Contested Politics

Episode 1: Clint Borgen: US Foreign Aid

July 05, 2021 00:00 - 22 minutes - 30.3 MB

Global poverty remains one of the largest international crises, especially considering the economic fallout from COVID-19. While many recognize global poverty as a major problem, solutions vary wildly. One commonly proposed solution is US foreign aid to humanitarian organizations. While critics say this promotes US imperialism, proponents argue that it is highly effective at raising the quality of life for millions. Clint Borgen from the Borgen Project joins us to break it all down. ...

Ethan Gutterman: Internet Radicalization

February 22, 2021 00:00 - 27 minutes - 22.8 MB

When QAnon supporters stormed the National Mall on January 6th, many people were left wondering how this could have happened. What would drive someone to adopt such a crazy conspiracy theory? In the era of instant connectivity and unlimited social media websites, it's not hard to find someone else who can push your beliefs in one way or another. The theory of radicalization via social media and the Internet is not new, but its impact is getting bigger and bigger. Ethan Guttermna expl...

William Sepesi: Artificial Intelligence

February 15, 2021 00:00 - 26 minutes - 23.1 MB

It's very easy to feel overwhelmed by the pace of computer development. In just the past few decades, we have gone from simple word processors to talking, learning machines with artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence poses many questions, technical and not. To explore the developmental process, ethics, and questions surrounding artificial intelligence in the modern-day, I sit down with William Sepesi. From game theory to the possibility of a terminator-esque future, we cove...

Katherine Beck: The School to Prison Pipeline

February 01, 2021 00:00 - 20 minutes - 17.3 MB

In the past few years, the term "school-to-prison-pipeline" has been used more and more to describe racism in the American education system. Whether it be zero-tolerance drug policies or the lack of robust extracurriculars, many racial justice advocates point to failures in education as a reason for a booming prison population. While the two institutions seem unrelated, a breakdown of the policies at hand and their unequal application tells a fighting story. As French philosopher Mic...

Isaac Goff-Mitchell: Running Campaigns

January 18, 2021 00:00 - 33 minutes - 29.4 MB

In theory, at the heart of any democracy is winning a majority of the public's support. IAs such, elections are the most direct way for any citizen to influence politics. But in an era of hyper-partisanship, social media, and a global pandemic, running a political campaign has never been more challenging. To understand the ins and outs of how to run a progressive, grassroots campaign, I sit down with the host of The Youth Vote, Isaac-Goff Mitchell. For anyone considering running for ...

Mark Greenberg: Pardons

December 21, 2020 00:00 - 25 minutes - 23 MB

The United States' criminal justice system is highly technical and complex. With various burdens of proof, appeals courts, and legal remedies, it seems odd that the president could simply bypass the whole system. Trump's presidential pardons have become a hot-button topic of late but many of the conversations ignore an important element: the purpose of pardons. To understand why pardons exist and how they function in American democracy, I sit down with UCLA professor Mark Greenberg. ...

Matt Sutton: Drug Decriminalization

December 14, 2020 00:00 - 24 minutes - 21.1 MB

This past election day, Oregon passed an initiative to decriminalize all drugs. In general, drug decriminalization has become a staple ballot initiative, with many states across the nation now permitting marijuana usage of some kind. But what is drug decriminalization and how is it different than drug legalization? To answer all these questions, Matt Sutton from the Drug Policy Alliance explains what happened in Oregon and where the conversation about drugs goes from here.

Thomas Schramm: BDS

December 07, 2020 20:41 - 26 minutes - 22.4 MB

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is arguably the most sensitive geopolitical issue today. With both Israeli and Palestinian immigrants living in the US, American institutions are often forced to confront this issue head-on. And oddly enough, colleges and universities have become a primary battleground with the debate focusing on "BDS". Boycott, Divest, and Sanction has become the main tool used by Palestinian activists in the US to protest Israel. But what is BDS and what does it all...

Teddy Alvarez-Nissen: Social Media Messaging

November 16, 2020 00:00 - 31 minutes - 25.4 MB

By now, it's likely that you have seen some sort of political infographic on social media. It has a pastel background, a few words in a bolded font and claims to break down a political issue in just a few sliding pictures. It's effective spread of information often comes at the cost of reliability and truthfulness. So, is getting our news and information from social media a net good? We sit down with infographic creator Teddy Alvarez-Nissen to understand the process behind infographi...

