Product Description:
#32819 Social Processes - Relative Values (Run time 16 min.) DVD $49.95
In Tunisia, a home for the elderly is quite unusual since most older people are automatically cared for by their families. This program explores how Tunisia, both as a state and a culture, negotiates the task of providing for its growing senior population, a task many Tunisians see as illustrative of key differences between European and Arab values. Along with a tour of a home for the elderly in Tunis, the program canvasses the views of younger people who are now responsible for the well-being of parents or grandparents. A United Nations Production. (16 minutes)
#35224 Social Processes - California Surf Museum: Proudly We Wave (Run time 28 min.) DVD $49.95
The surf is always up at the California Surf Museum in Oceanside, where the sport, culture, and history of surfing is celebrated year-round. From Captain James Cook's discovery of surfing to the feats of the legendary Duke Kahanamoku, from surf movies and music to "hang ten Zen," this program totally captures the unique spirit of surfing. Kowabunga! One 28-minute video.
#35833 Social Processes - Conformity: In the Real-Life Lab (Run time 10 min.) DVD $49.95
When people decide whether or not to follow the crowd, what happens inside their brains? This ABC News program explores that question, highlighting neurological research that helps explain conformity and sheds light on the complex relationship between group and individual behavior. Placing test subjects in candid-camera style settings, the program illustrates how social pressures can alter visual perception and interpretation-often causing people to behave strangely or give answers they know are wrong, simply to avoid looking different. The implications of these misadventures are backed up by MRI experiments that study brain activity. (10 minutes)
#33550 Social Processes - On the Edge: America's Working Poor (Run time 22 min.) DVD $69.95
Millions of employed Americans are living on the edge of poverty-a precipice where one unexpected expense, sudden illness, or missed payment could mean financial ruin. Segment one of this ABC News program profiles a family of four whose combined income is $18,000 a year. Even with housing assistance, Medicaid for the children, and occasional help from social services, the need for a new starter for their car is almost more than they can afford. Segments two and three present the painful stories of two single mothers who, strapped for cash, were hurt by loan deals they hoped would help them: a tax refund loan for one, a payday loan for the other. (22 minutes)
#2547 Social Processes - Deadheads: An American Subculture (Run time 28 min.) DVD $89.95
This program examines the Deadhead subculture: What kinds of people are attracted to this culture, and what attracts them to it? What social forms do Deadheads resist? What forms shape their behavior? What separates them from the mainstream? The program also examines the workings of a subculture from within. (28 minutes)
#4338 Social Processes - The Sleep of Reason (Run time 53 min.) DVD $89.95
For as long as humans have made myths, they have made myths about the end of the world. This program takes viewers on a journey through Western cultural history to show how the dream (or nightmare) of the end of the world has developed, analyzing our fascination with disaster. Our guides on this journey are cultural philosopher George Steiner, psychoanalyst Robert Lifton, art critic and historian Donald Kuspit, and film writer and historian Vivian Sobchak. (53 minutes)
#4979 Social Processes - Our Infatuation with Fame: Leo Braudy (Run time 30 min.) DVD $89.95
The image of fame permeates America: celebrity athletes, movie stars, stars of rock music and television. Celebrity is a code we all learn to read. A name can sell a product, or stand for an idea. If, as Andy Warhol contended, everyone gets to be famous for 15 minutes, Leo Braudy can tell us why. Braudy, who is a professor of literature at the University of Southern California, has focused on the history of fame since ancient times and the phenomenon of celebrity in 20th-century America, and has traced how our collective attention has shifted from political leaders like Abraham Lincoln to television personalities like Vanna White. In this program with Bill Moyers, Braudy discusses the concept of fame in America and its recent further explosion in our culture. (30 minutes)
#5225 Social Processes - Timothy Leary: A Portrait in the First Person (Run time 24 min.) DVD $89.95
Socrates is his role model, convicted of corrupting youth by questioning authority. Timothy Leary is perhaps best known for his efforts to "liberate" Americans from the rigors of tradition and conformity by means of mind- and mood-altering drugs. The drugs earned him a 10-year prison sentence. As this program makes clear, this did not dampen his insouciance at being cheerleader of the forces of anti-conformism, voicer of outrageous sentiments that many share but are too polite to utter, above all champion of the individual and individual thought and expression, lover of anything at all that can evoke a horrified, "Well, I never!" (24 minutes)
#5933 Social Processes - The Unknown Generation X (Run time 29 min.) DVD $89.95
Generation X is called a myth by some, a reality by others. Whatever the case may be, the generation of young adults born between 1965 and 1980 faces challenges that no other generation has had to deal with. Unemployment, underemployment, a huge national debt, a depleting Social Security system, negative stereotyping, and endless bombardment from advertisers are just a few of the issues confronting this generation. This program examines some of the stereotypes and issues that society has created for "Generation X." Featured in this program are Wendy Kopp, founder of Teach for America; Neil Howe, author of 13th Gen; and Richard Thau, president of Third Millennium. (29 minutes)
#5937 Social Processes - American Athletics: The American Hero Today (Run time 29 min.) DVD $89.95
Athletes at both the collegiate and professional levels receive great admiration from many members of society. Some athletes are outstanding role models for young and old alike, while others do not perform as well under the spotlight. Why do people idolize individuals whose contribution to society is in the realm of an athletic achievement, while other individuals who make laws, save lives, educate, or serve others are often left unnoticed? This program examines the role of athletes in society today and the economic impact of their status. Featured on the program are: Bonnie Blair, Olympic Gold Medalist speed skater; Chris Zorich of the Chicago Bears; and Allen Page, former NFL all-pro and current Minnesota State Supreme Court Justice. (29 minutes)
#5938 Social Processes - American Athletics: What Happened to the Game? (Run time 29 min.) DVD $89.95
From children playing at the sandlot to the Olympics, the one thing athletic competitions have in common is that they all center around a game. This program scrutinizes athletics today through its evolution from a sport played for fun into a multibillion-dollar industry that can symbolize the problem of greed and the attitude of winning at all costs. Featured on the program are: sports broadcaster Dick Vitale; Tom McMillen, former basketball star and Congressman and now co-chair of the President's Council on Physical Fitness; and Lisa Luciano, a New York Times sportswriter. (29 minutes)
#6383 Social Processes - The Self-Made Society (Run time 29 min.) DVD $89.95
From the celebrated cowboy gunslingers of the Wild West to the rags-to-riches story of Horatio Alger, Americans have glorified the rugged, self-reliant individualist who saves the day or builds a fortune. But what are the long-term consequences of seeking personal gain and glory? Are we becoming a selfish nation, more concerned with personal fulfillment than the common good of the larger society? This program examines the shift toward cultural and social isolation, particularly as it relates to major national problems such as crime and punishment, the national debt, environmental issues, and welfare reform. Featured in the program are former New York governor Mario Cuomo; Nadine Strossen, President of the American Civil Liberties Union; and sociologist Robert Bellah, author of The Good Society. (29 minutes)
#7060 Social Processes - Welfare Reform: Social Impact (Run time 29 min.) DVD $89.95
While politicians grapple with reforming welfare, those who receive benefits worry about how welfare reform will affect their lives. Critics of welfare argue that it has created a psychology of dependency, and that it is rife with fraud and abuse. This program traces the history of welfare beginning with the Depression, then examines the complex issues involved in reforming it. Experts discuss various reform plans within the context of who is likely to benefit, and who is likely to be hurt. Those interviewed include Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson, who oversaw the implementation of the first welfare reform program in the nation; Wendell Primus, Director of Income Security at the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities; and Rebecca Blank, author of It Takes a Nation. (29 minutes)
#7061 Social Processes - Welfare Reform: Social Responsibility (Run time 29 min.) DVD $89.95
This program weighs the financial savings of a reformed welfare system against our responsibility to those who need help. Political and religious leaders discuss the feasibility of establishing a new system that works to eliminate the problems of crime, drugs, poverty, and unwanted births. Critics and supporters of current reform efforts discuss their views. Those interviewed include a New Hampshire State Senator, and a single father and welfare recipient. (29 minutes)
#7134 Social Processes - Animal Farm (Run time 39 min.) DVD $89.95
Advances in animal cloning promise a tomorrow in which the vital organs of animals are routinely harvested for the medical transplant industry. The ongoing debate over the ethical and medical issues surrounding the transplanting of animal organs into humans is examined. (39 minutes)
#7135 Social Processes - Heaven Can Wait (Run time 40 min.) DVD $89.95
Everyone would like to live forever, but until now the idea of greatly expanding the length of human life has been relegated to science fiction. This program examines the possibility and consequences of seriously extending one's life span with the help of new designer drugs and emerging genetic engineering techniques. (40 minutes)
#7136 Social Processes - Memories Are Made of Chips (Run time 40 min.) DVD $89.95
The loss of memory is one of the first stages in the aging process. What if memory-enhancing drugs and computer chips could change our perception and retention of knowledge and our wisdom and self-understanding? This program explores the impact of present and future scientific advances in memory improvement. (40 minutes)
#7137 Social Processes - The Sex Files (Run time 41 min.) DVD $89.95
Sex addiction in cyberspace is a by-product of the computer revolution. While it may seem like aberrant behavior to some, others recognize it as a sign of things to come. This program explores how virtual-reality sex and simulated wombs may separate sex from relationships and reproduction in the future. (41 minutes)
#7138 Social Processes - Spies, Lies, and Videotape (Run time 40 min.) DVD $89.95
In the name of safety and security, video cameras have become common in the workplace and public spaces. Now even our homes are being wired for the communications revolution. Will total surveillance become a reality? This program imagines what such a society might be like, and what effect this overall invasion of privacy might have on the individual and the community. (39 minutes)
