Tag Archives: Turkey

Scholars’ Circle – Turkey earthquake, disaster relief politics and humanitarian laws – Feb. 19, 2023

A massive earthquakes has rocked Turkey and Syria and killed thousands of people. The disaster response to this earthquake has faced challenges, including governance of the relief efforts and legal requirements under international law. We explore the relief efforts in light of scholarship on best practices and legal obligations. Who is responsible for security in the disaster zone? How much are local actors prioritized versus those who have come to the region to provide relief? And what happens when the security capacity of the affected state is so devastated by the disaster itself? [ dur: 58mins. ]

       Earthquake Relief Organizations:

This program is produced by Ankine Aghassian, Doug Becker, Melissa Chiprin, Mihika Chechi, and Sudd Dongre.

Scholars’ Circle – First 100 days of US President Biden in office and Official Acknowledgement of Armenian Genocide by USA – May 2, 2021

Presidents are often historically judged based on the accomplishments of their first 100 days in office. US President Joe Biden just passed his 100 day mark. How does his record compare to historical records? How likely are President Biden’s proposals to be adopted? Hosted by Doug Becker. [ dur: 27 mins. ]

Last week, to commemorate the start of the Ottoman genocide against Armenians, US President Joe Biden officially acknowledged the genocide. He was the first US President to do so. Typically cited as the reason why US Presidents were reluctant to acknowledge the genocide is that future of US/Turkish relations, as Turkey continues to deny the genocide. We explore why a nation denies committing genocides and mass atrocities, and what forms this denial takes. What is the implications of President Biden’s acknowledgment for US-Turkish relations? Hosted by Doug Becker. [ dur: 31mins. ]

This program is produced by Ankine Aghassian, Doug Becker, Melissa Chiprin and Sudd Dongre.

Scholars’ Circle – Causes and potential resolutions of the Ngorno-Karabakh conflict – October 18, 2020

map of Nagorno-Karabakh ( Republic of ArtSakh ) history - Southfront.org
The Armenians living in their indigenous lands in a region known as Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Artsakh, have long experienced existential insecurity. The fighting today between Azerbaijan, which is backed by Turkey, against Armenia over who belongs in those lands is threatening to escalate into a much bigger regional war and another round of ethnic cleansing.

We spend the hour exploring the causes of this conflict, the human rights implications of the aggression, whether the international legal principles apply, the importance of advancing democracy in the region, and potential resolutions to the war. Hosted by Doug Becker.[ dur: 58mins. ]

Nagorno-Karabakh regions map

This program is produced by the following team members: Ankine Aghassian, Melissa Chiprin, Tim Page, Mike Hurst and Sudd Dongre.

Scholars’ Circle – Eastern Mediterranean Conflict where complicated diplomatic intervention is required – Sept 13, 2020

The Eastern Mediterranean has long been a powder keg for potential conflict, particularly between Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus. A more aggressive Turkish push in the region to drill for oil and natural gas has raised the stakes. On today’s show we explore the potential for conflict and the impact of this drilling has on climate change initiatives in Europe. [ dur: 58mins. ]

This program is produced by the following team members: Ankine Aghassian, Melissa Chiprin, Tim Page, Mike Hurst and Sudd Dongre.

Scholars’ Circle – Syrian Crisis – March 4, 2018

The United Nation’s Secretary General has called Syria hell on earth. How did it get this bad? What are the geopolitics? What about the rest of the Middle East? WE spend the hour answering these questions. [ dur: 58mins. ]

  • Laurie A. Brand is Professor of International Relations and Middle East Studies at the University of Southern California. She was the past president of Middle East Studies Association of North America. Her publications include Palestinians in the Arab World: Institution Building and the Search for State, Women, the State and Political Liberalization, Citizens Abroad: States and Migration in the Middle East and North Africa and Official Stories: Politics and National Narratives in Egypt and Algeria.
  • Fred H. Lawson is a Professor of Government at Mills College and Visiting Professor National Security Affairs at the Naval PostGraduate School in Monterey. His publications include Bahrain: The Modernization of Autocracy , Constructing International Relations in the Arab World, Why Syria Goes to War: Thirty Years of Confrontation, and Global Security Watch Syria.
  • Hamoud Salhi is Professor of Political Science and Middle East, and Associate Dean of the College of Social and Natural Sciences at California State University, Dominguez Hills.
  • William Harris is a Professor of Politics at Otago University and an award winning author. His books include Lebanon: A History 600-2011, The Levant: A Fractured Mosaic, and his latest Quicksilver War: Syria, Iraq and the Spiral of Conflict.

This program is produced with generous contribution from Ankine Aghassian, Melissa Chiprin, Tim Page, Mike Hurst and Sudd Dongre.

Scholars’ Circle- Armenian genocide history and analysis -/- Violence on targeted groups – April 24th, 2016

We commemorate the Armenian Genocide with a brief history and analysis, and what it has meant for human rights issues. We are joined by Pulitzer Prize winner poet and author Professor Peter Balakian. [ dur: 18 mins. ]

  • Peter Balakian is a professor of humanities. He is a noted poet, his books include “Black Dog of Fate: A Memoir” and “The Burning Tigris: The Armenian Genocide and America’s Response

Then, we broadcast a April 2005 interview with journalist and media critic Professor Ben Bagdikian who was an infant during the last part of the genocide. He passed away March 2016. [ dur: 10 mins. ]

  • Professor Ben Bagdikian, was a renowned journalist, media critic, media executive who helped publish the pentagon papers. His memoir “Double Vision: Reflections on My Heritage, Life, and Profession“.

