Bearly Political

Isabelle Jacobson sits down with Zaki Laïdi — professor at Sciences Po, former special adviser to the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, and co-author of the new Cambridge book The Hedgers. They discuss his recent article on Trump's April trip to Beijing and his meeting with Xi Jinping: what came out of it, and who it served. Laïdi also covers the war in Iran, the Taiwan questio...

Deepfakes aren’t the future — they’re already here. In this conversation with Hany Farid, the Berkeley Political Review’s Pedro Ezquer unpacks how synthetic media has evolved over the past decade, the growing threat it poses to institutions, and why social media is accelerating the problem. Most importantly, Farid argues that to confront the chaos of the digital age, we may need to “re-materialize...

Steven Lee Myers, a journalist for the New York Times and a Pulitzer Prize winner, explores the intersection of AI, the Epstein files, and disinformation with Bella Kim and Makaela Fujimoto.

In this episode, Isabelle Jacobson interviews Vivian Salama, a national security journalist who has reported for The Wall Street Journal, CNN, and NBC News, and is currently with The Atlantic. They discuss the latest on the Iran conflict, the challenges of covering war zones, and the role of journalism in combating misinformation and rebuilding public trust.

In this episode of Bearly Political, Keira Bixler sits down with Josh Fryday, Berkeley alumnus and candidate for Lieutenant Governor of California. Fryday discusses his path from Berkeley to public service, the experiences that shaped his leadership, and why he has entered the statewide race. The conversation explores the future of civic engagement in California, the role of young leaders in polit...

On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched joint airstrikes on Iran. These strikes killed dozens of top Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who has now been replaced by his son, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei. The future of Iran and the Middle East seems to be in the hands of President Donald Trump. Pedro Ezquer interviews Professor Andrew Reddie, of the Goldman...

Helios Lung and Sarthak Chaudhuri sit down with Saikat Chakrabarti, the Democratic candidate for California's 11th congressional district. Chakrabarti speaks on his background as a founding engineer of Stripe, his work on the campaigns of Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and what his own vision for the future of the Democratic Party looks like.

Berkeley Political Review’s Keira Bixler sits down with California District 12 Congresswoman Lateefah Simon to discuss inclusion and political representation in modern government.

BPR's Bella Kim sits down with UC Berkeley Law's director on climate change to discuss the monumental laws and policies shaping our world.

With the recent suppression of DEI initiatives by the Trump administration and a war on diversity, Berkeley Law professor David Oppenheimer sits down with Melis Paz Soldan to detail how his new book, “The Diversity Principle,” traces the long, often-overlooked history of diversity efforts, and reminds us why inclusion remains essential to learning, growth, and democracy itself

When UC Berkeley Computer Science educator Peyrin Kao went on a hunger strike in support of Gaza, it sparked a campus-wide discussion on the situation in Gaza and the importance of such talks on campus. In this episode, Phillip Zang interviews Kao about his daily resolve, the challenges of using technology, Gaza, and what it means to confront institutions from within.

Isabelle Jacobson and Keira Bixler are joined by Congressman Eric Swalwell to discuss the current government shutdown, its impact on the American public, and the political landscape. He also shares his perspective on the future of the Democratic Party, its challenges, and the path forward in uncertain times

Keira Bixler interviews California Assemblyman David Tangipa, the youngest currently in the state assembly and the first Polynesian elected to the state legislature on his background, identity politics, and generational divides in public policy. 

Keira Bixler interviews Steve Hilton while he tables on the UC Berkeley Campus. As a British-born American, former senior policy advisor in the UK, a former Fox News Host, Stanford University lecturer, and author, Steve is now the leading Republican candidate for California Governor. This episode explores Hilton's views of California politics and his alternative perspectives on how the state s...

In this episode, Isabelle Jacobson interviews Professor Daniel Sargent for her second series episode to discuss the impact of political polarization on US foreign policy. This episode examines how partisanship affects America's global role, the echoes of the Cold War, and the future of international alliances.

Berkeley Political Review's Lucy Cox sits down with 4 students to discuss the causes and impacts of the 2024 election.

Isabelle Jacobson of the Berkeley Political Review interviews Professor Micheal M. Cohen for her first episode in a series on the root causes and consequences of political polarization in the U.S. In this episode, Professor Cohen discusses the struggle for a multi-racial democracy as a catalyst for political polarization.

In this episode, Divya and Lucy unpack the last 70 years of U.S-China relations using Coca-Cola, a hallmark of American capitalism as their guide to one the shakiest international relationships.

In this episode, Divya interviews Dr. Mario Telò, a Professor of Rhetoric, Comparative Literature, and Ancient Greek and Roman Studies, on the history of political satire from the Ancient Greeks to the Modern day.

BPR's Zak Willoughby takes you on a deep dive explaining all there is to know about the LA County version of the 2024 March 5th California Primary.

A conversation between Kyle Simerly (CAHSR Sacramento Information Officer), Van Tieu (CAHSR Northern California Information Officer), and BPR's Zak Willoughby about the future of transportation in California.

In this episode Rithika interviews a Berkeley Law professor on the problems with modern policing, namely the police's animosity towards protest.

In this episode, Leon interviews a fellow Berkeley student on the ongoing, devastating Moroccan earthquake situation. Together, they unpack the personal, economic, political, and local impacts of the tragic natural disaster.

In this episode, Cloe and Aanya explore the legal, moral, and social implications of self driving cars. What happens when car companies decide that self driving cars can drive away from owners who are late on payments? Who is responsible if a self driving car kills someone? Could AI ever reach a point where the car itself is guilty of committing a crime?

America is full of paradoxes. The US has flown to the moon, mapped the human genome, and built the largest economy in the world. However, the US also grapples with lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, and greater poverty than most developed countries. Our esteemed guest, Patricia A. McCoy, Professor of Law at Boston College and author of the upcoming And Economic Wellbeing For All , she...