#7139 Social Processes - Human Designs (Run time 40 min.) DVD $89.95
Some contemporary couples, in pursuit of the perfect child, give their babies every advantage even while still in the womb. What if scientists were able to ensure perfection by genetic manipulation before birth? This program looks at how experiments in human genetics could lead to the development of the "perfect person" and the subsequent formation of a genetic underclass. (40 minutes)
#7144 Social Processes - The Grandchild Gap: The Effects of Low Birth Rates (Run time 56 min.) DVD $89.95
Birth rates in the industrialized world are lower than ever, and many people are concerned. This program, hosted by Ben Wattenberg, explores the phenomenon, and what it may mean in social and human terms. Wattenberg and a panel of population experts are fearful that programs such as Social Security, which rely on taxes paid into the system by younger workers, may be jeopardized. On location in France and Italy-two countries with the lowest birth rates-experts predict a 30 percent decrease in population if current fertility levels persist. The human consequence of the problem-a "grandchild shortage"-is discussed as being potentially damaging to traditional family values and lifestyles. (56 minutes)
#7941 Social Processes - The Men's Movement (Run time 29 min.) DVD $89.95
Men are marching on Washington, finding religion, taking on new community responsibilities, bonding with each other, weeping openly, and discussing their relationships. Just what are men up to, and what, exactly, has prompted this drastic change in behavior? Some say it is the natural outcome of the feminist movement and the resulting change in male roles. Perhaps. This program profiles the new "men's movement," explores the various reasons why men become involved, and examines the implications for men and women in the 21st century. (29 minutes)
#8412 Social Processes - May the Road Rise to Meet You": The Irish-American Experience" (Run time 57 min.) DVD $89.95
More Irish immigrated to America than any other ethnic group. With humor, hospitality, and a flair for "the blarney," the Irish built upon their traditions, triumphed over adversity, and created an American legacy in their adopted land. In this program, archival footage, personal recollections, and family photos trace their journey and the indelible mark the Irish have left on "Oilean Ur"-the "fresh land." Visiting several major U.S. cities with large Irish enclaves, the program explores the role played by family, community, and tradition in the Irish immigrants' 100-year transition from day laborers to leaders such as President John F. Kennedy. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Frank McCourt, whose best-selling memoirs, Angela's Ashes, received worldwide acclaim, along with singer Rosemary Clooney, bandleader Paddy Noonan, and Irish folksinger Tommy Makem, offer their own perceptions of the Irish experience and reinforce the impact of Irish culture on the arts and American society at large. (57 minutes)
#8488 Social Processes - Side Tracks: Homeless in New York (Run time 30 min.) DVD $89.95
This award-winning program takes an unflinching look at the lives of Bernard and Bobby, two men who live in an abandoned railroad tunnel that extends beneath Manhattan's Riverside Park. Bernard says that he came there for shelter and self-knowledge; for Bobby, having grown up in numerous foster homes, it was just a case of another type of homelessness. In the course of discussing the lives they've chosen and their connections with the world above, they touch upon the surprising lack of violence in their community, the way they find the food and earn the money they need to live, and the camaraderie they share. (30 minutes)
#8883 Social Processes - Life at Speed: Picking Up the Pace (Run time 25 min.) DVD $89.95
Why does life in a modern city move so fast, how have people adapted to this frantic pace, and what are the pluses and minuses of adaptation? This program studies the high-speed lifestyle of city dwellers, focusing on issues such as the hormonal response to continual sensory stimulation and the automatic filtering mechanism that protects against sensory overload. Addiction to the unavoidable metabolic rush of urban living is also explored, as well as the stress that occurs when the need for speed is thwarted. (25 minutes)
#8884 Social Processes - Space Invaders: Strategies for Life in a Crowd (Run time 25 min.) DVD $89.95
In this program, the need for personal space is explored through the avoidance behaviors people employ to maintain a perceived distance from others, such as falling into a "middle-distance stare" in a crowded subway; the use of a proxy, like a jacket on a barstool, to reserve a place; the attitudes of drivers towards other cars on the road, which can lead to road rage; and the unconscious cooperation displayed in sharing public places. The phenomenon of crowd identity, in which the rules of personal space are willingly suspended, is also examined. (25 minutes)
#8885 Social Processes - Virtual Friends: Living in Cyberspace (Run time 25 min.) DVD $89.95
Relationships in the modern megalopolis: interpersonal or impersonal? This program investigates the new interactive society model in which physical neighborhoods connected by proximity have been displaced by virtual neighborhoods linked by technology. Topics discussed include the intimate anonymity of the Internet; the use of emoticons in e-mail; the growing importance of telecommunications; the Pavlovian response to a ringing telephone; and the relationship category defined as "familiar strangers." (25 minutes)
#8886 Social Processes - Urban Explorers: Dealing with the Unfamiliar (Run time 25 min.) DVD $89.95
The modern city is a complex maze of choices and decisions. This program describes the brain's empirical approach to finding sense amid confusion. Subconscious methods of information gathering, including visual scanning to find goods in a supermarket and direction finding while traversing an urban environment, are analyzed. In addition, the natural human ability to learn by trial and error is observed, emphasizing the concept of "natural mapping" and the importance of feedback. (25 minutes)
#8887 Social Processes - Living on the Edge: The Line Between Scary and Fun (Run time 25 min.) DVD $89.95
This program redefines fear stimuli and explores the fine line between fright and excitement. The rapid evolutionary modification of supposedly hard-wired responses to heights, enclosed spaces, and darkness by the demands of modern living is described, along with the new terrors that have taken their place. But parallel to the desire for safety is the desire for excitement. The risks people willingly take, such as driving recklessly fast, to assert their right to control their own lives and to attain an adrenaline high are also examined. (25 minutes)
#8888 Social Processes - Keeping Up Appearances: The Culture of Conformity (Run time 25 min.) DVD $89.95
Whether following stated procedures or complying with implicit rules of conduct, modern humans willingly modify their behavior dozens of times each day. In this program, the conformity necessary for mass interactions and the flexibility required to learn and use the behaviors of conformity are investigated. In addition to conventions such as air travel protocol and museum manners, instances of the subversion and even outright abuse of conformity are examined. (25 minutes)
#9246 Social Processes - America the Rude (Run time 29 min.) DVD $89.95
As common courtesy becomes less common and good taste is all but a contradiction of terms, Americans continue to push the envelope of socially acceptable behavior. Does the Golden Rule still apply, or are people too busy to care about the feelings of others? This program probes the apparent erosion of decorum in the United States, which has had a profound impact on respect for authority, trust for one another, and willingness to give a helping hand. Experts include Professor Stephen Carter, of Yale University; psychologist Arnold Nerenberg, author of Overcoming Road Rage; and Pier Forni, of Johns Hopkins University's Civility Project. (29 minutes)
#9247 Social Processes - Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire (Run time 30 min.) DVD $89.95
This program takes a penetrating look at what is happening to American culture as honesty comes to be measured less by truthfulness and more by the reasons for lying and the degree of deception involved. What is to become of a society in which professional ethicists are required to help companies recapture a culture of integrity, a role previously reserved for religion? Experts include Laura Nash, Director of the Institute for Values-Centered Leadership; L. Gregory Jones, Dean of the Duke Divinity School; and Professor Jeffrey Abramson, author of We the Jury. (29 minutes)
#9280 Social Processes - Sex, Drugs, and Consenting Adults: What's Wrong with That? (Run time 41 min.) DVD $89.95
What is the cost to society for making certain personal choices-those considered by many to be immoral or ill-advised-a crime? And how is the concept of individual liberty affected when the force of public censure is replaced by the force of law? In this program, ABC News anchor John Stossel studies this extremely complex and volatile subject, searching for mid-ground between the left and the right. High-level policy makers, such as the president of the ACLU and the head of the DEA; experts, including a Stanford University law professor; and private citizens sound off about drug use, pornography, prostitution, gambling, ticket scalping, unendorsed medical treatments, and assisted suicide-and question the outright hypocrisy that is too much in evidence. (41 minutes)
#10337 Social Processes - The Sexes (Run time 53 min.) DVD $89.95
From childhood on, biological and social factors combine to shape an individual's sexual identity. In this program, Ruben Gur, Professor of Neuropsychology at the University of Pennsylvania; sociologist Rhoda Reddock, of the University of the West Indies; philosopher Elisabeth Badinter; historians Arlette Farge and Jennifer Stoddart; and others evaluate gender-related behavioral models from a variety of times and places, ranging from ancient Babylon to the contemporary U.S. Other topics include the shifts in female status that have accompanied society's evolution from hunter/gatherers, to farmers, to industrialists. (53 minutes)
#10338 Social Processes - Love (Run time 53 min.) DVD $89.95
What exactly is love? What are its biological underpinnings, and how have cultural definitions of that word, so heavily endowed with meaning, evolved? Beginning with the Sumerians and other ancient civilizations, this program seeks to understand love's social rituals and its interrelated physiological imperatives. Topics under consideration by anthropologist Helen Fisher of Rutgers University, psychoanalyst Malek Chebel, biologist Robert Francoeur, and author Morton Hunt include pair bonding; platonic, courtly, and romantic models of love; homosexuality; inhibitions vs. promiscuity; and behaviors such as flirting. Some content may be objectionable. (53 minutes)
#10339 Social Processes - Marriage (Run time 53 min.) DVD $89.95
An institution supported by religious and civil authorities, marriage bestows both freedoms and restraints designed to promote social stability. But as divorce rates continue to soar, is marriage getting a bad name? In this program, author Sabine Da Costa and anthropologists Helen Fisher, of Rutgers University, and Peter Lovell, of the University of New Brunswick, track the development of marriage, from ancient times to the current day. Specific topics include cohabitation; arranged marriages; betrothal; dowry; the wedding ceremony; endogamy and exogamy; monogamy, polygamy, and polyandry; same-sex marriages; divorce; and remarriage. (53 minutes)
