Tag Archives: Political Science

Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle-Western-Dominance-of-the-World-/-How-ideas-shape-international-power-structures-September 12th, 2015

First, what were the factors that led to Western dominance of the world and how are they changing the world. We discuss the book, Why the West Rules For Now: The Patterns of History and What They Reveal About the Future with Professor Ian Morris. [ dur: 28 mins. ]

  • Ian Morris is Professor of Classics Faculty at the Stanford Archaeology Center. He is a historian and archaeologist. He has excavated in Britain, Greece, and Italy, most recently as director of Stanford’s dig at Monte Polizzo, a native Sicilian site from the age of Greek colonization. His publications include “Why the West Rules–For Now: The Patterns of History, and What They Reveal About the Future“, and “The Measure of Civilization: How Social Development Decides the Fate of Nations“.

Then, on the Scholars’ Circle, how might the power of ideas shape countries and international power structures [ dur: 28 mins. ]

  • Elizabeth Borgwardt is an Associate Professor of History and is an acclaimed international law and human rights historian whose research focuses on human rights ideas and institutions. Her publications include, “A New Deal for the World: America’s Vision for Human Rights“.
  • Christopher McKnight Nichols is professor of History at Oregon State University. Nichols specializes in the history of the United States and its relationship to the rest of the world, particularly in the areas of isolationism, internationalism, and globalization. His publications include, “Promise and Peril: America at the Dawn of a Global Age“.
  • Tim Lynch is Professor and Director of the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Melbourne.His books include “Turf War: the Clinton Administration and Northern Ireland” and he co-authored “After Bush: the Case for Continuity in American Foreign Policy“.

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle-Turkey-assaults-Kurds-/-UN-Human-Rights-Council-September 6th, 2015

First, is Turkey using ISIS as a cover for a war against its Turkish population? It has recently launched some 300 airstrikes against the Kurdish PKK and rounded up more than a 1,000 members from another pro-Kurdish group, the Kurdish People’s Democratic Party, according to The Independent. It has also arrested and detained local journalists. [ dur: 18 mins. ]

Then, what is the United Nations’ Human Rights Council? Is it dominated by human rights violators? Hillel Neuer is Executive Director of UN Watch. [ dur: 40 mins. ]

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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-Antonin-Scalia-/-Violence-Against-Women-August 9th, 2015

First, we continue our conversation about why no one predicted that Justice Scalia would become one of the most polarizing Supreme Court justices in US history. Bruce Allen Murphy is the author of Scalia: A Court of One. [ dur: 27mins. ]

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

Then, on the Scholar’s Circle panel, what is driving the increased violence against women around the world and how are women responding? [ dur: 30 mins. ]

  • Manisha Desai is Professor of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies & Sociology at the University of Connecticut. She is the author of Gender and the Politics of Possibilities: Rethinking Globalization, and co-editor of Women’s Activism and Globalization: Linking Local Struggle and Global Politics.
  • Jacqui True is Professor of Politics and International Relations at Monash University. She is the author of The Political Economy of Violence Against Women and Gender, Globalization and Postsocialism.
  • Amana Fontanella-Khan writes for Slate, the Daily Beast and the New York Times. Her book is called Pink Sari Revolution: A Tale of Women and Power in India.

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle-Antonin-Scalia-/-How-Music-affects-Social-and-Political-Change-August 2nd, 2015

In this hour, the man some call the most polarizing and controversial supreme court justice in American history — The story of Antonin Scalia and why no one predicted who he would become. We speak with Prof. Bruce Allen Murphy author of Scalia: A Court of One. This is part one of a two part interview. We will air part two next week. [ dur: 27 mins. ]

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

Finally, on the Scholars’ Circle we discuss how music effects social and political change. How do governments/states oppress music and the arts? How has music shaped politics historically and today? [ dur: 31 mins. ]

  • Mark LeVine, Professor of Middle Eastern History, University of California Irvine. He is the author of Heavy Metal Islam: Rock, Resistance, and the Struggle for the Soul of Islam
  • Josh Kun, Professor of  Communication and Journalism, USC; He is the author of Audiotopia: Music, Race, and America 
  • Richard Flacks, Professor of Sociology, UC Santa Barbara. He is co-author of the book Playing for Change: Music and Musicians in the Service of Social Movements

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle-Antibiotics-Side-Effects-/-South-China-Seas-Tension-July 19th, 2015

First, sanitation and antibiotics have saved the lives of many, but are they also the culprits behind some of modern diseases? We might have gone overboard in killing our microbes. And that may be causing some of today’s epidemics. [ dur: 21 mins. ]

  • Martin I. Blaser is Professor of Translational Medicine and Director of Human Microbiome Program at New York University. He is the author of Missing Microbes : How the Overuse of Antibiotics Is Fueling Our Modern Plagues.