Second Look 2: The 2020 Election Breakdown

November 09, 2020 00:00 - 27 minutes - 23.8 MB

After days of waiting, it is now safe to say that Joe Biden will be the next president of the United States. While the win is easy to cheer or jeer on it's face, there is a lot to learned from this campaign cycle. From COVID-19 leading to record amounts of mail-in ballots to Georgia now being considered a swing state with Senate elections to come, Adam and Jared break down the lessons learned from the 2020 election.

Ari, Jackson, Adam and Thomas: California's 2020 Propositions

October 12, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 53.7 MB

Confused on the 12 propositions in California this year? We got you covered with a panel who breaks down every prop, covering what each measure does (and doesn't) do and who's funding it. Even if you have already sent in your ballot by mail or don't live in California, this conversation touches on some big issues and reveals nuances in the propositions you likely hadn't noticed before. A big thank you to Ari Stern, Jackson Downey, Thomas Schramm and Adam Hussain for joining me on thi...

Daniel Raimi: Fracking

October 05, 2020 00:00 - 29 minutes - 23.9 MB

With the ever-growing threat of climate change, one of the most difficult environmental issues politicians have to deal with is fracking. Fracking, a form of natural resource extraction, causes clear environmental damage yet is an economic backbone for many places around the country. Presidential candidate Joe Biden has been very careful crafting his policy around this issue so that begs the questions, what is it and why do we use it? Daniel Raimi, a Senior Research Associate at Reso...

Marissa Blum: Verbatim Theatre in the Israel/Palestine Conflict

September 21, 2020 00:00 - 23 minutes - 20.2 MB

As the great author Toni Morrison said “The best art is political and you ought to be able to make it unquestionably political and irrevocably beautiful at the same time.” For today's show I sit down with someone who makes the unequivocally political yet beautiful art Morrison describes. Marissa Blum, who for the past few years has been compiling interviews on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, is writing a play using the words from these interviews. This practice, called verbatim the...

Michael Hankinson: NIMBYism

September 07, 2020 00:00 - 36 minutes - 31 MB

With California's housing crisis at the breaking point, the need for affordable housing is at an all-time high. However, even with monetary support from politicians, projects simply don't get built. The reason: NIMBYism. The ideology of NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) has dominated American suburbs for decades, but it's widespread adoption is causing problems for government infrastructure everywhere. George Washington Professor Michael Hankinson joins us in this special episode to discus...

Gus Gress: The 2020 Census

August 31, 2020 00:00 - 29 minutes - 23 MB

One of the most important duties any person residing in America (not American citizen) can do, besides voting, is completing the Census every ten years. However, despite its importance, there is a consistent under-counting of the population which leads to a whole bunch of problems. To explore the importance and meaning of the Census, activist Gus Gress joins our show and breaks down what every person needs to do by the end of September. Also, to fill out the Census if you haven't don...

Laz Meiman and Mike Monetta: Campaign Finance Reform

August 03, 2020 23:22 - 42 minutes - 33.2 MB

If you've ever heard Bernie Sanders speak, you're probably aware that he is not a fan of "special interests" and SuperPACs. In fact, over 90% of Americans are concerned with the influx of big money in politics. So, to understand how we got here and the path forward, I sit down with cof-founder of How is This Legal, Laz Meiman, and National Director of Wolf-PAC, Mike Monetta in two complementary acts. If you enjoy this episode, please check out @howisthislegal on Instagram and wolf-pa...

Campaign Finance Reform: Laz Meiman and Mike Monetta

August 03, 2020 00:00 - 42 minutes - 33.2 MB

If you've ever heard Bernie Sanders speak, you're probably aware that he is not a fan of "special interests" and SuperPACs. In fact, over 90% of Americans are concerned with the influx of big money in politics. So, to understand how we got here and the path forward, I sit down with cof-founder of How is This Legal, Laz Meiman, and National Director of Wolf-PAC, Mike Monetta in two complementary acts. If you enjoy this episode, please check out @howisthislegal on Instagram and wolf-pac.com to...

Second Look: Episode 1

July 13, 2020 00:00 - 25 minutes - 59.5 MB

On our new segment, Second Look, we revisit some of the topics we recently covered on Contested, including the end of this year's Supreme Court term as well as developments in the Black Lives Matter protests. With so much going on in the news cycle, sometimes it's best to step back and take a "second look" at what is going on in the news.