#10340 Social Processes - Family (Run time 53 min.) DVD $89.95
From prehistoric extended families to today's double-income and single-parent families, the family as an institution has undergone dramatic change. This program examines the concept of family as viewed around the world and down through time. Historians Andre Burguiere and Pieter Spierenburg; authors Beatrice Gottlieb and Helene Tremblay; Henri Leridon, of the Institute for Demographic Studies; and Egyptologist Florence Maruejol discuss family structure in agrarian societies, life in a polygamous family, the practice of infanticide, the effects of the Industrial Revolution, the impact of the Baby Boom, the upsurge in generational alienation, the impact of divorce, and other topics. (53 minutes)
#10341 Social Processes - Death: The Ultimate Enigma (Run time 53 min.) DVD $89.95
What does it mean to die? Is death a form of transition to a higher plane, mere physical dissolution, or something else altogether? In this program, Robert J. Kastenbaum, Professor of Communication at Arizona State University; historian Michel Vovelle, of the Sorbonne; anthropologist Luce Des Aulniers; and clinical psychologist Marie-Frederique Bacque delve into the ways in which science and religion have attempted to come to terms with humankind's ultimate enigma. Viewed from a cultural point of view, topics under consideration include mortality, mourning, eternity, and life itself, which most people hope to prolong at any cost. (53 minutes)
#10904 Social Processes - Wired for Speed: Technology and the Accelerating Pace of Life (Run time 42 min.) DVD $89.95
What impact does technology have on the pace of life? In this program, ABC News anchor Ted Koppel and correspondent Robert Krulwich investigate the impact of technological innovations on the body and mind in particular and society in general-from rotary phones to cell phones and from hand-squeezed orange juice to "stab and drink" juice boxes. Forbes ASAP editor Michael Malone, Columbia University psychology professor John Gibbon, Silicon Valley pioneer Regis McKenna, and others discuss the underlying ramifications of labor-saving devices. Must a human being become a "human doing" in order to feel fully alive? (42 minutes)
#10905 Social Processes - Man and Machine: Redrawing the Boundary (Run time 45 min.) DVD $89.95
What is a human? What is a machine? From artificial retinas to artificial intelligence, science and technology are beginning to blur the distinction between the two. In this program, ABC News anchor Ted Koppel and correspondent Robert Krulwich talk with Michael Schrage, of the MIT Media Lab; engineer and inventor Danny Hillis; inventor Ray Kurzweil, author of The Age of Spiritual Machines; professor of cybernetics Kevin Warwick, reputedly the world's first true cyborg; and others about the present state of human/machine hybrids-and future advances that may lie just over the horizon. (45 minutes)
#29951 Social Processes - Whatever Happened to Privacy? (Run time 23 min.) DVD $89.95
Americans have grown used to being watched at ATMs, in lobbies, and even while driving. Now they are being tracked by satellite if they rent a car or make a cellular phone call and timed if they use an electronic pass to pay a toll. In this program, ABC News anchor Ted Koppel and correspondent John Donvan survey the increasing intrusion-real or perceived-of technology into Americans' privacy. In order to look at the issue from two sides, Koppel is joined by House majority leader Dick Armey, who feels many of these technologies violate constitutional rights, and San Diego Police Chief David Bejarano, a strong advocate of his city's use of cameras at traffic intersections. (23 minutes)
#33068 Social Processes - NOW with Bill Moyers: A Question of Fairness (Run time 58 min.) DVD $89.95
The idea that anyone can succeed in America is a vital part of the national identity. But today, the middle class shrinks as the gap between rich and poor widens. In this program, Bill Moyers investigates what lies behind the disparity. In three telling examples, Moyers draws attention to a question of fairness involving the politics of privilege: the impact of NAFTA on a Pennsylvania mill town; financial deregulation in the early 1990s that led to WorldCom's scandalous collapse; and the story of a failed attempt to reform Alabama's state income tax system. (58 minutes)
#33861 Social Processes - Soldiers Raping Soldiers (Run time 22 min.) DVD $89.95
Sexual assault in the U.S. armed forces is a persistent problem-one that the Pentagon recently acknowledged in a report that highlights serious deficiencies in the way the military has handled cases of rape within its ranks. In this ABC News program, two career servicewomen, each allegedly sexually assaulted by a fellow soldier, and the director of the panel that produced the Pentagon report open a much-needed dialogue on soldiers raping soldiers. (22 minutes)
#36200 Social Processes - Organizing Quantitative Data (Run time 37 min.) DVD $89.95
This video focuses on effective ways to understand and organize data using descriptive statistics. Analyzing data collected from studies of young music students, the video helps viewers sort through basic data-interpretation concepts: measures of central tendency, levels of measurement, measures of dispersion, and graphs. A wide range of organization principles are covered, including mode, median, and mean; discrete and continuous data; nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio data; standard deviation; and normal distribution. Animation and graphics clarify and reinforce each concept. The video concludes with a quick quiz to assess understanding and focus on key areas. A viewable/printable instructor's guide is available online. (37 minutes)
#37198 Social Processes - The Love Economy (Run time 28 min.) DVD $89.95
What forms the bedrock of America's wealth? Home ownership? Small businesses? Wall Street? This program lays out an entirely different economic conception, pointing to the vast amount of unpaid labor and services that keep the rest of society afloat. Riane Eisler, author of The Real Wealth of Nations, analyzes the significance of volunteer work, medical support provided by family members, and other hidden or uncompensated labor. Activist Vandana Shiva sheds light on the nonmonetary contributions of small farmers around the world, while economist Hazel Henderson maps out the place of the "love economy" within the conventional one. Barter is also explored, with the help of Time Dollars creator Edgar Cahn and Barter News editor Bob Meyer. (28 minutes)
#37430 Social Processes - Bill Moyers Journal: May 18, 2007 (Run time 58 min.) DVD $89.95
In her book Barbershops, Bibles, and BET: Everyday Talk and Black Political Thought, Melissa Harris-Lacewell studies various ways that racial and political issues are discussed in America. Bill Moyers talks with the Princeton University associate professor about the need for constructive public dialog as the racial makeup of the United States evolves. Also on the program are Harper's Magazine publisher John R. MacArthur, author of The Selling of "Free Trade": NAFTA, Washington, and the Subversion of American Democracy, and writer Bruce Bawer-who left the U.S. to escape religious fundamentalism and homophobic bigotry-on what his journey says about the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in Europe. Broadcast date: May 18, 2007. (58 minutes)
#37640 Social Processes - Bill Moyers Journal: August 3, 2007 (Run time 54 min.) DVD $89.95
When The Blackstone Group bought a company and immediately laid off 841 people to boost profitability, the investors made a killing at the expense of the employees whose lives were derailed. In this program, Bill Moyers talks with best-selling journalist Barbara Ehrenreich-author of Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America and Bait and Switch: The (Futile) Pursuit of the American Dream-about the real-world impact of the growing inequality gap between the increasingly wealthy and an eroding middle class. Moyers also talks with influential cultural critic Clive James about his latest book, Cultural Amnesia-a hundred short essays on 20th-century thinkers, villains, and heroes. Broadcast date: August 3, 2007. (54 minutes)
#39112 Social Processes - Black Death in Dixie: Racism and the Death Penalty in the United States (Run time 26 min.) DVD $89.95
Challenging viewers to look beyond mainstream media treatment of the death penalty, this program portrays capital punishment as a blunt instrument that disproportionately targets racial minorities and the poor. The film highlights several difficult issues, concepts, and social conditions-including statistics on the racial makeup of America's death row population; questionable convictions resulting from mistaken identification; the emotional and psychological toll on those wrongfully convicted; and the lingering effects of the Jim Crow era-or what many have called America's 20th-century apartheid system-in which lynching functioned as de facto capital punishment. (26 minutes)
#39172 Social Processes - Bill Moyers Journal: November 16, 2007 (Run time 58 min.) DVD $89.95
Two years after Hurricane Katrina, tens of thousands of people in Mississippi are still displaced-in limbo, with no solution in sight. This edition of Bill Moyers Journal profiles the Steps Coalition, a group fighting on behalf of those still in need of housing. In addition, the Journal continues to probe the FCC's proposed plan to loosen media ownership. Also on the program, the University of Florida's Manuel A. Vasquez sheds light on a growing sense of transnationalism among immigrant populations. "Today's immigrants are able to have dual loyalties," he says. Broadcast date: November 16, 2007. (58 minutes)
#39465 Social Processes - Anger: Myths and Truths about the Emotion (Run time min.) DVD $89.95
Is venting one's rage really healthy? Do age, gender, and self-image have any connection with anger problems? Has our society become inherently angry? This ABC News program explores the psychology and sociology behind the most dangerous of emotions. Viewers will meet Dr. Robert Millman, a Weill Cornell Medical College professor who has coined the term acquired situational narcissism to explain connections between volatile tempers and towering egos. The University of Michigan's Dr. Brad Bushman provides further connections between narcissism, aggression, and America's youth, while "angry comedian" Lewis Black points out the seeds of fury in everyday realities, from waiting in line to political disagreements. (28 minutes)
#3924 Social Processes - Visions of America (Run time 45 min.) DVD $129.95
Hank Aaron, Dave Barry, Jimmy Carter, Barbara Mandrell, John McLaughlin, Gloria Steinem, and Amy Tan are seven Americans who have a lot to say about their country. What they say reveals an America full of challenge and opportunity, struggle and prejudice, patriotism and irreverence. From Hank Aaron's constant need to confront prejudice to Amy Tan's great yearning to reject her Chinese heritage and be an "average" American, from John McLaughlin's tribute to the American West to Barbara Mandrell's reverencing of old-fashioned American values, from former President Jimmy Carter's explanation of the Atlanta Project to Gloria Steinem's success story of women-owned businesses, their "visions" are original essays by these distinguished citizens, which have been translated into video portraits of American life and values. (45 minutes)
#9217 Social Processes - Middletown: Continuity or Change? (Run time 27 min.) DVD $129.95
