Shows
Then & NowSpecial Episode: The Future of History Part 1This episode of then & now features a panel from the “Future of History” conference moderated by UCLA Professor Brenda Stevenson, an award-winning historian of race, gender, slavery, and community. She introduces three UCLA historians whose work spans the U.S. and the globe: Professor Kelly Lytle Hernández, a MacArthur Fellow and leading scholar of race, immigration, and mass incarceration; Professor Sanjay Subrahmanyam, Distinguished Professor and global historian of the early modern world; and Professor Vivien Tejada, a rising scholar of 19th-century African American and Native American history. Lytle Hernández details her public-facing work, including Million-Dollar Hoods and Mappin...
2025-11-191h 13Then & NowThe Challenge to University Autonomy in an Illiberal Age: A Conversation with David N. Myers and Ben Zdencanovic.In this week’s episode of then & now, LCHP Director Professor David N. Myers is joined by Dr. Ben Zdencanovic to discuss their collaborative work on a new LCHP report, The Challenge to University Autonomy in an Illiberal Age: Historical and Comparative Perspectives. Compiled over the past year as higher education in the U.S. faces heightened scrutiny and mounting political pressures from the U.S. government, this report situates present debates within a longue durée of institutional vulnerability to political pressures. The report analyzes historical case studies from the U.S. in which universities were subjected to ext...
2025-08-2026 minThen & NowThe Sociolinguistics of Exclusion: Affirmative Action, DEI, and the Struggle for Belonging. A Conversation with Jamaal Muwwakkil.In this episode of then & now, we are joined by Dr. Jamaal Muwwakkil, Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellow at UCLA and incoming Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the University of Washington, to discuss the recent rollback of affirmative action and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in American universities. Jamaal examines how these changes—set in motion by the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision to end race-conscious admissions, alongside a rising political backlash against DEI, particularly from the Trump administration—signal a return to exclusionary practices after decades of hard-fought progress. Bringing a sociolinguistic perspective to the jagged history of Black student...
2025-06-2549 minThen & NowMexico's Dirty War and the Struggle for Accountability: A Conversation with Carlos Pérez Ricart.In this week’s episode of then & now, guest host Professor Fernando Pérez-Montesinos is joined by Carlos Pérez Ricart, Assistant Professor in International Relations at the Center for Economic Research and Teaching (CIDE) in Mexico City, to discuss Mexico’s Dirty War—an internal conflict from the 1960s to the 1980s between the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI)-ruled government and left-wing student and guerrilla groups. As one of the four members of Mexico’s truth commission from 2021 to 2024, Carlos draws on the findings of this initiative to examine the country’s systematic use of violence and repression, as well as t...
2025-05-2847 minThen & NowWhy History Matters: L.A. Wildfires Past, Present, and FutureIn this week’s episode of then & now, we present a recording of a recent panel discussion focusing on L.A. wildfires past, present, and future. This program is part of the “Why History Matters” series presented by the UCLA Meyer and Renee Luskin Department of History—a series dedicated to the belief that historical knowledge is an indispensable, and often missing, ingredient in public debate.”Why History Matters: L.A. Wildfires Past, Present, and Future,” brought experts together to explore how historical and indigenous perspectives can reshape our understanding of wildfires, especially in light of the devastating...
2025-05-211h 07Then & NowDonald Trump’s Uses (and Abuses) of History: A Conversation with Bruce Schulman.This week’s episode of then & now is part of an occasional series exploring the past, present, and future of U.S. foreign policy and the U.S.-led international order. Guest host Dr. Ben Zdencanovic is joined by Bruce Schulman, Professor of History at Boston University, to discuss the Trump administration’s selective use of history, especially its nods to the McKinley era’s embrace of tariffs and imperialism. President Trump’s invocation of slogans like "Make America Great Again" reflects a broader effort to revive a tried-and-true Gilded Age cultural vision, framing America as a nation betrayed by outsi...
2025-04-3031 minThen & NowWhy History Matters in an Age of PolycrisisIn this week’s episode of then & now, we present a recording of a recent event co-sponsored by the Wende Museum and the Luskin Center for History and Policy. This event launched the Meyer and Renee Luskin Public History Program at the Wende Museum, a series made possible through the extraordinary generosity of Meyer and Renee Luskin, with a thought-provoking conversation on the role of history in shaping how we address today’s most urgent problems.Wende Museum Founder and Executive Director Justin Jampol was joined by David N. Myers, Distinguished Professor of History at UCLA and the...
2025-04-021h 03Then & NowIndigenous Fire Stewardship and Ecological Resilience: A Conversation with Daisy Ocampo Diaz.This week’s episode of then & now is part of a series co-sponsored by the L.A. History Collaborative, in which we examine the effects of the devastating Los Angeles Wildfires in early 2025. Dr. Daisy Ocampo Diaz joins LCHP Assistant Director Dr. Rose Campbell to discuss the Fowler Museum’s exhibition Fire Kinship: Southern California Native Ecology and Art, one of the exhibitions associated with the Pacific Standard Time (PST) Art Initiative. The L.A. Wildfires highlighted the urgent need for effective fire management and risk mitigation strategies in the era of climate change. Rarely featured in such discussions, howe...
2025-03-1942 minThen & NowTrump 2.0 and the Implications for U.S. Foreign Policy: A Conversation with Stephen Wertheim.This week’s episode of then & now is part of an occasional series exploring the past, present, and future of U.S. foreign policy and the U.S.-led international order with guest host Dr. Ben Zdencanovic. Joined by Dr. Stephen Wertheim, Senior Fellow in the American Statecraft Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, we critically examine the far-reaching implications for U.S. foreign policy during the second Trump administration. Stephen characterizes Trump's foreign policy as unpredictable and a departure from traditional diplomatic norms. Specifically, he notes Trump’s avowedly “America First” action and rhetoric, using tariffs seemingl...
2025-02-1936 minThen & NowDomestic Violence, Title IX, and the Stories We Don’t Tell: A Conversation with Joy Neumeyer**Content Warning: This episode includes discussion of sexual and domestic violence.In this week’s episode of then & now, guest host Professor Jared McBride is joined by Dr. Joy Neumeyer to discuss her recent book, A Survivor’s Education. In the book, as well as this episode, Joy interweaves her own experiences of domestic abuse and the bureaucracy surrounding Title IX with Soviet and Russian history and examines gender and violence norms within the profession of history and academia writ large. Within the context of the #MeToo movement, Joy reflects on the enduring struggle that victims of a...
2025-01-2255 minThen & NowThe Epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women: A Conversation with Shannon Speed**Content Warning: This episode includes discussion of sexual and domestic violence. In this week’s episode of then & now, LCHP Assistant Director Dr. Rose Campbell is joined by Dr. Shannon Speed to discuss systemic violence against Indigenous women. According to a 2016 study, Indigenous women are 10 times more likely to be kidnapped or murdered than almost any other population group in the United States. Although murder is the third leading cause of death among Indigenous women, these cases often go unsolved and unreported and attract little attention outside of local communities. Shannon discusses the policies that render Ind...
