On Shifting Ground

Once a quiet region mostly governed by authoritarian leaders, the Arab world since 2010 has seen profound changes, and has become a top talking point for pundits, political leaders and at dinner tables the world over. The changes brought about by the Arab Spring have forced many to reevaluate their understanding of the region and its people. For some the uprisings seemed sudden, but to Professor Shibley Telhami the Arab peoples' present-day grievances, priorities and desires have been fomenting for decades.  

Based on 20 years of public polling data from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Jordan, Lebanon and the UAE, Professor Telhami argues the uprisings were not just in reaction to corrupt leaders and decades of perceived humiliations at the hands of the West, but fueled by a desire for respect by the outside world and for political systems similar to the West. Professor Telhami will discuss differences in Arab polling, notions of Arab identity, how no government in the Arab world is immune from revolt and how Arab public opinion will reshape the Arab world.

Speaker Shibley Telhami is the Anwar Sadat Professor for Peace and Development at the University of Maryland, College Park.

For more information about this event, visit: http://www.worldaffairs.org/events/2013/the-world-an-arab.html

Direct download: 9_25_13_Arab_Perspective.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 8:00pm PDT

With the election of a new, moderate president, questions remain over the future of Iran's foreign policy and the country's nuclear intentions. While President Rohani campaigned on a reformist platform, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Kahmenei has directed national security and foreign policy decisions in the past and there is no indication this might change. Whoever holds the reigns, the relationship between Iran and the US is complicated, with questions centering on how the US should respond to Iran's nuclear program. Are the current sanctions effective? Should the US consider a military option?

Kenneth Pollack, a former CIA analyst, will explore Iran's nuclear capabilities, the complex US-Iranian relationship and potential options for US policymakers. This event is presented in partnership with the Marines' Memorial Association.

Speaker Kenneth Pollack is a Senior Fellow with the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution.

For more information about this event, visit: http://www.worldaffairs.org/events/2013/responding-to-a-new-iranian.html

Direct download: 9_23_13_Iranian_Leader.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 10:31pm PDT

In recent years we have seen diseases spread around the globe at an alarming rate, from West Nile virus to SARS to swine flu. Globalization has magnified the potential reach of these diseases, increasing the speed with which they spread and the size of the population that can be affected. Rapid transmission over a large area, rather than the severity of the disease itself, is what transforms an illness into a pandemic.

Nobel Laureate Peter Doherty emphasizes that pandemics can be fought effectively, both through simple health practices and new research. Drawing on his extensive experience in the fields of pathology and immunology, Dr. Doherty will discuss pandemics, how they spread and what we can do to prevent them.

Speaker Peter Doherty is the Michael F. Tamer Chair of Biomedical Research at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

For more information about this event, visit: http://www.worldaffairs.org/events/2013/disease-in-a-borderless-world.html

Direct download: 9_17_13_Borderless_Disease.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 8:00pm PDT

The world is awash in change. What can be done to re-create the relative stability which emerged from the creative efforts of statesmen after the end of World War II?

"Issues on My Mind" contains some of George Shultz's most compelling analyses on relevent topics. In this how-to guide, Shultz charts a path to a better future for the United States and the rest of the world, including how to govern more effectively, get our economy back on track, take advantage of new opportunities in the field of energy, combat the use of addictive drugs, apply a strategic overview to diplomacy and identify necessary steps to achieve a world without nuclear weapons.

Moderator Jane Wales, President and CEO, World Affairs Council, speaks with George Shultz, Former Secretary of State.

For more information about this event, visit: http://www.worldaffairs.org/events/2013/issues-on-my-mind.html

Direct download: 9_12_13-George_Shultz.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00pm PDT

The 'Arab Spring' has brought both the promise of reforms around women's rights and the potential for setbacks in the movement. Human Rights Watch has documented the violations associated with the old regimes and the uprisings and has sought to make recommendations to new governments that will strengthen and protect women's rights. As political reforms take place in these transitional countries, will the status of women progress as well? And how can organizations like Human Rights Watch positively influence this progress in the region?

Liesl Gerntholtz, the executive director of the women's rights division at Human Rights Watch, and Hillary Margolis, the women's rights division's researcher on women's rights in Syria, will explore the impact of political transitions on the position of women, drawing on examples from Libya, Yemen, Egypt and Syria.

For more information about this event, please visit: http://www.worldaffairs.org/events/2013/womens-rights-in-transition.html

Direct download: 9_11_13_Women_in_Transition.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 8:00pm PDT

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