Zócalo Public Square (Video)

How Do We Start a Long-Run Green Boom?

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:01:27 -0800

California has long led the country on environmental initiatives — the state has pledged to produce a third of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. Today, California has an estimated 159,000 green jobs, and over the last 13 years, green jobs have grown by 36 percent, while Californian jobs in general have grown by 13 percent. But despite these forward-looking trends, how can policymakers ensure that the green boom doesn’t quickly go bust, or that the boom benefits all Californians, not just those who can buy Priuses? Zócalo and the New America Foundation invite Collaborative Economics' Tracey Grose, Fresno Sustainability Manager Joseph Oldham, Kaiser Permanente's Kathy Gerwig, Spring Ventures Founding Partner Sunil Paul, Michael P. Wilson of the Berkeley Center for Green Chemistry, and Lisa Margonelli of the New America Foundation to consider how best to develop the economy and preserve the environment in the long run.

Steve Westly, How California Can Lead the Clean Tech Revolution

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:54:32 -0800

Steve Westly is founder and managing partner of The Westly Group. Mr. Westly previously served as the Controller and Chief Fiscal Officer of the state of California, chairing the State Lands Commission and serving on 63 other boards and commissions. During his term, Mr. Westly led an effort to commit more than $1 billion to clean technology investments. Mr. Westly is a former a Senior Vice President at eBay and author of two books on alternative energy and utilities.

John Rich, The Psychological Wounds of Urban Violence

Fri, 5 Mar 2010 21:48:09 -0800

Violence affects young African American men more than any other group. Homicide is the leading cause of death for black men between the ages of 15 and 34. In every major U.S. city, black men are more likely than others to be shot or stabbed. But what about the psychological wounds of trauma? Like victims of combat violence or sexual assault, victims of urban violence often suffer post traumatic symptoms like nightmares, flashbacks and loss of the ability to feel emotions. How does trauma change the lives of these men and feed the cycle of violence? John A. Rich, a MacArthur Fellow and author of Wrong Place, Wrong Time: Trauma and Violence in the Lives of Young Black Men, visited Zócalo to discuss how to prevent and heal the hidden wounds of violence.

Julia Sweig, What Should Americans Know About Cuba?

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 23:19:14 -0800

Americans have long been fascinated by Cuba. A mere 90 miles divide the two countries, and their histories have been entangled since the turn of the last century, when the U.S. occupied Cuba after the Spanish-American war. The countries’ relations only grew more complicated from there. Fidel Castro assumed power in 1959, building a one-party Communist state that controlled land, the economy, and the media. He leaned toward the Soviet Union, spurring everything from near-catastrophic confrontations to comical assassination attempts. Several surges of refugees landed on Florida’s shores, building a vocal presence and political opposition to Castro within the United States. And successive American presidents maintained strict economic and travel sanctions and couldn’t budge the stalemated diplomatic process. Barack Obama has made few concrete changes, despite proclaiming the Cuba policy a "failed” one. What do Americans need to know about Cuba, and what’s next for Cuba and the U.S.? Julia Sweig, author of Cuba: What Everyone Needs to Know and a senior fellow and director for Latin America studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, visited Zócalo to explain recent shifts in Cuban politics, its difficult relations with the U.S. and where both countries should go from here.

Gregg Easterbrook, The Next Economic Boom?

Wed, 3 Feb 2010 23:30:02 -0800

Is it possible to envision the next economic boom while we’re still in a bust? Gregg Easterbrook does exactly that in Sonic Boom, arguing that when we pull out of the current recession, the next period of economic growth will be unlike any we’ve seen before. The trends that have drastically changed our world in the last few decades — the lowering of trade barriers and the expansion of financial markets, the vast technological leaps that speed communication and exchange, the worldwide migration of jobs and job-seekers — are still in their early stages, and have yet to fulfill their transformative power. Gregg Easterbrook visited Zócalo to discuss the next great economic expansion and explain why it will increase interconnectedness and prosperity, while making the world a much less secure place.

Jaron Lanier, Staying Human in a Tech-Driven World

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 23:24:31 -0800

In a little over two decades, the Internet has gone from a singular invention to an indispensable part of human life. Its rules — requisite anonymity, the free posting of information, and the power of the hive mind — have rapidly become norms that are rarely questioned. But much of the web’s standard design, functions, and assumptions rely on decades-old programming decisions that may not make the most sense for users today. Why is the Internet the way it is, and should we change it? Jaron Lanier, author of You Are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto and a longtime Silicon Valley innovator, argues that the Internet’s design — and the nearly religious commitment some technologists have for it — have made for a web that hurts the middle class, contributes to economic crisis, and denigrates intelligence and individual judgment. Lanier visited Zócalo to discuss the flaws and the future of the Internet.

A Celebration of Gourmet Magazine

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 11:37:02 -0800

After 70 years of setting the standard for epicurean living, Gourmet magazine ceased publication in October at the order of its parent, Conde Nast. The magazine cultivated its exalted reputation by a devotion to lush photography, lengthy writing by famed authors, and finely crafted and often complex recipes. The commitment to such quality, and the name of the magazine itself, made it an aspirational and indulgent read for generations of gourmands who understood that food—eating it, cooking it, reading about it—was an art. Despite the subsequent rise of many other food magazines and blogs—often more focused on quick, simple, low-cost recipes than on literary food writing—Gourmet built a strong and diverse brand with books, websites, and television shows, and boasted nearly one million subscribers. Zócalo invites former Gourmet editors Ruth Reichl and Laurie Ochoa, former Gourmet writer Jonathan Gold, and KCRW’s Good Food host Evan Kleiman to look back at the history of Gourmet, the culture it sparked, and the future of the Gourmet brand and American food writing.

How Do We Care for Our Aging Parents?

Tue, 8 Dec 2009 23:12:06 -0800

Keeping our elderly parents healthy, particularly when they have a chronic illness or disability, can be a demanding full-time job. Though 70 percent of all elderly are cared for by family and friends, assisted living and nursing homes fill the gap in care in cases too challenging for even the most devoted families. Long-term care can require close medical attention multiple times a day, combined with assistance performing the basic tasks of daily life, like dressing and bathing, and providing mental health support. Nine million men and women over the age of 65 will need long-term care this year; by 2020, that number will rise to 12 million. The elderly will have a 40 percent chance of entering a nursing home, and about 10 percent of those will stay five years or more. These men and women and their families will face the difficult decision of where to seek and how to manage long-term care. They often have to make these decisions without reliable information about what types of care are available and appropriate, or which facilities and services offer the highest quality care. With the California HealthCare Foundation’s newly-launched ratings website making it easier to find quality long-term care, Zócalo hosted a panel of experts including — Debra Saliba of UCLA, California Culture Change Coalition Executive Director Bonnie Darwin, Gary Passmore of the Congress of California Seniors, and Gretchen Alkema of the SCAN Foundation — to discuss what we should do when we, or our parents, need help making these decisions. This event was made possible by the California HealthCare Foundation.

