PODCAST

The Scholars" Circle

Insight into Today"s Most Pressing Issues

news news commentary

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58:00

Scholars’ Circle – US Attorney General Pam Bondi...

The Scholars" Circle ·

2026/04/20

The Department of Justice has historically been largely independent from the White House, despite the fact that the Attorney General is appointed by the President and approved by the Senate. However, Donald Trump’s DOJ has been different. Recently fired AG Pam Bondi sought to prosecute the President’s political opponents and the Department has gone to great lengths to protect the President amid the revelations of the Epstein Files. On today’s show, we will discuss the legacy of Pam Bondi as Attorney

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58:00

Scholars’ Circle – US Policy of Policing Immigrants;...

The Scholars" Circle ·

2026/04/13

Kristi Noem, the controversial Secretary of Homeland Security, was fired from her position in March of 2026. Her short tenure as secretary was marked by numerous accusations of overreach of power, violations of due process particularly with regard to immigrants without proper documentation, and killing of protesters, notably in Minnesota, at the hands of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. On today’s show we will review Secretary Noem’s tenure at the Department and the future of ICE and

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58:00

Scholars’ Circle – Threat to Cuba and Cubans in US...

The Scholars" Circle ·

2026/04/06

After attacking two countries in 2026, will the Trump administration attack Cuba? What is Cuba’s relationship with the US historically and today? In this segment, we explore the island nation’s history, its government and economy, and why the US is targeting Cuba. In addition, we look into the controversy of compensation for property loss for Cuban Americans, as well as the broader issues of appropriation and compensation in Cuba. Lastly, we discuss the country’s political and economic

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58:00

Scholars’ Circle – Türkiye’s interest in the war with...

The Scholars" Circle ·

2026/03/30

The Israeli and American war on Iran has vast regional implications with the potential to draw other countries into the conflict. Today we explore Türkiye’s interests in the war with a particular focus on the ramifications of arming the Kurds to fight against Iran. [ dur: 28mins. ]Serhun Al is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Izmir University of Economics. He is the author of Patterns of Nationhood and Saving the State in Turkey , the co-editor of Comparative Kurdish Politics in the

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58:00

Scholars’ Circle – War spreads to Lebanon – March 22,...

The Scholars" Circle ·

2026/03/22

Recent escalations in Israel’s war kill or wound the equivalent of one classroom of children every day, according to the deputy chief of the UN Children Fund (UNICEF). The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon said on Thursday that it has recorded more than 10,000 air and ground violations inside Lebanese territory since the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah came into effect at the end of 2024. Israel’s attack on Lebanon has created both a humanitarian crisis and a potential collapse of the

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58:01

Scholars’ Circle – Iran War and War Crime Analysis –...

The Scholars" Circle ·

2026/03/16

The Israeli/American War against Iran continues. On today’s panel we wrestle with the question of the war’s legality. In doing so, we reject US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s assertion that the US will fight this war with “no stupid rules of engagement,,” and his assertion that there will be “no politically correct wars,” and “no nation-building quagmire.” While he dismisses the importance of international laws on war, we do not. So, we ask, is this war legal? Are the tactics

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58:00

Scholars’ Circle – Insights on US and Israel Bombing...

The Scholars" Circle ·

2026/03/09

The attack on Iran by the US and Israel will have devastating consequences for Iran and the region. Is the intent to foment ethnic conflicts as a means to weaken Iran? What are the greater implications of this war, for Iran, the region, and the globe? What are the possibilities of successful resistance to American and Israeli aggression for an unpopular war, domestically and around the world? [ dur: 58mins. ]Stephen Zunes is a Professor of Politics at the University of San Francisco. He is the

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58:00

Scholars’ Circle – Book Author interviews : “L.A....

The Scholars" Circle ·

2026/03/02

In the 1960s and 70s, a group of black filmmakers at UCLA produced a diverse collection of films to challenge Hollywood’s depiction of black communities. The LA Rebellion presented films with uniquely black stories. What was this movement and what did it accomplish? [ dur: 30mins. ] Allyson Nadia Field is Associate Professor of Cinema and Media Studies at the University of Chicago. She is the author of Acts of Love: Black Performance and the Kiss that Changed Film History and co-editor of

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58:00

Scholars’ Circle – What is Social Media addiction? ...

The Scholars" Circle ·

2026/02/23

How do people become addicted to social media and what are the implications of such an addiction? [ dur: 30mins. ]Ofir Turel is Professor of Information Systems (IS) Management, IS group co-lead, University of Melbourne. He has published over 250 journal papers, two of those titles include The Benefits and Dangers of Enjoyment with Social Networking Websites and Followers Problematic Engagement with Influencers on Social Media and Attachment Theory Perspective. Most of our activity on the

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58:00

Scholars’ Circle – Health care disparities on the...

The Scholars" Circle ·

2026/02/16

Health care outcomes in the U.S. differ substantially depending on race. How much are health care discrepancies based on structural and historical racism? What needs to change to promote health justice in the U.S. and what kinds of policies are needed to promote this change? How important is diversity of health care providers in building a more just healthcare system? [ dur: 58mins. ]Keisha Ray is the Professor of Bioethics and Humanities at a University in Texas. She is the author of Black

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58:00

Scholars’ Circle – State and Nature, the effects of...

