Best Graduate Center The CUNY Podcasts (2025)

1
Cathy N. Davidson on Why CUNY Students Give Her Hope for the Future 47:13

14d ago47:13

47:13

In this episode of The Thought Project, CUNY Graduate Center Distinguished Professor Cathy N. Davidson reflects on her 11 transformative years at the City University of New York. Calling CUNY “an educational miracle,” Davidson explains why she believes it’s the greatest university in the world: low-cost, high-impact, and driven by an extraordinary …

1
Queer Visibility Becomes a Powerful Act at Lavender Graduation 29:36

21d ago29:36

29:36

In a time of backlash against LGBTQ+ individuals, Jean Halley, a professor at the CUNY Graduate Center and College of Staten Island, takes a powerful stand by addressing graduates at her home campus’s Lavender Ceremony honoring LGBTQ+ students. Halley joins The Thought Project to talk about why showing up as her full, queer self is an act of courag…

1
Why a ‘Small but Mighty’ Library Is Vital to Research — and Democracy 29:46

27d ago29:46

29:46

In this episode of The Thought Project, Maura Smale, chief librarian of the CUNY Graduate Center’s Mina Rees Library, explores how academic libraries empower research and uphold democratic values in a time of growing censorship and disinformation. Smale highlights the Graduate Center library’s vital role as a research hub, connecting scholars acros…

1
Rebuilding Trust in Public Schools 20:00

1M ago20:00

20:00

In this episode of The Thought Project podcast, education policy expert David Bloomfield discusses the ongoing recovery of New York City’s public school system after the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bloomfield, a professor of Educational Leadership, Law, and Policy at Brooklyn College at Brooklyn College and of Urban Education at the CUNY G…

1
Africa and the Global South in the New World Order 41:41

1M ago41:41

41:41

Zachariah Mampilly, the Marxe Endowed Chair of International Affairs at Baruch College and professor of Political Science at the CUNY Graduate Center, joins The Thought Project to unpack the effects of the new world order on Africa and the Global South. Mampilly explains that outdated racial and colonial frameworks continue to shape international r…

1
SPECIAL EDITION Ford to City: Drop Dead 56:57

2M ago56:57

56:57

On October 30, 1975, the New York Daily News printed the most famous headline in its history: “Ford to City: Drop Dead.” The previous day, President Gerald Ford had delivered a speech at the National Press Club in Washington on the looming bankruptcy of New York City. In the speech, Ford publicly denied the near-bankrupt New York City a federal bai…

1
Why Social Revolution Starts Small 41:06

2M ago41:06

41:06

On this episode of The Thought Project, philosophy professor Michael Brownstein joins host Tanya Domi to unpack the sweeping rollbacks of long-standing U.S. social programs and the lessons history offers in fighting back. Brownstein, chair of philosophy at John Jay College and professor of Philosophy at the CUNY Graduate Center, draws on themes fro…

1
Echoes of 1938 in U.S. Politics 35:24

3M ago35:24

35:24

Historian Benjamin Carter Hett, a professor at the CUNY Graduate Center and Hunter College, joins The Thought Project for a timely discussion of the rise of autocracy in America and its unsettling parallels to Europe in 1938. Hett is the author of The Death of Democracy, which examines Hitler’s rise to power and the fall of the Weimar Republic, and…

1
Inside the New Certificate in LGBTQ Studies 23:32

3M ago23:32

23:32

The CUNY Graduate Center has launched a timely new Advanced Certificate in LGBTQ Studies. Its director Laura Westengard, a professor of English at New York City College of Technology, joins The Thought Project to discuss the years-long effort to establish the 15-credit program, how it provides students with a formal credential in LGBTQ studies, and…

1
How a $100K Gift Is Shaping the Future of LGBTQ Studies Center 30:21

3M ago30:21

30:21

Founded at the CUNY Graduate Center over 30 years ago, CLAGS: The Center for LGBTQ Studies has been a leader in LGBTQ scholarship. Now, a $100,000 unrestricted gift from CUNY scholar James M. Saslow helping to secure its legacy and future impact. CLAGS Executive Director Matt Brim, a professor at the Graduate Center and the College of Staten Island…