What Makes an L.A. Writer?

Fri, 4 Dec 2009 23:03:03 -0800

It’s easy enough to characterize a Southern writer, whether by origin or style, by a character’s audible twang or a novel’s focus on regional history. There is even, perhaps, a certain voice that is distinctly New York or Midwestern. But what makes a Los Angeles writer — birthplace, genre, theme? As part of the Guadalajara International Book Fair, Zócalo invited a panel of writers — Laurie Ochoa, Yxta Maya Murray, DJ Waldie, Gary Phillips, and Jonathan Gold — to explore the city, its writers, and its stories. This event was made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts and the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

How Mexican Americans See Mexico

Wed, 2 Dec 2009 23:55:51 -0800

Of all the many immigrant communities that have come to the U.S., Mexicans may have the most unusual experience.

Is the Census Controversial?

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:01:23 -0800

The Census Bureau is fundamental to American democracy — its ten-year counts determine representation in Congress and in the Electoral College, and influence federal and state funding for health, education, transportation, and more. Americans of all political leanings have strong preferences for whom and what they want counted, and obstacles often prevent the Census from making full counts, particularly of minority groups. Some, recalling the Census' history of providing information on various groups for national security reasons, regard the count with skepticism and mistrust. With the 2010 Census looming, Zócalo invites a panel of experts -- including UCI's Jennifer Lee, UCLA's Paul Ong, Jorge-Mario Cabrera of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights Los Angeles, Arturo Vargas of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, and Steve Padilla of the Los Angeles Times -- to consider how the Census works, how it might improve, and why it is relentlessly controversial.

James Morone, Why is the Healthcare Debate So Nasty?

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:00:55 -0800

Every president since Harry Truman has struggled with universal healthcare; the last major victory toward it came over 40 years ago, when Lyndon Johnson created Medicare and Medicaid. Since then, presidents’ efforts either made small advances or suffered overwhelming defeat, as Bill Clinton did. This year, as healthcare reform returns as a number-one issue, James A. Morone, co-author of “The Heart of Power: Health and Politics in the Oval Office,” visited Zócalo to explain universal healthcare reform and how to get it.

Is Assimilation Still A Bad Word?

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 22:02:33 -0800

Zócalo’s panel — including Stanford’s Tomás Jiménez, USC’s Dowell Myers, Peggy Levitt of Wellesley College, and Richard Alba of the State University of New York — explored to what extent immigrants are expected to abandon, or adapt, their native cultures and languages, and what it means to be American.

From Surviving to Belonging

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 22:52:45 -0800

Zócalo invited a panel — including Tamar Jacoby of ImmigrationWorks USA, Gary Gerstle of the University of Maryland, Associate Director of the National Alliance of Latin American & Caribbean Communities Jose Luis Gutierrez, and Duke University's Noah Pickus — to discuss how immigrants come to feel at home in the U.S., and what the native born can do to help.

Luis Alberto Urrea, “Humanity vs. Legality”

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 22:46:44 -0800

Luis Alberto Urrea’s fiction and nonfiction works chronicle the Mexican immigrant experience. Urrea, who now teaches creative writing at the University of Illinois-Chicago, visited Zócalo to explore the experience of moving from south of the border to the Midwest, and the people he meets there.

How Will Climate Change Transform L.A.?

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:22:23 -0700

The landscape that defines Los Angeles also threatens it. For decades, the mountains and hills that encircle the city have trapped pollution in its basins and valleys, leaving low-hanging brown clouds. Teeming with cars, home to the nation’s largest port complex and the world’s seventh largest airport, and trailing behind other cities in annual rainfall, Los Angeles has always been uniquely vulnerable to pollution, and uniquely poised to fight it. Fifty years ago, Angelenos rallied against air pollution, and the city ambitiously began to reduce it. Today, pollution levels are lower than they have been in more than 75 years, but challenges remain as the world begins to confront the specter of climate change. Though Los Angeles has launched an aggressive effort to address global warming, how will the city survive a future of droughts and rising oceans? Zócalo hosts a panel of experts — including CalTech Professor of Environmental Science Tapio Schneider, UCLA Associate Professor of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Alex Hall, Pulitzer Prize winning environmental writer Usha McFarling, and moderator Paul Wennberg — to discuss the challenges Los Angeles faces as temperatures rise, what we can do to address global warming now, and to ask, if Los Angeles and the world continue on their current path, how the city might survive a hotter future. This event was made possible by a generous grant from the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation of Los Angeles.

Taylor Branch, “The Clinton Tapes”

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:59:25 -0700

Between 1993 and 2001, President Bill Clinton joined his friend of over 30 years Taylor Branch for a series of confidential interviews. Keeping much of his staff in the dark, Clinton recorded 78 sessions, each totaling 90 minutes and taking place at night, in the quiet of the White House Treaty Room. The White House diary project, transcribed, ran several thousand pages and became the basis for The Clinton Tapes: Wrestling History with the President. Branch’s work is filled with intimate observations from the president on the day-to-day, the nature of the job, and the major events of his tenure — the war in Bosnia, the effort to reform healthcare, Whitewater. Branch visited Zócalo to talk about the chronicling of his friend’s presidency, the Clinton legacy today, and the importance of keeping the public square alive.

Is This the End of the Doctor’s Office?

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:28:00 -0700

Medical care and convenience don’t usually go together. But the retail clinic aims to change that by doing away with long waits at the doctors’ office and complicated insurance requirements and forms, all while bringing better care to the uninsured and underserved. But critics argue that retail clinics need better regulation and a stronger presence in low-income neighborhoods, and still others suggest that they could be detrimental in instances where patients need more serious attention Zócalo invited a panel of experts -- including Pro Publica’s Charlie Ornstein, Cynthia Stamper Graff, President and CEO of Lindora, Inc.; Mary Kate Scott, founder and CEO of Scott & Company and a professor of health care business and consulting at USC; and Dev Gnanadev, president of the California Medical Association and chief medical officer at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center -- to discuss the retail clinic’s unique model of care and its implications for doctors, insurance companies, and consumers.

