Tag Archives: Peace

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. ]

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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- US Justice Antonin Scalia (part 2) -/- Peace-making in the 21st Century (part 2) ?- March 13th, 2016

First, we’ll rebroadcast an interview about the man some call the most polarizing and controversial supreme court justice in American history, Justice Antonin Scalia. He passed away on February 13th. We speak with Prof. Bruce Allen Murphy author of, Scalia: A Court of One. This is part two of a two part interview. Part one of this interview can be found here.[ dur: 28 min. ]

  • Bruce Allen Murphy is a judicial biographer and Professor of law at Lafayette College. His biographical book of Justice Scalia, “Scalia: A Court of One“.

Then, real life effective strategies for lasting peace building. We’re joined by two experts in peace making. This is part two of a two part interview. Part one of this interview can be found here.[ dur:25 mins. ]

  • Ervin Staub is a Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and Founding Director of its Ph.D. concentration in the Psychology of Peace and Violence. He is the author of “The roots of goodness and resistance to evil: Inclusive caring, moral courage, altruism born of suffering, active bystandership and heroism​” and “Overcoming evil: Genocide, violent conflict and terrorism“.
  • Peter Wallensteen is a Professor of Peace and Conflict Research at Uppsala University, Sweden. He is the author of “Quality Peace: Peacebuilding, Victory and World Order“.

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle- US Justice Antonin Scalia -/- Peace-making in the 21st Century?- March 6th, 2016

First, we’ll rebroadcast an interview about the man some call the most polarizing and controversial supreme court justice in American history, Justice Antonin Scalia. He passed away on February 13th. We speak with Professor Bruce Allen Murphy. [ dur: 29 mins. ]

  • Bruce Allen Murphy is a judicial biographer and Professor of law at Lafayette College. His biographical book of Justice Scalia, “Scalia: A Court of One“.

Then, as the international community tries to continue to facilitate a peace agreement among the fighters in Syria, we’re joined by two experts in peace making. [ dur: 29 mins. ]

  • Ervin Staub is a Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and Founding Director of its Ph.D. concentration in the Psychology of Peace and Violence. He is the author of “The roots of goodness and resistance to evil: Inclusive caring, moral courage, altruism born of suffering, active bystandership and heroism​” and “Overcoming evil: Genocide, violent conflict and terrorism“.
  • Peter Wallensteen is a Professor of Peace and Conflict Research at Uppsala University, Sweden. He is the author of “Quality Peace: Peacebuilding, Victory and World Order“.

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle- Zomba Music Project of Malawi -/- New Humanitarians – January 31st, 2016

First, it’s the most unlikely group to get a Grammy award or to even be nominated. Our guest, Ian Brennan, produced that record. He’s up for a Grammy for his production of an album recorded at a federal Malawi prison, the Zomba Music Project, featuring singers and musicians behind bars. [ dur: 38 mins. ]

  • Ian Brennan is a GRAMMY-winning record producer and has produced four GRAMMY-nominated records (World Music- 2011 and 2015, Best Traditional Folk- 2006 and 2007). His recently produced album “I HAVE NO EVERYTHING HERE By Zomba Prison Project (2015-03-16)” – find it in our Book Shelf.

Next we speak with Dr. Chris Stout of Center for Global Initiatives. All over the world organizations are working for social justice, health access and peace. We discuss their struggle, success and common ground. [ dur: 20 mins. ]

  • Dr. Chris Stout is a clinical full Professor in the College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry; an Advisory Board Member to the College of Medicine’s Center for Global Health; a Fellow in the School of Public Health Leadership Institute, and is a Core Faculty at the International Center on Responses to Catastrophes at the University of Illinois, Chicago. He is the Founding Director of the Center for Global Initiatives (CenterForGlobalInitiatives.org) which was ranked as a Top Healthcare Nonprofit by GreatNonprofits.org (2011, 12). He is the author of “The New Humanitarians [3 volumes]: Inspiration, Innovations, and Blueprints for Visionaries (Social and Psychological Issues: Challenges and Solutions)“.

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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-Making of Lasting Peace-/-Humanity United by Memory of Historical Trauma – November 22nd, 2015

First, beyond ending war what does it take to make a lasting quality peace? [ dur: 28 mins. ]

  • Peter Wallensteen is professor of Peace and Conflict Research at Uppsala University, Sweden. He is also a Research Professor of Peace Studies at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame. His is the author of “Quality Peace: Peacebuilding, Victory and World Order“, “Understanding Conflict Resolution: Peace, War and the Global System“, and the editor of the volume “International Sanctions: Between Wars and Words“.

Then, on the Scholars’ Circle panel, can historical trauma be used as a means of uniting humanity rather than dividing humanity? Part two of a two part panel discussion. [ dur: 30 mins. ]

  • Douglas Becker is a professor of international relations at the University of Southern California and author of the chapter Memories and Trauma as Elements of Identity in Foreign Policymaking.
  • Dovile Budryte is a professor of political science at Georgia Gwinnett College in Atlanta. She is the author of “Taming Nationalism: Political Community Building in the Post-soviet Baltic States” and co-editor of the collected volume “Memory and Trauma in International Relations: Theories, Cases and Debates“.
  • Jessica Auchter is professor of political science and public service at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga. She is the author of “The Politics of Haunting and Memory in International Relations“.

