American Focus | Podcast on Podbay

American Focus

Institute of Governmental Affairs

This album features programs sponsored by the Institute of Governmental Affairs at the University of California, Davis, focused on domestic policy issues,including the current economic crisis. The institute is drawing upon the expertise of UC Davis social scientists, and others, to provide analysis and commentary on the multiple critical issues facing the nation.

Religious Conservatives and Safe Sex

Robert S. Taylor, associate professor of political science at UC Davis, dissects the religious conservative view on HPV vaccination. His focus is "an imminent criticism of the religious conservative position," as he believes that "the policies don't follow the religious conservative position."

May 30, 2012

52 min

Buying National: Democracy and Discrimination in Public Procurement

Daniel Y. Kono, associate professor of political science at UC Davis, discusses "explanations of procurement discrimination, why some governments discriminate more than others and why governments use procurement discrimination as opposed to other types of protectionist instruments."

May 23, 2012

58 min

Privatization and Its Discontents: The Shared Fate of Public Education and the Public Lands

Louis Warren, professor of history at UC Davis, discusses how public education and the land set aside for public universities are a legacy of the homestead era.

Apr 18, 2012

54 min

Immigration and Labor Markets During the Last Decade

Giovanni Peri, professor of economics at UC Davis, discusses immigration and its impact on the labor market in the United States.

Nov 16, 2011

1 hr 6 min

Boehner's Dilemma: Candidates, Voters, and the Tea Party in the 2010 Elections

Walt Stone, professor of political science, discusses the effects of the Tea Party on the 2010 election.

Oct 12, 2011

1 hr 6 min

Ideology and Spacial Voting in American Elections

Stephen Jessee, an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin, discusses voters' ideological preferences, and the influence of party identification on voters' decisions on presidential elections.

May 13, 2011

1 hr 10 min

State of the Safety Net in Post-Welfare Reform Era

UC Davis economics professor Hilary Hoynes speaks about welfare in today's economy.

Apr 1, 2011

53 min

Physician Wages Higher in Specialties

Paul Leigh, professor of public health sciences at UC Davis, discusses the possibility that too many specialists are driving up the costs of medical care.

Mar 16, 2011

49 min

Sex, Crime and Problems in School

Bill McCarthy, professor of sociology at UC Davis, explores the connections between adolescent romantic relationships and deviant behavior as part of the Institute of Governmental Affairs Policy Watch Seminar series.

Feb 16, 2011

56 min

Constitutional Challenges to the Health Care Law

Vikram Amar, associate dean for academic affairs and professor of law at UC Davis, speaks on the constitutional challenges to the health care law as part of the Institute of Governmental Affairs Policy Watch Seminar series.

Feb 9, 2011

52 min