Tag Archives: Politics and Activism

Scholars' Circle Interviews

The Scholars’ circle & Insighters Radio- Jan. 13th, 2013

First, we look at post-earthquake reconstruction, disaster relief and the role of NGO’s in Haiti. We also take a deeper look at the critical role of the Haitian Diaspora.

  • Jonathan Katz, Journalist and author of The Big Truck That Went By;
  • Manolia Charlotin, executive editor of The Haitian Times;

Then, on the Scholars Circle, we examine the politics of the US Constitution, its effect on political institutions and the political process, and ask whether it should be revised or amended. Also, includes comparative analysis with other constitutions.

  • David S. Law, Prof. Law and Political Science, Washington Univ. in St. Louis;
  • Sanford Levinson, Prof. of Law, Univ. of Texas School of Law; Author: Framed: America’s 51 Constitutions and the Crisis of Governance
  • Louis Michael Seidman, Prof. Constitutional Law, Georgetown University; Author: On Constitutional Disobedience ( in alienable Rights )

Visit our Store [ lists books written by each on this panel ]

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Scholars' Circle Interviews

The Scholars’ circle & Insighters Radio- Jan. 6th, 2013

Last year brought many vital issues out into the open. Storms such as Hurricane Sandy for example heightened awareness of climate change. What might we see develop in 2013?

  • Sarah Von Gelder, Yes Magazine;

Then we spend the rest of the hour discussing a disturbing trend of increasing numbers of school children being conditioned for the criminal justice system, often referred to, as the school to prison-pipeline. What might it mean for society? And how should this situation be addressed?

  • Dr. Kim Socha, Regional Dir., Save the Kids;
  • Jon Vang ,  mentor , community activist.
  • Prof. Anthony Nocella, Dispute resolution, Hamline Univ;
  • Daniel Losen, Dir., of the Center for Civil Rights Remedies, UCLA;
  • Prof. Damien Schnyder, African studies, Scripps College

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Scholars' Circle Interviews

The Insighters Radio- Dec. 23rd, 2012

In this hour, 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 kill? We’ll revisit the so-called Christmas truce of 1914. [ Dur. 25 mins ]

  • Prof. Stanley Weintraub, Professor Emeritus Penn State University, historian. Author of  Story of World War 1 Christmas Truce & Pearl Harbor Christmas , World at War Dec 1941.

Then, religion, politics and the so-called God gap. We’ll explore how religion unites and divides us. With authors of “American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us.” [ Dur. 15 mins. ]

  • Prof. David Campbell, Political Science, Univ. of Notre Dame;
  • Robert Putnam, Public Policy, Harvard;

Finally, in the midst of so much bad news, what in the world is getting better? We’ll explore the widespread improvements in the world. [ Dur. 18 mins. ]

  • Charles Kenney, Sr. Fellow, Center for Global Development. Author of  Getting Better, Why Global Development is Succeeding And How We Can Improve the World Even More .

Visit our Store [ lists books written by each on this panel ]

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Scholars' Circle Interviews

The Scholars’ Circle & Insighters Radio- Dec. 16th, 2012

First, a look inside the secret world of spying and intelligence agencies. A discussion with Glenn Carle, former CIA agent and author of the book, The Interrogator, An Education. [ Dur. 28 mins. ]

Then, on the Scholars’ Circle, how might the power of ideas shape countries and international power structures.

  • Liz Borgwardt, Prof. at Univ. of Chicago & Washington University, author of New Deal for the World, America’s Vision for Human Rights;
  • Christopher McKnight Nichols, fellow at Univ. Of Penn and prof. of history oregon state university and author of Promise and Peril , America at Dawn of a Global Age;
  • Tim Lynch, Prof. Political Sciences Univ. of Melbourne. Turf war, Clinton Administration and Northern Ireland;/li>

Visit our Store [ lists books written by each on this panel ]

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Scholars' Circle Interviews

The Scholars’ Circle & Insighters Radio- Dec. 9th, 2012

First, what were the factors that led to Western dominance of the world and how are they changing the world. We are joined by Ian Morris, author of, “Why the West Rules For Now: The Patterns of History and What They Reveal About the Future.” [ Dur. 28 mins. ]

  • Ian Morris is Professor of Classics and History at Stanford University.

Then, 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. ]

We are joined by three experts:

  • 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 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.”

Visit our Store [ lists books written by each on this panel ]

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Scholars' Circle Interviews

The Scholars’ Circle & Insighters Radio- Dec. 2nd, 2012

First we explore the politics of Palestine in relation to the region and in light of its new status of statehood. We began a discussion with Mark Perry about the politics of Palestine and statehood. We continue now to make sense of the new dynamics inside and outside of Palestine. Author of  Talking with Terrorists: Why America must engage with its enimies. [ Dur. 16 mins. ]

Finally on Scholars’ Circle: With more than 130 votes in the United Nations, Palestine has attained statehood, a move that is thought to empower President Mahmood Abbas’s position both inside Palestine and in future legal battles with its neighbor, Israel. This change in status along with other developments within Palestine and the region may have more ripple effects.

  • Ervin Staub, Prof. of Phycology, University of Massachusetts , Amherst. Author or  Roots of Evil : Origins of  Genocide and other Group Violence.
  • Sami Adwan, Prof. of Education, Bethlehem University , Editor of Peace Research Institute in Middle East and Author of Side by Side: Parallel history of Israel-Palestine
  • Sarai Aharoni, Prof. of Political Science, Hebrew University,  Jerusalem.

Visit our Store [ lists books written by each on this panel ]

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

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.”

Visit our Store [ lists books written by each on the panel ]

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

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.”

Visit our Store [ lists books written by each on the panel ]

Download Show

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

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.”

Visit our Store [ lists books written by each on the panel ]

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

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.”

Visit our store [ lists books written by each on the panel ]

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS