Jack Rakove of Stanford University examines the proceedings of the Philadelphia Convention, focusing specifically on the compromises struck and the reasons for the formation of the Electoral College.
To listen to this lecture, select "The Philadelphia Convention" under "Listen to Dr. Rakove's lectures."
Jack Rakove of Stanford University looks at the Founding Fathers' thoughts on government and specifically at the position James Madison presents in his "Vices of the Political System."
To listen to this lecture, select "Madison's Vices of the Political System" under "Listen to Dr. Rakove's lectures."
Jack Rakove of Stanford University discusses the influences that shaped early American political thought, including the move to rebellion and the formation of the U.S. government at the American Revolution's end.
To listen to this lecture, select "250 Years of Political Theory: Machiavelli, Locke, and Montesquieu" under "Listen to Dr. Rakove's lectures."
Harvey Sicherman, President of the Foreign Policy Research Institute, argues that the U.S. needs to adopt longer-term strategies to address the War on Terror and the globalization of politics and the economy.
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Michael O'Hanlon of the Brookings Institution discusses possible global political and military scenarios that the U.S. may need to prepare for in the future, following the fall of Saddam Hussein.
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Michael Vickers of the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Association discusses the actions of U.S. Special Operations Forces in the War on Terrorism, and looks at their opponents in the war.
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Author Alan Dershowitz discusses the wisdom of prevention and preemptive foreign policy and military decisions and the differences between the two types of actions.
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Ainslie T. Embree of Columbia University discusses the history and complexity of U.S.-India relations and of India's efforts to define itself as a nation and a world power.
Audio and video options are available. The "Listen to streaming MP3 audio" link is not currently working. However, the option "Download MP3 audio file" appears to be, in actuality, streaming audio.
Foreign Policy Research Institute President Harvey Sicherman delivers an impromptu briefing on the Middle East crisis. A former aide to three U.S. secretaries of state, Sicherman examines the Israel-Lebanon-Gaza war as Round Three in the struggle between the U.S. and Iran over the future direction of the Middle East, or, to put it another way, between the forces for democracy and the forces for theocracy.
According to the FPRI sites, "In the wake of 9/11, President George W. Bush announced that henceforth those states that harbored or fostered terrorism would be held as accountable as the terrorists. The translation of the war on terrorism from groups to state meant either to change a government's behavior, or, failing that, to change the government itself. Military force might overthrow a regime such as the Taliban or Saddam's Iraq but what would be put in its place? And how could the United States and its allies assure the success of the new political order? In 2005, the Foreign Policy Research Institute initiated a pair of studies that would analyze the lessons learned thus far from what the military calls Phase IV, or stabilization and reconstruction following the end of major conflict. Andrew Garfield led a British and American research team that interviewed British officers and officials for their perspectives on the efforts of their U.S. Coalition partner in Iraq. Frank G. Hoffman surveyed U.S. Marine efforts in Iraq. In this presentation, Andrew Garfield and Frank G. Hoffman present the newly completed studies, designed to aid U.S. military and civilian planners to refine a set of best practices, including a set of principles that can become a consensus, as the U.S. confronts a long and difficult struggle."
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