Menu

Search

Manuel Pastor

Manuel Pastor

Distinguished Professor of Sociology and American Studies & Ethnicity, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
Dr. Manuel Pastor is a Distinguished Professor of Sociology and American Studies & Ethnicity at the University of Southern California. He currently directs the Equity Research Institute at USC. Pastor holds an economics Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and is the inaugural holder of the Turpanjian Chair in Civil Society and Social Change at USC.

Pastor’s research has generally focused on issues of the economic, environmental and social conditions facing low-income urban communities – and the social movements seeking to change those realities. His forthcoming book, Charging Forward: Lithium Valley, Electric Vehicles, and a Just Future (co-authored with Chris Benner), delves into the pivotal role of California’s Lithium Valley in the “lithium gold rush” and its broader implications for climate challenges, justice, and democracy. In 2021, he published two new books, Solidarity Economics: Why Mutuality and Movements Matter (co-authored with Chris Benner) and South Central Dreams: Finding Home and Building Community in South L.A. (co-authored with Pierrette Hondagneu-Sotelo). His previous 2018 book, State of Resistance: What California’s Dizzying Descent and Remarkable Resurgence Means for America’s Future was lauded in a New York Times review as “concise, clear and convincing.”

Pastor’s previous book, Equity, Growth, and Community: What the Nation Can Learn from America’s Metro Areas, co-authored with Chris Benner (UC Press 2015), argues how inequality stunts economic growth and how bringing together equity and growth requires concerted local action. Combining data, case studies, and narratives on multi-sector collaborations in 11 metro regions, the book offers a powerful prescription not just for metros but for our national challenges of slow job growth, rising economic inequality, and sharp political polarization. He also co-edited the book, Unsettled Americans: Metropolitan Context and Civic Leadership for Immigrant Integration with John Mollenkopf (Cornell University Press 2016), which offers a comparative study and detailed analyses of immigrant incorporation efforts across seven different U.S. metro regions.

His previous volumes include: Just Growth: Inclusion and Prosperity in America’s Metropolitan Regions, co-authored with Chris Benner (Routledge 2012), advances the idea that growth and equity can and should be linked, offering a new path for a U.S. economy seeking to recover from economic crisis and distributional distress; Uncommon Common Ground: Race and America’s Future (W.W. Norton 2010; co-authored with Angela Glover Blackwell and Stewart Kwoh), documents the gap between progress in racial attitudes and racial realities and offers a new set of strategies for both talking about race and achieving racial equity; This Could Be the Start of Something Big: How Social Movements for Regional Equity are Transforming Metropolitan America (Cornell University Press 2009; co-authored with Chris Benner and Martha Matsuoka) highlights a promising set of organizing efforts across the U.S.; Staircases or Treadmills: Labor Market Intermediaries and Economic Opportunity in a Changing Economy (Russell Sage 2007, co-authored with Chris Benner and Laura Leete) which offers a critique of current employment strategies and argues for a new “high road” approach to connecting demand and supply in labor markets; and Regions That Work: How Cities and Suburbs Can Grow Together (University of Minnesota Press 2000; co-authored with Peter Dreier, Eugene Grigsby, and Marta Lopez-Garza), a book that has become a standard reference for those seeking to link neighborhoods and regions.

Pastor was the founding director of the Center for Justice, Tolerance, and Community at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He was also the Director at the USC Program for Environmental and Regional Equity (PERE) and the USC Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration (CSII). He has received fellowships from the Danforth, Guggenheim, and Kellogg foundations, and grants from the Irvine Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the National Science Foundation, the Hewlett Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, the California Environmental Protection Agency, the W.T. Grant Foundation, The California Endowment, the California Air Resources Board, and many others. Pastor speaks frequently on issues of demographic change, economic inequality, and community empowerment and has contributed opinion pieces to such outlets including the Los Angeles Times, the San Jose Mercury News, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Sacramento Bee, and The Hill, among many others.

In January 2002, he was awarded a Civic Entrepreneur of the Year award from the California Center for Regional Leadership. He has previously served as a Public Member of the Strategic Growth Council in California, as a member of the Commission on Regions appointed by California’s Speaker of the State Assembly, and as a member of the Regional Targets Advisory Committee for the California Air Resources Board. Pastor received the Liberty Hill Foundation’s Wally Marks Changemaker of the Year award for social justice research partnerships in 2012. He received the Champion for Equity Award from the Advancement Project in 2017 for his work with community-based organizations fighting for social change. In 2022, Pastor was elected to the American Academy for the Arts and Sciences for his work in Public Affairs and Public Policy. In recognition of his impactful work, in 2024, Pastor was named by the Los Angeles Times as one of the region’s most significant civic leaders in their inaugural series, L.A. Influential.

Big lithium plans for Imperial Valley, one of California’s poorest regions, raise a bigger question: Who should benefit?

Sep 29, 2024 10:23 am UTC| Technology Business

Imperial County consistently ranks among the most economically distressed places in California. Its Salton Sea, the states biggest and most toxic lake, is an environmental disaster. And the regions politics have been...

