Show Notes
Housing costs keep rising across the United States, and policymakers are scrambling for solutions. In Congress, policymakers from across the aisle are advancing legislation aimed at encouraging more housing construction, based on the idea that increasing supply will help bring prices down. But what actually makes housing "affordable" and who benefits from the policies meant to fix the problem? Drawing on decades of research and experience working on housing issues in New York City, Professor Hilary Botein explains how politics and local housing markets affect who has access and why simply building more housing may not help people with the lowest incomes.
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Is it Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples' Day—and what does that choice say about whose history America celebrates? The Trump administration has reaffirmed Columbus Day, praising Christopher Columbus as an American hero while declining to issue a separate proclamation recognizing Indigenous Peoples' Day. Professor Kerri Malloy explains why the debate goes beyond a name on the calendar, how it fits into ongoing efforts to change the way U.S. history is portrayed in museums and national parks, and what we can achieve from taking a more critical approach to learning our past. For more on this topic: Read Malloy's commentary in The Conversation, Universities Returning Native American Remains and Artifacts Isn't Just About Physical Objects – It's About Dignity and Justice
Cuts to federal funding have made headlines for months. But what actually happens to nonprofits when that government money dries up? Professor Claire Dunning explains how federal funding helped build the modern nonprofit sector, why this money has long felt invisible, and how public and private funding have become so intertwined. She explores the ways in which philanthropy can shape nonprofits' priorities and influence which policy ideas get funded — and what that means for the people and communities nonprofits serve. For more on this topic: Read Dunning's commentary in Vital City, An Antidemocratic Approach to Democratic Governance
Labor Day is supposed to be about honoring workers—but what about the essential work that happens at home, often without a paycheck? Professor Jennifer Greenfield explains why caregiving, paid family and medical leave, and the rising cost of child care are not just private family concerns, but issues that affect workers, employers, and the broader economy. She explores what paid leave policies look like across U.S. states, who gets left out of the current system, and what policymakers can do to better support people caring for children, aging parents, and other loved ones. For more on this topic: Check out Greenfield's findings, A Colorado Guaranteed Income Program Could Help Families, but the Costs Are High, co-written with Kaitlyn Sims and Stefan Chavez-Norgaard, in The Conversation
As families head back to school, many students may find themselves in a new school this year because their original school has closed. In the U.S., more than 1,000 schools closed in 2025–26. Professor Mara Tieken explains what's driving closures, why they don't always save money, and how they can reshape communities—especially rural and Black communities. She shares what communities can do when a school is threatened with closure, from fighting to keep it open to making sure the process is handled well when closure is unavoidable. For more on this topic: Check out Rural Schools Open, a resource toolkit created by Tieken to help communities facing possible school closures
As the U.S. birth rate continues to decline, some politicians are calling for policies that encourage Americans to have more children, otherwise known as pronatalism—even as abortion access, contraception, and maternal health care face growing challenges. Professor Carolette Norwood explains what pronatalism is, why debates over population growth are often intertwined with race and immigration, and how these conversations intersect with reproductive justice and policy.