An Evening with James Ellroy

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 23:01:15 -0700

James Ellroy, the author of the bestselling L.A. Quartet novels — The Black Dahlia, The Big Nowhere, LA Confidential, and White Jazz — has just concluded another high-selling set of novels: the Underworld U.S.A. Trilogy. Like the prior two volumes, American Tabloid and The Cold Six-Thousand, Ellroy's latest, Blood's A Rover, captures the explosive 1960s, placing Ellroy's strange characters — a Klan-raised, Yale-educated FBI agent, an ex-cop and heroin runner, and a wheelman for divorce lawyers — in the middle of that decade's fierce battles over race, sex, and crime. The great Ellroy visited Zócalo to ballyhoo, consecrate, deconstruct and ridicule his bestselling new novel, and to reflect on the nature of his historical fiction and the America it invents. He chats with his girlfriend, writer Erica Schickel.

Ned Sublette, Speaking Spanish in New Orleans

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:53:03 -0700

Ned Sublette is the author of two books elucidating New Orleans, a city with a uniquely complex history of cultural intermingling. The World That Made New Orleans explores the city’s first century, and the forthcoming The Year Before the Flood takes up Sublette’s personal history with the city, along with the strange final year for the city as we knew it. Sublette discusses the character and culture of New Orleans, then and now. Sublette delivered this keynote address at Zócalo’s conference on Race and Immigration in Post-Katrina America, generously sponsored by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Is Black-Brown the new Black-White?

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:03:42 -0700

News media around the country have scrutinized the relationship between African Americans and Latinos, particularly hints of economic competition and racial tension and violence. Zócalo invited a panel — including journalist Oscar Garza, Duke political science and African American studies professor Paula McClain, Betina Cutaia Wilkinson of Louisiana State University, and USC Annenberg professor and immigration expert Roberto Suro — to focus on the relationship between the groups to see exactly where tensions lie, where cooperation exists, and how it’s changing race in America. This is the first panel from Zócalo’s conference on Race and Immigration in Post-Katrina America, generously sponsored by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

What Do Latinos Mean for Civil Rights?

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:54:51 -0700

Before the massive demographic shift prompted by Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans was a black and white city with an African-American majority city council. Across the country, with Latino immigrants increasing in numbers and making up a key swing population, Zócalo’s panel — including University of New Orleans professor Andre Perry, Syracuse’s Jamie Winders, Stanford’s Laura López-Sanders, and urban and population geographer Anita Drever— considers whether the nation’s newest residents upset the black-white balance and what it means for the country. This is the second panel from Zócalo’s conference on Race and Immigration in Post-Katrina America, generously sponsored by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Jonathan Gold’s Union Station Cocktail Party

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 22:26:19 -0800

Jonathan Gold chats with Cedd Moses of 213 Downtown, Providence chef Michael Cimarusti, Copa D’Oro bartender Vincenzo Marianella, and the Varnish’s Eric Alperin about the uniquely American art of the cocktail.

Peter Maass, “The Curse of Oil”

Wed, 7 Oct 2009 23:04:47 -0700

Every unhappy oil-producing nation is unhappy in its own way. But each is touched by what’s known as the resource curse — the power of oil to harm rather than help the countries that possess it. Around the world oil vastly enriches small ruling classes, degrades the environment, and destabilizes political and economic institutions as prices fluctuate. Peter Maass, New York Times Magazine writer and author of Crude World, visits Zócalo to explore the consequences of gas-guzzling, the paradox of plenty, and how to cure our addiction to oil.

Mark Kleiman, “When Brute Force Fails”

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 23:52:28 -0700

Since the 1960s, the U.S. prison population has increased fivefold. Prisons today hold one inmate for every one hundred adults — a record rate in American history, and one unmatched by any other country. But despite the high prison population, crime has stopped falling. Punishments can seem random in their severity and implementation, minorities and the poor still disproportionately become victims and inmates, and enforcement — particularly of probation and parole — is haphazard. How can crime be controlled? UCLA Public Policy professor Mark Kleiman, author of When Brute Force Fails, visited Zócalo to offer a new strategy for cutting crime, reducing the prison population, and still enacting swift, certain, and fair punishment.

Tom Vanderbilt, “Is Traffic Curable?”

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 23:54:46 -0700

Traffic can seem like a law of the universe: an ever-present, incontrovertible, inexplicable force. Back-ups simply happen, the other lanes always move faster, and nearby drivers are consistently inept. But traffic has a comprehensible logic — particular physical dynamics rule the flow of cars; psychology governs drivers’ assumptions and actions; and laws and technology underpin attempts at efficiency and safety on the road. Tom Vanderbilt, author of Traffic: Why We Drive The Way We Do and What It Says About Us, visits Zócalo to explore how human nature, our relationship to our built urban environment, and a host of other complex physical, psychological, and social interactions create the phenomenon of traffic.

An Evening with Justice Carlos R. Moreno

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 23:19:12 -0700

As an Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court, Carlos R. Moreno sits on one of the country’s most innovative and followed state courts. Appointed in 2001, Moreno, the court’s only Democrat and a son of immigrants, has, as The New York Times put it, carved out principled yet empathetic positions that have won him high regard on the left and the right. He has upheld the right of counties to ban gun shows on county property, the right of consumers to sue corporations, and he has confirmed sentences in most death penalty appeals. And only days after he was being considered a candidate for the U.S. Supreme Court, Moreno issued the lone dissent in the Court’s decision to uphold Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage. Moreno visits Zócalo to discuss with UCI School of Law professor Henry Weinstein his work on the court, his advocacy on behalf of foster children, and his rise from the Solano Avenue neighborhood to the highest court in the state.

Should Medical Tourism Go Global?

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 23:51:10 -0700

As healthcare costs rise and job losses leave many uninsured, Americans turn abroad for medical care. Is globalized medicine an efficient way to provide care at lower costs? And what does the trend say about our healthcare system, and how it might improve quality while increasing affordability? Zócalo hosted a panel of experts—including Arnold Milstein, U.S. Health Care Thought Leader, Mercer, John A Gillean, senior vice president and chief medical officer of CHRISTUS Health, Elizabeth A. Martinez, associate professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Peter Hayes, health benefits strategist at Hannaford Bros. Co—to discuss the future of medical tourism. This event was made possible by a generous grant from the California HealthCare Foundation.

