Tag Archives: Government and Law

Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle- Renewable Revolution in South Korea -/- American Congress influenced by Wealthy – June 12, 2016

What technological changes are needed to power the renewable revolution? [ dur: 26 mins. ]

Then, we know that the wealthy have more influence than other Americans. But just how unrepresentative is the american congress and the state legislature? [ dur: 32 mins. ]

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

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle- Reasons for unethical Foreign Policies -/- Earth Climate 2047 -/- Wars not in human nature – June 5, 2016

What drives destructive or unethical foreign policies? Some point to pathological beliefs and pursuits of exceptionalism, honor and glory. Others point to systemic flaws. What are the consequences? [ dur: 14 mins. ]

Then, Professor Mora and his colleagues have calculated how climate change will affect our temperatures around the year 2047. In the future, they found, our coldest year will be warmer than the past hottest years. The changes, which will first occur in the tropics, are already driving some 25,000 species to extinction each year. [ dur: 15 mins. ]

Finally, our panel argues that warring is a relatively new phenomenon in human societies and that human beings are not warlike by nature. [ dur: 28 mins. ]

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

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle- Daniel Patrick Moynihan Letters -/- Guantanamo Prison Update – May 29, 2016

First, we speak with Steven Weisman, editor of the book “Daniel Patrick Moynihan: A Portrait in Letters of an American Visionary” which weaves compelling read of carefully selected from a 10,000 page collection of Senator Moynahan’s correspondence, housed at the Library of Congress. [ dur: 18 mins. ]

Then, who remains in Guantanamo detention center and why? We’ll discuss the history, the intents to close Guantanamo, and what it has meant for the United States, for international law and for the prisoners themselves. [ dur: 40 mins. ]

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.

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle- Authoritarians Rule Turkey -/- Uninformed Democracy – May 22, 2016

First, the normalized violence and growing authoritarianism in Turkey. What does it mean for the country, the region and European Union? We speak with Fatima Muge Gocek author of Denial of Violence. [ dur: 28 mins. ]

Then, why do people seem to know so little about politics? And what does that mean for democracy? We speak with Arthur Lupia author of Uninformed: Why People Know So Little About Politics and What We Can Do About It. [ dur: 30 mins. ]

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.

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle- Free Will affected by Parasites -/- Police Shooting on African Americans in US cities – May 15th, 2016

First, is our behavior free will or is it partly due to parasites? New science shows how parasites change behaviors throughout the animal kingdom. What does that mean for human behavior? [ dur: 14 mins. ]

Then, behind fatal shootings of African Americans–Race relations, police culture and society. [ dur: 44 mins. ]

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.

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

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

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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.

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

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.

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

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.

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

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.

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

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

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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“.

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