UC Berkeley Graduate Lectures

America’s contemporary democratic predicament is rooted in its historically incomplete democratization. Born in a pre-democratic era, the constitution’s balancing of majority rule and minority rights created still-unresolved dilemmas. Placing the U.S. in comparative perspective, Daniel Ziblatt, professor of government at Harvard University, offers new perspectives on what should be “beyond the reach of majorities” – and what should not – making the case for a fuller democracy as antidote to the perils of our age.

Ziblatt is also director of the Transformations of Democracy group at Berlin’s WZB Social Science Center. He is the author of four books, including "How Democracies Die," co-authored with Steve Levitsky, a New York Times best-seller. His newest book co-authored with Steven Levitsky is entitled "Tyranny of the Minority." Series: "UC Berkeley Graduate Lectures" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 39237]

American Democracy and the Crisis of Majority Rule

What does it mean when we use the first-person pronoun ‘I’? And how does it relate to self-consciousness? In this program, Béatrice Longuenesse, professor of philosophy emerita at New York University, compares the analysis of philosophers Elizabeth Anscombe and Jean-Paul Sartre on consciousness, self-consciousness and the use of 'I'.

Languenesse's current work spans the history of philosophy, especially Kant and nineteenth century German philosophy; the philosophy of language and mind; and philosophical issues related to Freudian psychanalysis.   Series: "UC Berkeley Graduate Lectures" [Humanities] [Show ID: 39240]

'I' and Self-Consciousness

Where did the American Dream of hard work equals upward mobility go? And what will it take to bring it back?  In this talk, Raj Chetty, director of Opportunity Insights and professor of public economics at Harvard University, focuses on three policy levers to increase upward mobility: reducing racial and economic segregation through more effective affordable housing programs, investing in place-based policies, and strengthening higher education. Chetty gives specific examples of pilot studies and interventions that help inform the design of policy and practice from the federal to state to local levels, including at institutions of higher education such as UC Berkeley. He offers illustrations that can be scaled nationally, providing a pathway to expand opportunities for all. Series: "UC Berkeley Graduate Lectures" [Public Affairs] [Business] [Show ID: 39239]

Policies to Restore the American Dream with Raj Chetty

Children’s chances of earning more than their parents have fallen from 90% to 50% over the past half century in America. How can we restore the American Dream of upward mobility for all children? In this talk, Raj Chetty, director of Opportunity Insights and professor of public economics at Harvard University, shows how big data from varied sources ranging from anonymized tax records to Facebook social network data is helping us uncover the science of economic opportunity. Among other topics, Chetty discusses how and why children’s chances of climbing the income ladder vary across neighborhoods, the drivers of racial disparities in economic mobility, and the role of social capital as a driver of upward mobility.  He presents data on the state of economic opportunity in California in particular to provide a local context to these national patterns. Series: "UC Berkeley Graduate Lectures" [Public Affairs] [Business] [Show ID: 39238]

The Science of Economic Opportunity: New Insights from Big Data with Raj Chetty

California’s deepest problems — the skyrocketing cost of housing, the lagging development of clean energy, the traffic choking the state — reflect an inability of Democratic governments to build real things in the real world quickly and affordably. The result is liberal governance that routinely fails to achieve liberal outcomes. New York Times opinion columnist and podcast host Ezra Klein talks with Amy E. Lerman, Chair and Professor of Public Policy and Political Science at UC Berkeley, about how we got here and what can be done about it. Series: "UC Berkeley Graduate Lectures" [Public Affairs] [Business] [Show ID: 39236]

A Conversation with Ezra Klein about Liberalism

The University of California, Berkeley presents the Graduate Lectures. Seven lectureships comprise the Graduate Lectures, each with a distinct endowment history. These unique programs have brought distinguished visitors to Berkeley since 1909 to speak on a wide range of topics, from philosophy to the sciences.

UC Berkeley Graduate Council Lectures (Video)

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