American Politics

Journalist and Los Angeles Times columnist Jean Guerrero covers immigration issues and the current political climate. She is the author of "Hatemonger: Stephen Miller, Donald Trump and the White Nationalist Agenda." Her first book, "Crux: A Cross-Border Memoir," won a PEN Literary Award and was named one of NPR's Best Books of 2019. Her writing is featured in Vanity Fair, Politico, The Nation, Wired, and The New York Times. Series: "Helen Edison Lecture Series" [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 38003]

Is the U.S. poised for a civil war? New York Times bestselling author and UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy's Barbara F. Walter, has spent over 30 years studying civil conflict. In her new book "How Civil Wars Start: And How to Stop Them" she examines the dramatic rise in violent extremism around the globe – in Iraq, Ukraine, Ethiopia, Philippines, India, Syria – and reveals how many of the risk factors for civil war are emerging here in the United States. [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 37971]

David Brooks is an op-ed columnist for the New York Times. He is a commentator on The PBS Newshour, NPR's All Things Considered, and NBC's Meet the Press. His books include "Bobos in Paradise," "The Social Animal," and "The Road to Character." His latest book is "The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life," a New York Times No. 1 bestseller. As part of the annual Writer's Symposium by the Sea, director of Point Loma Nazarene University's journalism program Dean Nelson has a candid, humorous and inspiring conversation with Brooks about his lifelong work as a journalist and writer, how events in his life shaped who he is today and his spiritual journey. Series: "Writer's Symposium By The Sea" [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 37096]

In The Revenge of Power: How Autocrats Are Reinventing Politics for the 21st Century, Moisés Naím, former Editor-in-Chief of Foreign Policy, turns to the trends, conditions, technologies and behaviors that are contributing to the concentration of power, and to the clash between those forces that weaken power and those that strengthen it. Naím concentrates on the three “P”s—populism, polarization, and post-truths. All of which are as old as time, but are combined by today’s autocrats to undermine democratic life in new and frightening ways. The Revenge of Power shows how power has not changed but the way people go about gaining it and using it has been transformed. Series: "Institute of the Americas" [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 37831]

“I’m not a racist, but…” In their new book, Racial Resentment in the Political Mind (University of Chicago Press), Goldman School Dean David C. Wilson and Notre Dame Professor of Political Science Darren Davis explore the concept of racial resentment. They argue that while prejudice and racism are fundamentally rooted in American politics, so are non-racial motivations, such as a belief in a “just” world, where people get what they deserve and deserve what they get. This instinct to make judgments about “deservingness” in politics often animates those who believe they are “not racist,” but tend to oppose policies and ideas that advance racial justice, and blame racial-ethnic minorities for their social, political, and economic positions. Join Dean Wilson and Professor Davis in conversation with Assistant Vice Chancellor Dan Mogulof about their research findings and why a nuanced conversation about race is critical to democracy.  Series: "The Goldman School - Berkeley Public Policy" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 37781]

Join Secretary Janet Napolitano and Senator Mark Warner for a discussion about the risks and opportunities of emergent technologies for voting, political engagement, and more. Must innovation and security always be at odds? Is there a way to find a balance between the two? Tune in for a fascinating conversation between two national security experts and lifelong public servants. Series: "The Goldman School - Berkeley Public Policy" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 37661]

The Center on Civility & Democratic Engagement (CCDE) at the Goldman School of Public Policy presents a special 2021 UC Berkeley Homecoming lecture featuring Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin. CCDE Faculty Director Dan Lindheim interviews Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin on how he went from Cal student to Berkeley's Mayor, and the key issues the City faces in terms of public safety, housing, homelessness, COVID, and its complicated relationships with the Berkeley campus. Series: "The Goldman School - Berkeley Public Policy" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 37321]

Disinformation - the intentional dissemination of false information to shape political and social outcomes - is an increasingly pernicious feature of the US political landscape. In just the past 18 months, disinformation has had direct, harmful effects on efforts to check the spread of COVID-19, on initiatives for racial justice and on the 2020 election and its aftermath. Clearly, disinformation costs lives and erodes democracy. This Berkeley Conversation convenes eminent scholars to explore one of the most critical questions facing US democracy: How can we counter disinformation to protect our communities without compromising America’s core principles? This event is sponsored by the Goldman School of Public Policy, Berkeley Law and the Office of Communications and Public Affairs. Series: "The Goldman School - Berkeley Public Policy" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 37462]

David Beckmann reviews what we've learned from the Poverty, God & Politics series, talks about the students in his UC Berkeley class, and thanks the people—about 3,000 a week—who have watched webcasts and read the companion blog posts. He stresses the importance of advocacy with Congress this year and active participation in next year's elections.

Series: "The Goldman School - Berkeley Public Policy" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 36998]

Eugene Cho, president of Bread for the World, explains how this nationwide Christian citizens' movement repeatedly wins large-scale change for people struggling with hunger in this country and around the world. He concludes with Bread's current campaign to strengthen U.S. support for progress against child malnutrition worldwide. 

Eugene is introduced by David Beckmann, who served as president until a year ago. These two leaders are different in many ways and Eugene is leading Bread for the World in new directions. But they are clearly united in faith and in deep appreciation for the people and congregations across the country who persistently urge their members of Congress to help hungry people. Eugene spoke to David's class in March 2021, an intense period of anti-Asian hate crimes. Series: "The Goldman School - Berkeley Public Policy" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 36997]