Policy on Purpose: Recent Episodes
Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs
Policy on Purpose is a podcast from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin. We dive into real-world and timely policy topics with leading experts from the school as well as the policy world at large.
Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin.
This is the first installment of our four-part podcast series on our Policy Leadership in the Age of AI symposium, which was hosted at the LBJ Auditorium on October 1st, 2024. As part of UT’s 2024 initiative, the Year of AI, we brought together public, private, and academic leaders for crucial discussions on the ethical […]
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.
This event is the fourth and final installment of a special series titled “Policy Lessons from the Past" with four Texas-based policy experts discussing 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. Visit lbj.utexas.edu/podcast for more info.
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.
This event is the third installment of a special series titled “Policy Lessons from the Past" with four Texas-based policy experts discussing 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.Visit lbj.utexas.edu/podcast for more info.
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.”
Dr. Coleman’s conversation is the second installment of a special four-part series titled “Policy Lessons from the Past: U.S. history with a Texas twist,” in which Texas-based policy experts 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. Visit lbj.utexas.edu/podcast for more info.
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.
Dr. Joseph’s conversation is the first installment of a special four-part series titled “Policy Lessons from the Past: U.S. history with a Texas twist,” in which Texas-based policy experts 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. Visit lbj.utexas.edu/podcast for more info.
Those that cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. In a special series titled “Policy Lessons from the Past: U.S. history with a Texas twist,” 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: U.S. history with a Texas twist” is presented by the LBJ School Washington Center. For more info, visit lbj.utexas.edu/podcast
In this special episode of Policy on Purpose, Dean JR DeShazo recognizes the people, mission and legacy of the LBJ School in his inaugural 2021 State of the College. Find out more at lbj.utexas.edu.
This episode, the fourth in the LBJ School's podcast series Eye on the Lege: Inside the 87th 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.
This episode of Policy on Purpose was mixed and mastered by Morgan Honaker, Oscar Kitmanyen, and Ean Herrera.
This third episode in the LBJ School's podcast series Eye on the Lege: Inside the 87th 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.
This episode of Policy on Purpose was mixed and mastered by Alejandra Arrazola and Will Kurzner.
In episode 2 of Eye on the Lege: Inside the 87th 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.
This episode of Policy on Purpose was mixed and mastered by Harris Codini and Will Kurzner.
In this episode of the LBJ School's new podcast series "Eye on the Lege: Inside the 87th 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.
This episode of Policy on Purpose was mixed and mastered by Alejandra Arrazola, Harper Carlton, and Sofia Salter.
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. This podcast series is a continuation of a policy toolkit released by the LBJ School in December 2020. Learn more: https://lbj.utexas.edu/resiliency-toolkit
This episode of Policy on Purpose was mixed and mastered by Sofia Salter and Will Kurzner.
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. This podcast series is a continuation of a policy toolkit released by the LBJ School in December 2020. Learn more: https://lbj.utexas.edu/resiliency-toolkit
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. This podcast series is a continuation of a policy toolkit released by the LBJ School in December 2020. Learn more: https://lbj.utexas.edu/resiliency-toolkit
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
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 six-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.
In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson shared his vision of what would become known as the “Great Society”—an America where the air and water are clean, poverty and racial injustice have been eliminated, and all its citizens can develop their full potential and share in the promise of America. But the gap between LBJ’s aspiration and our current reality is as wide today as it was then. From the LBJ School, this is a series on the future of leadership, national security, climate change, education and more through the lens of resiliency. Launching in January 2021: From a Great Society to a Resilient Society: Building a resilient future in a globally connected world.
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.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan visited the LBJ School on November 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.
Hedrick Smith, a Pulitzer Prize winning reporter and director of the upcoming PBS documentary Democracy Rebellion, talks about grassroots efforts in Texas to combat big money politics, gerrymandering and voter suppression.
Former NYC 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.
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.
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.
Founding CEO of the Public Religion Research Institute Robert Jones 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.
LBJ School alumnus Austin Smythe (MPAff ’80) joined the LBJ School during Admitted Students Weekend in April 2019, talking to new students about his career as Speaker Paul Ryan’s policy director (2015-2019). Smythe, who joined Ryan’s office in 2007, has served in a variety of roles, including policy director for the House Ways and Means Committee and as staff director for the House Budget Committee (2007-2015).
