Longview Institute News

Fred Block and Matthew Keller: Where Do Innovations Come From? Transformations in the U.S. National Innovation System, 1970-2006

judejb — 2008-07-09 11:36:57

In this report published by the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation, Fred Block and Matthew Keller show how the nature of the U.S. innovation system has changed dramatically over the course of the last 40 years. The authors analyze a sample of innovations recognized by R&D Magazine as being among the top 100 innovations of the year over the last four decades.

Book Review: Ruth Rosen on Charles Postel's The Populist Vision

judejb — 2008-07-09 11:33:48

Do the socially progressive ideals that jump-started 20th-century reform movements have lessons relevant to the concerns of 21st-century America? A new book makes a strong case that they do.

No Such Thing as a Free Market

judejb — 2008-06-11 07:29:36

The New York Sun recently published a critical "reconsideration" of Karl Polanyi's mid-20th Century text, The Great Transformation. Fred Block shows that the issues are not academic but are critically relevant for today's political and economic debates.

Ruth Rosen: Tales From Inside the Editorial Board Room

judejb — 2008-06-09 13:24:36

In this TPM Cafe piece, Ruth Rosen reflects on the pressure she and other members of the media felt to suppress their skepticism about the Bush administration's rationale to go to war.

Fred Block: America’s Stealth Industrial Policy

judejb — 2008-06-07 21:30:54

Fred Block writes in Miller-McCune that free marketers want the government off business's back, but may not realize how much of the spine is government funded.

Talking Inequality

mrkeller — 2008-05-08 18:54:42

How can progressives be effective in framing issues of social and economic inequality? This two-part document from the Social Equity and Opportunity Forum at Portland State University documents and addresses the fact that when activists and advocates say one thing, their audiences often hear a very different message.

Market Myth Four: Financial Markets Thrive when Regulation is Kept to a Minimum

mrkeller — 2008-05-01 00:30:31

John Maynard Keynes reminded us during the Great Depression, ?When the capital development of a country becomes the by-product of a casino, the job is likely to be ill done.? The role of hedge funds in the recent meltdown of the home mortgage market is a powerful reminder of his wisdom.

Fred Block: Mortgage Meltdown for Dummies

fred — 2008-03-20 17:16:49

In a piece posted on the Dissent webpage, Fred Block connects the dots behind the mortgage meltdown and suggests the lessons for the Presidential election

Democracy in Action

fred — 2008-01-21 10:47:06

In a piece published in Dissent, Ruth Rosen draws on her experience as a juror to tell us what democracy looks like.

Paul Krugman: Blindly into the Bubble

jayaram — 2007-12-22 21:25:50

For years, former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan refused to regulate the subprime lending market because of his faith that the market would regulate itself. Now that the crisis has hit, Paul Krugman writes, both the former and current chairmen have acknowledged that, for some completely unforeseeable reason, "market discipline has, in some cases, broken down."

Groveling for Choice: What Good Doctors Will Do

jayaram — 2007-11-12 09:44:31

On RHrealitycheck.org, Carole Joffe tells the stories of two doctors who, thirty years after Roe, have to beg hospitals to perform abortions on their patients, even in cases of medical necessity.

Ruth Rosen: What's fueled the U.S.-Iran war of words?

jayaram — 2007-10-24 23:50:06

In the San Francisco Chronicle, Ruth Rosen praises Reese Erlich, author of The Iran Agenda: The Real Story of U.S. Policy and the Middle East Crisis, as a "truth teller" who predicted the harsh consequences of war with Iraq before it began. His new book, Rosen writes, "can help readers understand why Iran and the United States may - or may not - soon be involved in yet another war."

Market Myth No. 3: Regulation of business is wasteful, unproductive and usually unnecessary

jayaram — 2007-10-09 16:17:56

Market Fundamentalists have insistently argued that since markets will punish firms that sell shoddy or dangerous products, there is no need for governments to regulate business. But three current battles have made it crystal clear that these claims are dangerously wrong

Ruth Rosen: Soft Crimes Against Democracy - What Ever Happened to Freedom of Information?

jayaram — 2007-09-07 15:26:10

At tomdispatch.com, Ruth Rosen traces the Bush administration's many attempts to suppress information in the name of national security and reminds us how much we have already lost due to secrecy and deception.

Carole Joffe: Bush and SCHIP: It’s Also About Fetuses

jayaram — 2007-08-07 09:05:39

George W. Bush's treatment of children's health issues represents a perfect marriage of two of the main pillars of his presidency: a full-throttle opposition to effective government programs, and a relentless promotion of measures favored by his Religious Right base.

