Berkeley Political Review
UC Berkeley’s Only Non-Partisan Political Magazine
Farewell, but not goodbye, Mr. President
Kalshi and the Case for Federalism
In an Era of Wildfire, California Faces a New Crisis at Home
The Sublime Resistance of Southern California’s Latino Goth Necropolis

The Sublime Resistance of Southern California’s Latino Goth Necropolis
My exposure to goth music began in 2025 when I attended a Twin Tribes concert in Anaheim, California. The venue was dimly lit, but piercing strobe lights illuminated concertgoers’ dramatic goth makeup looks. With a twinkling guitar and a flitting dark-electronic tune in the background, the singer of the opening band condemned violent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids across America, garnering strong cheers from the audience.
Can We Still Buy Tulsi Gabbard’s “No War With Iran” T-shirt?
Read More
Dark MAGA: An Ominous Signal for a Troubling Future
January 20, 2025. The start of a “new Golden Age of America,” attended by billionaires with a collective net worth
Only Smokey the Bear Can Save National Parks–Except He’s Been Fired
It began with an email–or rather, a lack of one. Brian Gibbs was one of nearly a thousand workers whose
CA’s High-Speed Rail Project and Its Future
California's High-Speed Rail project seems to be in a state of perpetual limbo. Historically, progress on this project has been
The Rhetoric of Too Much Testosterone—Transgender Youth in CA Politics
California has long been a leader in the United States when it comes to transgender legislation. Since 2004, the California
Democracy Deferred: The Missing Democratic Primary
At the heart of the American experiment is the principle that our government’s authority and legitimacy are derived from the
Undermining Stability: How U.S. Policy Shifts Impact South Africa’s Fragile Democracy
Amidst the changing political tides in South Africa, shifting U.S. policy under the Trump administration exacerbates longstanding tensions. The withdrawal
Crime and No Punishment: The Death of the Political Scandal
The day after Donald Trump was convicted on 34 felony charges, his campaign raked in a staggering $52.8 million in
The End is Nigh (Again): How Media Alarmism Numbs Voters
On January 28, 2025, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists set the Doomsday Clock forward one second toward midnight, bringing the
Dismantling DEI: Trump’s New Constructed Crisis
A mid-air collision over the Potomac. Raging wildfires in Los Angeles. The catastrophic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
Washington Exits: WHO Cares?
In recent years, the U.S. and the World Health Organization (WHO) have had a relationship that makes Hollywood breakups look
The Middle East’s New Great Game—and America’s Moment To Lead
History is a story of great power rivalries. In our time, the competitors are the United States, Russia, and China.
Playing Defense: Why Transgender Athletes Have a Place in Women’s Sports
For once, Gavin Newsom and Donald Trump agree on something: transgender athletes. In the inaugural episode of his podcast, “This
Overcoming Public Transit’s Fiscal Cliff
Public transit agencies have been facing a “fiscal cliff,” a looming budget shortfall as federal COVID-19 relief expires but transit
Might Makes Right: the DRC, Rwanda, and a Shifting World Order
The winding path of international politics has reached a fork of values: enduring liberalism versus an emergent imperialism. Our new
Social Media’s Most Wanted: The New Age of Digital Villain Worship
“Double, double toil and trouble”—the cauldron of public opinion is once again brewing, this time casting criminals as misunderstood cultural
Medals and Meddling: Unraveling the Olympic Paradox
This year’s Olympic games were one for the books. The world watched, enamored, as Simone Biles won gold after gold,
Africa 2.0: The Rise of African Agency in International Politics
The extensive literature on post-independence African development highlights the challenges and opportunities for African agency in international politics. In essence,
From Flags to Protests: How Kenya’s Unity Challenges Governance
Tear gas fills the air, crowds chant beneath a sea of fluttering flags, and Nairobi’s streets transform into battlegrounds of
A Tale of Two Slogans: Brexit Britain After Trump
During the 2017 United Kingdom general election, Prime Minister Theresa May ran on the slogan that she would provide ‘strong
Silencing the Messenger: The War on Truth and Free Press
Between 2006 and 2024, over 1,200 journalists were killed, with UNESCO reporting that 85% of these cases remain unresolved. Journalism,
Controlling Control: Addressing Husbands’ Tactics of Controlling Their Wives’ Vote
Just over a hundred years ago, women finally secured the right to vote–extending political autonomy not just to men, but