Los Angeles vs. Berlin: How Should New Cities Deal With Their Pasts?

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:28:30 -0700

It could be said that Los Angeles has too little history and Berlin has too much. Los Angeles sits on the western edge of the New World, barely inhabited until a population boom this century, but the historical home to a series of seekers — from colonizers to immigrants to would-be movie stars and oil prospectors — who made homes in the city as they erased its past, particularly its Mexican roots. Berlin sits in the center of the Old World, the site of centuries of conflict, the most recent of which left the city divided, in ruins. But both cities today are in a moment of transition. Berlin is still being built, or rebuilt, after reunification two decades ago as the center of a newly united Europe. Los Angeles has recently faced a major wave of immigration, a sprawling eastward expansion and downtown renaissance, and a severe economic bust. How should Berlin and Los Angeles — where residents daily encounter and interact with the vestiges of history, the ghostly sites of demolition, and the clatter of construction — build for the future? Zócalo hosted a panel of historians and architects — including moderator Peter Tokofsky of the Getty Museum, Roger Sherman of Roger Sherman Architecture & Urban Design; urban historian Greg Hise; GRAFT Architects Founding Partner Wolfram Putz; Dorothee Brantz of the Technische Universität; and Niklas Maak, architecture critic for Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung — to discuss what to preserve of the past, what to pave over, and how to plan and build civic identities for two notoriously changing cities. This event was made possible by a generous grant from the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation of Los Angeles.

What Does Armageddon Look Like?

Thu, 9 Jul 2009 23:12:48 -0700

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has called California’s looming budget crisis a fiscal armageddon waiting to strike. Now, as major cuts are inevitable, doomsday seems to have come to California, particularly to its poorest. The one-million-plus Californians on CalWorks, the state’s main welfare program, could lose monthly income. Support for those who care for disabled Californians is set to be slashed. MediCal programs, children’s welfare payments, and student financial aid have all been proposed targets for cuts, severely impacting Californians who were struggling even before the recession hit. Zócalo invites a panel of experts -- including journalist Marta Russell, Mike Herald of the Western Center on Law & Poverty, Michelle Wolf, a parent of disabled child, Gloria Rodriguez, president and CEO of the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County, and State Senator Gil Cedillo -- to discuss with moderator Joe Mathews the long-term effects of the Armageddon budget cuts on the neediest Californians, and on the state’s overall health.

Was Pete Wilson Right?

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:53:43 -0700

Pete Wilson’s California wasn’t too different from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s. The state’s education system lagged behind the rest of the country, interest groups had a tight grip on Sacramento, healthcare costs were rising, and the economy was the worst it had been since the Great Depression. While Wilson may be best remembered for his more controversial stances—like supporting Proposition 187, which sought to refuse services to illegal immigrants—he also managed to pass budgets and break partisan stalemates, ultimately leaving his successor a budget surplus. Ten years after he left office, at a time when many claim California is ungovernable, Pete Wilson visited Zócalo to chat with moderator Joe Mathews about budgets, interest groups, and how he might address the problems the state faces today.

An Evening with Mexican Ambassador Arturo Sarukhán

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:31:38 -0700

Mexico and the United States share a centuries-long history, a dynamic border region and a vibrant economic relationship. The interconnectedness of the U.S. and Mexican economies is undeniable. When the North American Free Trade Agreement was implemented on January 1, 1994, the two neighbors, along with Canada, created one of the world's richest and largest trading blocs. Mexican-Americans are an influential and prominent part of U.S. society and presidents of both countries have encouraged good neighborly relations. But the flow of undocumented immigrants from Mexico has provoked sharp controversy, prompting the U.S. to fortify its southern border and crack down on workers and employers as lawmakers in Washington stalemate on comprehensive immigration reform. Unprecedented bilateral cooperation on border security and intelligence since 9/11 has been overshadowed by the struggle both countries are waging against drug-related crime as Mexico in particular leads an intense fight against organized crime. In the early 21st century, Mexico and U.S. are as important to one another as ever before. At a time when greater collaboration is vital, Arturo Sarukhán, Ambassador of Mexico, visits Zócalo to examine this unique relationship and discuss shared challenges and opportunities of the future.

Daniel Hernandez, “How Does Mexico Survive?”

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:34:23 -0700

Swine flu, a contracting economy, rising unemployment, a wild and bloody conflict with drug traffickers, the constant threat of natural disasters and ransom kidnappings—Mexico faces several serious challenges. Since the contested 2006 presidential election there, the country has suffered crisis after crisis, constantly testing the Mexican people’s ability to realign their everyday lives. Some seek economic refuge in the United States, but most remain home, adapting, tuning out, dancing with Death. Daniel Hernandez, a former Los Angeles Times and LA Weekly writer who has spent the past 18 months blogging Mexico City, visits Zócalo to share his insights on that sprawling capital, its youth culture, and the alternately defiant and detached, resigned and resistant approaches of Mexican people to threats always looming.

Deyan Sudjic, “Why We Lust For Objects”

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 22:54:55 -0700

From sleek laptops to shiny new cars, objects enthrall us. Objects seem capable of manipulation and seduction, building and sustaining a desire for design, even over performance, function and a fair price. Deyan Sudjic, Director of the Design Museum London and author of The Language of Things: Understanding the World of Desirable Objects, visits Zócalo to explore the power of design and what it means for art and commerce.

Alain de Botton, “The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work”

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 22:07:32 -0700

Work is universal. We spend most of our lives at work -- in offices and factories, warehouses and ports, rocket launch pads and power stations -- rarely discussing what exactly we do and why. After exploring the working worlds of occupations both familiar and unfamiliar, Alain de Botton, author of How Proust Can Change Your Life, The Art of Travel, and The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work, visited Zócalo to discuss work and what it all means.

Robert Wright, “The Evolution of God”

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:06:29 -0700

Is God good or bad? In both the Bible and the Koran, God’s mood seems to swing randomly between belligerence and benevolence. But the scriptures, read carefully, reveal a subtle pattern in these moods, a pattern that is key to understanding the evolution of the great monotheistic faiths. In an era when the perceived divisions between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam spark violent conflict, understanding the deep parallels between the faiths--and the forces that can move them to a higher moral plane--is crucial to building a peaceful world. Robert Wright, a Senior Fellow at the New America Foundation and the author of The Moral Animal, Nonzero, and the just-published The Evolution of God, visits Zócalo to discuss the birth and growth of the Abrahamic God.