1 

Economy

COP29 Summit: Azerbaijan Hosts Critical Talks on Climate Finance and Trade Disputes

Azerbaijan Hosts COP29 Summit Amid Climate Urgency The U.N. climate summit, COP29, opens in Baku, Azerbaijan, with countries aiming to reach a crucial deal for $1 trillion in annual climate finance for developing...

Public-Sector Pay Rises Outpace Private Sector for the First Time Since 2020

Public-Sector Pay Rises Outpace Private Sector In a shift from previous trends, British public-sector employers are now planning to increase pay faster than private-sector employers. According to the Chartered Institute...

China's CPI and PPI Fall in October Despite Major Stimulus Efforts

Chinas Inflation Remains Weak in October Amidst New Stimulus Measures October CPI and PPI Overview In October, Chinas Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rose 0.3% year-on-year, marking a slowdown from Septembers 0.4%...

China’s Sluggish Inflation and Deepening Deflation Spur New Stimulus Measures

Chinas October Inflation Slowdown and New Stimulus: What to Expect Overview In October, Chinas consumer prices rose at the slowest pace in four months, while producer price deflation worsened, underscoring ongoing...

US Dollar Holds Steady as Markets Await Inflation Data and Fed Comments

US Dollar Stable as Market Awaits US Inflation and Fed Insights The US dollar opened cautiously on Monday, reflecting market anticipation for upcoming US inflation data and insights from Federal Reserve speakers....

Politics

New Border Czar Homan Promises to Find ‘Half a Million Missing Children’ – ‘We Will Reunite Them'

Newly appointed Border Czar Tom Homan has made a startling and impassioned pledge: to locate and rescue hundreds of thousands of migrant children who have reportedly gone missing over the past several years. Homan, a...

Trump’s Treasury Pick Bessent Ready to Join Forces with Elon Musk! ‘Waste-Cutting Revolution Starts NOW

President-elect Donald Trumps reported pick for Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, is reportedly interested in joining forces with tech billionaire Elon Musk to tackle government waste. Sources close to the administration...

Trump’s Bold Treasury Pick Shocks Supporters: ‘Soros-Funded Scott Bessent Tapped for Secretary'

President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly planning to nominate Scott Bessent, a prominent hedge fund manager with past ties to billionaire George Soros, as Secretary of the Treasury. The unexpected choice has stirred...

Trump to Tap Marco Rubio as Secretary of State: ‘A Bold Choice’ Set to Shake Up Foreign Policy

President-elect Donald Trump is expected to name Sen. Marco Rubio as his Secretary of State, according to a report from The New York Times. The anticipated nomination of Rubio, a vocal advocate of strong U.S. international...

Science

SpaceX’s $2.9 Billion Moon Ship Reveals Spacious Design for Future Lunar Missions

SpaceXs latest prototype of its Starship Human Landing System (HLS) offers an inside look at the spacious, two-story design that could soon carry astronauts to the Moon. A central feature in NASAs Artemis program, this...

CDC Urges Second COVID-19 Vaccine for Seniors: ‘Protect Your Health This Season!’ Experts Say It’s Critical

In a recent public health announcement, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended that individuals aged 65 and older receive a second dose of the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine. This additional dose, the...

Breakfast Secrets: 'Fiber-rich Foods Are the Key to Weight Loss!' Experts Reveal Shocking Truth

Health experts often emphasize the importance of a balanced diet combined with regular exercise for weight management. However, for many, achieving these goals can be a daunting challenge. Instead of drastic food...

Scabies Surge Sparks Alarm: Doctors Warn Brits, 'Don't Ignore That Rash!'

Doctors in the United Kingdom are sounding the alarm over a dramatic rise in scabies cases, urging residents not to dismiss any signs of the itchy skin condition. Recent data shows that hospitals detected approximately...

Technology

Apple Invests $1.5 Billion in Globalstar for Mobile Satellite Service, SpaceX to Launch

Apples $1.5 billion investment in satellite communications firm Globalstar will fund a new mobile satellite service (MSS) network. The network, powered by Globalstars new satellite constellation, will be launched by SpaceX...

Hedge Funds Lose Over $5 Billion Betting Against Tesla Amid Musk-Trump Alliance

Hedge funds betting against Tesla Inc. have lost at least $5.2 billion since the 2024 U.S. election. Teslas stock soared as CEO Elon Musks alliance with President-elect Trump gained attention, causing many funds to reverse...

Bitcoin Hits $81K, Boosted by Election Wins and Pro-Crypto Momentum

Bitcoin surged to a new all-time high of $81,000, driven by a wave of pro-crypto candidates winning U.S. elections and the Federal Reserves interest rate cut. With futures premiums soaring, institutional investors are...

Peter Schiff Blasts Trump’s Bitcoin Reserve Vision, Warns of Dollar Collapse Risk

Economist Peter Schiff has launched a strong critique against President-elect Trumps Bitcoin reserve ambitions, warning that a large BTC reserve could trigger a dollar collapse. Schiffs remarks come as Congress debates the...
  • Market Data
Close

Welcome to EconoTimes

Sign up for daily updates for the most important
stories unfolding in the global economy.