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.
Kanan Makiya of Brandeis University examines the current political state of Iraq—considering the ongoing insurgency in Iraq and its causes (presenting it largely as a civil war), looking at mistakes the U.S. made in entering Iraq, and arguing that Iraq's people will need to grow past their history as victims of an oppressive political system before they will be able to democratize as a nation.
Video and audio options are available.
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.
Walter A. McDougall, Co-chair of the Foreign Policy Research Institute's History Institute for Teachers explores the U.S. attitude towards war—in which the nation simultaneously claims to be peace-loving and finds itself seeking out or being drawn into conflicts time after time.
Brian McAllister Linn of Texas A&M University examines the importance of many of the less-memorialized, smaller-scale, and less often taught military actions in U.S. history. He looks at how military tactics have been adapted to local conditions in these wars and the varying success of these adaptations (and failures to adapt).
Mark Grimsley of Ohio State University discusses the soldiers who fought in the Civil War from a social history perspective, looking at who they were, where they came from, and why they fought. He looks particularly at African-American experiences and participation in the war, at conscription, and at the manipulation and suppression of aspects of the war's social impact and breadth.
Paul Rahe of the University of Tulsa argues that Herodotus's coverage of classical Greek military history presents a "near ideal template for the analysis of American military history," in that it records the military struggles of republics Rahe interprets Herodotus's depictions of political and military heroes and considerations of relative cultural values as supporting "political liberty and the rule of law"— values which he suggests the U.S. has held and must continue to hold.
A transcript is available on the series page.
Paul H. Herbert, Executive Director of the Cantigny First Division Foundation, discusses his views on and recommendations for teaching military history. He argues that military history needs to be taught in order for students to understand the country's past; that students need particularly to come away from school with a basic understanding of the make-up of the U.S.'s military institutions and their relationship with society and of change in the conduct of war over time; and that teachers need to understand and be familiar with the basic vocabulary of war and military actions in order to teach military history.
Pulitizer Prize-winning author Rick Atkinson discusses his experiences while writing his trilogy on World War II—including the books An Army at Dawn and The Day of Battle—focusing on writing history texts as narratives, not as simple sequences of events.