Podcast

Special Series: Policy Lessons from the Past

Policy Lessons from the Past: Dr. Will Inboden on the Reagan presidency and the role the United States played in ending the Cold War
January 26, 2023
Dr. Will Inboden, a national security scholar from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin, masterfully describes Ronald Reagan’s foreign policy and the role of the United States in ending the Cold War, in a discussion moderated by Bill Shute, Executive Director of the LBJ Washington Center. This is the subject of his new book The Peacemaker: Ronald Reagan, the Cold War and the World on the Brink.

Policy Lessons from the Past: Dr. Jeremi Suri on America’s Long and Unfinished Fight for Democracy
December 21, 2022
Presidential historian and scholar Dr. Jeremi Suri discusses a country rebuilding itself as it wrestles with competing visions of democracy, race and freedom, in a conversation moderated by Bill Shute, Executive Director of the LBJ Washington Center. Dr. Suri shares his analysis of democracy, starting in 1865 when the Confederacy was militarily defeated and continues through 2022. This is the subject of his new book Civil War by Other Means: America’s Long and Unfinished Fight for Democracy.

Policy Lessons from the Past: Dr. Sarah Coleman on the politics of immigration in modern America
October 27, 2022
Historian and Texas State University professor Dr. Sarah Coleman examines the history of the battles over U.S. immigrants’ rights since 1965—and how these conflicts reshaped access to education, employment, civil liberties and more in conversation with Associate Director of Research at the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy at the LBJ School, Dr. Sergio Garcia-Rios. Dr. Coleman is the author of The Walls Within: The Politics of Immigration in Modern America.

Policy Lessons from the Past: Dr. Peniel Joseph on American’s struggle for racial justice
Oct 12, 2022
Historian and civil rights scholar Dr. Peniel Joseph discusses a powerful interpretation of the ongoing struggle for racial justice, calling this period as transformative as the movements post-Civil War and during the civil rights era as outlined in his new book, The Third Reconstruction: America's Struggle for Racial Justice in the Twenty-First Century, with LBJ School Washington Center Executive Director Bill Shute.

Introducing: Policy Lessons from the Past: U.S. history with a Texas twist
Sep 5, 2022
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. In a special series titled “Policy Lessons from the Past," four Texas-based policy experts will discuss how our shared history impacts today's political environment, spanning topics like racial justice, immigration, global confrontations and the very nature of democracy. “Policy Lessons from the Past” is presented by the LBJ School Washington Center.

 

Special Episode: Inaugural State of the College

State of the College 2021 from Dean JR DeShazo
Sept. 30, 2021
In this special episode, Dean JR DeShazo recognizes the people, mission and legacy, "rooted in our mission to improve the quality of public service in the United States and abroad. Transcript coming soon.

 

Special Series: Eye on the Lege: Inside the 87^th Texas Legislature

Episode 4: A Stunning Conclusion
June 9, 2021
This episode, the fourth in the LBJ School's podcast series Eye on the Lege: Inside the 87^th Texas Legislature, looks at the sum total of this legislative session, from the extraordinary circumstances forced upon it by COVID-19 and high-impact social issues including abortion and transgender rights to the fight between state and local governments over police budgets, voting and how to handle the pandemic. Two former Texas lawmakers — Larry Gonzales, who represented District 52 (2010–18) and Sherri Greenberg, a professor of practice at the LBJ School who represented District 48 (1991–2001) analyze what happened this session, the tension between both the legislative chambers and state and local government, and that explosive final night as the session was gaveled out. Transcript coming soon.

Episode 3: Energy, Utilities and the Texas Grid
May 3, 2021
This third episode in the LBJ School's podcast series "Eye on the Lege: Inside the 87^th Texas Legislature assesses the measures in the Texas Senate and House to overhaul the state's energy market, strengthen its electrical grid and address energy prices during the February Freeze. Varun Rai, LBJ's associate dean for research and the director of The University of Texas at Austin's Energy Institute, joins Sherri Greenberg, a professor of practice at the LBJ School and a former Texas state representative (1991–2001) to analyze what is happening in each chamber and where Texas' energy market is likely to stand at the end of this legislative session. Transcript coming soon.

Episode 2: Voting Rights and Restrictions
April 26, 2021
In episode 2 of "Eye on the Lege: Inside the 87^th Texas Legislature," Victoria deFrancesco Soto, LBJ's assistant dean for civic engagement, talks with former U.S. Congressman Beto O'Rourke, now an adjuct assistant professor at the school, about the restrictive voter provisions laid out in SB7 and HB6. They discuss how the bills, which would eliminate measures taken in 2020 to expand voting in Texas, would affect specific populations, how they fit into the larger landscape of voting restrictions nationwide, and their chances of passing this session. Transcript coming soon.