2025-01-0831 minThen & NowContinuity and Change: The Fairfax District and What it Tells us about LA. A Conversation with Stephanie Zager, Michaela Esposito, and Ella KittIn this week’s episode of then & now, UCLA undergraduates Stephanie Zager, Michaela Esposito, and Ella Kitt join us to discuss the results of their LCHP report on the evolution of the Fairfax District in Los Angeles. The three researchers chronicle the district's rise and decline against the backdrop of the inevitable ebbs and flows of urban change. Influenced by migration patterns, economic development, and demographic shifts, Fairfax’s identity and outside perception have evolved significantly throughout its history. To understand this evolution better, Stephanie, Michaela, and Ella explored the policies and political initiatives within and outside the neighborhood, cond...
2024-12-1841 minThen & NowUnpacking the 2024 Election: Trendlines and Developments in California Politics. A Conversation with Raphael Sonenshein and Zev YaroslavskyThis week’s episode of then & now is the second in a series exploring the historical backdrop to and consequences of the 2024 election. Joining us are Raphael Sonenshein, a nationally recognized expert on racial and ethnic politics in California and Los Angeles, and Zev Yaroslavsky, one of Los Angeles's best-known public officials. This episode begins by continuing the discussion of historical trendlines on the national level and then moves into an analysis of key developments at the California state, county, and city levels. To understand these developments, Raphe Sonenshein cautions against becoming victims of presentism and instead puts these de...
2024-12-0452 minThen & NowUnpacking the 2024 Election: Trends, Tensions, and Transformations. A Conversation with Lynn VavreckIn this week’s episode of then & now, we explore the 2024 presidential election and try to understand the enduring impact of a political realignment that began with Donald Trump’s rise in 2016. Joining us is Professor Lynn Vavreck, a UCLA professor and leading expert on U.S. elections. Professor Vavreck explores how Trump’s victories in 2016 and 2024 reflect a seismic shift in American politics from debates over government size to deeply polarizing cultural and identity issues. This realignment, she argues, has reshaped the electorate, with Trump solidifying a coalition built on economic grievances and cultural anxiety. Vavreck connects the econom...
2024-11-2045 minThen & NowWhy History Matters: Reproductive Rights and JusticeIn this week’s episode of then & now, we present a recording of a recent event hosted by the UCLA History Department, "Why History Matters: Reproductive Rights and Justice." This event brought together experts to explore the far-reaching effects of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision in June 2022. Hosted by Kevin Terraciano, the conversation delves into the historical misuse of legal doctrines to limit reproductive freedoms and calls for a comprehensive reproductive justice framework that extends beyond abortion to include the right to have or not have children and to raise children in safe environments. Professor Cary...
2024-11-131h 20Then & NowReproductive Justice on the U.S.-Mexico Border: A Conversation With Lina-Maria MurilloIn this week’s episode of then & now, we delve into the complex history of reproductive justice in El Paso, Texas, a key city along the U.S.-Mexico border that has shaped broader conversations around race, health, and community care. Guest interviewer Professor Elizabeth O’Brien speaks with Professor Lina-Maria Murillo, a leading scholar in reproductive justice whose research focuses on gender, race, and class in reproductive care, particularly in border regions. Murillo’s upcoming book, Fighting for Control: Power, Reproductive Care, and Race in the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands, investigates the legacy of reproductive activism along the Texas...
2024-11-0641 minThen & NowReproductive Healthcare, Religion, and Inequality in Brazil and Beyond: A Conversation with Cassia RothThe topic of reproductive healthcare and access to abortion has emerged as a pivotal point in the weeks and months leading up to the 2024 presidential election in the U.S. In this week's episode of then & now, our guest interviewer Professor Elizabeth O’Brien speaks with Professor Cassia Roth, a historian of Society, Environment, and Health Equity at the University of California, Riverside. Roth’s recent book, A Miscarriage of Justice, explores the intersection of reproductive health and legal policy in early 20th-century Brazil. Drawing from her research, Roth highlights parallels between Brazil and the U.S., noting how both...
2024-10-2340 minThen & NowHow Mathematics Shaped the Great Grid of America: A Conversation with Amir Alexander Welcome back to then & now! To kick off our 5th season, we are joined by Professor Amir Alexander, a historian of mathematics in UCLA’s Luskin Department of History. His latest book, Liberty’s Grid, examines how Founding Father Thomas Jefferson transformed early America into a mathematical landscape. Jefferson’s vision of an empty, gridded space was intended to create a framework for people to act freely. Alexander delves into the paradox: though this grid symbolized American ideals of freedom, it also reinforced hierarchies and constraints. Natural obstacles such as bodies of water or geological features, as well as Native Am...
2024-10-0941 minThen & NowUnder the Heat Dome: A Conversation about Thermal Inequality with Bharat Venkat2023 marked the hottest year recorded in human history, with predictions indicating a worsening global trend. In early June 2024, southern California experienced an extreme heat dome, with temperatures rising into the triple digits. Currently, heat alerts affect over 16 million people across California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico. This escalating situation is not confined to the United States nor limited to the present; it is a manifestation of the intensifying impacts of climate change. Regions previously unacquainted with extreme heat are struggling to adapt, while areas accustomed to high temperatures are becoming increasingly uninhabitable.Heat is not merely...
2024-06-1251 minThen & NowLand, Endowments, and Ethics: Unpacking the Historical Legacy of UC Real Estate Investments. A Conversation with Samuel Feldblum, John Schmidt, and Abbie CohenRecent campus protests have focused new attention on university investment policies. The call for greater transparency and divestment from Israel has led to questions about the growth and composition of large university endowments, including that of the University of California (UC). How did the UC system achieve its robust financial position? One answer lies in its deep-rooted connection to land. The Federal Morrill Act of 1862 provided land grants to public universities to establish campuses, a foundational act that has led some to label these state institutions, including the UC, as a "land grab" institution.In th...
2024-05-2949 minThen & NowAnswering Your Questions About Gaza: A Dialogue with UCLA HistoriansIn this episode of then & now, we present the recording of an event held at UCLA on May 13, 2024. This event, sponsored by the UCLA History Department, featured a conversation between UCLA Professors David Myers and James Gelvin about the history and context of the Israel-Hamas war and the situation in Gaza.The brutal attack on Israeli citizens by Hamas on October 7th, 2023, shocked the world. In the 7 months since that event, the Israeli military has bombarded Gaza, killing upwards of 35,000 Palestinians and injuring some 80,000 more in what is said to be an attempt to eradicate Hamas and...
2024-05-151h 24Then & NowFree Speech and Academic Freedom in the University: A Conversation with Michael MeranzeAs the war in Gaza rages on, discussions surrounding free speech and the right to protest have surged across the United States, particularly on college campuses. When a pro-Palestine encampment at Columbia University was raided by police, leading to dozens of arrests in late April 2024, university students around the country set up their own protests and encampments, urging for an end to the war and divestment of university funding from Israel. Join us on this week's episode of then & now podcast as we delve into the history and evolution of academic free speech with UCLA History Professor...
2024-05-0150 minThen & NowWhy History Matters: Gun ViolenceGun violence has become deeply ingrained in the historical fabric of the United States, intertwined with the principles outlined in the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which grants individuals the right to keep and bear arms. This amendment is frequently invoked in debates surrounding the implementation of stricter gun control measures.In this week's episode, then & now presents a compelling discussion hosted by the Department of History at UCLA under the Why History Matters series, focusing on the historical trajectory of America's relationship with firearms...
