Senator Warren takes the test
DNA testing is becoming increasingly widespread; in this instance, it’s being used to bolster political bona fides and has sparked discussions about whether genes have anything to do with identity.
On today's show:
Identity politics and Sen. Warren's DNA
Sen. Elizabeth Warren released a video this weekend, asserting that a DNA test affirmed her claim to native ancestry. Warren is running for reelection and her lineage has been a frequent sparring topic with Donald Trump. Joining Bill Radke to talk about the politics of DNA and identity were Rick Smith, postdoc anthropological geneticist at Dartmouth College, and University of Alberta Assoc. Professor of Faculty of Native Studies Kim Tallbear.
Affirmative action in higher ed headed to court
In 2013 and again in 2016, a white undergraduate named Abigail Fisher was unsuccessful in challenging the affirmative action admissions policy of the University of Texas, Austin. Undaunted, one of the lawyers has found a new plaintiff: Asian-Americans who allege Harvard denied them admission based on race. While the focus is on Harvard, the case could have consequences across the country. Adam Liptak, New York Times Supreme Court correspondent, explains.
A feathered muse, a naturalist and Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Seattle naturalist Lyanda Haupt have one life-altering thing in common: They were both ensnared by the charms of a pet starling. Haupt’s book about the composer’s companion, “Mozart’s Starling,” just won a Washington State Book Award. She spoke with Bill about the book in August.
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Bill Radke
Host
Bill hosts Week In Review and Words in Review. After starting with KUOW as a University of Washington student in 1985, Bill was KUOW's morning host in the '90s and the creator of past show, Rewind, a news-satire show heard on KUOW and nationwide on NPR. Bill moved away to Southern California to host American Public Media's Weekend America and Marketplace Morning Report and returned to KUOW in 2012.
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