A new documentary on PBS called “The Definition of Insanity” examines mental illlness and the prison industrial complex. Steven Leifman, a judge for the eleventh circuit court of Florida, joins the program alongside Norm Ornstein, a resident scholar at The American Enterprise Institute, who helped commission the documentary.

With the presidential election fast approaching and many states expanding postal voting in an effort to keep people safe amid the pandemic, problems with recent primaries are ringing alarm bells. Charles Stewart is a professor of political science and the director of the MIT Election Data and Science Lab. He speaks with Hari Sreenivasan about why this has become so politically charged.

Wendy Sherman was U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs under President Obama and an architect of the Iran nuclear deal. She says Americans tell her they are in despair at the vacuum in moral leadership in Washington at a time of worldwide crisis.

Jason Stanley is a professor of philosophy at Yale University, and in his new book "How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them," he explores the inner mechanics of fascism and the forces that drive dictatorships. Stanley joins Hari Sreenivasan to explain his concern at signs of fascism on the rise in the U.S.

As coronavirus continues its lethal spread, governments and private companies across the world are racing to develop a vaccine. Results look promising, but while the science leaps ahead, human psychology could still be a major stumbling block. Growing suspicion of vaccines could impede progress in the coronavirus battle. How can this dangerous trend be counteracted?

Compared with the U.S., most of Europe has fared better in handling COVID-19. But one country in particular has drawn a lot of attention by being something of an outlier: sparsely-populated Sweden did not order a lockdown or close its economy. Was staying open worth the loss in life? Christiane speaks with the architect of the policy: the country’s top epidemiologist Dr. Anders Tegnell.

The film "Radioactive" portrays the life of Marie Curie, the first woman to win a Nobel Prize -- with her husband Pierre -- for discoveries in radioactivity. Faced with a succession of obstacles as a female scientist, she went on to win a second Nobel in her own right. Christiane speaks with the film’s director, Marjane Satrapi, who came to prominence with her graphic novel memoir "Persepolis."

The presidential election is just over 100 days away, and the race is increasingly dominated by two issues: coronavirus and the reckoning over racism. Joe Biden is forging a remarkable bond with his main rival for the nomination, Sen. Bernie Sanders, who says Biden could be the most progressive president since FDR.

An online playbook seems to be emerging around some of the political conversations taking place: someone says something deemed offensive or troubling, social media goes into a frenzy, and that person is effectively “cancelled.” An open letter recently published in Harper’s Magazine argues that this threatens free speech. The letter’s co-author, Thomas Chatterton Williams, joins the program.

Results from Oxford University suggest a vaccine that researchers are developing there is safe and can produce immune responses. But these findings come amidst a fumbled pandemic response by the UK government, as the country reaches the second highest death rate in Europe. Professor Devi Sridhar is chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh and discusses the country's response.

Georgia’s governor, unlike Maryland's, is on the same page with President Trump. In fact, Governor Brian Kemp is going so far as to sue the mayor of Atlanta to block the city’s mask mandate. Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms was elected in 2017 and is reportedly on Joe Biden’s short list as a potential running mate. She speaks with Walter about all this, and why she opposes defunding the police.

In the U.S., coronavirus continues to surge, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to over 3 million – the highest in the world. Meanwhile, anti-racism protesters and federal troops continue to clash in Portland, Oregon. Maryland’s Republican Governor Larry Hogan has been sharply critical of President Trump’s handling of the coronavirus and crises. He joins the program to discuss all this.

Georgia Congressman John Lewis died aged 80 on Friday after a lifetime spent fighting for racial equality and social justice. House Majority Whip James Clyburn was a close friend of Lewis, and joins the program to honor his friend.

Today the UK suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong and banned the export of any riot control equipment to the territory. The reason for this about-face from one of the West’s most China-friendly nations is a new national security law imposed on Hong Kong by Beijing that criminalizes most political dissent in the territory that once belonged to Britain. Activist Nathan Law responds.

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden's choice of running mate is the subject of mounting speculation. Zerlina Maxwell argues that it should be one of the many qualified Black women in politics today. She speaks with Michel Martin about her new book "The End of White Politics," and explains how the Democrats’ failure to focus on communities of color could be their downfall.

In contrast to pro-democracy voices, defenders of a new national security law in Hong Kong say it’s a necessary step to stop chaos and disorder. Barrister Alan Hoo, a vice chairman of Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing Liberal Party, joins the program.

The political fight over children returning to school this fall continues to rage, and now the medical community is weighing in, with the American Academy of Pediatrics issuing its own guidance. Dr. Sean O’Leary is vice chair of the organization’s committee on infectious diseases. He joins Hari Sreenivasan to explain how children are affected by the virus and the challenges of reopening schools.

Many blame Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro for the country’s two million coronavirus cases and nearly 77,000 dead. Despite having contracted the virus himself, Bolsonaro continues to downplay its risks, dismissing it as a “little flu.” Petra Costa is a Brazilian filmmaker whose award-winning documentary "The Edge of Democracy" warns of a threat to Brazil’s democracy even beyond the pandemic.

As a student, civil rights activist John Lewis led sit-ins to end segregation in Nashville and marched alongside Martin Luther King, Jr. in Selma – where he was brutally beaten while peacefully protesting for his right to vote. Today, the 17-term congressman from Georgia is known as the “conscience of Congress." Filmmaker Dawn Porter joins the show to discuss her portrait of his amazing life.