1
Mapping the Wreckage of War and Wildfires 44:01

4M ago44:01

44:01

In this episode of The Thought Project, we delve into the innovative work of Corey Scher, whose satellite mapping techniques provide crucial insights into the human and environmental costs of conflict and disaster — from the wars in Ukraine and Gaza to wildfires in Los Angeles. Scher, an Earth and Environmental Sciences Ph.D. candidate at the CUNY …

1
How the CUNY Mapping Service Supports a Fair Census 34:45

4M ago34:45

34:45

How do we ensure every community is counted in the census? In a conversation on The Thought Project, Steven Romalewski, director of the CUNY Mapping Service, discusses the critical role of data mapping in ensuring a fair and accurate 2030 census. His team collaborates with national civil rights organizations, policymakers, and community groups to i…

1
S1.E10. Turning the Page, Tuning the Dial 47:11

5M ago47:11

47:11

In the tenth episode of Soundscapes NYC, host Ryan Purcell expands upon previous episodes to consider the various musical styles that emerged in New York City during the Seventies alongside punk rock. In dialogue with music critic Will Hermes, author of Love Goes to Buildings on Fire: Five Years in New York that Changed Music Forever (Farrar, Strau…

1
A Biochemist Seeks Better Prostrate Cancer Treatments 24:11

5M ago24:11

24:11

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men, with risk factors including age, race, lifestyle, and environmental exposures. Daniel Okpattah, a Biochemistry Ph.D. student at the CUNY Graduate Center, studies the molecular processes that drive prostate cancer. His research focuses on how cancer cells grow, survive, and resist treatmen…

1
Blackstone, Neoliberalism, and the Housing Crisis 28:51

5M ago28:51

28:51

David Harvey examines the relationship between wage repression, rising housing costs, and homelessness, presenting a stark critique of capitalist systems that prioritize speculative profits over meeting basic housing needs. He explores how inflation in housing markets, driven by financial speculation and companies like Blackstone, exacerbates econo…

1
How New Yorkers View Immigrants in the City 38:36

5M ago38:36

38:36

This episode of The Thought Project features a compelling discussion with Professors Philip Kasinitz and Liza Steele, sociologists at the CUNY Graduate Center, on immigration, public opinion, and the evolving challenges of migration policy. The conversation explores their analysis of a YouGov survey, which reveals a surprisingly positive outlook am…

1
S1.E9. Jubilee (1978) 47:42

5M ago47:42

47:42

In the ninth episode of Soundscapes NYC, host Ryan Purcell traces the trans-Atlantic movement of artists associated with punk culture in New York and London. In conversation with British cultural historian Matt Worley, we follow New York-based artists like Jayne (née Wayne) County, Johnny Thunders, Jerry Nolan, and others to the U.K. where they emb…

1
Trumpism vs. Wage Justice 22:07

5M ago22:07

22:07

David Harvey reflects on the challenges of addressing inflation and wage repression in the U.S., especially for the 50% of the population struggling to live on $30,000–$40,000 a year. He critiques the Democratic Party's failure to focus on the economic needs of this group, emphasizing that inflation, despite slowing, continues to affect them due to…

1
S1.E8. Rock 'N' Roll Resurrection 53:42

5M ago53:42

53:42

In the eighth episode of Soundscapes NYC, host Ryan Purcell talks with music history professor Steve Waksman about the social and stylistic transformation of the New York rock scene during the mid-1970s. The introduction of new bands clashed with the old guard, culminating with a violent altercation between artists in CBGB in March 1976. In 2024, W…

1
S1.E7. Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ 43:58

6M ago43:58

43:58

Bruce Springsteen was keenly aware and excited by the sounds of the CBGBs scene during the Seventies. With his own bands, the Boss performed in the same venues associated with punk rock and ultimately wrote songs for Patti Smith and the Ramones. Yet Springsteen’s sound has remained distinct from punk rock as it emanated from New York. In the sevent…

