Public Affairs (audio)

The "energy transition" is actually a shift from relying on fossil fuels (like coal, oil, and gas) to using metals to generate energy. However, extracting metals has always been a significant environmental and political issue, especially for cities. This problem has been around for centuries, even ancient Roman writers wrote about it. In this program, Helen Thompson, Professor of Political Economy at Cambridge University, talks about the historic use of fossil fuels and its economic, social and environmental impacts to the transition today to extracting metals for energy, dominated by China. Thompson points out that extracting resources will always have environmental and social costs. To mitigate these risks, she says we need to find ways to reduce international competition and ecological damage. This requires acknowledging that the idea of endless progress, which was fueled by fossil fuels, has its limits. And she says we must prioritize sustainability and responsible resource management to create a better

What’s next for the battle over abortion? In this lecture, Mary Ziegler argues that undoing Roe v. Wade was never the endpoint for the antiabortion movement. Since the 1960s, the goal has been to secure recognition of fetuses and embryos as persons under the 14th Amendment, making abortion unconstitutional. The battle for personhood also aims to overhaul the regulation of in vitro fertilization and contraception, change the meaning of equality under the law, and determine how courts decide which fundamental rights Americans enjoy. Mary Ziegler is one of the world’s leading historians of the U.S. abortion debate, and an expert on the law, history, and politics of reproduction, health care, and conservatism in the U.S. She is the author or editor of numerous articles and seven books on reproduction, autonomy, and the law. Series: "Ethics, Religion and Public Life: Walter H. Capps Center Series" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 40704]

Historian and political commentator Heather Cox Richardson joins UC Berkeley professor of law and history Dylan Penningroth in a timely conversation about the reshaping of the United States’ two major political parties. A professor of 19th century American history at Boston College, Richardson provides an incisive perspective on current politics to the more than three million readers of her nightly newsletter, Letters from an American. She has written for the Washington Post, the New York Times, and the Guardian, and is the author, most recently, of the best-selling book "Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America." Penningroth is the author of the award-winning "Before the Movement: The Hidden History of Black Civil Rights." Series: "UC Berkeley Graduate Lectures" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 40424]

We are at a critical moment in our society. While we advance efforts to mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis, across the globe, millions are experiencing issues of energy affordability, reliability and equitable access to modern energy technologies. In this program, Tony Reames, Professor of Environmental Justice at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability, explores the intricate intersection of energy, class, race and place, shedding light on inequities in access to and the distribution of energy resources. Reames discusses how various factors, including socio-economic conditions, policy landscapes and environmental characteristics contribute to energy inequities. The talk underscores the importance of understanding and addressing these issues in the pursuit of energy justice, emphasizing the need for inclusive scholarship, policies and funding that empower marginalized communities. Series: "UC Berkeley Graduate Lectures" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 40223]

Does giving cash up front improve the health and wellbeing of people in poor communities? In this program, Edward (Ted) Miguel, professor of economics and co-director of the Center for Effective Global Action at UC Berkeley, talks about his work in Kenya on the impact of cash transfers on infant mortality, leveraging a unique large-scale census of local households’ birth histories. The findings provide novel evidence on the broader impacts of cash transfers on wellbeing of a poor rural population, and illustrate the value of the experimental approach in development economics for public policy. Series: "UC Berkeley Graduate Lectures" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 40309]

What's behind the political and social transformation taking place in the U.S.? According to Mike Madrid, author, veteran political strategist and expert on Latino voting trends, it's digital technology and demographics. His latest book is "The Latino Century: How America’s Largest Minority Is Transforming Democracy." As part of the Helen Edison Lecture Series, Madrid covers a wide-range of topics, from the outcome of the 2024 election to the state of America's institutions to who he thinks will offer solutions to keep the idea of America alive for future generations. Madrid is joined by Zach Friend, policy and public affairs communication expert who worked in the Obama White House, to further explore current social and political trends. Series: "Helen Edison Lecture Series" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 40328]

