Slate Debates

4.6 (217)
SOCIETY & CULTURE
UPDATED SEMIMONTHLY

A feed from the Slate podcast network featuring episodes with enlightening conversations, opposing views, and plenty of healthy disputes. You'll get a curated selection of episodes from programs like What Next, The Waves, and the Political Gabfest, with deep discussions that go beyond point-counterpoint and shed light on the issues that matter most.

1 DAY AGO

Well, Now: Getting to the Heart of Hormonal Health

Hormones influence everything from mood and energy levels to fertility and long-term health. Yet for many, hormonal health remains shrouded in mystery. When women do seek guidance from their OBGYNs, they’re often told birth control is the only option for treating hormone-related issues like PCOS and endometriosis. But that wasn’t going to cut it for Alisa Vitti. On this week’s episode of Well, Now Kavita and Maya tackle hormonal health with the FLO Living CEO and see what other options are available when treating hormone imbalances. Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel. Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery. Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to wellnow@slate.com. Want to listen to Well, Now uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Well, Now and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/wellplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

50 min
OCT 30

Well, Now: Weed’s Growing (and Alarming) Side Effects

Nearly half of states – 24 and Washington, D.C – have legalized recreational marijuana. As more people report regularly using it, physicians are seeing patients with alarming side effects related to their cannabis use. On this week’s episode of Well, Now Kavita and Maya sit down with internist and pediatrician Dr. Brittany Tayler to better understand these conditions and who could most likely get them. If you liked this episode, check out: Psychedelics’ Long Strange Trip to the Doctor’s Office Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel. Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery. Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to wellnow@slate.com. Want to listen to Well, Now uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Well, Now and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/wellnowplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

39 min
OCT 16

Well, Now: Can Kids Be Healthy at Any Size?

We live in a weight-obsessed world, and children are not immune. From the moment a child is born, their weight and height are tracked and recorded. Then throughout their development, these metrics are used as one of the main factors to determine their health. But as the Health at Every Size (HAES) philosophy continues to gain traction for some adults, is there use for it as a part of growing children’s well-being, too? On this week’s episode of Well, Now Maya and Kavita speak with pediatric dietitian Jill Castle and her approach to children’s health, which marries the traditional medical approach with a body-postive, HAES model. Her latest book is Kids Thrive At Every Size: How to Nourish Your Big, Small, or In-Between Child for a Lifetime of Health and Happiness. If you liked this episode, check out: Eating for Health Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel. Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery. Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to wellnow@slate.com Want to listen to Well, Now uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Well, Now and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/wellplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

49 min
OCT 2

Well, Now: What It’s Really Like to Take Ozempic

GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, WeGovy, Mounjaro and others revolutionized weight loss and chronic weight management. But what does it feel like for the patients who take them? On this week’s episode of Well, Now Kavita and Maya talk with journalist and author Johann Hari. Over the course of a year, Johann dived into the research and history behind GLP-1 drugs and how they became the latest and most effective way to lose weight. All the while, he was also taking Ozempic himself. His latest book Magic Pill: The Extraordinary Benefits and Disturbing Risks of the New Weight-Loss Drugs takes a personal and research-based look at the revolutionary, controversial rise of GLP-1 drugs for weight management. If you liked this episode, check out: The Full Truth About Ozempic and Doctors Agree: Obesity is a Disease. The Public Needs to Catch Up. Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel. Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery. Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to wellnow@slate.com Want to listen to Well, Now uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Well, Now and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/wellplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

56 min
SEPT 30

My Mom’s Obsessed With My Baby

On this episode: Elizabeth, Lucy and Zak help a member of the Slate Parenting Facebook group who’s struggling with wrangling her new baby… and the baby’s very clingy new grandma. Grandma’s struggled with loneliness and is-over-the-moon about the baby. But is it time to set some boundaries? And how many photos is too many? We also check in on what’s happening in the hosts’ lives right now. And then, if you’re joining us for the Plus Playground — out now in your podcast feed — we’re sharing our favorite educational stuff to stick on ye olde tablet. If you’re not part of the Slate Plus community, we hope you’ll consider joining! Keep reading to learn how. Lucy’s check-in: feeling like gauze. Elizabeth’s check-in: the major highs and major lows of preteendom Zak’s check-in: Ami carries a backpack (and more) Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts. Podcast produced by Maura Currie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

49 min
SEPT 10

Podcasting Is Dead

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: a fond farewell. This is the last episode of Hear Me Out. And it comes at a volatile, strange time in the world of podcasting. Networks’ priorities have shifted, the money has shifted, and “success” means different things to different people. Nick Hilton of Podot and Future Proof joins us for a discussion about the future of podcasting… whether we’re in it or not. The Hear Me Out team is grateful, endlessly, to every single listener who’s sent us a note. We’re not sure how long the address will work, but if the show mattered to you, we’d love to read your emails: hearmeout@slate.com Podcast production by Maura Currie, who owes many more things than this podcast to Celeste Headlee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

46 min
SEPT 9

What Next | Should Parents Face Charges for Kids’ Crimes?

