaker Anne-Marie Slaughter join us to talk about how rethinking our approach to caregiving and how we support care providers, could lead to a better, more functional society.Guests:Alison Gopnik, professor of psychology and affiliate professor of philosophy, UC Berkeley; author, "The Gardener and the Carpenter: What the New Science of Child Development Tells Us About the Relationship Between Parents and Children"Anne-Marie Slaughter, CEO of New America, a non-profit think tank; author of "Unfinished Business: Women Men Work Family" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Adam Serwer, a Staff Writer at The Atlantic, Mark Joseph Stern from Slate Magazine, and Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar, former justice and now president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, as they dissect the growing tensions between the Trump administration and federal courts. They explore the implications of executive defiance on the rule of law and the potential for a constitutional crisis. The conversation also addresses the judiciary's struggle to maintain authority and the broader impact on democracy and civic engagement.

Graham Lustig, artistic director of both the Angel Island Project and Oakland Ballet, discusses the emotional ballet based on the immigrant experiences at Angel Island. Phil Chan, choreographer and co-founder of Final Bow for Yellowface, highlights the fusion of classical and Chinese dance styles that give voice to these powerful stories. Ed Tepporn, from the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation, emphasizes the historical significance of these narratives. Together, they explore themes of resilience and representation, connecting past struggles with modern immigration issues.

Overturning Roe v. Wade was never the end goal of the anti-abortion movement, says UC Davis law professor and leading abortion historian Mary Ziegler. It was always to establish personhood for a fertilized egg, subject to equal protection under the Constitution. Should the “fetal personhood” movement succeed, then providing, assisting and even obtaining an abortion could be criminal acts. Ziegler joins us to break down the fetal personhood movement’s legal strategy — and what it could mean for abortion access, contraception and in vitro fertilization. Ziegler’s new book is “Personhood: The New Civil War Over Reproduction.”Guests:Mary Ziegler, professor of law, UC Davis School of Law Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Doug Belkins, a higher education reporter for The Wall Street Journal, Molly Gibbs from the East Bay Times, and Aarya Mukherjee of The Daily Californian dive into the Trump administration's controversial policies affecting international students in California. They discuss how visa terminations have sparked fear among students and impacted university finances. The trio also explores legal battles between educational institutions and the administration, and the broader implications for academic freedom and diversity in higher education.

In today’s intensely polarized climate, political conversations can quickly devolve into heated arguments. But a process called deliberative democracy has found success convening people from across the political spectrum for informed, reasoned dialogue on contentious issues. As part of KQED’s Youth Takeover week, high school students Ryan Heshmati and Anaya Ertz bring together the head of Stanford’s Deliberative Democracy Lab with people who have brought deliberative techniques to local government to discuss how we can put dialogue and reason at the center of decision-making.Guests:Ryan Heshmati, senior, Saratoga High SchoolAnaya Ertz, junior, Marin AcademyJames Fishkin, professor of international communication, Stanford University; director, Deliberative Democracy LabClaudia Chwalisz, founder and CEO, DemocracyNextRahmin Sarabi, founder and director, American Public Trust Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We often take our muscles for granted, rarely stopping to consider just how complex and essential they are. From the powerful beat of our hearts to the tiny fibers that raise goosebumps, our muscles do far more than we realize. They don’t just follow instructions from the brain — they send signals back and even hold their own kind of memory. In her new book “On Muscle: The Stuff That Moves Us and Why It Matters,” journalist and author Bonnie Tsui offers a new way of looking at muscles, in terms of both their physicality and cultural significance. She joins us to discuss how reconsidering muscles can allow us to find deeper meaning in our understanding of strength, beauty and what it means to be human.Guests:Bonnie Tsui, author and journalist, her latest book is "On Muscle: The Stuff That Moves Us and Why It Matters" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David A. Graham, a staff writer at The Atlantic and author of 'The Project,' breaks down the alarming implications of Project 2025 on American democracy. He discusses how this blueprint outlines a vision for strict policies on abortion, gender roles, and education, potentially leading to increased executive power and a shift in the federal workforce. The conversation highlights the ideological conflicts arising from these changes, particularly regarding marginalized communities and the future of freedom of speech, all framed within the rising influence of right-wing movements.

In this engaging discussion, Aki Ito, Chief Correspondent at Business Insider, dives into workplace issues like burnout and hustle culture. Nicholas Bloom, Stanford economics professor, examines how the pandemic has reshaped our relationships with work, emphasizing changes in remote work dynamics. Joan Williams, a leader in work-life law, shares insights on evolving job roles and the impact on working parents. They explore the complexities of hybrid work, revealing personal stories of adaptation and the ongoing challenge of achieving work-life balance.