Muncie, Indiana, is known to sociologists as Middletown and, since the 1920s, has been the site of influential studies on the attitudes and beliefs of the American people. In this program, a concise documentary essay on Muncie is followed by a spirited discussion with three distinguished academic sociologists: Alan Wolfe, author of One Nation, After All; Bruce Geelhoed, Director of the Center for Middletown Studies; and sociologist Theodore Caplow. They join moderator Ben Wattenberg to explore the latest research on topical wedge issues and America's ongoing struggle to reconcile once-traditional values with such trends as the improved status of women, suburban sprawl, and a growing permissiveness in society. (27 minutes)
#10204 Social Processes - A History of Education (Run time 53 min.) DVD $129.95
Plato's academy was the first formal arena for education, where young men were tutored in the rigors of logic, philosophy, and mathematics. Prior to this, societies transmitted knowledge from one generation to the next orally, and after the advent of writing, through texts. Although education throughout history has been predominantly a privilege of the elite, universal education is currently seen as a basic right, necessary for a country's prosperity. This program traces the evolution of education through the ages, from oral traditions to its role in today's ever-changing society, where the need to learn new job skills is a constant necessity. (53 minutes)
#10205 Social Processes - A History of Work (Run time 53 min.) DVD $129.95
There can be no society without work. Yet as civilizations prosper and grow, labor historically is shifted onto the less privileged, while the elite either scorn work or only participate in certain types, creating hierarchies and inequalities. This program examines work from the early egalitarian hunter/gatherer and agrarian societies to the modern world-a world of multinationals and child slavery, of leisure and hard labor. Noted anthropologists, such as Professor Herbert Applebaum of SUNY, offer insights into how work has evolved and the challenges faced today, when millions are unemployed and the economic disparity between the First and Third Worlds is becoming ever greater. (53 minutes)
#10206 Social Processes - A History of Commerce (Run time 53 min.) DVD $129.95
This program sums up the evolution of commerce, from barter, to coinage, to today's stock market. Economist Professor Grantham, of McGill University, discusses how writing and accounting facilitated trade and gave rise to a merchant class in the ancient world, and hence the spread of classical civilization in the Mediterranean and Asia Minor, culminating in the Roman Empire. The importance of the spice and silk trades is also discussed, along with how the quest for new trading partners impelled exploration in the 15th and 16th centuries, leading to the discovery of the New World and new prosperity. (53 minutes)
#10208 Social Processes - A History of Social Classes (Run time 53 min.) DVD $129.95
Marx divided the industrial world into two antagonistic classes: the bourgeois and the proletariat. In today's society, this simple dichotomy fails to capture the many segments of a global marketplace. From the communal hunter/gatherers and agrarian cultures; to ancient empires and medieval fiefdoms; to the technocrats, executives, laborers, and others of the stratified modern world, this program examines how each era has organized its members into social classes. Although the opportunistic meritocracy of the global marketplace has displaced earlier societal models, do older patterns of privilege still linger? (53 minutes)
#10210 Social Processes - The State (Run time 53 min.) DVD $129.95
Winston Churchill said that democracy is "the worst system devised by the wit of man, except for all the others." Although the state has taken many forms throughout history, some consider it not a protector of its citizens and their freedoms, but a fetter on their liberty. This program provides a historical overview of the myriad forms of government that have existed and their organizing principles, whether it is a Greek city state such as Athens that granted each citizen rights or a 20th-century empire, such as the Soviet Union, where the individual was secondary to the omnipotent and monolithic state. (53 minutes)
#10211 Social Processes - The Law (Run time 53 min.) DVD $129.95
The law is a set of rules found in all organized societies. In the modern world, many key aspects of human existence are governed by laws: registration of births, school attendance, traffic, taxation, business, procreation, and the pronouncement of death. This program discusses the application of law to regulate human conduct, including the subject of global human rights. But can any international law successfully influence sovereign nations that consider themselves independent of outside jurisdiction? (53 minutes)
#10213 Social Processes - The Sacred (Run time 48 min.) DVD $129.95
All communities hold something sacred, whether it is a supreme being, nature, or life itself. This program explores the role of the sacred in societies, from the most primitive forms of animism to the contemporary secular institutions that have sacred attributes. The importance of ritual, signs, and specific individuals in disparate cultures is discussed by noted anthropologists. The program also addresses the role of myth, stressing the universal presence of the mother goddess in all early religions. (48 minutes)
#10288 Social Processes - When East Meets East (Run time 53 min.) DVD $129.95
When an aspiring Chinese actress goes to an audition and is told, "You are trying to be what you are not. You should be more Chinese," she is understandably confused. What exactly does it mean to be "more Chinese" for people of Asian descent who have relocated to or were born in North America? This genre-breaking documentary explores the issues of ethnic and cultural identity through interviews with some of today's most prominent Asian film figures, including Wayne Wang, director of Dim Sum and The Joy Luck Club; Janet Yang, producer of The Joy Luck Club; William Ging Wee Dere; and other filmmakers, actors, and actresses. (53 minutes)
#10451 Social Processes - Popular Culture: Rage, Rights, and Responsibility (Run time 58 min.) DVD $129.95
In this Fred Friendly Seminar, Harvard Law School's Charles Ogletree stimulates a vigorous exchange on the tension between artistic expression, freedom of speech, and social responsibility. Presented with scenarios involving antisocial and sometimes violent messages in mass media, Richard Dreyfuss, Def Jam Recordings' David Harleston, the ACLU's Nadine Strossen, Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA), and other distinguished panelists examine the impact that TV, music, and the movies have on young people, the police, and public attitudes toward society in general. In addition, the program explores how the disenfranchised express their often-stifled views through entertainment venues. (58 minutes)
#29835 Social Processes - Alfred Kinsey: Social Science in America's Bedroom (Run time 16 min.) DVD $129.95
Sexuality was the last uncharted realm of social science until a controversial biology professor named Alfred Kinsey walked into America's bedroom and turned on the light. In this program, John Bancroft, director of The Kinsey Institute; James H. Jones, author of Alfred C. Kinsey: A Public/Private Life; and Kinsey's former colleague Paul Gebhard engage in a thoughtful assessment of Kinsey's findings-data weakened, however, by the makeup of Kinsey's sample population, his own sexual experiences, and his desire to see a more inclusive ethic of tolerance in the U.S. Nonetheless, as a tool of social reform, Kinsey's work succeeded in opening a channel in the public discourse on a hitherto taboo subject. (16 minutes)
#30649 Social Processes - Virtual Worlds: Inside Online Games (Run time 52 min.) DVD $129.95
As online gaming companies position themselves to tap an entertainment market that is projected to explode, researchers question the safety of deeply immersive virtual worlds. In this program, MIT psychologist and sociologist Sherry Turkle; David Greenfield, author of Virtual Addiction; Richard Garriott, creator of Ultima Online; Brad McQuaid, co-creator of EverQuest; representatives of Sony Online Entertainment and Mythic Entertainment; Janet Murray, author of Hamlet on the Holodeck; and many others tackle some big questions: What makes these games so compelling? Are they clinically addictive? And do they promote violence? Additional topics include player demographics, the profit potential of the online gaming industry, and the future of TV in the era of interactive entertainment. (52 minutes)
#32678 Social Processes - Born to Survive (Run time 50 min.) DVD $129.95
Every human being has an armory of instincts that helps keep him or her alive. This program analyzes how the senses, innate physical reactions, and the ability to manage risk boost the chances of survival. An infant's cry, its primary defense during life's most helpless time; a craving for high-calorie foods that harks back to eras of food scarcity; an inborn disgust mechanism that prompts people to avoid eating things that taste bad or look sickening; the fight-or-flight reaction, as it affects thrill-seekers and crime victims; and a willingness to gamble-whether with money or life itself-are studied. A BBCW Production. (50 minutes)
#32679 Social Processes - Deepest Desires (Run time 49 min.) DVD $129.95
What conditions of physical attraction tend to subtly speak out to members of the opposite sex? Why is there typically a fundamental difference in attitudes between men and women toward sexual relations? What physiological factors can influence men and women to stray from their partners? This program seeks to answer those and other questions as it sheds light on the mystery of sexual attraction. The relationships between pheromones and an attractive immune system, status symbols and marital appeal, and ovulation and facial feature preference are also explored. Contains clinically explicit language. A BBCW Production. (49 minutes)
#32680 Social Processes - The Will to Win (Run time 50 min.) DVD $129.95
The will to win is an instinct that has kept the human species alive for millions of years. This program explains why victory feels so good and why defeat is a losing proposition. Topics under consideration include the genetic basis for the euphoria known as a "winner's high," the different strategies of younger and older siblings to attract parental attention, social hierarchies and the physical and behavioral signals that influence one's place in them, the ability to experience victory vicariously, the lessons of losing, and the potential consequences of being considered a loser. A BBCW Production. (50 minutes)
#35273 Social Processes - It's a Mall World (Run time 47 min.) DVD $129.95
An ideal discussion-launcher for sociology courses, this program examines cultural and psychological aspects of what is now an archetypal suburban experience: shopping at the mall. Visiting "cathedrals of consumerism" throughout North America-from the Southdale, Minnesota, progenitor of the enclosed retail mall to the absurdly spectacular Grand Canal Shoppes and Desert Passage in Las Vegas-the video raises fundamental questions about consumer identity and diversity. Evoking "experience retail" as a conceptual counterpoint to Internet-driven home shopping, the program also catalyzes inquiry into the relationship between economics, architecture, and human interaction. (47 minutes)
#36007 Social Processes - Crackhead University (Run time 70 min.) DVD $129.95
