With the world facing multiple crises, we speak with three preeminent scholars from psychology, anthropology and philosophy about the crossroads before us and ways that we can navigate them for the betterment of humanity. [ dur: 58mins. ]

• David Livingstone Smith is a professor of philosophy at the University of New England. He is the author of Why We Lie: The Evolutionary Roots of Deception and the Unconscious Mind, The Most Dangerous Animal: Human Nature and the Origins of War, Less Than Human: Why We Demean, Enslave and Exterminate Others, and his latest On Inhumanity: Dehumanization and How to Resist it.
• Ervin Staub is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. His numerous publications include Overcoming evil: Genocide, violent conflict and terrorism, The roots of evil: The origins of genocide and other group violence, and The roots of goodness: Inclusive caring, moral courage, altruism born of suffering, active bystandership and heroism.
• Doug Fry is Professor & Chairperson in the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. With Riane Eisler he has co-authored, Nurturing Our Humanity: How Domination and Partnership Shape Our Minds, Lives, and Future. He is also the author of ,Beyond War: The Human Potential for Peace and the editor of War, Peace, and Human Nature: The Convergence of Evolutionary and Cultural Views.

This program is produced with contributions from the following team members: Ankine Aghassian, Melissa Chiprin, Anaïs Amin, Tim Page, Mike Hurst and Sudd Dongre.

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Tensions along the India/China border have left soldiers killed, emotions high, and the risk of war increasing. We examine the cause of these tensions and the importance of de-escalation on today’s show. Doug Becker hosts. [ dur: 34mins. ]

• Ritu Mathur is Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science and Geography at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She is the author of the upcoming book Civilization-al Discourses in Weapons Control.

Then, how does privatization amount to what our guest calls a Constitutional Coup. [ dur: 24mins. ]

• Jon Michaels is a Professor of Law at UCLA School of Law. He is the author of Constitutional Coup: Privatization’s Threat to the American Republic.

This program is produced with contributions from the following team members: Ankine Aghassian, Melissa Chiprin, Anaïs Amin, Tim Page, Mike Hurst and Sudd Dongre.

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In days after the killing of George Floyd, protesters have made several demands to counter police violence and racism in the United States. Some of the demands directly relate to the history of race and violence in the nation, with a particular emphasis on the memory of the US Civil War. We explore the renewed campaigns to remove racially offensive public memorials. Hosted by Doug Becker [ dur: 27 mins. ]

• Brent Sasley is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Texas, Arlington. He is the co-author of the book Politics in Israel: Governing a Complex Society and the journal article Theorizing States’ Emotions.

In 1979, Vietnam invaded Cambodia and overthrew the genocidal Khmer Rouge government. What have been the consequences of that decision and its impact? Hosted by Dough Becker. [ dur: 29 mins. ]

• Kosal Path is Assistant Professor of Political Science and Chair of Master’s Program in International Affairs and Global Justice at Brooklyn College, City University of New York. He is the author of the book Vietnam’s Strategic Thinking During the Third Indochina War.

This program is produced with contributions from the following team members: Ankine Aghassian, Melissa Chiprin, Anaïs Amin, Tim Page, Mike Hurst and Sudd Dongre.

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The brutal police killing of George Floyd, a middle-aged, unarmed, Black man, provoked a massive wave of protest across America. How did this killing come to represent a much broader set of injustices in American life? Will the protests lead to anything? To get some answers, David S. Meyer interviews scholars Dana Fisher and Rashawn Ray of the University of Maryland. [ dur: 48mins. ]

• Dana R. Fisher is a Professor of Sociology and the Director of the Program for Society and the Environment at the University of Maryland. Her research focuses on questions related to democracy, activism, and environmentalism — most recently studying climate activism and the American Resistance. Her research employs a mixed-methods approach that integrates data collected through open-ended semi-structured interviews and participant observation with various forms of survey data. She is the author of the book, American Resistance. Twitter handle: @fisher_danar .
• Rashawn Ray is Professor of Sociology and Executive Director of the Lab for Applied Social Science Research (LASSR) at the University of Maryland, College Park. He is also one of the co-editors of Contexts Magazine: Sociology for the Public. Formerly, Ray was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Research Scholar at the University of California, Berkeley. Currently, he is a Rubenstein Fellow at the Brookings Institute. He is co-author of How Families Matter: Simply Complicated Intersections of Race, Gender, and Work. His recent article titled, Bad apples come from rotten trees in policing.

Then, how power can breed immorality and hypocrisy. [ dur: 10mins. ]

• Adam Galinsky is the Chair of Management Department and Professor of Business at the Columbia Business School at Columbia University. He is the co-author of FRIEND AND FOE: When to Cooperate, When to Compete, and How to Succeed at Both​.​

This program is produced with contributions from the following team members: Ankine Aghassian, Melissa Chiprin, Anaïs Amin, Tim Page, Mike Hurst and Sudd Dongre.

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In this hour, as Beijing seeks greater control over Hong Kong, protesters are demanding the promised autonomy laid out in the 1997 agreement. What’s next for Hong Kong? What are the implications of China’s latest moves to strip more autonomy from Hong kong? We revisit our conversation from last year on this issue. Doug Becker hosts.[ dur: 58 mins. ]

• Dr Pradeep Taneja is professor of Chinese politics, political economy and international relations at the University of Melbourne. He is the co-author of China Since 1978 and co-editor of The European Union and China: Interests and Dilemmas.
• Katherine Chu is Professor of Political Science in the Department of Asian Pacific Studies at Cal State Dominguez Hills. She is the author of So You Think You Know Chinese Film: Beyond Jackie Chan and Crouching Tiger.
• Daniel C. Lynch is Professor of Political Science and International Relations at City University of Hong Kong. He is the author of China’s Futures: PRC Elites Debate Economics, Politics, and Foreign Policy. and Rising China and Asian Democratization: Socialization to “Global Culture” in the Political Transformations of Thailand, China, and Taiwan.

