About one in five Americans live with a diagnosable mental disorder. Jeff Sparr and Matt Kaplan are creators of a program that uses storytelling and expressive arts to create peace of mind.

Despite decades of consistent warning from the scientific community, the American public remains divided on the issue of climate change. Yale University’s Anthony Leiserowitz says there are six Americas in the climate debate—and you cannot communicate with each one in the same way.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 50 million adult Americans live with a diagnosable mental health disorder. Despite its prevalence, our guest Paul Gionfriddo confronts a lot of myths in the discussion of mental health issues in America.

With allegations of a cover-up and obstruction of justice circulating in Washington, Americans in 2017 are looking to the presidency of Richard Nixon for precedent and understanding. Our guest, John Farrell, literally wrote the book on Nixon’s life after his own career covering politics in Washington, DC.

Music and art, like storytelling, are distinctively human creations. Joseph “Butch” Rovan works in both media to tell stories, challenge assumptions, and explore our humanity.

The media’s role in modern American politics is that of investigator, arbitrator, and even kingmaker. Guest Thomas Patterson argues that, contrary to popular belief, media bias is not about left and right, but about positive and negative.

Policy debates in Washington have long been dominated by think-tanks and academics who populate the marketplace of ideas. Daniel Drezner argues that new players are entering the field, such as global consultancies and billionaire-funded pet projects.

After the 2008 election of President Barack Obama, Time Magazine asked if we had entered a post-racial America. From the perspective of 2017, the question seems ridiculous. Tricia Rose argues, in fact, that structural racism is the key driver of inequality in the United States.

Each year, the Pell Center at Salve Regina University presents the Pell Center Prize for Story in the Public Square to a storyteller whose work makes a vital contribution to the public dialogue. This year, we honor Daphne Matziaraki, a documentary filmmaker who reminds us of our shared humanity.