The COVID-19 pandemic is hitting this country’s African American population especially hard. Many of its victims have existing medical conditions that make them particularly vulnerable to the disease’s most lethal effects. University of Minnesota Professor of African American and African Studies Keith Mayes discusses how the social and health care inequities that existed prior to the coronavirus crisis have contributed to its disproportionate impact on communities of color.

The COVID-19 pandemic is dominating the headlines these days, eclipsing the political campaigns currently underway. How are the candidates adapting to the reality of social distancing that has upended traditional campaign strategies? And how is fear of the virus impacting the presidential primary elections? University of Minnesota Associate Professor of Political Science Kathryn Pearson discusses the state of American politics in the era of COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shuttered stadiums and put professional and collegiate sports on indefinite hold. Closed gyms and social distancing guidelines have sidelined amateur athletes as well. Sports and personal fitness are central to the lives of many Minnesotans, and their loss is deeply felt. University of Minnesota Professor of Sociology Douglas Hartmann discusses the cultural significance of sports and physical activities and how the absence of both impacts our sense of community and self.

The COVID-19 crisis has dramatically impacted the way that we perform our jobs. With shelter-in-place orders and social distancing guidelines in effect, many of us who have the option to work from home are doing so. While some companies have previously offered work-from-home opportunities to their employees, the pandemic has dramatically increased the numbers of remote workers. This week, University of Minnesota McKnight Endowed Presidential Chair in Sociology Phyllis Moen discusses the challenges of working remotely in the era of COVID-19 and the ways our workplaces may change going forward.

The coronavirus crisis is taking a serious toll on the economy. Job losses are mounting, and the stock market has declined sharply during the past few weeks. Timothy Kehoe, the Distinguished McKnight Professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Minnesota discusses the current economic situation. Kehoe is also an advisor to the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. His opinions and perspectives do not necessarily reflect those of the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank or the Federal Reserve System.

Women and people of color are historically underrepresented in the sciences, technology, engineering and math, the so-called STEM professions. A University of Minnesota partnership with a St. Paul middle school is aiming to help address that disparity. Two U of M professors and a group of undergraduates are mentoring students at Murray Middle School which is located near the U’s St. Paul campus. The class is titled Stepping Into the Gap: Understanding the Challenges of Supporting Diversity in STEM. It’s part of the University’s Grand Challenges curriculum which is a multidisciplinary approach to introduce students to complex issues that impact the world community. Associate Professor of Psychology Cheryl Olman and Associate Professor of Educational Psychology/Associate Vice Provost for Equity and Diversity Keisha Varma tell us about the class they are co-teaching.

Fifty-six years ago this month, a Minnesota garage rock band’s novelty record with a pulsating beat was racing up both the local and national charts. The Trashmen’s Surfin’ Bird was released in the fall of 1963 and became an immediate regional hit by capitalizing on the California surfing scene that was popularized by groups like the Beach Boys and Jan and Dean. By December of 1963, the song was in heavy rotation on Top 40 stations throughout the country and came close to scoring the top spot on the Billboard record chart. In this episode, we explore the bands, recording studios, record labels and radio DJs who defined the Minnesota music scene in the early and mid-1960s. Our guest is Rick Schefchik, the author of Everybody’s Heard About the Bird: The True Story of 1960s Rock And Roll in Minnesota, published by the University of Minnesota Press.

Guest: University of Minnesota Regent’s Professor of History & Asian American Studies Erika Lee

Immigration is one of America’s most divisive issues. Congress has thus far failed to come up with a comprehensive immigration reform plan that enjoys bipartisan support. Donald Trump made illegal immigration a key component of his presidential campaign platform. Now, as president, Trump continues to focus on immigration, and his administration’s policy of separating families who cross the border with Mexico has generated considerable controversy. Despite the image of the US as a melting pot, fear and distrust of immigrants has waxed and waned throughout the country’s history. This week on Dialogue Minnesota, we have a conversation with Erika Lee, an Andrew Carnegie Fellow, Regents Professor of History and Asian American Studies, a Distinguished McKnight University Professor and the Rudolph J. Vecoli Chair in Immigration at the University of Minnesota. She is currently on leave as the Director of the U’s Immigration Research Center, and is the author of a new book titled America for Americans: A History of Xenophobia in the United States. A book launch event and roundtable discussion is taking place on December 3 from 6:00 pm-8:30 pm at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs.

Guest: Hamline University Professor of Political Science and University of Minnesota Visiting Professor of Law David Schultz

An impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump is underway in the U.S. House of Representatives. The president is alleged to have pressured Ukrainian leaders to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, over the latter’s business dealings in Ukraine.  Trump is also alleged to have urged Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate possible Ukrainian interference in the 2016 election, despite the fact that there is no evidence of such interference having taken place. A key issue is whether President Trump threatened to withhold military aid to Ukraine if the requested investigations did not materialize. Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky have both denied that military aid was conditioned on a quid pro quo, although Trump has admitted to discussing the Bidens during a phone call with Zelensky. The impeachment inquiry became public this week, with US diplomats testifying before the House Intelligence Committee. Hamline University Political Science Professor and University of Minnesota Visiting Professor of Law David Schultz discusses the current impeachment inquiry, and previous impeachment proceedings against US presidents.

Guest: University of Minnesota Professor of Sociology/Department Chair Doug Hartmann

Minnesota has some of the nation’s worst achievement and opportunity gaps between whites and people of color. These disparities manifest themselves in lower high school graduation rates, lower homeownership rates and less accumulation of wealth for non-white Minnesotans. University of Minnesota Professor of Sociology and Department Chair Doug Hartmann discusses these racial inequities and the challenges society faces in trying to level the playing field.