Scholars’ Circle- Adapting to Climate Change -/- Genocides, causes and prevention – February 28th, 2016

First, planet earth is facing a sixth extinction. Can humanity rescue the planet that it has imperiled? [ dur: 30 mins. ]

  • Annalee Newitz is journalist and author of Scatter, Adapt, and Remember: How Humans Will Survive a Mass Extinction. She is the founding editor of the science and science fiction website i09.com.
  • Elizabeth Kolbert is a staff member at The New Yorker. She is the author of Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature, and Climate Change, and her latest book The Sixth Extinction.

Then on our Scholars’ Circle panel, we analyze the causes of genocide and possible means of preventing them. [ dur: 28 mins. ]

  • Ben Kiernan is Whitney Griswold Professor of History and Director of the Genocide Studies Program at Yale University. He is the author of, Blood and Soil: A World History of Genocide and Extermination from Sparta to Darfur, and The Pol Pot Regime: Race, Power, and Genocide in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge, 1975-79.
  • Alex Hinton is Executive Director of the Center for the Study of Genocide, Conflict Resolution, and Human Rights, and Professor of Anthropology and Global Affairs at Rutgers University. He is the co-author of, Why Did They Kill?: Cambodia in the Shadow of Genocide, and is the editor of Genocide: Truth, Memory, and Representation (The Cultures and Practice of Violence), and Annihilating Difference: The Anthropology of Genocide.
  • Simon Baron-Cohen is Professor of Developmental Psychopathology at the University of Cambridge and Fellow at Trinity College, Cambridge. He is the author of, Zero Degrees of Empathy, and he is the editor of Understanding Other Minds: Perspectives from developmental social neuroscience, and The Maladapted Mind: Classic Readings in Evolutionary Psychopathology.

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

Scholars’ Circle- Money & Media effects on Politics-/-Prisoners, a concern of human rights – February 21st, 2016

First, the money-media election complex keeps destroying the democratic process. How did we get here? And where are we headed? Robert McChesney author of Dollarocracy: How the Money-and-Media-Election Complex is Destroying America. [ dur: 28 mins. ]

  • Robert W. McChesney is a professor of communication at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Illinois. His books include, Digital Disconnect: How Capitalism is Turning the Internet Against DemocracyDollarocracy: How the Money-and-Media-Election Complex is Destroying America, and The Death and Life of American Journalism: The Media Revolution that Will Begin the World Again.

Then, we explore the effects of solitary confinement and the impact of harsh prison conditions on guards and prisoners. [ dur: 28 mins. ]

  • Hope Metcalf is an associate research scholar in Law, and Director of the Arthur Liman Public Interest Program. She teaches a clinic on prisoners’ rights in the United States. She is the co-author of reports Administrative Segregation, Degrees of Isolation, and Incarceration: A National Overview of State and Federal Correctional Policies, and Gideon at Guantanamo: Democratic and Despotic Detention
  • Philip Zimbardo is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Stanford University and current *core faculty at Palo Alto University. He is the creator of the The Stanford Prison Experiment. He is the author of numerous publications including The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil, Psychology and Life, and The Psychology of Attitude Change and Social Influence.
  • Dr. Stuart Glassian is a psychiatrist who has formerly taught at Harvard Medical School. His is the author of reports, Psychiatric Effects of Solitary Confinement, and Effects of Sensory Deprivation in Psychiatric Seclusion and Solitary Confinement.
    He has served as an expert on class-actions lawsuits regrading solitary confinement.

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

Scholars’ Circle- Russian Politics Analyzed, Part 2 -/- New Media and Social movements- February 14th, 2016

First, while many in the West decry the politics of the former Soviet Union countries as corrupt and anti-democratic, our guest Professor Henry Hale argues, that there are much better ways of understanding the processes and politics of patronal systems. Part two of a two part discussion with Professor Henry Hale author of Patronal Politics: Eurasian Regime Dynamics in Comparative Perspective. Part 1 of this discussion can be found here: [ dur: 20 mins. ]

  • Henry E. Hale is Associate Professor of Political Science and International Affairs at The George Washington University. His books include Patronal Politics: Eurasian Regime Dynamics in Comparative Perspective, The Foundations of Ethnic Politics: Separatism of States and Nations in Eurasia and the World and Why Not Parties in Russia? Democracy, Federalism, and the State.

