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It's Been a Minute

It's Been a Minute

NPR 1039 Episodes Sep 18, 2026

Brittany Luse explores the hidden forces that shape our tastes, behaviors, and identities, from politics and pop culture to technology and health. The show helps listeners understand and navigate a complex society, winning the Best Pop Culture Podcast award at the 2025 Signal Awards. New episodes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Episodes

The report that changed public education
The report that changed public education Sep 18, 2026 2019 In 1966, the federal government commissioned a massive survey aimed at solving educational inequality. Instead, the explosive Coleman Report unleashed a 60-year debate over race, resources, and what education in America is actually for. This is the story of how the report came together… and the policy whirlwind that followed.Guests:Victoria Cain, Associate Professor of History, Northeastern Univer
The Good, the Baddies, and the Ugly
The Good, the Baddies, and the Ugly Sep 16, 2026 1509 Are we living in a Baddies Revolution?We just might be. Over the past few years, the Zeus Network franchise Baddies has steadily grown in virality, capturing dozens of young people on camera as they party, promote clubs, and most of all, fight each other. But where do shows like Joseline's Cabaret and Baddies USA sit in the long history of Reality TV, and what can they tell us about what young peo
Your summer (Sponsored by prediction markets)
Your summer (Sponsored by prediction markets) Sep 15, 2026 2309 The summer of 2026 turned into the summer of predictive markets. Polymarket and Kalshi, two of the largest betting platforms in the US, expanded their marketing to reach users everywhere. And they seem to be actively pursuing women customers — highlighting bets on who'd win Love Island USA to who'd attend the Taylor Swift Travis Kelce wedding. To discuss this phenomenon, we’re talking with Nancy W
The rising power of American Muslims
The rising power of American Muslims Sep 14, 2026 2084 Is this a new era for American Muslims?American Muslims are building their own cultural institutions – New York Magazine and The Guardian have reported on flourishing ecosystems of cafes, magazines, dance nights, meetups and readings for Muslims and/or people with heritage from the SWANA region. And on a political level, Muslims like Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar and New York Mayor Zohran Ma
The manosphere is coming for R&B
The manosphere is coming for R&B Sep 11, 2026 1694 The genre made for lovers doesn't seem to respect the very fanbase it’s engineered to woo.When Mankaprr Conteh interviewed R&B artist Isaia Huron, she imagined a thoughtful if not a bit complicated conversation about the difficult woman at the center of his latest album, Mr. Lovebomb. What she got was something else entirely.Huron went on to tell Mankaprr that he has no empathy for women and that
Would you let your kids play football?
Would you let your kids play football? Sep 9, 2026 1617 Is the fantasy of football worth the potential price?That's what football athletes, fans and doctors are asking after a new study published in late August revealed that from a sample of athletes who played at least one NFL game in their careers and who died between 2016 and 2021, a minimum of around 25% -- that's one in every four of those players --  had a brain condition called CTE upon their de
We've reached peak 'optimization.' What comes next?
We've reached peak 'optimization.' What comes next? Sep 8, 2026 2537 Has the era of optimization finally reached a fever pitch?Veneers, perfect minimalist home decor, and even eye whitening drops are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the many ways we can ‘optimize’ our lives. But at what cost? And how did we even get to this point?To understand this trend we’re talking with Bloomberg Business Week Senior Writer Amanda Mull, who wrote The Optimization Bac
Why you shouldn't bring your full self to work
Why you shouldn't bring your full self to work Sep 7, 2026 2717 "Be vulnerable." "We love your authenticity." "Bring your full self to work." Sound familiar? In this episode from our friends at Code Switch, B.A. Parker chats with Jodi-Ann Burey, author of Authentic: The Myth of Bringing Your Full Self to Work, about why you should absolutely NOT do those things at work — especially if you're a Black woman.For more episodes on how we work, check out:Who really
In America, are you what you wear?
In America, are you what you wear? Sep 4, 2026 1395 You are what you wear… or are you?In her new podcast, Philosophy Club, host Avery Trufelman -- who also hosts the fashion podcast Articles of Interest -- tries to answer that question and more by getting back to basics.Each week, she and her co-host, Derek Guy -- fashion critic who many know as "The Menswear Guy" -- read philosophers, theorists, and writers who have built the foundation for our mo
Where did all the 'masculine men' go?
Where did all the 'masculine men' go? Sep 2, 2026 1537 Has there been a decline in "masculine" men?Some women on Tiktok seem to believe so. The phrase, "Who's gonna be the boys?" has been used online to refer to all the mundane things men are doing that could be described as feminine: wearing earrings, having a skin care routine, and even eating a banana, to name a few. But what does this online question about the alleged absence of masculine men say
It's healthy to eat your feelings. Here's why.
It's healthy to eat your feelings. Here's why. Sep 1, 2026 2241 Carla Lalli’s latest cookbook wants you to eat your feelings.After the end of her decades-long marriage, Lalli -- the former Bon Appétit editor whose cooking videos and cookbooks made her one of the internet's favorite chefs -- knew she had to do one thing: write about it. What emerged is Food is a Feeling, a collection of stories and recipes processing this moment in her life.From figuring out a
The rise of 'intentional living'
The rise of 'intentional living' Aug 31, 2026 1597 Does everyone need their own lawnmower?For a lot of people, living with your spouse and kids in a standalone house with a white picket fence is, more or less, the American dream. But people aren’t as likely to get married and have kids as they used to – and buying a house is more unattainable than ever. But even for those who don't share this particular American dream, alternatives -- like living

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