Past Events

Fringe politics today is highly diverse and dynamic, reflecting the rapid social, technological, and economic changes of the 21st century. This panel will bring together a group of UC Berkeley graduate students from the fields of geography, anthropology, and sociology for a discussion on politics on the fringe through the lens of such topics as QAnon, religious studies, and California secessionism.

As one of the nation's agricultural powerhouses, California's farming industry stands at a critical juncture. Climate change, labor availability and migration, and rapidly evolving technologies are reshaping the landscape of agriculture in the Golden State. This panel will bring together experts to analyze these changes and explore their implications for agricultural communities and rural economies.

Register to join us on December 5 for a talk by Marion Fourcade, Professor of Sociology and Director of Social Science Matrix, celebrating the publication of her book, "The Ordinal Society," co-authored with Kieran Healy. This event is co-sponsored by the Berkeley Economy and Society Initiative (BESI).

Register to join us on December 3 for an Authors Meet Critics panel on "Sin Padres, Ni Papeles: Unaccompanied Migrant Youth Coming of Age in the United States," by Stephanie Canizales, Assistant Professor of Sociology at UC Berkeley and Faculty Director of the Berkeley Interdisciplinary Migration Initiative. Professor Canizales will be joined in conversation by Kristina Lovato, Assistant Professor of Social Welfare, and Caitlin Patler, Associate Professor of Public Policy. Sarah Song, Professor at Berkeley Law, will moderate.

In this panel, an interdisciplinary group of graduate students will explore the evolving dynamics of work, management, and labor organization. Their studies focus on the impact of pension systems on workforce participation, labor union organizing in automotive supply chains across North America, and how different political and economic systems influence workplace management practices.

Almost two decades on from the financial crisis of 2007 that helped unleash a wave of authoritarian, populist, and nativist movements in democracies around the world, a panel of faculty will consider what new social and political forces have shaped the elections in 2024. What do those election results tell us about the health or fragility of global democracy, and how might we better understand the outcome of the American election as part of a broader global process?

For the Berkeley Distinguished Faculty Lectures in the Social Sciences, Edward (Ted) Miguel, Distinguished Professor of Economics, will present findings from a development economics research project based on a large-scale randomized controlled trial (RCT) in Kenya.

Please join us on November 13 at 12pm for an Authors Meet Critics panel on "Authoritarian Absorption: The Transnational Remaking of Epidemic Politics in China," by Yan Long, Assistant Professor in the UC Berkeley Department of Sociology. Professor Long will be joined in conversation by Professors Matthew Kohrman and Rachel E. Stern. The panel will be moderated by Tom Gold.

This Matrix on Point panel will examine the shifting demographic and political forces that are redefining the traditional bases of the Democratic and Republican parties and their efforts to build new electoral coalitions. The panel will include scholars Ian Haney López, David Hollinger, and Omar Wasow, and will be moderated by G. Cristina Mora.

As the nation braces for a decisive election, this conversation — featuring scholars Arlie Hochschild, Jenny Reardon, and Lisa Pruitt — seeks to illuminate the frequently overlooked yet politically potent voices emanating from America's rural heartlands and small towns. Moderated by Cihan Tuğal.

Can predictive algorithms serve the public interest? Join us on Oct. 10 for a talk by Anne Washington, Assistant Professor of Data Policy at the NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.

Register to join us on October 9 for an Authors Meet Critics panel on "Partisan Nation: The Dangerous New Logic of American Politics in a Nationalized Era," by UC Berkeley Professors Paul Pierson and Eric Schickler. The authors will be joined in conversation by Stanford University's Francis Fukuyama and Didi Kuo. Mark Danner will moderate.