KQED's Forum

Theo Baker arrived at Stanford as an eager freshman planning to study computer science and maybe write occasionally for the student paper. But his reporting uncovered something much bigger, ultimately leading to the resignation of Stanford’s president. In his new book, “How to Rule the World,” Baker argues the university functions less like a school and more like a pipeline to power, wealth and Silicon Valley influence. We’ll talk with Baker about what the next generation of elites are really learning at Stanford.

Guests:

Theo Baker, investigative journalist and author, "How to Rule the World: An Education in Power at Stanford University"

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“Gold is having a moment,” writes New Yorker staff writer Jennifer Wilson. Earlier this year, it traded as high as $5,500 an ounce as an unstable economic outlook has central banks and investors buying gold to hedge their bets. Gold has been embraced by the far right, reality TV, and hobbyists and full-time prospectors headed up to the foothills where the California Gold Rush began. Wilson explores all these angles in her latest piece “How Americans Caught Gold Fever Again.” We talk to Wilson and experts – and a gold prospector –  about the legacy and future of this precious metal.

Guests:

Jennifer Wilson, staff writer, The New Yorker - her recent article is "How Americans Caught Gold Fever Again"

Albert Fausel, owner, Placerville Hardware; part-time gold prospector

Quinn Slobodian, professor of international history, Boston University

Brian Wallace, executive officer, Indigenous Futures Society

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The Colorado River basin and its two largest reservoirs, Lake Powell and Lake Mead, are facing record-low water levels, and the seven states that rely on the water system can’t agree on what to do about it. Now the federal government may need to step in, with the Trump Administration proposing a plan that would cut 40 percent of the Colorado River’s water supply to Arizona, California and Nevada over the next decade. We’ll talk with environment journalists about what this could mean here in California.

Guests:

Camille von Kaenel, California environment reporter, Politico

Luke Runyon, co-director, The Water Desk, Center for Environmental Journalism at the University of Colorado, Boulder

Celene Hawkins, director, Colorado River Program, The Nature Conservancy

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Barbara Lee was elected mayor of Oakland last year with the city reeling from a political scandal, mired deep in fiscal crisis and scarred by years of violent crime. She promised a calm, no-nonsense approach to dealing with Oakland’s major problems.   A year later, the city’s financial outlook has stabilized some, its streets are safer than they have been in decades and Mayor Lee is talking about running for a full four-year term. We’ll talk with Lee about the successes of the past year and about the city’s many challenges including homelessness, the budget, illegal dumping and an empty downtown.

Guests:

Barbara Lee, mayor of Oakland

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America used to value things — youth sports, local businesses and accessible healthcare, for example — simply because they were good for communities. That’s according to Sen. Chris Murphy, who says over the past 50 years the United States has seen a shift away from common goods in favor of profit, disconnection and unhappiness. We speak with the Connecticut Democrat about his new book, “Crisis of the Common Good,” and the values he believes could unite America — or at least the Democratic Party.

Guests:

Chris Murphy, senator from Connecticut (D), U.S. Senate

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You may be among the nearly two million voters who have already cast their votes for California’s primary election next week. But if you’re procrastinating like the rest of us, we’ll break down what’s on your ballot. We’ll go beyond the governor’s race to statewide races like attorney general and insurance commissioner, to the key congressional races that could determine the direction of the Democratic Party, and the ballot measures that are conflicting, confusing or causing controversy. KQED’s Politics Team will answer your questions and discuss what you need to know to fill out your ballot.

Guests:

Guy Marzorati, correspondent, KQED's California Politics and Government Desk

Marisa Lagos, politics correspondent, KQED; co-host, KQED's Political Breakdown

Sydney Johnson, reporter, KQED News

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The United States turns 250 this summer, but for many Americans feeling burned out by partisan politics it may feel hard to imagine wanting to celebrate. We talk to author Jeremy David Engels about his new book, “On Mindful Democracy: A Declaration of Interdependence to Mend a Fractured World,” which offers a path out of partisanship and a community-centered approach to democracy.

Guests:

Jeremy David Engels, author, "On Mindful Democracy: A Declaration of Interdependence to Mend a Fractured World;" professor of communication arts and sciences, Penn University; co-founder, Yoga Lab; mindfulness and yoga instructor

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Great museums can drive tourism, and the Bay Area has no shortage of world class institutions. But museums everywhere are facing rising costs, declining fundraising support, and lower attendance. Last month, the Cal Academy of Sciences laid off more than fifty employees. Yet, public support for museums remains high, museums’ clientele has steadily diversified and many museums are managing to do well. With summer around the corner, we’ll check in on the state of Bay Area museums.

Guests:

Lori Fogarty, executive director, Oakland Museum of California

Dr. Soyoung Lee, The Barbara Bass Bakar Director and CEO, Asian Art Museum

Sarah Hotchkiss, senior editor, KQED Arts & Culture

Laura Zander, chief growth and operating officer, Exploratorium

Teddy Vollman, chapter president, CalAcademy Workers United

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“All my life I have tried to be a good woman,” writes Savala Nolan. Being “good” meant not rocking the boat. It meant following the rules and fitting herself into the mold of duty, excellence, sacrifice, and hard work. But as a Black woman and mother navigating a world built for men, Nolan learned that the lessons of being good no longer fit her life. In her new book of essays “Good Woman: A Reckoning,” Nolan, an attorney who heads UC Berkeley Law’s Thelton E. Henderson Center for Social Justice, blends history and memoir as she examines the confining expectations of womanhood. We listen back on our March interview with Nolan

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Aziz Abu Sarah, who is Palestinian, and Maoz Inon, who is Israeli, have both lost family to the conflict in the Middle East. They are also both peacebuilders who say they “forged a bond of brotherhood when the world expected us to hate each other.” We first talked to them earlier this year about their relationship and their vision for a culture of dialogue and forgiveness; today we're revisiting our conversation about their book, “The Future Is Peace: A Shared Journey Across the Holy Land.”

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