The Scholars' Circle

The Scholars' Circle
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Insight into Today's Most Pressing Issues

Episodes

  1. 7 hr ago

    Scholars’ Circle – Glacier Collapse, Flooding, Climate Change – September 7, 2026

    On August 26, 2026, massive floods swept through Nepal and Tibet. As of this recording on September 3, over 1,200 people are reported killed and as many as 4,200 are still missing. A landslide reported to be an equivalent 5.2 earthquake hit the Nepal/China border in the Himalayan Mountains as a trigger of the flood. And it appears that the flooding was caused by a massive glacier collapse. So on today’s show, we will explore glacial collapse and their causes. And we will explore whether this disaster should be seen as a warning and signal of future environmental risk of catastrophe. [ dur: 58mins. ] Umesh Haritashya is Director of the Sustainability Program and Professor of Earth, Environment and Sustainability at the University of Dayton, Ohio. He is the co-author of “Modeling lake outburst and downstream hazard assessment of the Lower Barun glacial lake, Nepal Himalaya”. Mathias Vuille is Distinguished Professor in the Department of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, University at Albany, SUNY. He is the co-author of “Rapid decline of snow and ice in the tropical Andes-Impacts, uncertainties and challenges ahead.” Bethan Davies is Professor of Glaciology in the Department of Geography at Newcastle University. She is the co-author of “Glacier changes in Langtang Catchment, Central Nepalese Himalaya from the Little Ice Age (∼1815 CE) to 2023 CE.” This program is produced by Doug Becker, Maria Armoudian, Ankine Aghassian, Anna Lapin and Sudd Dongre. Environment, Politics and Activism, Science / Technology, Climate Change, Nepal, China, Himalaya Mountains

  2. 1 Sept

    Scholars’ Circle – Drone Warfare and Author Interview on “The Crime of Aggression and Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine” – August 30, 2026

    The 21st century has seen a significant increase in the use of drones in warfare. Unmanned weapons, often cheaper than many of the more complicated and advanced weapons used by major powers like the US and Russia, seem to be aiding defenders and creating a more level playing field. What can these drones do? Do they make wars more likely to break out? Or, do they serve as a cautionary tale against aggression? How do drones change the battlefield? [ dur: 30mins. ] Ori Swed is Associate Professor of Sociology at Texas Tech University. He is Director of the Peace, War & Social Conflict Laboratory. He is the co-author of “Emulating underdogs: Tactical drones in the Russia-Ukraine war” And “The Empirical Determinants of Violent Nonstate Actor Drone Adoption“ Roberto J. González is Professor of Anthropology at San Jose State University. He is the author of The Quest to Automate Conflict, Militarize Data, and Predict the Future (2022) Hugh Gusterson is Professor of Anthropology and Public Policy at the University of British Colombia. He is the author of Drone: Remote Control Warfare and, with Professor Gonzalez, the co-editor of Militarization: A Reader. In response to the devastation of World War I, world leaders lead by France and the US negotiated the Kellogg-Briand Pact. This outlawed aggressive war and outlined the crime of aggression. It was the legal foundation for one of the crimes prosecuted at Nuremberg and Tokyo following World War II. In addition, the UN Charter, specifically Article 2 (4), not only outlaws aggressive war itself but also includes the threat of aggressive war in its definition. However, the exact parameters of what aggressive war is has been a legal and political challenge for the last 100 years. Perhaps no current scholar has been more committed, more influential, and more productive on this specific issue than our current guest. [ dur: 28mins. ] Jennifer Trahan has a new book on this precise issue. In The Crime of Aggression and Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine, she uses this very current and incredibly important case to demonstrate the historical development of this crime and the need to harmonize its definition and to prosecute its violation. Jennifer Trahan is Clinical Professor and Director of the Concentration in International Law and Human Rights at NYU’s Center for Global Affairs. This program is produced by Doug Becker, Maria Armoudian, Ankine Aghassian, Anna Lapin and Sudd Dongre. Politics and Activism, War / Weapons, drones, warfare, laws on war

  3. 24 Aug

    Scholars’ Circle – Wildfires Erupting Across Europe and North America – August 23, 2026

    The world is on fire. While that seems alarmist, this summer has been the summer of fire. Wildfires have spread all around the world, with specific fires in Spain, France, Canada and the US seizing global headlines. While the summer in the northern hemisphere is typically wildfire season, this year seems to mark an increased intensity and occurrences of these fires. On today’s show we will explore what has been the cause of these fires. What environmental conditions have lead to the increased intensity of these fires? And what should be done both locally and globally to better manage wildfires? [ dur: 58mins. ] Doug Specht is a Chartered Geographer, a Reader in Cultural Geography and Communication, and Head of the School of Media and Communication at the University of Westminster. He is the author of Mapping crisis: Participation, datafication and humanitarianism in the age of digital mapping and most recently in the Conversation There’s nothing ‘wild’ about most wildfires, humans start them and have made them more dangerous. Daniel Swain is climate scientist with University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCANR) and a research partner at the NSF National Center for Atmospheric Research. He is the co-author of Anthropogenic warming has increased drought risk in California and Climate change is increasing the risk of a California megaflood. He is the author of the Weather West blog. This program is produced by Doug Becker, Maria Armoudian, Ankine Aghassian, Anna Lapin and Sudd Dongre. Environment, Politics and Activism, Climate Change, Environmental Activism, Wildfires