The experts in this eye-opening program don't have PhDs or high-paid teaching positions, but they know firsthand-and express in vivid language-the overpowering highs and punishing lows of crack cocaine addiction. Exploring the crumbling streets of inner-city Newburgh, NY, the program lets streetwise experience speak for itself, compiling a collection of tragic yet faintly hopeful personal stories, and describing in detail what happened to this once-prosperous community when crack appeared on the scene. The result is a visual textbook, brimming with the cold, hard facts of addiction, that viewers will find hard to forget. Contains harsh language and mature themes. (70 minutes)
#36011 Social Processes - Portraits in Human Sexuality: Sexual Orientation (Run time 37 min.) DVD $129.95
Geoffrey and Mark and Lisa and Allison are a pair of gay couples who are co-parenting biological children they conceived together. In this program, the four discuss when they first discovered they are gay; how they met their partners; major issues they have faced as gay couples; their children, ages 2 and 4, and the co-parenting experience; and what it means to them all to be a family. In addition, an overview on HIV/AIDS given by a healthcare professional distinguishes the virus from the syndrome, explains how HIV is contracted and transmitted, and promotes protected and informed sex for sexually active students, debunking a variety of myths along the way. (37 minutes)
#36013 Social Processes - Portraits in Human Sexuality: Medical Issues (Run time 36 min.) DVD $129.95
Is sexuality an unavoidable casualty of physical disability or of surgery that significantly restructures intimate parts of the body? In this program, a man with a spinal cord injury, a woman with breast cancer who had a skin-saving mastectomy and reconstructive surgery, and a transsexual woman who underwent sex reassignment surgery discuss ways in which sexual expression has changed since their life-altering events. Perspectives from their significant others are elicited as well. Contains clinically explicit language and illustrations. (36 minutes)
#36014 Social Processes - Portraits in Human Sexuality: Sexual Dysfunction and Therapy (Run time 39 min.) DVD $129.95
It has been estimated that 80 to 90 percent of couples will have one or more of the nine sexual dysfunctions outlined in the DSM-IV. This program introduces the most common dysfunctions while dispelling myths about female sexuality, stressing the importance of good communication, and offering advice on improving sexual technique. Common sexual disorders are commented upon as well. In addition, a case study of a couple with psychogenically induced low sex drive provides an opportunity for viewers to learn what it is like to participate in sex therapy. Contains clinically explicit language and illustrations. (39 minutes)
#36097 Social Processes - Judgment (Run time 24 min.) DVD $129.95
If there is life after death, will it be one of bliss or torment? This program focuses on the moment of judgment in the belief systems of ancient Egypt, Judaism, Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism, and Christianity. Featured works of art include the Egyptian Book of the Dead; a Buddhist painted scroll; a mosaic from the Byzantine Church of San Apollinare Nuovo, in Ravenna; a mosaic in Venice's first cathedral, the Church of Santa Maria Assunta; Giotto's fresco Last Judgment; the doom painting over the chancel arch of the Church of St. Thomas, in Salisbury; Michelangelo's The Last Judgment, in the Sistine Chapel; The Last Judgement by John Martin; and Mark Wallinger's Threshold to the Kingdom, a slow-motion video installation filmed at London City Airport. (23 minutes)
#36261 Social Processes - Polygamy (Run time 37 min.) DVD $129.95
Is polygamy a degrading and harmful practice that only benefits men, or a misunderstood aspect of American subculture that deserves a break? This ABC News program gives the subject careful attention by interviewing women with widely varying polygamist experiences. Some practitioners portray it as a healthy institution that eliminates jealousy and isolation. Another woman condemns it, recounting a barrage of abuses from her polygamist past and epitomizing the viewpoint of many who have escaped the culture. The program accompanies the young woman as she returns to her childhood home to confront those who exploited and mistreated her. (37 minutes)
#36318 Social Processes - Borderless: The Lives of Undocumented Workers (Run time 27 min.) DVD $129.95
How much do American and Canadian citizens really understand about the personal, social, and economic struggles of undocumented workers? This program deepens that understanding, providing an intimate look inside the lives of two non-status migrant laborers. Geraldo, a Costa Rican construction worker, and Angela, a Caribbean domestic employee, describe their experiences with labor exploitation and restrictive immigration laws, as well as their separation from children and family-poignantly conveyed through telephone calls home. Humanizing an often-invisible workforce, the program exposes some of the hidden costs of sustaining the "first world" economy. (27 minutes)
#36924 Social Processes - The Mother Tongue (Run time 58 min.) DVD $129.95
The making of English is the story of three great invasions and a cultural revolution. This classic PBS program shows how an early form of English was carried to Britain by invading Anglo-Saxons, how that language was all but obliterated by waves of Viking settlers, and how it was reshaped by the French-speaking Normans. The fact that English survived on the lips of people who left no written records is made clear in the program; however, the nascent literary history of the language is also presented-how it emerged in the first English plays, developed in the printing achievements of William Caxton, and flowered in the poetry of the first great English writer, Geoffrey Chaucer. (58 minutes)
#36928 Social Processes - Pioneers! O Pioneers! (Run time 59 min.) DVD $129.95
Both westward expansion and 19th-century immigration affected the development of a uniquely American English. This classic PBS program tells the story of that burgeoning dialect, from the Revolutionary War to the 1920s. Beginning with the Declaration of Independence, the program depicts the determination of American radicals-dictionary author Noah Webster among them-to achieve linguistic as well as political separation. While the urban, immigrant-laden Northeast is rightly viewed as a linguistic pressure cooker, the western frontier is portrayed as no less dynamic-thanks to fur traders, riverboat pilots, gold miners, Spanish-speaking cowboys, Native Americans, and the railroad. (59 minutes)
#36929 Social Processes - The Muvver" Tongue" (Run time 59 min.) DVD $129.95
In the 19th century, English spread throughout the British Empire-but which English? This classic PBS program traces the roots of white Commonwealth English to Cockney, the language of London's working class. Explaining the influence of Cockney on modern, standardized speech, the program shows how, in fact, the accents of BBC English are gradually becoming modified by Cockney speech characteristics like the glottal stop. Resemblances between the accents of New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and the Falkland Islands are also explored, highlighting major aspects of the colonial language-along with traces of aboriginal tongues nearly eclipsed by English. (58 minutes)
#36930 Social Processes - Loaded Weapon (Run time 59 min.) DVD $129.95
The Irish experience reflects two language traditions, English and Gaelic. This classic PBS program shows how English was first established in Ireland in the 17th century and how, in cases of violent cultural conflict, language can function as a weapon. Exploring the west of Ireland today, the program identifies traces of Irish Celtic culture, despite the historical decline of the Gaelic tongue. Typical Irish accents in Cork are examined, with examples containing strong echoes of Elizabethan speech. The impact of Cromwell's rule and the catastrophic famines of the 1840s-both of which forced many Irish into exile, further distancing them from their native language-is also studied. (59 minutes)
#36955 Social Processes - Facing the Challenge: Building Peer Programs for Street Youth (Run time 24 min.) DVD $129.95
The dangerous link between teen homelessness and HIV/AIDS has led activists to develop new forms of community involvement. Service providers are turning directly to youth for help, recruiting them to become messengers of HIV-prevention awareness and mentors of other at-risk young people. This video explores the how-to of designing peer programs by introducing viewers to five models for peer-based outreach groups. It covers the training of peer mentors, the hazards they might encounter, and a wide array of clinical and management issues. The result is a valuable instructional tool for studies in adolescent healthcare, teen counseling, and other areas. (24 minutes)
#37525 Social Processes - If... Drugs Were Legal (Run time 61 min.) DVD $129.95
The year is 2015. A coalition of European countries has decriminalized most stimulants, narcotics, and hallucinogens. But has legalization made drug use-or the streets of London-any safer? This program depicts a future in which police officers, Big Pharma executives, and recreational drug consumers would, depending on one's perspective, either reap the benefits or suffer the consequences of a reversal in drug policy. Interwoven with the fictional narrative are real-world interviews highlighting both sides of the debate. Former chief constable Francis Wilkinson and Transform Drug Policy Foundation director Danny Kushlick argue for legalization, while toxicology expert John Henry and former customs investigator David Raynes warn against it. A BBCW Production. (61 minutes)
#37558 Social Processes - You Only Live Twice: Virtual Reality Meets Real World in Second Life (Run time 47 min.) DVD $129.95
Tens of thousands of people "live" there, and tens of millions of U.S. dollars are exchanged there. Welcome to SecondLife.com! After introducing viewers to this compelling virtual world, You Only Live Twice grapples with overlapping in-world/real-world issues ranging from cybersex and the psychological repercussions of virtual sex crimes, to intellectual property rights fraud, to taxation on hard cash made on virtual cross-border sales, to the medical use of Second Life as a schizophrenia simulator. Insights and opinions are provided by SL creator Philip Rosedale; virtual property development millionaire Ailin Graef; Play Money author Julian Dibbell; Lauren Gelman, of Stanford Law School's Center for Internet and Society; New York University's Clay Shirky; Ted Castronova, author of Synthetic Worlds; and others. Contains mature themes and explicit imagery. (47 minutes)
#7328 Social Processes - Liar: Deception in Society (Run time 50 min.) DVD $149.95
From love to international affairs, from war to business, nearly everyone lies. This program reveals the vital role played by deception in our society, and examines new "foolproof" scientific methods for sorting out the truth. Studies by evolutionary psychologists link lying to the power of language, and show how children and others learn to lie to survive socially. At a university, mathematical formulae and sophisticated computer technology combine to create the Computer-Based Polygraph (CBP)-a revolutionary lie-detector which its creators claim will usher in a new era of scientific diagnosis of truth. But will it work? And if it does, how damaging will it be to our personal, social, business, and political relationships? A BBC Production. (50 minutes)
#30758 Social Processes - Baby Crash: Causes and Consequences of Declining Birthrates (Run time 46 min.) DVD $149.95