1
S1.E6. Illustrating Punk 41:12

6M ago41:12

41:12

In the sixth episode of Soundscapes NYC, host Ryan Purcell talks with John Holmstrom a comic illustrator and founder of Punk magazine. In the early 1970s, Holmstrom moved from suburban Connecticut to New York City to attend the School of Visual Arts where he studied under the celebrated comic illustrator Will Eisner and Harvey Kurtzman creator of M…

1
Making Room for Latin American Studies and Scholars at CUNY 46:53

7M ago46:53

46:53

In this episode of The Thought Project, host Tanya Domi welcomes Mila Burns, associate director of the Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies at the CUNY Graduate Center and a professor of History at the Graduate Center and Lehman College. A proud Graduate Center alumna, she shares insights from her interdisciplinary career spanni…

1
S1.E5. A Queer Etymology of Punk 48:44

7M ago48:44

48:44

In the fifth episode of Soundscapes N.Y.C., host Ryan Purcell talks with British music critic Jon Savage about how LGBTQ resistance shaped American popular music from the 1950s to the 1980s. Savage discusses the curious and queer roots of the word punk stretching back to the time of Shakespeare when it was used to connote ambiguous and transgressiv…

1
How Economic Anxiety Shaped the Election With Charles Tien 41:10

7M ago41:10

41:10

In this episode of The Thought Project, Tanya Domi speaks with Charles Tien, a professor of Political Science at the CUNY Graduate Center and Hunter, about the implications of the 2024 Presidential elections. They discuss Donald Trump’s historic re-election, shifting voter demographics, and parallels with the 1980 election of Ronald Reagan. Drawing…

1
BRES at the CUNY Graduate Center 24:09

7M ago24:09

24:09

In this episode of The Thought Project podcast, Tanya Domi talks with Professor Van Tran about the launch of the CUNY Graduate Center’s Ph.D. and master’s programs in Black, Race, and Ethnic Studies (BRES), the first of their kind in the New York metropolitan area. Tran, a sociologist who led the development of the programs with Professor Martin Ru…

1
S1.E4. Sounds of the City Collapsing 47:45

7M ago47:45

47:45

In the fourth episode of Soundscapes NYC, host Ryan Purcell and music historian Jesse Rifkin tour a constellation of seedy bars and venues in the 1970s that nurtured bands during the early days of punk rock. These spaces include well-known clubs like CBGBs and Max’s Kansas City and lesser-known haunts like the Mercer Arts Center and Mother’s that s…

1
Revolt and Recession: The Global Crisis of Higher Education and Work 29:20

8M ago29:20

29:20

[S6 E04] Revolt and Recession: The Global Crisis of Higher Education and Work David Harvey reflects on recent protests in Bangladesh as a "canary in the coal mine" for growing global discontent over unequal job opportunities and socioeconomic divides. He explores parallels between the unrest in Bangladesh, Iran, and student movements of the 1960s, …

1
S1.E3. How Punk Broke the Binary 1:06:30

8M ago1:06:30

1:06:30

When singer Debbie Harry helped form Blondie in 1974 she developed a unique stage persona to front the band. Though she may have appeared to fans as a hyper-femme caricature, Harry recalls her role as androgynous or "transexual" in her 2019 memoir Face It. In the third episode of Soundscapes N.Y.C., host Ryan Purcell talks with Cornell University p…

1
Celestial Bodies: What Trees Reveal About Outer Space 17:24

8M ago17:24

17:24

In this episode of The Thought Project, we bring you a Celestial Bodies podcast recorded by science journalist Rebecca Rand and astronomer Mark Popinchalk in which they explore the surprising connection between trees and cosmic events. Popinchalk, a CUNY Graduate Center alumnus (Ph.D. ’23, Physics) and postdoctoral fellow at the American Museum of …

1
What the New Title IX Means for Gender-Based Violence Prevention 30:30

8M ago30:30

30:30

In this Domestic Violence Awareness Month episode of The Thought Project, Tanya Domi speaks with Jessica Morak, executive director of institutional equity and chief diversity officer at the CUNY Graduate Center, about her work to implement new Title IX policies, which prohibit sex-based discrimination in schools. The updated policy includes new pro…

