Tag Archives: Economics

Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle- History of a Secret Bank -/- Philosophy and Politics of Humor – January 3rd, 2016

First, we look at a little known international bank that influences the world’s economy with journalist Adam LeBor. [ dur: 29 mins. ]

  • Adam LeBor is a journalist and the author of “Tower of Basel: The Shadowy History of the Secret Bank that Runs the World“.

On the Scholars’ Circle panel, we look at the origins, philosophy and politics of humor. [ dur: 29 mins. ]

  • Amber Day is a Professor of Performance studies in English and Culture Studies Department at Bryant University. She is the author of “Satire and Dissent: Interventions in Contemporary Political Debate“.
  • John Morreall is a Professor of Philosophy Department Chair at Religious Studies at William and Mary College. He is the co-author of “Comic Relief: A Comprehensive Philosophy of Humor“.
  • Peter McGraw is a Professor of Marketing and Psychology at University of Colorado, Boulder. He is the co-author of “The Humor Code: A Global Search for What Makes Things Funny“.

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle- Christmas Truce of 1914 -/- How to Redefine Democracy -/- Unforeseen Cost of Civilization – December 27th, 2015

First, why did soldiers on the front line of one of the deadliest wars lay down their arms and play soccer with the very men they were supposed to shoot? We’ll revisit the Christmas truce of 1914. [ dur: 23 mins. ]

  • Stanley Weintraub is a Professor Emeritus of Arts and Humanities at Penn State University. He is the author of more than 50 books including “Silent Night: The Story of the World War I Christmas Truce.“

Next, author Raj Petal discusses his book, “The Value of Nothing: How to Reshape Market, Society and Redefine Democracy.” [ dur: 12 mins. ]

For a transcript of this interview, please visit: TheBigQ

  • Rajeev Patel is a Research Professor in the School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, Austin.

Finally, what are the hidden costs of civilization? Could it be behind disease and other problems? Spencer Wells is the author of “Pandora’s Seed: The Unforeseen Cost of Civilization.” [ dur: 23 mins. ]

For a transcript of this interview, please visit: TheBigQ

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle- Dark Side of Sharing Economy -/- Politics of Anonymous- December 6th, 2015

First, the dark side of Uber, AirBnB and the rest of the so called “sharing economy”. We speak with Steven Hill, a senior fellow at the New America Foundation. [ dur: 30 mins. ]

  • Steven Hill is a senior fellow at the New America Foundation and co-founder of Fair Vote: Center for Voting and Democracy. He’s the author of “Raw Deal: How the Uber Economy and Naked Capitalism are Screwing American Workers“.

Then, in the wake of the attacks on Paris, Anonymous has turned its cyber-weapons onto the Islamic State, we explore the driving political ethos of Anonymous? [ dur: 28 mins. ]

  • Luke Goode (profile page) is Senior Lecturer in Media, Film and Television at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. His research interests focus primarily on the connections between media, technology and democracy. He is the author of “Jurgen Habermas: Democracy and the Public Sphere (Modern European Thinkers)” and has published on a range of topics including public service broadcasting, social media, citizen journalism and hacktivism.

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle-Generational-Economic-Opportunity-in-US-/-Bee-Colony-Collapse-September 20th, 2015

First, trend for economic equality in US has been changing with less opportunity for people to transcend inter-generational economic status than they have in other countries, like Norway, Finland, Denmark and Canada. Why the changes? [ dur: 13 mins. ]

  • Miles Corak is a professor of economics with the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottowa. He is the author of, “Generational Income Mobility in North America and Europe” and “Income Mobility Across the Generations”

Then, climate change, pesticides and mites are killing off the planet’s bees. What will happen to the planet’s foods? And can the bee colony collapse be stopped? [ dur: 45 mins. ]

  • Jeremy Kerr is a Professor of Biology at the University of Ottowa, specializing in conservation biology and biodiversity. His latest publication links the decline of bumble bees to climate change.
  • Peter Dearden is a Professor of Genetics and a researcher in the laboratory for evolution and development at Otago University where he specializes in evolution, development and epigenetics.
  • Paulo de Souza is a Professor and team leader at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization in Australia, and the Global Initiative for Honey Bee Health. He’s also a collaborating scientist on NASA’s Mars exploration Rover Mission.