How Do We Close California's Education Gap?

Wed, 3 Jun 2009 23:20:30 -0700

Forty years ago, California's higher education system was the envy of the nation. It´s bold strategy welcoming any resident who wanted to learn led to a doubling of enrolled students, and sparked similar efforts across the country. California ranked high among other states for its share of working adults with a bachelor´s degree. But that figure has declined sharply in the decades since. According to new research by the Public Policy Institute of California, by 2025, the state will fall nearly one million college graduates short of serving its economic needs. With dire California budget crunch, vast demographic shifts including the retirement of the Baby Boomer generation and the influx of immigrants, and the ongoing struggle for stronger secondary education, California needs to recall and possibly adapt its long-heralded higher education vision. What prompted California´s fall from higher education excellence, and how can it be reversed? Zócalo and the Public Policy Institute of California host a panel including Los Angeles Times editorial pages editor Jim Newton, Campaign for College Opportunity Executive Director Michele Siqueiros, UCLA professor Gary Orfield, and PPIC Associate Director Hans Johnson on the history and future of higher learning in California.

Can L.A. Solve Homelessness?

Wed, 27 May 2009 23:32:01 -0700

Los Angeles is the homeless capital of the nation, with 73,000 homeless men, women and children living on our streets on any given night. Though the number of homeless in Los Angeles has declined over the last few years, it has not declined as sharply as populations in other cities, like New York, which has fewer homeless but has devoted more funding to the cause. What can Los Angeles learn from cities like New York and Washington D.C., which have both reduced homelessness by emphasizing housing first and providing comprehensive care to address root causes? Zócalo hosts a panel of experts -- including United Way of Greater Los Angeles president Elise Buik, Mike Alvidrez, Executive Director for Skid Row Housing Trust, Becky Kanis, Director of Innovations for Common Ground in New York, and Chet Grey, Homeless Services Director of the Washington D.C. Business Improvement District -- on the question of whether homelessness is solveable, and if so, how Los Angeles can get its homeless population off the streets.

Richard N. Haass, "When Should the U.S. Go to War?"

Mon, 18 May 2009 22:56:21 -0700

Though both Iraq wars aimed to reign in Saddam Hussein, and both were run by men named Bush, the two conflicts were drastically different in planning and implementation. The first was a necessary war of limited scope that won broad international support and was well-executed. The second was a war of choice. Its ambitions were broad, its strategy poorly conceived and implemented. Richard N. Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations and author of War of Necessity, War of Choice: A Memoir of Two Iraq Wars, draws on his experience as a senior-level strategist during both Iraq wars to explain the lessons these wars have taught us..

What Comes After Newspapers?

Thu, 7 May 2009 23:29:42 -0700

Will a new model or medium rise to do what newspapers have aimed to do for decades--pursue accuracy and objectivity, doggedly investigate stories, act as a check on power? Or will the demise of newspapers mean a radical shift in what we know and how we know it? Zócalo hosts a panel--including former Washington Post managing editor Steve Coll, Slate founder Michael Kinsley, San Francisco Chronicle executive vice president and editor Phil Bronstein, and National Public Radio media correspondent David Folkenflik--to discuss the decline of print media and the future of journalism.

When Johnny Comes Marching Home: Caring for Veterans

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 23:02:12 -0700

Tens of thousands of American soldiers have suffered injuries in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, including traumatic brain injury, chronic pain, and mental health problems. Zócalo hosts a panel of medical and military experts -- including Jennifer Sinclair, sister of an Army captain who served in Iraq, Army Major Gen. (Retired) Paul E. Mock, David Webb, chief of environmental and military medicine at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center Long Beach, and Los Angeles Times veterans affairs reporter Jia-Rui Chong -- to discuss how to heal the minds and bodies of returning soldiers.

Los Angeles vs. Las Vegas: Which is the Most Unreal City in America?

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 22:07:20 -0700

Los Angeles and Las Vegas are cities founded on fantasy—narratives of youthful glamour, the languor of palm and pool dotted landscapes, the ease of private automobile transport, the promise of self-invention and easy fame and power. They share city plans designed according to car culture. And they grow toward each other as they expand into the Mojave Desert. But reality has hit both cities: water grows scarce, space is tighter, cars clog roads and pollute the air, and money is disappearing. Zócalo hosts a panel of experts—including William L. Fox, Director of the Center for Art + Environment at the Nevada Museum of Art, architect and University of Washington assistant professor Nicole Huber; writer, curator and former director of the Las Vegas Art Museum Libby Lumpkin; and educator, author and architect Ralph Stern—to discuss the two parallel cities.

Remembering Charles Mingus

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 22:54:01 -0700

From his first concert piece, written when he was 17, to his expansive, 19-movement, 4,000-measure opus “Epitaph,” Charles Mingus built a remarkable legacy as a jazz bassist, band leader, and composer. Thirty years after his death, Zócalo hosts a panel -- featuring music and culture journalist Oscar Garza, music producer Hal Willner, writer Emory Holmes II, Mingus contemporary and friend William "Buddy" Collette, and the jazz great's son Eric Mingus, also a musician -- to discuss the jazz great.

An Evening with Wangari Maathai

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 23:38:02 -0700

The troubles of Africa today are severe and wide-ranging. The continent is more dynamic and its problems more intricate than that, blocked by bottlenecks at the international, national and individual levels. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Wangari Maathai—founder of the Green Belt Movement, author of The Challenge for Africa and longtime environmental and democracy advocate—visits Zócalo to discuss her life’s work and her vision for Africa.

Leslie Gelb, “How Common Sense Can Rescue American Foreign Policy"

Wed, 8 Apr 2009 22:46:04 -0700

Despite proclamations of a flat world, the utility of soft power, or the start of the post-American era, power still matters. It’s still about carrots and sticks, and the U.S. still has it. Washington has wisely used its power at critical moments over the last 50 years to preserve American and global security, and the U.S. today remains an indispensable leader because it alone can galvanize coalitions to solve major international problems. President Emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations Leslie H. Gelb, also a former New York Times correspondent and author of Power Rules, visits Zócalo to explain how American power works, and how it should be used in a tumultuous world.

