The Scholars' Circle Interviews

The world is obsessed with the World Cup. Soccer, or what most of the world calls football, is the most popular sport across the globe. And no event captures more attention than the World Cup. And the host of the World Cup has the global attention on them throughout the tournament. This year's tournament is the first to be hosted by three different countries, the United States, Mexico and Canada. It is a remarkable opportunity to build a nation's image and reputation and build goodwill. But has this year's World Cup and the controversies around it enhanced the images of these three nations? In particular, the tournament is taking place during a war where the country the US attacked, Iran, is playing in the US. Visa issues to enter the United States have dominated the news. And the high price of tickets for events have resulted in empty seats in stadiums. On today's show, we will explore what is being called the “most political World Cup in history” and its impact on the hosts of the event. [ dur: 58mins. ] Nick Cull is Professor of Public Diplomacy, Global Communication Policy Fellow, Center for Communication Leadership and Policy at the University of Southern California. He is the author of Reputational Security: Refocusing Public Diplomacy for a Dangerous World. Simon Rofe is the world's first Professor of Sports Diplomacy at Cernegie School of Sport at Leeds Beckett University. He is a leading expert in Sports Diplomacy. He is the author of Sport and Diplomacy: Games Within Games. Daniel T. Durbin is a professor of communication and director of the Institute of Sports, Media and Society at the USC Annenberg School of Communications. He is the author of “The Rules of Sport and the Rule of Rhetoric: Sport as Performative Public Discourse”. Lindsay Krasnoff Clinical Assistant Professor Preston Robert Tisch Institute for Global Sport at New York University. She is the author of Basketball Empire: France and the Making of a Global NBA and WNBA and The Making of Les Bleus: Sport in France, 1958-2010 A note: we are recording this on Friday, June 19. This program is produced by Ankine Aghassian, Doug Becker and Sudd Dongre. Politics and Activism, Society and Culture, Organized Sports

The War between Israel and the US on one side and Iran and Lebanon on the other is in its fourth month. Despite claims from the White House that a deal is imminent, the war and the destruction have continued. Indeed the concept of a cease fire is undermined with every attack. The global economy is struggling with the increased energy costs due to the closing of the Straits of Hormuz. And people continue to die. So on today's show we update the news on the war, explore any potential pathways to end the war and examine the impact of the war particularly on both Iran and Lebanon. [ dur: 58mins. ] Yeghia Tashjian is the Regional and International Affairs Cluster Coordinator of Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy & International Affairs (IFI) and a part time Instructor at American University of Beirut. He is the author “The International North-South Transport Corridor and the Belt and Road Initiative in the South Caucasus,” published in the edited volume of Routledge Handbook of China’s Belt and Road Initiative in Eurasia (2025). Ervand Abrahamian is Professor Emeritus at City University of New York. He is the author of A History of Modern Iran and Inventing the Axis of Evil: The Truth About North Korea, Iran and Syria. Stephen Zunes is a Professor of Politics at the University of San Francisco. He is the author of numerous publications including Tinderbox: U.S. Middle East Policy and the Roots of Terrorism, Western Sahara: War, Nationalism and Conflict Irresolution co-authored with Jacob Mundy. This program is produced by Ankine Aghassian, Doug Becker and Sudd Dongre. Politics and Activism, War / Weapons, Middle East, Iran, Israel, Lebanon , US

Africa once again has an Ebola outbreak. At this point, it is centered in the so-called Greak Lakes region, with the largest number of cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Uganda has also seen several cases. Sadly this is not new news. But it takes place in the context of a weakened World Health Organization, with the US withdrawal, and a stark memory of the Covid outbreaks. It also is exacerbated by the shuttering of USAID and severe cuts in health funding from the Trump Administration. The United States is insisting that any American that tests positive for the virus would be treated outside of the country, provoking protests in East Africa such as in Kenya. So is the Ebola outbreak a potential pandemic? What has been the most effective means to treat these kinds of outbreaks. And how does it influence the current intense discourses about health care delivery and wellness in the United States. [ dur: 58mins. ] Heather Wipfli is Professor and Clark Leadership Chair in Global Health at the University of Maryland. She is the co-author of Investigating global mental health: Contributions from political science and Network influences on policy implementation: Evidence from a global health treaty. And she has extensive experience in Uganda. Lawrence Gostin is Faculty Director of the O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law and is the Founding O'Neill Chair in Global Health Law at Georgetown Law. He is the co-editor of Global Health Security: A Blueprint for the Future and Global Health Law & Policy: Ensuring Justice for a Healthier World (2023). And he is working with the WHO and the Intergovernmental Negotiation Body (INB) to draft a Pandemic Treaty. His opinion posted in Washington Post titled – “Don’t tell Trump, but the U.S. is still a WHO member” and in The Hill where he co-authored  “America's wrong and unlawful response to Ebola must pivot“. Amesha Adalja, Senior Scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He is the author of Recognition and Management of Infectious Bio-threats and Emerging Pathogens and AI and the Future of Medical Countermeasures to Protect Against Biological Threats. He has served on US government panels tasked with developing guidelines for the treatment of plague, botulism, and anthrax in mass casualty settings, the system of care for infectious disease This program is produced by Ankine Aghassian, Doug Becker and Sudd Dongre. Health, Infectious Diseases, Public Health and Safety, Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo

California has a state GDP of $4.25 trillion dollars. This is over $1 trillion more than the second largest state, Texas, with $2.9 trillion. If it were its own country, it would be the 4th largest GDP in the world (just past Japan and behind only Germany, China, and the US). It is the largest state by population, with just over 39 million. It's over 12% of the total population. And it is holding a primary for state offices. Governor Gavin Newsom is term limited out and the field for Governor is vast. And California has a primary system where the top 2 in votes proceed to the general election regardless of party. On today's show we will explore the Gubernatorial primary and the issues this state faces. [ dur: 28mins. ] Christian Grose is Professor of Political Science and Public Policy at the University of Southern California. He is the Academic Director of the USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy. He is the co-author of Independent Redistricting Commissions Increase Voter Perceptions of Fairness and Local Election Administrators in the United States: The Frontline of Democracy. Los Angeles is the second largest city in America. It has a $14.8 billion budget. As an entertainment capital, its developments are often national news. It is an incredibly diverse city with a history of a disconnection between the power of City Hall and the needs of its population. And it has a primary election coming up to elect a mayor. Karen Bass, the current mayor, is running for re-election. She is leading in polls but has high disapproval ratings. A leftist critic of her administration is running. And a former reality show personality is also running. So today we examine the LA mayor race, and the history of the office as one of limited power. [ dur: 30mins. ] Matthew Barreto is Professor of Political Science and Chicana/o Studies at UCLA and the faculty director of the UCLA Voting Rights Project. He is the author of Ethnic Cues: The role of shared ethnicity in Latino political behavior and co-author of Race, Class, and Precinct Quality in American Cities with David Leal. Isaac Hale is Assistant Professor of Politics at Occidental College. He is co-author of “Interest Group Influence on Preferences for New Voting Rights Legislation in a Polarized Environment” and “Resentment & Democratic Politics: The Role of Racial Resentment in Motivating Electoral Participation.” This program is produced by Ankine Aghassian, Doug Becker and Sudd Dongre. Economics, Politics and Activism, Homelessness, Elections, Califiornia, Los Angeles

Mass shootings in the Unites States are unprecedented in advanced industrial democracies. We explore the psychological impact of these shootings on the survivors and witnesses, with a particular attention to the children who experience this trauma. What are effective actions to confront the traumas experienced by the children who survive school shootings? Overwhelming the response of mass shootings is to “do something.” But what should we as a society and as an electorate do in response to these mass shootings? [ dur: 58mins. ] Karla Vermeulen is the Deputy Director of the Institute for Disaster Mental Health and an Associate Professor of Psychology at SUNY New Paltz.She is the author of Generation Disaster: Coming of Age Post-9/11 and co-editor of Disaster Mental Health Case Studies: Lessons Learned from Counseling in Chaos. Robin Gurwitch is a Professor in the Duke University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and is Senior Advisor for the Terrorism and Disaster Program of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. She is the co-author of Children in Disasters and Trauma-Directed Interaction (TDI): An Adaptation to Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for Families with a History of Trauma. Resource – National Child Traumatic Stress Network – Talking to children about shooting. Heather Littleton is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Colorado, at Colorado Springs, and Research Director at the Lyda Hill Institute for Human Resilience. She is the co-author of “PTSD near and far: Symptom networks from two to 12 months after the Virginia Tech campus shootings.” And “Can people benefit from acute stress? Social support, psychological improvement, and resilience after the Virginia Tech campus shootings” as well as numerous publications on sexual violence and the trauma of the LGBTQI+ community. More resources are available at: https://www.newpaltz.edu/idmh/ https://www.nctsn.org/resources/talking-children-about-shooting This panel was recorded on June, 2022. This program is produced by Ankine Aghassian, Doug Becker, Melissa Chiprin and Sudd Dongre. Health, Society and Culture, Mental Health, Childhood, Schools 

In 2022, the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, which guaranteed a constitutional right to an abortion. But previously the Court had allowed restrictions on abortions, making access quite challenging in a large part of the country. In response to these restrictions, women had gained access through prescription drugs, or what is called medication abortion. This involves two prescription drugs, mifepristone and misoprostol. Last week, a federal court issued an order disallowing mifepristone to be prescribed via telehealth and then distributed by mail. As we record today, the Supreme Court is expected to rule on this federal court order. So on today's show, we take account to the status of access to medication abortion and what it means both for reproductive rights and health and for the law on this issue. [ dur: 58mins. ] Rachel Rebouché is Professor of Law at the University of Texas at Austin. She is the author of Abortion Rights as Human Rights and co-author of The New Abortion Battleground and Abortion Pills (with David S. Cohen and Greer Donley). Carole Joffe is Professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco. She is the author of Doctors of Conscience: The Struggle to Provide Abortion before and after Roe v. Wade and the co-author of After Dobbs: How the Supreme Court ended Roe but not Abortion with David Cohen. Natalie Fixmer-Oriaz, F Wendell Miller Associate Professor of Communication Studies and Gender, Woman's the Sexuality Studies at the University of Iowa. She is author of Homeland Maternity: US Security Culture and the New Reproductive Regime (2019) and Doing Gender Justice: Queering Reproduction, Kin, and Care (2025; with Shui-yin Sharon Yam). This program is produced by Doug Becker, Ankine Aghassian, Maria Armoudian, Anna Lapin and Sudd Dongre. Health, Medicine, Reproductive Health, Courts, Feminism, Mothers

The Voting Rights Act, or VRA, is viewed as the most important piece of legislation advancing civil rights in the 1960s. Passed in 1965, it was intended to redress the dis-empowerment of African Americans whose voting rights had been restricted due to several states legislation, ranging from poll taxes to literacy tests and other restrictions on voting. Throughout the Roberts Court, the VRA has been restricted and its protections stripped away. In 2026, perhaps the last of these provisions have been overturned, in a decision in the case Louisiana v Callais. On todays show, we will explore this decision and the impact it has on drawing Congressional districts, in an era of particularly aggressive gerrymandering. [ dur: 58mins. ] Eric J. Segall, Ashe Family Chair Professor of Law and the Executive Director of Emmet J. Bondurant Center for Constitutional Law, Practice and Democracy at Georgia State University. He is the author of Originalism as Faith and Supreme Myths: Why the Supreme Court Is Not a Court and Its Justices Are Not Judges. Seth C. McKee is a Professor of Political Science at Oklahoma State University. He is the author of The Dynamics of Southern Politics: Causes and Consequences and coauthor of Rural Republican Realignment in the Modern South: The Untold Story with MV Hood. Christian Grose is a Professor of Political Science & Public Policy and the Academic Director of the USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy at the University of Southern California. He is the author of Independent Redistricting Commissions Increase Voter Perceptions of Fairness and co-author of Local Election Administrators in the United States: The Frontline of Democracy. This program is produced by Doug Becker, Ankine Aghassian, Maria Armoudian, Anna Lapin and Sudd Dongre. Politics and Activism, Elections, Redistricting, Voting Rights, Congress, Courts, Democrats, Republicans