As the world's population reaches staggering numbers, the populations of Europe, Japan, and Canada have fallen to unprecedented lows. This program analyzes why more and more young women and men from these regions are postponing or altogether skipping having children. But as many twenty-somethings opt to pursue career ambitions, enjoy the pleasures of leisure time, or seek the comfort of living with parents, these same regions are supporting huge senior citizen population segments whose benefits are consuming dwindling societal resources. With fewer employees-to-be in the demographic pipeline, can immigrant workers compensate for the baby shortfall? (46 minutes)
#32594 Social Processes - In Brands We Trust (Run time 53 min.) DVD $149.95
After "OK," "Coca-Cola" is the most widespread word in the world. How did branding evolve into a global shadow force that packages lifestyles, commodifies personal values, and stands in for cornerstone cultural institutions? In this provocative program, Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide's Kevin Roberts, Chanel's Jacques Helleu, anti-corporate crusader Naomi Klein, and others astutely address the concept of branding, its history, its impact on youth, key visionaries, and the convergence of brands and culture. A significant backlash against branding is also discussed. Coke, Nike, Chanel, Apple, and Benetton are spotlighted, and many other brands are touched on. (52 minutes)
#33885 Social Processes - Do You Speak American? Out West (Run time 57 min.) DVD $149.95
In this program, Robert MacNeil heads to California to take part in meaningful dialogues on Spanglish, Chicano, Ebonics, and "Surfer Dude" before going to Seattle to consider the implications of voice-activation technology. Linguist Carmen Fought, Stanford University's Cliff Nass, screenwriters Amy Heckerling and Winnie Holtzman, and others speak their minds about Spanish in America, why teens create their own language, gay self-empowerment by redefining discriminatory terms, the oo-fronting sound shift, and whether technology will reinforce or weaken racial/regional stereotypes. The teaching of standard English without devaluing or denigrating cultural linguistic differences is addressed. Some language may be offensive. (57 minutes)
#34648 Social Processes - Identity Crisis: Self-Image in Childhood (Run time 60 min.) DVD $149.95
What shapes a child's identity-situation and surroundings, or unchangeable factors within the child? This program weighs in on that question by capturing the emotional and psychological development of 25 boys and girls at age five. In fascinating and sometimes disturbing scenes, the children reveal clear signals about their self-worth and their expectations for the future that bear strong connection to nationality, gender, skin color, economic class, and the presence or absence of either parent. Powerful in its social implications as well as its emotional impact, Identity Crisis brings vital documentation to the nature vs. nurture debate. A BBC/Open University Co-production. Original broadcast title: Identity Crisis. Part of the series Child of Our Time 2005. (60 minutes)
#36090 Social Processes - Voices of the World: The Extinction of Language and Linguistic Diversity (Run time 60 min.) DVD $149.95
"The world is a mosaic of visions, and each vision is encapsulated by a language." Yet every two weeks, one of the world's approximately 6,500 languages dies out. What is the significance of this loss to those who speak the language as well as for the rest of humankind? Why do some languages become global while others disappear? And how are language and identity connected? In this program, linguists David Crystal, Peter Austin, and Jorgen Rischel search for the answers to those and other pressing questions as they investigate the state-and fate-of Livonian, in Latvia; Dogon, in Mali; Mlabri, in Thailand; Changsha Hua and Naqxi, in China; Pitjantjatjara and Pintupi, in Australia; and Tutunaku, in Mexico. (Portions in other languages with English subtitles, 60 minutes)
#36205 Social Processes - The America of the Amish (Run time 54 min.) DVD $149.95
The Amish rarely allow themselves to be photographed or filmed, yet several members of the isolated religious community agreed to appear in this eye-opening documentary. Filmed on location in Pennsylvania and Ohio Amish country, the program goes beyond stereotypes and common misconceptions, presenting a fully human portrait of a misunderstood people. Interviews with Amish men and women-some born into the religion, some converts from other parts of the U.S.-reveal a range of opinions and sensibilities within the group's traditional stance on technology, education, and worship. Highlighting the rapid growth of the Amish population and their changing attitudes toward electricity, cell phones, cars, and other modern conveniences, the program will expand viewers' understanding of the Amish and the ways that American subcultures adapt to mainstream society. (54 minutes)
#36262 Social Processes - Foster Care: A System in Crisis (Run time 54 min.) DVD $149.95
This compilation of ABC News segments reports on the complex, ongoing challenges facing families and organizations that shelter endangered children. The three segments are "Calling All Angels," which explores dangers and frustrations familiar to many foster kids and visits a Kentucky institution for girls who have been in and out of foster homes; "A Call to Action," which examines groundbreaking photography exhibits that have helped connect thousands of foster children with adoptive parents; and "Children on the Brink," which follows a busy social worker as she visits homes affected by drugs and poverty-highlighting success stories as well as painful cases in which children must be removed. (54 minutes)
#36370 Social Processes - Missing Women: Female-Selective Abortion and Infanticide (Run time 54 min.) DVD $149.95
In India, Pakistan, and China, being born a girl can be an instant death sentence. This program-winner of the Albert Londres Prize, France's highest award for journalism-unflinchingly examines the cultural, economic, and political reasons for the systematic elimination of females in Asia and considers the implications of the dramatic demographic disruption that will likely occur as a result of this growing imbalance between the sexes. The use of amniocentesis and ultrasound scans to identify female fetuses for abortion is investigated, as are the practices of newborn abandonment and infanticide by a parent or a hired baby girl killer. (54 minutes)
#36405 Social Processes - State of the Union: Politics in Red and Blue (Run time 43 min.) DVD $149.95
Is the U.S. so divided into communities of the like-minded that people have stopped hearing any political opinion that differs from their own? This program reported by ABC News' George Stephanopoulos explores the polarizing phenomenon known as "the big sort" and how that detrimental force is reshaping activism, influencing the media, and suppressing bipartisan discourse in Congress. Stopovers at true-blue Montclair, New Jersey, and red-hot Franklin, Tennessee, illustrate this national trend, while experiments on the dynamics of group polarization and on the effects of "shout television" offer some startling insights. Interviews with U.S. Senators Barack Obama and Lindsey Graham; Bill Bishop, author of The Great Divide; Cass Sunstein, of The University of Chicago's law school; political activists Arline Isaacson, of the Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus, and the Reverend Patrick Mahoney, of the Christian Defense Coalition; and Dan Burstein, co-author of blog!, are included. (43 minutes)
#36501 Social Processes - Born with a Wooden Spoon: Welcome to Poverty U.S.A. (Run time 60 min.) DVD $149.95
The United States continues to be the wealthiest country in the world, yet one in eight Americans-approximately 37 million people-live below the poverty line. This program analytically and sympathetically discusses the effects and implications of poverty, examining factors such as illiteracy, insufficient job skills, substance abuse, and crime. The phenomenon of multigenerational poverty is also addressed, underscoring the disturbing pattern of poverty begetting poverty. Interviews with impoverished people and those who reach out to them put a human face on a demographic group that lives below the radar of wealthy and middle-class Americans. (60 minutes)
#36537 Social Processes - Heartbreak (Run time 57 min.) DVD $149.95
It can lead to isolation, to depression, even to violence. In this program, psychologist John Marsden investigates the devastating effect that social and romantic rejection can have on the brain, the body, and human behavior. Using the latest neuro-imaging technology, Dr. Marsden examines the links between unrequited love and physical pain; he also sheds light on why crimes of passion and revenge occur, and explains how early childhood experiences of rejection can shape adult relationships. Examples of romantic failure and social isolation are analyzed through their physical manifestations-although these are shown to vary according to gender. A BBCW Production. (57 minutes)
#36538 Social Processes - Persuaders (Run time 57 min.) DVD $149.95
Is there a way to cut in line without creating hard feelings? Why are peer groups such a strong influence on individuals? What is the secret to swaying the undecided and winning over the skeptical? In this program, psychologist John Marsden illustrates how experts in the art of persuasion think and operate, and how their goals can become transparent. Dr. Marsden talks with salespeople, marketing gurus, and business owners-as well as a hypnotist who can pull teeth without anesthetics and a former cult member who has firsthand experience in being psychologically controlled. From overt dominance to discreet manipulation, the multifaceted world of persuasion is revealed. A BBCW Production. (57 minutes)
#36539 Social Processes - Urban Survival (Run time 57 min.) DVD $149.95
Are humans genetically disposed to live in large, dense groups-or are we actually unfit as a species to do so? In this program, psychologist John Marsden dissects the behavior of city dwellers, analyzing why some people are capable of living shoulder-to-shoulder with thousands or even millions of their fellow humans-while others clearly are not. Dr. Marsden inquires into the dangers of city life, the complex nature of urban etiquette, and-through experiments on unwitting test subjects-the visible effects of sensory overload and urban anonymity. He even gets wired up himself, joining a riot-control simulation to measure his own stress levels. Original BBCW broadcast title: City Life. (57 minutes)
#36957 Social Processes - Generation Next: Speak Up. Be Heard. (Run time 58 min.) DVD $149.95
In this revealing documentary, celebrated NewsHour and Frontline journalist Judy Woodruff takes viewers across the United States to examine the lives of 16- to 25-year-olds-a demographic that many are calling "Generation Next." The program demystifies an age group that is hooked on technology, generally supportive of gay rights and racial differences, but also swamped in debt and facing uncertain career paths. Traveling through the Northeast, the South, the Great Plains, and the West, the program combines the candor of face-to-face conversations with the findings of an extensive Pew Research Center survey conducted among Generation Nexters. (58 minutes)
#37241 Social Processes - Nuestra Familia, Our Family-Educator's Edition (Run time 59 min.) DVD $149.95