John Fante’s 100th Birthday

Tue, 7 Apr 2009 23:38:52 -0700

Discovering John Fante is like tasting garlic for the first time. He is a quintessential Los Angeles writer. H.L. Mencken, John Steinbeck, Charles Bukowski, Robert Towne and Francis Ford Coppola number among the many fans who swear by Fante, who might have turned 100 this year. A panel of fans and scholars -- including Fante biographer Stephen Cooper, KCRW’s Frances Anderton, Esotouric co-founder Richard Schave, and Fante’s children Victoria Fante-Cohen and Jim Fante -- visited Zócalo along with moderator David Kipen to celebrate the work of John Fante.

An Evening with Craig Newmark, in Hollywood

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 23:34:42 -0700

craigslist.org may be the only site where you can get anything you need for life cheap, or even for free. The free community classifieds service, launched as an email listserv for San Franciscans in 1995, helps over 50 million monthly users find homes, jobs, cars, stuff, spouses, friends and flings. The site's simple design and old age (in Internet company years) hasn't kept it from being at the pulse of online life. Founder Craig Newmark visited Zócalo to talk with moderator and L.A. Times editorial writer Jon Healey about how craigslist grew, and how internet access and participation can change the way our country runs.

An Evening with Craig Newmark in San Francisco

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 22:27:50 -0700

craigslist.org may be the only site where you can get anything you need for life cheap, or even for free. The free community classifieds service, launched as an email listserv for San Franciscans in 1995, helps over 50 million monthly users find homes, jobs, cars, stuff, spouses, friends and flings. Founder Craig Newmark visited Zócalo to talk about the web and social change, net government transparency, and political causes like supporting veterans and building a stable environment for peace on the West Bank.

Lennard Davis, “Is Obsession a Post-Modern Disease?”

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 22:42:25 -0700

We live in an age of obsession. To be obsessive is to be American; to be obsessive is to be modern. But obsession is not only a phenomenon of modern existence: it is a medical category — a pathology. Its current form, known as OCD, has been cited by the World Health Organization as the fourth most common mental disorder in the world. How did OCD reach epidemic level when a mere 45 years ago it was considered extremely rare? University of Illinois at Chicago professor Lennard Davis, author of Obsession: A History, visits Zócalo to explain obsession’s growth, its treatment, and its complex origin and deep cultural roots.

Is Higher Education Only for the Rich?

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 23:08:12 -0700

Students of means have always had an advantage getting into college — they attend the best high schools and study under the best teachers — but have the scales become too imbalanced in favor of the wealthy? As the economic downturn crimps the student loan market and makes college even harder to afford, a panel of higher education experts -- including Los Angeles Community College District Board President Kelly Candaele, Inside Higher Ed Editor Scott Jaschik, UCLA professor Patricia M. McDonough, author of Choosing Colleges: How Social Class and Schools Structure Opportunity, and Bruce Poch, Dean of Admissions at Pomona College -- visited Zócalo to discuss whether higher education has become inaccessible to all but the rich.

Is Human Psychology Driving the Recession?

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 22:28:36 -0700

From blind faith in ever-rising housing prices to fearful mistrust of capital markets, powerful psychological forces seem to be endangering the global economy. Are so-called “animal spirits” — the term John Maynard Keynes used to describe the gloom that led to the Great Depression and the psychological shift that pulled us out of it — behind today’s financial crisis? George Akerlof, a Nobel laureate, and Yale University economics professor Robert Shiller visit Zócalo to discuss overconfidence in capitalism, modern snake-oil salesmen, and how to fix the economy to ease the influence of each.

Can Food Really Be Authentic?

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 22:53:59 -0700

Authenticity is a virtue many of us prize in our restaurants. But Los Angeles is also a city where the California roll was born and the best pizza hews to a standard more Californian than Neapolitan. A panel of Los Angeles’ best-known chefs -- including Nancy Silverton of Mozza; Roy Choi of KoGi, Jimmy Shaw of Loteria Grill and Sarintip "Jazz" Singsanong of Jitlada -- visited Zócalo to discuss with moderator and Pulitzer-Prize-winning food critic Jonathan Gold what it means for food to be authentic, and whether the pursuit of authenticity is worth it.

The Age of Rage: Is the Internet Making Us Mean?

Wed, 4 Mar 2009 23:56:01 -0800

If any single mood characterizes the emotional climate of the 21st century, it’s anger, particularly media rage—indignant cable news pundits, rancorous bloggers and the apoplectic comments they engender. Our society appears to be choking on the bile of its own discontent. Dick Meyer, author of “Why We Hate Us: American Discontent in the New Millennium,” and Time magazine writer Lev Grossman visit Zócalo to discuss the new anger.

How Will Labor Discord Change Hollywood?

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:14:14 -0800

Following up on last year's panel on the Writers Guild of America strike, Zócalo’s panel of Hollywood and high-tech experts -- including AFTRA National Executive Director Kim Roberts Hedgpeth, actress Kathryn Joosten, actor Ron Ostrow, UCLA’s David R. Ginsburg, Veoh Founder and Chief Innovation Officer Dmitry Shapiro and TroyGould entertainment attorney Jonathan Handel -- explores how Hollywood will handle negotiations and divide revenue during its transition to the digital age.

John Cacioppo, "Loneliness: Why We Need Social Connection"

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 22:45:11 -0800

Despite tallies of Facebook friends or Evites in inboxes, loneliness happens. It can strike us while we’re dining at a table of one, taking a long solo journey, or even while we’re with family and friends. The lonely feel more depressed, more deeply addicted, and are more easily angered. Why does loneliness hit and why does it hurt? Humans have evolved, thanks to the long period of abject dependency of our offspring, as social beings, with brains wired for communication and empathy. Forming and maintaining social connections—from romantic partners to families, communities, cities, and civilizations—is essential to our survival. John Cacioppo, director of the Center for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience at the University of Chicago and co-author of Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection, visited Zócalo to discuss the evolutionary basis of human relationships and why they matter.

What Happens When California’s Cash Runs Out?

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:58:16 -0800

It's all but certain that the state government will run out of money this year. Even if the legislature and governor somehow reach an agreement on budget cuts or tax increases, any solution likely will come too late to prevent a cash crunch. This is uncharted territory for California. What happens if the state goes broke? A panel of California’s top fiscal and economic experts — including State Controller John Chiang, New America Foundation Senior Scholar Mark Paul, and Peter Taylor of Barclays Capital— visited Zócalo to discuss with moderator Joe Mathews how this quasi-bankruptcy will impact state finances, public services, and Californians.

