Islam and Christianity
This program examines the historical relations between Islam and Christianity and the long history of conflict between them. Iran's ambassador to the Vatican, Mohammad Masjed Jame'i, explains the basic differences and similarities between Islam and ...
Safe as houses: real estate values and mortgage trading
Contrary to widespread perception, real estate is no different than any other financial asset - its value can plunge. This program examines the volatility of property investment and the ramifications of buying and selling bulk mortgages and mortgage...
Skin
The topic of skin is introduced by viewing a typical collection of bodies on a sun-drenched beach. We are familiar with the sight of skin exposed to the sun, but do we know what is actually happening to the skin surface? Using scanning electron micr...
Human bondage: the evolution of bond trading
Beginning in the strange and chaotic world of war financing, this program explores the origins and development of bond trading. Historian Niall Ferguson presents profiles of military backers and bankrollers through the centuries, linking their activ...
Race and psychiatry
The issue of race within psychiatry is most apparent in the psychiatric hospitals and institutions where, as one doctor who appears in this program puts it, "there is an overrepresentation of black people." There is also a problem of misdiagnosis an...
Dreams of avarice: credit and interest through the ages
From "promises to pay" on ancient Babylonian tablets to the insolvency of present-day consumerist America, this program explains the origins of credit and debt and why credit networks are central to civilization. Historian Niall Ferguson examines fi...
Childhood: Program 1. Great expectations
One of the major themes of the Childhood series is introduced and explored - the mutual influence and importance of both "nature" and "nurture," the ongoing interaction of time, place and biology. Highlights of the premiere program include witnessin...
Chimerica: an economic love story gone sour
How did the American credit market become so entwined with - and dependent on - Chinese lending? This program examines the rise and potential decline of "Chimerica," the financial marriage between two of the world's biggest economic powers. Historia...
Childhood: Program 6. Among equals
This program explores the importance of peer relationships as a crucial component of development. Peers provide a context for working out moral dilemmas, social relationships and for developing a strong self identity. At this age children often part...
The Righteous Babes
In this accomplished documentary, acclaimed filmmaker Pratibha Parmar explores the intersection of feminism with popular music, focusing on the role of female recording artists in the 1990s and their influence on modern women. Parmar argues that, fa...