Introducing podcasts worth hearing: Ways & Means

Ways and Means is a podcast produced by Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy and hosted by Emily Hanford. Now into its second season, the show addresses issues surrounding human society and the people working to improve it.

The fourth episode of the current season features Candice Odgers, Professor of Public Policy at Duke University. Tackling the subject of teens and cell phones, Hanford and Odgers discuss some of the main concerns surrounding teenage phone use, such as cyberbullying, sexting, and the effect phones have on interpersonal relationships.

In the case of social development, it turns out phones can actually be a help rather than a hindrance with research showing that phones can serve as a tool to help strengthen friendships and provide a greater sense of belonging. But for other issues like sleep, phones aren’t so great. Odgers says there’s a growing pile of evidence that phone use is leading to less and lower quality sleep.

Other episodes have covered topics ranging from added sugar in food to what life is like as a Muslim in America. With each episode clocking in around 20 minutes or less, you’re sure to get a compelling discussion in a practical amount of time.