The last few years have been a particularly challenging time for the international law framework outlines at Nuremberg. The trial of the German leadership at the end of the Second World War, coupled with the creation of the UN and the UN Charter, codified a series of legal obligations for state leaders. It outlawed waging war or even threatening war. It held individual leaders as criminally liable for violating the rules of war. And it promised prosecutions as a result of these violations. While it had never realized its promise, the past few years, from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, to terrorist attacks against Israel and Israel's waging of war in Gaza and Lebanon, to the Israeli and American war against Iran, have been a particular challenge to the so-called Nuremberg principles. So on today's show, we explore what these principles are whether international actors can return to their promise. [ dur: 58mins. ] Elizabeth Borgwardt is former Pozen Professor of Human Rights at the University of Chicago. She is the author of A New Deal for the World: America's Vision for Human Rights and the upcoming The Nuremberg Idea: Thinking Humanity in History, Law and Politics. Jennifer Trahan is a Clinical Professor and Director of the Concentration in International Law and Human Rights at NYU's Center for Global Affairs. She is also Convenor of the Global Institute for the Prevention of Aggression, and is the author of Existing Legal Limits to the Use of the Veto in the Face of Atrocity Crimes. And the forthcoming The Crime of Aggression and Russia's Invasion of Ukraine. Mark Drumbl is Professor at Washington and Lee University, School of Law, and Director of the University's Transnational Law Institute. He is the author of Atrocity, Punishment, and International Law and is the co-editor of Sights, Sounds and Sensibilities of Atrocity Prosecution with Caroline Fournet. Hurst Hannum is Professor Emeritus of International Law at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He is the author of Autonomy, Sovereignty, and Self-Determination: The Accommodation of Conflicting Rights, Rethinking self-determination and Rescuing Human Rights: A Radically Moderate Approach. This program is produced by Doug Becker, Ankine Aghassian, Maria Armoudian, Anna Lapin and Sudd Dongre. Politics and Activism, Human Rights, Peace / Nonviolence, War / Weapons, War Crimes, Justice

As the US Supreme Court deliberates over the future of birthright citizenship, we explore its historic roots in light of immigration, slavery, and indigenous peoples. How do contemporary ideas of birthright citizenship fit with those of the past? How might these ideas influence the Supreme Court's upcoming decision? [ dur: 58mins. ] Anna Law holds the Herbert Kurz Chair in Constitutional Rights at Brooklyn College, City University of New York. She is the author of The Immigration Battle in American Courts and Migration and the Origins of American Citizenship: African Americans, Native Americans, and Immigrants. Julie Novkov is the Dean of the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy and Professor of Political Science and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at the University at Albany. She is the author of Donald Trump, Constitutional Failure, and the Guardrails of Democracy and co-author of American by Birth: Wong Kim Ark and the Battle for Citizenship. Gabriel “Jack” Chin is Distinguished Professor of Law and Director of Clinical Legal Education at UC Davies School of Law. The U.S. Supreme Court has cited his work in two cases: Chaidez v. United States and Padilla v. Kentucky. And Justice Sotomyer has cited his law article in Utah v. Strieff. He is the co-author of Birthright Citizenship, Slave Trade Legislation, and the Origins of Federal Immigration Regulation and  author of A Nation of White Immigrants: State and Federal Racial Preferences for White Noncitizens. This program is produced by Doug Becker, Ankine Aghassian, Maria Armoudian, Anna Lapin and Sudd Dongre. Politics and Activism,  Governance / Law, Courts, Immigration, Birthright

The Department of Justice has historically been largely independent from the White House, despite the fact that the Attorney General is appointed by the President and approved by the Senate. However, Donald Trump's DOJ has been different. Recently fired AG Pam Bondi sought to prosecute the President's political opponents and the Department has gone to great lengths to protect the President amid the revelations of the Epstein Files. On today's show, we will discuss the legacy of Pam Bondi as Attorney General and what this means for the future of the Justice Department. [ dur: 28mins. ] Austin Sarat is William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Jurisprudence and Political Science at Amherst College. He is the editor of Is Democracy Doomed? and Lethal Injection and the False Promise of Humane Execution and Pam Bondi's extreme political loyalty to Trump wasn't enough to save her job, in The Conversation. The criminal indictments of President Trump have created an unprecedented political crisis. Historically, U.S. presidents have not faced criminal charges—even in cases where guilt appeared likely—due in part to longstanding institutional norms surrounding the presidency. Gerald Ford's pardon of Richard Nixon embodies this norm. What can the U.S. learn from other countries that have prosecuted former presidents? What can we learn from past prosecutions of political figures in American history? Is the prosecution of former heads of state simply the weaponization of justice mechanisms? How common is this political charge? [ dur: 30mins. ]. This is a portion of our hour long discussion originally posted in August, 2023. Link to full interview. Jeremi Suri is Professor in the Department of History and the LBJ School of Public Affairs and the Mack Brown Distinguished Chair for Leadership in Global Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin. He is the author of The Impossible Presidency: The Rise and Fall of America's Highest Office and his latest book Civil War by Other Means: America's Long and Unfinished Fight For Democracy. He hosts the podcast This is Democracy. Tom Ginsburg is Leo Spitz Professor of International Law and Ludwig and Hilde Wolf Research Scholar at the University of Chicago Law School. He is the author of the books The Endurance of National Constitutions, Constitutions in Authoritarian Regimes, and co-author of the paper The Comparative Constitutional Law of Presidential Impeachment. Ezequiel González Ocantos is Associate Professor in the Department of Politics and International Relations and a Professorial Fellow of Nuffield College at the University of Oxford. He is the author of Shifting Legal Visions: Judicial Change and Human Rights Trials in Latin America, The Politics of Transitional Justice in Latin America: Power, Norms and Capability Building, and co-author of Prosecutors, Voters, and the Criminalisation of Corruption in Latin America (w/ Paula Muñoz, Nara Pavao & Viviana Baraybar). This program is produced by Doug Becker, Ankine Aghassian, Maria Armoudian, Anna Lapin and Sudd Dongre. Politics and Activism, Governance / Law, Congress, Courts