1
S1.E2. Wayne County at the Trucks (1974) 49:44

8M ago49:44

49:44

In the second episode of Soundscapes N.Y.C., host Ryan Purcell talks with Tony Zanetta. In the late 1960s, Zanetta worked in Off-Off-Broadway theater and ultimately landed a role playing the Andy Warhol character in Pork, an absurdist play based on Warhol’s phone recordings. Zanetta followed the cast to London where he befriended David Bowie who su…

1
Fighting Toxic Algal Bloooms to Protect Our Oceans 22:04

8M ago22:04

22:04

In this episode of The Thought Project podcast, Georgie Humphries, a Ph.D. candidate in Earth and Environmental Sciences at the CUNY Graduate Center, talks to science journalist and CUNY Newmark J-School graduate Saugat Bolakhe about her work to fend off toxic algal blooms. Humphries delves into the fascinating yet alarming world of phytoplankton –…

1
The State of Reproductive Health Care with Brittany Brathwaite and Frances Howell 1:02:02

8M ago1:02:02

1:02:02

In this episode of The Thought Project podcast, we discuss the current state of abortion and reproductive health care in in post-Dobbs America with Brittany Brathwaite and Frances Howell, Ph.D. students who are studying critical social psychology at the CUNY Graduate Center. Howell, whose research focuses on assisted reproductive technologies and r…

1
David Bloomfield on NYC Schools Amid the City Hall Shakeup 24:50

9M ago24:50

24:50

Education policy expert David Bloomfield, a professor at the CUNY Graduate Center and Brooklyn College joins The Thought Project podcast to discuss the challenges facing New York City schools amid a shakeup at City Hall. As Mayor Eric Adams grapples with a five-count criminal indictment, and Schools Chancellor David Banks steps down, Melissa Aviles…

1
S1.E1. Gender Crisis N.Y.C. 45:00

9M ago45:00

45:00

In the premiere episode of Soundscapes N.Y.C., host Ryan Purcell talks with celebrated writer Lucy Sante about the landscape of gender logics within the New York rock scene. It was a nebulous soundscape of counterculture formed around gender explorations and social upheaval set to the soundtrack of an aggressive style of rock ’n’ roll that critics …

1
John Mollenkopf on the New York Mayor’s Crises 30:01

9M ago30:01

30:01

CUNY Graduate Center Distinguished Professor John Mollenkopf joins The Thought Project podcast to discuss the legal challenges facing New York City Mayor Eric Adams and his administration as multiple investigations involving top city officials unfold. Mollenkopf, an esteemed political scientist and sociologist who directs the Graduate Center’s Cent…

1
Meet the New Prez 29:05

9M ago29:05

29:05

The Graduate Center’s midtown Manhattan campus is humming after a quiet summer. Fall classes are in session, and a new campus café and bar is bustling. One person who is excited about the revived energy is President Joshua C. Brumberg. This is Brumberg’s first year as the permanent president of the CUNY Graduate Center. A neurobiologist and CUNY fa…

1
The Politics of Clans and Castes 42:48

10M ago42:48

42:48

[S6 E04] The Politics of Clans and Castes David Harvey explores Marx's theory of the capitalist mode of production, emphasizing the importance of understanding both the inner structure and external dynamics of this system. Harvey highlights the contradiction inherent in commodities, where use value and exchange value often clash. He discusses how t…

1
World War 3: The Resonance of Unwritten History 29:51

1y ago29:51

29:51

[S6 E02] World War 3: The Resonance of Unwritten History Stay connected with the latest news from Politics in Motion. Join our mailing list today: https://www.politicsinmotion.org David Harvey reflects on the eerie similarities between current global political and economic tensions and those of the 1930s, suggesting a potential repetition of histor…

1
Politics In Motion Live #1: From the Labor Theory of Value to Homelessness. Q&A with David Harvey and Miguel Robles-Durán. 1:02:46

1+ y ago1:02:46

1:02:46

Politics In Motion Live #1: From the Labor Theory of Value to Homelessness. Q&A with David Harvey and Miguel Robles-Durán. Stay connected with the latest news from Politics in Motion. Join our mailing list today: https://www.politicsinmotion.org Join David Harvey and Miguel Robles-Duran for a compelling Patreon discussion on the intersections of po…

