On Shifting Ground

National security has been a hotly-debated topic throughout the last decade. Much has been done to ensure the US remains safe, from the formation of new federal agencies to increased funding of protective programs, but have these measures had the intended effect? David C. Unger, a foreign affairs editorial writer for the New York Times, will discuss the hidden costs of the US’s pursuit for absolute national security. Have the broad war-making powers assumed by Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama and the trillions of dollars diverted from domestic needs to the Pentagon truly made the US safer?

Direct download: 2_27_12_David_Unger.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00pm PDT

Immigration is often called a drain on the US economy and in a presidential election year immigration will be debated intensely. Join The Economist Business Editor Robert Guest for an examination of the effects that international migration has on the global economy and why keeping the US borders open can help the US retain power despite the current economic climate.

Direct download: 2_24_12_Robert_Guest.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00pm PDT

From the streets of Tunisia to Zuccotti Park, 2011 was a year of protests, revolutions and uprisings. The economic crisis and the ever-widening gap between the haves and the have-nots have given rise to a social crisis and a call for new ways of thinking about politics, elite rule and global poverty. Paul Mason will explore the changes in society, technology and human behavior that led to the democratic revolts and social revolutions that have characterized 2011 and will discuss the consequences of this great unrest.

Direct download: 2_23_12_Paul_Mason.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00pm PDT

The Internet has become an indispensable tool, bringing unprecedented access to information and the ability to express oneself to billions of people worldwide. Many believe access to the Internet should be included in the Declaration of Human Rights, but the debate of over Internet freedom continues and it is fierce. As is evident with the Arab Awakening, online tools can be a platform to turn social unrest into real political movements and even revolutions, but internet censorship can also be a key to modern oppression. What does this convergence of unchecked government actions and unaccountable company practices mean for the future of democracy and human rights around the world? What are the advantages and limitations of online dialogue as a platform for social change? Join Rebecca MacKinnon and Jillian York, two internet theorists on the forefront of this debate, for a discussion the complex power dynamics amongst governments, corporations and citizens in cyberspace.

Direct download: 2_14_12_Rebecca_MacKinnon_Jillian_York.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00pm PDT

Following the ouster of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in February 2011 and the parliamentary elections this past November, Cairo’s Tahrir Square continues to draw large crowds demanding genuine change in the military-led regime. Steven Cook, author of The Struggle for Egypt: From Nasser to Tahrir Square, will explore Egypt’s history, why the revolution occurred and where the country might be headed next.

Direct download: 1_30_12_Steven_Cook.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00pm PDT

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