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Socialism in the United States

Photo by Phil Roeder, CC via Flickr

Monday, we’re talking about the history of socialism in the United States. Our guest is historian Michael Kazin, who says though self-described democratic socialist presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is unlikely to win, his campaign isn’t ridiculous. Kazin explains that Sanders is just the latest socialist candidate to highlight issues that “discomfort the comfortable.” We’ll ask why socialism never really took hold in the U.S. and what it’s nevertheless contributed to American political life.

Michael Kazin is a Professor of History at Georgetown University in Washington DC. He's also editor of Dissent, a left-wing political magazine published quarterly. Kazin is author of five books. His latest is American Dreamers: How the Left Changed a Nation [Amazon|Indiebound]

Doug Fabrizio has been reporting for KUER News since 1987, and became News Director in 1993. In 2001, he became host and executive producer of KUER's RadioWest, a one hour conversation/call-in show on KUER 90.1 in Salt Lake City. He has gained a reputation for his thoughtful style. He has interviewed everyone from Isabel Allende to the Dalai Lama, and from Madeleine Albright to Desmond Tutu. His interview skills landed him a spot as a guest host of the national NPR program, "Talk of the Nation." He has won numerous awards for his reporting and for his work with RadioWest and KUED's Utah NOW from such organizations as the Society of Professional Journalists, the Utah Broadcasters Association, the Public Radio News Directors Association and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.