Linking the Legacy of Allen Dulles to the Paris Attacks; the Goals of Black Lives Matter; Judy Collins Shares Her New Album of Duets

On this week's podcast:

Last week’s terrorist attacks in Paris raised questions on why ISIS is bent on assaulting Western nations. David Talbot, founder of the online magazine Salon, says the answers can be linked in part to policymakers from decades ago – particularly to Allen Dulles, the first civilian director of the C.I.A., who Talbot profiles in his new book “The Devil’s Chessboard: Allen Dulles, the C.I.A., and the Rise of America’s Secret Government.” Talbot joins us to explore how Dulles’ policies resonate today in foreign policy, civil liberties and intelligence gathering.

The Black Lives Matter movement has been a source of both inspiration and controversy since its inception in 2013. It’s been heralded by supporters as a long-needed collective voice of resistance, but denounced by others as an unwelcome group of provocateurs. Dr. Melina Abdullah, professor and chair of Pan-African Studies at California State University, Los Angeles, and one of the 30 activists who organized Black Lives Matter, joins us to talk about the movement’s goals and the challenges it faces.

Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Judy Collins is one of the most prolific artists in music history. Her body of work spans more than five decades, and the iconic folk singer joins us to talk about her career and her latest project, “Strangers Again,” a duets album pairing Collins with other music greats including Michael McDonald, Don McLean, Willie Nelson and Jimmy Buffet.