Katie Mead: CRISPR

July 06, 2020 00:00 - 18 minutes - 17.3 MB

Once a concept only to be found in science fiction movies, gene editing is now making its way into the realm of possibility. However, scientific discovery isn't the only part of the conversation when it comes to CRISPR editing; the bio-ethical questions surrounding gene editing are hardly settled. From the idea of customizing babies to what constitutes a disability, policymakers are torn on how to approach CRISPR. We sit down with Katie Mead to discuss both the scientific process beh...

Jessica Chiriboga: The LGBTQ Community and The Court

June 15, 2020 00:00 - 26 minutes - 61.7 MB

Just days before the landmark Supreme Court ruling that held that LGBTQ folks cannot be fired due to their sexual orientation or gender identity was released, GLSEN National Student Council Member and Supreme Court watcher Jessica Chiriboga gives her thoughts on the case and provides some historical context for previous interactions between the Court and LGBTQ community. During this time where civil rights and social movements are dominating the news, digging into the legal achieves ...

Ari Stern: Title IX and Sexual Assault

June 08, 2020 00:00 - 21 minutes - 16.9 MB

In the midst of news about BLM movements and Covid-19, Education Secretary DeVos' new Title IX guidelines about how to deal with reports of sexual assault and rape on college campuses has flown under the radar. While seemingly technical, these new rules can have a massive impact on college age students. We sit down with Ari Stern to dissect exactly what to expect sexual assualt complaints to look like going forward and the consequences for many young people.

Bayo Collins/Nick Catalano: Police Brutality and George Floyd

June 01, 2020 00:00 - 41 minutes - 32 MB

After the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, protests erupted nationwide to bring light to the longstanding issues of police brutality and systemic racism. However while many are quick to condemn the actions taken by police in Minnesota, protesting methods and policy options at large vary wildly. With some advocating to defund the police and others pushing for in-system reform, there seems to be no universal answer to this disturbing American problem. I sit down with Bayo Collins...

Ben Holtzman/Antonio Herrera: Gun Control

May 25, 2020 00:00 - 28 minutes - 64.8 MB

Since the 1999 Columbine school shooting, gun violence has become an increasingly important issue for young and old Americans alike. However, polices and solutions to the ever-growing gun violence epidemic in America are polarized, with compromise among legislators being few and far between. So for this episode, we sit down with Ben Holtzman and Antonio Herrera to understand both sides of the gun control debate and find where the disagreements lie and where compromise is possible

Albert Fuentes: Utilitarianism

May 12, 2020 00:00 - 23 minutes - 16.2 MB

The iconic trolley problem: a train at an unstoppable speed is headed toward 5 people. You have the ability to change its course, but kill only one person in the process. What do you do? The reason most people will divert the train yet want to open the economy at the risk of thousands all goes back to the moral philosophy of utilitarianism. Philosophy teacher Albert Fuentes gives the low-down on the most good for the most amount of people. Also, the link for my panel discussion on M...

Eric Luo & Zoe Monterola: 6feet Supplies

May 04, 2020 00:00 - 23 minutes - 16.3 MB

When the stay at home order hit the Santa Clarita Valley, two teens saw a problem in their community and created a model charity in response. Fresh off their interview with CNN, I sit down with the founders of 6feet Supplies, Eric Luo and Zoe Monterola. If you are interested in their work, visit their website at 6feetsupplies.com

Zack Ritter: A Conversation on Race (Part 2)

April 27, 2020 00:00 - 16 minutes - 11.5 MB

This episode picks up exactly where Part 1 left off. If you haven't listened to Part 1, please do so before listening to Part 2.

Zack Ritter: A Conversation on Race (Part 1)

April 20, 2020 21:39 - 22 minutes - 15.6 MB

Unlike other episodes thus far, this episode is a straight recording of a conversation I had with Associate Dean of Students at Cal State Dominguez Hills, Zack Ritter. With everything from a Jewish lens on race to historical inequities in America and beyond, this free-flowing conversation has it all. Part 2 will be released next week.

Jad Soucar: Sports Diplomacy

April 13, 2020 00:00 - 14 minutes - 9.64 MB

International relations and diplomatic negotiation is regarded as one of the most strategic elements of politics. With many different tools and strategies at America's disposal, one stands out from all the rest: sports. Jad Soucar explains what sports diplomacy is and why it might be a foreign policy slam dunk.

Jackson Downey: The Wealth Tax

April 06, 2020 00:00 - 19 minutes - 13.4 MB

With income inequality at a near all-time high and a recession brewing, the desire for a solution has led many to support a wealth tax. Jackson Downey explains everything from Elizabeth Warren to art galleries and its relation to the accumulation of wealth in America.