Kristi Noem, the controversial Secretary of Homeland Security, was fired from her position in March of 2026. Her short tenure as secretary was marked by numerous accusations of overreach of power, violations of due process particularly with regard to immigrants without proper documentation, and killing of protesters, notably in Minnesota, at the hands of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. On today's show we will review Secretary Noem's tenure at the Department and the future of ICE and the immigration raids she instituted. [ dur: 35mins. ] Naomi Paik is Associate Professor of Global Asian Studies and Criminology, Law and Justice at University of Illinois, Chicago. She is the author of Bans, Walls, Raids, Sanctuary: Understanding U.S. Immigration for the 21st Century and Rightlessness: Testimony and Redress in U.S. Prison Camps since World War II, winner, Best Book in History. Luke William Hunt is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Alabama. He is the author of The Police Identity Crisis — Hero, Warrior, Guardian, Algorithm and Police Deception and Dishonesty – The Logic of Lying . How does immigration and the border define identity and belonging? We revisit a book on borders and their impact on immigration, identity, and belonging. [ dur: 23mins. ] Hiroshi Motomura is the Susan Westerberg Prager Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is the author of Americans in Waiting: The Lost Story of Immigration and Citizenship in the United States and his latest book Borders and Belonging: Toward a Fair Immigration Policy. This program is produced by Doug Becker, Ankine Aghassian, Maria Armoudian, Anna Lapin and Sudd Dongre. Politics and Activism, Human Rights, police, Refugees

After attacking two countries in 2026, will the Trump administration attack Cuba? What is Cuba’s relationship with the US historically and today? In this segment, we explore the island nation's history, its government and economy, and why the US is targeting Cuba. In addition, we look into the controversy of compensation for property loss for Cuban Americans, as well as the broader issues of appropriation and compensation in Cuba. Lastly, we discuss the country's political and economic challenges and the potential need for reform, and, if reform is necessary, which should come first: political or economic reform. [ dur: 58mins. ] Richard Feinberg is Professor Emeritus of International Political Economy at the School of Global Policy and Strategy at the University of California, San Diego. He is the author of Open for Business: Building the New Cuban Economy. William LeoGrande is Associate Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Professor of Government at American University, Washington. He is coauthor of Back Channel to Cuba: The Hidden History of Negotiations between Washington and Havana. Guillermo J. Grenier is Professor of Sociology in the Department of Global & Sociocultural Studies at Florida International University. He is the co-author of This Land is Our Land: Newcomers and Established Residents in Miami. Sebastián Arcos is Interim director of the Cuban Research Institute in the Florida International University. He was part of the Freedom House delegation to the U.N. Human Rights Commission in Geneva, Switzerland and advised the U.S. Department of State on issues concerning human rights in Cuba between 1998 and 2000. This program is produced by Doug Becker, Ankine Aghassian, Maria Armoudian, Anna Lapin and Sudd Dongre. Politics and Activism, Human Rights, Cuba

The Israeli and American war on Iran has vast regional implications with the potential to draw other countries into the conflict. Today we explore Türkiye's interests in the war with a particular focus on the ramifications of arming the Kurds to fight against Iran. [ dur: 28mins. ] Serhun Al is Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Izmir University of Economics in Türkiye. He is the author of Human security versus national security: Kurds, Turkey and Syrian Rojava and Is Turkey Ready for the Post-Erdoğan Era? Roadblocks to a Democratic Transition. Mohammad Homayounvash is Founding Director of the Jaffer Institute for Interfaith Dialogue & Education at Miami-Dade College.  He is the author of Iran and the Nuclear Question. There were many victims of Nazi atrocities and genocide but one group has only recently been given recognition for the oppression they endured: the LGBTQ+ community. Today we explore the specific treatment and oppression of the lesbian community under Nazi Germany and how their experiences influence the larger conversation about women under Nazism. We interview the author on his new book titled, “I Will Not Abandon You: Queer Women in Nazi Germany” (Toronto University Press, April 2026). [ dur: 30mins. ] Samuel Clowes Huneke is Assistant Professor of History at George Mason University. He is also the author of States of Liberation: Gay Men between Dictatorship and Democracy in Cold War Germany. This program is produced by Doug Becker, Ankine Aghassian, Maria Armoudian, Anna Lapin and Sudd Dongre. Politics and Activism, Human Rights, War / Weapons, Gender, Lesbian/Gay/Bi/Trans, Iran, Israel, Turkey, Refugee 