Episode 1: Criminal Justice Reform
April 19, 2021
In this episode of the LBJ School's new podcast series "Eye on the Lege: Inside the 87^th Texas Legislature," Distinguished Senior Lecturer Michele Deitch, an expert on the criminal justice system, correctional oversight and juvenile justice, talks with Alycia Welch, associate director of the COVID Corrections and Oversight Project at the LBJ School and a longtime criminal justice reform advocate. They discuss the bills surrounding criminal justice policy and policing this session, including Second Look, Raise the Age, parole reform, independent oversight for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, the George Floyd Act and bail reform. They also look at what legislators aren't addressing as the session nears its close. Transcript coming soon.

 

Special Series: From a Great Society to a Resilient Society

Episode 5: A Resilient Future in a Globally Connected World
March 3, 2021
In the final episode of "From a Great Society to a Resilient Society," host Steven Pedigo talks with LBJ School faculty experts Patrick Bixler, William Inboden and Kate Weaver about our shared future at the intersections of climate change, national security and global development. Learn more about resiliency in the age of COVID-19 at lbj.utexas.edu/resiliency-toolkit. Transcript coming soon.

Episode 4: Public Finance
Feb. 17, 2021
General revenue sharing has been described as "paying for teachers in Manhattan and streetlights in Buffalo." Leading economic and public finance experts James Galbraith, Michael Lind and Martin Luby join Steven Pedigo to talk flexible funding, why successful economic policies lay groundwork for future policy changes, and if a job guarantee is part of the future. Transcript coming soon.

Episode 3: Impact of COVID-19 on Vulnerable Populations
Feb. 10, 2021
LBJ School experts Ruth Wasem and Michele Deitch join From a Great Society to a Resilient Society to discuss how COVID-19 has impacted two of society's most vulnerable populations: immigrants and prison and jail populations. Host Steven Pedigo talks with Wasem and Deitch about the conditions that led to COVID-19's impact on these populations and potential opportunities for bipartisan legislation at the federal and state levels. Transcript coming soon.

Episode 2: Public Health
Feb. 3, 2021
In episode 2 of the LBJ School's special series "From a Great Society to a Resilient Society," host Steven Pedigo talks with the LBJ School's Dr. Michael Hole and Professor Sherri Greenberg about resilient and healthy communities, public health and the economy, and equitable vaccine distribution. Learn more about resiliency in the age of COVID-19 at lbj.utexas.edu/resiliency-toolkit. Transcript coming soon.

Episode 1: Leadership
Jan. 27, 2021
This is episode 1 of the LBJ School's new podcast series "From a Great Society to a Resilient Society: Building a resilient future in a globally connected world." In this five-part series, host Steven Pedigo engages LBJ School policy leaders on the future of our world through the lens of resiliency. In this episode, Pedigo is joined by federal policy experts Don Kettl and presidential historian Jeremi Suri to talk about leadership and decision making in a post-Trump world. Transcript coming soon.

 

Policy on Purpose Episodes

Episode 26: U.S. Census Director Dr. Steven Dillingham
Dec. 11, 2019
U.S. Census Director Dr. Steven Dillingham joins "Policy on Purpose" to discuss the 2020 census, why it counts and how students can get involved. Full transcript.

Episode 25: Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan shares before and after story of Detroit
Nov. 13, 2019
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan visited the LBJ School on Nov. 13, 2019, as part of the Dean's Distinguished Leaders Series. In this episode, Mayor Duggan talks about efforts to revitalize the city of Detroit in an equitable way. Full transcript.

Episode 24: Democracy Rebellion in Texas
Oct. 23, 2019
Hedrick Smith, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and director of the upcoming PBS documentary "The Democracy Rebellion," talks about grassroots efforts in Texas to combat big money politics, gerrymandering and voter suppression. Full transcript.

Episode 23: Former New York City Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen on future-proofing cities
Oct. 8, 2019
Former New York City Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Alicia Glen joins guest host and Urban Lab Director Steven Pedigo to discuss ways policymakers can leverage public-private partnerships to future-proof cities. Full transcript.

Episode 22: Special episode recorded live — 2019 Outstanding Alumni Awards
Sept. 24, 2019
The LBJ School honored two of its extraordinary graduates on Friday, Sept. 20, presenting former Democratic nominee for Georgia governor Stacey Abrams (MPAff '98) with the Distinguished Public Service Award and Pflugerville city council member Rudy Metayer (EMPL '16) with the Rising Leader Award in a reception that kicked off Alumni Weekend. Full transcript.