Troy Duster: Lessons from History: Why Race and Ethnicity Have Played A Major Role in Biomedical Research

jayaram — 2007-07-17 12:58:50

Although scientific researchers might think of themselves as purely objective, especially on issues of race, Troy Duster draws a parallel between today’s study of racial difference through population genetics and the justifications for racial discrimination produced by scientists of previous decades. His analysis leads him to predict the emergence of mutually reinforcing research and policy that will tie race to behavior, especially misbehavior, all under the banner of unbiased inquiry.

Troy Duster: The molecular reinscription of race: unanticipated issues in biotechnology and forensic science

jayaram — 2007-07-17 12:51:02

Research into health disparities between different racial groups is on the rise, but Troy Duster argues that these mostly well-intentioned efforts, along with recent forensic science, could reinforce ideas of racial difference and pave the way for new forms of racial profiling.

Lawrence Wallack: Retelling the American story

jayaram — 2007-07-17 12:46:32

Americans pride ourselves on self-reliance, but we also celebrate our ability to come together as a community to solve common problems, writes Lawrence Wallack. In this cogent meditation on America’s national stories, Wallack argues that our recent focus on individualistic values must now give way to a sense of shared purpose as America confronts the challenges of economic inequality and environment change.

Carole Joffe: The Loneliness of the Abortion Patient

jayaram — 2007-05-30 09:34:32

Rather than expressing solidarity with others experiencing unwanted pregnancies, Carole Joffe and Kate Cosby write on Alternet.org, many abortion patients take pains to distinguish themselves as different from other women getting abortions.

Ruth Rosen: Rising Women Float All Boats

jayaram — 2007-04-20 12:53:42

In The San Francisco Chronicle, Ruth Rosen praises Ellen Bravo's Taking On the Big Boys: Why Feminism is Good for Families, Business, and the Nation. "Bravo's book," Rosen writes, "is such an enjoyable and accessible read it just might galvanize general readers to put the problems faced by working women on the national public agenda."

The Religious Right and the Reshaping of Sexual Policy - An Examination of Reproductive Rights and Sexuality Education

jayaram — 2007-04-16 00:09:38

In Sexuality Research and Social Policy, Diane di Mauro and Longview Senior Fellow Carole Joffe trace the increasing conservatism in U.S. sexuality policy to the rise of the Religious Right.

Market Myth 2

jayaram — 2007-03-28 01:28:47

“Government will always spend money less productively than private citizens; this is why tax cuts are almost always a good idea.”

Blaming Market Fundamentalism for the Mortgage Mess

jayaram — 2007-03-21 21:59:19

In a piece that effectively conveys moral outrage, economist Nouriel Roubani details how the meltdown in the mortgage market is the consequence of a systematic failure of regulation fueled by the ideology of Market Fundamentalism. His powerful piece conveys the huge economic price we are paying for these mistaken ideas. But Roubani,'s piece only briefly touches on the evastating impact that this explosion of predatory lending has had on low income and especially minority communities where many have been systematically stripped of their savings and now face the loss of their homes. While the Market Fundamentalists all claim to be color blind, their policies, as with Hurricane Katrina, always seem to hit racial minorities the hardest.

And You're Worried About Oil?

jayaram — 2007-03-21 21:54:36

In her review of Thirst: Fighting the Corporate Theft of Our Water for The San Francisco Chronicle. Ruth Rosen writes of Market Fundamentalism's growing influence over our water supply.

The Care Crisis

jayaram — 2007-04-20 12:48:54

Working mothers can't pamper their stress away, Ruth Rosen writes in the The Nation. Their balancing act needs a political fix.

Note to Nancy Pelosi: Challenge Market Fundamentalism

jayaram — 2007-01-31 11:02:39

What do catastrophic climate change, the widening gulf between the wealthy and the poor, America's obesity epidemic, and our society?s lack of care for the young and the elderly have in common, Ruth Rosen asks at Tpm Cafe. The answer: Market Fundamentalism.

New Resource on Market Fundamentalism

jayaram — 2007-01-30 15:56:48

Longview is pleased to announce the launch of a new resource on Market Fundamentalism, the unquestioned faith in the capacity of markets to solve all social and economic problems. We hope that this resource will provide both activists and the public with the tools to recognize and refute the flawed arguments that have artificially limited our political choices for too long.

