Race and Democracy

"Race and Democracy" features Dr. Peniel Joseph and expert guests to discuss the most important questions of our time about race, democracy, social justice, culture, and moral and ethical issues. Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin.

Ep. 89 — A Conversation with Dr. Nell Irvin Painter on Black History, Visual Art, and a Well Lived Life

Nell Irvin Painter is a leading historian of the United States. She is the Edwards Professor of American History Emerita at Princeton University. She was Director of Princeton’s Program in African-American Studies from 1997 to 2000. In addition to her doctorate in history from Harvard University, she has received honorary doctorates from Wesleyan, Dartmouth, SUNY-New […]

04-23
51:27

Ep. 88 — Malcolm X’s Legacy at 100: A Conversation with Dr. Michael Simanga

Dr. Michael Simanga grew up in Detroit and moved to Atlanta where he has lived and worked for 40 years. He is an Africana Studies scholar/educator and also a multi-disciplined artist who has written, produced and directed more than 200 artistic projects including music, theatre, film, festivals and exhibitions. He is married and the father […]

04-14
43:20

Ep. 87 — Sito: An American Teenager and the City that Failed Him

Peniel sits down with Laurence Ralph to discuss his latest book, “Sito: An American Teenager and the City that Failed Him.” Laurence Ralph is a Professor of Anthropology at Princeton University. He earned both a Ph.D. and also a Master of Arts degree in Anthropology from the University of Chicago, and a Bachelor of Science […]

03-19
43:03

Ep. 86 — Reimagining Wealth Disparities: Barriers, Policy, and Pathways Forward

Darrick Hamilton is a university professor, the Henry Cohen Professor of Economics and Urban Policy, and the founding director of the Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy at The New School. Considered one of the nation’s foremost scholars, economists and public intellectuals, Hamilton’s accomplishments include recently being profiled in the New York Times, Mother Jones magazine […]

03-07
43:51

Ep. 85 – Colored Conventions and the Long History of Black Organizing

P. Gabrielle Foreman, PhD, is an award-winning professor of English, African American Studies, and History. A leader in the field of Black digital and public history, Dr. Foreman has been recognized for co-creating projects that build community and institutions while addressing pipeline and equity issues. As a teacher, scholar, and mentor, Dr. Foreman is committed […]

03-28
43:55

Ep. 84 – Latino Voting Power, Democracy, and the 2024 Elections: A Conversation With Sergio Garcia-Rios

Dr. Garcia-Rios was born and raised in Durango, México, but considers El Paso, Texas, his second home. His research investigates the formation and transformation of Latino identities as well as the political implications of these transformations. He also examines voter turnout, political participation and public opinion, especially among Latino immigrants.   Dr. Garcia-Rios’s other academic interests […]

10-12
42:03

Ep. 83 – Entertaining Race: A Conversation with Michael Eric Dyson

Michael Eric Dyson is a man of many talents. As a professor, he has taught at some of the most prestigious universities in the nation, including Princeton, Brown, and Georgetown. He is currently a Distinguished University Professor at Vanderbilt University, where he holds positions in both the College of Arts & Science and The Divinity […]

03-02
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Ep. 82 – Hiding in Plain Sight: A Conversation with Julia Sweig

Julia Sweig is an award-winning author of books on Cuba, Latin America, and American foreign policy. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, the Atlantic, the Washington Post, Financial Times, Los Angeles Times, Foreign Affairs, the Nation, the National Interest, and in Brazil’s Folha de São Paulo, among other outlets. Her book Inside […]

12-15
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Ep. 81 – How Change Happens: A Conversation with Cass Sunstein

Cass R. Sunstein is currently the Robert Walmsley University Professor at Harvard. From 2009 to 2012, he was Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. He is the founder and director of the Program on Behavioral Economics and Public Policy at Harvard Law School. Mr. Sunstein has testified before congressional committees […]

10-25
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Ep. 80 – Truth Teaching Under Attack: Consequences of Failing to Teach America’s Racial Past and Present: A Conversation with Dr. Shaun Harper