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle-Humans Disrupting Eco Systems-/-Just War Theory-October 4th, 2015

First, is humanity the most damaging predator on earth? Our guests say yes, and that its predatory practices may be disrupting evolution. [ dur: 23 mins. ]

For a transcript of this interview, please visit: TheBigQ

  • Chris Darimont, is a Professor at the Department of Geography at University of Victoria, Victoria, BC. He has a PhD in Evolution and Ecology from the Biology Department at the University of Victoria.
  • Dr. Tom Reimchen, is a Professor at the Department of Geography at University of Victoria, Victoria, BC. Canada. Please visit the Evolutionary Studies Lab at University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada where you will find additional studies on this subject.
  • Heather Bryan, is a postdoctoral fellow in the Applied Conservation Science lab exploring the physiological mechanisms by which wildlife responds to environmental change at University of Victoria BC, Canada.

Then, on the Scholars’ Circle panel, last year the Obama administration vowed to destroy ISIS invoking the long held philosophy called the just war theory. What exactly is just war theory? And can it be applied to modern warfare? [ dur: 35 mins. ]

  • Jeff McMahan is a Professor of Philosophy at Rutgers University. He is the author of Killing in War, The Ethics of Killing: Problems at the Margins of Life and editor of Ethics and Humanity: Themes from the Philosophy of Jonathan Glover
  • Heather Roff is a Professor of International Studies at the University of Denver. She is the author of Global Justice, Kant and the Responsibility to Protect: A Provisional Duty (Global Politics and the Responsibility to Protect) .
  • Thomas Gregory is a lecturer of Political Studies at the University of Auckland. He is the author of  “Drones – mapping the legal debate”.

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle-Dictator-and-CEO-/- War-and-Law-August 16th, 2015

First, what do dictators, CEOs, and political leaders have in common? We’ll explore some of their strategies for getting and keeping power with Alastair Smith, coauthor of, “The Dictator’s Handbook: Why Bad Behavior Is Almost Always Good Politics.” [ dur: 28 mins. ]

  • Alastair Smith, Professor of Politics, NYU. He has also co-authored “The Logic of Political Survival“.

Then, on the Scholars’ Circle, the effect of war on laws, society, governance, and democracy itself. How are these affected as the lines of war-time are increasingly blurred.[ dur: 27 mins. ]

  • Mary Dudziak is Professor of Law, History, and Political Science at the University of Southern California. She is the author of, “War Time: An Idea, Its History, Its Consequences“.
  • Patrick James is Professor of International Relations and Director of the Center for International Studies at the University of Southern California. He is the author of numerous publications ( found here ) including, “Constitutional Politics in Canada After the Charter: Liberalism, Communitarianism, and Systemism“, “A New Quest for International Peace: Civil-Military Dynamics, Political Communications and Democracy“, and “Religion, Identity and Global Governance: Theory, Evidence and Practice.“
  • Christopher McKnight Nichols is Professor of History at Oregon State University. Previously he was the Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in U.S. History at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of, “Promise and Peril: America at the Dawn of a Global Age“.

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle-Resistance-to-Evil-/-Forgotten-Genocides-June 21st, 2015

First, we continue our conversation with preeminent psychology scholar Ervin Staub. Last week we discussed how to build peaceful societies, particularly when some groups have been traumatized by violence, war or genocide. Erwin Staub’s latest book is The Roots of Goodness and Resistance to Evil. This is part two of our discussion. You can hear part one, here: http://www.armoudian.com/log/scholars-circle/scholars-circle-resistance-to-evil-the-systems-view-of-life-june-14th-2015/ [ dur: 27 mins. ]

  • 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 is the author of The roots of goodness and resistance to evil: Inclusive caring, moral courage, altruism born of suffering, active bystandership and heroism​, Overcoming evil: Genocide, violent conflict and terrorism and The psychology of good and evil: Why children, adults and groups help and harm others.

Then, our next guests participated in a standing room only, 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: 31 mins. ]

  • Dr 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.
  • Dr. 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.
  • Dr. 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.

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle-Resistance-to-Evil-/-The-Systems-View-of-Life-June 14th, 2015

First, we speak with Erwin Staub about his latest 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​I’ve ​B​ystandership and ​H​e​r​oism. [ dur: 25 mins. ]

  • 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.

Then, we speak with Fritjof Capra about his book The Systems View of Life: A Unifying Vision. He is also the author of, The Tao of Physics, The Turning Point, The Web of Life, The Hidden Connections, The Science of Leonardo, and Learning from Leonardo. This is part two of a two part interview. [ dur: 33 mins. ]

  • Fritjof Capra, physicist, system theorist, and science writer, founding director of Center of Eco-literacy in Berkley California. http://www.fritjofcapra.net – Blog

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