Ruth Rosen: Feminist Rebel Reveals Past of Incest

jayaram — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

At AlterNet.org, Ruth Rosen writes: Bettina Aptheker's memoir shows how she broke free from her father, the most famous Marxist historian in the United States - and the man who molested her.

Politicizing Birth Control

jayaram — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

How is it possible, Carole Joffe asks at TomPaine.com, that the man in charge of federal funding for birth control believes contraception is "degrading and demeaning" to women?

America's Election: Daddy's Swagger vs. Mommy's Care

jayaram — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

The mid-term political earthquake in the United States was a vote against a macho politics of fear, says Ruth Rosen in an article published on OpenDemocracy.net.

Taking the Long View: Thoughts on Post-Election Strategy

jayaram — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

Fred Block puts the election results in perspective and suggests a strategy that will help progressives to make further advances in shifting the nation’s agenda.

South Dakota, Sexual Politics, and the American Elections

jayaram — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

The abortion referendum in South Dakota is only one of the neglected issues affecting the daily lives of American women, minorities and working families, says Ruth Rosen in an article originally published at opendemocracy.net.

Carole Joffe: Abortion Hotlines Feel the Crunch

jayaram — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

Restrictive laws are turning abortion hotline counselors into financial and legal advisors, Carole Joffe writes at Alternet. And new legislation that would relieve some of the pressure has no chance of passing.

The Child Care Crisis

jayaram — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

In an article on TomPaine.com, Ruth Rosen wonders why we have the time and money to pursue torture and failed wars while child-care funding drops and the number of children living in poverty continues to rise.

One Step Toward a Moral Economy

jayaram — 2007-01-30 14:50:42

With help from Longview Senior Fellow Fred Block, the union of hotel workers has provided a powerful example of how consumers can contribute to a moral economy.

Political Earthquake

jayaram — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

In an article for The American Prospect, Ruth Rosen traces the history of California's Proposition 89, the Clean Money and Fair Elections Act, and considers its chances in November.

Democracy Endangered: Flaws in Voting Machines

jayaram — 2007-01-30 14:50:45

An investigation of a voting machine by computer scientists at Princeton University revealed its vulnerability to both direct and remote attack, with little chance of detection.

Ruth Rosen: Oliver Stone, 9/11, and the Big Lie

jayaram — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

In an article at tomdispatch.com, Ruth Rosen wonders why Oliver Stone, a brilliant film maker and no stranger to controversy, has made a powerful movie that ends up reinforcing the Big Lie that Iraq had some connection to 9/11.

Ruth Rosen: The Hidden War on Iraqi Women

jayaram — 2007-01-30 14:50:45

Horrible as the abuse and torture of Iraqi men has been, Ruth Rosen writes on Tomdispatch.com, many Iraqi women have suffered both physical and sexual violence. Because of the military's guilt and the victims' shame, these crimes against women often go unreported.

Morality and the Abortion Provider

jayaram — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

In this editorial, originally published in the journal Contraception, Longview Senior Fellow Carole Joffe addresses the unique perspective on "morality" that she has noted among those who provide abortions. Joffe observes in this group a "moral vision without moralism" that she argues is "the only viable foundation for the humane regulation of sexuality."

The Common Good

jayaram — 2007-01-30 14:50:45

As we celebrate our nation's history, writes Lawrence Wallack in The Oregonian, we should also recognize that the ladder of opportunity that brought us here is in dire need of repair.

One Step Toward a Moral Economy

jayaram — 2007-01-30 14:50:45

With help from Longview Senior Fellow Fred Block, the union of hotel workers has provided a powerful example of how consumers can contribute to a moral economy.

Ruth Rosen: Military Opposition - Bravery by Another Name

jayaram — 2007-01-30 14:50:45

In her column for Talking Points Memo Cafe, Ruth Rosen acknowledges the courage of Lieutenant Ehren Watada, the first commissioned officer to publicly oppose the war in Iraq.

The Compassion Gap in American Poverty Policy

jayaram — 2007-01-30 14:50:47

Why does the world’s wealthiest country let so many languish in grinding poverty? And why is the situation getting worse, not better?

Letter from Longview President

jayaram — 2007-01-30 14:50:42

Troy Duster and Alice Waters: Engaged Learning Across the Curriculum

jayaram — 2007-01-30 14:50:45

Longview's Troy Duster and renowned chef Alice Waters describe a new trend in experiential education.

The Motherhood Manifesto

jayaram — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

Making mothers' private choices and dilemmas a central part of our national conversation.

Liberal Hawks and Genocide in Darfur

jayaram — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

The same liberal hawks who supported a war to remove a dictator have been completely silent on the genocide in Darfur.

