Society & Culture

Martin ("Mar-teen") Sánchez-Jankowski, a professor of Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley, lived among ethnically diverse street gangs in New York, Boston and Los Angeles from 1978 to 1988. His observations are contained in his new book, Islands in the Street: Gangs in American Urban Society (Univ. of Cal. Press).

Athlete and journalist Mariah Burton Nelson. After the passage of Title IX, Nelson played women's basketball in college and in the Women's Pro Basketball League. Her new book, "Are We Winning Yet?" examines the state of women's sports in America today.

Commentator Maureen Corrigan discusses one aspect of married life that still causes controversy: a bride's decision whether or not to change her name.

Tan's debut novel, "The Joy Luck Club," was a huge critical and commercial success, earning Tan a nomination for the National Book Award. She has a new novel, called "The Kitchen God's Wife," which draws explicitly from her mother's experiences as a Chinese immigrant and survivor of an abusive relationship.

Williams' new book, "The Alchemy of Race and Rights," is her personal reflection on racism in American life and society.

Writers Lindsy Van Gelder and Pamala Robin Brandt. They're the co-authors of "Are You Two...Together?" It's a gay and lesbian travel guide to Europe.

Vasquez's new movie, "Hangin' With The Homeboys," is a semi-autobiographical movie about growing up in the South Bronx. He talks to Terry Gross about relations between Latinos and African Americans in his neighborhood; Vasquez is biracial, and is part of both traditions.

Adair's new documentary, "Absolutely Positive," profiles 11 people, including Adair himself, who are HIV positive. It airs this week on PBS.

Alvarez was born into a prosperous family in the Dominican Republic. When she was ten, her family moved to New York City. Alvarez's new novel, "How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents," is a semi-autobiographical work about the clash of cultures in her early life.

We examine the state of human rights in post-war Kuwait with Ken Roth, the deputy director of Human Rights Watch. He just returned from a nine day visit to Kuwait.

Deputy Director of Human Rights Watch Ken Roth just spent nine days in Kuwait observing the trials of persons accused of being collaborators with the Iraqis.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews Spike Lee's new film, about the politics of interracial dating.

Film critic Stephen Schiff says that Ridley Scott's new movie about two women fugitives is complex and funny -- and feels like a small revolution.

Sayles' films include Return of the Secaucus Seven, Brother From Another Planet, Matewan, and Eight Men Out. He has just written a novel, called Los Gusanos, about Cuban Americans living in Miami. He joins Fresh Air to talk about the difference between moviemaking and creative writing.

Architects Robert Venturi and Denise Soctt Brown. Venturi has just been awarded the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize. His famous response to the modernist philosophy that "less is more," was "less is a bore," and is credited as a major turning point in modernist architecture. Venturi and Brown are the authors of several books on architecture. Current projects include a new wing of the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square in London, and a new building for the Seattle Art Museum.

Independent producer Harriet Baskas takes us on a tour of the Max Factor Museum of Beauty, which gives this history of the cosmetics maker's rise.

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg tells us about endangered languages. Some will naturally die based on changing ways of living, while others are actively repressed.

Dr. Irving Rust's Planned Parenthood clinic in the South Bronx challenged a ban on federally funding family planning clinics giving information on abortion. The case went to the Supreme Court last week, and the court upheld the lower court decision. Terry talks with Dr. Rust about his work at the clinic and his experience going before the Supreme Court.

Millman's latest book, "Warm Hearts & Cold Cash: The Intimate Dynamics of Families and Money," is about how people use money as a tool of power and a symbol for certain emotions in family relationships. Millman is professor and chair of sociology at the University of California at Santa Cruz.

Pratt's book of poetry, "Crime Against Nature," was chosen by the Academy of American Poets as the 1989 Lamont Poetry Selection. Many of her poems are about being a lesbian, and losing custody of her two sons when she came out. Pratt just won the Hammett/Hellman Award, given by the Fund for Free Expression.