A Screening and Q&A with Director Scott Hamilton Kennedy and Daryl Hannah

Mon, 9 Feb 2009 10:40:58 -0800

After the devastating L.A. riots in 1992, the South Central Farmers worked to heal one of the country’s most blighted neighborhoods by planting a garden, letting families grow their own food and rebuild their community. But the fourteen-acre site became the subject of a fierce and ongoing dispute between the mostly immigrant farmers and the developer who bought the land below market price and planned to build a warehouse on it. Capturing the story of the country’s largest urban farm, Scott Hamilton Kennedy, producer and director of the Oscar-nominated documentary “The Garden,“ visits Zócalo to screen his work and discuss with actress and environmentalist Daryl Hannah and South Central Farmers activist Tezozomoc the crucial issues it raises about development, environment, power, money and race in Los Angeles.

An Evening with Bill Bratton

Mon, 2 Feb 2009 22:34:41 -0800

Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton has been leading the force for more than twice as long as he served in the same capacity in New York, the city where he firmly cemented his reputation as “America’s Top Cop” and put himself on the short list for high-level law-enforcement jobs around the world. Bratton’s time in L.A. has given him the chance to move beyond being a "turnaround" specialist, putting longer-term plans into place that have led to consistent and significant reductions in crime. Bratton visits Zócalo to talk about his tenure and its impact on the LAPD, the agency’s goals and challenges, and his plans for the future.

Amy Chua, "The Rise and Fall of Hyperpowers"

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 22:27:18 -0800

Forget superpowers. Hyperpowers are what count, dominating not just their part of the world but the entire breadth of it with their military might and cultural range. The U.S. is the seventh hyperpower in history. Yale Law School’s John Duff Jr. Professor of Law Amy Chua, author of Day of Empire, visits Zócalo to discuss the extraordinary hyperpowers of the past and the fate of the American power in the 21st century.

Do all Novels by Women Get Packaged as Chick Lit?

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 23:22:06 -0800

Not all fiction by contemporary female authors concerns itself with stiletto heels, Martini glasses, or wedding gowns. But in the last decade, material written by women--particularly white, middle-class American women--is increasingly assumed to be a lesser literary endeavor than similar projects by men. From the shocking dearth of female bylines in magazines like Harper's and The Atlantic to novels that are automatically deemed "beach reads" because they feature female characters, we seem to be in the midst of a troublingly sexist cultural moment. Are women the victims of a male-centered world of letters, or do they purposefully choose stories that lack philosophical or sociological heft? Authors Elisabeth Robinson and Laura Zigman visit Zócalo to talk with Los Angeles Times columnist Meghan Daum about whether women could do more to close the literary gender gap.

Martin Luther King's Legacy in the Age of Obama

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 23:21:53 -0800

Barack Obama is said to be the fulfillment of King's dream, the post-racial candidate perfect for helping the country transcend the divide between black and white. But Louis Chude-Sokei and Robin D.G. Kelley beg to differ in their Zócalo dialogue. Hear Chude-Sokei, author of The Last "Darky": Bert Williams, Black-on-Black Minstrelsy, and the African Diaspora, and Kelley, author of Freedom Dreams: The Black Radical Imagination, discuss King's still unfulfilled legacy, and what Obama's election does mean for the country.

Matt Miller, "The Tyranny of Dead Ideas"

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:15:24 -0800

In the face of global competition and rapid technological change, the American economy will soon face its most severe test in nearly a century--one that will make the recent turmoil in the financial system look like a modest setback by comparison. Matt Miller, host of KCRW's "Left, Right & Center" and a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, visited Zócalo, arguing that our leaders have failed to prepare us for what lies ahead because they cling to old truisms about how a modern economy works. Exploring themes from his new book, "The Tyranny of Dead Ideas," Miller discusses what he considers the greatest threat to our economic future: the things we think we know--but don’t.

How Will Non-Profits Survive?

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 23:10:31 -0800

Like nearly everyone else, those working in non-profit organizations are concerned with the bleak economic forecast: a diminished public purse, shrunken private foundation portfolios and donor wallets slapping shut. Yet in the fretting corridors outside conference centers, community rooms and local meeting halls nationwide, it’s actually possible to detect a heartening and persistent belief in the resilience of the non-profit sector. What causes some leaders, social entrepreneurs, community activists and service providers to possess such impertinent optimism and to entertain bold ideas and possibilities when the economy appears so grim? A panel of experts--the Weingart Foundation's Fred Ali, California Black Women's Health Project founder Frances E. Jemmott, United Way's Alicia Lara, L.A. Health Action's Yolanda Vera and USC's Adlai Wertman—chatted with moderator Paul Vandeventer at Zócalo to discuss what lies ahead for nonprofits and how they can survive.

Does America Need an Integration Policy?

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:25:01 -0800

The Statue of Liberty’s pedestal lays claim to "world-wide welcome," but U.S. immigration policy has, since its inception, been a muddle of conflicting attitudes towards immigrants and their place in American society. While our nation does not demand ethnic homogeneity, we are deeply divided over how newcomers should assimilate and offer little support to arrivals eager to become American. Tomás Jiménez, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Stanford University, sits down with Alfonso Aguilar (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services), José Luis Gutiérrez (Illinois Office for New Americans), Laureen Laglagaron (Migration Policy Institute), and Urban Planning Professor Dowell Myers (USC) to ask what government should do to bridge the gap between immigration and integration. Should we offer immigrants more help in adjusting to their new country? Or does the American dream need to be strictly self-service?

Immigration and the Changing Picture of California

Fri, 5 Dec 2008 00:21:21 -0800

Before National Geographic, before the Discovery Channel, Carleton Watkins set the standard for sweeping panoramic photographs of the American West, from vast Yosemite to booming San Francisco. Bob Sipchen, editor of Sierra magazine, leads a panel discussion based on the groundbreaking Getty Center exhibition, "Dialogue among Giants: Carleton Watkins and the Rise of Photography in California." Panelists include Getty Research Fellow Ken Gonzales-Day, UCSD historian Nayan Shah, and Matthew Garcia from Brown University. They explore the dynamic relationship between nature, immigration, and development. How does California's physical environment attract inhabitants and how has it been re-shaped by their efforts to build communities they can call home?

