Conversations with History (Audio)

Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes Congressman Howard Berman for a discussion of his 30 year career in the U.S. House of Representatives serving California’s 28th congressional district. Reflecting on his career, Berman discusses the following topics: his background; his early alliance with Henry Congressman Waxman: innovations in campaigning that they developed with Michael Berman; the skills and temperament necessary for the work of legislating; his support for the Iraq War Resolution; U.S. relations with Israel; the role of sanctions in blocking Iran’s nuclear program; the failure of the Stop Online Piracy Act; and advice to students preparing for a career in politics. Series: "Conversations with History" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 28143]

Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes Charles McCurdy, Professor of History and Law, University of Virginia, for a discussion of the interactions of law and politics in the United States. Case studies discussed include: Justice Stephen Field; The Anti- Rent Era in New York Law (1830-1865); Herbert Wechsler’s article on “The Political Safeguards of Federalism;” and the Sedition Acts of the 1790’s. Series: "Conversations with History" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 28136]

Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes T.V. Paul, James McGill Professor of International Relations at McGill University, Montreal, for a discussion of his new book, “The Warrior State: Pakistan in the Contemporary World.” Professor Paul analyzes the domestic and foreign policy implications of Pakistan’s role as a garrison state in South Asia. Drawing on history, geo-strategic context, and relations with the great powers, he demonstrates how Pakistan’s search for parity in its relations with India is critical for understanding why it remains a warrior state mired in a strategic dilemma which subverts its hopes for development at home and security in its regional environment. Series: "Conversations with History" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 28156]

Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes General James Mattis (U.S. Marine Corp. ret.), former Head of Central Command for a discussion of his military career. Topics covered include: his formative years, the skill set and temperament required to be a marine, his command philosophy, his battle experience in Afghanistan and Iraq, the role of the military in securing peace, the contribution of the military to the policy debate, and his advice for students as they prepare for the future. Series: "Conversations with History" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 28135]

Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes Gro Harlem Brundtland, Mimi and Peter E. Haas Distinguished Visitor at Stanford, for a discussion of her lifelong commitment to public service at the national and international level. She traces her intellectual odyssey and recalls her many roles--Norwegian Prime Minister, Chair of Global Commission on Environment and Development, and Director General of the World Health Organization. She also describes the attributes of her leadership: the combination of political skills and scientific training that she developed as she worked to implement a vision of a just society in which women’s rights, global health, and sustainable development were insured. Series: "Conversations with History" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 28228]

Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes New Yorker staff writer George Packer for a discussion of the impact of Silicon Valley on society and politics. Topics covered include: the implications of technology for the status of the American worker, for American culture, and for economic inequality. Amazon and the consequences of its business model for the publishing industry are discussed. President Obama’s response to the 2008 economic crisis is also analyzed.

Series: "Conversations with History" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 28134]

Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes the Carnegie Endowment’s Marwan Muasher for a discussion of his new book, “The Second Arab Awakening.” Topics covered include: “The First Arab Awakening;” the political failure of Arab states in the wake of nationalism and pan Arabism; the evolution of political Islam; the role of the military and technology in shaping the course of the Arab Spring; what is required for the second Arab Awakening to succeed; and the importance for the building of a third force in Arab politics, one that respects pluralism and establishes institutions that are accountable and which focuses on achieving equity, accountability, and a new educational system. Series: "Conversations with History" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 28055]

Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcome Nobel Laureate Carol Greider, Daniel Nathans Professor and Director of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University, for a discussion of her intellectual odyssey. Topics covered include her education; her Nobel winning research on telomeres and telomerase; the implications of this research for treatment of disease; science education; and women in science. Series: "Conversations with History" [Science] [Show ID: 28054]

Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes Amy Chua and Jed Rubenfeld, Professors at the Yale Law School, for a discussion of their new book, “The Triple Package.” Chua and Rubenfeld explain the rise and fall of certain cultural groups, primarily, 2nd generation recent immigrants to the U.S. These groups which demonstrate high success rates manifest 3 characteristics – a superiority complex (rooted in theology, history, or imported social hierarchies), a sense of insecurity (driven by scorn, fear and family) and impulse control(resulting in a drive to work harder). Chua and Rubenfeld analyze the interface of these characteristics with American institutions and incentives to create high rates of success as measured by material goals, academic achievement, and prestige. They also offer a critique of recent US cultural trends that contribute to American relative decline. Series: "Conversations with History" [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 28008]

Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes Harvard’s Steven Pinker, Johnstone Family Professor of Psychology, for a discussion of his intellectual journey. Pinker discusses the origins and evolution of his thinking on human nature. Topics include: growing up in Montreal in a Jewish family, the impact of the 1960s, his education, and the trajectory of his research interests. He explains his early work in linguistics and how he came to write his recent work, The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined. In the conversation, Pinker describes the importance of interdisciplinary research and analyzes creativity. He concludes with a discussion of how science can contribute to the humanities and offers advice to students on how to prepare for the future. Series: "Conversations with History" [Humanities] [Show ID: 27968]