Nobody is safe in Salinas, California, where two Latino gangs, Nuestra Familia and the Mexican Mafia, are at war. Through exclusive interviews with NF members and law enforcement personnel, this program describes Nuestra Familia's formation by convicts inside the prisons of northern California, its military-like structure, its dismaying power throughout the region and the U.S., and Operation Black Widow, a controversial joint task force between the Salinas Police Department and the FBI designed to demolish this notorious crime machine. The multigenerational story of one family's involvement with the NF-a story of total commitment turned to disillusionment and deep regret-is interwoven. Bonus material includes interviews with inmates at Pelican Bay State Prison, Salinas Chief of Police Daniel Ortega, gang-prevention activist Antonio Avalos, and the filmmakers themselves (DVD only). Filmed by the Center for Investigative Reporting. (59 minutes + 56 minutes of bonus material)
#38698 Social Processes - Shadows of Doubt: The Roots of Religious Disbelief (Run time 60 min.) DVD $149.95
In this program, Jonathan Miller visits Ground Zero to consider the religious implications of 9/11. "Events such as this bring one face-to-face with the consequences, both social and political, of belief in the divine, the supernatural, the holy, the sacred, and the transcendent-ideas that I, like many others, find alien, uncongenial, and, to be frank, almost unintelligible," says Miller. He then searches for evidence of the first unbelievers in ancient Greece and examines some of the modern theories of why people have always tended to believe in mythology, mysticism, and magic. Writers Arthur Miller and Gore Vidal, philosophers Daniel Dennett and Colin McGinn, historian Geoffrey Lloyd, anthropologist Pascal Boyer, evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, and physicist Steven Weinberg are featured. Original BBCW broadcast title: Shadows of Doubt. (60 minutes)
#38699 Social Processes - Noughts and Crosses: The Development and Codification of Atheism (Run time 61 min.) DVD $149.95
By 500 A.D., Christianity had begun its rise as the dominant religion of Europe. Skeptical philosophical beliefs were effectively silenced, and the Roman Catholic Church was on its way to becoming a power that would endure unchallenged for a millennium...until the Scientific Revolution. But as Jonathan Miller points out in this program, schisms within the Church-subsequently exacerbated by Deists Edward Herbert and David Hume as well as by monist philosopher Thomas Hobbes-had much more to do with clarifying and systematizing atheism than did the discoveries of Copernicus and Newton. The program concludes with the formal codification of an atheistic philosophy in 1770 via La Systeme de la Nature, written by the Baron d'Holbach. Historian Simon Schaffer is featured. Original BBCW broadcast title: Noughts and Crosses. (60 minutes)
#38700 Social Processes - The Final Hour: The End of Life-and the Death of Religion? (Run time 60 min.) DVD $149.95
Key figures either directly or tangentially connected to the progress of atheism-the Baron d'Holbach, Thomas Paine, Jeremy Bentham, Charles Darwin, George Jacob Holyoake, Sigmund Freud, and Karl Marx-are profiled in this program as Jonathan Miller draws links between atheism and the realms of utilitarian and secularist philosophy, evolutionary science, psychology, and politics. Is religion doomed to die out? And if not, why? Then, after a discussion of mortality from the atheist point of view, the program returns full circle to touch upon the issue that begins this series: religious fanaticism in the 21st century. Historian Simon Schaffer, philosophers Colin McGinn and Daniel Dennett, and evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins are featured. Original BBCW broadcast title: The Final Hour. (60 minutes)
#38963 Social Processes - Generation Next 2.0 (Run time 58 min.) DVD $149.95
What distinguishes the members of Generation Next from their predecessors? This program-a sequel to the celebrated public television documentary Generation Next (item #36957)-looks at the beliefs, concerns, and goals that galvanize young people today. Renowned broadcast journalist Judy Woodruff guides viewers across the United States and into the lives of America's future leadership. In their early 20s, John and Katie Fiske are already married and own an apartment. Ex-gang member Leo Vazquez is also married and turning his life around. Newspaper editor John Allan Clark has brought the idealism of Generation Next to his hometown weekly. And openly gay Jarrett Lucas speaks at Christian colleges, while Villanova student Jon Reimer is an outspoken conservative and evangelical Christian. (58 minutes)
#38972 Social Processes - The 51st State: America's Working Poor (Run time 57 min.) DVD $149.95
While poverty has traditionally been a problem only for the unemployed, a new demographic of Americans has emerged-the working poor. This program explores the disturbing realities that many people in low-wage jobs face every day-such as having to decide whether to pay the rent, buy groceries, or see a doctor. Viewers will learn how standards of living are often measured, how suburban areas have fostered a particular type of economic hardship, and how welfare-to-work programs have, at times, led to more resistant poverty. The film also draws connections between America's immigration challenges and the swelling numbers of working poor. (57 minutes)
#39153 Social Processes - Nice Guys Finish First: Game Theory and the Quest for Mutual Cooperation (Run time 51 min.) DVD $149.95
The Selfish Gene is frequently misread as a biological justification for ruthless behavior. In this classic program, author Richard Dawkins sets the record straight through an exploration of selfishness and enlightened self-interest built upon evidence from the Prisoner's Dilemma game and real-world non-zero-sum social situations. "The tragedy of the commons," symbiotic behavior among animals, benign cooperation between stalemated armies during the First World War, and Robert Axelrod's findings from his landmark Prisoner's Dilemma computer program tournament are considered. Also, footage of a simple Prisoner's Dilemma experiment being conducted is included. Original BBCW broadcast title: Nice Guys Finish First. (51 minutes)
#39168 Social Processes - Girls: Entering the Teen Years (Run time 52 min.) DVD $149.95
"Everything is wrong," complains Claudia-who, until her changing body lost its sense of balance, envisioned no obstacles to becoming a professional dancer. Identical twins Jessica and Rebecca prepare for high school and the social stress it will bring, with bra shopping at the top of their worry list. And Alex, now 13, sheds light on the trauma of starting puberty at age seven. Incorporating eye-catching animation, frank video diary entries, and unflinching cinematography, this program guides viewers through the inner and outer lives of girls as they begin the transition to adulthood. Diet, hormones, peer pressure, bullying, and many other factors are closely studied. Contains explicit images and material. Original BBCW broadcast title: Girls. (51 minutes)
#39169 Social Processes - Boys: Entering the Teen Years (Run time 52 min.) DVD $149.95
Although facial and body hair are the most visible signs of male puberty, the process of becoming a man actually involves major organs like the heart and lungs. No one demonstrates that better than 14-year-old Jesse, whose physique is developing rapidly-while Mark, at almost the same age, poignantly awaits even the first hint of change. Meanwhile, 12-year-old choir member Dominic struggles to maintain the purity of his voice; 11-year-old Andy, to find shoes that fit. All share their anxieties and goals through video diaries and unhindered conversations, while animation and live-action sequences focus on sex drive, sleep patterns, muscle growth, aggression, and other subjects. Contains explicit images and material. Original BBCW broadcast title: Boys. (52 minutes)
#39466 Social Processes - All About Happiness (Run time min.) DVD $149.95
Trying to find happiness is the search of a lifetime, and in this multi-segment ABC News program, a diverse cross-section of experts shares insights into the psychological and physiological constituents of happiness; the effects of genes, life circumstances, and intentional activities on happiness; where on Earth the most-and least-happiness is said to exist; and the story of one person who followed his bliss by building a two-ton boat out of...wine bottle corks! Daniel Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness; Sonja Lyubomirsky, author of The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want; and Eric Weiner, author of The Geography of Bliss, are featured. Original ABC News broadcast title: Happiness. (39 minutes)
#39471 Social Processes - Confronting Discrimination and Prejudice (Run time 37 min.) DVD $149.95
Encourage students to explore biases and stereotypes with this group of ABC News segments. Each scenario puts actors into exchanges with unwitting bystanders, generating a wide range of responses-from overt hostility towards other races and cultures to acts of genuine compassion. Scenes include a bakery clerk's refusal to serve a Muslim woman wearing a headscarf; cruelty towards an overweight woman seated on a boardwalk; a very public argument that threatens to become violent; and a purse-snatching in a crowded square, after which witnesses are asked to view a suspect lineup. Repeating the two latter situations, producers achieve varying reactions among onlookers by switching the races of the actors. (37 minutes)
#39472 Social Processes - Standing Up as a Citizen (Run time 33 min.) DVD $149.95
Spark class discussion on civic responsibility with this compilation of ABC News segments. Each scenario involves onlookers who-unaware that they are observing actors in staged situations-exhibit a variety of responses, from complacency to outrage. Scenes include flagrant littering at a seaside resort; displays of hypocrisy when the chance to be a Good Samaritan arises; illegal use of a disabled-only spot, even as a truly deserving driver attempts to park there; and another parking-space dispute, this one concerning severe damage to surrounding cars and an offending driver who doesn't care. Viewers will find several opportunities to explore the meaning of good citizenship and the importance of community involvement. (33 minutes)
#6852 Social Processes - A Gathering of Men (Run time 50 min.) DVD $159.95
In this two-part program, noted American poet Robert Bly and Bill Moyers explore how men think about themselves, their fathers, their sons, and their roles in society. Bly discusses the need for intimate emotional contact between fathers and sons, and talks about how his own poor relationship with an alcoholic father deprived him of the ability to express grief. He laments the loss of meaningful rites of passage for today's young males. The influence of male mentors is discussed as important to the nurturing of sound male identity. The male tendency to confuse manliness with physically aggressive behavior is equated with inadequate fathering. The notion of the warrior, instilled in younger men by mentors, is discussed as a character-building element that helps young males recognize behavioral boundaries. A group of men at a workshop share with Moyers their concerns about their own male-to-male relationships, and their confusion over their role in society. (2 parts, 50 minutes and 38 minutes)
#9245 Social Processes - Truth and Consequences: Is America Going Downhill? (Run time min.) DVD $179.9
What has become of the classic American virtues of good manners and honesty? Are they dead, dying, or simply in hiding? This provocative two-part series argues that changes in the American character have promoted a pervasive attitude of "me first" and "anything goes." 2-part series, 29 minutes each.
