Belarus Protests, Conspiracy Theories, Mom-Shaming

Political Upheaval in Belarus (0:31) Guest: Matthew Schmidt, PhD, Associate Professor of National Security and Political Science, University of New Haven The European Union has dismissed the results of a recent presidential election in Belarus as fraudulent and sanctioned members of President Alexander Lukashenko’s government. Protests against the election outcome have been ongoing for 12 straight days. Lukashenko has sometimes been called Europe’s last dictator. Is his 26-year rule near an end? Do Your Genetics Impact Your Relationship? (21:20) Guest: Jennifer Bartz, Professor of Psychology, McGill University To what degree is your DNA responsible for the quality of your relationships? A pair of just-published studies suggest genes are very much involved in the way we behave with and respond to a romantic partner. Conspiracy Theories During the Pandemic (37:55) Guest: Joseph Uscinski, Professor of Political Science, University of Miami Do you tend to believe that the people who really run the country are not known to voters? That there’s a secret group of powerful elites pulling the strings in government–and that in many cases they have it out for President Trump? Do you suspect that the threat of coronavirus has been exaggerated by political groups who want to damage President Trump? Answering “yes” to one of those questions is very common in America. But the pandemic has made minds even more fertile ground for conspiracy thinking. You’re Doing It Wrong! Mom-Shaming in America (52:44) Guest: Margaret Quinlan, Professor of Communication Studies, University of North Carolina at Charlotte; Bethany Johnson, Medical Historian, PhD Candidate at the University of South Carolina, Co-Authors of “You’re Doing it Wrong! Mothering, Media and Medical Expertise” As if conception, childbirth and mothering a newborn weren’t hard enough, American society reserves a special level of scrutiny for women in those phases of life. Everywhere she turns, she’s bombarded with unsolicited advice–even from other women who’ve ex