Then, What’s troubling the water in the South China sea? China is militarizing the South China Sea. That’s one of few concerns by many in the region about China’s territorial claim and development of a region that also has claims by the Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia. [ dur: 37 mins. ]

  • Pradeep Taneja Is a lecturer at the University of Melbourne. He is the author of The European Union and China: Interests and Dilemmas.
  • Stephen Noakes is a lecturer of Chinese Politics, jointly appointed to Politics and International Relations and Asian Studies at the University of Auckland. ​He is coauthor of Support for Civil Society in China in Creating Democratic Value: Evaluating Efforts to Promote Democracy Abroad.
  • Daniel Lynch is a Professor of International Relations at the University of Southern California. He is the author of After the Propaganda State: Media, Politics, and Thought in Reformed China and Rising China andAsian Democratization: Socialization to “Global Culture” in the Political Transformations of Thailand, China, and Taiwan.​
  • Professor Leszek Buszynski is a lecturer at Australia National University. He is the author of Asia Pacific Security – Values and Identity​.​ He co-edited The South China Sea Maritime Dispute: Political, Legal and Regional Perspectives and his latest publication Negotiating with North Korea: The Six Party Talks and the Nuclear Issue.

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle- Middle East Politics-July 12th, 2015

We spend the hour trying to untangle the politics of the Middle East. What does the rise of extreme violence with shifting and sometimes conflicting loyalties mean to the region and the world? What has happened to all the gains through democratization and human rights?

  • Fred H. Lawson is a Professor and Department Head of Government at Mills College; Author of Global Security Watch – Syria, Demystifying Syria, Why Syria Goes to War: Thirty Years of Confrontation and Constructing International Relations in the Arab World
  • Laurie A. Brand, Professor of International Relations and Director of Middle East Studies, USC; Author of Official Stories: Politics and National Narratives in Egypt and Algeria and Palestinians in the Arab World: Institution Building and the Search for State
  • Hamoud Salhi, Professor of Political Science and Associate Dean, CSU Dominguez Hills. Host of SWANA Region Radio on KPFK – Los Angeles.

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle-Secret-Heroes-/-Loyalist-of-American-Revolution-/-Amending-US-Constitution-July 5th, 2015

First, Secret heroes. We look at lesser known people who have shaped the world. [ dur: 14 mins. ]

  • Paul Martin, author and jouranlist; Author of Secret Heroes: Everyday Americans Who Shaped Our World

Then, we revisit the American Revolution through the stories of the loyalist, those who fought on the side of Great Britain. We’re joined by Maya Jasanoff author of Liberty’s Exiles: American Loyalists in the Revolutionary World. [ dur: 28 mins. ]

  • Maya Jasanoff, is Professor of History  at Harvard University. She is author of Liberty’s Exiles: American Loyalists and the Revolutionary War.

Finally, on the Scholars’ Circle panel, we explore the historic and current efforts to amend the constitution. [ dur: 30 mins. ]

  • John R. Vile is Dean and Professor of Political Science at Middle Tennessee State University. He is the author of, The Writing and Ratification of the U.S. Constitution: Practical Virtue in Action, Encyclopedia of Constitutional Amendments, Proposed Amendments, and Amending Issues, 1789-2005, and ReFramers: 170 Eccentric, Visionary, and Patriotic Proposals to Rewrite the U.S. Constitution.
  • Stephen M. Griffin is Professor in Constitutional Law at Tulane Law School. He is the author of, Long Wars and the Constitution and American Constitutionalism: From Theory to Politics.
  • Sanford Levinson is Professor in the Department of Government and Chair in Law at the University of Texas Law School. His numerous publications include, Constitutional Faith, Our Undemocratic Constitution: Where the Constitution Goes Wrong (and How We the People Can Correct It) and, most recently,Framed: America’s 51 Constitutions and the Crisis of Governance.

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Scholars' Circle Interviews

Scholars’ Circle-Review-of-Green-Economy-/-Police-Culture-June 28th, 2015

First, are some green solutions unhelpful for the environment or worse, do they actually harm it? Over the last few years more green solutions have emerged to address environmental crises. But our guest says some of these amount to lazy environmentalism and may have a dark side effect of camouflaging a larger problem. Heather Rogers argues that our current socio-economic system depends on pollution to maintain its own well being, if so what are the real solutions? Heather Rogers join us, she is the author of Green Gone Wrong: How Our Economy Is Undermining the Environmental Revolution. [dur: 13 mins. ]

  • Heather Rogers is a journalist and author. Her book Green Gone Wrong: How Our Economy Is Undermining the Environmental Revolution received the Editor’s Choice distinction from the New York Times Book Review, and Non-Fiction Choice from the Guardian (UK).

Then, police in the United States have shot and killed more than 500 people in the first half of 2015, according to a count by the Guardian. In fact, the police in the U.S. have killed more individuals in a matter of days than other countries do in years. Most victims are African American. Three experts join us, discussing race relations, police culture and society. [ dur: 45 mins. ]

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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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