#35485 Social Processes - Seville's Story: Choosing to Live Clean (Run time min.) DVD $179.9
Personal responsibility is at the center of this two-part series of ABC News programs-but compassion and redemption are also major parts of the equation. Drawn from the so-called Badlands, one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Philadelphia, this is the story of a former criminal and the community activist who helped him change. The psychological journey of the man known as Seville demonstrates what social outreach and involvement can accomplish-when a lost soul makes a conscious choice to find a better life. 2-part series, 22-23 minutes each.
#36003 Social Processes - Moyers on America (Run time min.) DVD $269.85
Monumental scandals in Congress, the possible end of the Internet as we know it, and a new debate among Christians over the environment. This three-part series is a clarion call to citizens everywhere to wake up to the troubling issues besetting America and start helping this country get back on course. "Nothing short of an aroused public can change things, nothing less than democracy is at stake," says Bill Moyers, author of the nationally bestselling book Moyers on America: A Journalist and His Times. 3-part series, 60-120 minutes each.
#39167 Social Processes - Teen Species: Understanding the Adolescent (Run time min.) DVD $299.9
Their behavior and physical changes are often so surprising-and at times alarming-that teenagers seem to be a separate species. This series delves into the mysteries of adolescence by following several participants over a two-year period, exploring the biological, psychological, and social pressures that begin with the onset of puberty. Through expert interviews, in-depth conversations with teens, and detailed passages from the participants' video diaries, viewers will learn about the development of the adolescent brain, its link to physiological and behavioral transformations, and the real-world dilemmas of identity and conformity these changes bring on. Contains explicit images and material. Original BBCW broadcast title: Teen Species. 2-part series, 51-52 minutes each.
#7543 Social Processes - America's Promise: Who's Entitled to What? (Run time min.) DVD $359.8
Welfare and immigration are irrevocably interwined. This four-part series examines the current state of reform and its impact on immigrant and other populations. 4-part series, 29 minutes each.
#36198 Social Processes - Research Methods in the Social Sciences (Run time min.) DVD $359.8
Using psychology as its primary medium, this four-part series thoroughly explores qualitative and quantitative research methods used in a wide range of disciplines. Hosted and narrated by students, each program demonstrates the ins and outs of testing hypotheses, preparing experiments, and analyzing data-while improving knowledge of terms and concepts essential to examination boards. Viewable/printable instructor's guides are available online. 4-part series, 23 to 46 minutes each.
#10336 Social Processes - First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage . . . (Run time min.) DVD $449.75
When people form a community, how do they develop the guidelines-at once unique and yet universal-for satisfying their needs as individuals, families, and entire societies? This engaging five-part series provides a sociological overview of the cultural conventions surrounding gender, love, and death and the ways in which they fuel the fundamental institutions of marriage and family. 5-part series, 53 minutes each.
#11249 Social Processes - Brave New World (Run time min.) DVD $449.75
Should human cloning be allowed? Will computers ever be able to think? Has technology already gone too far? If questions like these are food for thought, then this accessible five-part series hosted by ABC News anchor Ted Koppel and correspondent Robert Krulwich is a banquet. Interviews with renowned scholars, specialists of all kinds, and an engaging cast of everyday people shed light on some of the fundamental changes going on in the world today-changes involving dynamic fields such as computer technology, neurobiology, and genetic engineering. 5-part series, 42-45 minutes each.
#35760 Social Processes - The Appalachians (Run time min.) DVD $449.85
An eye-opening journey through the cradle of Southern culture-and much of the American way of life in general-this three-part series illustrates the political, economic, musical, and spiritual history of the Appalachian region. Each episode presents a provocative chapter in the saga of the mountain people, examining their ties to the nation's cycles of boom and bust, war and peace, and hope and despair. Interweaving comments from historians, political leaders, and artists such as Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, and a host of others, the series shows viewers how the raw materials of America coalesced along its "first frontier." Viewable/printable instructor's guides are available online. 3-part series, 53 minutes each.
#39470 Social Processes - What Would You Do? Instinctive Reactions and What They Reveal (Run time min.) DVD $449.85
What happens when ordinary people become witnesses to upsetting events-such as a theft in progress, the possibility of domestic violence, or the abuse of another citizen's civil rights? Do most people follow the same emotional and psychological patterns when reacting? Is there such a thing as a "normal" reaction? This three-part ABC News series captures raw responses to staged situations with the help of actors and hidden cameras. Whether compelled to take action or to mind his or her own business, each unknowing participant makes a split-second-and often surprising-decision that will interest students of psychology, sociology, and ethics. Original ABC News broadcast title: What Would You Do? 3-part series, 33-38 minutes each.
#10209 Social Processes - The Development of Community (Run time min.) DVD $519.8
As innately social creatures, human beings have formed into groups throughout the world. What common elements bring people together, and what institutions enable them to coexist? This series investigates the development of community through four cultural building blocks: the state, the law, the city, and the sacred. 4-part series, 53 minutes each.
#32677 Social Processes - Human Instinct (Run time min.) DVD $519.8
Instincts are the foundation of behavior. This very visual four-part series takes a close-up look at the rudimentary responses and primal urges that shape the human experience. Both fascinating and fun, each program uses engrossing experiments, captivating interviews, high-tech graphics, and dramatic reenactments to illustrate the instincts that underpin our actions. Pioneering researcher Lord Robert Winston hosts. A BBCW Production. 4-part series, 50 minutes each.
#7133 Social Processes - Futurewatch (Run time min.) DVD $539.7
This 6-part series focuses on the social and scientific breakthroughs that are continually changing the way we live, and grapples with the resulting ethical, moral, and spiritual dilemmas. Each program features a panel of authoritative voices in their respective fields.6-part series, 39-41 minutes each.
#8882 Social Processes - The Glass Jungle: Surviving the City (Run time min.) DVD $539.7
This intriguing six-part series reveals how human beings have adapted to life in a modern urban landscape where sensory bombardment is the norm, personal space is a priority, and the term "familiar stranger" actually has meaning. 6-part series, 25 minutes each.
#36535 Social Processes - Exposed: Observing Human Behavior (Run time min.) DVD $599.8
Joy, sadness, fear, anger-sometimes they hide behind a calm, sociable facade. In other cases, the more we try to conceal them, the more visible they become. This four-part series illuminates connections between the physical and psychological aspects of human behavior. Viewers will gain an understanding of the importance of body language, facial expression, and tone of voice, in relation to key concepts such as empathy, aggression, and territorial instinct. Hosted by noted psychologist John Marsden, each program explores-through humorous, poignant, and sometimes frightening examples-the interrelationship of human emotion and action. Original BBCW broadcast title: Exposed. 4-part series, 56-57 minutes each.
#38697 Social Processes - Atheism: A Rough History of Disbelief (Run time min.) DVD $599.8
Due to the radical politicization of religious belief in the 21st century and the attendant threat to the freedom of thought that underpins disbelief, atheist Jonathan Miller feels prompted to balance the discourse. In this unprecedented three-part series, Miller, a genial and deeply intelligent disbeliever, is joined by some of the world's most distinguished thinkers as together they sift through the history of atheism and question the labels of disbelief. A complex, engaging, and highly provocative inquiry. A BBCW Production. 3-part series, 60 minutes each.
#10203 Social Processes - The Evolution of Society (Run time min.) DVD $649.75
This series identifies five elements of society-education, work, commerce, punishment, and social classes-and explores how they have evolved, from their earliest manifestations in hunter/gatherer communities to the highly refined forms recognized today. Noted scholars discuss each phenomenon, offering insights into how institutions change to reflect a society's needs and values. 5-part series, 53 minutes each.
#36008 Social Processes - Portraits in Human Sexuality (Run time min.) DVD $909.65
This seven-part series-produced by a clinical psychologist and a social psychologist and introduced by Herb Samuels, of the City University of New York-uses interviews to illustrate important and even controversial issues in human sexuality. Openness, spontaneity, and sheer humanity characterize the subjects of these programs as they answer every question with honesty, a remarkable level of positivity, and, at times, a sense of humor. A guaranteed discussion starter. Contains clinically explicit language as well as mature themes and imagery. A viewable/printable instructor's guide is available online. 7-part series, 34-40 minutes each.
#11166 Social Processes - Behold Humanity! A Sociological Perspective (Run time min.) DVD $2818.7
Providing more than 22 hours of coverage, this authoritative 26-part series is a visual encyclopedia of society's evolution. All-encompassing in its reach, the series applies the principles of sociology to the many facets of life as it has evolved over the seven millennia of recorded history. 26-part series, 52 minutes each.
