The Columbia Political Review Podcast

Today we are joined by Dr. Richard Wolff, who is a professor of economics emeritus at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a visiting professor of international affairs at The New School. He has been named by The New York Times Magazine as “America’s most prominent Marxian economist,” and his most recent book, The Sickness is the System, discusses capitalism's glaring inadequacies in the context of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

New York City’s 25th City Council District—encompassing the neighborhoods of Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst—is a mosaic of cultures, residential character, and traditions of activism. Unfortunately, the district was thrust into turmoil amid the COVID-19 pandemic, accumulating among the highest number of virus-realated casualties of all NYC neighborhoods. Now, NYC District 25 looks to the future for a new era of recovery, reform, and rebuilding. Staff writer Ana Victoria Serna sits down with former NYC Council candidate for District 25 Carolyn Tran to discuss her experiences serving as a civil servant, running as a first-time candidate, and the numerous issues facing these neighborhoods.

The office of the vice presidency is often overlooked, undervalued, and—at times—glossed over entirely. But with the historic appointment of Kamala Harris as the United States' first female, Asian American, African American vice president, the office now finds itself in a reinvigorated spotlight.

Staff writer Yasmine Dahlberg sits down with presidential historian, Adjunct Fellow on the Council of Foreign Relations, and Jigsaw CEO Jared Cohen to discuss the office at the center of his book: "Accidental Presidents: Eight Men Who Changed America."

Buried under an ongoing slew of breaking news surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and post-election coverage, climate change remains a real threat to the lives and livelihoods of many Americans, and it is an issue that should not fall by the wayside. Staff writer Nicolas Lama sits down with climate activist Delaney Reynolds to talk about the role of youth in the fight against climate change and her ongoing lawsuit, Reynolds v. State of Florida.

As the United States braces for another surge in daily COVID-19 cases, the pandemic and its effects on the economy are at the forefront of national political conversations. While a first stimulus package, the CARES Act, has already been implemented, the debate over the scale and scope of a second round of stimulus continues. Oliver Niu sat down with Professor Waseem Noor to contextualize the importance of economic stimulus as well as the long term effects of the pandemic on the US economy.