Politics and Polls

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#192: The Future of Policing Featuring Alex Vitale Jul 09, 2020

Show notes

In light of the widespread Black Lives Matter protests, Americans are taking a deep look at police violence in the country. Many are demanding a complete transformation of our criminal justice system, tasking America's leaders with delivering tangible policy.

This week, Alex Vitale joins Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang to discuss the Kerner commission, the militarization of policing, and where the country goes from here. Vitale, author of "The End of Policing," explains the deep connection between police violence and racial inequality in America. The trio looks at why police departments are made to deal with homelessness, mental health issues, and medical care, and what could be ahead.

Vitale is professor of sociology and coordinator of the Policing and Social Justice Project at Brooklyn College. He is also a visiting professor at London Southbank University. He has spent the last 25 years writing about policing and consults both police departments and human rights organizations internationally.

#191: The Reopening of College Campuses Featuring Laurence Steinberg Jul 02, 2020

Show notes

With a dramatic uptick of coronavirus cases in many states, studies show young people comprise a disproportionate fraction of new cases. Historically, university students are more likely to take risks, so what will happen when they get back to campus? What do social distancing guidelines look like on a residential campus?

Laurence Steinberg joins Sam Wang to discuss these questions and the future of the campus college experience in a world after the Covid-19 pandemic. Steinberg and Wang discuss social distancing guidelines, federal bailouts for colleges, and remote learning for new and returning students.

Steinberg, Distinguished University Professor and the Laura H. Carnell Professor of Psychology at Temple University, has spent years studying adolescent psychology. He is the author of 450 articles and the author or co-author of 17 books on teenage development.

#190: The State and Health of Our Democracy Featuring David Litt Jun 18, 2020

Show notes

A vexing part of our democracy is that even overwhelmingly popular policies are sometimes not enacted into law because of political stalemates. This not only threatens the stability of our democracy, but also creates disillusionment among voters.

This week, Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang discuss important questions about the health and future of our democracy with David Litt, former speechwriter to President Barack Obama and author of "Thanks Obama: My Hopey, Changey White House Years" and "Democracy in One Book or Less." They touch on Mitch McConnell's "rules of the game," down-ballot elections, and how humor can change minds.

#189: Black Lives Matter, Protests, and a National Shift on Police Reform Jun 11, 2020

Show notes

With nationwide protests in support for the Black Lives Matter movement and growing economic frustration from the Covid-19 pandemic, this election year will surely be eventful.

This week, Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang discuss the Black Lives Matter protests and how social media and technology have boosted the movement. They look into the underlying resentment with, and potential reforms for, the current criminal justice system.

#188: The Fiscal Future of the U.S. Postal System Ft. Historian Richard John Jun 04, 2020

Show notes

The U.S. postal or mail system, the purse strings of which are controlled by Congress, has been running at a deficit for years, calling into question its financial viability. Yet, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the system has taken on greater importance for Americans. In addition, as we look to the 2020 presidential election, its necessity for mail-in voting has erupted into a partisan battle.

Richard John, a historian at Columbia University's School of Journalism, joins Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang to talk about the U.S. postal system's role as a key part of America's infrastructure and the new reality of the challenges it faces.

With expertise in the history of communications, John teaches and advises Ph.D. students and is a member of Columbia's history department. He is the author of "Spreading the News: The American Postal System from Franklin to Morse," which received the Allan Nevins Prize from the Society of American Historians and the Herman E. Krooss Prize from the Business History, and "Network Nation: Inventing American Telecommunications," which won the first Ralph Gomory Book Prize from the Business History Conference and was the 2010 Best Book in Journalism and Mass Communication History.

#187: South Korea's Response to Covid-19 Featuring Asaph Young Chun May 28, 2020

Show notes

When COVID-19 first emerged in South Korea, the country's rapid response and decisive intervention enabled the country to detect cases early, slowing the spread of the infection and controlling mortality rates. Now, the country faces a new spike in cases, leaving many to wonder if a second wave is coming.

Sam Wang and Julian Zelizer discuss South Korea's response to Covid-19 in this episode – recorded live on May 19 – which features Dr. Asaph Young Chun, director-general of Statistics Research Institute in South Korea, the state-run think tank of official statistics and data innovation.

Dr. Chun is faculty chair and director of the Pyongyang Summer Institute for Data Science, Survey Methodology and Interdisciplinary Research and Applications. He is a survey methodologist and sociologist with 25 years of experience in large-scale survey and census research funded by and conducted for U.S. federal agencies, such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the National Center for Education Statistics, Department of Health and Human Service, and National Science Foundation.

#186: Using the 1918 Pandemic as a Blueprint for Today Ft. John M. Barry May 21, 2020

Show notes

In grappling with the Covid-19 pandemic, many scientists and government officials are looking to the 1918 pandemic as a reference point for lessons learned. Also known as the "Spanish Flu," this epidemic was the most sweeping of the 20th century, infecting one third of the world's population, and upending social, political, and economic norms.

John M. Barry, a New York Times best-selling author, joins this episode to discuss his book, "The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History." The book was named the 2004 book by the National Academies of Science, and is garnering current attention given its relevancy to today.

Barry has been recognized in the field of science for his work and has been a source to politicians on both sides of the aisle for his insights on pandemics. He is also the author of several other books, including, "Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How it Changed America," which won the 1998 Francis Parkman Prize for the best book of U.S. history; "Roger Williams and the Creation of the American Soul;" and "The Ambition and the Power: The Fall of Jim Wright: A True Story of Washington."

#185: Female Changemakers in Congress Featuring Jennifer Steinhauer May 14, 2020

Show notes

The 2018 midterm elections were a milestone for women in politics. Not since the 1992 midterm elections— popularly named "the year of the woman" — had so many women, especially from such diverse backgrounds, been elected to the U.S. Congress. Many of these women have emerged as headliners with powerful voices that are reshaping the country's political landscape.

Today, Jennifer Steinhauer, a journalist at The New York Times and author, shares her thoughts on the freshman class of Congress. She is the author of a new book on the subject, "The Firsts: The Inside Story of Women Shaping Congress."

#184: The Demise of the American Dream Ft. Nicholas Lemann May 07, 2020

Show notes

Throughout American history, significant economic changes have had a profound impact on the socioeconomic landscape and political economy of the country. With Covid-19 laying bare some of today's economic inequalities, many wonder if the "American Dream" has all but evaporated.

In this episode, author and academic Nicholas Lemann discusses this and more. Lemann, a staff writer at The New Yorker, is also the author of several books, the most recent of which is "Transaction Man: The Rise of the Deal and the Decline of the American Dream."

Lemann is the Joseph Pulitzer II and Edith Pulitzer Moore Professor of Journalism and dean emeritus of the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University. He also directs Columbia Global Reports, a book publishing venture, and Columbia World Projects, a new institution that implements academic research outside the university.

#183: Economic Inequality and Covid-19 Ft. Sir Angus Deaton Apr 30, 2020

Show notes

Covid-19 has had a disproportionate impact on at-risk populations, shining the spotlight on economic inequality and instability. Issues such as limited access to health care, unemployment, and financial vulnerability are now driving much of the government's response.

Today our guest is Sir Angus Deaton, Dwight D. Eisenhower Professor of International Affairs, Emeritus, and senior scholar at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. Deaton won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 2015. His main interests are in poverty, inequality, health, development, well-being, and the use of evidence in social science and medicine. With Anne Case, he co-authored the recently published book, "Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism."

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