Then & Now
Then & Now connects past to present, using historical analysis and context to help guide us through modern issues and policy decisions. Then & Now is brought to you by the UCLA Luskin Center for History and Policy. Then & Now is produced by David Myers and Roselyn Campbell, and features original music by Daniel Raijman.
Episodes
118 episodes
How Mathematics Shaped the Great Grid of America: A Conversation with Amir Alexander
Welcome back to then & now! To kick off our 5th season, we are joined by Professor Amir Alexander, a historian of mathematics in UCLA’s Luskin Department of History. His latest book, Liberty’s Grid, exami...
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Season 5
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Episode 1
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41:40
From AMLO to Claudia: Mexico Elects a Woman President: A Conversation with Leila Miller
In this week's episode of then & now we explore a landmark moment in Mexican politics: the election of Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo as the country's first female president at the beginning of June 2024. Environmental scientist Sheinbaum...
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Season 4
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Episode 19
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33:00
Under the Heat Dome: A Conversation about Thermal Inequality with Bharat Venkat
2023 marked the hottest year recorded in human history, with predictions indicating a worsening global trend. In early June 2024, southern California experienced an extreme heat dome, with temperatures rising into the triple digits. Currently, ...
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Season 4
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Episode 18
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51:16
Land, Endowments, and Ethics: Unpacking the Historical Legacy of UC Real Estate Investments. A Conversation with Samuel Feldblum, John Schmidt, and Abbie Cohen
Recent campus protests have focused new attention on university investment policies. The call for greater transparency and divestment from Israel has led to questions about the growth and composition of large university endowments, includ...
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Season 4
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Episode 17
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49:16
Answering Your Questions About Gaza: A Dialogue with UCLA Historians
In this episode of then & now, we present the recording of an event held at UCLA on May 13, 2024. This event, sponsored by the UCLA History Department, featured a conversation between UCLA Professors David Myers and James Gelvin ab...
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Season 4
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Episode 16
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1:24:40
Free Speech and Academic Freedom in the University: A Conversation with Michael Meranze
As the war in Gaza rages on, discussions surrounding free speech and the right to protest have surged across the United States, particularly on college campuses. When a pro-Palestine encampment at Columbia University was raided by police, leadi...
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Season 4
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Episode 15
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50:55
Why History Matters: Gun Violence
Gun violence has become deeply ingrained in the historical fabric of the United States, intertwined with the principles outlined in the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which grants individuals the right to keep and bear arms. This...
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Season 4
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Episode 14
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1:05:02
Free Speech, Cancel Culture, and Safe Spaces: A Conversation with David Cole
In the wake of the events of October 7th in Israel and the swift reaction by the Israeli government against Hamas, student protests have erupted on campuses around the United States, igniting fervent discussions about free speech, the First Ame...
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Season 4
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Episode 13
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53:42
Deadly Borders: A Conversation on Immigration with Dr. Jason de León
As the U.S. primary elections unfold, the issue of border security, particularly along the US-Mexico border, has taken center stage. Concerns about the number of people crossing the U.S. southern border illegally have prompted extreme and somet...
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Season 4
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Episode 12
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42:34
Challenges and Opportunities in the New Age of AI: A Long-Term View with John Villasenor
As advances in technology continue to shape our world, understanding the implications of artificial intelligence (AI), cyber security, and digital privacy has never been more important. In this episode of then & now, we delve into ...
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Season 4
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Episode 11
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32:09
The Nuclear Threat Today: A Conversation with Albert Carnesale
While the conflicts between Israel and Palestine and Russia and Ukraine are center-stage, the threat of nuclear weapons hovers ominously over our world. The recent release of the popular movie "Oppenheimer" reminds us of the extraordinary poten...
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Season 4
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Episode 10
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53:18
Is California an Outlier? Health Care Policy in the Sunshine State: A Conversation with Historian Ben Zdencanovic
One of the most vexing social problems in U.S. society is our country’s healthcare system, which is wracked by rising costs, inequitable access, and manifold inefficiencies. Unlike Canada or a number of European countries, the United Stat...