This program is produced with contributions from the following team members: Ankine Aghassian, Melissa Chiprin, Anaïs Amin, Tim Page, Mike Hurst and Sudd Dongre.

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The global Covid-19 pandemic has provided new openings to link global health with climate action. How will this influence the upcoming meetings on global climate action, called COP 26? Doug Becker hosts. [ dur: 28 mins. ]

• Shannon Gibson is Associate Professor of Political Science, International Relations, and Environmental Studies at the University of Southern California. She is the author of the forthcoming book Politics of Global Environment.

We look at the implications of moral distress and clinical decision making in the time of COVID-19. Lillian Ng hosts. [ dur: 30 mins. ]

• Monique Jonas is a Senior Lecturer in Health Systems at the University of Auckland. Jonas is an ethical theorist specialising in health care ethics.
• Phillipa Malpas is an Associate Professor in Psychological Medicine at the University of Auckland. Malpas is an expert in medical ethics.

This program is produced with contributions from the following volunteers: Ankine Aghassian, Melissa Chiprin, Anaïs Amin, Tim Page, Mike Hurst and Sudd Dongre.

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How do we ride the emotional roller coaster of difficult times? We discuss building emotional resilience. Lillian Ng talks to Marthinus Bekker about building emotional resilience. [ dur: 34mins. ]

• Marthinus Bekker is Clinical Psychologist and Research Fellow at University of Auckland, NZ. with a range of experience in both clinical work and research across a range of clinical, university, and private settings.

Then, how have our ancestors dealt with earlier changes in the climate and environment? What does it tell us about our current situation? [ dur: 23mins. ]

For a transcript of this interview, please visit: TheBigQ

• Professor Simon Holdaway is the Head of School, School of Social Sciences, at the University of Auckland. He is the author of A Record in Stone: The Study of Australia’s Flaked Stone Artefacts and Geoarchaeology of Aboriginal Landscapes in Semi-arid Australia. His publications also includes, The Effects of Holocene Landscape Changes on the Formation of the Archaeological Record in the Fayum Basin, Egypt

This program is produced with contributions from the following volunteers: Ankine Aghassian, Melissa Chiprin, Anaïs Amin, Tim Page, Mike Hurst and Sudd Dongre.

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What is the role of psychological first aid in times of crisis? Lillian Ng explores ways to support psychological well being. [ dur: 24 mins. ]

• Kerry Gibson is a clinical psychologist and Associate Professor at the University of Auckland. She is the co-author of Young People’s Reasons for Feeling Suicidal and Young Women’s Selfhood on Antidepressants: “Not Fully Myself”
• Zubeida Mahomedy is a psychiatrist with a special interest in maternal mental health.

Greenwashing culture. How journalism, the entertainment industry and museums impact our environment. Joining us is Toby Miller author of 30 books, including Greenwashing Culture. [ dur: 32mins. ]

• Toby Miller is a Professor Emeritus of Media and Cultural Studies at the University of California, Riverside. He is the author of 30 books including Greenwashing Culture. His Wikipedia page.

This program is produced with contributions from the following volunteers: Ankine Aghassian, Melissa Chiprin, Anaïs Amin, Tim Page, Mike Hurst and Sudd Dongre.

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Brazil’s response to the coronavirus has implications not only for the country itself, but also the region and the world. We examine the policies and actions of the Jair Bolsanaro regime, the complexities of Brazilian federalism, and the state of the nation in the pandemic. Hosted by Doug Becker.[ dur: 28 mins. ]

• Erica Resende is Assistant Professor of International Relations and Security Studies at the Brazilian War College in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She is the co-editor of Memory and Trauma in International Relations: Theories, Cases and Debates; and Crisis and Change in Post Cold-War Global Politics.

Then, what psychological challenges do children and young people face amidst the time of COVID-19? What ways families can support their children and adolescents? Hosted by Lillian Ng.[ dur: 29 mins. ]

• Dr Melanie Woodfield is a clinical psychologist and research scientist at University of Auckland, NZ.
• Dr Hiran Thabrew is Senior Lecturer and Postgraduate Course Coordinator within the Department of Psychological Medicine, and Deputy Director of the Werry Centre for Infant,Child and Adolescent Mental Health at Univeristy of Auckland, NZ.

This program is produced with contributions from the following volunteers: Ankine Aghassian, Melissa Chiprin, Anaïs Amin, Tim Page, Mike Hurst and Sudd Dongre.

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Is this pandemic, the novel coronavirus, changing governance in the United States? Is it bringing about a different form of federalism? [ dur: 25mins. ]

• Sanford Levinson, is a Professor of law and political science in the Department of Government at the University of Texas. He is the editor of The Undemocratic Constitution and Nullification and Secession in Modern Constitutional Thought and author of Framed: America’s 51 Constitutions and the Crisis of Governance (2012)

Then, April is a notorious month for genocide and mass human rights abuses. We’ll analyze the forces of genocide and the means of preventing genocide. [ dur: 27mins. ]

• 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.

This program is produced with contributions from the following volunteers: Ankine Aghassian, Melissa Chiprin, Anaïs Amin, Tim Page, Mike Hurst and Sudd Dongre.

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