The Making of the Obama Administration

Tue, 2 Dec 2008 23:38:34 -0800

Within weeks of winning the presidential election, Barack Obama has begun to assemble his administration, starting with those charged with addressing the economic crisis and national security. But he still has several key appointments to go. Three former Clinton administratoin officials -- former Deputy Secretary of Defense Rudy deLeon, former Deputy Chief of Staff Maria Echaveste, and former Deputy Assistant to the President John Emerson -- join moderator Eric Garcetti at Zócalo to discuss the decisions Obama has made so far, what difficult choices await, and how his transition signals what sort of president he will be.

Who was Dashiell Hammett?

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 12:04:18 -0800

We can be forgiven for thinking of Dashiell Hammett as a San Francisco writer. The Maltese Falcon takes place in Northern California, where Hammett somehow transformed himself from a tubercular detective for the Pinkerton Agency into a novelist for the ages. But Hammett’s roots in Los Angeles run deep. Here, in the 30s, he worked on several pictures while under contract to the studios. Here he began his lifelong affair with Lillian Hellman. And here he returned frequently over the years to visit his beloved daughters. Zócalo and the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs brought together a panel of writers, family members, and scholars to culminate L.A.’s month-long celebration of this great California novelist. Among the mysteries discussed, if not solved: Why did Hammett fall creatively silent for the last three decades of his life? Why is there no movie version of ‘The Red Harvest’? How did he influence the L.A. Noir scene? And the ultimate, unanswerable question: Hammett or Chandler?

Christopher Caldwell: What is Europe’s problem with Islam?

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 23:01:18 -0800

Europe has received a wave of immigration from the global south in recent decades, similar in scope to the US—but very different in its results. Many immigrant and second-generation communities, particularly those hailing from the Muslim world, have astronomical unemployment rates and a thin connection to European identity. Some have produced riots and terrorism. If Europe has an Islam problem, whose fault is it? Is Islamic belief and culture incompatible with Western institutions? Or is there such a thing as “Islamophobia,” poisoning immigrants’ efforts to integrate on European terms? Christopher Caldwell, who writes for the Financial Times, The New York Times Magazine and The Weekly Standard, visits Zócalo to talk about themes from his upcoming book, Reflections on the Revolution in Europe: Immigration, Islam and the West.

Is Post-9/11 Border Security Hurting America?

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:52:25 -0800

Since the attacks of September 11th, the United States has tried to build new border defenses to keep out terrorists without stifling the flow of people and ideas from abroad, which have always contributed to our country’s dynamism. But have these new measures cut America off from the world and discouraged the globe’s best and the brightest from coming here? Council on Foreign Relations senior fellow Edward Alden visited Zócalo to assess the real effects heightened national security measures have had on both Americans and the world at large. Author of The Closing of the American Border, a book James Fallows has called “outstanding and important,” Alden chronicled the tragic stories of many innocent immigrants who have been upended by post-9/11 restrictions, and the offered a more sensible middle road for preserving American security and American ideals.

What is a Good Death?

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 22:52:46 -0800

Thanks to medical advances, we now live longer, but living longer doesn’t necessarily make death any easier when it comes. Forget the good life, what in this world makes a good death? How does culture affect our choices? Palliative care offers some relief to suffering, yet it is our uncertainty about the end of life that keeps our dread alive. Experts visit Zócalo to share first-hand accounts and clinical insight: Dr. Susan Stone, the Director of Palliative Care at the Los Angeles County Medical Center; Dr. Betty Ferrell of the City of Hope National Medical Center; and moderator Dr. Michael Wilkes, Vice Dean for Medical Education at UC Davis, join us for an evening of big questions that demand courage, compassion, and a dash of wit. (This event is made possible by a generous grant from the California HealthCare Foundation.)

Reihan Salam: "Can the GOP Be Saved?"

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 20:47:04 -0800

The Republican Party is facing extinction. Movement conservatism is intellectually exhausted, the evangelical right feels ignored if not betrayed, and younger voters have embraced the Democrats as the party of the future. How can the GOP get back in tune with the aspirations of American voters? Reihan Salam, associate editor at The Atlantic and co-author of Grand New Party: How Conservatives Can Win the Working Class and Save the American Dream, visited Zócalo to explain how and why the Republicans must break out of their demographic box.

Edward Miguel: Why are Poor Countries Poor?

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 20:53:43 -0800

Despite hundreds of billions of dollars in aid, most of Africa remains as desperate today as it was half a century ago. That's because much of that aid is lost to the grabbing hands of corrupt governments and destroyed through clashing warlords and civil strife. Edward Miguel, U.C. Berkeley economist and co-author of Economic Gangster: Corruption, Violence, and the Poverty of Nations, visited Zócalo to explain how the twin evils of violence and corruption keep nations in poverty. He argues that before we can help poor nations, we must first understand the violent, lawless thugs who have wrought havoc throughout the developing world. And to understand these gangsters, he says, we must first get inside their heads.

Paul Krugman: The Financial Meltdown and the Future of American Politics

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 22:43:01 -0800

The bubble has burst; the era of sunny-side up capitalism is over. Washington may resuscitate the credit market, but will U.S. politics ever be the same? Paul Krugman, author, Professor of Economics and International Affairs at Princeton's Woodrow Wilson School, and New York Times columnist, visited Zócalo to explore the impact of what he has called, "the worst financial and economic crisis since the Great Depression" on politics, parties, and people. Will the drive for tighter regulation dissuade Ronald Reagan's faithful believers?

Shamim Sarif: Q&A on "The World Unseen"

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 22:08:25 -0800

Shamim Sarif brings her award-winning debut novel, "The World Unseen," to the screen for a sweeping tale of forbidden love in unforgiving times. Inspired by her grandmother's stories of 1950s South Africa facing the birth pangs of apartheid, Sarif introduces the fiercely free-spirited Amina who disregards the rules of her own Indian community and runs a café for apartheid's misfits, the ones who, like her, are neither simply “white” nor “black.” When she and the married, traditional Miriam find themselves powerfully attracted to each other, the possibilities for both love and tragedy are cast in the conflict that surrounds them. Distributed by Regent Releasing on November 7th, "The World Unseen" offers what the British Film Institute has called "a rare combination of intricate character study and engaging narrative" along with a compelling statement about the individual's quest for fulfillment against a backdrop of social coercion, violence, and pain.