Recent escalations in Israel's war kill or wound the equivalent of one classroom of children every day, according to the deputy chief of the UN Children Fund (UNICEF). The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon said on Thursday that it has recorded more than 10,000 air and ground violations inside Lebanese territory since the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah came into effect at the end of 2024. Israel's attack on Lebanon has created both a humanitarian crisis and a potential collapse of the Lebanese government. We explore this attack, the role of Hezbollah, and the future of Lebanon from two different expert perspectives. Our guests join us from Lebanon. [ dur: 58mins. ] Yeghia Tashjian is the International Affairs Cluster Coordinator of Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy & International Affairs (IFI) and Instructor at American University of Beruit. He is the author of U.S. policy in the South Caucasus: Keep Turkey in, Russia down and Iran out. Makram Rahab is lecturer of History at American University of Beirut & the Lebanese American University. He is the author of Conflict on Mount Lebanon: Collective Memory and the War of the Mountain. This program is produced by Doug Becker, Ankine Aghassian, Maria Armoudian, Anna Lapin and Sudd Dongre. Politics and Activism, War / Weapons, Refugees, Middle East, Israel, Humanitarian Crisis

The Israeli/American War against Iran continues. On today's panel we wrestle with the question of the war’s legality. In doing so, we reject US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s assertion that the US will fight this war with “no stupid rules of engagement,,” and his assertion that there will be “no politically correct wars,” and “no nation-building quagmire.” While he dismisses the importance of international laws on war, we do not. So, we ask, is this war legal? Are the tactics of Israeli and American militaries legal? Is Iran's response aligned with international law? [ dur: 40 mins. ] Gabor Rona is Professor of Practice at Cardozo Law School. He is the author of Venezuelan Boat Attacks: Utterly Unprecedented and Patently Predictable ,Is There a Way Out of the Non-International Armed Conflict Detention Dilemma? and State Responsibility to Respect, Protect and Fulfill Human Rights Obligations in Cyberspace . Jennifer Trahan is a Clinical Professor and Director of the Concentration in International Law and Human Rights at NYU's Center for Global Affairs. She is also Convenor of the Global Institute for the Prevention of Aggression, and is the author of Existing Legal Limits to the Use of the Veto in the Face of Atrocity Crimes. Her book forthcoming this spring is entitled: The Crime of Aggression and Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine Studies show that powerful people feel less empathy. What does that mean for societies? [ dur: 18mins. ] Michael Inzlicht is Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto. He is co-author of Stereotype Threat: Theory, Process, and Application and co-author of the article Power Changes How the Brain Responds to Others. This program is produced by Doug Becker, Ankine Aghassian, Maria Armoudian, Anna Lapin and Sudd Dongre. Politics and Activism, War / Weapons, Middle East, Iran, Israel, humanity

The attack on Iran by the US and Israel will have devastating consequences for Iran and the region. Is the intent to foment ethnic conflicts as a means to weaken Iran? What are the greater implications of this war, for Iran, the region, and the globe? What are the possibilities of successful resistance to American and Israeli aggression for an unpopular war, domestically and around the world? [ dur: 58mins. ] Stephen Zunes is a Professor of Politics at the University of San Francisco. He is the author of numerous publications including Tinderbox: U.S. Middle East Policy and the Roots of Terrorism, Western Sahara: War, Nationalism and Conflict Irresolution co-authored with Jacob Mundy. Ervand Abrahamian is Professor Emeritus at City University of New York. He is the author of A History of Modern Iran and Inventing the Axis of Evil: The Truth About North Korea, Iran and Syria. Hawzhin Azeez taught at the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani (AUIS). She was Co-Director of The Kurdish Center for Studies. She has worked closely with refugees and Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in Rojava while a member of the Kobane Reconstruction Board after its liberation from ISIS. Her articles can be found on The Kurdish Center for Studies website. This program is produced by Doug Becker, Ankine Aghassian, Maria Armoudian, Anna Lapin and Sudd Dongre. Politics and Activism, War / Weapons, Middle East, Iran, Israel. USA 

In the 1960s and 70s, a group of black filmmakers at UCLA produced a diverse collection of films to challenge Hollywood’s depiction of black communities. The LA Rebellion presented films with uniquely black stories. What was this movement and what did it accomplish? [ dur: 30mins. ] Allyson Nadia Field is Associate Professor of Cinema and Media Studies at the University of Chicago. She is the author of Acts of Love: Black Performance and the Kiss that Changed Film History and co-editor of L.A. Rebellion: Creating a New Black Cinema. Bernard Nicolas holds a Master of Fine Arts in Film Production from UCLA during L.A. Rebellion era. He is a writer, producer, director, actor. Films he directed include Daydream Therapy and Gidget Meets Hondo. UCLA archive of L.A. Rebellion for Black Cinema can be found here. Some films from this collective : Killer of Sheep ( Charles Burnett ) Daughters of the Dust ( Julie Dash ) Bush Mama ( Haile Gerima ) Diary of an African Nun ( Julie Dash ) Grey Area ( Monona Wali ) A Day in the life of Wille Faust or Death on Installment Plan ( Jamma Fanaka ) California’s historic segregation of Mexican-Americans contrasted with the South’s version of segregation. In California, who did this segregation serve? Our guest confirms it was the interests of “citrus capitalism” in Orange County. The famous Supreme Court Case Broad v Board of Education challenged segregation in public schools. But there was another precedent, the Mendes et al case, that challenged segregation and education in California against Mexican-Americans. [ dur: 28mins. ] David-James Gonzales is Assistant Professor of Histroy at Brigham Young University. He is the author of the book of discussion – Breaking Down the Walls of Segregation: Mexican American Grassroots Politics and Civil Rights in Orange County, CA. This program is produced by Doug Becker, Ankine Aghassian, Maria Armoudian, Anna Lapin and Sudd Dongre. Arts and Humanities, Family / Education, Politics and Activism, Society and Culture, Film, Civil Liberties, Racism, Schools

