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
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
Centrist elites have stalled political change and made room for the reactionary right
Luke Savage discusses his new book, ‘The Dead Center: Reflections on Liberalism and Democracy After The End Of History’
How much do political party elites know about their own voters?
Pollster and demographer Daniel Cox discusses why cultural issues often dominate U.S. politics, and how much surveys can actually tell us about public opinion
Do Joe Biden and his team realize who they’re dealing with?
Salon.com columnist Heather Digby Parton discusses how Democratic leaders seem to think flowery speeches are sufficient against hardcore reactionaries
The January 6th Capitol attack was the inevitable product of the Christian Right’s hatred of America
Journalist and researcher Bruce Wilson discusses how religious hatred for a ‘fallen nation’ fueled a presidential coup attempt
Charlie Kirk and Turning Point USA are building a reactionary cult for young people, does anyone on the center-left care?
Rhetoric professor Matthew Boedy describes how a far-right group is radicalizing young Christians, and how little center-left groups are doing in response
Media elites have missed the damage caused by free trade, and how millions felt betrayed by Democrats
Journalist Farah Stockman discusses her new book on the meaning of work, and how educated elites have ignored the problems of others
The John Birch Society and the birth of the far-right rage machine
American politics is arguably the product of Robert Welch, a far-right activist who was mostly ignored by conventional journalists and historians