Monthly Archives: January 2016

Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle- Zomba Music Project of Malawi -/- New Humanitarians – January 31st, 2016

First, it’s the most unlikely group to get a Grammy award or to even be nominated. Our guest, Ian Brennan, produced that record. He’s up for a Grammy for his production of an album recorded at a federal Malawi prison, the Zomba Music Project, featuring singers and musicians behind bars. [ dur: 38 mins. ]

  • Ian Brennan is a GRAMMY-winning record producer and has produced four GRAMMY-nominated records (World Music- 2011 and 2015, Best Traditional Folk- 2006 and 2007). His recently produced album “I HAVE NO EVERYTHING HERE By Zomba Prison Project (2015-03-16)” – find it in our Book Shelf.

Next we speak with Dr. Chris Stout of Center for Global Initiatives. All over the world organizations are working for social justice, health access and peace. We discuss their struggle, success and common ground. [ dur: 20 mins. ]

  • Dr. Chris Stout is a clinical full Professor in the College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry; an Advisory Board Member to the College of Medicine’s Center for Global Health; a Fellow in the School of Public Health Leadership Institute, and is a Core Faculty at the International Center on Responses to Catastrophes at the University of Illinois, Chicago. He is the Founding Director of the Center for Global Initiatives (CenterForGlobalInitiatives.org) which was ranked as a Top Healthcare Nonprofit by GreatNonprofits.org (2011, 12). He is the author of “The New Humanitarians [3 volumes]: Inspiration, Innovations, and Blueprints for Visionaries (Social and Psychological Issues: Challenges and Solutions)“.

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle- Cooperative economic history and practices -/- How human society is affected by unconscious mind – January 24th, 2016

First, can worker owned cooperatives transform workers lives and livelihoods? We speak with Jessica Gordon Nembhard author of, Collective Courage: A History of African American Cooperative Economic Thought and Practice. [ dur: 31 mins. ]

  • Jessica Gordon Nembhard is Associate Professor of Community Justice and Social Economic Development in the Department of Africana Studies at John Jay College, City University of New York. Her latest book is Collective Courage: A History of African American Cooperative Economic Thought and Practice.

Then, a look at how the unconscious mind and biological predispositions effect political outcomes, waging war and prejudice biases. We are joined by Guillermo Jimenez author of, Red Genes, Blue Genes, and Shankar Vedantam author of, The Hidden Brain. [ dur: 27 mins. ]

For a transcript of this interview, please visit: TheBigQ

  • Shankar Vedantam is a science correspondent with NPR. Before joining National Public Radio in 2011, Vedantam was a national science writer at The Washington Post. Between 2007 and 2009, Vedantam authored the weekly Department of Human Behavior column in The Washington Post. He is the winner of several journalism awards. Vedantam is a 2009-2010 Nieman Fellow at Harvard University. Shankar Vedantam is a science correspondent with NPR. His latest book is “The Hidden Brain: How Our Unconscious Minds Elect Presidents, Control Markets, Wage Wars, and Save Our Lives“.
  • Guillermo Jimenez is Professor of International Trade at State University of New York. He is the author of “Red Genes, Blue Genes: Exposing Political Irrationality“.

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle- Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr. -/- Free Speech in Politics – January 17th, 2016

While much of the country remembers Martin Luther King, Jr. as primarily a leader of civil rights and desegregation and a great orator, our next guests say he stood for so much more. Many aspects of his life, legacy & philosophy remain either unknown or conveniently forgotten. In this Scholars’ Circle we are joined by: [ dur: 28 mins. ]

  • David Garrow is a Professor of History and Law at University of Pittsburgh. He is the author of FBI and Martin Luther King, Jr: From “Solo” to Memphis
  • Joshua Inwood is a Professor of Geography and Africana Studies in Geography Department, University of Tennessee. His publications include, “ Nonkilling Geography” and “Street naming and the politics of belonging: spatial injustices in the toponymic commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr.“
  • Thomas Jackson is a Professor of History at University of North Carolina, Greensboro. He is the author of “From Civil Rights to Human Rights: Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Struggle for Economic Justice“. Suggested reading “Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?” by Martin Luther King Jr.

What are the effects of political incivility and vilification on pubic policy and political participation? On democracy? How do they compare to hate speech? Where are the legal lines drawn? In this Scholars’ Circle we are joined by: [ dur: 30 mins. ]

For a transcript of this interview, please visit: TheBigQ

  • Robert Entman is a Professor of Media and Public Affairs and Professor of International Affairs at The George Washington University. He is the author of “Projection of Power :Framing News, Public Opinion, and U.S. Foreign Policy“
  • Steven Heyman is Professor of Law at the IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. He is the author of “Free Speech and Human Dignity“
  • Michael W. Wagner is an associate professor in the University of Wisconsin Madison’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication. He is the co-author of “Political Behavior in Midterm Election“

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle- Linguistic Anthropologist Analysis of Osama Bin Laden’s Tape Collection – January 10th, 2016

Who was Osama Bin Laden really? Apparently not who we think he was according to 1,500 tapes unearthed from his home in Kandahar, Afghanistan. After a comprehensive study of the tapes’ content, linguistic anthropologist Flagg Miller has concluded that the real Osama Bin Laden does not comport with the myth.

  • Flagg Miller is Professor of Religious Studies at the University of California, Davis. He is the author of “The Audacious Ascetic: What the Bin Laden Tapes Reveal About Al-Qa’ida“.

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle- History of a Secret Bank -/- Philosophy and Politics of Humor – January 3rd, 2016

First, we look at a little known international bank that influences the world’s economy with journalist Adam LeBor. [ dur: 29 mins. ]

  • Adam LeBor is a journalist and the author of “Tower of Basel: The Shadowy History of the Secret Bank that Runs the World“.

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

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

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