After the school shooting in Georgia last week, charges were brought against the 14-year-old alleged gunman—and also against his father. Who’s really responsible? Guest: Josie Duffy Rice, journalist focused on prosecutors, prisons, and other criminal justice issues and host of What A Day. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

32 min
SEPT 3

Presidential Pardons Need Reform

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: pardon interruption. What’s the purpose of the presidential pardon? Well, depends on who you ask — hypothetically, it’s meant for course-correction and honoring restorative justice. But presidents on both ends of the spectrum have used it for purposes that are distinctly not that. So do we need the pardon or do we need to get rid of it… and either way, what’s next? Kim Wehle joins us once again to talk about her new book, Pardon Power. Hear Me Out ends next week. So, before then, please feel free to email the show: hearmeout@slate.com Podcast production by Maura Currie. Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

39 min

See All (353)

In Slow Burn’s 10th season, host Josh Levin takes you back to a crucial inflection point in American history: the moment between 2000 and 2004 when Fox News first surged to power and a whole bunch of people rose up to try and stop it.You’ll hear from the hosts, reporters, and producers who built Fox News, many who’ve never spoken publicly. You’ll also hear from Fox’s biggest antagonists—the political operatives, journalists, and comedians who attacked it, investigated it, and tried to mock it into submission. And you’ll hear from Fox’s victims, who are still coming to terms with how a cable news channel upended their lives. Want more Slow Burn? Join Slate Plus to immediately access all past seasons and episodes of Slow Burn (and your other favorite Slate podcasts) completely ad-free. Plus, you’ll unlock subscriber-exclusive bonus episodes that bring you behind-the-scenes on the making of the show. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Subscribe” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/slowburnplus to get access wherever you listen. Season 9: Gays Against Briggs A nationwide moral panic, a California legislator who rode the anti-gay wave, and the LGBTQ+ people who stepped up and came out to try and stop him. Season 8: Becoming Justice Thomas Where Clarence Thomas came from, how he rose to power, and how he’s brought the rest of us along with him, whether we like it or not. Winner of the Podcast of the Year at the 2024 Ambies Awards. Season 7: Roe v. Wade The women who fought for legal abortion, the activists who pushed back, and the justices who thought they could solve the issue for good. Winner of Apple Podcasts Show of the Year in 2022. Season 6: The L.A. Riots How decades of police brutality, a broken justice system, and a video tape set off six days of unrest in Los Angeles. Season 5: The Road to the Iraq War Eighteen months after 9/11, the United States invaded a country that had nothing to do with the attacks. Who’s to blame? And was there any way to stop it? Season 4: David Duke America’s most famous white supremacist came within a runoff of controlling Louisiana. How did David Duke rise to power? And what did it take to stop him? Season 3: Biggie and Tupac How is it that two of the most famous performers in the world were murdered within a year of each other—and their killings were never solved? Season 2: The Clinton Impeachment A reexamination of the scandals that nearly destroyed the 42nd president and forever changed the life of a former White House intern. Season 1: Watergate What did it feel like to live through the scandal that brought down President Nixon?

4.7 (1227)

HISTORY
Anna Sale explores the big questions and hard choices that are often left out of polite conversation.

4.7 (771)

RELATIONSHIPS
Decoder Ring is the show about cracking cultural mysteries. In each episode, host Willa Paskin takes a cultural question, object, or habit; examines its history; and tries to figure out what it means and why it matters.

4.6 (249)

DOCUMENTARY
Voted “Favorite Political Podcast” by Apple Podcasts listeners. Stephen Colbert says "Everybody should listen to the Slate Political Gabfest." The Gabfest, featuring Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz, is the kind of informal and irreverent discussion Washington journalists have after hours over drinks. Want more Political Gabfest? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Political Gabfest show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/gabfestplus to get access wherever you listen.

4.5 (483)

POLITICS
A show about the law and the nine Supreme Court justices who interpret it for the rest of America. Want more Amicus? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes with exclusive legal analysis. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Amicus show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/amicusplus to get access wherever you listen.

4.9 (95)

NEWS COMMENTARY
The problem with the news right now? It’s everywhere. And each day, it can feel like we’re all just mindlessly scrolling. It’s why we created What Next. This short daily show is here to help you make sense of things. When the news feels overwhelming, we’re here to help you answer: What next? Look for new episodes every weekday morning.

4.4 (113)

DAILY NEWS

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4.6

out of 5

217 Ratings

Spectacular show

2021-08-29

Brett Reynolds

Holliday and Zimmer are deeply knowledgable about the topics and their presentation is entertaining.
Very Collegiate Sounding

2021-10-22

andyparfait

It’s nice to hear the new host tryout different formats and segments. Good energy! As is, it sounds to me a bit too much like a academic workshop-roundtable: chummy and lively, but not really for outsiders. Needs more detailed explanations or at least less speed through jargon terms if you want a general audience to follow along. Also, despite saying they are in the “pro language-variation choir”, they start one episode by literally laughing at a regional variation.
Love the new show!

2021-08-29

AvenSarah

The new show with Nicole & Ben is wonderful—a great mix of knowledgeable and academically informed discussion and fun word games. It’s great to have their thoughtful and progressive voices in this space.
Fun Podcast

2021-05-08

mr chapter

Thanks John! The podcast gives me the laughs and giggles

A feed from the Slate podcast network featuring episodes with enlightening conversations, opposing views, and plenty of healthy disputes. You'll get a curated selection of episodes from programs like What Next, The Waves, and the Political Gabfest, with deep discussions that go beyond point-counterpoint and shed light on the issues that matter most.