University of the Air

Fifteen hundred years ago, it was the largest city in the pre-Columbian Americas, with a population estimated at 125,000 or more, making it the sixth largest city in the world. Teotihuacan began as a religious center in the Mexican Highlands and grew so large that its city planning included multi-floor apartment compounds. From UW anthropologist Sarah Clayton we’ll hear about some of the latest discoveries at the giant city and what life was like there.

African American children fail and drop out of school at an alarmingly high rate, but providing them with skilled teachers who bring African American culture into the classroom can reverse that trend. Gloria Ladson-Billings, an internationally acclaimed scholar of education credited with the concept of “culturally relevant pedagogy,” discusses hip hop as a transformative educational tool.

During the Harlem Renaissance, African - American art and culture flourished. UW-Madison professor Cherene Sherrard-Johnson provides a stimulating look at one of the youngest writers of the Harlem Renaissance, Dorothy West. With persistence and an ironic sense of humor, West wrote about the upper-middle-class black experience in short stories and novels that spanned the years from the 1920s to the 1990s. In the hour to come, we'll explore how color, class, and gender shaped the seventy-year career of Dorothy West.

In his play Antigone , Sophocles sets the dictates of King Creon against Antigone's determination to bury her slain brother. When the rules of the state conflict with the values of the family, which prevails? And if a law is unethical, does a citizen have a responsibility to disobey it, regardless of the consequences? In this rebroadcast from 2012, UW-Milwaukee professor David Mulroy discusses his recent translation of the play and provides insights into the eternal issues raised by the landmark drama of civil disobedience.

How did President Obama’s early years develop the skills he needed to reach the White House? What circumstances formed his pattern of consensus building? And to what extent did he struggle to define his racial identity growing up? The answers to these questions and more, as we examine President Obama's life prior to his entry into politics -- in this rebroadcast from 2012, as author and bibliographer David Maraniss shares his perspectives from writing “Barack Obama: The Story.”

Abraham Lincoln was a shrewd lawyer, famous in particular for settling a murder case with an almanac. But when he first took part in cases of national significance, he sat in the back of the courtroom, largely ignored by high profile east coast attorneys. How did Lincoln gain prominence as a lawyer and what important cases did he take on in a time of burgeoning corporate power? We'll get the answers from John Skilton, an attorney in private practice and a faculty member of the UW Law School.

We discuss two distinct but related events in World War II: the battle for racial equality that led to the mutiny at the Port Chicago Naval Ammunition Depot, and the ongoing battle across the globe in the Pacific at the Battle of Saipan. How were these two events connected, and what were the implications for America, and for Japan?

They share a common lineage, but the Amish and the Mennonites are two distinct Christian denominations. What are the differences between the Amish and Mennonite beliefs, societies, and lifestyles? We will take a broad look at the histories and traditions of these two faiths, and explore how these beliefs relate to Wisconsin today.

How much do we know about the ancient cultures of East Africa, and what are some methodological problems in establishing its history? What were the impact of both European encounters and the eventual European colonization of this region? And what are some common misconceptions we might have about East African history? Join us in this journey through the history of East Africa, from precolonial times to independence.

He was a recording revolutionary, a gifted innovator, and one of the greatest guitarists who ever lived: Les Paul is revered by musicians around the world for his contributions to jazz, country, blues, and rock'n'roll. On the centennial of his birth, catch this re-broadcast from 2012, and learn what experiences led Les Paul to invent, among other things, the solid body electric guitar and sound-on-sound recording. What drove the Wizard of Waukesha, as he’s known, to be relentless in pursuit of technological breakthrough and musical invention?

The Roman Empire was the most powerful the world had seen. Trials of war and peace, justice and policy that plagued the emperors of the time continue to this day. Historians cite weak leadership as one of the pivotal causes that led to the collapse of the mighty empire, but what else brought the empire from its legacy of conquest to a state of defense from the Gauls, Visigoths, and Goths? The answers may surprise you.

In this age of sound bites, downloads, and blending formats, what’s the future of classical music and critics? In the hour to come, during University of the Air, Anthony Tommasini—chief classical music critic for the New York Times—will share his experience and insights as a lifelong listener to classical music. How important is new classical music to the survival of the genre? How does a critic maintain neutrality when a performer is a friend’? And what does a critic have to say about his role in determining what’s good and what isn’t in a performance?

He began his magical career in 1891, but it was not until the turn of the century that Harry Houdini made his big break into the magical world. He successfully challenged police to lock him up in Scotland Yard, earning the title “The Handcuff King,” and held his breath for more than three minutes to escape the famous Chinese Water Torture Cell. What was it about the early 20th century that made it possible for Wisconsinite Houdini to create his world of illusion?

Although we recognize the phrases “All men are created equal” and “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” how many of us know the WHOLE Declaration of Independence? Award-winning Harvard Professor Danielle Allen shares her experience teaching the Declaration of Independence to privileged undergraduates by day and low-income adults at night, leading to her conclusion that this revolutionary American document belongs to all of us.

UW professor Richard Knowles and two actors from American Players Theater share their insights into the joys and challenges of working in outdoor theater, what it was like to attend a play in Shakespeare’s time, and how Shakespeare went about creating such vibrant, enduring characters. And what about those minor roles and the temptation to steal a scene? Along the way, we’ll also hear some scenes from some of the plays.