Category Archives: Scholars’ Circle Interviews

Information and recordings from Schloars’ Circle radio show is posted here.

Scholars’ Circle- How Hollywood Artists affect Politics -/- Anti-intellectualism In America-/-Dark Side of Democracy – December 20th, 2015

First, we’ll begin with the surprising ways that Hollywood actors have shaped American politics and who have some of the most groundbreaking and influential on the body politic. This is part two of a two part interview. [ dur: 27mins. ]

  • Steven Ross is Professor of History at University of Southern California (USC). He is the author of “Hollywood Left and Right: How Movie Stars Shaped American Politics“.

Then, Americans are paying less attention and giving less credence to science and scientists. This is due to politics, mainstream media, religion and ongoing anti-intellectualism in the United States. Chris Mooney, co-author of Unscientific America, explains how we got so far and what should we do.[ dur: 15min. ]

For a transcript of this interview, please visit: TheBigQ

  • Chris Mooney is the co-author of “Unscientific America: How Scientific Illiteracy Threatens our Future“. He is also author of the New York Times bestselling “The Republican War on Science“. He was a science journalist and podcaster for Mother Jones and host of Climate Desk Live from 2012 to 2014. He is now a staff writer at The Washington Post.

Finally, when does democracy have a dark side? Michael Mann says that majorities can and do oppress minorities in the name of majoritarian democracy. He is the author of The Dark Side of Democracy. [ dur:15min. ]

For a transcript of this interview, please visit: TheBigQ

  • Michael Mann is Distinguished Professor of Sociology at UCLA. He is author of “The Dark Side of Democracy: Explaining Ethnic Cleansing“.

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Scholars’ Circle- How Hollywood Artists affect Politics -/- Ethics in Cloning Extinct Species – December 13th, 2015

First, we’ll begin with the surprising ways that Hollywood actors have shaped American politics and who have some of the most groundbreaking and influential on the body politic. [ dur: 28 mins. ]

  • Professor Steven Ross, University of Southern California (USC). He is the author of “Hollywood Left and Right: How Movie Stars Shaped American Politics“.

Then, on the Scholars’ Circle panel, with dozens of species going extinct every day, we look at the science and ethical issues of de-extinction – bringing back some species through cloning. [ dur: 30 mins. ]

  • Dr. Michael Archer is professor of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences at the University of New South Wales. He has published over 300 scientific journal articles and books focused on the ecology and evolution of past and present. He has been working to bring back some extinct animals. His latest work includes contributions to two encyclopedias: Fossil mammals of Australia and New Guinea and Evolution and Zoogeography of Australasian Vertebrates. He is the co-author of the book Australia’s Lost World: Prehistoric Animals of Riversleigh
  • Dr. John Wiens is professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Arizona. He is also a former curator at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and has served as editor of a number of scientific journals. He is the author of many books including, The Ecology of Birds Communities.
  • Carl Zimmer is an award winning lecturer at Yale University and author of thirteen books including, Evolution: Making Sense of Life and More Brain Cuttings: Further Explorations of the Mind. His articles have appeared in the New York Times, Time Magazine, National Geographic, and Scientific American. Here is a list of other books by Carl Zimmer

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Scholars’ Circle- Dark Side of Sharing Economy -/- Politics of Anonymous- December 6th, 2015

First, the dark side of Uber, AirBnB and the rest of the so called “sharing economy”. We speak with Steven Hill, a senior fellow at the New America Foundation. [ dur: 30 mins. ]

  • Steven Hill is a senior fellow at the New America Foundation and co-founder of Fair Vote: Center for Voting and Democracy. He’s the author of “Raw Deal: How the Uber Economy and Naked Capitalism are Screwing American Workers“.

Then, in the wake of the attacks on Paris, Anonymous has turned its cyber-weapons onto the Islamic State, we explore the driving political ethos of Anonymous? [ dur: 28 mins. ]

  • Luke Goode (profile page) is Senior Lecturer in Media, Film and Television at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. His research interests focus primarily on the connections between media, technology and democracy. He is the author of “Jurgen Habermas: Democracy and the Public Sphere (Modern European Thinkers)” and has published on a range of topics including public service broadcasting, social media, citizen journalism and hacktivism.

