Category Archives: Scholars’ Circle Interviews

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

Scholars' Circle Interviews

Insighters Radio- Nov. 25th, 2012

First, it’s been 50 years since the Cuban Missile Crises. What really happened? We’ll explore through newly declassified documents. Joining us is Peter Kornbluh, director of the Cuba Documentation Project and the Chile Documentation Project at the National Security Archive. He is co-author of “The Iran-Contra Scandal: The Declassified History,” and author of “The Pinochet File: A Declassified Dossier on Atrocity and Accountability.” [ dur. 21 mins. ]

Later, Lizz Winstead talks about the birth of the ‘Daily Show,’ the death of ‘Air America Radio,’ and the state of the media and comedy today. Lizz Winstead is co-creator and former head writer of The Daily Show and Air America Radio co-founder. After creating “The Daily Show,” Lizz Winstead formed ‘Shoot the Messenger Productions’ to create and develop other projects for television and theater and the web. She is also the author of, “Lizz Free or Die: Essays.”

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Insighters & Scholars Circle- Nov. 18th, 2012

1) Community gardens are emerging as an antidote to food deserts and the growing health epidemics in children. We focus on one effort in Los Angeles. Joining us is Dr. Nicole M. Gatto, Assistant Researcher in the Department of Epidemiology in the School of Public Health at the University of California, Los Angeles. Little Green Fingers – teaching children under 5 about growing food gardens.

2) With labor unions collectively challenging austerity, what might European leaders do? What is Europe’s economic future?

  • Karl Kaltenthaler, is a Professor of Political Science and Director of Research at the University of Akron. He is the author of, “The Politics of Policy-making in the European Central Bank,” and “Germany and the Politics of Europe’s Money.”
  • Chris Tilly is a Professor of Urban Planning and Director at UCLA’s Institute for Research on Labor and Employment. He is the co-author of, “Stories Employers Tell: Race, Skills, and Hiring in America,” and co-author of “Glass Ceilings and Bottomless Pits: Women’s Work, Women’s Poverty.”

3) Your memory is a political battlefield: Memory entrepreneurs try to reshape our memories to advance their political agendas. Who are they and how are they affecting the US?

  • Ellen Schrecker is a professor of History at Yeshiva University. She is the author of several books, including “Many Are the Crimes: McCarthyism in America” and “The Age of McCarthyism: A Brief History with Documents.”
  • Douglas Becker is a professor of International Relations at the University of Southern California. He is the author of numerous books, including “The Bush Administration’s Campaign Against the International Criminal Court,” “A Bird in the Bush,” and “Justice knows no Boundaries.”
  • Jon Wiener is a professor of History at the University of California, Irvine. He is the author of “How We Forgot the Cold War: A Historical Journey Across America,” “Historians in Trouble: Plagiarism, Fraud and Power in the Ivory Tower,” and “Gimme Some Truth: The John Lennon FBI Files.”

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Insighters & Scholars Circle- Nov. 11th, 2012

First, Has democracy become like fast food? Our first guest says that democracy needs to slow down. Susan Clark, co-author of Slow Democracy: Rediscovering Community, Bringing Decisionmaking Back Home; [ Dur. 18:30 mins ]

Then, on the Scholars’ Circle, on Friday, President Obama made his first move to address the so-called Fiscal Cliff, one of many critical issues facing the country. But given that the election kept the power structure as is and that polarization remains at a decades-long high, what can we expect in the coming years? [ Dur: 35 mins. ]

  • Sean Theriault is Professor of Government at the University of Texas, Austin. He is the author of, “The Power of the People: Congressional Competition, Public Attention, and Voter Retribution,” and “Party Polarization in Congress.”
  • Mark Peterson is Professor of Public Policy, Political Science, and Law at UCLA. He is the author of “Legislating Together: The White House and Capital Hill from Eisenhower to Reagan,” co-editor of “Institutions of American Democracy: The Executive Branch.” and contributed to “Institutions of American Democracy: A Republic Divided.”
  • Matthew Dickinson is Professor of Political Science and Department Chair at Middlebury College. He is the author of, “Bitter Harvest: FDR, Presidential Power, and the Growth of the Presidential Branch,” co-editor of “Guardian of the Presidency: The Legacy of Richard E. Neustadt,” and editor of the blog “Presidential Power A NonPartisan Analysis of Presidential Politics.”

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Insighters & Scholars Circle- Nov. 4th, 2012

First, last week we began our conversation with Michael Grunwald, award winning journalist and author of the New New Deal. He described the process of passing the President’s signature policies. We continue with part II of what he calls President Obama’s new new deal. [ Dur. 29 mins. ]

With Scholars’ Circle:  Since January 2011, at least 180 bills were introduced in 41 states in efforts to restrict or suppress voting, according to the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU. However, nearly all of the worst new laws were blocked or repealed, largely as a result of actions in the courts. Some measures that still remain could affect up to 5 million citizens this election. Some watchdogs have suggested that suppression efforts are becoming more sophisticated and difficult to control, given the current laws We’re joined by three experts. [ Dur. 27 mins. ]

  • Alexander Keyssar is Professor of History and Social Policy at Harvard. His book, “The Right to Vote: The Contested History of Democracy in the United States (2000),” was named the best book in U.S. history by both the American Historical Association and the Historical Society; it was also a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.
  • Daniel Tokaji, is Professor of Law, Senior Fellow at Election Law @ Moritz at Ohio State University, co-author of “Casebook Election Law: Cases and Materials,” and co-editor of Election Law Journal.
  • Lorraine Minnite is Professor of Public Policy and Administration, and Director of undergraduate Urban Studies Program at Rutgers University. She is the author of, “The Myth of Voter Fraud,” and Coauthor of “Keeping Down the Black Vote: Race and the Demobilization of American Voters.”