2024-04-171h 05Then & NowDeadly Borders: A Conversation on Immigration with Dr. Jason de LeónAs the U.S. primary elections unfold, the issue of border security, particularly along the US-Mexico border, has taken center stage. Concerns about the number of people crossing the U.S. southern border illegally have prompted extreme and sometimes fatal measures by U.S. officials to curb the flow of migrants. How effective are these measures at slowing illegal immigration, and what is the cost for those trying to enter the U.S.? In this week’s podcast, we sit down with Dr. Jason de León, professor of Anthropology and Chicano Studies at UCLA and the director of the...
2024-03-2042 minThen & NowChallenges and Opportunities in the New Age of AI: A Long-Term View with John VillasenorAs advances in technology continue to shape our world, understanding the implications of artificial intelligence (AI), cyber security, and digital privacy has never been more important. In this episode of then & now, we delve into the crucial intersection of technology, law, and policy with John Villasenor, a distinguished professor at UCLA and co-director of the UCLA Institute for Technology, Law and Policy. Villasenor's expertise provides a fascinating glimpse into the history of technology and how it has rapidly evolved over the years. From the pioneering work of Alan Turing to the current landscape of AI, Villasenor offers v...
2024-03-0632 minThen & NowThe Nuclear Threat Today: A Conversation with Albert CarnesaleWhile the conflicts between Israel and Palestine and Russia and Ukraine are center-stage, the threat of nuclear weapons hovers ominously over our world. The recent release of the popular movie "Oppenheimer" reminds us of the extraordinary potency of nuclear weapons. Russia's aggression in Ukraine has raised concerns about its nuclear intentions, while China, under President Xi Jinping, seeks to bolster its nuclear capabilities to match those of the US. Iran's nuclear ambitions persist, and there are predictions that North Korea may be adopting a more aggressive stance which includes nuclear weapons. As these nations either expand or maintain their...
2024-02-2153 minThen & NowIs California an Outlier? Health Care Policy in the Sunshine State: A Conversation with Historian Ben ZdencanovicOne of the most vexing social problems in U.S. society is our country’s healthcare system, which is wracked by rising costs, inequitable access, and manifold inefficiencies. Unlike Canada or a number of European countries, the United States has never adopted a single-payer system in which the government provides health insurance to all. Instead, it has favored a range of private options alongside supplemental government programs. As a result of its size and significance, the state of California has been a laboratory for government healthcare policy, with public officials and advocates testing the virtues of various private and publi...
2024-01-2449 minThen & NowAmerica On Strike: Labor Takes Center StageIn our final episode of 2023, we are sharing a recording of an event hosted by the UCLA History Department as part of the Why History Matters series. Labor movements have surged to the attention of the public over the past year, with the historic Writers Guild and SAG-AFTRA strikes at the beginning of the year as well as the United Auto Workers strike later in the year. Moderated by UCLA Professor of History and Labor Studies Toby Higbie, this event featured a panel discussion with Kent Wong (Director of the UCLA Labor Center), Susan Minato (Co-President of UNITE HERE...
2023-12-061h 02Then & NowUnderstanding the Israel-Gaza Conflict: Causes, Conduct, and ConsequencesFor this special episode, we are sharing a recording of a Zoom event hosted on November 21 by the UCLA Luskin Center for History and Policy. Featuring two UCLA history professors, Dr. James L. Gelvin and Dr. David N. Myers, this informational session explores the historical background to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, addressing questions such as:What is Hamas?What led to Hamas' attack on Israel?Why was Israel so ill-prepared?What does the future hold for Israel and Palestine, and for the wider region?Dr. L. Gelvin is a professor of history at UCLA. He...
2023-11-2238 minThen & NowThe Enduring Power of Non-Violence: A Conversation with Rev. James LawsonThis episode of then & now features a conversation with the Reverend James Lawson, the legendary social justice activist who introduced the practice of non-violent action to the civil rights movement. The conversation takes up Rev. Lawson’s early years and encounters with racism in Massillon, Ohio; his exposure to the idea of non-violence through his reading of Gandhi and while on mission in India; his tireless efforts to promote non-violence in the United States; and his thoughts about how the practice of non-violence can be spread throughout a world convulsed by violence. At age ninety-five, Rev. Lawson continues to advoc...
2023-11-0852 minThen & NowUrban Spaces Past and Present: A Conversation with Monica SmithMore than half the world’s population currently lives in cities, and current estimates suggest that by 2050 nearly 7 out of every 10 people will live in urban spaces. In an increasingly crowded and urbanized world, space has become a precious commodity. As a species, we seem drawn to cities, despite their obvious disadvantages. From the ancient cities of Southeast Asia to the crowded streets of modern Los Angeles, cities offer opportunities for interactions that wouldn’t be possible in urban areas. In this episode, we sit down with Professor Monica Smith, who shares her perspective on the importance of infrastructure and...
2023-10-1139 minThen & NowWhat is Going on in Nagorno-Karabakh? A Conversation with Historian Sebouh AslanianReports have emerged in recent weeks that a grave humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Nagorno-Karabakh, a contested region in present-day Azerbaijan that contains a large majority of Armenian residents. A prominent international lawyer, Luis Moreno Ocampo, in fact, maintains that “a Genocide is being committed” by Azerbaijani forces against Armenian residents. This episode of “Then & Now” features UCLA historian Sebouh Aslanian, who offers a rich account of the history of the region and the century-long conflict between Armenians and Azerbaijanis. He situates the tension against the backdrop of the rise and fall of empire—and analyzes the two wars that have...
2023-09-2744 minThen & NowFighting Crimes against the Environment: A Conversation about “Ecocide” with Kate MackintoshFollowing the recent destruction of the Kakhovka dam in the south of the country, the government of Ukraine accused Russia of the crime of “ecocide.” This term first surfaced in the 1970s in the context of the U.S. military’s use of Agent Orange in Vietnam. Since that time, the term has gained currency in international legal circles as a tool to fight against large-scale violations of the environment. A number of states have already incorporated the concept into their legal codes, and efforts are ongoing to enshrine “ecocide” in international law.This episode of th...
2023-08-3042 minThen & NowFrom Diversity to Reparation: A Conversation about Race, Higher Education, and the Aftermath of the Affirmative Action Decision with Eddie ColeOn June 29, 2023, the US Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to end affirmative action for college admissions, stating that considering race as a factor was unconstitutional, while preserving ‘legacy’ admissions which often allow students of alumni entrance to prestigious institutions. Yet from the establishment of the first university in the United States, race has been a consistent organizing principle in American higher education. In this episode, we sit down with UCLA historian Eddie Cole to discuss how the origins of affirmative action in the 1960s aimed to rectify a legacy of systemic racism in the United States. In later decades, the disc...
