The Science of Phobias

Allen Shawn is revered by his students; his book on classical composer Arnold Schoenberg has received much praise and his compositions have been performed around the world. But Allen Shawn is also both claustrophobic and agoraphobic. He’s afraid of open spaces as well as tight cramped ones. Taking subways, crossing bridges, driving down unknown rural roads or traveling on water trigger reactions that range from trembling and nausea to irritability and falling into a sort of “dream-like state”. It's caused the Vermont professor to miss many things in his life. But Allen Shawn is not alone - millions of Americans suffer from some sort of phobia. We'll explore the science and sociology of phobias.

Guests

• Allen Shawn, Professor of Composition at Bennington College in Vermont and author of “Wish I Could be There: Notes from a Phobic Life”
• David Barlow, a professor of Psychology at Boston University as well as founder and Director Emeritus of its Center on Anxiety and Related Disorders