Fordham Conversations

Qatar is considered one of the wealthiest countries in the world and traditionally one of the most conservative. Yet western culture is beginning to influence younger generations, especially when it comes to news.   Dr. Everette Dennis is helping train the next generation of journalist in the rapidly changing field of cross-platform media. He is Dean and CEO of Northwestern University in Qatar. Dr. Dennis is also former chair of the Communication and Media Management department at Fordham University’s Graduate School of Business. On this week’s Fordham Conversations Host Robin Shannon and Dr. Dennis discuss what it’s like to teach journalism in a conservative country.  We also discuss an NU-Q study on entertainment consumption habits in the Middle East, including the popularity of Hollywood content and its perceived morality – or lack thereof.

Fordham Conversations host Robin Shannon looks into 20-somethings, there journey into adulthood and their relationship with the church.  Dr. Jeffrey Arnett, Author and Psychology professor at Clark University in Massachusetts, discuss “Emerging Adulthood.”  He coined the phrase to describe a new phase of late adolescence.  Then Fordham University's Christine Firer Hinze and Paul Schutz discuss twenty-somethings and the church.

It turns out Baby Boomers have different attitudes towards home ownership than Millennials (the generation born between 1980 and 2000), and they’re buying different types of houses. Fordham Conversations Host Chris Williams talks with Jessica Lautz, Director of member and consumer research at the National Association of Realtors, talks about a buyer and seller generational trends. Then, Fordham Professor Emily Rosenbaum explains why some people are waiting until they are older to own a home and how this compares to previous generations.

Fordham Conversations' host Robin Shannon talks with humorist and author Dan Zevin, who has a new set of books called “The Little Miss and Mr. Me Me Me Parody Series."  They mimic the popular "Mr. Men" and "Little Miss" children's books.  We also hear from Fordham Alumni Tim Rozmus. He helped brainstorm the new series and also offers the millennial point of view on the book's characters. The series which includes “Little Miss Overshare,” “Mr. Selfie," "Little Miss Basic," and "Mr. Humblebrag” are published by Three Rivers Press.

Fordham Conversations Host Robin Shannon talks with Fordham Alumni Valerie Irick Rainford. Her latest book is "Until the Brighter Tomorrow: One Woman's Courageous Climb from the Projects to the Podium." In her auto-biography, Irick-Rainford takes us through her challenging young life, through two devastating deaths to her inspiring and impressive career firsts.

Science fiction is one of the more popular genres in literature, and arguably one with considerable cultural influence. But what goes into writing a great science fiction story? Fordham Conversations Host Robin Shannon sits down with Paul Levinson, professor of media and communication studies at Fordham University.   The award-winning science fiction author also shares his advice on writing. 

Elder abuse is a crime that can go unnoticed if unchecked. It affects one of the most vulnerable populations, by making seniors victims of financial, physical, and often sexual abuse. Fordham Conversations Host Robin Shannon puts a spotlight on elder abuse, and steps that can be taken to deter it.

We first travel to a Citymeals-on-Wheels elder abuse awareness training. Volunteers are being trained to recognize signs of abuse, what questions to ask, and what to do if abuse is suspected.

Dr. Patricia Brownell discusses the abuse older women suffer internationally. Dr. Tina Maschi, an associate professor at Fordham’s Graduate School of Social Service discusses similar abuse in prisons.  Maschi is also Executive Director of the "Be the Evidence Project." 

Fordham Conversations Host Robin Shannon sits down with Fordham University’s Patrick Verel to talk about his new book “Graffiti Murals: Exploring the Impacts of Street Art.”  In it, he takes us on a journey to discover how some graffiti murals are created and what role they play in cities like, New York, Trenton, and Jersey City.  We also explore the complex relationship between street artists, property owners and city politics.

The Eternal Space is a two-man play that tells the story of an unlikely friendship that develops during the demolition of the old New York Penn Station during the mid-1960s. Fordham Conversations Host

Robin Shannon sits down with Playwright & Producer Justin Rivers and Producer Dennis McCarthy.

Someone once said that no man fights the same war as another. If that’s true, than the Veterans Writing Workshop is a way for those who have been through battle to express themselves and share their experiences. Fordham Conversations Host Robin Shannon talks with Veterans Writing Workshop Founder, David Surface. We also hear from Vietnam Veteran Rod Carlson and Korean War Veteran Vincent Speranza. Both share their war experiences in the anthology “Afterword’s: from War and Home."