2023-08-1636 minThen & NowThe Case for Open Access: A Conversation with Peter BaldwinIn this episode, historian Peter Baldwin makes the case for open access. He surveys the history of knowledge production and transmission from the Gutenberg Bible, which opened up access in unprecedented ways. Open access today, he argues, is not a novelty but continuous with earlier developments in which artists and thinkers were "workers for hire," who were compensated for their creative and scholarly labor. In the same vein, university professors are paid to produce scholarship which, Baldwin argues, should incline them to accept open access. The conversation takes up the fate of copyright, ownership of ideas, and the core not...
2023-08-0241 minThen & NowThe Politics of Reproductive Rights: A Conversation with Elizabeth O'BrienWomen's reproductive rights have been a contentious issue over the past few years in the United States. Both federal and state measures have been introduced that restrict women’s ability to make decisions about their bodies and reproduction, culminating last year with the Supreme Court’s reversal of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. Though the US has been a public battleground for women’s reproductive rights in recent years, the debate about women’s right to bodily autonomy is neither unique nor new. In this context, what might comparative histories of reproductive politics beyond the US tell us about th...
2023-06-2856 minThen & NowFrom Resistance to Representation in Transnational Hip-Hop: A Conversation with Samuel LamontagneHip-hop culture and rap music are often assumed to be quintessentially American art forms. But by the late 1970s, hip-hop had transcended its roots in the US coasts. In France, artists from the African diaspora experimented with hip-hop, using it as an art form to articulate Blackness at a time when their community had little visibility in public life. Hip-hop became a critical tool for crafting Black visions of representation and resistance. This intersection of music, culture and politics—ranging from Paris to Los Angeles—is the focus of this episode, which features Dr. Samuel Lamontagne, a schol...
2023-04-0539 minThen & NowAuthoritarianism and Patriarchy from Ancient Egypt to the Present: A Conversation with Kara CooneyRecent years have witnessed a stark rise across the globe in populist leaders whose policies are implicitly, or even explicitly, authoritarian. The policies of these leaders are sometimes at odds with their populist rhetoric in that they reward the elite few at the expense of the masses. Yet this trend is not new. As far back as ancient Egypt, we see authoritarian leaders collecting and retaining wealth and power in the hands of the elite. What are the parallels between the authoritarian governments of the past and the present? How can we use the past to cast a critical...
2023-03-0846 minThen & NowFrom the End of the Military Regime to the Return of Lula: Discussing Brazil's Political History with Bryan PittsThe narrow victory of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, better known as Lula, in Brazil's presidential election in November 2022 was seen by many as a win for democracy in the country. Yet as the storming of its legislature on January 8 showed, former president Jair Bolsonaro's tumultuous, populist tenure has left Brazil deeply divided. How did Lula and then Bolsonaro and then Lula again emerge as such potent figures? What impact did the two-decade military junta (1964-85) have on the country's politics? And how has Brazil's turbulent institutional history made Brazilian politics more flexible and participatory than those in the...
2023-02-0832 minThen & NowThe Racial Politics of Historic Preservation in in Los Angeles: A Conversation with Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris and Hao DingAt first glance, historic preservation seems to be a key part of good urban planning. But whom does historic preservation actually serve? In this week’s episode, our guests discuss their recent LCHP report that analyzes the power dynamics behind historic preservation. They look at the way in which historic preservation norms have been applied as an instrument of cultural control in three Southern California communities with large Asian-American populations. At the end of the day, they pose the question of whether historic preservation should be seen as an instrument of good planning or a form of cultural imperialism?
2022-11-0727 minThen & NowThe Past and Future of Latino Politics in LA: A Conversation about the City Council Crisis with Miguel Santana and Gary SeguraSeveral weeks ago, a leaked tape revealed three LA city council members and a local labor leader engaged in racist conversation. Since then, the city has been enveloped in a political crisis. The language used by the council members has been covered extensively and widely condemned. But beneath these conversations lie deep and pressing questions about Latino representation, inter-ethnic relations, and the distribution of political power in Los Angeles. In the wake of this crisis, are we asking the right questions? Who benefits from African American and Latino polarization, and how can we ensure equal representation in the future?
2022-10-2548 minThen & NowMussolini’s Long Shadow: The Italian Elections, Giorgia Meloni, and the Legacies of FascismOn Sunday, September 25th, Italy held a snap election following the resignation of prime minister Mario Draghi and the dissolution of the Italian Parliament. The election resulted in a parliamentary majority a right-wing coalition led by Fratelli d’Italia (or Brothers of Italy), a far-right party with roots in postwar Italian neofascist movements. The party and its leader, new Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, espouse social conservatism, nationalism, populism, opposition to immigration, and Euroscepticism. Meloni’s election holds significant policy implications not only for domestic Italian society, but also for Italy’s relationship with the European Union and the wider world...
2022-10-1749 minThen & NowUniversity in Crisis: Disruption, Response, and Transformation During the Young Administration at UCLAThis episode features a conversation with UCLA graduate and undergraduate students who authored a new LCHP report exploring the history UCLA's response to crises of major scale. Jazz Kiang, Jannelle Dang, and Nayiri Artounians join Then & Now to discuss UCLA administrators' approaches to the student movement for ethnic studies in the late 1960s, and the on-campus killings of students Bunchy Carter and and John Huggins. They also discuss the firing of Angela Davis, and the implications for present-day university administrators. This episode is moderated by Prof. Eddie Cole, an advisor for the project. Read the report here.
2022-06-2246 minThen & NowGuns, Violence, and the Law: A Conversation with Professor Adam WinklerIn the wake of more horrific mass shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde, the United States finds itself yet again engaged in a morbid ritual of horror and grief, thoughts and prayers, and renewed calls for gun control. Last week, the National Rifle Association held its annual convention, during which it steadfastly opposed calls to limit access to guns. But it has not always been that way. The NRA, in earlier decades, supported restrictions on access to guns. What happened? How has the Second Amendment been re-interpreted? What has prompted states to enshrine new protections on guns and acce...
2022-06-1039 minThen & NowWhat Can International Law Do? A Conversation about the International Legal Order and Russia-Ukraine with Anna Spain BradleyThe international community has widely condemned Russia’s war on Ukraine and has placed increasing pressure on Russia to withdraw. But what more can it do? What legal mechanisms and levers of pressure are available to the international community, and how effective are they? How did the current international legal order (including the definitions of genocide and crimes against humanity) come into being, and how did it evolve over time? Anna Spain Bradley, UCLA Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, and law professor at UCLA joins Then & Now to illuminate these important and pressing questions.
2022-05-0946 minThen & NowThe End of Abortion Rights in the United States? A Conversation with Cary Franklin in the Wake of the Leaked Alito OpinionIn this special episode, Cary Franklin returns Then & Now for a follow-up conversation about abortion rights in the U.S., in light of the leaked Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe vs. Wade (listen to part 1 here). Listen to Professor Franklin, Faculty Director of the Center on Reproductive Health, Law, and Policy and of the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law, discuss the far-reaching implications of the leaked opinion.
2022-05-0428 minThen & Now30 Years Later: A Conversation on the 1992 LA Uprisings with Brenda Stevenson and Kent WongOn April 29, 1992, three LAPD officers were acquitted after brutally beating Rodney King, and a fourth was let off with no verdict. Widespread protests erupted in response, a result of deep-seated anger with police violence and racial inequality in Los Angeles, heightened by the murder of teenager Latasha Harlins a year prior. Five days later, the city of Los Angeles stood in a shocked, smoldering state with more than sixty people dead, thousands injured, and massive property damage. Now, thirty years later, we mark this anniversary in the wake of another uprising against police violence and the murders of...
