Advancing democracy, said former Greek prime minister George Papandreou, means opening our imagination and being open to new ideas. / Vince Bucci Photography

Sean Brenner

Drawing vivid comparisons and contrasts between democracy’s standing in the world today and its origins in ancient Greece, George Papandreou outlined a vision for preserving and protecting citizens’ role in governance amidst a global rise in authoritarianism.

Papandreou, who served as Greece’s prime minister from 2009 to 2011, spoke Jan. 22 at the UCLA Luskin Conference Center. He proposed the need for a “new democratic social contract.”

“If democracy is under siege, we must not merely defend it; we must reimagine it,” he said. “The challenges of climate change, inequality and technology demand innovation in governance.”

Papandreou, whose father, Andreas, and grandfather, Georgios, both also served as prime minister of Greece, enumerated a series of measures he said could help strengthen democracy. Among them: banning unlimited corporate donations to lobbyists, restoring democratic education in public service media, introducing wealth taxes on billionaires and requiring full transparency in political advertising.

“These are some ideas,” Papandreou said. “But politics in the way the ancients taught it was not what we have today, with polling, tweeting, soundbites and looking for donors. It was actually to expand their imagination of a better future. The ancient Greeks said, ‘We don’t need tyrants to tell us what to do. We don’t need monarchs or kings or high priests. We can decide our future. Therefore, we can imagine a better future.’

“So politics, which means being a good citizen, means that we can collectively think of a better future.… Let’s open our imagination. Let’s be open to new ideas.”

Papandreou (second from left) with Dean Alexandra Minna Stern, Professor Sharon Gerstel, Interim Dean Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris and Dean Abel Valenzuela. / Vince Bucci Photography

Papandreou opened his talk with an expression of sympathy for Angelenos who have been affected by the wildfires.

“I stand here before you with a heavy heart, as in recent days you have witnessed the horror of entire neighborhoods reduced to ash, lives uprooted, dreams turned to smoke,” he said, relating the experience to his having witnessed severe fires and floods destroy homes and natural habitats in Greece. “No words can truly capture the anguish of watching the place you call home disappear in flames.”

The talk was organized by the UCLA Stavros Niarchos Foundation Center for the Study of Hellenic Culture, and sponsored in part by the UCLA College Division of Humanities and Division of Social Sciences, and the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs.

In her opening remarks, Sharon Gerstel, the SNF Center’s director, praised Papandreou as a “public servant associated with change, transparency, social justice, resilience and democracy.” And she highlighted the role of the SNF Center — now in its fifth year — as a nexus for intellectual and cultural programming based in a city that boasts a large and dynamic population of Greeks and Greek Americans.

Gerstel presented Papandreou with Greek and English versions of Weaving Dreams: Kilims from Geraki, Laconia, a book she co-edited that examines the history of textile art in the Greek village of Geraki.

Anastasia Loukaito-Sideris, interim dean of the School of Public Affairs; Alexandra Minna Stern, dean of humanities; and Abel Valenzuela, dean of social sciences, also offered brief comments. Among the dignitaries in attendance were Christina Valassopolou, consul general of Greece in Los Angeles, and Andreas Kyprianides, honorary consul general of Cyprus in Los Angeles.

Watch the full lecture on the SNF Center YouTube channel.

There are countless applications of big data that help us solve many of the problems that define life today in American society. This video highlights two UCLA Social Science researchers, Till von Wachter (Prof. Economics, Assoc. Dean of Research Division of Social Science, and Fac. Dir. California Policy Lab) and Safiya Noble (Prof. Information Studies, African American Studies, and Gender Studies, Co-Dir. UCLA Center for Critical Internet Inquiry), and the important, big data research they are leading in the social sciences.

In the UCLA Division of Social Sciences, we are dedicated to advancing research with real-world impact. As the #1 public university located in one of the most diverse cities in the world, we are ideally positioned to address critical issues facing our communities. Through the work of our world-class faculty – and our students who will become the leaders of tomorrow – we strive to be a leading agent for change across the nation and around the world.