What Women Talk About When Men are not Listening

jayaram — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

In her latest blog for Talking Points Memo Cafe, Ruth Rosen wonders why even progressive men don't see that what is good for mothers is good for everyone.

Ruth Rosen: Talking Taxes

jayaram — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

In the first entry for her regular column on Talking Points Memo Cafe (www.tpmcafe.com), Ruth Rosen shows us our taxes at work.

Fred Block: A Moral Economy

jayaram — 2007-01-30 14:50:45

Over the last twenty-five years, conservatives have used simple, moral language to convince Americans that only unregulated markets produce prosperity. Fred Block writes in The Nation that, for the Democrats to regain power, they will have to replace that story with one of their own – a vision of a moral economy.

E.J. Graff: Marital Blitz

jayaram — 2007-01-30 14:50:45

This November, anti–gay-marriage bills will be back on ballots with a vengeance. But this time around, the gay and lesbian activist network is ready to play hardball, writes E.J. Graff in The American Prospect.

Poverty Rediscovered and so Quickly Forgotten

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

The destruction of New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina briefly raised hopes that this nation might, once again, confront and care about the forgotten poor living in our midst. But judging by the actions of the Congress, it seems that amnesia has already returned.

Deep Roots and Tangled Branches

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

A review of the PBS short series "African-American Lives". Reprinted from the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Carole Joffe: Reproductive Regression

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

An increase in illegal abortions isn't a theoretical outcome of Roe someday being overturned. It's already happening, writes Carole Joffe at TomPaine.com.

Samuel Alito and the Concerned Alumni of Princeton

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:47

Jerome Karabel explains what it means to be a member of the Concerned Alumni of Princeton.

Sir Elton Gets Equality

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:47

What Democrats can learn from the successful gay marriage campaigns in the U.K. and Canada.

An Open Letter to Dalton Conley

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

Recently, Dalton Conley, a professor of sociology at NYU, published a controversial op-ed in the New York Times, arguing that men should have to right to veto a woman's abortion, if he is willing to commit to raising the child that would result from that pregnancy. In this Open Letter, Longview Senior Fellow Carole Joffe spells out the numerous ways in which Conley's proposal is misguided.

Fred Block: A Strategy for Corporate Reform

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:45

In this piece, Fred Block makes the idea of a Moral Economy more concrete by describing how Ethical Corporations would differ from today's ethically challenged firms. He also outlines a long-term strategy that could transform existing firms into businesses that are both ethical and efficient.

Protesting For All the Wrong Reasons

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

Religious conservatives have been attacking giant retail firms for dropping Christmas from their holiday greetings. But Santa might have other reasons to put Sears on his list of those who get a lump of coal in their stockings this year.

Ruth Rosen: The Political and the Personal

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

The Woman at the Washington Zoo: Writings on Politics, Family, and Fate, a collection of essays by the late journalist Marjorie Williams, probes politics and personalities with insight, candor and style.

Behind "North County"

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

A discussion of the case of Lori Benson, who inspired the film North County. For another Longview take on the film, see E.J. Graff's Too Pretty a Picture.

E.J. Graff: Too Pretty A Picture

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:45

North Country could have given audiences an eye-opening portrayal of the brutal reality of sexual harrassment. Instead, the film takes the easy way out.

E.J. Graff: The Family Values Sideshow

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:45

Coming to your state soon: a campaign to deprive lesbian and gay couples of rights in the guise of "marriage protection."

Scott McLemee on "The Chosen"

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:47

Jerome Karabel's book about Ivy League admissions touches a bundle of raw nerves. Scott McLemee of Inside Higher Ed twitches in response.

Sex and Politics: How the Press Gets It Backwards

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:47

EJ Graff asks when is investigation into a public person's sexual behavior simply sensational voyeurism and when is it genuine matter of public interest.

Affirmative Action for Income Inequities

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:47

40 years after its inception, affirmative action has made great progress in eradicating racial inequality. It is time for those same policies to confront the growing class divide.

Troy Duster Profiled in New York Times

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

Troy Duster, a Longview Institute Senior Fellow, urges geneticists to slow down and check their methods as they search for links between genes, disease and race in the October 18th edition of the New York Times.

Is Marriage Dead?

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:45

Ruth Rosen asks whether the debate over same-sex marriage is really a last-gasp effort to prop up "traditional marriages" that barely exist anymore in the United States.

