Category Archives: Blog

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Scholars’ Circle- How humanity will respond to Climate Change -/- Life long effects from act of Bullying – May 8th, 2016

First, the scenarios we face with climate change and the options for humanity. Gwynne Dyer is author of Climate Wars: The Fight for Survival as the World Overheats. [ dur: 28 mins. ]

For a transcript of this interview, please visit: TheBigQ

  • Gwynne Dyer, author, military historian, journalist. He is the author of Climate Wars: The Fight for Survival as the World Overheats

Finally, on the scholars’ panel we take a close look at bullying. Bullies and victims of bullies are much more likely to develop psychological disorders such as agoraphobia, panic disorder, suicidal thoughts and aggressive behavior, as adults. In both adult and adolescent settings bullying cultures can emerge when bystanders and others disengage and allow the behavior to continue, ultimately creating abusive organizations. What is the long term effect on individuals and by extension on societies at large, resulting from bulling behaviors? [ dur: 30 mins. ]

  • Joyce T. Heames is Chair and Professor of Management and Industrial Relations in the College of Business & Economics at West Virginia University. She is the author of publications: “A bully as an archetypal destructive leader” and “Bullying: From the Playground to the Boardroom”.
  • Catherine Bradshaw is a Professor in the Department of Mental Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and has a joint appointment in the Johns Hopkins School of Education. She is the Deputy Director of the Johns Hopkins Center for the Prevention of Youth Violence and the Co-Director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Prevention and Early Intervention. Catherine Bradshaw is the co-author of publication “Bullies, gangs, drugs, and school, Understanding the overlap and the role of ethnicity and urbanity”.
  • Jaana Juvonen is Professor of Developmental Psychology in the Department of Psychology at UCLA. She co-authored “Peer harassment in school: The plight of the vulnerable and victimized” and “Bullying in school: The power of bullies and the plight of the victims”.

Find book authored by our guest scholars on this Book Shelf .

This program is produced with generous contribution from Ankine Aghassian, Melissa Chiprin, Tim Page, Mike Hurst and Sudd Dongre.

Scholars’ Circle- Study on effects of consumerism -/- humanity affected by history of science and religion – May 1st, 2016

First, how most of what we buy and consume helps create wars, prop up dictatorships and systems of oppression, and some ways to start changing this. [ dur: 27 mins. ]

For a transcript of this interview, please visit: TheBigQ

  • Leif Wenar is Chair of Philosophy and Law at King’s College London. He is the author of “Blood Oil: Tyrants, Violence and the Rules That Run the World“. Leif Wenar website

Then, how might Big History change our thinking about the role of humanity in the history of the earth and the convergence of science and religion. [ dur: 30 mins. ]

  • Jonathan Markley is Associate Professor of History at California State University, Fullerton. He is part of the Big History movement and has been featured in many television episodes related to it. Big History Project website

Find book authored by our guest scholars on this Book Shelf .

This program is produced with generous contribution from Ankine Aghassian, Tim Page, Mike Hurst and Sudd Dongre.

Scholars’ Circle- Armenian genocide history and analysis -/- Violence on targeted groups – April 24th, 2016

We commemorate the Armenian Genocide with a brief history and analysis, and what it has meant for human rights issues. We are joined by Pulitzer Prize winner poet and author Professor Peter Balakian. [ dur: 18 mins. ]

  • Peter Balakian is a professor of humanities. He is a noted poet, his books include “Black Dog of Fate: A Memoir” and “The Burning Tigris: The Armenian Genocide and America’s Response

Then, we broadcast a April 2005 interview with journalist and media critic Professor Ben Bagdikian who was an infant during the last part of the genocide. He passed away March 2016. [ dur: 10 mins. ]

  • Professor Ben Bagdikian, was a renowned journalist, media critic, media executive who helped publish the pentagon papers. His memoir “Double Vision: Reflections on My Heritage, Life, and Profession“.

Finally, our next guests participated in a live forum that explored the roots of violence and genocide, identifying what they had in common and what it takes to prevent and heal in their aftermath. Our panel discussed how small scale violence against a targeted group can become genocidal and what we can learn from the three forgotten genocides. [ dur: 30 mins. ]

  • Tracey McIntosh is a professor of sociology at the University of Auckland. She is the co-editor of Pacific Identities and Well-being: Cross-cultural Perspectives.
  • Panayiotis Diamadis is a professor of genocide studies at the University of Technology, Sydney. He is the author of Precious and Honoured Guests of the Ottoman Government.
  • Chris Wilson is a professor of political studies and international relations at the University of Auckland. He is the author of Ethno-religious violence in Indonesia: From soil to God.

Find book authored by our guest scholars on this Book Shelf .

This program is produced with generous contribution from Ankine Aghassian, Tim Page, Mike Hurst and Sudd Dongre.

