Episode 66 - An Abundance Agenda for Workers?

Episode 66 - An Abundance Agenda for Workers?

Author: CUNY SLU March 25, 2026 Duration: 36:25
Can we have an "abundance agenda" that works for workers? The renowned Harvard University economist Dani Rodrik argues that we can - so long as we accept that manufacturing is no longer the path to good jobs, embrace new technologies to boost productivity in the service sector, and adopt a more pragmatic and experimental approach to policy making. Rodrik joins Chris Maisano on the latest episode of the SLU podcast Reinventing Solidarity to talk about his new book, Shared Prosperity in a Fractured World (Princeton University Press, 2025), and his ideas for dealing with the challenges of climate change, global poverty, and creating good jobs for working people.

What does it mean to stand together in a world that often feels fragmented? Reinventing Solidarity, from CUNY SLU, digs into that question without easy answers. This isn't a lecture series, but a collection of grounded conversations exploring how connection and mutual support are being reimagined right now. You'll hear from organizers, artists, scholars, and community members who are actively building bridges across differences, examining both the triumphs and the stumbling blocks in contemporary collective action. Each episode focuses on real-world examples, from workplace organizing and neighborhood initiatives to cultural projects that challenge old narratives. The discussions are nuanced, avoiding simple slogans in favor of honest talk about the hard work of building lasting bonds in our communities and institutions. Tune in for a thoughtful exploration of the practical and philosophical sides of coming together. This podcast offers a necessary space to consider how solidarity isn't just a historical concept, but a living, evolving practice we all have a stake in shaping.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 66

Reinventing Solidarity
Podcast Episodes
Episode 35 - Who Pays for Inflation? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:37
The fact that current inflation rates are higher than they have been in decades weighs not only on households and businesses, but has also shifted the political landscape. As we head into the 2022 midterms and then the 2…
Episode 34 - Organized Labor and the Global Climate Crisis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:57
Sean Sweeney, Director of SLU’s Trade Unions for Energy Democracy, speaks with journalist Laura Flanders about continued botched efforts by countries around the globe to meet the targets set forth in 2015 Paris Agreement…
Episode 33 - "Sunbelt Blues: The Failure of American Housing" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:44
This episode offers a discussion of Andrew Ross’ recent book, Sunbelt Blues: The Failure of American Housing. Ross shares his firsthand account of the burgeoning and largely overlooked housing emergency in our nation’s s…
Episode 31 - "100 Percent Democracy" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:31
Commentators far and wide have been sounding the alarm for American democracy. The question of who can vote and who ends up voting is central to this democratic crisis. In a landscape of defensive battles to protect the…
Episode 26 - NYC Labor And The New Mayor [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:26
Less than a month into the new mayoralty in the City of New York, we assembled a panel of leading journalists to delineate Eric Adams’s vision for the city, especially as it pertains to working people. Only the second bl…