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Season 4
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Episode 9
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49:59
Israel, Gaza, and the U.S.: A Conversation with Aaron David Miller
On this episode of then & now, Middle East expert Aaron David Miller offers his perspective on the current state of affairs in Israel and Gaza after October 7, 2023 — and on the broader historical context of the explosion of violen...
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Season 4
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Episode 8
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1:06:58
America On Strike: Labor Takes Center Stage
In our final episode of 2023, we are sharing a recording of an event hosted by the UCLA History Department as part of the Why History Matters series. Labor movements have surged to the attention of the public over the past year, with the histor...
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Season 4
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Episode 7
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1:02:57
Understanding the Israel-Gaza Conflict: Causes, Conduct, and Consequences
For this special episode, we are sharing a recording of a Zoom event hosted on November 21 by the UCLA Luskin Center for History and Policy. Featuring two UCLA history professors, Dr. James L. Gelvin and Dr. David N. Myers, this informational s...
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Season 4
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Episode 6
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38:59
The Enduring Power of Non-Violence: A Conversation with Rev. James Lawson
This episode of then & now features a conversation with the Reverend James Lawson, the legendary social justice activist who introduced the practice of non-violent action to the civil rights movement. The conversation t...
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Season 4
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Episode 5
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52:42
Unions, Labor, and the American Working Class: A Conversation with Nelson Lichtenstein
On September 15, 2023, workers from the United Auto Workers union went on strike at Ford Motor Company, General Motors, and Stellantis simultaneously, quickly expanding to include tens of thousands of workers at automobile factories throughout ...
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Season 4
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Episode 4
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45:53
Urban Spaces Past and Present: A Conversation with Monica Smith
More than half the world’s population currently lives in cities, and current estimates suggest that by 2050 nearly 7 out of every 10 people will live in urban spaces. In an increasingly crowded and urbanized world, space has become a precious c...
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Season 4
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Episode 3
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39:10
What is Going on in Nagorno-Karabakh? A Conversation with Historian Sebouh Aslanian
Reports have emerged in recent weeks that a grave humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Nagorno-Karabakh, a contested region in present-day Azerbaijan that contains a large majority of Armenian residents. A prominent international lawyer, Luis Mo...
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Season 4
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Episode 2
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44:52
The Long Roots of Israel's Democracy Crisis: A Conversation with Michael Sfard
As we transition to our fourth season of "Then & Now", this episode features renowned Israeli human rights lawyer, Michael Sfard. He offers an analysis of Israel's current crisis of democracy, including the attacks on the judicial sys...
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Season 4
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Episode 1
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51:26
Fighting Crimes against the Environment: A Conversation about “Ecocide” with Kate Mackintosh
Following the recent destruction of the Kakhovka dam in the south of the country, the government of Ukraine accused Russia of the crime of “ecocide.” This term first surfaced in the 1970s in the context of the U.S. military’s use of Agent...
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Season 3
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Episode 22
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42:33
From Diversity to Reparation: A Conversation about Race, Higher Education, and the Aftermath of the Affirmative Action Decision with Eddie Cole
On June 29, 2023, the US Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to end affirmative action for college admissions, stating that considering race as a factor was unconstitutional, while preserving ‘legacy’ admissions which often allow students of alumni entranc...
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Season 3
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Episode 21
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36:43
The Case for Open Access: A Conversation with Peter Baldwin
In this episode, historian Peter Baldwin makes the case for open access. He surveys the history of knowledge production and transmission from the Gutenberg Bible, which opened up access in unprecedented ways. Open access today, he a...
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Season 3
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Episode 20
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41:36
The Politics of Reproductive Rights: A Conversation with Elizabeth O'Brien
Women's reproductive rights have been a contentious issue over the past few years in the United States. Both federal and state measures have been introduced that restrict women’s ability to make decisions about their bodies and reproduction, cu...
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Season 3
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Episode 19
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56:16
Zev's Los Angeles: A Conversation with Zev Yaroslavsky about his New Memoir (Part II)
In part two of our conversation with Zev Yaroslavsky, one of Los Angeles's best-known public officials, we continue our conversation on his recently released memoir and his reflections from his long career in politics. In this episode, Zev talk...
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Season 3
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Episode 18
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44:59