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Insighters & Scholars Circle- Oct. 28th, 2012

First, we speak with Michael Grunwald author of, The New New Deal: The Hidden Story of Change in the Obama Era. Michael Grunwald says both the left and the right missed the real change that President Obama brought about with his stimulus. He says it has so much transformative potential that it’s really a new New Deal. Part 1 of 2 parts. [ dur: 17 mins ]

Then, on the Scholars’ Circle, we look at why so many transgressions go unnoticed while others become nationals scandals. Scandal and Silence — why do so many scandals go unnoticed? Why do some become national stories and others fade out? What about “nonscandals” becoming scandalized? AND how does this phenomenon affect our democracy and society?  We are joined by three experts:

  • Robert Entman, Professor of Media and Public Affairs and Professor of International Affairs at George Washington University. His newest book is, “Scandal and Silence: Media Responses to Presidential Misconduct.” He is also the author of, “Projections of Power: Framing News, Public Opinion and US Foreign Policy,” and “Mediated Politics: Communication in the Future of Democracy.”
  • Brendan Nyhan, Professor of Government at Dartmouth College. He is the author of, “All the President’s Spin: George W. Bush, the Media, and the Truth,” and is the New Hampshire campaign correspondent for Columbia Journalism Review.
  • Sigurd Allern, Professor of Journalism Studies in the Department of Media and Communication at the University of Oslo, Norway. He is the author of, “Scandalous!: The Mediated Construction of Political Scandals in Four Nordic Countries.”

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Insighters & Scholars Circle- Oct. 21st, 2012

First, a look at how the unconscious mind and biological predispositions’ effect; political outcomes, waging war and prejudice biases. We are joined by Prof. Guillermo Jimenez, State Univ. of NY and author of, “Red Genes, Blue Genes,” and Prof. Shankar Vedantam, Harvard Univ. and author of, “The Hidden Brain.” [ dur. 26 mins. ]

For a transcript of this interview, please visit: TheBigQ

Later we have a conversation with psychologist Prof. Drew Westin, Emory Univ. and author of, “The Political Brain: The Role of Emotions in deciding the Fate of the Nation.” [ dur. 15 mins. ]

Finally, we examine our national psychology with R. Slosar, psychologist & author of, “Culture of Excess: How America Lost Self Control and Why We Need to Redefine Success.” [ dur. 18 mins. ]

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Insighters & Scholars’ Circle – Oct. 14th, 2012

First, the economic crisis are pushing more people into homelessness, an already pervasive epidemic in America. We’ll look at one duo’s efforts to rescue some of the most vulnerable homeless women, one by one, and explore the system’s working and failure from their perspective. With Robin Nixon, record producer; Dennis Davis, musician, documentary producer; [ Dur. 27mins ]

On the Scholars’ Circle, Why are so many people without homes? And what can be done about it?

  • Prof. Sam Tsemberis, Columbia Univ., Founder & Exec. Dir. of Pathway to Housing. author of Housing First: The Pathways Model to End Homelessness for People with Mental Illness and Addiction Manual.
  • Prof. James Baumohl, Bryn Mawr College. author of Homelessness in America.
  • Prof. Kim Hopper, Colombia Univ. . Author of Reckoning with Homelessness.

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Insighters & Scholars’ Circle – Oct. 7th, 2012

First, a look into the murky world of the global arms trade and its cost to society, democracy and security. Andrew Feinstein is author of, The Shadow World: Inside the Global Arms Trade and  Corruption Watch; [ Dur: 28 mins. ]

Then on the Scholars’ Circle, we look at poverty, inequality, and social mobility both here in the U.S. and worldwide.

  • Lane Kenworthy, Prof. of Sociology & Political Science, Univ. of AZ. Author of  Progress For Poor;
  • David A. Smith, Prof. of Sociology, UC Irvine. Author of  Third World City;
  • Gregory Clark, Prof. & Chair, Dept. of Economics, UC Davis. Author of Farewell To Alms .

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Insighters & Scholars’ Circle – Sept. 30th, 2012

Hour-long Scholars’ Circle Special.
This week’s Scholars’ Circle was taped before a live audience with four war and human rights reporters who have taken great risks from some of the world’s most dangerous places to bring us the news.

For a transcript of this interview, please visit: TheBigQ

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Insighters & Scholars’ Circle – Sept. 23rd, 2012

Chauncey Bailey was the first journalist killed in the US doing his job since the 1970’s. We’ll look at the reasons behind his assassination. Thomas Peele is the author of Killing the Messenger: A Story of Radical Faith, Racist Backlash and the Assassination of a Journalist. [ Dur: 24 mins. ]

Then on the Scholars’ Circle, we look at the multiple issues behind the latest round of protests in the Middle East. [ Dur: 27 mins. ]

  • Prof. Dipak Gupta, Political Science ,UC San Diego . Author of  Who Are The Terrorist? ( The Roots of Terrorism );
  • Roger Petersen, Political Science, MIT. Author of Understanding Ethnic Violence: Fear, Hatred, and Resentment in Twentieth-Century Eastern Europe.
  • Hamoud Salhi, Prof. Political Science, CSU Dominguez Hills. Host of SWANA Region Radio on KPFK – Los Angeles.

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