The Everyday Scholar

Will religion always remain an important part in the life of humans? As secularization continues around the world, could it actually replace religious belief and practice? In this episode of The Everyday Scholar, Dr. Bjorn Mercer talks with Dr. Chris Myers, a religion and philosophy professor, about the evolving role of religion, the decline of certain religions, the conflict between religion and science, and much more. Listen to learn more about the evolving role of religion among humans.

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During the coronavirus outbreak, many colleges and universities are transitioning from traditional classroom environments to teaching primarily online. In this episode of The Everyday Scholar, Dr. Bjorn Mercer talks with American Public University President Dr. Wally Boston about the impact of coronavirus on higher education. Listen to learn more about the short- and long-term impact on academic institutions including technical issues, training challenges, compliance concerns, fluctuations in tuition and enrollment rates, and more. Could the changes happening in response to coronavirus change the balance of in-person and online course offerings at some institutions?

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American Public University, School of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Associate Dean Dr. Danny Welsch and Dr. Bjorn Mercer discuss science for good, science for evil. How good discoveries go evil, and how evil discoveries turn good. Dr. Danny Welsch talks about inventions that started out benefiting society and ended up changing warfare, discoveries that originated with warfare and ended up benefiting society, and other interesting inventions that impacted warfare.

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American Public University faculty member Tiffany Orcesi, Dr. Michael Pittaro from the School of Security and Global Studies and Dr. Bjorn Mercer discuss teaching in the prison. Tiffany Orcesi and Dr. Michael Pittaro discuss their experiences teaching in the prison system, the challenges of prisoner educational programs, and the difficulties of prisoner reintegration.

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American Public University faculty member Jonathan Hill and Dr. Bjorn Mercer discuss North American Indigenous music. Jonathan Hill discusses what is Indigenous music, what are popular expectations associated with the music, and how Indigenous music and musicians have shaped mainstream pop.

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American Public University Program Director and faculty member Dr. Jennifer Cramer and Dr. Bjorn Mercer discuss the bridge between the online classroom with global experiences. Dr. Cramer talks about how she got into anthropology, why she studies savanna monkeys throughout Africa and how actively working in the discipline while also teaching online helps keeps course discussions and topics relevant and up-to-date for students.

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American Public University faculty member Robert King and Dr. Bjorn Mercer discuss Labor Day, religion, and American prosperity. Robert King goes over the 1891 Catholic papal encyclical Rerum Novarum by Pope Leo XIII, the Pullman Railroad Strike of 1894, and how ethnic classifications were used to manipulate, control, divide, and ultimately exploit workers at Pullman.

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American Public University philosophy faculty member Lynn Mardon and Dr. Bjorn Mercer discuss truth, lies, and fake news. Lynn Mardon discussed what fake news is, why it is important for all of us to be better consumers of information, what could happen if we no longer trust the news media, and how to become better critical thinkers to combat fake news.

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Security studies scholarship and research too often overlooks how conflict impacts women and diverse gender identities differently. In this podcast, American Public University Doctoral Faculty Dr. Elise Carlson-Rainer and Seattle University Professor Dr. Serena Cosgrove examine how women experience conflict differently. Throughout the discussion they analyze how discrimination, poverty and socialization of gender impacts human and global security. This podcast is for doctoral and undergraduate level students to understand the nexus of gender and conflict. The gendered language of war, justification of conflict based on protecting women, and considerations of gender in peace keeping mission are the central topics of discussion.

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American Public University faculty member Dr. Karolina Kopczynski and Dr. Bjorn Mercer discuss what it is like to learn a foreign language. Dr. Kopczynski has a long and successful career learning and teaching multiple languages and discusses what it takes to learn a foreign language, how long it takes to become proficient, what career fields benefit from knowing a second language, and the practical applications for personal and professional development.

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