1
Beyond Borders: Class, Nation & Nationalism 39:48

1+ y ago39:48

39:48

[S6 E01] Beyond Borders: Class, Nation & Nationalism Stay connected with the latest news from Politics in Motion. Join our mailing list today: https://www.politicsinmotion.org Professor Harvey investigates a very difficult and thorny problem, not only for Marxists, but for everyone, which is how to understand the concept of nation and the role of n…

1
The Politics of Humiliation 33:37

1+ y ago33:37

33:37

[S5.5 E08] The Politics of Humiliation Stay connected with the latest news from Politics in Motion. Join our mailing list today: https://www.politicsinmotion.org In his book, The Economic Consequences of the Peace, economist John Maynard Keynes warned against the humiliation of Germany at the end of World War I. Keynes argued that if you deal with …

1
The Question of Debt in Our Lives 21:45

1+ y ago21:45

21:45

[S5.5 E07] The Question of Debt in Our Lives Stay connected with the latest news from Politics in Motion. Join our mailing list today: https://www.politicsinmotion.org Last week Professor Harvey pointed out that the basic means by which consumerism is developed in such a way is to be consistent with the growth of an economy based upon profit seekin…

1
Urban Education Students Learn Podcasting from David Bloomfield 9:22

1+ y ago9:22

9:22

How well do New York City schools equip teachers to practice restorative justice? How do Latinx immigrant-origin teachers incorporate their cultures in their lessons and interactions with students? These are some of the questions that Graduate Center Urban Education Ph.D. students Michael Alston and Veronica Paredes are exploring in their research.…

1
Where Does Profit Come From? 25:28

1+ y ago25:28

25:28

[S5.5 E06] Where Does Profit Come From? Stay connected with the latest news from Politics in Motion. Join our mailing list today: https://www.politicsinmotion.org Professor Harvey takes us back to the very origins of Marx’s Capital by asking the questions, where does profit come from and what are the consequences of profit making? Harvey discusses …

1
Mass and the Politics of Scale 23:53

1+ y ago23:53

23:53

[S5.5 E05] Anti-Capitalist Chronicles: Mass and the Politics of Scale Stay connected with the latest news from Politics in Motion. Join our mailing list today: https://www.politicsinmotion.org Professor Harvey discusses the UAW strike and the transformation of the automobile industry. He argues that mere electrification of the automobile cannot sol…

1
The Return of McCarthyism (Part 2) — On The New York Times and other Liberal Media 26:00

2y ago26:00

26:00

[S5.5 E4] Anti-Capitalist Chronicles: The Return of McCarthyism (Part 2) — On The New York Times and other Liberal Media Stay connected with the latest news from Politics in Motion. Join our mailing list today: https://www.politicsinmotion.org Professor Harvey discusses the media “red scare” on China and the current persecution of the socialist Ame…

1
The Return of McCarthyism (Part 1) 29:46

2y ago29:46

29:46

[S5.5 E3] Anti-Capitalist Chronicles: The Return of McCarthyism (Part 1) Stay connected with the latest news from Politics in Motion. Join our mailing list today: https://www.politicsinmotion.org Professor Harvey discusses the persecution of the scholar Owen Lattimore at the hands of Joseph McCarthy. Owen Lattimore was editor of Pacific Affairs, a …

1
Capitalist Social Formation vs. OUR PLANET! 23:08

2y ago23:08

23:08

[S5.5 E02] Anti-Capitalist Chronicles: Capitalist Social Formation vs. OUR PLANET! Stay connected with the latest news from Politics in Motion. Join our mailing list today: https://www.politicsinmotion.org Professor Harvey discusses the relationship between the mode of production of capital and the context of its social formation. In the previous e…

1
Workers Unite! Emancipation from the Capitalist Totality 28:39

2y ago28:39

28:39

[PNM S5 E01] Workers Unite! Emancipation from the Capitalist Totality Stay connected with the latest news from Politics in Motion. Join our mailing list today: https://www.politicsinmotion.org In this analysis of the capitalist totality, Professor Harvey provides a critical examination of the exploitative nature of capitalism from the perspective o…

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Graduate Center The CUNY Podcasts

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