Public Affairs (Audio)

Placing the U.S. in comparative perspective, Daniel Ziblatt, professor of government at Harvard University, discusses uniquely American counter-majoritarian institutions.

Ziblatt is also director of the Transformations of Democracy group at Berlin’s WZB Social Science Center. He is the author of four books, including "How Democracies Die," co-authored with Steve Levitsky, a New York Times best-seller. His newest book co-authored with Steven Levitsky is entitled "Tyranny of the Minority." Series: "UC Berkeley Graduate Lectures" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 39852]

In this program, Professor Matthew Harding distills the current state of the economic literature on AI, explores the major industries in California that are likely to be impacted by AI, and considers gaps that could hinder California’s ability to manage and harness the potential benefits of an AI-led boom.

Series: "UC Center Sacramento" [Public Affairs] [Business] [Show ID: 39652]

Cookbook author and television host Ina Garten, founder and creative director of UPRISERS and co-founder of Hate Is A Virus Michelle K. Hanabusa, and author of ”Hidden Figures" Margot Lee Shetterly sit down with Lynn Sherr for a wide-ranging discussion of women and society, personal journeys and hopes for the future. Series: "Education Channel" [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 39279]

What role should AI play in the functioning of governmental processes? In this program, Michael Karanicolas, Executive Director of the UCLA Institute for Technology, Law & Policy, discusses the need for safeguards and guidance in using AI across the administrative state. It provides a straightforward and accurate assessment formula for agencies to assess whether or not algorithmic tools are appropriate for a particular process and, if so, what safeguards and strategies for oversight, public consultation, monitoring, and assessment are appropriate for each case. Series: "UC Center Sacramento" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 39651]

America’s contemporary democratic predicament is rooted in its historically incomplete democratization. Born in a pre-democratic era, the constitution’s balancing of majority rule and minority rights created still-unresolved dilemmas. Placing the U.S. in comparative perspective, Daniel Ziblatt, professor of government at Harvard University, discusses the relationship between U.S. political institutions and their political majorities.

Ziblatt is also director of the Transformations of Democracy group at Berlin’s WZB Social Science Center. He is the author of four books, including "How Democracies Die," co-authored with Steve Levitsky, a New York Times best-seller. His newest book co-authored with Steven Levitsky is entitled "Tyranny of the Minority." Series: "UC Berkeley Graduate Lectures" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 39851]

The dramatic housing shortage in California affects millions of residents and leads thousands to homelessness. The 2024 Arthur N. Rupe Great Debate addresses this issue by asking, “Is Housing a Human Right?” If so, our state faces a massive undertaking. Experts with diverse specialties and experiences wrestle with some of our biggest challenges. How, for example, can we build low and moderate income housing when construction costs are high and community opposition is often present? How can people experiencing homelessness be moved to shelter and housing? [Public Affairs] [Business] [Show ID: 39667]

Congressman Jamie Raskin has proudly served the people of Maryland's 8th congressional district since 2017 and sits on the powerful House Oversight Committee. Following the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2023, Raskin was the primary author of the articles of impeachment which charged President Trump with inciting an insurrection on the United States Capitol, he was also named as the lead impeachment manager for Trump's second impeachment trial. In a thought-provoking interview and discussion, Congressman Raskin shares his insights into constitutional law and political leadership with political commentator and Talking San Diego host Harry Litman. [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 39661]

America’s contemporary democratic predicament is rooted in its historically incomplete democratization. Born in a pre-democratic era, the constitution’s balancing of majority rule and minority rights created still-unresolved dilemmas. Placing the U.S. in comparative perspective, Daniel Ziblatt, professor of government at Harvard University, offers new perspectives on what should be “beyond the reach of majorities” – and what should not – making the case for a fuller democracy as antidote to the perils of our age.

Ziblatt is also director of the Transformations of Democracy group at Berlin’s WZB Social Science Center. He is the author of four books, including "How Democracies Die," co-authored with Steve Levitsky, a New York Times best-seller. His newest book co-authored with Steven Levitsky is entitled "Tyranny of the Minority." Series: "UC Berkeley Graduate Lectures" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 39237]

What role do oil companies have in tackling climate change? In this program, Paasha Mahdavi, Assistant Professor of Political Science at UC Santa Barbara, talks about the challenge of getting big oil to take climate change seriously. Mahdavi's research broadly explores comparative environmental politics and the political consequences of natural resource wealth. He is the author of Power Grab: Political Survival Through Extractive Resource Nationalization (Cambridge University Press, 2020), which shows how dictators maintain their grip on power by seizing control of oil, metals, and minerals production. Additional recent work includes the effects of oil-to-cash transfers on civic engagement; the political economy of fossil fuel subsidy reform; and the efficacy of policies to eliminate natural gas flaring. Series: "GRIT Talks" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 39442]

What's the root cause of poverty in America? And how do we fix it? In this discussion, Matthew Desmond, renowned Princeton sociologist and author of "Poverty, by America," talks about why poverty persists in the U.S. with Marc-Andreas Muendler, economic professor at UC San Diego. Desmond argues we can end poverty through grassroots activism and a willingness to target systems that perpetuate it, like local zoning laws. Desmond was catapulted into the national spotlight as a leading authority on modern American poverty when his Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece, “Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City,” made its debut in 2016. His work has been supported by the Gates, Horowitz, Ford, JBP, MacArthur, and National Science, Russell Sage, and W.T. Grant Foundations, as well as the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Series: "Helen Edison Lecture Series" [Public Affairs] [Business] [Show ID: 39385]