Fawaz Gerges of Sarah Lawrence College and Barry Rubin of the Global Research in International Affairs Center explore the political turmoil currently taking place in the Middle East, including the rise to prominence of Islamists in politics. Gerges argues that the Islamist powers rise to fill a vacuum of legitimate political authority. Rubin emphasizes the importance of Arab nationalism in the region's internal and global politics and the staying power of some of the region's regimes.

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David Forte of Cleveland State University discusses the development of Islam away from its original written texts, arguing that the legal community, the needs of empire, and tribalism have distorted the religion's spiritual message, resulting in the current harsh treatment of apostates and religious minorities. He includes some comparison of Islam's development to that of Christianity and Judaism.

Video and audio options are available.

Jytte Klausen of Brandeis University and Michael Radu of the FPRI Center on Terrorism, Counter-Terrorism, and Homeland Security discuss the history and identity of Islam and Muslims in Europe, examining the differences in identity, political activity, and acceptance of Muslims in Europe and in the U.S.

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S. Abdallah Schleifer of the Washington News Bureau, Al Arabiya, compares and contrasts the interpretations of Islam that lead to Islamism and that lead to coexistence with or under other political systems. He focuses particularly on defining what, precisely, Islamism is and what adherents to the ideology believe.

To listen to this lecture, select "Watch streaming video with RealPlayer," "Listen to streaming MP3 audio," or "Download MP3 audio file."

Nicholas Lardy of the Institute for International Economics examines China's economy as it stands today, including current vast internal gaps in wealth and increasing presence in global trade. He also looks at the changes that led to China's economic growth and at the possible economic future of the country, as well as the impact of China's growth on the world at large. On October 21-22, 2006, FPRI's Marvin Wachman Fund for International Education hosted 50 teachers from 26 states across the country for a weekend of discussion on teaching about China. The History Institute, held in Kenosha, WI, was cosponsored by the Clausen Center for World Business, Carthage College.

Shelley Rigger of Davidson College outlines what she believes all U.S. students should know about Taiwan, looking also at how the media represents Taiwan internally and globally. On October 21-22, 2006, FPRI's Marvin Wachman Fund for International Education hosted 50 teachers from 26 states across the country for a weekend of discussion on teaching about China. The History Institute, held in Kenosha, WI, was cosponsored by the Clausen Center for World Business, Carthage College.

A panel of scholars discusses China's current and past foreign policy decisions and stances. On October 21-22, 2006, FPRI's Marvin Wachman Fund for International Education hosted 50 teachers from 26 states across the country for a weekend of discussion on teaching about China. The History Institute, held in Kenosha, WI, was cosponsored by the Clausen Center for World Business, Carthage College.

Melanie Frances Manion of the University of Wisconsin-Madison explores the oscillation of political policies in modern-day China and considers whether these indicate that China's extreme policy swings under Mao continue today. She compares policy decisions and processes today with those of the Maoist era, and concludes that policy changes today are apt to be "less extreme and more incremental." On October 21-22, 2006, FPRI's Marvin Wachman Fund for International Education hosted 50 teachers from 26 states across the country for a weekend of discussion on teaching about China. The History Institute, held in Kenosha, WI, was cosponsored by the Clausen Center for World Business, Carthage College.

Carlos Eire of Yale University discusses his experiences as one of the 14,600 children airlifted to the U.S. from Cuba between 1960-1962 and the U.S. misunderstanding and misrepresentation of Cuba's condition under Castro that motivated Eire to write his memoirs—arguing that Cuba continues to labor under severe human rights violations. To appreciate and comprehend the benefits of freedom, students need to know what it's like to live without freedom—or worse, in conditions of harsh repression, even genocide. To help teachers teach students about life without freedom, FPRI's Marvin Wachman Fund for International Education, in cooperation with the National Constitution Center and the National Liberty Museum, assembled some of the world's leading analysts—and witnesses—of countries without freedom. The conference helped teachers define totalitarianism while examining the history of the idea of freedom.

To listen to this lecture, scroll to "When Repression Masquerades as Social Justice: Confessions of a Cuban Boy" under "Speakers and Topics." Audio and video options are available.

Chinese activist Wei Jingsheng discusses his own experiences as a political prisoner in China and the mistakes the West makes in its perception of modern-day China as a relatively "free" country—when, in fact, it remains a country of severe oppression, with freedom for few. Students grow up in a free society; it is the only kind of society they really know. To appreciate and comprehend the benefits of freedom, students need to know what it's like to live without freedom—or worse, in conditions of harsh repression, even genocide. To help teachers teach students about life without freedom, FPRI's Marvin Wachman Fund for International Education, in cooperation with the National Constitution Center and the National Liberty Museum, assembled some of the world's leading analysts—and witnesses—of countries without freedom. The conference helped teachers define totalitarianism while examining the history of the idea of freedom.

The lecture is conducted in Mandarin with an English translator. Audio and video options are available. To listen to this lecture, scroll to "China: The Cultural Revolution and Beyond" under "Speakers and Topics."