Sociologist Manuel Pastor will discuss and sign copies of his book, State of Resistance: What California’s Dizzying Descent and Remarkable Resurgence Mean for America’s Future. In his book Dr. Pastor contends that decades ago California confronted many of the challenges the country faces now, including addressing climate change, low-wage work, immigrant integration, and rates of incarceration. His argument uses California as a model for lessons that could apply to the United States as a whole.

Dr. Pastor is a professor of sociology and American studies and ethnicity at the University of Southern California (USC), where he also serves as director of the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity and co-director of USC’s Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration. He currently holds the Turpanjian Chair in Civil Society and Social Change at USC.