Humankind

Are human beings innately prone to violence--or not? How can we contain conflict so that it doesn't lead to violence? How can we be the "third side" in a conflict? What are the places in a conflict where people get stuck? How does empathy for the other side help resolve conflict? "We tend to think the problem is human beings have this natural tendency to kill, and yet in the middle of a hot war, WWII, a "good war," as it were, the US army was astonished to learn that at least three out of every four riflemen who were trained to kill and commanded to kill, could not bring themselves to pull the trigger when they could see the person they were ordered to kill. And that inner resistance to violence is a well kept secret." --William Ury, anthropologist, peace negotiator and author of The Third Side and Getting to Yes. A global peace mediator offers some alternatives to the idea that violence is inevitable. According to William Ury, an anthropologist who has studied war and peace in different cultures and has helped broker peace in different hot spots--from Chechnya to the Balkans. Co-author of Getting to Yes, he has recently written The Third Side a book exploring the importance of neutral intervention when two parties are at odds. In this episode of Humankind, Ury discusses the ways to prevent conflicts from flaring into violence, through strengthening the third side (the surrounding community) and through helping opposing sides become more empathetic to each other. Complete program length: 29 minutes

"I think of it as a kind of practical idealism. Something that combines the need that so many people have for continued income and health benefits beyond what retirement age was in the past, and the spirit of service. What previous generations might have carried out through volunteerism, more and more people are looking for through jobs that combine income and meaning, and use their experience in ways that have a real social impact, that matter. That are not only personally meaningful, but that mean something beyond themselves." -- Marc Freedman, founder of Civic Ventures and author of "Encore" Although many people crave the break from daily work they receive upon retirement, in some cases the experience of an "endless vacation" eventually causes individuals to feel purposeless. They often feel lonely and depressed, drifting with too much spare time in which to think about their physical ailments. With the erosion of savings caused by the economic downturn starting in 2008, many seniors seeking extra income will now be moving back into the work force. Marc Freedman has been tracking this trend, including the opportunity for seasoned workers with many skills to find new satisfaction from employment in areas -- like education, health care and environment -- where they give something back to society. Total Time 29 minutes

For more information about this special, please check out our Passengers Mini-Site where you can download our four half-hour Passengers documentaries free (mp3 files). World-class experts, colorful personal stories (including winner of the month-long Car-Free Challenge) and cool stereo sounds of trains! iTunes Podcast We also have a 2-CD set of the series available for purchase.

The children are not the ones who committed the crimes. It's their parents who committed the crimes. So we've harmed indirectly a whole generation of children who are now having difficulties growing up, difficulties coping." Jeremy Travis, former Director, National Institute of Justice Program Summary: A staggering 10 percent of all children in America have a parent who is incarcerated or under supervision of the criminal justice system. Thus more than seven million kids face the social stigma, the developmental problems and the greater risk of getting into trouble themselves. This special one-hour documentary, "Children Left Behind," examines the challenges and the futures of these kids. In the first segment, we hear the personal stories of Chesa Boudin and Emani Davis -- two bright, articulate young people who at an early age experienced the long-term imprisonment of a parent. What's it like for a child to visit a parent in an unfriendly prison building? What emotional obstacles must these kids undergo? Can a meaningful relationship be maintained between child and incarcerated parent?In the second segment, we learn about current efforts to reach out to and support this vulnerable population. We hear former Philadelphia Mayor Wilson Goode, himself the child of a prisoner, who heads a mentoring program for these kids. We visit a California school that has incorporated a program to counsel children of prisoners and to show them many options in life. We talk with a grandmother who is raising her grandchildren while the mother is locked up. And we attend a parenting class for recently released inmates who must now try to heal broken family relationships. Complete program length: ~1 hour

Cancer survivors and physicians specializing in mind/body medicine examine the "placebo effect" -- the powerful role of a patient's personal beliefs and hopes -- in coping with the challenges of a serious illness. What is the role of a patient's attitude in facing a serious illness? Are the benefits that many people derive from faith also available to cancer patients who feel uncomfortable with religion? What are the connections between a person's beliefs and their ability to attain physical healing? Also, we travel to a Detroit program for pediatric cancer patients founded by a Rabbi whose daughter died of cancer. A black belt, he teaches martial arts to children who need a way to access inner strength at a time when they feel powerless. With Drs. Margeret Stuber, James Gordon, Larry Dossey, Harold Koenig, Susan Gardin, Rev. Gwendolyn Collins, Rabbi Elimelech Goldberg, Marion Grodin and others. (2 parts, 1 hour total) "I've had an extra year and a half to be with my family, to get some things right. But, you know, now I'm in a position where I want to be the server. I want to serve people. And that's why my wife and I got involved in a soup kitchen, different things with the church." -- Cancer survivor Programs in This Series: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [Overview] Free Materials: [Excerpts] [Short Subjects] [Print] Purchase Entire Series for $24.95with Bonus Relaxation Exercise CD Complete program length: ~1 hour