How do people become addicted to social media and what are the implications of such an addiction? [ dur: 30mins. ] Ofir Turel is Professor of Information Systems (IS) Management, IS group co-lead, University of Melbourne. He has published over 250 journal papers, two of those titles include The Benefits and Dangers of Enjoyment with Social Networking Websites and Followers Problematic Engagement with Influencers on Social Media and Attachment Theory Perspective. Most of our activity on the internet interacts with posts, memes and videos that are driven by algorithms. How might algorithms be biased, racist, or sexist, and how might they amplify those biases in us? [ dur: 28mins. ]  Full length of this interview can be found here. Tina Eliassi-Rad is a Professor of Computer Science at Northeastern University. She is also a core faculty member at Northeastern’s Network Science Institute and the Institute for Experiential AI. She is the author of Measuring Algorithmically Infused Societies and What Science Can Do for Democracy: A Complexity Science Approach. Damien Patrick Williams is Assistant Professor in Philosophy and Data Science at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He is the author of Why AI Research Needs Disabled and Marginalized Perspectives, Fitting the description: historical and sociotechnical elements of facial recognition and anti-black surveillance, and Constructing Situated and Social Knowledge: Ethical, Sociological, and Phenomenological Factors in Technological Design. Damien is a member of the Project Advisory Committee for the Center for Democracy and Technology’s Project on Disability Rights and Algorithmic Fairness, Bias, and Discrimination, and the Disability Inclusion Fund’s Tech & Disability Stream Advisory Committee. Henning Schulzrinne is Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Colombia University. He is the co-author of Mobility Protocols and Handover Optimization: Design, Evaluation and Application, Bridging communications and the physical world and Future internets escape the simulator. He was nominated as Internet Hall of Fame Innovator in 2013. He was Chief Technology Officer for the FCC under the Obama Administration. This program is produced by Doug Becker, Ankine Aghassian, Maria Armoudian, Anna Lapin and Sudd Dongre. Politics and Activism, Science / Technology, Computers and Internet, Racism 

Health care outcomes in the U.S. differ substantially depending on race. How much are health care discrepancies based on structural and historical racism? What needs to change to promote health justice in the U.S. and what kinds of policies are needed to promote this change? How important is diversity of health care providers in building a more just healthcare system? [ dur: 58mins. ] Keisha Ray teaches Bioethics and Humanities as a tenured associate professor in Texas. She is the author of Black Health: The Social, Political, and Cultural Determinants of Black People’s Health. Ruqaiijah Yearby is the Judge Clifford Scott Green Chair in Law at Temple University Beasley School of Law. She is also Co-Founder of the Institute for Healing Justice & Equity and one of the Co-Founders of the Collaborative for Anti-Racism & Equity. She is the book chapter author of “Gender Bias, Mental Health Inequities, and Health Justice” in the book Mental Health Equity. Dylan H. Roby is the Chair and Professor of Health, Society, and Behavior at UC Irvine. He is the co-author of Ending Structural Racism in the US Health Care System to Eliminate Health Care Inequities. This program is produced by Doug Becker, Ankine Aghassian, Maria Armoudian, Anna Lapin and Sudd Dongre. Health, Politics and Activism,  Medicine , Racism

Under what circumstances might climate change lead to negative security outcomes? Over the past fifteen years, a rapidly growing applied field and research community on climate security has emerged. While much progress has been made, we still don’t have a clear understanding of why climate change might lead to violent conflict or humanitarian emergencies in some places and not others. Busby develops a novel argument – based on the combination of state capacity, political exclusion, and international assistance – to explain why climate leads to especially bad security outcomes in some places but not others. This argument is then demonstrated through application to case studies from sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. This book will provide an informative resource for students and scholars of international relations and environmental studies, especially those working on security, conflict and climate change, on the emergent practice and study of this topic, and identifies where policy and research should be headed. [ dur: 38mins. ] Joshua Busby is a Professor of Public Affairs and a Distinguished Scholar at the Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law. He is the author of State and Nature the effects of climate change on security and many other publications. With protests rocking Iran, how much are these protests historically consistent with the long history of protests in Iran. We explore this history in light of the new round of protests How much more violent has the Iran state been against protesters? [ dur: 20mins. ] Ervand Abrahamian is Professor Emeritus at City University of New York. He is the author of A History of Modern Iran and Inventing the Axis of Evil: The Truth About North Korea, Iran and Syria. This program is produced by Doug Becker, Ankine Aghassian, Maria Armoudian, Anna Lapin and Sudd Dongre. Climate Change, Human Rights, War / Weapons,  Refugees, Bangladesh, India, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Security 

In support of the US peace plan for Gaza, President Trump proposed a “Board of Peace” as a transitional governmental authority to ensure Israeli military withdrawal from the territory. It was empowered by the UN Security Council to act on the organization's behalf as a presumably neutral body to ensure the delivery of humanitarian assistance, rebuild the region that has been physically devastated from war, and oversee security in the return of refugees who have fled the conflict. But as introduced by the American President at the World Economic Forum meetings in Davos in January, it has become a controversial body. Trump advanced a vision of the body, one which includes a payment of one billion dollars (to whom it is still unclear) that could challenge the UN. On today's show we start with an exploration of this new vision for the organization advanced by the US. [ dur: 28mins. ] Stefan Wolff is Professor of International Security at the University of Birmingham. His latest book is Ethnic Conflict: Critical Concepts in Political Science. His latest article in the Conversation Donald Trump's ‘board of peace' looks like a privatised UN with one shareholder: the US president. Francesco Grillo is Professor at Bocconi University and Visiting Fellow at The European University Institute. You can find his articles at the Conversation. His latest include Europe must reject Trump's nonsense accusations of ‘civilizational erasure' – but it urgently needs a strategy of its own and Donald Trump's Board of Peace signed at Davos – key points I took away from my visit to the ski resort The Board of Peace was initially and ostensibly created to govern Gaza in light of a peace agreement with the intention of removing Israeli military forces in exchange for a neutral transitional government. This was endorsed by the United Nations Security Council in Resolution 2803 with very specific tasks outlined, including aiding in the creation of Palestinian governance, the physical and economic reconstruction of the war-torn territory, the delivery of public services and humanitarian assistance, and the return of refugees. In this segment, we examine the Board's ability to accomplish its defined set of goals. [ dur: 30mins. ] John B. Quigly is a Professor of Law Emeritus at Ohio State University. He is the author of Palestine Is a State: A Horse with Black and White Stripes Is a Zebra and The International Diplomacy of Israel's Founders: Deception at the United Nations In the Quest for Palestine. Omar Dajani is Carol Olsen Professor in International Law at the University of the Pacific. He is the author of Negotiating Pluralism: Dilemmas of Decentralization in the Middle East (with Aslı Bâli) and A Two-State Solution That Can Work: The Case for an Israeli-Palestinian Confederation (with Limor Yehuda). He also was part of the Palestinian negotiation team at Camp David II in 2000 and has worked with the UN in peacebuilding initiatives, with a particular emphasis on building legal and judicial reforms in Palestinian governance. This program is produced by Doug Becker, Ankine Aghassian, Maria Armoudian, Anna Lapin and Sudd Dongre. Politics and Activism, Middle East, Occupied Palestine