Episode 21: 2019 LBJ School commencement speaker Yamiche Alcindor, White House correspondent for PBS NewsHour
June 5, 2019
Before speaking to the LBJ School's class of 2019, PBS NewsHour's White House correspondent Yamiche Alcindor joined "Policy on Purpose" to talk about the role and responsibility of the press when covering some of our world's most defining moments, and how to best balance humanity and objectiveness when covering difficult topics and stories. Full transcript.

Episode 20: LGBT rights and public policy
May 14, 2019
Robert Jones, the founding CEO of the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI), joins Dean Angela Evans to discuss what the changes in religious, racial and ethnic demographies of Texas and the nation tell us about the future of politics and policy priorities. Full transcript.

Episode 19: Policymaking in theory and practice with Austin Smythe
May 6, 2019
Austin Smythe (MPAff '80), who served as policy director to House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) from 2015 to 2019, visited the LBJ School for a special Admitted Students Weekend session of the Dean's Distinguished Leaders Series. Smythe worked for Ryan over 11 years in a variety of capacities, including as policy director for the House Ways and Means Committee and as staff director for the House Budget Committee (2007–15). Full transcript.

Episode 18: Opening Mexico's oil and gas industry with Aldo Flores-Quiroga
April 25, 2019
Aldo Flores-Quiroga is former deputy secretary of energy for hydrocarbons at Mexico's Ministry of Energy (2016–18), where he led a team of more than 180 government officials to implement the historic opening of Mexico's hydrocarbons sector. Flores-Quiroga, who also served as secretary general of the International Energy Forum, joins Dean Evans to talk about shared goals amid competing interests and the kinds of skills that withstand disruption. Full transcript.

Episode 17: Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence Susan M. Gordon
April 12, 2019
Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence Susan M. Gordon visited The University of Texas at Austin for the UT Intelligence Studies symposium on March 28, 2019. She stopped by the LBJ School to talk with Dean Angela Evans about emerging technologies and an evolving intelligence community, as well as private-public partnerships with tech sectors. Full transcript.

Episode 16: Royce Brooks of Annie's List on changing the face of Texas politics
April 4, 2019
Royce Brooks is the executive director of Annie's List, an organization dedicated to recruiting, training and supporting women candidates for office across Texas. In this episode of "Policy on Purpose," Brooks unpacks issues of representation and diversity in politics with Angela Evans, dean of the LBJ School. Full transcript.

Episode 15: A research-based approach to criminal justice
March 21, 2019
Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot is a retired judge and award-winning lawyer with more than three decades of experience in the criminal justice system, including as a felony district court judge, Dallas County assistant district attorney and chief felony prosecutor, as well as a criminal defense lawyer in private practice. He talks with LBJ School Dean Angela Evans about taking a research-based approach to criminal justice, and the challenges in trying to move the system away from the idea of jail as a default to the idea of a model based on treatment, reducing crime and reducing recidivism. Creuzot, who now leads an office with nearly 300 prosecutors, also discusses the idea of fostering leadership among staff and creating the leaders of the future. Full transcript.

Episode 14: The Power of Data-Driven Decision-making
March 14, 2019
Guest host Don Kettl, LBJ professor and academic director of the LBJ Washington Center, talks with former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, former Indianapolis Mayor Stephen Goldsmith and Robert Shea of Grant Thornton about how data-driven decision making can change the way governments serve people. Full transcript.

Episode 13: Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel on pragmatism in politics
Feb. 27, 2019
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel visited the LBJ School on Feb. 13, 2019, as part of the Dean's Distinguished Leaders Series. In this episode of "Policy on Purpose," Mayor Emanuel — who has served as mayor, a congressman, chief of staff to the president of the United States, senior adviser and campaign strategist on local and national levels — talks about his pragmatic approach to policy and what he's learned throughout his career. Full transcript.

Episode 12: Former President Solís of Costa Rica and Vice President of Nicaragua Ramírez discuss issues of democracy in Central America
Feb. 20, 2019
Former President Solís of Costa Rica and Vice President of Nicaragua Ramírez join "Policy on Purpose" to discuss the current crisis of democracy in Nicaragua, challenges and opportunities in relations between the Central American nations and their neighbors to the north and the ongoing migration crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. Dr. Victoria DeFrancesco Soto guest hosted; the podcast was recorded in Spanish.
Full transcripts: English | Spanish

Episode 11: Presidential historian and author Michael Beschloss on history as a roadmap for the present and the future
Jan. 23, 2019
Presidential historian and best-selling author Michael Beschloss joined LBJ School Dean Angela Evans to talk about why and how drawing on history to illuminate and improve politics and policy is critical, and what he's learned from approaching history through issues and circumstances rather than biography.
Full transcript