The current conflict between Israel and Gaza stems from long-standing tensions but was exacerbated after a major attack by armed groups from Gaza on October 7, 2023, resulting in over 1,200 Israeli deaths and 250 hostages being taken. This prompted a large-scale military response by Israel, including airstrikes and ground operations in Gaza, which have killed over 41,000 Palestinians, with tens of thousands more injured and displaced. The escalation in violence has also created a humanitarian crisis. The biggest question... will these hostilities ever come to an end? Is there hope for a two-state plan between Israel and Gaza? Using data driven analytics, Israeli policy expert Dahlia Scheindlin and Palestinian public opinion and polling expert Khalil Shikaki reveal the thoughts and mindsets of these two fighting populations and if peace is possible in the Middle East. Series: "Global Policy and Strategy" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 40269]

David Hogg, co-founder of March For Our Lives and Leaders We Deserve, is a leading voice in the movement to end gun violence. After experiencing the 2018 school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, Hogg emerged from tragedy to become a national figure, advocating for morally just leadership and increased voter participation. As part of the Burke Lectureship, Hogg talks with Richard Madsen, Sociology Professor Emeritus at UC San Diego, about pushing for civic engagement, activism and social change for a safer, more equitable future. Series: "Burke Lectureship on Religion and Society" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 40242]

As voters prepare to head to the polls on Election Day, join the Goldman School of Public Policy and Cal Performances for a critical look at the moment we’re in, the issues that have shaped and led us to this year’s tumultuous election, and the future of American democracy. UC Berkeley experts from former presidential administrations—Janet Napolitano, former Secretary of Homeland Security under the Obama administration (2009-2013); Robert Reich, former Secretary of Labor under the Clinton administration (1993-1997); and Maria Echaveste, former Assistant to the President and Deputy White House Chief of Staff under the Clinton Administration (1998-2001)—as well as PolicyLink founder-in-residence and Chief Vision Officer for the Goldman School of Public Policy’s new Democracy Policy Initiative, Angela Glover Blackwell. Series: "The Goldman School - Berkeley Public Policy" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 40302]

Fareed Zakaria, host of the renowned CNN program “Fareed Zakaria GPS,” talks about how to maintain peace in the post-Cold War era. He examines what he calls the geopolitical revolution that's taking place today and compares it with the unusual state of peace that existed from 1989 until the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 - a time without constant and sustained geopolitical rivalry and tension. He looks at current state of conflict and tension, especially with China. He is joined by Stephen Hadley, former National Security Advisor. This talk is part of the the 2024 Susan Shirk Lecture on U.S.-China Relations at UC San Diego's School of Global Policy and Strategy. In its sixth year, the forum on U.S.-China Relations is the only American leadership meeting focused exclusively on China and U.S.-China relations. This year’s theme is “Widening the Aperture: U.S.-China Relations in the Global Context.” [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 40146]

Witness the resilience of Isleton, California, as they pioneer a groundbreaking, community-based flood insurance program aimed at fostering recovery and climate resilience. This initiative, led by UC Davis researchers, could revolutionize disaster preparedness, offering fast, flexible support post-flood and investing in long-term sustainability. Series: "UC Davis News" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 40177]

How did Ronald Reagan’s vision of the American Dream lead to Donald Trump’s success? Looking back to 1983, Diane Winston, professor of journalism and communication at the University of Southern California, discusses how evangelical religion, the news media, and social turmoil culminated in MAGA’s Second Coming. Winston shows that many journalists uncritically adopted Reagan’s religious rhetoric and broadcast his otherwise unpopular evangelical ideas about limited government and individual responsibility. Winston’s lecture is based on her recent book, Righting the American Dream: How the Media Mainstreamed Reagan’s Evangelical Vision. Series: "Ethics, Religion and Public Life: Walter H. Capps Center Series" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 40173]

This program discusses humanist and scholar Walter Capps’ political career and the ongoing value of public service. The panel discussion features four people who have all worked as public servants: former U.S. Senator and Nebraska Governor Bob Kerrey; Lois Capps, former Congresswoman who served as a U.S. Representative from 1998-2017 representing Santa Barbara and the Central Coast, Laura Capps, the Second District Supervisor for Santa Barbara County; and Todd Capps, founding Executive Director of the Common Table Foundation. Series: "Ethics, Religion and Public Life: Walter H. Capps Center Series" [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 39721]

