Democracy thrives on open dialogue, diverse perspectives, and the courage to engage across differences. As we bear witness to social, political, and cultural ruptures that threaten to pull us apart, how can we still find common ground? How can we truly listen to each other and nurture our sense of solidarity?

Critical Currents explores the discourses, movements, and cultural shifts shaping democratic life and collective action today. In an era of uncertainty, this podcast cultivates thoughtful dialogue and a deeper understanding of the forces that bind—and divide—us.

Our first season, Bridging the Gap, leans into moments of tension and shared experience, breaking down barriers through incisive conversations with leading voices like Lynne Thompson, Rosecrans Baldwin, and Lois Rosson.

Hosted by a dynamic group of undergraduate students—Dani Taylor, a UCLA student pursuing a B.A. in English and History; Stella Horns, a Political Science and Narrative Studies major at USC; and Ziyan Xie, completing a dual degree in Cognitive Science and European Languages and Transcultural Studies at UCLA—Critical Currents offers a fresh, inquisitive perspective on the pressing issues of our time.

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In this spring episode of Critical Currents, best-selling author and journalist Rosecrans Baldwin joins hosts Dani Taylor and Ziyan Xie for a wide-ranging conversation. Baldwin bridges gaps by recording and retelling stories that bind people within an intersubjective urban horizon. Since moving to Los Angeles, he has become entangled with its contradictions, its mythologies, and its shifting textures. Drawing from his own obsessions and recurring motifs—the city as narrative, as psyche, and as a “city-state,” in his words—Baldwin reflects on the heart of his creative practice: articulating the voices and everyday truths of others.In this spring episode of Critical Currents, best-selling author and journalist Rosecrans Baldwin joins hosts Dani Taylor and Ziyan Xie for a wide-ranging conversation. Baldwin bridges gaps by recording and retelling stories that bind people within an intersubjective urban horizon. Since moving to Los Angeles, he has become entangled with its contradictions, its mythologies, and its shifting textures. Drawing from his own obsessions and recurring motifs—the city as narrative, as psyche, and as a “city-state,” in his words—Baldwin reflects on the heart of his creative practice: articulating the voices and everyday truths of others. The episode is witty, poignant, chaotic, and sharp, as Baldwin keeps the conversation pulsing with surprising anecdotes and hard-won insights. What emerges is a compelling lens for tuning into, and acting within, our contemporary urban lives—caught, as ever, in the push and pull between disaster and hope.