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CSUSB professor comments on the Zoot Suit Riots that took place 75 years ago The Orange County RegisterJune 1, 2018

This past weekend marked the 75th year since the Zoot Suit Riots, when U.S. military men took the streets of Los Angeles attacking young Mexican-American men, targeting those adorned in zoot suit attire.

“The notion of patriotism was tied to difference — symbolic difference — and the idea that somehow that recent immigrants are somehow not patriotic and are a threat,” said Professor Brian Levin with Cal State San Bernardino’s Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism. “And that’s a narrative that we teach today.

According to the center’s most recent study released in May, Los Angeles had a 10.8 percent increase in reported hate crimes from 229 in 2016 to 254 in 2017. This marks the fourth consecutive annual increase in hate crimes in the city.

“When people who are different are affirmatively exercising their rights in public, it is frequently deemed a threat,” he said. “It’s also presented as a symbol that existing tradition is somehow under attack.

“I think the fears that existed at that time: international conflict, immigration and even the taking in of refugees, has some reflection today,” Levin said. “The difference today is we actually keep data on these kinds of things.”

Read the complete article at: '75 years ago, Zoot Suit Riots marked a dark period in Southern California history.'

CSUSB professor’s column: Women are running for governor; will they win?The Blue ReviewMay 28, 2018

Meredith Conroy, an assistant professor of political science at Cal State San Bernardino, wrote in an op-ed piece: “While the wave of women running for office in 2018 may not upset the century-long underrepresentation of women in congressional and state executive offices, women’s increased interest in public service suggests that many of the barriers women typically face, like encouragement disparities and their own perception that they lack qualifications, are being eroded … But as women continue to enter high profile races like those for governor, we will see trickle down role model effects that will have an impact on future races, regardless of the immediate outcome. And this is a win for women.”

Read the complete op-ed piece at: 'Women are running for governor; will they win?​​​​​​​'

CSUSB survey shows businesses are booming for inland manufacturersDaily BulletinJune 1, 2018

Manufacturers in Riverside and San Bernardino counties are enjoying a growth streak that’s been ongoing for nearly a year and a half, according to the latest Cal State San Bernardino survey of local firms.

“For the last 17 months, we’ve been showing slow and steady growth, which is great,” said Barbara Sirotnik, director of the Institute of Applied Research and Policy Analysis at the San Bernardino campus.

“The only cautionary note is that prices continue to rise, however, we don’t envision that this will restrict economic expansion in the near future,” reads a concluding note in the new report. “But that rosy news could dissipate if a trade war with the EU, Mexico, and Canada comes to pass due to newly implemented tariffs on steel and aluminum.”

Other Trump administration actions, such as the new tax cuts, may have spurred local production as consumers may feel they have more money to spend, Sirotnik said. It’s unclear what the eventual outcome of the developing trade dispute may be.

“I think it’s going to take a little while to see how things settle down,” she said.

Read the complete article at: 'Survey: Business is booming for inland manufacturers.'

These news clips and others may be found at “In the Headlines” on the Inside CSUSB website.