Never Say 'Never Again'

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:47

By reporting on the stubborn human heart's peculiar movements during major world events, Heda Kovaly?s 'Under A Cruel Star' explains what could happen the next time around.

Women's Vote Is an Elusive Force

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:45

Ruth Rosen takes a critical look at a new book that promises to reveal "what women really want".

The Compassion Gap in American Poverty Policy

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:45

Hurricane Katrina suddenly revealed the face of poverty in our midst. But why was that such a surprise? This analysis explains why the poor repeatedly disappear from sight and why our current policies towards the poor are both ineffective and inconsistent with our moral values.

It Wasn't So Easy for Roosevelt, Either

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:47

Longview's Jerome Karabel is about to publish an important book on merit and privilege in American society. The book, The Chosen: The Hidden History of Admission and Exclusion at Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, is based on extensive research in university archives. Karabel shows the critical shifts in admission criteria over the course of the 20th century. For more on the book, including the first chapter, go to the book's website. An excerpt from the book recently appeared in the New York Times Education Life Supplement.

Get Hitched, Young Woman

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:45

Ruth Rosen responds to the latest efforts by conservative ideologues to change the subject in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

How to Deal with a National Disgrace

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:45

Ruth Rosen argues for responding to the disaster of Hurricane Katrina with a revived commitment to common effort and true compassion.

Toxic Terror

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:45

How one community fought for the human right to breathe clean air: a review of Steve Lerner's Diamond: A Struggle for Environmental Justice in Louisiana's Chemical Corridor.

The Missing Piece: Health Care and the Faith Community

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:47

Donald Light, a distinguished medical sociologist, explains why the demand for universal access to health care should be a central concern of faith communities. He elaborates a powerful moral and economic critique of our current health care system.

Retirement Security: A Moral Economy Proposal

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

Fred Block applies the Moral Economy perspective to the debate about Social Security and other retirement programs. He proposes an alternative revenue source that would allow us to protect both present and future generations of retirees from economic hardship and insecurity.

Carole Joffe: The Right's Bitter Pill

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

In this piece, Carole Joffe discusses one of the most unusual new fronts in the neverending abortion war--the growing instances of "pro-life" pharmacists who refuse to fill women's birth control prescriptions. Similar to other pieces on the Longview website, Joffe argues here that the reproductive rights movement, while supporting legal abortions, also works to prevent unwanted pregnancies; in contrast, many of those opposed to abortion also promote policies that virtually assure there will be more unwanted pregnancies, and thus, more abortions. Given the near universality of contraceptive use by American women, and especially the high rate of use of birth control pills, and the high rate of approval of contraceptive use by Americans generally, Joffe sees this movement of pharmacists' refusal as a classic case of "overreaching" by the Religious Right that may well backfire.

Welcome to the Longview Institute

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:47

Longview is a new institute started by seven of the eight founding fellows of the Rockridge Institute. We created Longview because we believe it will allow us to make more rapid progress on the work that we began at Rockridge. We are deeply grateful to all of the individuals and organizations that have provided past financial support and hope that we will enjoy your continued involvement.

Old Women in the Cold

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:45

Talking About Public Health: Developing America's "Second Language"

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:47

Advancing public health policy requires invigorating America?s "second language" of community by recognizing the human interconnection underlying the core social justice values of public health, argue Lawrence Wallack and Regina Lawrence.

Our Founding Mothers

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:45

A review of Carol Berkin's Revolutionary Mothers, which looks at the roles women played in the American struggle for independence.

Bush's Defunct Economist

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

The case for privatizing Social Security depends on an error of logic. If in the future, there are too few wage earners to support too many retirees, private accounts will not solve the problem.

Framing: More Than A Message

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:47

A message from Longview Institute President, Lawrence Wallack.

A Roadmap to Defining and Winning the Real Abortion Debate: Prevention vs. Punishment

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:42

Lisa Littman suggests that the real abortion debate is about differing approaches to unintended pregnancy on the part of progressives and conservatives.

It's Not Just Abortion, Stupid: Progressives and Abortion

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

Many progressives are now undergoing a reevaluation of the ?costs? of a commitment to abortion rights. In this article, reprinted from the Winter 2005 issue of Dissent, Carole Joffe argues that abortion can best be defended if it is framed as one element of a larger platform of sexual and reproductive rights and services. There exists now a powerful opening to expose the hypocrisy of ?family values? conservatives who seek to withhold from working Americans virtually all that they need—contraception, meaningful sex education, health care for the uninsured, living wages, affordable childcare, as well as abortion care—to raise healthy families.

