Scene on Radio
Kenan Institute for Ethics at Duke University
Scene on Radio is a two-time Peabody-nominated podcast that dares to ask big, hard questions about who we are—really—and how we got this way. Our latest is Season 7, Scene on Radio: Capitalism. Previous series include Seeing White (Season 2), looking at the roots and meaning of white supremacy; MEN (Season 3), on patriarchy and its history; The Land That Never Has Been Yet (Season 4), exploring democracy in the U.S. and why we don’t have more of it; The Repair (Season 5), on the cultural roots of the climate crisis; and Season 6, Echoes of a Coup, the story of the only successful coup d'etat in U.S. history, in Wilmington, North Carolina, in 1898. Produced and hosted by John Biewen, with collaborators, Scene on Radio comes from the Kenan Institute for Ethics at Duke University. The show is distributed by PRX.
Episodes
Mentioned books
9 snips
Mar 4, 2020 • 46min
S4 E5: Feminism in Black and White
People fighting for more democracy in the United States often have to struggle against sexism and racism. In fact, those two struggles are often inseparable—certainly from the perspective of black
women and some other women of color.
Reported and produced by host John Biewen, with Season 3 co-host Celeste Headlee and Season 4 collaborator Chenjerai Kumanyika. Interviews with Glenda Gilmore, Ashley Farmer, Sandra Arrington, and
Danielle McGuire.
Music by Alex Weston, Evgueni and Sacha Galperine, and Eric Neveux. Music consulting and production help from Joe Augustine of Narrative Music.
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64 snips
Feb 19, 2020 • 55min
S4 E4: The Second Revolution
After the Civil War, a surprising coalition tried to remake the United States into a real multiracial democracy for the first time. Reconstruction, as the effort was called, brought dramatic change to America. For a while.
Reported and produced by John Biewen, with series collaborator Chenjerai Kumanyika. The series script editor is Loretta Williams. Interviews with Victoria Smalls, Brent Morris, Eric Foner, Kidada Williams, Bobby Donaldson, and Edward Baptist.
Music by Algiers, John Erik Kaada, Eric Neveux, and Lucas Biewen. Music consulting and production help from Joe Augustine of Narrative Music.
Photo: Historian Bobby Donaldson of the University of South Carolina, at the South Carolina State House, Columbia, SC. Photo by John Biewen.
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43 snips
Feb 5, 2020 • 42min
S4 E3: The Cotton Empire
In the decades after America’s founding and the establishment of the Constitution, did the nation get better, more just, more democratic? Or did it double down on violent conquest and exploitation?
Reported, produced, written, and mixed by John Biewen, with series collaborator Chenjerai Kumanyika. The series editor is Loretta Williams. Interviews with Robin Alario, Edward Baptist, Kidada Williams, and Keri Leigh Merritt.
Music by Algiers, John Erik Kaada, Eric Neveux, and Lucas Biewen. Music consulting and production help from Joe Augustine of Narrative Music.
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52 snips
Jan 22, 2020 • 47min
S4 E2: "The Excess of Democracy"
In the summer of 1787, fifty-five men got together in Philadelphia to write a new Constitution for the United States, replacing the new nation’s original blueprint, the Articles of Confederation. But why, exactly? What problems were the framers trying to solve? Was the Constitution designed to advance democracy, or to rein it in?
By producer/host John Biewen with series collaborator Chenjerai Kumanyika. Interviews with Woody Holton, Dan Bullen, and Price Thomas. The series editor is Loretta Williams.
Music by Algiers, John Erik Kaada, Eric Neveux, and Lucas Biewen. Music consulting and production help from Joe Augustine of Narrative Music.
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46 snips
Jan 8, 2020 • 46min
S4 E1: Rich Man's Revolt
In the American Revolution, the men who revolted were among the wealthiest and most comfortable people in the colonies. What kind of revolution was it, anyway? Was it about a desire to establish democracy—or something else?
By producer/host John Biewen with series collaborator Chenjerai Kumanyika. Interviews with Davy Arch, Barbara Duncan, Rob Shenk, and Woody Holton. Edited by Loretta Williams.
Music by Algiers, John Erik Kaada, Eric Neveux, and Lucas Biewen. Music consulting and production help from Joe Augustine of Narrative Music.
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Dec 18, 2019 • 3min
Season 4 Trailer: The Land That Never Has Been Yet
Our season-long series will touch on concerns like authoritarianism, voter suppression and gerrymandering, foreign intervention, and the role of money in politics, but we’ll go much deeper, effectively retelling the story of the United States from its beginnings up to the present. Through field recordings and interviews with leading thinkers, we’ll tell under-told stories and explore critical questions like—How democratic was the U.S. ever meant to be, anyway? American democracy is clearly in crisis today, but . . . when was it not?Along the way, there’s a good chance that we’ll complicate, maybe upend, our listeners’ understanding of American history.
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29 snips
Dec 12, 2018 • 31min
S3 E12: The End of Male Supremacy?
The podcast explores the end of male supremacy, examining the role of men in perpetuating misogyny and the impact of sexism on society. It discusses the progress towards gender equality and the potential impact of dismantling male dominance. The chapter also reflects on previous episodes and addresses criticism and suggestions for future episodes.
55 snips
Nov 28, 2018 • 38min
S3 E11: Domination
Exploring sports talk radio and its connection to masculinity and societal expectations. Analysis of a popular sports talk host known for macho speech. Discussion of handshakes and dominance mentality in basketball. Evolution of a sports talk show host into an advocate against rape culture. Examination of traditional American masculinity and the emphasis on winning.
50 snips
Nov 14, 2018 • 55min
S3 E10: The Juggernaut
A discussion on childhood banter and gendered insults; Reflections on past sexist behavior and limited interest in girls; Exploring gender roles and the policing of masculinity; Ben James and his son Huck's unique audio essay on masculinity; A strange encounter with a rabid skunk; Toxic masculinity and homophobia in middle school; Raising sons in a sexist culture.
34 snips
Oct 31, 2018 • 38min
S3 E9: Be Like You
A transgender man shares his journey of embracing his identity, defying societal expectations, and navigating gendered spaces. The podcast discusses the challenges faced by trans individuals, the importance of living authentically, and redefining masculinity in a patriarchal society.
