Tag Archives: Rwanda

Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle-Rwanda-Genocide-Anniversary-/-How-to-Stop-Cruelty-of-Armed-Conflict-April 19th, 2015

First, in remembrance of the 21st Anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide, we revisit the tragedy with retired Lieutenant-General and Senator​ ​Roméo Dallaire who witnessed the atrocities first-hand.

  • Roméo Dallaire is a retired lieutenant-general and senator. In 1993, LGen Dallaire was appointed Force Commander for the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR), where he witnessed the country descend into chaos and genocide, leading to the deaths of more than 800,000 Rwandans.

Since his retirement, he has become an outspoken advocate for human rights, genocide prevention, mental health and war-affected children. He founded The Roméo Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative, an organization committed to ending the use of child soldiers worldwide. He is the author of Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda and They Fight Like Soldiers, They Die Like Children: The Global Quest to Eradicate the Use of Child Soldiers.

Next, war and armed conflict are declining on the global level, however atrocities, cruelty and lethal violence continue in many parts of the world. What justifies human cruelty? What is driving people to commit lethal violence and what can bystanders and others do to prevent their continuation?

  • Ervin Staub is a Professor of Psychology Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and Founding Director of its ​Ph.D. concentration in the Psychology of Peace and Violence. He i​​s the author of The ​R​oots of ​E​vil: The ​O​rigins of ​G​enocide and ​O​ther ​G​roup ​Violence, The ​Psychology of ​G​ood and ​E​vil: Why ​Children, ​Adu​​lts and ​G​r​​oups ​H​el​p​ and ​H​arm ​O​ther​s and his recently published book The ​R​oots of ​G​ood​nes​s​ and ​R​e​s​ist​ance to ​Evil: Inclusive ​C​aring, ​M​oral ​C​ou​r​age, ​Altruism ​B​o​r​n of ​S​uffering, ​A​c​t​ive ​B​ystandership and ​H​e​r​oism.
  • David Livingstone Smith is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of New England. He is the author of Less Than Human: Why we Demean, Enslave and Exterminate Others.
  • John Kaag is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. He is the author of Neoconservative Images of the United Nations: American Domestic Politics and International Cooperation.

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

The Scholars’ Circle Radio- May 4th, 2014

First, we speak with Naomi Oreskes co-author of, Merchants of Doubt: How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming. [ dur: 25 mins. ]

  • Naomi Oreskes is Professor of the History of Science Studies at University of California, San Diego.

Then, on the Scholars’ Circle panel, amid the turmoil in Syria, we analyze the psychology that drives human atrocities and the means of preventing them. [ dur: 32 mins. ]

  • Ervin Staub is Professor of Psychology at University of Massachusetts Amherst. He is the author of Overcoming Evil: Genocide, Violent Conflict, and Terrorism and The Psychology of Good and Evil: Why Children, Adults, and Groups Help and Harm Others.
  • David Livingstone Smith is Professor of Philosophy at the University of New England. He is the author of Less Than Human: Why We Demean, Enslave, and Exterminate Others.
  • John Kaag is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. He is the author of Neoconservative Images of the United Nations: American Domestic Politics and International Cooperation.

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

The Scholars’ Circle Radio- April 6th, 2014

First, in remembrance of the 20th anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide (April 7), we revisit the tragedy with Senator Romeo Dallaire who witnessed the atrocities first-hand. [ dur: 25 mins. ]

  • Senator Romeo Dallaire is the author of, Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda and They Fight Like Soldiers, They Die Like Children: The Global Quest to Eradicate the Use of Child Soldiers.

Finally, the Syrian conflict has now taken more than 150,000 lives and displaced more than 4 million people. We ll discuss the latest developments and possible solutions to the crisis. [ dur: 34 mins. ]

  • Fred Lawson is professor of Government , Mills College; He is the author of Global Security Watch – Syria and Why Syria Goes to War: Thirty Years of Confrontation (Cornell Studies in Political Economy)
  • Nader Hashemi is professor of Middle East and Islamic Politics, University of Denver; He is the editor of The Syria Dilemma (Boston Review Books) and author of Islam, Secularism, and Liberal Democracy: Toward a Democratic Theory for Muslim Societies.
  • Dr. Marcie J. Patton is a Professor of Politics at Fairfield University. Her publications include, ”Turkey,” “AKP Reform Fatigue in Turkey: What’s happened to the EU process?” and “The Economic Policies of the AKP Government: Rabbits from a Hat?”

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

The Scholars’ Circle & Insighters Radio- Dec. 29th, 2013

In this hour, the conflict in South Sudan has claimed 1000 lives, according to a United Nations humanitarian official. Leaders in Africa are working to negotiate a peace agreement between South Sudan’s government and the rebels. But South Sudan, as the world’s newest country, faces many more crises. We speak with a nurse from the organization Doctors Without Borders, or Medicin sans Frontiere, who has recently returned from South Sudan. [ dur: 20 mins. ]

  • Mariam Czech , Nurse MSF.

Then, what is the relationship between minerals, such as oil, diamonds, gold, and conflict, authoritarianism and poverty? This week’s scholars have spent years studying how these so-called extractive industries—mining and drilling—impact people’s lives, their governance, and the environment, throughout the world. How can countries so rich in mineral wealth remain mired in so much poverty?

  • Jeffery Mantz, Professor of Anthropology, George Mason University;
  • Michael Ross, Professor of Political Science, UCLA; Author of The Oil Curse: How Petroleum Wealth Shapes the Development of Nations
  • Suzana Sawyer, Professor of Anthropology, UC Davis. Author of Crude Chronicles: Indigenous Politics, Multinational Oil, and Neoliberalism in Ecuador

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

The Insighters Radio- June 2nd, 2013

First, there are some dozen situations around the world that could be considered pre-genocidal. What have we learned from past genocides? We speak with Romeo Dallaire, commander of peacekeeping forces in Rwanda who tried to stop the massacre of Tutsis. He is the author of, Shake Hands With the Devil and They Fight Like Soldiers, They Die Like Children. [ dur: 45 mins. ]

Then, we look at increasing evidence that the cancer epidemic is linked to chemicals in the environment. With Sandra Steingraber, author of the book, Living Downstream: An Ecologist’s Personal Investigation of Cancer and the Environment.  [ dur: 13 mins. ]

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Insighters & Scholars’ Circle – Aug. 12th, 2012

Seg. 1: How Google affects our knowledge, politics, privacy, and public projects. Joining us is Siva Vaidhyanathan, Professor of Media Studies and Law at the University of Virginia, and author of, “The Googlization of Everything (And Why We Should Worry).”

Seg. 2: We explore eliminationalism and genocide in the 20th and 21st century with author and former Professor of Political Science and Social Studies at Harvard University, Daniel Jonah Goldhagen. Goldhagen authored, “Worse than War: Genocide, Eliminationalism and the Ongoing Assault on Humanity.”

Seg. 3: On The Scholars Circle we look at Presidential power, and its restrictions and constraints. Blame Obama or blame the system? Joining us are three experts:

  • Julian E. Zelizer is Professor of History and Public Affairs at Princeton University. Author:  Governing America: The Revival of Political History.
  • Eric Schickler is Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley. Author:  Disjointed Pluralism: Institutional Innovation and the Development of the U.S. Congress.
  • Allan Lichtman is Professor of History at America University. Author:  White Protestant Nation: The Rise of the American Conservative Movement

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