Pessimistic Conservatives Cannot Fix Social Security

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

The Administration’s push for radical reform of Social Security rests on the idea that it is impossible to solve the system’s long term financing problems. In reality, this pessimism is simply a consequence of their deep hostility to public spending.

High in the Andes: The Ministry of Reproductive Rights

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

Too often, discussions of abortion are carried out at an abstract level, with no acknowledgment of the context in which abortion occurs. In this piece, introduced by Carole Joffe, Dr. Pablo Rodriguez reflects on his provision of abortion in an unnamed Latin American country.

No Mandate for Market Fundamentalism

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

The President insists that his election victory paves the way for major new initiatives such as Social Security privatization. However, there is little evidence that the public embraces the right wing's long term hostility to our most successful and effective social program.

Big-Box Battle

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:45

For 1.6 million women, Wal-Mart represents the decline of the American dream.

Women Really on Their Own

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:45

The real story of this presidential election is the widening Marriage Gap — the difference between how married and unmarried women vote — and what the presidential candidates have or have not done to mobilize the 22 million women who simply didn't bother to vote in 2000.

Is the American Dream Dying?

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

In this election season, politicians of both parties celebrate the American Dream of unlimited opportunity for the poor who are willing to work hard and play by the rules. However, there are signs that indicate the Dream is on the decline.

Ruth Rosen in Journal of American History

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:45

The September issue of the Journal of American history, (published by the Organization of American Historians), has reprinted an interchange, titled Genres of History in which Rockridge's Ruth Rosen and five other historians discuss how they educate the public about the past through films, novels, and opinion essays. In addition, Dr. Rosen, who worked as an historical advisor on the Oakland Museum's current exhibit: What’s Going On?--California and the Vietnam Era , will speak at a panel titled The Sociological Roots and Legacies of Discontent and Change on Sunday, Oct. 17th at the Oakland Museum of California.

The New Right-Wing Permissiveness

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:46

Is there a common thread that links the abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib to the corporate scandals that destroyed ENRON and WorldCom? Fred Block argues that both can be traced to the ?new right-wing permissiveness?.

The Legacy of Legacies

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:47

The checkered history of legacy admissions policies in the United States reflects the difference between the ideals of American education and the reality of the power of the privileged.

Reframing the Political Battle: Market Fundamentalism vs. Moral Economy

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:42

Fred Block begins Rockridge's systematic critique of Market Fundamentalism—the economic doctrine that has dominated the U.S. and the global economy since the 1980's. Tying his analysis closely to the current political situation, Block argues that progressives can gain political leverage by focusing their criticisms on the exaggerated reverence for the market that has shaped the current Administration's domestic and foreign agendas.

Why Women Must Vote, by Ruth Rosen

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:45

The outcome of the 2004 presidential election rests in the hands of single women, argues senior fellow and noted historian Ruth Rosen. This column originally appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle on February 16, 2004.

Ruth Rosen on the Summer that Changed America

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:45

Ruth Rosen examines how country-wide upheavals in the summer of 1964 gave rise to the politics, society and culture of today. This article appears in AlterNet and the History News Network.

"What's Going On? California and the Vietnam Era"

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:45

Just published by University of California Press: What's Going On? California and the Vietnam Era, with an article by senior fellow Ruth Rosen entitled The Feminist Revolution in California.

Four Editorials on Re-Framing Reproductive Rights

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:45

The Reproductive Rights project presents four editorials from the journal *Contraception*, written by colleagues at the University of California, San Francisco. These pieces discuss the urgent need for a re-framing of reproductive rights and the politics of health.

Editorials on Reproductive Rights from "Contraception"

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:42

The Working Mommy Trap

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:47

E.J. Graff responds to a recent New York Times piece on the "choices" being made by college age women. She sets the record straight by showing that gender discrimination at the workplace is putting many mothers--whether they like it or not--on the mommy track.

Ruth Rosen on What's Wrong with Wal-Mart

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:45

Ruth Rosen presents a series of columns, written for the San Francisco Chronicle, about the threat Wal-Mart poses to people and communities.

Ruth Rosen Re-Joins Rockridge Senior Fellows

Kurtz — 2007-01-30 14:50:44

The Rockridge Institute is excited to announce that noted historian and journalist Ruth Rosen has re-joined as a Senior Fellow.

Sex, Politics, and Markets

mcmahon — 2007-01-30 14:50:45

A new article by Senior Fellow Carole Joffe and Felicia Stewart explores the contradiction between the ideal of the "free market" and restictive notions of sexuality.