Alexis Madrigal on Globalization and the Battle for Oakland’s Soul

KQED's Forum

The Pacific Circuit comprises the vast system of trade routes, cargo ships and relationships connecting Asian manufacturing and American consumers. And it all starts at the Port of Oakland. In his new book “The Pacific Circuit: A Globalized Account of the Battle for the Soul of an American City,” Forum co-host Alexis Madrigal charts how the port shaped Oakland’s history and how, in turn, the global commerce it enabled helped create the problems plaguing Oakland and every other U.S. city today. As he writes, “Oakland has a way of concentrating the power and problems of our country.” In this special hour of Forum, co-host Mina Kim talks to Alexis Madrigal about how the port and global trade have affected the city and its longtime residents.

Guests:

Alexis Madrigal, co-host of Forum, KQED; author, “The Pacific Circuit: A Globalized Account of the Battle for the Soul of an American City” ; Also a contributing writer at The Atlantic, where he co-founded the COVID Tracking Project

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