All upcoming News, Politics, & Media programs

Historian Sophia Rosenfeld explores how, between the 17th century and the present, the practice of making choices from menus of options came to shape many aspects of our existence, from consumer culture to human rights. Rosenfeld discusses the lives of women—who often have the fewest choices and who have frequently been the drivers of this change—as she examines how reproductive rights became a symbolic flashpoint in the contemporary struggles over the association of liberty with choice. She draws on sources ranging from the latest findings in economics and psychology to novels and restaurant menus.

Once lionized as our most relatable and revolutionary founding father Thomas Paine died a pariah: too radical and uncompromising for the cautious new country he had helped call into being. Historian Richard Bell examines Paine’s meteoric rise to celebrity status during the American Revolution and his equally dramatic fall from grace in the decades afterward.

Watching television used to be a fairly simple enterprise: You turned on the set, selected one of 500 channels, and enjoyed your program. Now, more and more viewers are canceling cable television, preferring to watch online-only channels. An entire generation of younger viewers has given up on the TV set in favor of their laptops and phones. Drawing on video clips, media historian Brian Rose explains why the old days of simply “watching TV” are fast disappearing.

Historian Michael Vorenberg examines the complex aftermath of the Civil War, challenging the assumption that the conflict concluded with Lee’s surrender. He surveys the bloody and turbulent period following Appomattox—characterized by guerrilla warfare, insurgency, political upheaval, and the evolving meaning of freedom. He concludes that the peace Lincoln envisioned required many endings, the most significant of which came well over a year after his death.

Washington, D.C.’s Capitol Hill is rich in political and architectural history. Carolyn Muraskin, founder of DC Design Tours, leads a tour of the iconic neighborhood. Hear stories about the original city plan by Pierre Charles L’Enfant, the tumultuous construction of the U.S. Capitol, the rise of the magnificent Beaux Arts Library of Congress, and the backstory of the imposing Supreme Court building. And learn about the influence of prolific designers like Thomas Jefferson, Robert Mills, Frederick Law Olmsted, and Daniel Burnham.

Washington, D.C.’s Capitol Hill is rich in political and architectural history. Carolyn Muraskin, founder of DC Design Tours, leads a tour of the iconic neighborhood. Hear stories about the original city plan by Pierre Charles L’Enfant, the tumultuous construction of the U.S. Capitol, the rise of the magnificent Beaux Arts Library of Congress, and the backstory of the imposing Supreme Court building. And learn about the influence of prolific designers like Thomas Jefferson, Robert Mills, Frederick Law Olmsted, and Daniel Burnham.

Washington, D.C.’s Capitol Hill is rich in political and architectural history. Carolyn Muraskin, founder of DC Design Tours, leads a tour of the iconic neighborhood. Hear stories about the original city plan by Pierre Charles L’Enfant, the tumultuous construction of the U.S. Capitol, the rise of the magnificent Beaux Arts Library of Congress, and the backstory of the imposing Supreme Court building. And learn about the influence of prolific designers like Thomas Jefferson, Robert Mills, Frederick Law Olmsted, and Daniel Burnham.

Air Force One is more than a plane: It’s a global symbol of American power and leadership. The gleaming blue-and-white 747 reflects the policies and ideas of each president. Ken Walsh, who traveled more than 200 times aboard Air Force One as a White House correspondent for U.S. News & World Report, shares what happens in the air—from historic moments to the highs and lows that presidents experience.

Virginia holds a unique place in American history as the birthplace of eight presidents, the site of several of their residences, and home to a host of family links to the White House. Historian Gregg Clemmer leads a two-day tour of Virginia’s presidential past, exploring both well-known landmarks such as James Madison’s Montpelier and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello and privately owned sites that reveal the deep connections between the state and the nation’s leaders.

Today’s coral reefs are threatened by a wide range of human-made problems. As predictions about the future of these ecosystems grow increasingly dire, scientists are looking in an unlikely place for new ways to save corals: the past. Geoscientist Lisa S. Gardiner discusses how studying the fossilized limestone cities left behind by ancient corals can uncover lessons that may help reefs survive the environmental challenges of the present.