Let’s Find Common Ground

Latest Episodes:

Words That Work: Red States and Climate Change Apr 24, 2021

Show notes

CPF Co-Director Mike Murphy is joined by Congressman Garret Graves, climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe, journalist Bina Venkataraman, and USC professor Wandi Bruine de Bruin to discuss how to communicate the urgency of environmental legislation and encourage bipartisan support for climate change solutions.

Mike Murphy - Co-Director, USC Center for the Political Future; NBC Political Analyst
Garret Graves - U.S. Representative (R-LA)
Katharine Hayhoe - Climate scientist; Founder and CEO of Atmos Research
Bina Venkataraman - Journalist, author, science policy expert
Wandi Bruine de Bruin - USC Provost Professor of Public Policy, Psychology, and Behavioral Science

CPF Fellows Roundtable Series: The Future of Conservative Media Apr 20, 2021

Show notes

In the third installment of the CPF Fellows Roundtable Series of 2021, Spring 2021 CPF Fellows Barbara Comstock and Todd S. Purdum are joined by former Fellow Ron Christie (Fall 2019) to discuss how new far right outlets are challenging Fox News, the influence of these new far right outlets on conservatism, and why conservatives don't trust "mainstream" outlets. This discussion was moderated by CPF Fellows Manager, Harry Burke.

Featuring:

Ron Christie: Former Special Assistant to President George W. Bush and CPF Fall 2019 Fellow

Barbara Comstock: Former U.S. Representative (R-VA) and CPF Spring 2021 Fellow

Todd S. Purdum: Former New York Times Reporter and Staff Writer at The Atlantic; CPF Spring 2021 Fellow

Bridging the Rural-Urban Divide— Ashley Ahearn Apr 15, 2021

Show notes

She lived in liberal Seattle and covered science, climate change and the environment for NPR for more than a decade. Then in 2018, journalist Ashley Ahearn made a big jump, moving with her husband to one of the most conservative counties in rural Washington State.

In this episode of "Let's Find Common Ground," we hear about the profound rural-urban divide in America, and what Ashley discovered about her new neighbors and herself when she switched from the city to the country, now living on a 20-acre property with a horse and a pickup truck. We also discuss how politics and views of the land and climate differ greatly according to where people live.

Recently, Ashley Ahearn launched her 8-part podcast series, "Grouse", which looks at life in rural America through the lens of the most controversial bird in the West— the greater sage-grouse. One of her great passions is storytelling, and helping scientists better communicate their research to the broader public.

Should We Be Aiming for Unity And Ending Toxic Polarization? A Top Expert on Conflict Resolution Weighs In Apr 01, 2021

Show notes

When Joe Biden became president he wanted to bring Americans together, to forge unity. But maybe unity isn’t what we should aim for. Our guest this week says instead of focusing on that elusive goal, Americans need to concentrate on what’s damaging all of us: toxic polarization.

In this episode we look at what toxic polarization is and how to end it, person by person.

Peter Coleman has advised the Biden administration on how to detoxify America. He is a mediator and psychologist who specializes in conflict resolution. A professor of psychology and education at Columbia University, he is the author of the forthcoming book, The Way Out: How to Overcome Toxic Polarization.

CPF Fellows Roundtable Series: The Progressive Future Mar 29, 2021

Show notes

In the second installment of the CPF Fellows Roundtable Series of 2021, Spring 2021 CPF Fellow Shaniqua McClendon is joined by former Fellows Barbara Boxer (Fall 2020) and Dan Schwerin (Fall 2018) to discuss current progressive policies and debates and the future of progressivism in the U.S. This discussion was moderated by CPF Fellows Manager, Harry Burke.

Featuring:

Barbara Boxer: Former U.S. Senator (D-CA) and CPF Fall 2020 Fellow

Shaniqua McClendon: Political Director, Crooked Media and CPF Spring 2021 Fellow

Dan Schwerin: Director of Speechwriting, Hillary Clinton and CPF Fall 2018 Fellow

Apocalypse Then and Now: Millenarian Cults to QAnon Mar 25, 2021

Show notes

CPF Co-Director Mike Murphy is joined by historians Sylvain Piron and Jay Rubenstein, former Congressman Denver Riggleman, and Marley Clements, co-creator of "QAnon: The Search For Q" on Vice, to examine the similarities between the Apocalyptic and Millenarian cults in the Middle ages to modern conspiracies around Y2K and QAnon.