In this program, Russell M. Jeung, professor of Asian American Studies at San Francisco State University, explores COVID-19 racism against Asian Americans, which led to what he terms a period of “collective racial trauma.” Twenty-five peer-reviewed articles have since documented the deleterious impacts of direct and indirect racism on the mental health of Asian Americans. Yet Asian Americans have been resilient in the face of this trauma, and utilized their ethnic and cultural wealth as buffers against anti-Asian hate. Jeung identifies three key ways that Asian Americans responded to this trauma and even grew from this painful time. Asian Americans’ posttraumatic growth, the positive psychological change after trauma incidents, is also be detailed. Jeung is the author of many books and articles on race and religion. In 2020, he co-founded Stop AAPI Hate to track instances of bias, harassment, and violence against AAPI people during Covid-19 and to fight racism. Series: "Ethics, Religion and Public Life: Walte

Across the United States, homelessness has been on the rise. In California, there have been over 181,000 people without a stable place to call home—about 30 percent of the nation’s homeless population. During the COVID-19 pandemic, those numbers continued to rise as earnings dropped and the housing affordability crisis worsened. What interventions have prevented people from becoming homeless? What lessons have we learned from local, regional, and statewide efforts to reduce unsheltered homelessness in the Bay Area and beyond? The Terner Center for Housing Innovation, the Goldman School of Public Policy, and a diverse panel of cross-sector experts and advocates collaborated for a discussion on reducing poverty and addressing homelessness in California. Series: "The Goldman School - Berkeley Public Policy" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 39849]

This program discusses humanist and scholar Walter Capps’ teaching of ethics and civic values in the classroom and beyond. The panel consists of Katya Armistead, Assistant Vice Chancellor and Dean of Student Life at UCSB and co-directs the Civic Engagement Scholars Program, Tim Kring, a screenwriter whose work focuses on themes of interconnectivity and global consciousness, and Shawn Landres, a civic strategist and a Senior Fellow at UCLA Luskin. Series: "Ethics, Religion and Public Life: Walter H. Capps Center Series" [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 39719]

Alessandro Duranti, Distinguished Research Professor of Anthropology at UCLA, presents archival footage he filmed of Walter Capps' 1996 campaign for U.S. Congress to analyze how the political candidate framed his choice to run for office. Using semantic and narrative analyses, Duranti shows how Capps refined his campaign announcement to better generate voter enthusiasm and how Capps' public and private comments about the campaign reflected his ethical and political values. Capps was elected to Congress in 1996, and died in October 1997 after serving 10 months in office. Duranti became a close friend of the Capps family during his year-long ethnographic research, and he reflects on the role of family in Capps' life and campaign. Series: "Ethics, Religion and Public Life: Walter H. Capps Center Series" [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 39720]

As part of a special series celebrating the legacy of humanist and professor Walter H. Capps, this program examines Capps’ scholarly contributions and the study of religion today, featuring renowned scholars of religion who were Walter’s graduate students: Tomoko Masuzawa, Professor Emerita of History and Comparative Literature, University of Michigan, Julie Ingersoll, Professor of Religious Studies, University of North Florida, and Sarah McFarland Taylor, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Northwestern University. Series: "Ethics, Religion and Public Life: Walter H. Capps Center Series" [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 39707]

As part of a special series celebrating the legacy of humanist and professor Walter H. Capps, this program examines Capps’ scholarly contributions and the study of religion today, featuring renowned scholars of religion who were Walter’s graduate students: Edward Linenthal, Professor Emeritus of History, Indiana University Bloomington and Wendy M. Wright, Professor Emerita of Theology, Creighton University. Series: "Ethics, Religion and Public Life: Walter H. Capps Center Series" [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 39706]

In this program, Robin D. G. Kelley, Distinguished Professor and Gary B. Nash Endowed Chair in U.S. History at UCLA, examines how police in the neoliberal era–in tandem with other state and corporate entities—have become engines of capital accumulation, government revenue, gentrification, the municipal bond market, the tech and private security industry—in a phrase, the profits of death. Kelley argues the police don’t just take lives; they make life and living less viable for the communities they occupy. The growth of police power has also fundamentally weakened democracy and strengthened “thanatocracy”—rule by death– especially with respect to Black communities. Kelley says these same communities have produced a new abolition democracy, organizing to advance a different future, without oppression and exploitation, war, poverty, prisons, police, borders, the constraints of imposed gender, sexual, and ableist norms, and an economic system that destroys the planet while generating obscene inequality. Seri