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Scholars’ Circle-Will Allen’s Food Revolution-/-Homelessness in America- November 29th, 2015

First, Will Allen talks about the Good Food Revolution, a movement dedicated to equitable and sustainable food, and creating just world, one food secure community at a time. [ dur: 26 mins. ]

  • Will Allen, author, founder of Growing Power. He is the author of The Good Food Revolution: Growing Healthy Food, People, and Communities

Then, on the Scholars’ Circle panel, the economic crisis are pushing more people into homelessness, an already pervasive epidemic in America. Why are so many people without homes? And what can be done about it? [ dur: 32 mins. ]

  • Sam Tsemberis, Professor of clinical psychology at Columbia University, Founder & Executive Director of Pathway to Housing. Author of Housing First Manual: The Pathways Model to End Homelessness for People with Mental Illness and Addiction
  • James Baumohl, Professor at Bryn Mawr College, Graduate school of social work and social research. Author of Homelessness In America
  • Kim Hopper, Professor of Medical Anthropology & research scientist at Nathan S. Kline institute of Psychiatric Research of Colombia University. She is co-author of Private Lives/Public Spaces: Homeless Adults on the Streets of New York City and author of Reckoning with Homelessness

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Scholars’ Circle-Making of Lasting Peace-/-Humanity United by Memory of Historical Trauma – November 22nd, 2015

First, beyond ending war what does it take to make a lasting quality peace? [ dur: 28 mins. ]

  • Peter Wallensteen is professor of Peace and Conflict Research at Uppsala University, Sweden. He is also a Research Professor of Peace Studies at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame. His is the author of “Quality Peace: Peacebuilding, Victory and World Order“, “Understanding Conflict Resolution: Peace, War and the Global System“, and the editor of the volume “International Sanctions: Between Wars and Words“.

Then, on the Scholars’ Circle panel, can historical trauma be used as a means of uniting humanity rather than dividing humanity? Part two of a two part panel discussion. [ dur: 30 mins. ]

  • Douglas Becker is a professor of international relations at the University of Southern California and author of the chapter Memories and Trauma as Elements of Identity in Foreign Policymaking.
  • Dovile Budryte is a professor of political science at Georgia Gwinnett College in Atlanta. She is the author of “Taming Nationalism: Political Community Building in the Post-soviet Baltic States” and co-editor of the collected volume “Memory and Trauma in International Relations: Theories, Cases and Debates“.
  • Jessica Auchter is professor of political science and public service at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga. She is the author of “The Politics of Haunting and Memory in International Relations“.

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Scholars’ Circle-Art an act of Resistance-/-Memory Entrepreneurs-November 15th, 2015

First we look at art as an act of resistance and as a weapon to counter oppression and violence. [ dur: 28 mins. ]

  • Mark LeVine is a professor of history at the University of California, Irvine and author of “Overthrowing Geography, Heavy Metal Islam: Rock, Resistance, and the Struggle for the Soul of Islam” and “Impossible Peace” .

Then, on the Scholars’ Circle panel, how the politics of memory and memory entrepreneur are trying to shape what and how we remember the past as a means of shaping the future. [ dur: 30 mins. ]

  • Douglas Becker is a professor of international relations at the University of Southern California and author of the chapter Memories and Trauma as Elements of Identity in Foreign Policymaking.
  • Dovile Budryte is a professor of political science at Georgia Gwinnett College in Atlanta. She is the author of “Taming Nationalism: Political Community Building in the Post-soviet Baltic States” and co-editor of the collected volume “Memory and Trauma in International Relations: Theories, Cases and Debates“.

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Scholars’ Circle-History Of Food As Weapon-/-South China Sea Territorial Claims-November 8th, 2015

First we discuss with Tom Standage, the role of food in history- as a weapon of war, of empire and of building societies.[ dur: 21 mins. ]

For a transcript of this interview, please visit: TheBigQ

  • Tom Standage is a journalist and author of The Edible History of Humanity.

Then, on the Scholar’s circle panel, China’s territorial claims and its development of the South China Sea has raised the concerns of other countries that also claim territories in the same region – the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunie. The situation was complicated further when US naval ships began patrolling the region around one of China’s man made islands. China’s naval chief warned that a minor incident could result in war. What exactly is brewing in the South China Sea? What does it mean for the region and for China US relations? [ dur: 37 mins. ]