One of the most notable international initiatives of the Trump Administration has been its pursuit of Greenland. Recently the President has declared that the island is a national security issue and the US needs sovereignty over Greenland. It is currently an autonomous territory under the Danish flag. As of this recording, the US has stated … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – US threat to own Greenland is causing Europeans to rethink its longtime alliance with US – January 25, 2026 →

The killing of Renee Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross reflects increasingly aggressive and violent immigration & customs enforcement and policing in the US. What's behind this growing violence in law enforcement? Has ICE become more violent or are we just paying closer attention? What has changed with the organization under Trump? On January 7, … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – ICE the organization, terrorizing communities with its tactics. – January 18, 2026 →

What is the impact of the US invading Venezuela and kidnapping its president and first lady? How might it affect international law, regional security and the American reputation? President Trump has declared he is the “Peace President” and claims to have ended 8 wars. While this is a dubious claim, he did become the first … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – Impact of the US attack on Venezuela – January 11, 2026 →

Beyond asylum seekers heading north, the problems of US/Mexico Border are also about the flow of guns and drugs. How can we understand the totality of problems related to the US southern border? What are the solutions? We speak with Ieva Jusionyte the author of a new book Exit Wounds: How America's Guns Fuel Violence … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – Book Author Interview – Exit Wounds : How Americas Guns Fuel Violence Across the Border – January 4, 2026 →

Why did soldiers on the front line ( in Flanders on 1914 ) 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 with Stanley Weintraub, author of, Silent Night: The Story of the World War … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – Story of Christmas Truce during WWI in 1914 ; Science of Compassion, a sense of humanity – December 28, 2025 →

Although President Trump claimed that he negotiated a peace deal between Thailand and Cambodia, the border wars are continuing. What is causing this conflict? How does history and national identity impact this war? Why did the war breakout again in 2025? And who might have the greatest influence for bringing the countries to peace? [ … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – Border war between Cambodia and Thailand – December 21, 2025 →

The recent UN COP (Conference of Parties) climate summit revealed fissures about how to solve the problem of climate change. What are the divisions? How can states and people help mitigate climate change? [ dur: 58mins. ] Pamela Chasek is Professor of Political Science at Manhattan College. She is the co-founder and Executive Editor of the … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – What happened at COP30 in Brazil ? – December 14, 2025 →

We interview Aileen Teague author of Policing on Drugs – The United States , Mexico and Origins of Modern Drug War, 1996 – 2000 . Why has war on drugs fails to address overdose deaths in the United States. [ dur: 35mins. ] Aileen Teague is Assistant Professor of International Affairs at The Bush School … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – Book Author interview : Policing on Drugs – The United States , Mexico and Origins of Modern Drug War, 1996 – 2000 – December 7, 2025 →

In 2020, the Supreme Court surprised many observers by holding up the rights of the Muscogee (Creek) nation. In McGirt v Oklahoma, the Court held that the Creek Nation retained its sovereign rights over a very large part of Eastern Oklahoma. The decision began with a poetic line: “At the end of the Trail of … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – A Promise Kept: The Muscogee (Creek) Nation and McGirt v Oklahoma – November 30, 2025 →

Climate change will lead to climate migration. There has been a renewed interest in adaptation strategies. Mitigation efforts seek to limit the amount of greenhouse gases in the environment to slow climate change. But adaptation recognizes that the climate has changed and we as a society and as a planet must adapt to these rising … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – Book Author interview – North : Future of Post climate America – November 23, 2025 →

What is Donald Trump trying to accomplish by resuming nuclear testing? And what impact will this decision have on nuclear non-proliferation? It seems that Trump doesn't understand either nuclear testing or the basics about nuclear weapons. Does this undermine US policy for non-proliferation? Also, the US is unique in that a single person controls the … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – Nuclear war an imminent threat to humanity persists – November 16, 2025 →

Violent policing and “disappearing” people is continuing in Brazil, even today in 2025. How is Brazilian civil society responding? [ dur: 33mins. ] Erica Resende is an Assistant Professor of International Relations and Security Studies at the Brazilian National War College in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She is the co-editor of Defending Memory in Global … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – Brazil's militarized police & disappearances ; Insights on innovative technologies to address climate change factors – November 9, 2025 →

We spend the hour looking at the environmental impact of the US military. How much does the US military pollute the environment? What is their role in climate change causing green house emissions? The military has taken some measures to reduce its impact on the environment and green gas emissions, but our guests say these … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – Known Environmental impact of the US Military – November 2, 2025 →

Are the US Navy attacks on ships off the coast of Venezuela and Colombia legal? And are they unprecedented? On today's show we explore the legality of these attacks and the precedents for them under the global war on terror and the war on drugs. [ dur: 58mins. ] Marten Willem Brienen is associate professor … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – Consequence of Trump's Gun boat attacks on Venezuelan coast – October 26, 2025 →