A prolific and energizing speaker on a range of diversity, equity, and inclusion topics, Shaun Harper has delivered hundreds of keynote addresses around the world, to audiences comprised of thousands. He also is founder and executive director of the USC Race and Equity Center. Dr. Harper has published 12 books, and is author of more […]

09-26
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Ep. 79 – Shoutin’ in the Fire: A Conversation with Danté Stewart about Black Joy, Grief, and Survival

Danté Stewart is a minister, essayist, and cultural critic. He is author of Shoutin’ In The Fire: An American Epistle. Named by Religion News Service as one of “Ten Up-And-Coming Faith Influencers”, his work has appeared on CNN, The New York Times, The Washington Post, ESPN’s The Undefeated, Sojourners, and more. He received his B.A. […]

06-21
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Ep. 78 – Divisions: A New History of Racism and Resistance in America’s World War II Military, A Conversation with Tom Guglielmo

Thomas A. Guglielmo is Associate Professor of American Studies at George Washington University. He has a PhD in History from the University of Michigan. His first book, White on Arrival: Italians, Race, Color, and Power in Chicago (Oxford, 2003), won the Organization of American Historians’ Frederick Jackson Turner Award and the Society of American Historians’ […]

06-16
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Ep. 77 – Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: A conversation with Estevan Delgado

Estevan Daniel Delgado (he/him) is the Director for Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin. Estevan has formal project management experience running large-scale government grants and program management experience fundraising and designing trust-based grant making opportunities and events for the Hispanic Impact Fund […]

04-07
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Episode 76: Black Entrepreneurs and Social Justice: A Conversation with X-Factor Capital

Rodell Razor has over 10 years of experience in launching and coaching small and mid sized businesses. He has developed valuable skills in business strategy, operations, sales, leadership, and human resources through the businesses he launched as well as through corporate roles held at various firms. In addition to being CEO and Founder of X-Factor […]

03-15
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Episode 75: How the Word is Passed: Author Clint Smith on Reckoning with Racial Slavery

Clint Smith is a staff writer at The Atlantic. He is the author of the narrative nonfiction book, How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning With the History of Slavery Across America, which was a #1 New York Times Bestseller and was longlisted for the National Book Award. He is also the author of the […]

11-17
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Episode 74: The Cruelty Is the Point: The Past, Present, and Future of Trump’s America with Adam Serwer

Adam Serwer is an American journalist and author. He is a staff writer at The Atlantic where his work focuses on politics, race, and justice. He previously worked at Buzzfeed News, The American Prospect, and Mother Jones. Serwer has received awards from the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), The Root, and the Society of […]

07-13
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Episode 73: The Struggle for Asian American and Pacific Islander Justice: A Conversation with Elise Hu

Elise Hu is a host-at-large based at NPR West in Culver City, Calif. Previously, she explored the future with her video series, Future You with Elise Hu, and served as the founding bureau chief and International Correspondent for NPR’s Seoul office. She was based in Seoul for nearly four years, responsible for the network’s coverage […]

06-15
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Episode 72 – Tacky’s Revolt: The Story of an Atlantic Slave War with author Vincent Brown

Vincent Brown is Charles Warren Professor of American History and Professor of African and African American Studies.  He directs the History Design Studio and teaches courses in Atlantic history, African diaspora studies, and the history of slavery in the Americas. Brown is the author of The Reaper’s Garden: Death and Power in the World of Atlantic […]

06-08
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Episode 71: Justice in the Middle East: The Struggle for Palestinian Human Rights with Peter Beinart

Peter Beinart teaches national reporting and opinion writing at the Newmark J-School and political science at the CUNY Graduate Center. He is editor-at-large for Jewish Currents, a CNN political commentator, and a fellow at the Foundation for Middle East Peace. He is also a nonfiction author and former Rhodes Scholar. His first book, “The Good […]

06-02
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Episode 70 – The Future of American Democracy: A Conversation with Cass Sunstein

Cass R. Sunstein is currently the Robert Walmsley University Professor at Harvard. He is the founder and director of the Program on Behavioral Economics and Public Policy at Harvard Law School. In 2018, he received the Holberg Prize from the government of Norway, sometimes described as the equivalent of the Nobel Prize for law and […]

05-11
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