Zuhdi Jasser of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy discusses the modern U.S. relationship with Islam, both internally and in foreign relations, and critiques the institutions and viewpoints, both within the U.S. and within Islam, that he believes need to change before a peaceful, democratic balance can be reached between Islam and U.S. democracy.
Audio and video options are available.
Philip Zelikow of the University of Virginia examines the U.S.'s role in a globalizing world, arguing that the nation needs to actively discuss its place in the world, instead of "talking around" it.
Audio and video options are available under "Address."
Harvey Sicherman of the Foreign Policy Research Institute, Walter A. McDougall of the University of Pennsylvania, Lowell Dittmer of the University of California at Berkeley, and Robert G. Sutter of Georgetown University examine U.S. policy toward East Asia during the George W. Bush administration; and consider the impact which the 2008 presidential campaign and the upcoming change in leadership might have on policy.
Video and audio options area available.
Harvey Sicherman of the Foreign Policy Research Institute discusses the history of U.S. policy and interventions in the Arab-Israeli Conflict, following forward particularly from Clinton's term in office through George W. Bush's actions and policies.
Edward Schultz of the University of Hawaii gives a basic outline of the history of Korea, focusing on its importance to the global community and on resources educators can use to teach about Korea.
Audio and video options are available.
Don Oberdorfer of Jon Hopkins University outlines the history of U.S. foreign relations with Korea, from World War II and its division into North and South Korea, through the Korean War, up to the present day and the President George W. Bush's inclusion of North Korea in his "Axis of Evil." Oberdorfer looks particularly at North Korean nuclear production and U.S. and global reactions (and possible future reactions) to this development.
Audio and video options are available.
Stephen Gale of the Foreign Policy Research Institute Center on Terrorism, Counter-Terrorism, and Homeland Security discusses what he believes students need to know to be able to understand and react to the homeland security issues the U.S. faces today and will face in the future. He explores the complexity of terrorism and understanding terrorism; and suggests approaching homeland security issues in war game terms, setting up scenarios and considering their ramifications.
Video and audio options are available.
Michael Radu of the Foreign Policy Research Institute's Center on Terrorism, Counter-Terrorism, and Homeland Security examines the definition of terrorism throughout history and around the globe—including how the media muddies the waters and how different nations and cultures today label certain acts as terrorism and refuse to label other actions as such.
Video and audio options are available.
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.
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.