The Broadside

Each week, The Broadside highlights a story from the heart of the American South and asks why it matters to you. From news to arts and culture, we dive into topics that might not be on a front page, but deserve a closer look. Along the way, we explore the nuances of our home—and how what happens here ripples across the country.

Hosted by Anisa Khalifa, The Broadside is a production of North Carolina Public Radio-WUNC. Find it every Thursday wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Episodes

What it takes to make music in prison

As a person incarcerated in the state of Virginia, rapper Deon Thomas doesn’t have access to a recording studio. Instead, he’s part of a small group of artists who record songs via phone calls and distribute them through a prison-only digital music service. It's a modern twist on a long and complicated tradition. Join us as we explore the influential, exploitative and ever-evolving world of music in Southern prisons. Featuring: Zeb Larson, writer and historian, contributor at Scalawag Magazine D...

Oct 19, 2023•26 min

Asian American Studies has arrived

Asian Americans are the fastest growing demographic in the country, yet historically, they've been near-invisible in our popular culture. But that's beginning to change. We examine the long history of Asian American Studies, and why it's finally having its moment in the South. Featuring: Nayoung Aimee Kwon, professor at Duke University Esther Kim Lee, professor and director of Duke's Asian American and Diaspora Studies program Iris Kim, founder of the Vanderbilt University Asian American Studies...

Oct 12, 2023•20 min

A look inside America’s climate data bunker

Embedded in a warehouse within the Blue Ridge Mountains, climate scientists are collecting rows upon rows of weather data going back centuries. But these archives aren’t just collecting dust – they’re helping us anticipate weather events in the future and create tools to navigate the fallout of the climate crisis. Featuring: Kathie Dello, North Carolina’s state climatologist Jason Cooper, archivist at NCEI Greg Hammer, meteorologist at NCEI Adam Smith, applied climatologist at NCEI Joe Williams,...

Oct 05, 2023•22 min

How y'all conquered the world

You might have noticed that the word “y’all” is popping up everywhere. For decades, linguists have noted that regional American accents are disappearing. But at the same time, use of this traditionally Southern pronoun is rapidly spreading — and the reasons may surprise you. Featuring: Brody McCurdy, linguist and researcher at NC State Antonia Randolph, assistant professor of American Studies at the UNC-Chapel Hill Links: You can find a transcript of the episode here . Donate: The Broadside is m...

Sep 28, 2023•20 min

Introducing: The Broadside

Each week, The Broadside highlights a story from the heart of the American South and asks why it matters to you. From news to arts and culture, we dive into issues that might not be on a front page, but deserve a closer look. Along the way, we explore the nuances of our home—and how what happens here ripples across the country. Hosted by Anisa Khalifa, The Broadside is a production of North Carolina Public Radio-WUNC. Find it every Thursday, starting on September 28th, wherever you listen to pod...

Sep 14, 2023•1 min

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