As a public institution, our work is ultimately in service of you, our community. By engaging LA, we are changing the world.

For more articles and stories about Social Science in Los Angeles and its effects around the world, visit: https://lasocialscience.ucla.edu/ and Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGvpkOpiOGU4f5lSwRygbqg

By Margaret MacDonald

Civic leader, social justice advocate and UCLA alumnus D’Artagnan Scorza will deliver the keynote address at the UCLA College’s virtual commencement celebration on Friday, June 11. The program, which begins at 6 p.m. PDT, will also feature remarks by Chancellor Gene Block, Nobel laureate Andrea Ghez, class of 2021 student speakers and others.

A decorated U.S. Navy veteran, Scorza is the inaugural executive director of racial equity for Los Angeles County and president of the UCLA Alumni Association. He is also a lecturer at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.

“D’Artagnan Scorza has given back to his fellow Bruins and his fellow Americans in myriad ways since his graduation,” said David Schaberg, senior dean of the UCLA College and dean of humanities. “His incredible life experiences and dedication to social change make him the ideal person to inspire our graduating seniors to aim high and make a difference in the world.”

In 2008, Scorza founded the nonprofit Social Justice Learning Institute and as its executive director over the next 12 years led efforts to open up academic and career opportunities to Black and Latino youth while establishing community gardens, a farmers’ market and healthy lifestyle centers in his hometown of Inglewood, California. His research, policy initiatives and grassroots organizing have had a significant impact on high-need communities throughout California.

“This year’s graduating class deserves so much credit for their achievement and resilience in the face of the pandemic,” Scorza said. “It’s an incredible honor to have been asked to give the commencement address to this remarkable group of Bruins.”

While studying as an undergraduate UCLA, Scorza enlisted in the Navy following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and served for four-and-a-half years, including a deployment to Iraq. He later returned to UCLA, where he completed his bachelor’s degree in the study of religion in 2007 and earned his doctorate in education in 2013. As a UC student regent from 2007 to 2009, he helped pass policies that established veterans’ service centers and prioritized $160 million for student services across UC campuses.

Scorza also served as president of the Inglewood Unified School District Board of Education and chaired a campaign to secure $350 million in school improvement bonds for the district’s schools.

Scorza was invited to be the 2021 commencement speaker after being selected from among wide field of candidates by UCLA’s Commencement Committee, which comprises students, faculty members and administrators.

Along with his UCLA degrees, Scorza holds a bachelor’s in liberal studies from National University in San Diego.

Virtual and in-person commencement ceremonies

In addition to the virtual celebration, UCLA plans to recognize members of the class of 2021 individually and in person at a series of events beginning the weekend of June 11; these events will be held over the course of several days and will adhere to public safety guidelines. For information on the in-person and virtual celebrations, please visit the UCLA College’s commencement website and UCLA’s campus commencement website.

Campus leaders announced in April that while the UCLA College and other units would be hosting commencement ceremonies virtually due to the continued public health risks of the COVID-19 pandemic, UCLA remains committed to hosting in-person commencement ceremonies for the classes of 2021and 2020 and their families and friends at a later date.

This article, written by Margaret MacDonald, originally appeared in the UCLA Newsroom. 

In the UCLA Division of Social Sciences, we are dedicated to advancing research with real-word impact. As the #1 public university located in one of the most diverse cities in the world, we are ideally positioned to address critical issues facing our communities. Through the work of our world-class faculty –  and our students who will become the leaders of tomorrow – we strive to be a leading agent for change across the nation and around the world.

Movements for social justice motivate many of our researchers to gain a better understanding of the forces that shape the world around us. I am pleased to share this video highlighting two such researchers, Kelly Lytle Hernandez and Abel Valenzuela, and the important, action-oriented research they are leading in the social sciences.As a public institution, our work is ultimately in service of you, our community. By engaging LA, we are changing the world.

Regards,

Darnell Hunt, Ph.D.

Dean, UCLA Division of Social Sciences

Professor of Sociology and African American Studies