2022-04-2542 minThen & NowBreaking the Deadlock in Israel Palestine: The New Plan for a Holy Land ConfederationOn March 6th, 2022, the UCLA Luskin Center for History and Policy, in partnership with the USC Casden Institute for the Study of the Jewish Role in American Life and the UCLA Y&S Nazarian Center for Israel Studies, hosted the final installment of a three-part series focused on “Breaking the Deadlock” in Israel-Palestine.The aim of this series is to bring together leading scholars, thinkers, and policy-makers—each with different affiliations and visions for the future—to put forward contemporary resolutions against an otherwise stagnate Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This conversation included Yossi Beilin, former Israeli cabinet minister and architec...
2022-04-111h 28Then & NowThe History of Racism and the Quest for Racial Justice at UCLAThis episode features a conversation with the UCLA graduate and undergraduate students who authored a new LCHP report exploring the history of both racism and the quest for racial justice at UCLA. The report and conversation examine the experience of students of color throughout the university's history, as well as examples of the individuals and movements that led the fight for racial justice at UCLA. This conversation features graduate student co-author Debanjan Roychoudhury, alumna Skylar Weatherford, and undergraduate student Kateri Son. It is moderated by Prof. Aomar Boum, advisor for the project.Read the report here.
2022-03-3043 minThen & NowUnderstanding Ukraine Past and Present: A Conversation with Jared McBrideRussia’s invasion of Ukraine has shocked and perplexed the world. UCLA Historian Jared McBride joins Then & Now for the third conversation in a mini-series examining this invasion through a historical lens. Professor McBride discusses the history of far-right nationalism in Ukraine from World War II until now, situating both Ukraine’s election of a Jewish president and Putin’s claims of “denazification,” within a historical frame. He also discusses the unique forces shaping and re-shaping Ukraine’s national identity throughout history.Listen to the first two conversations in this miniseries, "Ghosts of the Past in the Russian Inva...
2022-03-1740 minThen & NowGhosts of the Past in the Russian Invasion of Ukraine: Conversations with Historians Benjamin Nathans and Arch Getty. A Special Two-Part EpisodeRussia’s invasion of Ukraine has shocked and perplexed the world. This special two-part episode of Then & Now features two outstanding historical observers: Benjamin Nathans, Alan Charles Kors Endowed Term Associate Professor of History at the University of Pennsylvania, and J. Arch Getty, Distinguished Research Professor of History at UCLA, offer much needed background and perspective on Russia's actions. Professors Nathans and Getty discuss the historical relationship between Russia and Ukraine, the roots of Ukrainian national identity, and Vladimir Putin’s historical pretext for the invasion.
2022-03-0257 minThen & NowDeadlock in Israel-Palestine: How to Imagine a Better Future? Part 2This week's episode features the recording of Part 2 of the three part webinar series organized by the UCLA Luskin Center for History and Policy in partnership with the USC Casden Institute for the Study of the Jewish Role in American Life and the UCLA Y&S Nazarian Center for Israel Studies. This innovative series brings together scholars, thinkers, and policy-makers of different visions to reflect on the current impasse in Israel-Palestine and share proposals for the future.This program features:Dr. Julie Cooper, Political Theorist, Tel Aviv UniversityDr. Micah Goodman, Israeli Intellectual and Author...
2022-02-281h 34Then & NowThe Transformation of Academic Labor: Past as Prologue at the UCLCHP Student Research Fellows and Geography Ph.D. students Sammy Feldblum and John Schmidt join Then & Now to discuss their new LCHP research report, The Transformation of Academic Labor: Past as Prologue at the University of California. Their research details the various factors leading to the UC’s increased reliance on contingent, non-tenured faculty lecturers over the past decades. They discuss the increased privatization of the university over the past fifty years, the implications of this privatization on student learning, and their recommendations for how to foster better working and learning conditions on campus.This conversation is mo...
2022-02-1448 minThen & NowWhy are Live Guns Used on Film Sets? A Conversation on the Death of Halyna Hutchins and the Fight for Labor Rights on Set with Kate FortmuellerOn October 21, 2021, cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed by a live round of ammunition fired by actor Alec Baldwin on the set of the movie Rust. Her death has prompted numerous discussions about what constitutes “safety” while working on a film set. Dr. Kate Fortmueller, Assistant Professor of Entertainment and Media Studies at the University of Georgia, examines the evolution of these discussions - and the evolution of general labor struggles in the film industry - throughout history. She discusses union bargaining power, COVID-19, the use of live rounds, and other policy regulations that collectively shape safety for actors and staf...
2022-01-2447 minThen & NowNative American Studies, Land, and the Quest for Justice: A Conversation with Mishuana GoemanThis wide-ranging conversation features Professor Mishuana Goeman, Professor of Gender Studies and American Indian Studies, and the inaugural Special Advisor to the Chancellor on Native American and Indigenous Affairs at UCLA. Professor Goeman discusses her personal journey into interdisciplinary scholarship, the relationship and tensions between academia and community-centered work, and the many tangible steps universities and other institutions can make toward reparative justice for Native Americans. You can find out more about her project “Mapping Indigenous LA” here.
2022-01-1049 minThen & NowRegulating the “Oldest Profession”: A Conversation on Policy Approaches to Sex Work with Manisha ShahProfessor Manisha Shah, Franklin D. Gilliam Chair in Social Justice and director of the Global Lab for Research in Action at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, joins Then & Now producer Maia Ferdman in conversation about the long history of policy approaches to sex work. They discuss the motivations behind the prohibition and regulation of sex work as well as their public health and economic implications. They also discuss the “end demand” policy approach to sex work, which criminalizes those who purchase, rather than sell, sex. They then discuss the empirical evidence that supports the decriminalization of sex work...
2021-12-1349 minThen & NowIs the Age of Roe v. Wade Over? A Conversation on the Long Legal Fight over Abortion with Cary FranklinLast week, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which addresses the constitutionality of a Mississippi law banning abortion after 15 weeks. This case is the latest in a decades-long legal battle over the legality of abortion access, which may culminate in the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 case affirming a woman's right to an abortion. Professor Cary Franklin, McDonald/Wright Chair of Law and Faculty Director of the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law, joins Then & Now to discuss the recent oral arguments in...
2021-12-0658 minThen & NowDeadlock in Israel-Palestine: How to Imagine a Better Future? Part 1This week's episode features the recording of the three part webinar series organized by the UCLA Luskin Center for History and Policy in partnership with the USC Casden Institute for the Study of the Jewish Role in American Life and the UCLA Y&S Nazarian Center for Israel Studies. This innovative series brings together scholars, thinkers, and policy-makers of different visions to reflect on the current impasse in Israel-Palestine and share proposals for the future.This program features:Omar Rahman, Visiting Fellow, Brookings Doha CenterDr. Dahlia Sheindlin, Leading Israeli political analystProf. Yuli...