  4. 18 Aug

    Scholars’ Circle – Does an Aging Population Mean Decline of War; Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy – Aug 16, 2026

    Does the world’s aging population mean fewer wars in the future? What exactly is a geriatric peace? Our guest, Mark L. Haas, is the author of The Geriatric Peace: Population Aging and the Decline of War. [ dur: 30mins. Recorded June 2025 ] Mark L. Haas is Duquesne Professor of Political Science at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. He is the author of many books including The Clash of Ideologies: Middle Eastern Politics and American Security. His newest book is The Geriatric Peace – Population Aging and the Decline of War. Then, we explore a new book on the peaceful use of nuclear power: The Wretched Atom by Jacob Hamblin. [ dur: 28mins., recorded August 2021 ] Jacob Hamblin is Professor of History at Oregon State University. His books include Poison in the Well: Radioactive Waste in the Oceans at the Dawn of the Nuclear Age, Oceanographers and the Cold War, Arming Mother Nature: The Birth of Catastrophic Environmentalism and his latest The Wretched Atom: America’s Global Gamble with Peaceful Nuclear Technology. This program is produced by Doug Becker, Maria Armoudian, Ankine Aghassian, Anna Lapin and Sudd Dongre.

  5. 9 Aug

    Scholars’ Circle – Horn of Africa Famine Explained; UK Politics of the New Prime Minister – August 9, 2026

    The Greater Horn of Africa, in Northeastern Africa, faces severe food insecurity. In Sudan 19 million-plus people are facing acute hunger, including 825,000 children under five who are expected to suffer from Severe Acute Malnutrition in 2026. In addition, 12-14 million people are experiencing severe food insecurity in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia. What are the root causes and immediate effects of this famine? How can the world help address food insecurity in the region? [ dur: 27mins. ] Merry Fitzpatrick is Research Assistant Professor at the Feinstein International Center at Tufts University. She has more than 20 years of field experience in humanitarian response. She has worked with multiple humanitarian agencies, including the International Rescue Committee, GOAL Ireland, Food for the Hungry and World Concern. She is co-author of “Five levels of famine prevention: towards a framework for the twenty‐first century and beyond” and her latest, published in the Conversation, is “Conflict, climate, and disease form convergent crises in the Greater Horn of Africa”. The United Kingdom has a new Prime Minister. He is the 7th Prime Minister in the last decade, a remarkable instability for the nation. Who is Andy Burnham? Why did he replace Kier Starmer? Why has the UK had such instability? Does Brexit play a role? Lastly, we explore Burnham’s leadership and its potential impacts on the future of the UK. [ dur: 31mins. ] Patrick Diamond is Professor in Pubic Policy in the School of Sociology, Politics and International Relations at Queen Mary University of London. He is Chair of the think-tank Policy Network. He is the co-author of Warring Factions: Labour’s Civil Wars: How infighting has kept the Left from power (and what can be done about it) and author of  The British Labour Party in Opposition and in Power 1979-2019: Forward March Halted? This program is produced by Doug Becker, Ankine Aghassian, Maria Armoudian, Sudd Dongre and Anna Lapin. Agriculture, Food and Nutrition, Governance / Law, War, United Kingdom, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Famine

  6. 2 Aug

    Scholars’ Circle – Current and Future Migration Issues within US from Climate Disasters – August 2, 2026

    Climate change will lead to climate migration and there has been a renewed interest in adaptation strategies. Mitigation efforts seek to limit the amount of greenhouse gases in the environment to slow climate change but adaptation recognizes that the climate has changed and we as a society and as a planet must adapt to these rising temperatures and the changing ecosystem. We will explore some of the challenges for adaptation. We Interview Jesse M.Keenan author of the book North: Future of Post Climate America. He surveys places which are vulnerable to climate change effects and looks at state and regional implications of migration in America. [ dur: 26mins. ] Jesse M. Keenan is Favrot II Associate Professor of Sustainable Real Estate and Urban Planning at the School of Architecture and the Built Environment. His research advances the interdisciplinary fields of sustainable real estate and infrastructure finance and development. He is the author of the book North: Future of Post Climate America. In addition, we discuss how climate change is socio-economically tied to movement. When disaster strikes, who is able to move and who is forced to remain? How will climate change affect demographics? How will it affect the economy, politics, and the well-being of the country as a whole? [ dur: 32mins. ] Jesse M. Keenan is Favrot II Associate Professor of Sustainable Real Estate and Urban Planning at the School of Architecture and the Built Environment. His research advances the interdisciplinary fields of sustainable real estate and infrastructure finance and development. He is the author of the book North: Future of Post Climate America. Matt Hauer is Charles B. Nam Associate Professor, Department of Sociology – Center for Demography and Population Health at Florida State University. He is the co-author of Sea-level rise and human migration. This program was originally recorded in Nov. 2025. This program is produced by Doug Becker, Ankine Aghassian, Maria Armoudian, Sudd Dongre and Anna Lapin. Environment, Financial, Climate Change, Ecosystems, Governance / Law, United States, Urbanism

  • 6 Episodes

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Insight into Today's Most Pressing Issues

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  • Creator
    The Scholars' Circle
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2026
  • Episodes
    6
  • Rating
    Clean
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    © copyright 2023- The Scholars' Circle
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