Civic Conversations

Aug 30, 2021

Director’s Log | August 2021

From High Conflict to Good Conflict: In Praise of 50 Shades of Gray There are two kinds of people in this world: people who think there are two kinds of… 

Mar 2, 2021

First in Future: Dr. Jason Miller – Revisited (part 2)

In 2020, we did a two part First in Future series called “the lost speeches of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr,” focusing on two speeches Dr. King gave in North Carolina. Both stories involve NC State Professor of English Dr. Jason Miller, to whom we revisit the conversation. This First in Future episode we hear a different story about the second speech, which is remarkable, because we know almost nothing about what he said. 

Feb 16, 2021

First in Future: Dr. Rupert Nacoste – Revisited

February is Black History Month, a month where you hear more than you normally do about some of the bridgebuilders in the African American community, people you may not know enough about. This episode of First in Future, we revisit our conversation with Dr. Rupert Nacoste. He is the author of several books and his latest is "To Live Woke: Thoughts to Carry in our struggle to Save the Soul of America". Dr. Nacoste is retiring this year after 32 years as a professor of psychology at NC State, but he has also lived some important parts of Black History. 

Jan 26, 2021

First in Future: Mark Burrows

The percentage of people showing “empathy” has nosedived over the past 40 years – down 48%. Four years ago, a group in Transylvania County decided to do something about it. Project Empathy has led to tough conversations about guns, racial equity, rural urban divides and other topics. Two years ago, IEI lifted up the program as one of five state examples of how to “connect rural and urban.” Project manager Mark Burrows talks with us about what he has learned, and is learning, about the power of empathy. 

Dec 29, 2020

First in Future: Tom Campbell of NC Spin

Starting in 1998 and with over 1,000 shows, North Carolina's longest running show came to close at the end of 2020. This episode of First in Future we feature the host of NC Spin, Tom Campbell. Tom brought together opinionated people from across our state to take a tough look at whatever is going on in the news in a given week. We get to hear how it all started and why. 

Dec 15, 2020

First in Future: The Doughnut Hole (part 3) – Chris Fitzsimon and John Hood

In the final part of our three-part series on NC’s political center, we talk with Chris Fitzsimon, Director and Publisher of The Newsroom and John Hood, President of the John William Pope Foundation, both two long-time political observers who see the state from the left and right. Are the two major political parties too far apart to get anything done? Are people in the center a dwindling minority or a silent majority? 

Nov 24, 2020

Director’s Log | November 2020

Finding the Hope in this Charlie Brown Christmas Tree Holiday Season In the middle of the outrage about the election and resurging pandemic, another outrage bubbled quietly. Apple TV bought… 

Sep 8, 2020

First in Future: Dr. Rupert Nacoste

This First in Future episode features Dr. Rupert Nacoste, author of the new book "To Live Woke: Thoughts to Carry in Our Struggle to Save the Soul of America". Dr. Nacoste is a native of Louisiana, but for the past 32 years has been a professor of psychology at NC State. Dr. Nacoste’s research and public service efforts have focused on developing a systematic understanding of the social psychology of social change, and using that scholarly understanding to help people manage the social changes that are influencing their everyday lives. 

Jun 23, 2020

First in Future: Rev. James White on Juneteenth

Summary: Juneteenth or sometimes called Freedom Day, is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June… 

Jun 9, 2020

First in Future: Lizzy Hazeltine and Melanie Sills

Summary: In a time when we are desperate for local news and are slowly being offered less of it due to downsizing and internet-based operations, how do we find out what is…