How do we live together when we profoundly disagree?

10/18/22 • 44 min

john a. powell holds the Robert D. Haas Chancellor’s Chair in Equity and Inclusion; is a Professor of Law, African American Studies, and Ethnic Studies; and leads the Othering & Belonging Institute at the University of California, Berkeley. He tells Eboo why “bridging,” building connections with others, is the crucial, hard work of our time.

john a. powell (who spells his name in lowercase in the belief that we should be "part of the universe, not over it, as capitals signify") is an internationally recognized expert in the areas of civil rights, civil liberties, structural racism, housing, poverty, and democracy. He is the Director of the Othering & Belonging Institute at the University of California, Berkeley, and appears regularly in major media to offer expert insights on a host of issues.

Previous Episode

How do you see humanity in the face of hate?

Simran Jeet Singh is the Executive Director of the Aspen Institute Religion & Society program. He speaks with Eboo about his book, ”The Light We Give: How Sikh Wisdom Can Transform Your Life,” what it was like to grow up as a Sikh in Texas, and the tragedies that moved him to study his tradition and share its light with others.

Guest Bio: Dr. Simran Jeet Singh is the Executive Director of the Aspen Institute’s Religion & Society Program and an educator, writer, and activist who frequently offers comments and analyses on religion, racism, and justice. He is a visiting professor of history and religion at Union Theological Seminary and a Soros Equality Fellow with the Open Society Foundations, and in 2020 TIME Magazine recognized him among 16 people fighting for a more equal America. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and CNN, and he is a columnist for Religion News Service.

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Next Episode

Can poets and storytellers bridge our divides?

Laurie Patton collects stories. A scholar of Indian religions and the president of Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont, Patton looks for narratives that show people building lasting relationships with others. “I think about what stories change people’s minds,” Patton says, particularly stories about shelter, human movement and home.

Guest Bio: Dr. Laurie L. Patton is the 17th president of Middlebury College and the first woman to lead the institution in its 222-year history. Patton is an authority on South Asian history, culture, and religion, and religion in the public square. She is the author and editor of ten scholarly books and three books of poems, and has translated the classical Sanskrit text, The Bhagavad Gita. She was president of the American Academy of Religion in 2019 and elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2018 in two categories, philosophy/religion and education.

Visit Interfaith America to learn more about the organization and our podcast.

Apply for a $250 grant to host a podcast listening party or win a $25 gift card for sharing your feedback. Learn more.