The Ballpark Podcast

Contributor(s): Peter Trubowitz, Lawrence Wright, Heather Evans | As the midterms draw nearer, we're zooming in on some of the most interesting races in the US. This week, we're headed to Texas to learn about its uniquely individualist culture, what's happening in its Senate race, and how the Lone Star State is poised to become an even more important player in national politics.

Contributor(s): Jason Burchard, Amanda Wintersieck, and Andy Schneider, Denise Baron and Sarah Scaffidi | As a part of our State of the States season, we’re taking a look at some of the most important elections in the 2018 midterms, and this episode, we’re going to Tennessee, the volunteer state, to see how healthcare is impacting one of the most competitive Senate races in the country.

Contributor(s): Susannah Crockford, Antonia Noori Farzan, Chris Gilson, Denise Baron | As a part of our State of the States season, we’re diving deep into the political landscape of Arizona, the Grand Canyon State, and taking a close look at how immigration is playing out in the US Senate race of this border state

Contributor(s): Chris Bonneau, Kris Kanthak, Denise Baron, Chris Gilson | This season, we’re taking a look at how the states influence and shape America’s politics and policy. The stories, the elections, the policies, the political ecosystems, the people of these places are what drives the national narrative. And so, this season, “The State of the States” will take us to some of the most interesting and divided places in the United States.

Contributor(s): Charlie Beckett, Sonia Livingstone, Chris Gilson, Sophie Donszelmann, Denise Baron | Fake news has taken the world and especially America by storm, and in this episode, we talk with two academics who are part of LSE’s effort to define and address this threat to society. We talk with Charlie Beckett and Sonia Livingstone about fake news: what it is and what we can do about it.

Contributor(s): John Collins, Alex Soderholm, Sophie Donszelman and Denise Baron | With the skyrocketing rates of opioid abuse and overdose deaths in the US, John Collins and Alex Soderholm of the International Drugs Policy Unit join us to dissect the key questions behind this epidemic: what’s at the root of this opioid crisis? Where are these drugs coming from? And what can the US do about it?

Contributor(s): Kathy Cramer, Tory Mallett, Denise Baron, and Chris Gilson | The distance between America’s rural and urban communities have become a pivotal element of politics and elections. Professor Kathy Cramer has spent the last decade investigating the attitudes and identities that have contributed to this divide, and in this episode, we dive into that work with her and PhD candidate Tory Mallett.

Contributor(s): Neil Foley, Susannah Crockford, Chris Gilson, and Sophie Donszelmann | The current US president is not the first American leader to use inflammatory rhetoric about Latinos and push anti-immigration policies, but Donald Trump’s presidency has certainly brought these issue to the forefront of American politics. This episode we’re diving into the fear, resentment, and history behind racism towards Latinos, and in doing so, we’ll see that this is far from a recent phenomenon.

Contributor(s): Kathy Cramer and Denise Baron | The 2016 election revealed stark divisions along the rural-urban divide in America. Professor Kathy Cramer’s research explored that division and investigated how rural American resentment toward cities and the urban elite provided fertile ground for right-leaning candidates to win elections. Prof. Cramer recently presented this research at the LSE. You usually have to be in London to catch the public lectures sponsored by the US Centre, but this August, we’re bringing them to you. This podcast lecture series features the research of leading American academics. This is the third lecture of this series, and it features Professor Kathy Cramer on “The Politics of Resentment in the 2016 US Presidential Election”.

Contributor(s): Tali Mendelberg, Sophie Donszelmann | Do American universities promote income inequality? That's the question Professor Tali Mendelberg takes on in this lecture. You usually have to be in London to catch the public lectures sponsored by the US Centre, but this August, we're bringing them to you. This podcast lecture series features the research of leading American academics. This second lecture of the series is from Professor Tali Mendelberg, entitled "The Affluence Effect: College Socialization and Inequality in America".

Contributor(s): Neil Foley, Denise Baron | You usually have to be in London to catch the public lectures sponsored by the US Centre, but this August, we’re bringing them to you. This podcast lecture series features the research of leading American academics. This first lecture is from Professor Neil Foley, “Anxiety, Fear, and National Identity: anti-immigration politics and the rise of Latino power in the US."

Contributor(s): Thomas Frank, Inge Kjemtrup, Sophie Donszelmann, Denise Baron | After a number of disappointing elections, many people have been left asking “Who is the Democratic Party?” In this episode, we’ll not only take on that question, but we’ll take a step further. Who will the Democratic Party be going forward? Will there even be a Democratic Party going forward?

Contributor(s): Yuval Levin, Alex Sundstrom, Denise Baron, Chris Gilson | From the party of Ronald Reagan to Donald Trump, the Republican Party is changing, but what caused these changes and where is American conservatism headed? This episode, we dive into these and other questions about the changing face of Republicans, the GOP, and American conservatism.

Contributor(s): Charles Kupchan, Emmanuelle Blanc, Chris Gilson, Denise Baron | This episode, we're taking a look at how President Trump's prioritisation of "America First" will impact foreign policy. What will America's presence and actions in the world look like during the Trump era?

Contributor(s): Jamie Monogan, Chris Gilson, Denise Baron, Sophie Donszelmann | This episode, we’re looking into an often overlooked level of American policy-making: state governments. While the federal government is gripped by gridlock, the states surprisingly continue to pump out public policy. What makes these smaller governments work so efficiently? And do these laboratories of democracy really work for everyone?

Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Denise Baron, Eric Kaufmann, Brian Klaas | While populism isn’t a new phenomenon in the United States, it has produced a new political spectrum in American politics and elections. In this episode, we explore why populism is so influential in US politics right now, what impact it is having on the political landscape, and where the government or politicians should go from here.

Contributor(s): Denise Baron, Sophie Donszelmann, and Chris Gilson | The Ballpark is back for Season 2! We're still going beyond the headlines and bringing you the facts, figures, quotes, and context that you need to form a more informed view on the United States. But this season, we're bring you even more analysis, research, and insight. Look out for an episode at the end of every month, starting on the 31st of March.

Contributor(s): Mick Cox, Marcia Balisciano, Gavin Baird, Peter Trubowitz | The LSE and United States have a long, intertwined history, and in this episode, we dive into the special relationship between Americans, London, and the LSE.

Contributor(s): Mick Cox | This podcast, we dive into the history of Americans at LSE. As we'll hear from Professor Mick Cox, the LSE has helped shape the United States, and Americans have helped define the LSE since its foundation in 1895.

Contributor(s): Peter Trubowitz, Sophie Donszelmann, Denise Baron | LSE US Centre Director, Peter Trubowitz, breaks down the electoral map and gives us a preview of what to expect in the final hours of the 2016 US Election. Sophie and Denise joined him to discuss the most recent polls, the status of swing states, and the key voting constituencies to watch on Election Night.