The Scholars" Circle ·

2026/02/08

Under what circumstances might climate change lead to negative security outcomes? Over the past fifteen years, a rapidly growing applied field and research community on climate security has emerged. While much progress has been made, we still don’t have a clear understanding of why climate change might lead to violent conflict or humanitarian emergencies in some places and not others. Busby develops a novel argument – based on the combination of state capacity, political exclusion, and

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58:01

Scholars’ Circle – Trump’s Board of Peace & Gaza’s...

The Scholars" Circle ·

2026/02/02

In support of the US peace plan for Gaza, President Trump proposed a “Board of Peace” as a transitional governmental authority to ensure Israeli military withdrawal from the territory. It was empowered by the UN Security Council to act on the organization’s behalf as a presumably neutral body to ensure the delivery of humanitarian assistance, rebuild the region that has been physically devastated from war, and oversee security in the return of refugees who have fled the conflict. But as introduced

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58:01

Scholars’ Circle – US threat to own Greenland is...

The Scholars" Circle ·

2026/01/26

One of the most notable international initiatives of the Trump Administration has been its pursuit of Greenland. Recently the President has declared that the island is a national security issue and the US needs sovereignty over Greenland. It is currently an autonomous territory under the Danish flag. As of this recording, the US has stated it will not use military force to seize the island and there is a “concept of a deal” over the island. But this is an issue that is far from resolved. What is the

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58:01

Scholars’ Circle – ICE the organization, terrorizing...

The Scholars" Circle ·

2026/01/19

The killing of Renee Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross reflects increasingly aggressive and violent immigration & customs enforcement and policing in the US. What’s behind this growing violence in law enforcement?Has ICE become more violent or are we just paying closer attention? What has changed with the organization under Trump? On January 7, 2026, 37 year old Renee Good was shot and killed in Minneapolis by ICE agent Jonathan Ross. Since the killing, protests have surged in the Minnesota

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58:01

Scholars’ Circle – Impact of the US attack on...

The Scholars" Circle ·

2026/01/12

What is the impact of the US invading Venezuela and kidnapping its president and first lady? How might it affect international law, regional security and the American reputation?President Trump has declared he is the “Peace President” and claims to have ended 8 wars. While this is a dubious claim, he did become the first President to bomb 8 different nations in his first year in office. He then started 2026 with an invasion of Venezuela and a kidnapping of its President Nicolas Maduro as well as

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58:01

Scholars’ Circle – Book Author Interview – Exit...

The Scholars" Circle ·

2026/01/09

Beyond asylum seekers heading north, the problems of US/Mexico Border are also about the flow of guns and drugs. How can we understand the totality of problems related to the US southern border? What are the solutions?We speak with Ieva Jusionyte the author of a new book Exit Wounds: How America’s Guns Fuel Violence Across the Border. [ dur: 58mins. ] Ieva Jusionyte is a legal and medical anthropologist and associate professor at Brown University. She is also the author of award-winning

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58:01

Scholars’ Circle – Story of Christmas Truce during...

The Scholars" Circle ·

2025/12/29

Why did soldiers on the front line ( in Flanders on 1914 ) of one of the deadliest wars lay down their arms and play soccer with the very men they were supposed to shoot?We’ll revisit the Christmas truce of 1914 with Stanley Weintraub, author of, Silent Night: The Story of the World War I Christmas Truce. [ dur: 23 mins. ] Stanley Weintraub is a Professor Emeritus of Arts and Humanities at Penn State University. He is the author of more than 50 books including “Silent Night: The Story

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58:01

Scholars’ Circle – Border war between Cambodia and...

The Scholars" Circle ·

2025/12/21

Although President Trump claimed that he negotiated a peace deal between Thailand and Cambodia, the border wars are continuing. What is causing this conflict?How does history and national identity impact this war? Why did the war breakout again in 2025? And who might have the greatest influence for bringing the countries to peace? [ dur: 58mins. ] Michael G Vann is Professor of History at California State University, Sacramento. He is the co-author of The Great Hanoi Rat Hunt: Empire, Disease,

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58:01

Scholars’ Circle – What happened at COP30 in Brazil?...

The Scholars" Circle ·

2025/12/14

The recent UN COP (Conference of Parties) climate summit revealed fissures about how to solve the problem of climate change. What are the divisions? How can states and people help mitigate climate change? [ dur: 58mins. ]Pamela Chasek is Professor of Political Science at Manhattan College. She is the co-founder and Executive Editor of the Earth Negotiations Bulletin. She is the author of Transforming Multilateral Diplomacy: The Inside Story of the Sustainable Development Goals, Global

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58:01

Scholars’ Circle – Book Author interview : Policing...

The Scholars" Circle ·

2025/12/07

We interview Aileen Teague author of Policing on Drugs - The United States , Mexico and Origins of Modern Drug War, 1996 - 2000 . Why has war on drugs fails to address overdose deaths in the United States. [ dur: 35mins. ]Aileen Teague is Assistant Professor of International Affairs at The Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A&M University. She is the author of Policing on Drugs - The United States , Mexico and Origins of Modern Drug War, 1996 - 2000. Is humanity the most

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