Finally, our next guests participated in a 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: 30 mins. ]

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Find book authored by our guest scholars on this Book Shelf .

This program is produced with generous contribution from Ankine Aghassian, Tim Page, Mike Hurst and Sudd Dongre.

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. ]

Find book/publication authored by our guest scholars Book Shelf .

Scholars’ Circle-Worse-than-War-/-Armenian Genocide-100th Anniversary-April 26th, 2015

We explore eliminationism and genocide in the 20th and 21st century. And address how to prevent and hold those responsible, accountable. [ dur: 18 mins. ]

  • Daniel Jonah Goldhagen, author of Worse than War: Genocide, Eliminationism, and the Ongoing Assault on Humanity.

Then a brief interview with Melissa Nobles discussing the politics of official apologies. [ dur: 12 mins. ]

  • Melissa Nobels is Department Head, and Arthur and Ruth Sloan Professor of Political Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology discusses Official apologies. Author of Politics of Official Apology.

Finally, at the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, we look at what are the conditions for genocide and what are the means to prevent it. [ dur: 28 mins. ]

  • Vahakn Dadrian, Director of Genocide Research at Zoryan Institute. He is author of The History of the Armenian Genocide: Ethnic Conflict from the Balkans to Anatolia to the Caucasus, Warrant for Genocide: Key Elements of Turko-Armenian Conflict and Co-author of Judgment at Istanbul: The Armenian Genocide Trials
  • Alex Hinton, is professor of Anthropology & Genocide at Rutgers University. He is co-author of Why Did They Kill?: Cambodia in the Shadow of Genocide, editor of Annihilating Difference: The Anthropology of Genocide and Genocide: Truth, Memory, and Representation
  • Richard Dekmejian, is professor of Political Science, University of Southern California. He is author of Multicultural Societies in Conflict and Coexistence, Spectrum of Terror

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The Scholars’ Circle Radio- April 6th, 2014

First, in remembrance of the 20th anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide (April 7), we revisit the tragedy with Senator Romeo Dallaire who witnessed the atrocities first-hand. [ dur: 25 mins. ]

  • Senator Romeo Dallaire is the author of, Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda and They Fight Like Soldiers, They Die Like Children: The Global Quest to Eradicate the Use of Child Soldiers.

Finally, the Syrian conflict has now taken more than 150,000 lives and displaced more than 4 million people. We ll discuss the latest developments and possible solutions to the crisis. [ dur: 34 mins. ]

  • Fred Lawson is professor of Government , Mills College; He is the author of Global Security Watch – Syria and Why Syria Goes to War: Thirty Years of Confrontation (Cornell Studies in Political Economy)
  • Nader Hashemi is professor of Middle East and Islamic Politics, University of Denver; He is the editor of The Syria Dilemma (Boston Review Books) and author of Islam, Secularism, and Liberal Democracy: Toward a Democratic Theory for Muslim Societies.
  • Dr. Marcie J. Patton is a Professor of Politics at Fairfield University. Her publications include, ”Turkey,” “AKP Reform Fatigue in Turkey: What’s happened to the EU process?” and “The Economic Policies of the AKP Government: Rabbits from a Hat?”

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The Scholars’ Circle & Insighters Radio- June 16th, 2013

In this hour, we continue exploring the bank of the banks and the role it plays in international economies. [ dur: 10 mins. ]

  • Adam LeBor, Author: Tower of Basel: The Shadowy History of the Secret Bank that Runs the World

Then, is the national surveillance state a permanent feature of the US? [ dur: 20 mins. ]

  • Prof. Sanford Levinson. Prof. of Government and Law, University of Texas. Author: Constitutional Stupidities, Constitutional Tragedies

Finally, what do the uprisings in Turkey mean for the country itself, Middle East and the West? [ dur: 28 mins. ]

  • Dr. Marcie J. Patton is a Professor of Politics at Fairfield University. Her publications include, “Turkey,” “AKP Reform Fatigue in Turkey: What’s happened to the EU process?” and “The Economic Policies of the AKP Government: Rabbits from a Hat?”
  • Mark LeVine is a Professor of History at the University of California,Irvine. His books include, “Why They Don’t Hate Us: Lifting the Veil on the Axis of Evil,” “Heavy Metal Islam: Religion, Popular Culture and Resistance in the Middle East,” and co-authored “Religion, Social Practice, and Contested Hegemonies: Reconstructing the Public Sphere in Muslim Majority Societies”
  • Asli Ü. Bâli is Professor of Law at UCLA School of Law. She is the author of numerous publications including, “The Perils of Judicial Independence: Constitutional Transition and the Turkish Example” “From Subjects to Citizens? The Shifting Paradigm of Electoral Authoritarianism in the Middle East” and co-authored, “American Overreach: Strategic Interests and Millennial Ambitions in the Middle East.”

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