Category Archives: Scholars’ Circle Interviews

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

Scholars’ Circle – Trump’s violations of US Constitution – March 2, 2025

Is the US in a Constitutional crisis? Is the constitution itself a crisis? What are the specific actions of the Trump Administration that has led to this? How will the courts respond? And what is the unitary executive theory and how has it undermined the checks and balances of the system? [ dur: 58mins. ]

This program is produced by Ankine Aghassian, Doug Becker and Sudd Dongre.

Scholars’ Circle – Book author interviews: The fight for black literacy, women intellectuals of the civil rights movement – February 23, 2025

We honor Black History Month.

The South outlawed black literacy all the way until the Civil War. What was this war on black literacy and how did educators resist this law? [ dur: 32mins. ]

Then, Black women have long been at the forefront of black empowerment. What were their intellectual contributions during the civil rights era? we discuss the women intellectuals of the civil rights movement. [ dur: 26mins. ]
This interview was recorded February 2023.

This program is produced by Ankine Aghassian, Doug Becker and Sudd Dongre.

Scholars’ Circle – Deep State, Public Services in a democracy – February 16, 2025

The Trump Administration is actively seeking to destroy the public service and the protections offered by government. What does this mean for the future of the democracy and for the future of the country? Who will will stand up for public services that we’ve long come to rely on for public safety, clean water, air, health and financial protections? What is the role of the courts in preventing Trump’s complete takeover of the government. Can the courts slow down the the destruction of the public service? [ dur: 58mins. ]

This program is produced by Ankine Aghassian, Doug Becker and Sudd Dongre.

Scholars’ Circle – Immigrants to US and how they are treated by its Laws and Executive power of US Presidents – February 9, 2025

What exactly is the political, physical, and existential meanings of borders? Borders are human creations but often define state and national boundaries and even identities. They define belonging to a nation. And under this new administration, borders have become the most visible feature not just of policy but who belongs in the United States. Our first guest has written a new book on borders and their impact on our conversations on immigration, borders, and belonging. Hiroshi Motomura is the author of BORDERS AND BELONGING: TOWARDS A FAIR IMMIGRATION POLICY. [ dur: 27mins. ]

Then, the Trump Administration’s approach to immigration, the raids, mass deportations, concentration camps, and shipping people to Guantanamo Bay, may all be illegal. What is the relationship between law and national values and identity, and what legal changes has President Trump proposed? How are communities responding to ICE? [ dur: 31mins. ]

This program is produced by Ankine Aghassian, Doug Becker and Sudd Dongre.

Scholars’ Circle – Reforming Federal Emergency Management Agency of USA territories – February 2, 2025

Climate change is intensifying natural disasters such as hurricanes, storms, and wildfires and making them more frequent. Yet President Trump has proposed eliminating the federal emergency management agency, FEMA, that responds to disasters. Why was FEMA created and how effective has it been? [ dur:58mins. ]

Reference: Timeline of FEMA Disaster handling in the past ( co-authored by Claire Rubin ).

This program is produced by Ankine Aghassian, Doug Becker and Sudd Dongre.

Scholars’ Circle – US orders withdrawal from WHO ; Jimmy Carter’s Legacy – January 26, 2025

The United States has announced its intention to leave the World Health Organization. What does this mean for the US, for the WHO and for campaigns to maintain global health? [ dur: 29mins. ]

Then, Jimmy Carter died last month. Perhaps his greatest impact is the advancement of human rights and the near eradication of the Guinea Worm. We look at his legacy both as President and as post-President. [ dur: 29mins. ]

This program is produced by Ankine Aghassian, Doug Becker and Sudd Dongre.

Scholars’ Circle – Dr. Martin Luther King Legacy and its effect on contemporary civil rights movement- January 19, 2025

To commemorate the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. we discuss Dr King’s life, his work, his legacy and his memory. We then explore the impact of Dr King and his memory on contemporary issues, including the role of women on the movement and the security of people of color as embodied in the Black Lives Matter movement. What is the meaning of Dr King’s dream today? [ dur: 58mins. ]

This program is produced by Ankine Aghassian, Doug Becker, Melissa Chiprin and Sudd Dongre.

Scholars’ Circle – Sober view on Wildfire mitigation and adaptation – January 12, 2025

Western US is ablaze with intense and widespread fires. What role does climate change, forest management, overpopulation, and resource management play in the increasingly devastating fire seasons worldwide? How can climate mitigation and adaptation complicate forest management? [dur: 58mins. ]

This panel was recorded in September 2020.

This program is produced by the following team members: Ankine Aghassian, Melissa Chiprin, Tim Page, Mike Hurst and Sudd Dongre.

Scholars’ Circle – Author interview – The Digital Fourth Amendment: Privacy and Policing in our Online World – January 5, 2025

The fourth amendment has protected privacy for Americans. But with new technologies, smart phones, the internet, and other devices, our protections are easily compromised. Will protecting privacy in the digital age require a new Digital 4th Amendment? We interview Orin Kerr author of The Digital Fourth Amendment: Privacy and Policing in our Online World [ dur: 58mins. ]

This program is produced by Ankine Aghassian, Doug Becker, and Sudd Dongre.

Scholars’ Circle – Samuel Ringgold Ward: A life of Struggle, a biography – December 29, 2024

The history of anti-slavery activism is a rich and important period in American history. But there are so many stories that still have yet to be written. Samuel Ward is one of those activists; an important figure in the African-American activist community working against slavery and racism, whose story is largely lost. Our guest R. J. M. Blackett is addressing this need to tell Ward’s story in a new book, Samuel Ringgold Ward: A life of Struggle. [ dur: 58mins. ]

This program is produced by Ankine Aghassian, Doug Becker, Melissa Chiprin, Mihika Chechi, and Sudd Dongre.