  • Pradeep Taneja is a lecturer at the University of Melbourne. He is the co-editor  of The European Union and China: Interests and Dilemmas.
  • Stephen Noakes is a lecturer of Chinese Politics, jointly appointed to Politics and International Relations and Asian Studies at the University of Auckland. ​He is coauthor of Support for Civil Society in China in Creating Democratic Value: Evaluating Efforts to Promote Democracy Abroad.
  • Daniel Lynch is a Professor of International Relations at the University of Southern California. He is the author of After the Propaganda State: Media, Politics, and Thought in Reformed China and Rising China and Asian Democratization: Socialization to “Global Culture” in the Political Transformations of Thailand, China, and Taiwan
  • Professor Leszek Buszynski is a lecturer at Australia National University. He is the author of Asia Pacific Security – Values and Identity​.​ He co-edited The South China Sea Maritime Dispute: Political, Legal and Regional Perspectives and his latest publication Negotiating with North Korea: The Six Party Talks and the Nuclear Issue.

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Scholars’ Circle-Biological Factor of Violence-/-Climate Changed Earth in 2050-November 1st, 2015

First, how much does biology effect the propensity for violence? We are joined by Adrian Raine, author of, Anatomy of Violence: The Biological Roots of Crime. [ dur: 28 mins. ]

  • Adrian Raine is Professor of Criminology and Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of, Anatomy of Violence: The Biological Roots of Crime;

Then, on the Scholars’ Circle, with climate change, depleted natural resources, and more than 9 billion people, what will the world look like in 2050? [ dur: 30 mins. ]

  • Deepak Ray is Postdoctoral Research Scholar at the Global Landscapes Initiative Institute on the Environment at the University of Minnesota. He is co-author of the study, “Yield Trends Are Insufficient to Double Global Crop Production by 2050,” and “Solutions for a Cultivated Planet.”
  • Edward Miguel is Professor at University of California, Berkeley and Director of the Center for Effective Global Action. He is the author of, Africa’s Turn? He is co-author of Economic Gangsters: Corruption, Violence and the Poverty of Nations, and the study, “Quantifying the Influence of Climate on Human Conflict.?
  • Laurence C. Smith is Professor and Chair of Geography at UCLA and author of The World in 2050: Four Forces Shaping Civilization’s Northern Future.

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Scholars’ Circle-New Media affects Politics-/-Science and Politics-October 25th, 2015

First, can new media change power relations? We speak with Rory O’Connor. [ dur: 27 mins. ]

  • Rory O’Connor is an author, filmmaker and journalist. He is the author of “Friends, Followers and the Future: How Social Media are Changing Politics, Threatening Big Brands, and Killing Traditional Media ” . He is the co-author of “Shock Jocks: Hate Speech and Talk Radio: America?s Ten Worst Hate Talkers and the Progressive Alternatives” and “Nukespeak: The Selling of Nuclear Power in America“.

Then, on the Scholars’ Circle, in the face of looming public health and sustainability, we look at the intersection of science and politics. [ dur: 31mins. ]

  • Naomi Oreskes is Professor of the History of Science and Affiliated Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Harvard University. She is the co-author of “ Science and Technology in the Global Cold War“, “The Collapse of Western Civilization: A View from the Future“, and “Merchant of Doubt: How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming
  • David H. Guston is Professor of Political Science and Co-Director of the Consortium for Science, Policy and Outcomes at Arizona State University. He is Principal Investigator and Director of the Center for Nanotechnology in Society at Arizona State University and author of “Between Politics and Science: Assuring the Integrity and Productivity of Research“, co-author of “Informed Legislatures: Coping with Science in a Democracy“, and he has co-edited “Shaping the Next Generation of Science and Technology Policy“.
  • Mark B. Brown is Professor in the Department of Government at California State University, Sacramento. He is the author of “Science in Democracy: Expertise, Institutions, and Representation“.

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Scholars’ Circle-Children of Incarcerated Parents in US-/-Permanent National Security State-/-Polarized Politics from Sexual Counter Revolution-/-October 18th, 2015

First, what are the life chances of children of incarcerated parents? [ dur: 9 mins. ]

Then, how did the US become permanent national security state and how has that affected our democratic process? [ dur:  19 mins.  ]

  • Julian Zelizer is a Professor of History and Public Affairs, Princeton University. He is the author of “Arsenal of Democracy: The Politics of National Security From World War II to the War on Terrorism”.

Finally, did the sexual counter revolution polarize American politics? We speak with Nancy Cohen. [ dur: 27 mins. ]

  • Nancy L. Cohen is an author, historian, and leading national expert on women and American politics.  She is the author of, “Delirium: How the Sexual Counterrevolution is Polarizing America”.

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