Featuring:

Mike Murphy - Co-Director, USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future
Marley Clements - Documentary filmmaker, political strategist, and co-founder of Bunker Crew Media
Sylvain Piron - Director of Studies and Chair of Intellectual History of Medieval Societies at the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences in Paris, France
Denver Riggleman - Former U.S. Congressman (R-VA); CEO of Riggleman Information and Intelligence Group (RIIG); Author, "Bigfoot... It's Complicated"
Jay Rubenstein - Director, USC Center for the Pre-Modern World and Professor of History at the University of Southern California

Conspiracies Then and Now: Templars and the Deep State Mar 23, 2021

Show notes

CPF Director Bob Shrum is joined by historians Sean L. Field and Julien Théry, filmmaker Kristin Pichaske, and best-selling Author Michael Shermer to discuss the history of the Templars and how similar trends target America’s civic institutions, drawing on events from the Kennedy assassination to 9/11.

Featuring:

Robert M. Shrum - Director of USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future and Carmen H. and Louis Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics

Sean L. Field - Professor of History at the University of Vermont

Kristin Pichaske - Award-winning Filmmaker, "Pulling The Thread;" Associate Professor of Cinema and Television Arts at Columbia College Chicago

Julien Théry - Professor of History at Université Lyon II Louis Lumière in Lyon, France

Michael Shermer - Best-Selling Author and Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine

Conspiracies Then and Now: Comparing the Politics and History of Conspiracy Theories from the Middles Ages to the Modern Mar 22, 2021

Show notes

CPF Executive Director Kamy Akhavan is joined by historians Elizabeth A.R. Brown and Dallas Dennery and psychology experts Sara Gorman and Norbert Schwarz to explore how beliefs in conspiracies shaped the politics and psychology of the medieval world and our current political climate.

Featuring:

Kamy Akhavan – Executive Director, USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future Elizabeth A. R. Brown - Professor Emerita of History at Brooklyn College and The Graduate Center, CUNY Dallas Denery - Author, Professor of History at Bowdoin College Sara Gorman - Mental health expert; Author of " Denying to the Grave: Why We Ignore The Facts That Will Save Us" Norbert Schwarz: Provost Professor, Department of Psychology & Marshall School of Business; Co-Director, USC Dornsife Mind & Society Center

Depolarizing America: Bridging Divides on Campus Mar 18, 2021

Show notes

With American democracy in crisis, can students save the day? For college students it can be frightening to consider the prospects for a better tomorrow. But addressing the problems in our political system will require the next generation to be more engaged and less polarized.

BridgeUSA was formed by college students to tackle the crisis head-on, with campus-based chapters at colleges around the country. This non-profit group hosts discussions and events, champions ideological diversity, teaches constructive engagement, and aims to promote a solution-oriented political culture. BridgeUSA’s chief goal is to develop a new generation of political leaders who value empathy and the common good.

Guests for this episode are Manu Meel, a recent graduate of U.C. Berkeley and Chief Executive Officer of BridgeUSA, and Jessica Carpenter, a senior at Arizona State University, who runs brand management and communications at BridgeUSA.

The Politics of Care Mar 12, 2021

Show notes

Jennifer Hook, USC Sociology Professor, is joined by U.S. Congressman Jimmy Gomez and policy experts Brencia Berry and Vicki Shabo to discuss the state of national paid leave, policy changes under the Biden Administration and ways to advance the issue.

Featuring:

Brencia Berry - Political Director, PL+US Paid Leave For the United States Jimmy Gomez - U.S. Representative (D-CA) Vicki Shabo - Senior Fellow, Paid Leave Policy and Strategy, Better Life Lab at New America Moderated by Jennifer Hook - Professor of Sociology, USC

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