Green energy shunned by the Trump Administration, we examine how this affects US economy, energy costs and green technology leadership. [ dur: 22mins. ] Shannon Gibson is Associate Professor of Political Science, International Relations, and Environmental Studies at the University of Southern California. She's also the author of Climate Change or Social Change? Environmental and … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – Trump's anti-green energy policies ; ICJ climate change ruling for all affected states – October 19, 2025 →

Autocratic regimes often use people throughout the population to serve as informants. Why do people choose to become an informant and collaborate with autocracies? And what constitutes justice against these informants once the state democratizes? We discuss a new book on the topic Informers Up Close with its authors Mark Drumbl and Barbora Hola. [ … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – Recruiting Informers For The State, case-study of Communist Czechoslovakia (1945-1989) – October 12, 2025 →

Donald Trump has asserted himself with the power of the US into multiple ceasefires and conflict negotiations. How does this comport with US policy historically? What might be his motivation? [ dur: 58mins. ] Amy Skonieczny Professor at San Francisco State University in the International Relations Department. She is the author of a book chapter … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – President Trump's use of transactional international diplomacy – October 5, 2025 →

Robert Redford's passing reminds us that perhaps his greatest legacy is his support for independent film. So on today's show, what is the impact of independent film on the industry? How has independent film changed in recent years. How has the major shift toward streaming affected our access to independent films? [ dur: 58mins. ] … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – Impact of Independent Films on diversity of stories we see on big screen- September 28, 2025 →

Political violence is on the rise, we get insight into why it happens and ways to mitigate it's occurrence. With scholars of politics, social inquiry and criminal justice. [ dur: 58mins. ] Roger Petersen is the Arthur and Ruth Sloan Professor of Political Science at MIT. He is the author of Understanding Ethnic Violence: Fear, … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – Reasons for political violence and how it becomes inevitable – September 21, 2025 →

How does the US Supreme Court decision to allow ICE to target immigrants based on language, accent, race, and employment affect the sweeps of undocumented immigrants in the US. And what are the social and economic impacts of Trump's deportation policy? [ dur: 29mins. ] Hiroshi Motomura is the Susan Westerberg Prager Distinguished Professor of … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – Supreme Court allows deportation based on profiling ; The future of indigenous exhibits – September 14, 2025 →

As part of an ongoing attack on free expression, Donald Trump is trying to criminalize flag burning. Is this proposed ban constitutional? [ dur: 29mins. ] Dennis Baron is Emeritus Professor of English at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is a frequent commentator on language issues in the national media and has written … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – Threat to Freedom of expression in US ; Author interview on case for universal Child Care for working American – September 7, 2025 →

The Trump Administration is using the Alien Enemies Act to seize Venezuelans and ship them to a notorious prison El Salvador without due process. What can be done to protect and uphold the rule of law and human rights in the face of the Trump Administration's rejection of them? What are some means of legal … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – Alien Enemies Act policy use to deport immigrants and asylum seekers – August 31, 2025 →

Will the so called peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan legitimize ethnic cleansing? Will it bring peace to the two nations? Or is it a recipe for future conflict? Military aggression and violations of of the notion of sovereignty have marked the conflicts in the South Caucuses region over the last three decades. Will the … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – US role in South Caucasus Armenia Azerbaijan peace treaty – August 24, 2025 →

After nearly two years of a war on Gaza, some countries in the West have indicated that they intend to recognize Palestine as its own state. What would such recognition mean for the conflict and how can the war end? [ dur: 58mins. ] Mira Sucharov is Professor of Political Science in the Department of … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – Recognizing Palestinian statehood and what that would mean for the war in Gaza – August 17, 2025 →

First, will Donald Trump's and the republican party's efforts to redraw electoral maps give them a permanent majority? [ dur: 24mins. ] Jeremi Suri is Professor in the Department of History and the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, Austin. He holds the Mack Brown Distinguished Chair for Leadership in Global … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – Texas Re-districting ; Grandmother's of Argentine's disappeared – August 10, 2025 →

Congress has now clawed back the funding it had allocated for the Corporation of Public Broadcasting. What does this mean for the future of publicly funded broadcasting in the USA? How will it affect news, public affairs and other vital information delivery? We will explore the role of public broadcasting in a democracy. What role … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – Corporation of Public Broadcasting funding cuts – August 3, 2025 →

Private Military Corporations have become a growing element of the warfighting landscape. States have historically had a monopoly on the use of military force. But private corporations challenge this monopoly. How much do they increase the lethality and likelihood of war? How much can private corporations be regulated? And what are the challenges to regulation? … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – Private Military Corporations and State responsibilities – July 27, 2025 →

Although Access to safe drinking water is a human right, millions of people in the United States do no have access to safe water. Lead in the pipes is the most well-known cause but there are many others. What can be done to fix the nation's water delivery systems? What have we learned from the … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – Safe drinking water delivery in US ; Floods and aftermath in Ellicott City, Maryland – July 20, 2025 →

The search for a safe haven for Jewish people in the early 20th Century led some Zionists to land on Galveston, Texas as a potential homeland for Jewish refugees. What was the Galveston Movement and what happened to it? We interviews the author of a new book MELTING POINT: Family, Memory, and the Search for … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – Book Author interview – Melting Point: Family, Memory, and the Search for a Promised Land ; Mining the Ocean Floor – July 13, 2025 →

The US Supreme Court has decided numerous cases and announced their opinions in the past week. On today's show we explore two cases. The Court declared an end to national injunctions in a case involving birthright citizenship. [ dur: 28mins. ] Erwin Chemerinsky is the Dean and Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor of Law at … Continue reading Scholars' Circle – Supreme Court decisions: Federal Injunctions and Religious belief exemption from public school curriculum – July 6, 2025 →