Scholars’ Circle- Campaign, Elections and Voters -/- Politics of Power – April 17th, 2016

First, we talk to two political scientists about campaigns, elections and how voters decide, at the Midwest Political Science Association conference.[ dur: 42 mins. ]

  • Sean Theriault is Professor of Political Science at University of Texas. He is the author of “Party Polarization in Congress” and “The Gingrich Senators: The Roots of Partisan Warfare in Congress“.
  • David Redlawsk is a Professor of Political Science at Rutgers University. He is the co-author of “How Voters Decide“, and author of the new book, “The Positive Case for Negative Campaigning“.

Then, What is power? Who has it? How does it work? We discuss politics of power with William Domhoff renowned author of the classic book Who Rules America. [ dur: 16 mins. ]

  • William Domhoff is a Research Professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He is the author of numerous books including “Who Rules America?“, “Changing the Powers That Be: How the Left Can Stop Losing and Win“, “Class and Power in the New Deal: Corporate Moderates, Southern Democrats, and the Liberal-Labor Coalition” , and “Diversity in the Power Elite: How It Happened, Why It Matters“.

Find book authored by our guest scholars on this Book Shelf .

This program is produced with generous contribution from Ankine Aghassian, Tim Page, Mike Hurst and Sudd Dongre.

Scholars’ Circle- Past Climate Change and human responses -/- Leadership for Democracies -/- Children healing from abduction trauma – April 10th, 2016

First, how have our ancestors dealt with earlier changes in the climate and environment? What does it tell us about our current situation? [ dur: 25 mins. ]

For a transcript of this interview, please visit: TheBigQ

Then, our guest argues that strong leaders are not necessarily the best leaders, particularly for democracies. What does history tell us about the best kind of leader for society? We are joined by Professor Archie Brown author of The Myth of the Strong Leader: Political Leadership in the Modern Age. This is part two of a two part interview. Part one can be found here. [ dur: 20 mins. ]

  • Archie Brown is Professor Emeritus of Politics at Oxford University. His books include “The Myth of the Strong Leader: Political Leadership in the Modern Age“, “The Gorbachev Factor” and “The Rise and Fall of Communism“.

Finally, what becomes of the children who are abducted and forced into sex slavery and child soldiering? Our guest Jane Ekayu, a child trauma therapist, is helping children heal and rebuild their lives. [ dur: 13 mins. ]

  • Jane Ekayu, Founder and Executive Director Children of Peace, Uganda.

Find book authored by our guest scholars on this Book Shelf .

This program is produced with generous contribution from Ankine Aghassian, Tim Page, Mike Hurst and Sudd Dongre.

Scholars’ Circle- Leadership for democracies-/-Privatized Military affects conflict ethics – April 3rd, 2016

First, our guest argues that strong leaders are not necessarily the best leaders, particularly for democracies. What does history tell us about the best kind of leader for society? We are joined by Professor Archie Brown author of The Myth of the Strong Leader: Political Leadership in the Modern Age. This is part one of a two part interview. [ dur: 21mins. ]

  • Archie Brown is Professor Emeritus of Politics at Oxford University. His books include “The Myth of the Strong Leader: Political Leadership in the Modern Age“, “The Gorbachev Factor” and “The Rise and Fall of Communism“.

How is the privatization of military activities compromising international conduct in conflict? What does it mean for international law and ethics in conflict? We look at the multi-billion dollar private military industry. Amy Eckert is the author of Outsourcing War: Just War Tradition in the Age of Military Privatization. [ dur: 37mins. ]

  • Amy Eckert is Professor of Political Science at the Metropolitan State University of Denver where she teaches and studies international ethics and international law. Her books include “The Future of Just War: New Critical Essays” and, her latest, “Outsourcing War: Just War Tradition in the Age of Military Privatization“.

Find book authored by our guest scholars on this Book Shelf .

Scholars’ Circle- Human Rights Laws – March 27th, 2016

Last week the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia convicted Radovan Karadzic. of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity for his role in the mass killings and ethnic cleansing of Bosnia. In this hour we assess how far we’ve come in protecting human rights and what else can be done. What are some of ICC’s strengths and weaknesses? [ dur: 58mins. ]

  • Samuel Moyn is Professor of Law and History at Harvard University. His publications include Christian Human Rights and The Last Utopia: Human Rights in History
  • Mark Drumbl is Professor at Washington and Lee University, School of Law, and the Director of the University’s Transnational Law Institute. He is the author of numerous books including the award winning , Atrocity, Punishment, and International Law, and Reimagining Child Soldiers in International Law and Policy .
  • Dr. Chris Mahony is Research Fellow at the Centre for International Law Research and Policy, Visiting Research Fellow at Georgetown University Law Center, and Criminal Justice and Citizen Security Consultant at the World Bank in Washington D.C.His publications include, The Justice Sector Afterthought: Witness Protection in Africa, and he is the co-editor of Evaluating Transitional Justice: Accountability and Peacebuilding in Post-Conflict Sierra Leone.
  • Elizabeth Borgwardt is Associate Professor in the Department of History at Washington University in St. Louis. She is the author of A New Deal for the World: America’s Vision for Human Rights and co-author of Coping with International Conflict: A Systematic Approach to Influence in International Negotiation.