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Speaking & Moderating

Scholars’ Circle-Society’s-Powerful-/-History-of-Labor-Unions-in-America-May 31st, 2015

First, does power lead people to act in an unethical or immoral way? Does power breed hypocrisy and what are the social and political implications? Adam Galinsky joins us, he is the Chair of the Management Department and a Professor of Business at the Columbia Business School at Columbia University. [ 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​.​

Later, we examine the history of labor unions and how they have shaped America today. We are joined by Philip Dray author of There Is Power in a​ ​Union: The Epic Story of Labor in America. [ dur: 48mins. ]

  • Philip Dray​ is a writer and historian, he is a Fellow of the New York Institute for the Humanities at NYU, and he was a ​vi​siting ​scholar at the John Carter Brown Library at Brown University​. He​ is the author of There Is Power in a Union: The Epic Story of Labor in America​,​ Stealing God’s Thunder: Benjamin Franklin’s Lightning Rod and the Invention of America​, ​and At the Hands of Persons Unknown: The Lynching of Black America, which won the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award and made him a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle-Trans-Pacific-Trade-Partnership-Status-Mar. 15th, 2015

We spend the hour exploring what could become the world’s largest trade agreement, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). What could it mean for the countries that are considering signing onto it? Can it be democratic, humanitarian and transparent?

  • Raj Bhala is the Associate Dean for International and Comparative Law and Rice Distinguished Professor at The University of Kansas School of Law. He is the author of International Trade Law: Interdisciplinary Theory and Practice Documents Supplement and Trade, Development, and Social Justice.
  • Meredith Kolsky Lewis is a Professor at SUNY Buffalo Law School and at Victoria University of Wellington Law School. She is the co-editor of Trade Agreements At The Crossroads and co-author of International Business Law.

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle-Homelessness-in-United-States-Nov. 30th, 2014

This week on The Scholars’ Circle we spend the hour addressing homelessness in America:

First, the economic crisis is 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 men and women, one by one, and explore the system’s workings and failures from their experiences. [ dur: 28mins. ]

  • Robin Nixon, record producer;
  • Dennis Davis, musician, documentary producer;

Then, on the Scholars’ Circle panel we further examine homelessness in America with three experts. A recent report published in the efforts to end homelessness entitled, The State of Homelessness in America 2014, found on a single night in January 2013, 610,042 people were experiencing homelessness. What are the realities for the homeless? What are some of the causes contributing to homelessness? And what are some of the solutions? [ dur: 30 mins. ]

  • Sam Tsemberis is a Professor  Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University. Founder & Executive. Director of Pathway to Housing. He is author of Housing First Manual: The Pathways Model to End Homelessness for People with Mental Illness and Addiction
  • James Baumohl is Professor of Graduate School of  Social Work and Social Research at Bryn Mawr College. He is author of Homelessness in America.
  • Kim Hopper is Professor of Medical anthropology and  research scientist at Nathan S. Klein Institute at  Colombia University. He is author of Reckoning with Homelessness (The Anthropology of Contemporary Issues).

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle -American Dream and Reality -/- Reaction-to-Terrorist Threat-/-Fundamentalism -Oct. 12th, 2014

First, we look at the gap between the American Dream and reality, with Miles Corak, professor of economics with the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa. [ dur: 13mins. ]

  • Miles Corak is professor of economics with the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottowa. He is the author of, Generational Income Mobility in North America and Europe

Then, are the high alerts, embassy closures, and the national surveillance state reasonable reactions to the threat of terrorist acts? Our next guests suggest that the government may be overreacting. We are joined by John Mueller and Mark G. Stewart, authors of, “Terror, Security, and Money: Balancing the Risks, Benefits, and Costs of Homeland Security.” [ dur: 17mins. ]

  • John Mueller is a research scientist and professor of political science at Ohio State University and author of Retreat from Doomsday and War, Presidents and Public Opinion.
  • Mark Stewart is a professor of civil engineering and director of the Center for Infrastructure , Performance and Reliability at the University of Newcastle in Australia.

