The Scholars’ Circle & Insighters Radio- Sept. 29th, 2013

First, the relationship between income inequality and the federal Reserve . [ dur: 11 mins. ]

  • Henry E. Brady, Dean Goldman school of Public Policy and Professor of Public Policy at UC Berkeley; Author of The Unheavenly Chorus: Unequal Political Voice and the Broken Promise of American Democracy

Then, on the Scholars’ Circle panel, we look at the origins, philosophy and politics of humor. [ dur: 29 mins. ]

  • Amber Day, Professor of Performance studies in English and Culture Studies Department at Bryant University; Author of Satire and Dissent: Interventions in Contemporary Political Debate
  • John Morreall, Professor of Philosophy Dept. Chair at Religious Studies College of William and Mary; Author of Comic Relief: A Comprehensive Philosophy of Humor
  • Peter McGraw, Professor Marketing and Psychology at University of Colorado, Boulder; Author of The Humor Code: A Global Search for What Makes Things Funny

Finally, we are joined by a panel of comedians. [ dur: 18 mins. ]

  • Steven Skrovan, tv writer, wrote and products Everybody Loves Raymond;
  • Dylan Brody, author and humorist.
  • Ruben Paul, is a comic actor

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The Scholars’ Circle & Insighters Radio- Sept. 22nd, 2013

This week we cover following issues:

1) The house voted on Friday to de-fund President Obama’s signature Affordable Health Care act. What does this polarization mean for the future of US Policy? [ dur:  13 mins. ]

  • Sean Theriault, Professor of Government at Univ. of Texas at Austin. Author of  The Gingrich Senators: The Roots of Partisan Warfare in Congress and The Power Of The People: Congressional Competition, Public Attention, And Voter Retribution
  • Peter Hanson, Professor of Political Science Univ. of Denver;

2) Climate change, receding glaciers and melting ice sheets are causing the oceans to rise dramatically. What does that mean for the world’s coastal cities? [ dur: 14 mins. ]

  • Andrea Dutton, Professor of Geological Sciences at Univ. of FL; Author of Journal Science article Ice Volums and Sea level During the last interglacial
  • Brian Fagan. Professor of Anthropology at UC Santa Barbara; Author of The Attacking Ocean: The Past, Present, and Future of Rising Sea Levels

3) What most of the world has gotten wrong about Muslim fundamentalism. [ dur: 27 mins. ]

  • Karima Benoune, Professor of Law  at UC Davis, School of Law; Author of  Your Fatwa Does Not Apply Here: Untold Stories from the Fight Against Muslim Fundamentalism
  • Ousseina Alidou, Professor at Center African Studies, Rutgers University; Author of Engaging Modernity: Muslim Women and the Politics of Agency in Post-colonial Niger (Women in Africa and the Diaspora)
  • Sadia Abbas; Professor of English at Rutgers University; Echo Chamber of Freedom: Muslim Women and Pretext of Agency

 

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The Scholars’ Circle & Insighters Radio- Sept. 15th, 2013

First, we look at the relationships and regional dynamics that can help resolve the conflict in Syria. [ dur: 27 mins. ]

  • Chris Mahony, Deputy director of the Centre for Human Rights at the University of Auckland. Author of The Justice Sector Afterthought: Witness Protection in Africa
  • Eric Bordenkircher, Doctoral Candidate Islamic Studies, UCLA.

Then, on the Scholars’ Circle panel, when should the US and international community intervene on atrocities? What does international law say about intervention? [ dur: 29 mins. ]

  • Karima Bennoune, Professor of Law, UC Davis School of Law. Author of Your Fatwa Does Not Apply Here: Untold Stories from the Fight Against Muslim Fundamentalism
  • Ryan C. Hendrickson, Professor of Political Science, Eastern Illinois University. Author of The Clinton Wars: The Constitution, Congress, and War Powers
  • Frank Chalk, Professor of History, Concordia University. Author of The History and Sociology of Genocide: Analyses and Case Studies

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The Scholars’ Circle & Insighters Radio- Sept. 8th, 2013

First, 40 years after the Chilean coup. We revisit what happened, new revelations & how Chileans are dealing with their past. [dur: 27 mins. ]

For a transcript of this interview, please visit: TheBigQ

  • Peter Kornbluh, National Security Archives; Author of The Pinochet File: A Declassified Dossier on Atrocity and Accountability
  • Prof. John Dingus, Journalism, Colombia; Author of The Condor Years: How Pinochet And His Allies Brought Terrorism To Three Continents

Then, the realities of the Syrian war, what the effects of a US strike might be, and post-coup Egypt. [ dur: 30 mins. ]

  • Laurie A. Brand, Professor of International Relations, USC; Author of Palestinians in the Arab World: Institution Building and the Search for State
  • Fred Lawson, Professor of Government , Mills College; Author of Demystifying Syria (SOAS Middle East Issues Series) and Why Syria Goes to War: Thirty Years of Confrontation
  • Bruce Rutherford, Professor of Political Science, Middle East Studies, Colgate. Author of Egypt after Mubarak: Liberalism, Islam, and Democracy in the Arab World

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The Scholars’ Circle & Insighters Radio- Sept. 1st, 2013

The great recession of 2007—2008 was not solely a financial crisis. Similar to financial crises of our past, it was indeed a political crisis, say our guests. We spend the hour analyzing the failures of democracy that allowed such a crisis to happen, and what reforms are necessary to prevent it from happening again. [ dur: 57 mins. ]

We are joined by Nolan McCarty, Keith T. Poole and Howard Rosenthal, authors of the book, “Political Bubbles: Financial Crises and the Failure of American Democracy.”

  • Nolan McCarty is the Susan Dod Brown Professor of Politics and Public Affairs and Chair of the Department of Politics at Princeton University, respectively.
  • Keith T. Poole is the Philip H. Alston, Jr. Distinguished Chair and Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Georgia and Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of California San Diego.
  • Howard Rosenthal is Professor of Politics at New York University and Professor Emeritus of Social Sciences and of Politics at Princeton University.

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