About this episode

This episode explores the politicization of the judiciary and the implications for justice in America.

Have our courts – intended by America’s founders to be an independent arbiter of justice – turned into another political battlefield? Are today’s judges mere “politicians in robes”? This public radio documentary series looks at crucial flashpoints in recent decades. Will rulings follow the predictable blocs of liberal and conservative justices, strongly associated with the party of the president who appointed them? To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.

People in this episode

Host: David Freudberg

Topics covered

• judicial independence
• political influence
• justice system
• liberal and conservative justices
• court rulings

Keywords

• judicial independence
• political battlefield
• judges
• liberal justices
• conservative justices
• court rulings
• justice system

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: NPR, PRX, GBH Boston

More episodes of Humankind on Public Radio

• Waste and Want · July 16, 2026 · 29 min
• Judicial Independence, Pt1 · July 2, 2026 · 27 min
• Home Cooking · June 25, 2026 · 29 min
• Income Inequality · June 18, 2026 · 29 min

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