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

Is It Still a Good Time to Invest in China's Market? HSBC's Analysis on FTSE China A50 Rally

Chinese policymakers have recently unveiled various monetary, fiscal, and equity market stimulus measures, leading to a significant surge in the FTSE China A50 index. The market jumped by 28% in just two weeks, causing...

JPMorgan Analysts Forecast Bitcoin and Gold Surge Amid Geopolitical Tensions and U.S. Election

JPMorgan analysts project that rising geopolitical tensions and the upcoming U.S. election will drive a surge in demand for Bitcoin and gold. This shift comes as investors look for alternatives to safeguard their assets...

Chinese Property Bonds Rally as Investors See Revival Amid Government Stimulus

Chinese Property Bonds Gain Investor Confidence with Government Stimulus Chinese and global institutional investors are revisiting Chinese property bonds, banking on an improved market outlook as the Chinese government...

Global Stocks Slump Amid Middle East Tensions and Oil Price Surge

Global stocks fell on Thursday as major equity markets across the U.S., Europe, and Asia reported losses. The decline was influenced by rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and an oil price surge, overshadowing...

U.S. Dock Workers Strike Ends with Tentative Wage Deal, Avoiding Major Supply Chain Disruptions

U.S. Dock Workers Strike Ends After Tentative Agreement Reached The U.S. dock workers strike has officially ended following a tentative agreement between dock workers and port operators, putting a stop to a crippling...

Politics

Donald Trump's Pal Elon Musk Slams Kamala Harris Win: 'A Disaster for Civilization'

Elon Musk has voiced serious concerns about Kamala Harris potentially winning the upcoming presidential election, calling it not only bad for America but warning that it could spell disaster for the future of civilization...

Donald Trump Set for Landslide Victory: ‘Commanding Lead in Key States – This Could Be Unstoppable'

Donald Trump appears to be positioned for a sweeping victory in the upcoming presidential election, as new polling data suggests the former president holds a commanding lead in several crucial battleground states....

Donald Trump Refuses 60 Minutes Interview Over Lack of Apology for Hunter Biden Laptop Story

In a bold move, former President Donald Trump announced that he is refusing to sit down for an interview with 60 Minutes until he receives an apology for the networks previous claims regarding Hunter Bidens infamous...

Biden-Harris Admin Warns FEMA May Run Out of Funds Amid Hurricane Season After Billions Sent Overseas

In a shocking development, the Biden-Harris administration announced that FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) may not have enough resources to make it through the rest of hurricane season. This warning comes on the...

Science

SpaceX and T-Mobile Begin Testing Starlink Cellular Satellite Service Ahead of 2025 Launch

SpaceX and T-Mobile have reportedly initiated tests for their highly anticipated Starlink Cellular satellite service. Speculation emerged after users noticed satellite activity on their phones, fueling excitement ahead of...

SpaceX Pauses Falcon 9 Launches After Anomaly During Crew 9 Mission Investigation

SpaceX has suspended all Falcon 9 launches after an anomaly occurred with the rockets second stage during the Crew 9 mission for NASA. The second stage failed to land as planned, prompting an investigation and delaying...

Tesla’s $25K Compact Car Could Drive Bigger Stock Gains Than Robotaxi, Analyst Predicts

As anticipation builds for Teslas Robotaxi, some analysts believe the companys upcoming $25,000 compact car will have a more significant impact on its stock. Gary Black of The Future Fund argues that entering the...

Starlink Reaches 4 Million Customers Globally as SpaceX Expands Operations and Services

SpaceXs Starlink has officially surpassed 4 million customers across more than 100 countries. This milestone was announced by SpaceX COO Gwynne Shotwell, who also outlined plans for expanding Starlinks satellite network...

Technology

Bitcoin to Reach $120K in October as Analyst Predicts Explosive Wave 5 Breakout

Bitcoin may hit a new all-time high in October, with predictions of a wave 5 breakout driving prices to as much as $120,000. Market experts warn of volatility, but the outlook remains bullish. Wave 5 Breakout Predicted...

Toyota Delays First U.S.-Made EV Until 2026 Despite $1.3B Kentucky Plant Renovation

Toyota has delayed the production of its first U.S.-made electric vehicle to 2026, despite investing $1.3 billion to renovate its Kentucky plant. The leading automaker initially planned to launch the three-row electric SUV...

Tesla’s Latest Cybertruck Recall Quietly Unveils How Many Have Been Manufactured So Far

Tesla has issued another recall for its Cybertruck due to a rearview camera glitch. This recall, though, gives insight into the number of Cybertrucks manufactured since November 2023, with the company revealing 27,185...

Mark Cuban Warns Every Meme Coin Is "A Rug Pull in the Works," Likens Trading to Musical Chairs

Mark Cuban has warned that every single meme coin is a rug pull in the works, cautioning traders about the dangers of these speculative assets. He likened the chaotic nature of meme coin trading to a game of musical...
  • Market Data
Close

Welcome to EconoTimes

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