Then, how have social movements changed in the twenty-first century and how have new communication technologies facilitated change? What makes some social movements sustainable and successful while others are more short term? What is the future for social movements? [ dur: 33 mins. ]

  • James M. Jasper is a Professor of Sociology at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. His books include Protest: A Cultural Introduction to Social Movements, ​T​he Art of Moral Protest: Culture, Biography, and Creativity in Social Movements and The Social Movements Reader: Cases and Concepts.
  • Todd Wolfson is a Professor of Journalism and Media Studies and the Digital Media Coordinator for the MCIS Program at Rutgers University. He is the author of Digital Rebellion: The Birth of the Cyber Left and co-author of The Great Refusal Herbert Marcuse and the Contemporary Cycle of Struggle​​.​
  • Anita Lacey is Senior Lecturer in Political Studies at the University of Auckland. She is the co-author of Governing the Poor: Exercises of Poverty Reduction, Practices of Global Aid and Networks of social justice: Transnational activism and social change.

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

Scholars’ Circle- Russian Politics Analyzed -/- American Media History of Reform – February 7th, 2016

First, while many in the West decry the politics of the former Soviet Union countries as corrupt and anti-democratic, our guest argues that there are much better ways of understanding the processes and politics of patronal systems. Part one of a two part discussion with Professor Henry Hale author of Patronal Politics: Eurasian Regime Dynamics in Comparative Perspective. [ dur: 20 mins. ]

  • Henry E. Hale is Associate Professor of Political Science and International Affairs at The George Washington University. His books include Patronal Politics: Eurasian Regime Dynamics in Comparative Perspective, The Foundations of Ethnic Politics: Separatism of States and Nations in Eurasia and the World and Why Not Parties in Russia? Democracy, Federalism, and the State.

Then, Professor Victor Pickard traces the history of American Media, particularly in the crucial period of the 1940s and 1950s when citizens and political leaders held vigorous debates about how media could best serve the public. What happened to lead us to where we are today?[ dur: 38 mins. ]

  • Victor Pickard is Assistant Professor of Communications at Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania.  He is author of America’s Battle for Media Democracy: The Triumph of Corporate Libertarianism and the Future of Media Reform and co-editor of Will the Last Reporter Please Turn out the Lights: The Collapse of Journalism and What Can Be Done To Fix It

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

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)“.

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

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“.

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

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- 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- 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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Scholars’ Circle- Christmas Truce of 1914 -/- How to Redefine Democracy -/- Unforeseen Cost of Civilization – December 27th, 2015

First, why did soldiers on the front line of one of the deadliest wars lay down their arms and play soccer with the very men they were supposed to shoot? We’ll revisit the Christmas truce of 1914. [ dur: 23 mins. ]

  • Stanley Weintraub is a Professor Emeritus of Arts and Humanities at Penn State University. He is the author of more than 50 books including “Silent Night: The Story of the World War I Christmas Truce.

Next, author Raj Petal discusses his book, “The Value of Nothing: How to Reshape Market, Society and Redefine Democracy.” [ dur: 12 mins. ]

For a transcript of this interview, please visit: TheBigQ

  • Rajeev Patel is a Research Professor in the School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, Austin.

Finally, what are the hidden costs of civilization? Could it be behind disease and other problems? Spencer Wells is the author of “Pandora’s Seed: The Unforeseen Cost of Civilization.” [ dur: 23 mins. ]

For a transcript of this interview, please visit: TheBigQ

Find book/publication authored by our guest scholars Book Shelf .

By Maria Armoudian