Finally, on the Scholars’ Circle panel, in many parts of the world fundamentalism is on the rise oppressing human rights, sometimes using bodily harm and even death. Simultaneously, the international community has been ineffective in helping the scholars, journalists, human rights advocates and artists who are struggling against the oppression. How bad is the situation and what can be done? [ dur: 28mins. ]

  • Karima Benoune, Professor of Law  at UC Davis, School of Law; Author of  Your Fatwa Does Not Apply Here: Untold Stories from the Fight Against Muslim Fundamentalism
  • Ousseina Alidou, Professor at Center African Studies, Rutgers University; Author of Engaging Modernity: Muslim Women and the Politics of Agency in Post-colonial Niger (Women in Africa and the Diaspora) and Muslim Women in Postcolonial Kenya: Leadership, Representation, and Social Change
  • Sadia Abbas; Professor of English at Rutgers University; At Freedom’s Limit: Islam and the Postcolonial Predicament

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

The Scholars’ Circle & Insighters Radio- Feb. 23rd, 2014

First, we look at a little known international bank that influences the world’s economy with Adam LeBor [ dur: 29 mins. ]

  • Adam LeBor is author and journalist. His is the author of, The Tower of Basil: The Shadowy History of the Secret Bank that Runs the World and The Believers: How America Fell for Bernie Madoff ‘s 65 Billion Investment Scam.

Then, on the Scholars’ Circle panel, we look at the fast changing world of journalism and media, and what it means for governance and democracy. [ dur: 29 mins. ]

  • Victor Pickard is an Assistant Professor at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the co-editor of, Will the Last Reporter Please Turn out the Lights: The Collapse of Journalism and What Can Be Done To Fix It, and was the lead author of the first comprehensive report on the American journalism crisis, Saving the News: Toward a National Journalism Strategy.
  • Benjamin Compaine is Director, Fellows Program at the Columbia University Institute for Tele-Information (CITI) and Lecturer, D’Amore-McKim School of Business, Northeastern University. He is the author of, The Digital Divide: Facing a Crisis or Creating a Myth?, Who Owns the Media?: Competition and Concentration in the Mass Media industry and editor of The Internet Upheaval: Raising Questions, Seeking Answers in Communications Policy.
  • James T. Hamilton is Hearst Professor of Communication and the Director of the Journalism Program at Stanford University. Prior to joining the Stanford faculty, Hamilton taught at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy, where he directed the De Witt Wallace Center for Media and Democracy. He is the author of, All the News That’s Fit to Sell: How the Market Transforms Information into News, and Channeling Violence: The Economic Market for Violent Television Programming.

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

The Scholars’ Circle & Insighters Radio- Jan. 19th, 2014

In this hour, is humanity outgrowing planet?

  • Paul R. Ehrlich is president of the Center for Conservation Biology and Bing professor of population studies at Stanford University, author of the Population Bomb, Human Natures: Genes, Culture, and the Human Prospect and A World of Wounds: Ecologists and the Human Dilemma.

Then, while much of the country remembers Martin Luther King, Jr. as primarily a leader of civil rights and desegregation and a great orator, our next guests say he stood for so much more. Many aspects of his life, legacy & philosophy remain either unknown or conveniently forgotten

  • David Garrow, Professor of History and Law at University of Pittsburgh, author of FBI and Martin Luther King, Jr: From “Solo” to Memphis
  • Joshua Inwood is Professor of Geography and Africana Studies in Geography Department, University of Tennessee. His publications include, Nonkilling Geography, Searching for the Promised Land: Examining Dr. Martin Luther King’s Concept of the Beloved Community,and Street naming and the politics of belonging: spatial injustices in the toponymic commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr.
  • Thomas Jackson, Professor of History at University of North Carolina, Greensboro. He is the author of, From Civil Rights to Human Rights: Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Struggle for Economic Justice

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