Depolarize! Podcast

Dan is joined by Islamic Studies professor Judd King (American University) to give us something almost all of us could use: a basic primer on Islam. Shariah Law, the Five Pillars, whether or not there are non-practicing Muslims — all the hits! This is Part 2 of a 2-part series, mostly because Dan doesn’t really know anything, and therefore had a lot of questions.

Dan is joined by Islamic Studies professor Judd King (American University) to give us something almost all of us could use: a basic primer on Islam. Shariah Law, the Five Pillars, whether or not there are non-practicing Muslims — all the hits! This is Part 1 of a 2-part series, mostly because Dan doesn’t really know anything, and therefore had a lot of questions.

Jessica Hecox joins Dan this week on a special double episode featuring Christian & Amy Piatt of Homebrewed CultureCast to discuss what she experienced at the Portland's Women's March and the conflicting feelings she walked away with.

This week Dr. Eddie Glaude, Professor of Religion and African American Studies at Princeton University, poses some interesting challenges to Dan about systematic inequality and what it's going to take to change it.

Author and policymaker Matt Stoller joins Dan, and Dan picks Matt's brain, a delightful garden full of non-partisan insights into economics, anti-trust laws, and the populist soul (or lack thereof) of both Trump and Obama.

Christena Cleveland, social psychologist at Duke Divinity, shares her expertise on how and why we categorize people. It’s an interesting explanation of our built-in biases: socioeconomic, gender, religious and cultural.

Drew G.I. Hart (author of “Trouble I’ve Seen”) breaks down the racial empathy gap and explains why America continues to function as a systematically racist culture, usually unrelated to individual racist feelings. He brings great clarity to some truly thorny questions.

Matt Carter, host of Break It Down podcast, sheds some light on the reasons he believes so many Americans voted for Trump.

Here is a bonus episode, Dan's favorite songs of 2016! Links to both Spotify & Apple Music playlists, are up at depolarizepodcast.com Track Listing: 1. Beach Slang - Noisy Heaven 2. The Weather - Vacancy Sign 3. Damien Jurado - Walrus 4. Cass McCombs - Bum Bum Bum 5. Jason Isbell - Children of Children 6. David Bazan - Over Again 7. Laura Mvula - Can’t Live With the World 8. Beach House - PPP 9. Bon Iver - 22 (OVER SOON) 10. HANA - Clay 11. Carly Rae Jepsen - When I Needed You 12. The 1975 - A Change of Heart 13. Mass Gothic - Every Night You’ve Got To Save Me 14. Wilco - Can’t Stand It 15. Lonely Benson - Lazy Lover 16. Band of Horses - Casual Party 17. Diarrhea Planet - Separations 18. Jim Carroll Band - People Who Died

Writer and speaker Julie Rodgers tells her story of growing up and coming out in the conservative world around her. She gives practical insight into what it really looks like to be a gay Christian and the ways conservatives have failed and succeeded to love LGBT people.

Robert P. Jones, Ph.D., CEO of PRRI (Public Religion Research Institute)joins us to take a closer look at polling results of white evangelicals and the statistics that show a shift in the Christian culture in America.

On this week's episode, we hear from Dr. Charles Hirschman (University of Washington), a social demographer who takes us through several complex and surprising aspects of immigration in the United States.

We hear our final set of reactions to the election of Donald Trump from previous guests D. L. Mayfield and O. Alan Noble, as well as future guest Billie Anne Davis.

Dan speaks with Ian Smith, a southern Trump voter who opens up about his views on media bias and how he believes it made an impact on the election.

We hear reactions to the election of Donald Trump from previous guests Chris Hoke (joined by Neaners Garcia), Neil DeGraide and Trisha Ananiades, as well as future guest Julie Rodgers. Dan also briefly discusses Trump's decision to select Reince Priebus and Steve Bannon for White House cabinet posts.