Episodes

  • Breaking Down the 2024 California Propositions

    Breaking Down the 2024 California Propositions
    Oct 23 2024
    Long time no see, Contested listeners! While Contested is not making a full return, we wanted to provide some helpful information regarding the 2024 California propositions on this year's ballot. From minimum wage to rent control, there are a lot of critical policy proposals put to the California electorate this year. If you have no idea where to start or just want to check some facts and figures on a specific proposition, we have you covered. Alex Ross, Alvin Lee, Julianna Lozada, Adam Hussain, and Contested host Jared Adelman break down everything you need to know going into the voting booth this November. Specific Timestamps: Prop 2: start-10:10 Prop 3: 10:10-12:37 Prop 4: 12:37-16:33 Prop 5: 16:33-21:40 Prop 6: 21:40-24:31 Prop 32: 24:31-27:18 Prop 33: 27:18-37:22 Prop 34: 37:22-39:35 Prop 35: 39:35-41:15 Prop 36: 41:15-end
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    48 mins
  • Episode 1: Clint Borgen: US Foreign Aid

    Episode 1: Clint Borgen: US Foreign Aid
    Jul 5 2021
    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.
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    22 mins
  • Ethan Gutterman: Internet Radicalization

    Ethan Gutterman: Internet Radicalization
    Feb 22 2021
    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 explains how people fall in the rabbit hole and how to get out.
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    27 mins
  • William Sepesi: Artificial Intelligence

    William Sepesi: Artificial Intelligence
    Feb 15 2021
    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 cover it all.
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    26 mins
  • Katherine Beck: The School to Prison Pipeline

    Katherine Beck: The School to Prison Pipeline
    Feb 1 2021
    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 Michel Foucault points out, all of life is a prison.
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    20 mins
  • Isaac Goff-Mitchell: Running Campaigns

    Isaac Goff-Mitchell: Running Campaigns
    Jan 18 2021
    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 office that isn't an establishment candidate, this episode is for you. The Youth Vote is a podcast that interviews young people running for office and what they've learned from it all. Please check it out and support the great work Isaac is doing!
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    34 mins
  • Mark Greenberg: Pardons

    Mark Greenberg: Pardons
    Dec 21 2020
    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. Some of his writing on pardons has been published in major news outlets and I highlight recommend you read those if you are interested in this topic. Stay tuned...
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    25 mins
  • Matt Sutton: Drug Decriminalization

    Matt Sutton: Drug Decriminalization
    Dec 14 2020
    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.
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    25 mins