2021-11-291h 36Then & NowRevisited - Distinct Histories, Shared Struggles: A Conversation with Prof. Kyle Mays about Indigenous Peoples DayThis revisited episode originally aired on October 12th, 2020, marking Indigenous Peoples Day. Professor Kyle T. Mays, historian and scholar of Afro-Indigenous studies, urban history, and Indigenous popular culture at UCLA, joins Then & Now to discuss the history and significance of the day, as well as his scholarship tracking the parallel and often intersecting histories of Indigenous and African American communities in the United States. He discusses moments of historical conflict and collaboration between the two communities, and how the shared experience of oppression can support a common agenda for justice today.November is Native American Heritage Month...
2021-11-1540 minThen & NowRevisited - How did Los Angeles become the “Homeless Capital” of the United States?UCLA researchers and graduate students Marques Vestal, Fernanda Jahn Verri, and Andrew Klein join Then & Now to discuss the Luskin Center for History and Policy's research report detailing the history of the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles County. They discuss how the last century of housing policy, racial dynamics, and policing practices all contributed to the crisis we find ourselves in today. This is the first episode in a series covering the report findings. Read the report, "The Making of a Crisis: A History of Homelessness," here.Then & Now is taking a summer break in July and...
2021-08-091h 05Then & NowReimagining the American West: A Conversation with Autry Museum CEO Stephen AronThis week’s episode features Stephen Aron, outgoing UCLA historian and incoming CEO of the Autry Museum of the American West. Dr. Aron discussed the origins and persistence of the idea of the Western “frontier” in the American imagination, his approach to cultural “convergence” in the West, and his vision for the Autry Museum’s role in Los Angeles and the West today.
2021-06-2942 minThen & NowFighting the First Wave: A Conversation on the Global Pandemic with Peter BaldwinAs California lifts longtime public health restrictions and life in parts of the United States begin returning to a semblance of pre-pandemic normalcy, it is important to recall the unfolding crises of the past 15 months. In this episode, UCLA Historian Peter Baldwin, author of the recent book Fighting the First Wave: Why the Coronavirus was Tackled So Differently Across the Globe, looks back on the past year and offers intriguing historical insight into why some countries were more effective at initially containing the coronavirus than others. He discusses the simultaneously global and local reach of the pandemic and analyzes...
2021-06-1451 minThen & NowDéjà Vu All Over Again? Assessing the State of Affairs in Israel-Palestine with Three Leading Experts on Middle Eastern AffairsThis special three-part episode of Then & Now features three experts in Middle East history and politics who examine multiple dimensions of the recent outbreak of violence in Israel and Palestine. Their incisive analysis provides listeners with a thorough overview of the historical context, political consequences, and potential impact on future peace in Israel-Palestine.The first segment features Hussein Ibish, senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, who examines the roots and consequences of the renewed hostilities between Israel and Hamas. The second segment features UCLA historian and Middle East expert James Gelvin, and...
2021-05-271h 29Then & NowU.S. Foreign Policy in the Middle East: Changes in the Neoliberal AgeUCLA undergraduate students Firyal Bawab and Mariam Aref Mahmoud and graduate student Phil Hoffman join Then & Now to discuss their forthcoming report on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. They track the historical effects of American “soft” or "non-military" foreign policy in the Middle East on regional governments and economies over time, including the consequences of neoliberalism in Egypt and Jordan. They also share their experiences conducting research with the Luskin Center for History and Policy.
2021-05-1752 minThen & NowExtremism at UCLA: A Conversation with Student Researchers Talla Khelghati and Brandon BroukhimOn January 6, 2021, hundreds of far-right protestors, many of them wearing white nationalist clothing and insignia, stormed the U.S. Capitol building. On February 16, UCLA student Christian Secor was arrested for his participation in the riot. In response to these developments, the Luskin Center for History and Policy released a report on white nationalism at UCLA titled “From Student Politics Capitol Insurrection: The Intensification of Extremism at UCLA and Beyond,” as a follow-up to prior research on the history of white nationalism in Southern California. This week’s episode features two of the report's authors, UCLA undergraduates Brandon Broukhim and Talla...
2021-05-0352 minThen & NowThe Complicated Legacy of Henry Kissinger: A Conversation with Thomas SchwartzHenry Kissinger is arguably one of the most important and controversial contemporary figures in U.S. foreign policy. As a former Secretary of State and National Security Advisor during the Nixon and Ford Administrations, a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, and an accused war criminal, Kissinger is both revered and reviled. This week on Then & Now UCLA History Professor Kevin Kim interviews Vanderbilt University Professor Thomas Alan Schwartz on his recent book, Henry Kissinger and American Power: A Political Biography. They discuss Kissinger's contradictions, the lessons his diplomacy offers the Biden Administration, and the state of international relations...
2021-04-1939 minThen & NowThe Path to Peace Runs Through Culture: A Conversation with André Azoulay, Senior Advisor to King Mohammed VI of MoroccoFrom his childhood in Essaouira, Morocco, to his adolescence involved in Marxist politics, to his time as a successful banker in Paris, to his advocacy for peace and cross cultural understanding as senior advisor to two Moroccan kings, André Azoulay has lived an extraordinary life. He joins Then & Now in conversation with LCHP Director David Myers and Professor Aomar Boum (UCLA Department of Anthropology), to discuss his personal path, the importance of cultural connection and identity, his perspective on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and his hopes for the future of Morocco and the world.
2021-04-051h 11Then & NowThe Long History of Anti-Asian Hatred: A Conversation with Karen Umemoto and David YooAnti-Asian sentiment and violence has spiked dramatically over the last year. Most recently on March 16, a mass shooting in Atlanta, Georgia took the lives of eight people, six of whom were Asian women. UCLA Professors David Yoo and Karen Umemoto join this special episode of Then & Now to discuss this disturbing trend and situate it in the context of race and racism in American society. They discuss policies that have stigmatized and excluded Asian Americans, the development of the “AAPI” category, different forms of resistance against exclusion, and today's increasing mobilization and solidarity against anti-Asian hatred.To lear...
2021-03-2947 minThen & NowIs the University an Agent of Change? A Conversation with Historian Eddie ColeHigher education institutions in the United States can be seen as both bastions of liberalism and conservatism, as the realm of both radicals and establishmentarians. Eddie Cole, associate professor of higher education and organizational change at UCLA and author of The Campus Color Line: College Presidents and the Struggle for Black Freedom addresses this seeming contradiction. He discusses the dual nature of the university, as well as the role played by college presidents in moving their institutions forward and backward on issues such as race and free speech. The conversation concludes with a reflection on the recently concluded Black H...
2021-03-0146 minThen & NowWhat is the role of a public historian?: A Conversation with Anthea HartigIn 2019, Anthea M. Hartig made headlines when she became the first woman director of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History in Washington, DC. Since then, she has been a fierce advocate for public history in the nation’s capital. Join us for this President's Day episode as we learn about how Hartig, a UCLA alumna, fell in love with history, developed a rich and challenging approach to the past, and sees history as a key to navigating the present.
