EPISODES
Our Collective Trauma
We typically think of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as afflicting an individual who has experienced a terrifying event, such as combat, sexual assault or the
Cultural Complexes & the Soul of America REVISITED
[Replay of Episode 1 (09/02/2020), with new introduction] What underlying preoccupations – or “cultural complexes” – shape our country’s politics and collective psyche? On this
Living Unarmed
What’s the lesson plan for first day back in class after a school shooting? Our guest, Megan Doney, is an English professor at New River
Restoring Faith In Democracy REVISITED
[Replay of Episode 9 (11/25/2020), with new introduction] Long after the news outlets called the election for Biden, Trump still refuses to concede his loss.
When Myth Becomes History
Is the freedom not to wear a mask what America’s Founders had in mind with the phrase, “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?” Is
The Politics of Care REVISITED
[Replay of Episode 5 (10/14/2020), with new introduction] Across America, some people are marching for progress, while others are text- and phone-banking to get others
Perfect Storm: Climate, Race and COVID
For too long, the adverse impacts of climate change have disproportionately burdened poor and underserved communities of color in the US. When COVID-19 hit, we
America’s Economic Myth REVISITED
[Replay of Episode 4 (10/07/2020), with new introduction] A debate rages in the US over protecting our health versus preserving our wealth. Can our faith
Conspiracy Without Theory
Alien life? JFK’s murder? The Moon landing? These are classic topics for conspiracy theorists, who gather data, connect dots, and see where the evidence leads.
Ambiguous Loss and the 2020 Pandemic REVISITED
[Replay of Episode 2 (9/16/2020), with new introduction.] How can we make sense of the tumult and tragedy of this moment – the loss of
Justice, Rage and Peace
Post election, we are exhausted. Joe Biden won, yet Trump and his Trumpists refuse to concede, and authoritarianism remains a significant threat to democracy. How
Restoring Faith In Democracy
Long after the news outlets called the election for Biden, Trump still refuses to concede his loss. This reminds us that our democracy relies on
Analyzing the Election
As the dust settles and the votes get sorted in the 2020 presidential election, Mind of State welcomes Boston Globe columnist, Michael A. Cohen, to
The Case for Radical Openness
What if we listened more intently, instead of waiting for the chance to state our case? What if we engaged in dialogue, instead of debate,
Sounding the Alarm
At a time when democratic institutions and norms are under siege, authoritarianism and white nationalism are on the rise, the COVID-19 pandemic is killing hundreds
The Politics of Care
Across America, some people are marching for progress, while others are text- and phone-banking to get others to register and vote. The former seek change
America’s Economic Myth
A debate rages in the US over protecting our health versus preserving our wealth. Can our faith in the almighty dollar withstand a deadly pandemic
Can Voting and Democracy Survive the Internet?
Does social media foster debate or threaten democracy? Election law expert Nate Persily joins us to discuss the Internet’s impact on democracy, healthy elections during
Ambiguous Loss and the 2020 Pandemic
How can we make sense of the tumult and tragedy of this moment – the loss of lives and jobs from the COVID-19 pandemic, the
Cultural Complexes & the Soul of America
What underlying preoccupations – or “cultural complexes” – shape our country’s politics and collective psyche? On this premiere episode of season 2, we welcome Mind
Season 2 Trailer
Get ready for season two of Mind of State, a podcast where politics and psychology meet. Tune in, as co-hosts Betty Teng and Jonathan Kopp
Politics & the Teenage Mind
New York Times bestseller Dr. Lisa Damour lends her expertise in child and adolescent psychology to discuss how current events impact the teenage mind. Join us
The Trauma of Syria
Veteran war correspondent Anne Barnard — Murrow Fellow at the Council on Foreign Affairs and NY Times Beirut Bureau Chief from 2012-2018 — discusses the
Anger & Racial Politics
University of Maryland professor Antoine Banks joins us to talk about how anger — specifically white anger — impacts everything from opinions on Obamacare to
The End of Truth?
What is truth in the post-modern world, where facts are in the eye of the beholder and partisans turn to their own tribes for reporting
The Perilous Path to Asylum
What does our Statue of Liberty stand for, when we reject so many asylum seekers fleeing torture, war and persecution? We explore this vital topic
Trump On the Couch
Is Donald Trump mentally and emotionally unfit to execute the duties of President? Join us for a conversation about narcissism, misogyny, deception, racism, and more
Democracy & the Decline of Reason
Do facts matter when experts are dismissed as partisan propagandists or out-of-touch elitists? Political economist William Davies, author of Nervous States, joins us to discuss Trump,
White Identity Politics Is Bigger Than the KKK
Amidst ongoing tension over America’s growing diversity, white identity is on the rise as a force in US politics. Are Americans who embrace their whiteness
Partisan Politics, Toxic Identities, Dangerous Divides
What do Duck Dynasty and The Family Guy have to do with US politics? And what happens when we so identify with a group that we want it to
Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Tweet (Bonus)
Peter Glick returns for a bonus episode to help us unpack and understand the week’s controversy surrounding Representative Ilhan Omar’s tweet about the pro-Israel lobby,
Why Everyone Hates the Jews
Recently, the US has seen a disturbing uptick in hate crimes, especially those directed against Jewish people and institutions. From neo-Nazis in Charlottesville to the
Acknowledging Harm and Repairing the World
How do we move out of a political discourse of blame and shame into one that acknowledges past and present harm done and the need
The Symbolic Power of Trump’s Wall
When is a wall not just a wall? When it’s Donald Trump’s Wall. Dr. Thomas Singer, a Jungian psychoanalyst, argues that the Wall needs to
Delusions & Lies — the Mind of Trump
What’s the difference between a lie and a delusional falsehood? It’s a matter of perspective—especially when you’re talking about Donald Trump. In this episode of
We Are All Going to Die — Someday
Humans are uniquely aware of our own mortality. Someday, hopefully later rather than sooner, each of us is going to die. For our guest, Dr.
Make America Sane Again (Teaser)
Mind of State is a weekly podcast where politics and psychology meet. Each episode features lively commentary on current events, policymakers, and the body politic,