Conversations with History (Audio)

Harry Kreisler welcomes author Parag Khanna, Senior Fellow at the New America Foundation, to discuss his new book, “How to Run the World: Charting a Course to the Next Renaissance.” Khanna analyzes the complex ecosystem created by globalization and how a new diplomacy has become the defining feature of international interactions; the implications of these changes for U.S. foreign policy, highlighting the increasing importance of regional actors and the intricate modalities by which global resources take effect at the local level; and reflects on Wiki-leaks, the Afghan/Pakistan conflict and changes occurring in the Middle East. Series: "Conversations with History" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 21570]

Host Harry Kreisler welcomes Anatol Lieven to discuss his book “Pakistan: A Hard Country.” Lieven emphasizes the important role of kinship in understanding Pakistan and discusses the military's unique position as the preeminent national institution and the sources of its power and prestige. Focusing on Pakistani national security thinking, he discusses India, the role of Afghanistan, the Taliban, and the importance of Kashmir. He also analyzes the complex relationship between the U.S. and Pakistan and discusses Pakistan's geographical location in the Indus valley and the implications of climate change for its future. Series: "Conversations with History" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 21524]

Host Harry Kreisler welcomes UC Berkeley economist Pranab Bardhan to discuss his new book, “Awakening Giants, Feet of Clay.” Bardhan discusses his interest in poverty and inequality in the context of his intellectual odyssey. He focuses on the myths and realities surrounding the emergence of China and India, addressing several questions including: What have these countries achieved and how? How do they compare in terms of inequality and social welfare? What are the factors that explain their reemergence as economic powerhouses? Will they succeed in reconciling economic efficiency with democratic accountability? Series: "Conversations with History" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 21410]

Host Harry Kreisler welcomes Ronald M. George, former Chief Justice of California. Reflecting on his years of public service, Chief Justice George traces his intellectual journey and offers his thoughts on the qualities of thinking that characterize judicial deliberation. He argues for both decisional and institutional independence if the judiciary is to perform its role in a democracy as a co-equal branch of government. He analyzes the complexity of the California constitution and its amending process and discusses the intricate process of deliberation in all three branches of government when faced with controversial issues. Series: "Conversations with History" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 21397]

Host Harry Kreisler welcomes Harvard's Joseph S. Nye,Jr.,for a discussion of his new book, “The Future of Power.” Nye offers a typology of power and explains the importance of a strategy shaped by an intelligent assessment of context and resources. He explores the differences between military, economic, and soft power and argues that understanding this complexity makes for the possibility of smart power. Nye also discusses the rise and fall of great powers but emphasizes the importance of the diffusion of power especially apparent in the communications revolution which has created new actors and new rules of the game. Series: "Conversations with History" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 21396]

Host Harry Kreisler welcomes Robert Reich to discuss political change and the structural causes of the 2008 economic collapse. Recalling his formative experiences, Reich explains what led to his focus on economics and politics. He talks about his tenure as Secretary of Labor for Clinton and analyzes the changes in the American political economy since the great Depression, arguing for a return to the greater economic equality that characterized the post World War II era. He concludes with an evaluation of the importance of political leadership, ideas, Presidential appointments, and grass roots mobilization. Series: "Conversations with History" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 21381]

Host Harry Kreisler welcomes Thomas Ricks to discuss his work as a writer and journalist. Ricks discusses his two books on the Iraq War, “Fiasco” and “The Gamble,” offering an analysis of the failures of the first years of the war and the changes in strategy engineered by Generals Odierno and Petraeus. Reviewing the conduct of the Iraq War, he analyzes the weaknesses and strengths of America's political and military leaders, the long term consequences of the conflict for the military, the unanswered questions about the future of Iraq, and the possibilities of a new American strategy for the Middle East under President Obama. Series: "Conversations with History" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 21364]

Host Harry Kreisler welcomes Leon Botstein, President of Bard College and conductor and music director of the American Symphony Orchestra. Botstein traces his dual career paths and compares leadership in an orchestra and in a liberal arts college. He recalls his innovations as a conductor emphasizing the need to place music in its intellectual, political and social context. Botstein focuses on the challenges of higher education, identifying the elements of an ideal curriculum and programs that foster creativity. He concludes with a critique of the American education system and identifies the essential feature of meaningful reform. Series: "Conversations with History" [Education] [Show ID: 21340]

