About Theory of Change
Lots of people want to change the world. But how does change happen? History is filled with stories of people and institutions that spent big and devoted many resources to effect change but have little to show for it. By contrast, many societal developments have happened without forethought from anyone. And of course, change can be negative as well as positive.
In each episode of this weekly program, Theory of Change host Matthew Sheffield delves deep with guests to discuss larger trends in politics, religion, media, and technology.
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Episodes
Will defamation lawsuits be the apocalypse of (Alex) Jones?
Legal analyst Liz Dye discusses how the U.S. legal system is finally holding conspiracy millionaire Alex Jones to account
Many Black Americans don’t actually like Democrats, what does that mean for politics in the long-term?
Author Brandi Collins-Dexter discusses her book Black Skinhead and the varieties of Black political experience
EWTN, a TV channel founded by a cloistered nun, has quietly become a right-wing media juggernaut
Slate writer Molly Olmstead on how EWTN and the Catholic right are spending big to shift public opinion
Politics has changed drastically in the past 10 years, why are Democrats still running the same plays?
New Republic writer Alex Shephard discusses the larger implications of Joe Biden’s low approval ratings
Americans want progressive change, but to be able to deliver it, progressives will need to change first
Progressive strategist Max Berger on why the American left needs to focus on building institutions and making its case
Extremist groups are targeting state and local officials for harassment and intimidation
Right-wing extremism researcher David Neiwert discloses how groups are trying to force their viewpoints in cities and schools
Big finance and corporate monopolies have blocked the original promise of the internet
Technology activist and author Cory Doctorow discusses 30 years of the Worldwide Web
How right-wing media became the glue that holds the Republican party together
Historian Nicole Hemmer discusses how reactionary media have radicalized millions of Americans since the 1940s
Low-quality pundits are getting rich telling people what they want to hear, inside the economics and psychology of how it works
‘Decoding the Gurus’ co-host Matthew Browne on how the tools of acquiring knowledge are being used to destroy it
Right-wing comedy isn’t funny, but it sure is effective
Authors Matt Sienkiewicz and Nick Marx discuss their new book about why lefties need to take right-wing comedy seriously
Will progressive and moderate Christians stand up against extremists politicizing their faith?
Singer and podcaster Malynda Hale talks about why progressive and moderate Christians need to defend the faith from within
How Pentecostal Christianity is taking over the world of religion, and why it matters
Author Elle Hardy discusses her book about the history of Pentecostalism and how it’s displacing other faiths across the globe
Latino evangelicals are reshaping American politics, politicians and parties should take notice
Sociology professor Gerardo Martí discusses how the rapid growth of evangelical faith among Latinos seems to be eroding a traditional Democratic constituency
How far-right media manipulated a father — and a nation
Jen Senko discusses her book and film, ‘The Brainwashing of My Dad,’ and how to help people escape from conspiracist media