2021-02-1558 minThen & NowInsurrection, White Nationalism, and the Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.: A Conversation with Robin D. KelleyBetween a violent attack on the U.S. Capitol and the catastrophic surge of COVID-19 across the country, the beginning of 2021 has been even more turbulent than 2020. This special episode of Then & Now, recorded on Martin Luther King Day and released on Inauguration Day, features Robin D. Kelley, prominent UCLA scholar on U.S. and African American history. He looks at the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as well as fascism and white nationalism throughout U.S. history, in framing our current moment. His advice as we head into the next chapter of American history? “Always come fr...
2021-01-2055 minThen & NowPicking Favorites: U.S. Foreign Aid and Favored Minorities in IraqThis week’s episode features UCLA PhD candidates Phil Hoffman (History), Lily Hindy (History), and Monica Widmann (Political Science), who have been spearheading a long-term research project with LCHP examining American soft power in the Middle East. They discuss their new report “Skewed Recovery: Minority Assistance Programs to Iraq in Historical Perspective,” which details the ways in which Western powers have historically distributed foreign aid unevenly and according to their political interests. They discuss how this historical trend has sowed division in the region, and how it has been both perpetuated and exacerbated by the Trump Administration. The report will b...
2021-01-1252 minThen & NowHow did Los Angeles become the “Homeless Capital” of the United States?UCLA researchers and graduate students Marques Vestal, Fernanda Jahn Verri, and Andrew Klein join Then & Now to discuss the Luskin Center for History and Policy's forthcoming report detailing the history of the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles County. They discuss how the last century of housing policy, racial dynamics, and policing practices all contributed to the crisis we find ourselves in today. This is the first episode in a series covering the report findings. To be the first to read the forthcoming report, sign up for our emails here.
2020-11-301h 04Then & NowAnalyzing the Aftermath: A Post-Election Conversation with Lorrie Frasure, Lynn Vavreck, and Zev YaroslavskyAs a follow-up to our last pre-election episode, Professor Lynn Vavreck and Zev Yaroslavsky return to "Then & Now," joined by Professor Lorrie Frasure, to analyze the 2020 election results. They discuss a range of key topics: President Trump’s refusal to concede, the persistence of divided electorates in U.S. history, the political behavior of white men, the performance and reliability of polling, and the question of whether American democracy is dying.Lorrie Frasure is an Associate Professor of Political Science and African American Studies at UCLA, and Acting Director of the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American St...
2020-11-171h 04Then & NowSpecial Pre-Election Episode: 2012, 2016, 2020. A Long View on Next Tuesday's Presidential Election Featuring Lynn Vavreck and Zev YaroslavskyTwo of the country's -- and UCLA’s -- keenest observers of electoral politics, Lynn Vavreck and Zev Yaroslavsky, join Then & Now to discuss their take on the 2020 election in light of the previous two elections. Lynn Vavreck is the Marvin Hoffenberg Professor of American Politics and Public Policy at UCLA, a contributing columnist to The Upshot at The New York Times, and the author or co-author of five books on electoral politics. Zev Yaroslavsky is the Executive Director of the LA Initiative at the Luskin School of Public Affairs. He served as LA City Council Member from 1975 to 1994, an...
2020-10-2954 minThen & NowAfrican American Women’s Definitions of Success: A Conversation on Homemade Citizenship with Koritha MitchellFrom Frances Harper to Michelle Obama, Black women have faced countless forms of violent aggression at the intersection of racism and sexism. Professor Koritha Mitchell, Literary Historian and Professor of English at Ohio State University, discusses the way these women define and redefine success in the face of this violence, challenging us to see their lives not just through the lens of protest, but through the lens of perseverance and achievement as well. Her book, From Slave Cabins to the White House: Homemade Citizenship in African American Culture, uses this lens to read the experience of Black women throughout...
2020-10-1934 minThen & NowDistinct Histories, Shared Struggles: A Conversation with Prof. Kyle Mays on Indigenous Peoples DayThis special episode on October 12th marks Indigenous Peoples Day. Professor Kyle T. Mays, historian and scholar of Afro-Indigenous studies, urban history, and Indigenous popular culture at UCLA, joins Then & Now to discuss the history and significance of the day, as well as his scholarship tracking the parallel and often intersecting histories of Indigenous and African American communities in the United States. He discusses moments of historical conflict and collaboration between the two communities, and how the shared experience of oppression can support a common agenda for justice today.
2020-10-1240 minThen & NowThe Past, Present, and Future of Traffic Congestion in Los AngelesLos Angeles is infamous for its ubiquitous, sprawling, and congested roads and freeways. Whether driving south on the 405 freeway in the morning, east on Olympic Boulevard in the afternoon, or north on Vermont Avenue in the evening, bumper to bumper traffic defines our streets. But has traffic in Los Angeles always looked this way? What policy efforts have city leaders pursued over the years to alleviate traffic? And what can we learn from history to make it better?Noted traffic expert Martin Wachs, Professor Emeritus of Civil & Environmental Engineering, former Chairman of the UCLA Department of Urban...
2020-10-0545 min
The "Kelsunn-on-the-Air" Social Work PodcastCV-19 Seg. #9 - Dr.Laura S. Abrams, MSW - Chair, UCLA Luskin School of Social WelfareTune in to Segment #9 of This Covid-19 Special which features Dr. Laura S. Abrams: Dr. Abrams is Chair of the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, Social Welfare Department.
Listen as Dr. Abrams discusses among other things, how Covid-19 laid bare the healthcare disparities heaped upon BIPOC Populations. She talks about the connection between those disparities and the racial tensions that boiled over as people across the spectrum took to the streets to declare that things must change. Dr. Abrams masterfully ties all of this together as she discusses her research and the overall impact that the Pand...
2020-09-1047 minThen & NowAre Jews White? A Conversation on Race, Erasure, and Sephardic History with Devin NaarAs the United States continues to experience a national reckoning with its long history of racial inequality, so too a debate has taken hold in the Jewish community about where and whether Jews of Color fit into the communal mainstream. This episode features Devin Naar, Isaac Alhadeff Professor of Sephardic Studies at the University of Washington, who sheds light on this question through the lens of Sephardic Jewish history. He challenges the imposed racial categorization of Jews in the United States, discusses the erasure and exclusion of Sephardic and Mizrahi identity in mainstream Jewish institutions, and proposes a historical...
2020-09-0847 minThen & NowAnnouncementAs we near the start of the 2020-21 academic year at UCLA, Then & Now will be moving to a biweekly schedule. Be sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and to sign up for our emails, to hear about all the great work coming out of the Luskin Center for History and Policy.
2020-08-3101 minThen & NowWomen's Political Empowerment in the U.S. Since the 19th Amendment: A Conversation with Ellen DuboisThis year marks the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which granted and protects women’s right to vote. As we mark this centennial during an election year, UCLA Historian Ellen Dubois, one of the preeminent scholars of the movement for women’s suffrage and author of “Suffrage: Women’s Long Battle for the Vote" (2020), joins us to reflect on the Amendment's legacy. She discusses the tactics suffragists used to advocate for the vote, the political opposition they faced, and the role of race and Black women in the movement. Prof. Dubois al...