Host Harry Kreisler welcomes Stanford political scientist Scott Sagan to discuss nuclear proliferation. Reviewing his work on nuclear safety, Sagan explains how organizational theory can enrich our understanding of international relations and deterrence. He analyzes the relevance of these insights for clarifying the threats posed by nuclear proliferation and then identifies the lessons of the India-Pakistan conflict, especially the Kargil War. He focuses on the meaning of the non-proliferation regime and adaptations to insure its resiliency, and he discusses alternative strategies for dealing with the threat posed by Iran. Series: "Conversations with History" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 21339]

Host Harry Kreisler welcomes philosophy professors Hubert Dreyfus and Sean Kelly to discuss their book, “All Things Shining.” Drawing on their reading of Western classics, Dreyfus and Kelly analyze how different epochs offered unique answers to the question of what is sacred and what can provide meaning for human existence. They explore the examples of Homer, Jesus, and Melville to highlight differing paradigms of culture practice. Dreyfus and Kelly then trace the transition to the secular age in which nihilism prevails. They conclude by identifying how a sense of meaning emerges from heroism, athletics, and craftsmanship. Series: "Conversations with History" [Humanities] [Show ID: 21338]

Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes Richard H. Solomon, President of the United States Institute of Peace who reflects on his career as Sinologist, diplomat, and negotiator. He discusses his involvement in the breakthrough to China in the Nixon Kissinger era of diplomacy and speculates on the trajectory of U.S. China relations. He recalls his involvement in the negotiations that led to the Cambodian settlement and the end of the 100 years of war in Indochina. He also speculates on the role of culture and other variables in shaping negotiating behavior and achieving conflict resolution. Series: "Conversations with History" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 21201]

Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes author Adam Segal for a discussion of his new book “Advantage.” Analyzing the role of innovation in a globalized world, Segal explains why the parameters of national security must be reconsidered. States and multinational corporations must recognize the decisive role emerging markets now play in defining the cutting edge. He distinguishes the "hardware" from the "software" of innovation; he explores the dynamic relationship between the local and the global; and he enumerates the policy options for the U.S. as it adapts to the competitive challenge of China and India. Series: "Conversations with History" [Public Affairs] [Business] [Show ID: 21008]

Harry Kreisler welcomes Justice Richard J. Goldstone to discuss the role of law in transitions to democracy, the prosecution of war crimes, and the enforcement of the rules of war in a post 911 environment. Drawing on his experiences in South Africa, his work as special prosecutor for the Bosnia and Rwanda tribunals, and his leadership of the UN commission on the Gaza War, Goldstone discusses the features of the South African transition, the ground breaking work that facilitated a breakthrough in the Bosnia conflict, and the goals and accomplishments of the commission examining the conduct of Hamas and Israel in the Gaza War. Series: "Conversations with History" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 21050]

Host Harry Kreisler welcomes Berkeley political scientist Ron Hassner to discuss his book, “War on Sacred Grounds,” including the challenges facing international relations scholars and policy makers as they address political conflict in which religion plays a central role. He describes the factors making holy places so contentious an issue in many parts of the world. He then focuses on two case studies where political leaders worked with religious leaders to resolve conflict: the Israeli solution for access to the Temple Mount after the 1967 War, and the Saudi solution to the seizure of Mecca by radical extremists in 1979. Series: "Conversations with History" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 21031]

Host Harry Kreisler welcomes author Avner Cohen to discuss his new book “The Worst-Kept Secret: Israel's Bargain with the Bomb.” Tracing the history of Israel's nuclear weapons program, Cohen explicates Israel's nuclear doctrine of amimut (opacity) analyzing its implications for Israel's democracy and for Israel's international engagement. Cohen argues that in the post-911 world, the doctrine conflicts with the norms of the international system and the effort to adapt non-proliferation to the realities of the 21st century. He concludes with an analysis of the threat posed to Israel if Iran succeeds in acquiring nuclear weapons. Series: "Conversations with History" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 20889]