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.
Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence Sue 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.
In 2018 Royce Brooks became executive director of Annie's List, an organization started in 2003 to recruit, train and support progressive women running for office at both the state and local levels in Texas. Over the past 15 years, the organization has raised more than $15 million to support these candidates and has helped them win more than 100 races, canvassing, holding training sessions, phone banking and driving voters to the polls.
Before joining Annie’s List, Brooks worked with city leaders, researchers and community members to develop a policy agenda addressing inequality in Atlanta as the city’s first-ever chief equity officer. She served as the policy director for Sylvester Turner’s successful campaign for mayor of Houston and as the statewide policy director for Wendy Davis’s 2014 Texas gubernatorial campaign.
Brooks has worked in both houses of Congress, including as a legislative counsel and subcommittee staff director in the United States Senate, and has been a policy analyst with the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies and was a legislative assistant for Rep. Martin Frost (D–TX), the former chairman of the U.S. House Democratic Caucus.
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.
In this episode of Policy on Purpose, guest hosted by LBJ Professor and the Washington Center’s Academic Director Don Kettl, former governor of Maryland Martin O’Malley, former mayor of Indianapolis Stephen Goldsmith and Robert Shea of Grant Thornton talk about how data-driven decision making can change the way governments serve people. Recorded at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin.
Chicago’s 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, a 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.
Former President of Costa Rica Luis Guillermo Solis and Vice President of Nicaragua Sergio Ramirez 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 hosts.
Historian and best-selling author Michael Beschloss joined LBJ School Dean Angela Evans to talk about why and how drawing on history to illuminate politics and policy is critical, and what he’s learned from approaching history through issues and circumstances rather than biography.
Jim Steinberg, former LBJ School dean and Deputy Secretary of State (2009 – 2011) visited Austin, Texas 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.
Angela Evans, dean of the LBJ School, interviews top-level female staffers from both parties in the U.S. Senate. Beth Jafari is chief of staff for Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas). A Houston native, she earned degrees in journalism and political science from Texas A&M University, and her J.D. from the George Mason University School of Law before beginning her Washington career working on domestic policy issues for Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas). Maura Keefe is chief of staff for Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.). A veteran political adviser, she has worked with candidates, campaigns, nonprofits and business clients, and is the former press secretary and chief of staff to Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.). She served as director of congressional affairs for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign.
In a special live recording of Policy on Purpose, former mayor of New Orleans Mitch Landrieu addresses a crowd of 300+ UT students, urging them to stay engaged with today’s most pressing issues.
New LBJ School professor Admiral William McRaven speaks candidly on lessons learned throughout his distinguished career.
William McRaven, M.Sc., former UT System Chancellor and a retired U.S. Navy four-star admiral, will join the school as a professor in national security, drawing on his experiences. He helped create and launch the Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict curriculum as a student in the Naval Postgraduate School, becoming its first graduate.
As the 2018 fall semester begins, Donald Kettl, a new LBJ School professor and academic director of the LBJ Washington Center, joins Dean Angela Evans to discuss the future of public policy schools. In this episode, they explore new challenges to public policy, how best to prepare students for cutting edge problems and the important role policy schools play in training the next generation of leaders.
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, Soledad O’Brien talks candidly about the role of media and public policy.
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.
Texas Senator Kirk Watson joins Dean Angela Evans for this episode of Policy on Purpose. First elected to the Texas Senate in 2006, Senator Watson represents Senate District 14, which now covers most of Travis County and all of Bastrop County. In this interview, Senator Watson discusses his top legislative priorities, including ready access to healthcare and government transparency, and his experiences formulating policy in the face of ideological differences.
The Honorable Julián Castro, former Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, marks the 50th 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.
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’ Congressional Research Service.
In this inaugural episode of Policy on Purpose, we sit down with Ruth Wasem, clinical professor of public policy practice at the LBJ School of Public Affairs. For more than 25 years, Ruth Wasem was a domestic policy specialist at the U.S. Library of Congress’ 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.