2020-08-2444 minThen & NowCruel, Unusual, and Overcrowded: A Conversation on California Prisons with Sharon DolovichThe Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution prevents the government from inflicting "cruel and unusual punishment” on those accused or convicted of a crime. Yet California’s prisons have been overcrowded, rife with violence, and lacking basic healthcare provisions for decades. In the era of COVID-19, this context translates to an infection and death rate well above that of the general population. Governor Gavin Newsom recently announced the early release of thousands of prisoners from custody to mitigate this pandemic, and yet this decision is rife with hurdles of its own.How did we get here? Prof...
2020-08-1754 minThen & NowIs the U.S. Entering an Authoritarian Era? A Conversation with Samuel Moyn and Vera EidelmanIn the wake of the unprecedented election of President Donald Trump, and now punctuated by the COVID-19 pandemic and summer of protests, many scholars and public figures have argued that the U.S. is descending into autocracy. Following the recent violent intervention of federal law enforcement officers in Portland, concerns about the state of America’s democracy have grown.Samuel Moyn, historian and Henry R. Luce Professor of Jurisprudence at Yale University, and Vera Eidelman, staff attorney with the ACLU Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project, join Then & Now to explore the utility of historical analogies, President Trump’s ro...
2020-08-1053 minThen & NowMass Incarceration, Mass Deportation, and the Persistence of White Supremacy: A Conversation with Kelly Lytle HernándezWhat are the roots of mass deportation and incarceration, and what do the two have to do with each other? How can studying these histories allow us to confront and dismantle the racist structures at the center of today’s national conversation? Professor Kelly Lytle Hernández — UCLA historian, activist, author, and recent recipient of the prestigious MacArthur Prize — shares her insights on these vital questions on this week’s episode of Then & Now. She discusses the foundational role of white supremacy and settler colonialism in the establishment of policing and immigration enforcement in the United States. She then discusses...
2020-08-0353 minThen & Now"On The Basis of Sex:" A Conversation about the Supreme Court and LGBTQ Rights with ACLU Legal Director David ColeOn June 15, the Supreme Court ruled that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protects Gay and Transgender individuals from workplace discrimination. ACLU National Legal Director David Cole, who spearheaded the victorious lawsuit, joins Then & Now to discuss this surprise ruling, how the ACLU and its allies framed the argument, what the decision's legal implications are for today, and how the Supreme Court’s approach to discrimination has evolved over time.
2020-07-2738 minThen & NowReimagining Israel-Palestine: A Conversation with Peter Beinart on American Jews, Israel, and the the Principle of Equality for AllThe seemingly intractable Israel-Palestine conflict may well be moving into a new phase, one in which the long-dominant two-state solution is no longer viable or desirable to the parties involved. How did this occur? And what would replace it? Peter Beinart, noted journalist and editor-at-large of Jewish Currents magazine, recently published two pieces in the Jewish Currents and The New York Times about abandoning his own faith in the long-sought two-state solution. Beinart now proposes a vision of equality for all in a single state. He joins Then & Now in conversation with LCHP Director and UCLA professor of J...
2020-07-2055 minThen & NowThe Woman Worker, Reproductive Labor, and the ILO: A Conversation with Eileen BorisWhat is work? Who is a worker? How have women been perceived and treated as workers? Who is deemed “deserving” of benefits, welfare, and pensions, and who gets excluded? Answers to these questions have enormous implications on the the structure of society and policy and how we live our lives. Professor Eileen Boris, Hull Professor and Distinguished Professor of Feminist Studies and Professor of History, Black Studies, and Global Studies at the University of California at Santa Barbara, joins Katherine Marino on Then & Now to discuss the development of the woman worker throughout history, the role of the Int...
2020-07-1352 minThen & NowThe Black Athlete as "Racial Project": A Conversation on Race, Politics, and Sports with Ben CarringtonFrom Jack Johnson to Muhammed Ali, from Tommie Smith to Colin Kaepernick, Black athletes have played a huge role in the social and cultural history of the 20th and 21st centuries. Ben Carrington, sociologist at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, joins Then & Now to discuss the "racial project" of the Black Athlete. He observes how Black athletes have been fetishized, commodified, controlled, and celebrated, sometimes all at once. He compares the long history of this project to the present moment, when Black athletes, both at the professional and collegiate levels, are gaining greater agency over their li...
2020-07-0657 minThen & NowPride, Progress, and Power: A Conversation with Bamby SalcedoThis year marks the 50th anniversary of the first LGBTQ Pride Parade and Festival in West Hollywood. Activist, speaker, and founder of the TransLatin@ Coalition Bamby Salcedo joins Then & Now in conversation with LCHP’s Maia Ferdman to discuss Pride's origins as a protest movement spurred by transgender women of color. She discusses the historic exclusion of the transgender community from the gay liberation movement, some of the persistent challenges facing the transgender community today as a result, and a vision for an inclusive and equitable approach to progress. Learn more about Bamby's work with the TransLatin@ Coa...
2020-06-3043 minThen & NowBella Abzug, Feminism, and Resistance Politics Today: A Conversation with Leandra Zarnow“Battling Bella” Abzug was a Congresswoman, lawyer, and ardent feminist leader — during the 1970s she was one of the most recognizable women in U.S. politics. Abzug biographer and historian Leandra Zarnow joins Then & Now for a conversation with UCLA History Professor Katherine Marino about Abzug’s legacy that touches on an array of pivotal women’s rights policies, the founding of the National Women’s Political Caucus, and an intersectional approach to progressivism. Now, in the era of #MeToo, new political leaders such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and an approaching election with an historic number of female candidates, Zarnow reflects on t...
2020-06-2236 minThen & NowWho Counts in the Age of Corona? A Conversation on Latinx Health with David Hayes-BautistaThe coronavirus is like rain — it falls on everyone, but some communities are better able to protect themselves. In this week’s episode, Dr. David Hayes-Bautista talks with the LCHP's Maia Ferdman about the historical origins of these health inequities and their consequences today. A Distinguished Professor of Medicine and the Director of the Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture (CESLAC) at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Dr. Hayes-Bautista shares his data-driven journey into the study of Latino health, the historical and present-day nuances involved in the study of Latino health, and his...
2020-06-1636 minThen & NowAll is Not Well in the Golden State: The Scourge of White Nationalism in Southern CaliforniaThis week the UCLA Luskin Center for History and Policy releases its report on White Nationalism in Southern California, titled "All is Not Well in the Golden State." We are joined by the authors, Grace Johnston-Glick, James Nee, and Gavin Quan, a team of dedicated UCLA undergraduates who delve into the history, ideology, and present-day implications of white nationalism. As streets across the country are filled with protests over the killing of George Floyd and so many others, we must continue to look to history to fully understand the insidiousness and structural nature of racism in...
2020-06-0235 minThen & NowBending toward Justice? The Arc of Human Rights over the Past 70 Years: A Conversation with Prof. Tendayi AchiumePlease join for an inspiring conversation on Then & Now with Tendayi Achiume, UCLA Law Professor, the Faculty Director of the UCLA Law Promise Institute for Human Rights, and the UN Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism. Prof. Achiume shares her personal history, the historical development of the global human rights movement, the state of racism during the COVID-19 era, and the importance of maintaining hope about making meaningful change in the world.
2020-05-2649 min