Find book authored by our guest scholars on this Book Shelf .

Scholars’ Circle- Uber, Lyft & AirBnB Business Model Effects -/- Species Extinction by Wildlife Traffickers – March 20th, 2016

First, the battles and changes arising from so-called “disrupters” such as Uber, Lyft and AirBnB. [ dur: 25 mins. ]

For a transcript of this interview, please visit: TheBigQ

Then, on The Scholars’ Circle panel, wildlife trafficking is putting some species to the brink of extinction. We explore the multi-billion dollar a year industry. What is the scope of the problem? What should be done to rescue our most endangered species? [ dur: 30mins. ]

For a transcript of this interview, please visit: TheBigQ

  • David S. Wilkie PhD is a wildlife ecologist specializing in human behavioral ecology and anthropology. He is the Director of Conservation Support at the Wildlife Conservation Society and Adjunct Associate Professor at Boston College, and formerly co-chair of the Bushmeat Crisis Task Force. He has numerous scholarly publications and is a contributor to Huffington Post and LiveScience. He is a contributor to “Great Apes and Humans: The Ethics of Coexistence
  • Tanya Wyatt PhD is lecturer of wildlife criminology at the University of Northumbria in the UK. She is the author of “Green criminology & wildlife trafficking: the illegal fur and falcon trades in Russia Far East“, and the book “Wildlife Trafficking: A Deconstruction of the Crime, the Victims, and the Offenders (Critical Criminological Perspectives)“.
  • Marc Bekoff ( blog ), is professor emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and co-founder with Jane Goodall of Ethologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. His books include “The Emotional Lives of Animals, Why Dogs Hump and Bees Get Depressed: The Fascinating Science of Animal Intelligence, Emotions, Friendship, and Conservation“, and has co-authored, “Wild Justice: The Moral Lives of Animals

Find book authored by our guest scholars on this Book Shelf .

Scholars’ Circle- US Justice Antonin Scalia (part 2) -/- Peace-making in the 21st Century (part 2) ?- March 13th, 2016

First, we’ll rebroadcast an interview about the man some call the most polarizing and controversial supreme court justice in American history, Justice Antonin Scalia. He passed away on February 13th. We speak with Prof. Bruce Allen Murphy author of, Scalia: A Court of One. This is part two of a two part interview. Part one of this interview can be found here.[ dur: 28 min. ]

  • Bruce Allen Murphy is a judicial biographer and Professor of law at Lafayette College. His biographical book of Justice Scalia, “Scalia: A Court of One“.

Then, real life effective strategies for lasting peace building. We’re joined by two experts in peace making. This is part two of a two part interview. Part one of this interview can be found here.[ dur:25 mins. ]

  • Ervin Staub is a Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and Founding Director of its Ph.D. concentration in the Psychology of Peace and Violence. He is the author of “The roots of goodness and resistance to evil: Inclusive caring, moral courage, altruism born of suffering, active bystandership and heroism​” and “Overcoming evil: Genocide, violent conflict and terrorism“.
  • Peter Wallensteen is a Professor of Peace and Conflict Research at Uppsala University, Sweden. He is the author of “Quality Peace: Peacebuilding, Victory and World Order“.

Find book authored by our guest scholars on this Book Shelf .

Scholars’ Circle- US Justice Antonin Scalia -/- Peace-making in the 21st Century?- March 6th, 2016

First, we’ll rebroadcast an interview about the man some call the most polarizing and controversial supreme court justice in American history, Justice Antonin Scalia. He passed away on February 13th. We speak with Professor Bruce Allen Murphy. [ dur: 29 mins. ]

  • Bruce Allen Murphy is a judicial biographer and Professor of law at Lafayette College. His biographical book of Justice Scalia, “Scalia: A Court of One“.

Then, as the international community tries to continue to facilitate a peace agreement among the fighters in Syria, we’re joined by two experts in peace making. [ dur: 29 mins. ]

  • Ervin Staub is a Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and Founding Director of its Ph.D. concentration in the Psychology of Peace and Violence. He is the author of “The roots of goodness and resistance to evil: Inclusive caring, moral courage, altruism born of suffering, active bystandership and heroism​” and “Overcoming evil: Genocide, violent conflict and terrorism“.
  • Peter Wallensteen is a Professor of Peace and Conflict Research at Uppsala University, Sweden. He is the author of “Quality Peace: Peacebuilding, Victory and World Order“.

Find book authored by our guest scholars on this Book Shelf .