Recovering Truth

Arizona State University Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Society & Culture
  • Updated Bimonthly

Recovering Truth is a project from Arizona State University that brings together scholars and journalists to study the relationship between truth and democracy.

Episodes

  1. 09/02/2023

    To Name the Bigger Lie

    When Sarah Viren began writing her memoir, she thought it would be about her high school philosophy teacher — a charismatic, guru-like figure who taught his students to question everything. Even, in the end, the reality of the holocaust. But while she was writing, Sarah and her family were caught up in a web of lies when false charges of sexual misconduct were brought against her wife, Marta, and eventually against Sarah herself. In her new book "To Name the Bigger Lie: A Memoir in Two Stories" she book she tells how, in the course of trying to prove their innocence, she's drawn back into the questions that her high school teacher inspired all those years ago: about the nature of truth, the pull of seductive conspiracies, and the stakes we all have in getting the story right.

    To Name the Bigger Lie

  2. 11/23/2022

    Knowledge, Feeling, and Belief

    Some candidates in the midterm elections said they would refuse to accept or certify election results that didn't come out in their favor. This echoed the sentiment of others from earlier this year, like Otero County, New Mexico's former election commissioner Couy Griffin. He refused to certify the county's 2022 primary election results not because of any irregularities in the voting or reports of voter fraud, but because he had a gut feeling that fueled his belief and outweighed any need for evidence. Griffin was eventually removed from office following a conviction for his role in the Capitol insurrection, but there are still lingering questions about the ways in which feeling and belief play into our legal system. How do we seek truth in elections that are increasingly fueled by belief?

    Knowledge, Feeling, and Belief

  3. 06/24/2022

    Russia and the Religious Right

    Amid growing international sanctions, Putin has been tightening control on media outlets in Russia, and actively arresting war protestors, including children. He has also turned to the Russian Orthodox Church for religious support in his war of aggression. Putin's actions, his use of religious language as pointed culture wars rhetoric, and his support by some conservative religious actors abroad have painted this invasion as a war of morality, of good versus evil, perhaps even a holy war. At the same time, Putin's language about Ukraine emphasizes antisemitism and anti-westernism, and promotes what he views as traditional values, including religious values. So is Vladimir Putin a religious zealot? A ruthless cynic? Is he the face of a new post-Soviet fascist state?

  4. 03/19/2022

    Truth In Journalism

    Misinformation and disinformation campaigns about journalists have flourished in recent years, and trust in the media has suffered. Many media outlets have sought to counter these forces through fact-checking and adherence to objectivity in reporting – a longstanding principle of traditional journalism.  At the same time, many in journalism are re-assessing the role and limits of objectivity, what it means to be an accurate and trustworthy journalist, and how the media should address systemic inequalities within democracy, including how those inequalities shape our news.

  5. 12/01/2021

    Postmodernism, Post-Truth, and Democracy

    You'll find references to "my truth" in plenty of self-help books, and we're frequently encouraged to share our experiences, opinions, and stories about how we perceive ourselves and our views of reality. But is the focus on "my truth" a sign that we no longer believe truth is something that is shared? And what are the stakes for democracy if citizens no longer hold certain truths in common, or even share the same reality?

    Postmodernism, Post-Truth, and Democracy

  6. 09/28/2021

    Science, Anti-Science, and Democracy

    What is the role of science in a democracy? As the pandemic regains intensity in its second year, what are the stakes of the truth divide for the health of our nation?

    Science, Anti-Science, and Democracy

  7. 01/29/2021

    The Truth Divide Grows Violent

    Recovering Truth is a project from Arizona State University that brings together a team of scholars and journalists who are studying the relationship between truth and democracy. This episode discusses the events that took place in the lead up to President Biden's inauguration including the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol. Opinions voiced by the hosts are their own. Hosts: John Carlson and Tracy Fessenden Guest: Sarah Posner and Sarah Ricardi-Swartz Producer: Sarah Ventre Additional Assistance: Matt Correa, Sarah Lords, Sarah Ricardi-Swartz Music: "The Stork" and "Multiverse" by Ketsa are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

    The Truth Divide Grows Violent

  8. 01/29/2021

    Truth Is On The Ballot

    Recovering Truth is a project from Arizona State University that brings together a team of scholars and journalists who are studying the relationship between truth and democracy. This first episode dives into what's really at stake when truth is on the ballot. Opinions voiced by the hosts are their own. Hosts: John Carlson and Tracy Fessenden Producer: Sarah Ventre Additional Assistance: Matt Correa, Sarah Lords, Sarah Ricardi-Swartz Music: "The Stork" and "Multiverse" by Ketsa are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

    Truth Is On The Ballot
  • 8 Episodes

About

Recovering Truth is a project from Arizona State University that brings together scholars and journalists to study the relationship between truth and democracy.

Information

  • Creator
    Arizona State University Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2023
  • Episodes
    8
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Recovering Truth