Episode 10: Former LBJ School dean, Deputy Secretary of State (2009–11) Jim Steinberg on globalization
Dec. 12, 2018
James Steinberg, former LBJ School dean and deputy secretary of state (2009–11) visited Austin for the National Security Forum on Nov. 30. He joined LBJ School Dean Angela Evans for a conversation on globalization, U.S.-Chinese relations and an international-facing public policy education.
Full transcript

Episode 09: Public Policy in the U.S. Senate: A Chief of Staff's View
Oct. 22, 2018
Beth Jafari, chief of staff to Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Maura Keefe, chief of staff to Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) talk with LBJ School Dean Angela Evans about public service, bipartisanship and women in power roles on Capitol Hill.
Full transcript

Special Episode, Recorded Live: Mayor Mitch Landrieu visits UT Austin, urges fight against racism
Sept. 26, 2018
In a special live recording of Policy on Purpose, former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu addresses a crowd of 300+ UT students, urging them to stay engaged with today's most pressing issues.
Full transcript

Episode 08: Admiral William McRaven on purpose, failure and trust
Sept. 4, 2018
New LBJ School professor Adm. William McRaven speaks candidly on lessons learned throughout his distinguished career.
Full transcript

Episode 07: Professor Donald Kettl on educating future policymakers
Aug. 22, 2018
Donald Kettl, a professor and academic director of the LBJ Washington Center, joins Dean Angela Evans to discuss why and how policy schools must rise to the challenge of preparing students to discover and tackle problems using rich interdisciplinary forces.
Full transcript

Episode 06: Soledad O'Brien on today's media environment
July 1, 2018
Award-winning journalist, author and philanthropist Soledad O'Brien talks all things journalism and public policy with Dean Angela Evans. From current-day tensions to the media's influence to bridging real-life voices with policy, O'Brien talks candidly about the role of media and public policy today.
Full transcript

Episode 05: Professor Abigail Aiken on Ireland's historic referendum on abortion
May 24, 2018
Dr. Abigail Aiken, an assistant professor of public affairs and Fellow of the Richter Chair in Global Health Policy at the LBJ School, joins Dean Angela Evans to discuss a historic referendum on abortion in Ireland. Ireland's law on abortion is among the strictest in the world. Dr. Aiken presented her research findings in testimony before the Irish Parliament to inform the debate.
Full transcript

Episode 04: Texas Sen. Kirk Watson on a life in public service
May 10, 2018
Texas Sen. Kirk Watson joins Dean Angela Evans for this episode of "Policy on Purpose." First elected to the Texas Senate in 2006, Watson represents Senate District 14, which now covers most of Travis County and all of Bastrop County. In this interview, he discusses his top legislative priorities, including ready access to health care and government transparency, and his experiences formulating policy in the face of ideological differences.
Full transcript

Episode 03: The Honorable Julián Castro on housing policy
April 9, 2018
The Honorable Julián Castro, former secretary of Housing and Urban Development, marks the 50^th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act signing by LBJ. He sits down with Dean Angela Evans to talk about how far we've come since the act was signed, and what challenges remain in making housing fair and available for all.

At the time of this podcast, Castro served as the Dean's Distinguished Fellow and Fellow of the Dávila Chair in International Trade Policy at the LBJ School of Public Affairs.
Full transcript

Episode 02: Professor Ruth Wasem on immigration (Part 2)
April 1, 2018
Ruth Wasem returns to "Policy on Purpose" for continued discussion on immigration in America, focusing on the four pillars presented by President Donald Trump in his State of the Union address. Wasem is a clinical professor of public policy practice at the LBJ School of Public Affairs and served as a domestic policy specialist at the U.S. Library of Congress's Congressional Research Service.

Wasem has testified before Congress about asylum policy, legal immigration trends, human rights and the push-pull forces on unauthorized migration. She teaches courses in the LBJ School on immigration, the development of legislation and more.
Full transcript

Episode 01: Professor Ruth Wasem on immigration (Part I)
March 2, 2018
We sit down with Ruth Wasem, clinical professor of public policy practice at the LBJ School of Public Affairs. For more than 25 years, Wasem was a domestic policy specialist at the U.S. Library of Congress's Congressional Research Service, and in this interview she offers her expert insights on DACA and how it fits in with our current public policy perspectives, along with the history of immigration in the United States.

Wasem has testified before Congress about asylum policy, legal immigration trends, human rights and the push-pull forces on unauthorized migration. She teaches courses in the LBJ School on immigration, the development of legislation and more.
Full transcript