Trending Globally: Politics and Policy

This is the second part in a special series from Trending Globally exploring the housing crisis in the United States, and in Rhode Island in particular. The crisis has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, but as we’ll show, it’s a problem that has been with us for much, much longer. In Part 2, we explore the role racism has played in this ongoing crisis, through policies and practices both unofficial and government sanctioned. We also look at how history is repeating itself today, as President Trump implies that white suburbs are facing an existential threat. But if the current inequalities are the result of deliberate actions, perhaps deliberate actions can also be used rectify them.Listen to Parts 1, 3, 4, and the series epilogue. Contributors to this podcast include students from Brown University and the media collective Signs of Providence. You can learn more about their organization here. (Photo credit: Steve Ahlquist)

After reading about how supply chains were disrupted by the pandemic, and how American farmers were suddenly left with food they couldn’t sell, Will Collier ‘20 (Architecture and Economics concentrator) and Aidan Reilly ‘21 (Political Science and Government concentrator) had an idea: maybe they could raise money to buy the food, and deliver it themselves to people that needed it. So in the midst of the pandemic they founded Farmlink, which to date has delivered over 10 million pounds of unsold produce to food banks across Southern California. And while their idea was born out of this current crisis, it has grown into something far bigger than emergency relief. This episode is the third in our series on how Brown students are navigating the pandemic. Will and Aidan discuss how they came up with the idea for Farmlink, the underlying issues in our food system that have made Farmlink so impactful, and what it’s like learning to drive a semi-trailer. You can learn more about Farmlink here. You can learn more about Watson’s other podcasts here.Photo credit: Owen Dubeck

A good documentary doesn’t just tell a story; it makes you question what you think you know, and helps you to understand lives that are different from your own. Rory Kennedy ‘91 is a celebrated documentary filmmaker; Randall Poster ‘83 is a film music supervisor, who has worked with filmmakers such as Wes Anderson and Martin Scorsese. Last year, they helped launch the John F. Kennedy Jr. Film Initiative, which is housed at Watson. Like John, they’re both Brown alums; John was Rory’s cousin, and Randy’s classmate. Through screenings, discussions, and workshops, this Initiative connects world-class documentarians with the Brown community, at a time when more and more students are looking to use narrative storytelling in their research and activism. On this episode, Watson’s Director Ed Steinfeld talks with Rory and Randall about their careers in film, the motivation behind the Initiative, and the power documentaries have to affect social change.You can sign up to for updates about the initiative here. You can learn more about the full slate of programming here (Fall Event announcements will be added in the coming days). You can learn more about Watson’s other podcasts here.

This is the second in our ongoing series of conversations with Brown students about life during the pandemic. On this episode: Aaron Gruen ‘22 is a double concentrator in chemistry and music, and he was preparing for the most important cello recital of his life when Brown’s campus closed in March. He flew back home to Germany, and finished his classes remotely. Between classes, he found a new extracurricular -- serving as a frontline healthcare worker.You can learn more about Watson’s other podcasts here.

On this episode, the second part of our interview with writer and Taubman Center Visiting Fellow Dan Denvir about his book ‘All American Nativism: How The Bipartisan War on Immigrants Explains Politics as We Know It.’ In it, Denvir explores the long, disturbing history of nativism in the US, and the fundamental role it plays in our politics today. If you haven’t listened to Part I yet, you can find it on your favorite podcast app or listen to it here: [https://soundcloud.com/watsoninstitute/all-american-nativism-with-dan-denvir-part-1] You can learn more about and purchase Dan Denvir’s book here: [https://www.versobooks.com/books/2858-all-american-nativism] You can read the transcript of this episode here: [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wDN1xr7jc-blWyaRda2GctF5B9ZQykJY/view?usp=sharing]

On this episode guest-host Dan Richards talks with Dan Denvir, a journalist, host of the hit podcast ‘The Dig,’ and Visiting Fellow at the Watson's Institute's Taubman Center for American Politics and Policy. His recent book, ‘All-American Nativism: How the Bipartisan War on Immigrants Explains Politics as We Know It,’ explores the foundational role nativism has played in American politics, and explains why the Trump Presidency is less of an aberration than many would like to believe. This will be the first in a two-part conversation with Denvir. You can learn more about and purchase his book here: [https://www.versobooks.com/books/2858-all-american-nativism] You can read or download a transcript of this episode here: [https://drive.google.com/file/d/15jvSN59FRB-93QU4AXPIRVHwE5X1qMNW/view?usp=sharing]

What’s it like working for an American news outlet in China? The short answer: more complicated than you or I can imagine. On this episode Watson’s director Ed Steinfeld talks with CNBC’s Beijing Bureau Chief Eunice Yoon '95. Eunice has reported on some of the biggest stories in China’s recent past, from the Beijing Olympics in 2008 to the coronavirus today. They discuss what it’s like practicing journalism in a country not known for its openness to the press, covering coronavirus from the place where it all began, and why reporting on life in China is more important now than ever.You can learn more about Watson’s other podcasts here.

This is the first part in a special series from Trending Globally exploring the housing crisis in the United States, and in Rhode Island in particular. This crisis has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, but as we’ll show, it’s a problem that has been with us for much, much longer. In this series Sarah talks with tenants, landlords, housing advocates, academics, and government officials to illuminate the complexity of housing in this moment — and its dire consequences for those suffering from illness, unemployment, and the threat of eviction. It's a story about economics, race, history and public health, and about a system that's been broken for about as long as it's existed. It's also a story about how, thanks to an unprecedented crisis and the tireless work of activists, things might just be starting to change.Listen to Parts 2, 3, 4, and the series epilogue. Contributors to this podcast include students from Brown University and the media collective Signs of Providence. You can learn more about their organization here. (Photo credit: Steve Ahlquist)

In the last 5 months we have learned a lot about coronavirus and Covid-19. But sometimes it feels like we’re just as confused as we were back in February. What’s safe to do? What activities should we be avoiding? When will things go back to 'normal'? On this episode Sarah talks Watson economist Emily Oster about her newest project, which seeks to provide some much needed clarity to these questions and more. They discuss her new website 'Covid Explained,' and look at some of the most popular questions people are asking. They also explore why health recommendations can be so hard to navigate, and how average people can learn to start thinking a little more like economists.You can visit 'Covid-Explained' here. You can learn more about Watson’s other podcasts here.

The supply chain that brings medical equipment to your local hospital, health clinic, or pharmacy is one of the world’s most important -- and most complex. On this episode Watson’s Director Ed Steinfeld talks with George Barrett '77, former chairman and CEO of Cardinal Health, Inc., which is one of the world’s largest distributors and manufacturers of medical products. They discuss how supply chains for these products normally function, and what’s changed during this pandemic-induced spike in demand. They also look at what private industry and government can learn from this unprecedented moment, and how industries can better prepare for multifaceted emergencies going forward.You can learn more about Watson’s other podcasts here.You can read a transcript of this episode here.