What defines our identity?

This episode we focus on our democracy and what it means to take an active part in it. We explore moments that test our values and the variety of ways artists, writers, and activists engage with politics – including through slam poetry, on the soccer pitch, and on the dance floor. Host Sylvia Cunningham is joined by DJ and musician Sarah Farina to talk about their project “Politics of the Dance Floor,” how raving is a form of resistance, and the kind of worlds we should be working towards creating (01:04). Katha, one of the hosts of “Beats per Morning” on sunshine live, also stops by to talk about how she fell in love with electronic music as well as reflect on how Germans’ perception of the U.S. has changed over her lifetime (10:10). Theres Matthieß, assistant professor of Empirical Democracy Research at the University of Trier, breaks down the surprising findings of her research regarding coalition pledges and whether or not governments keep them (15:18). Dustin George-Miller, Managing Editor of Cartilage Free Captain, a blog for Tottenham Hotspur football fans, talks about wrestling with the decision to cover the controversial World Cup in Qatar and the issues he’s trying to spotlight (24:23). And Jaida Taveras, Connecticut's Inaugural Youth Poet Laureate, and Noah Klaus, slam poet and teacher, come together for a transatlantic conversation about the weaknesses of our political systems and the topics that drive their writing (29:52). Programming note (0:32): After 18 months of producing Tearing Down Walls, this will be Sylvia’s last episode as host for now. Sunshine live is committed to continuing the transatlantic dialogue, so stay tuned in 2023!

For this episode, we take a step away from politics and into pop culture. In honor of Halloween, we explore the evolution of the holiday on both sides of the Atlantic, what makes a great horror film, and why people find scary stories and true crime so intriguing. Host Sylvia Cunningham is joined by Jay Velasco, a DJ under the alias Midnight Boutique and the program director of our partner station WNHU (00:58); horror author and Halloween expert, Lisa Morton (05:45); Krümel and Suse, co-hosts of the German-language podcast “SchaurigSchön: Gruselstunde per Anhalter” (or “Pretty Scary: Horror Storyhour for Hitchhikers”) and Anna DiNino, host of “Crime Bistro,” a podcast exploring a variety of true crime cases (13:40); and Eli Lewy, the co-director of the Final Girls Berlin Film Festival, which showcases works directed, written, or produced by women and non-binary filmmakers (19:38).

Did you see that video of Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin partying last month? The clips of her dancing drew criticism from some and praise from others and raised questions about sexism and ageism in politics. In this month’s episode of Tearing Down Walls, we talk with a DJ, a German politician, and two dancers on both sides of the Atlantic about the double standards facing young women and why dance is vital for our societies. Host Sylvia Cunningham is joined by KILLA, a resident DJ with Lecken (01:03); Gyde Jensen , a member of the German Parliament from the Free Democratic Party (FDP) (09:04); Diana Thielen, a dance artist and movement activist in Berlin (18:55); and Stacy VanBlarcom, a breakdancer and arts educator in Buffalo, New York (18:55).

In this episode, we talk about inflation, the rising cost of living, and environmental justice. We hear from energy, climate, and financial experts about how the U.S. and Germany are trying to lift the burden on consumers while financing a sustainable future. Host Sylvia Cunningham speaks with Philippa Sigl-Glöckner, an economist and the managing director of a policy institute in Berlin called Dezernat Zukunft (06:08); Sven Egenter, the editor-in-chief of Clean Energy Wire (CLEW); Julie McNamara, the deputy policy director with the climate and energy program at the Union of Concerned Scientists (18:37); and Katharine Morris, a scholar-activist based in Connecticut and the founder of UConn Collaborative Organizing (UCCO) (30:45). Plus, for this month’s artist spotlight, DJ Hildegard from sunshine live’s "Hildegard meets music" takes us back to how she started DJing and shares her transatlantic connection (00:35).

In this episode, we bring you updates on two topics we’ve been covering these past few months: the war in Ukraine and abortion rights. Host Sylvia Cunningham speaks with Dr. Alicia Baier, the co-founder of Doctors for Choice Germany and an obstetrician in Berlin, and Dr. Aishat Olatunde, an obstetrician-gynecologist in Philadelphia and a fellow with Physicians for Reproductive Health. We also check in with University of New Haven professor and Ukrainian native Olena Lennon, who recently visited her home country. More than five months since Russia launched its full-scale invasion into Ukraine, what lessons have the U.S. and Germany learned? Plus, Berlin-based DJ Paula Koski joins us for our monthly artist spotlight to talk about how her DJing style is evolving and how she’s reflecting on Pride month this year.

Tearing Down Walls is celebrating its first anniversary since launching in June 2021! Join us as we “prost,” take a walk down memory lane, and revisit some of our favorite interviews from the first 11 episodes.

In this episode of Tearing Down Walls, we hear from abortion rights advocates on both sides of the Atlantic about the barriers people face when seeking abortions and if there’s any political will to change the current situation. Host Sylvia Cunningham talks with New Haven-based DJ and social worker Jen Orlando, also known as Jentlemen, who co-hosts the NEU/BODY radio show on our partner station WNHU. We also hear from Miriam Lenz, investigative reporter in Berlin for the non-profit, CORRECTIV, and Susan Campbell, a journalist and distinguished lecturer at the University of New Haven. Dr. Sarah Gutman, an obstetrician-gynecologist in Pennsylvania, shares what she’s thinking about in this time of uncertainty for doctors and abortion providers across the U.S. And we talk with American filmmaker Leah Galant, co-director of the award-winning documentary On the Divide, who is currently in Berlin on a Fulbright grant.

Tearing Down Walls connects a new generation across the Atlantic. Every month, Berlin-based host Sylvia Cunningham explores the issues impacting our lives in Germany and the United States. DJs, activists, and researchers come on the show to talk about the big topics — everything from identity and love to how we can build resilience amid crises. A monthly podcast in partnership with college radio station WNHU at the University of New Haven, Tearing Down Walls fosters a transatlantic dialogue to broaden our perspectives and learn more about each other.

Between the war in Ukraine, the pandemic, and the climate crisis, it’s hard not to feel crushed by the weight of everything all at once. So in this episode of Tearing Down Walls, we’re talking about how we cope in these times – how crises affect us and how we might build resilience to get through them. Host Sylvia Cunningham talks with Ukrainian disco DJ Liubov, who fled from Odesa to Berlin in March, and we reconnect with a Ukrainian refugee whom we introduced you to last month. We also hear from the hosts of the "Climate Change and Happiness" podcast: Oregon-based clinical and environmental psychologist Thomas Doherty and Finland-based climate emotions researcher Panu Pihkala. And to better understand the impact of crises on children and youth, we talk with Julia Asbrand, child and youth psychotherapist and junior professor at the Humboldt University in Berlin and Melissa Whitson, a psychology professor at the University of New Haven.

It’s been over a month since Russian forces launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, destroying cities and displacing millions of people. In this episode, we hear from some of those Ukrainians who fled their homes, as well as from people who are providing aid in Germany. Host Sylvia Cunningham talks with Ukrainian-born, Berlin-based DJ Yuriy Gurzhy about how he’s processing the news coming out of his homeland. Ukrainian refugee Natalia shares her story with the translation help of Svetlana Shaytanova, press speaker for Quarteera, an association of Russian-speaking LGBTQ+ people in Germany. Oliver Spatz, artistic director of the Kulturzug (Culture Train) explains how his organization pivoted from promoting culture to providing humanitarian aid. And Olena Lennon, professor at the University of New Haven, breaks down the U.S. reaction and the impact of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s rhetoric.