On Shifting Ground

From regime change in North Korea to Iran’s announcement of a new uranium enrichment plant, 2012 began with unsettling news of nuclear proliferation. While these two nations pose what many consider the most serious threat to US national security, efforts to stop their nuclear programs have yielded little progress. Between 2003 and 2009, US officials saw both diplomatic and military threats ignored as North Korea increased its stockpiles of nuclear material from one or two bombs worth to as much as eleven. Similarly, negotiations with Iran have stalled as the US and European nations call for further sanctions. What, if any, of these tactics will finally yield progress? Philip Yun and Joe Cirincione will discuss the US and the international community’s successes and failures in pacifying these threats, and compare the track records of the two groups. They will also explore the broader lessons that can be applied to future nuclear threats.

Direct download: 3_1_12_Cirincione_Yun.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00pm PDT

By the late 1990’s many African nations held multiparty elections, and civic and media freedoms steadily grew. In 2012, Africa is, in many ways, not recognizable from that of the latter twentieth century. Join Ted Miguel as he examines Africa today and tackles some tough questions such as: How are the economies in Africa doing in 2012 and which countries are in the rising tide of south-south trade? What geo-political effects will the rise of south-south cooperation have on the global economic landscape?

Direct download: 2_29_12_Edward_Miguel.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00pm PDT

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

In his 2011 State of the Union address, President Obama called China’s rise a new ‘Sputnik moment.’ China appears to be on the same trajectory as the US, with exponential improvements in wages, working conditions and global influence. Today China is the second largest economy in the world and many believe it will overtake the US by 2020. What is the next move for the US? Join NYU professor Ann Lee to discuss a new way of looking at US-China relations. The US cannot ignore China’s shortcomings, but must realize that learning is a two-way street; what can we learn from China so that the US may remain strong throughout the century?

Direct download: 1_19_12_Ann_Lee.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00pm PDT

Gang War USA examines the long-standing policy of deporting gang members as a strategy to curb threats posed by transnational gangs like the Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13. Marc Shaffer gained access to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers and interviewed gang members, justice department representatives and Salvadoran government officials to explore the treatment of transnational gangs in the United States. Could the cornerstone immigration policy of deporting gang members be making them stronger and US citizens less safe? Join us for a screening of Gang War USA, followed by a discussion with filmmaker Marc Shaffer.

Direct download: 1_11_12_Marc_Shaffer.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00pm PDT