What does Russia’s invasion of Ukraine mean for Europe and the world? π
A land war has returned to Europe. This week, Russia attacked Ukraine. What are the causes of the conflict? What are the motivations of the actors? Could this war have been avoided? Doug Becker speaks with Anna Ohanyan, Robert English, and Serhiy Kudelia. Anna Ohanyan...
What is driving an increase in military coups? π
Military coups have increased over the last year and a half. What is driving this challenge to democracy? How concerned should we be? Regional organisations and powerful states have sometimes played important roles in averting takeovers by military coups. How...
How did the U.S. come to collectively own over 600 million acres of land? How has that changed over time? π
In this two-part special episode of the Scholars’ Circle, Doug Becker explores the history of public land in the United States. Over 600 million acres of land is collectively owned by the American people. What is the history of public lands and how is the...
Why has democracy eroded in the United States? π
For several years, democracy has faced challenges in the United States. The 2020 election and the transition process following the election, which led to one of the major political parties rejecting the outcomes of the election and attempting an overthrow of it, has...
Why is the war in Yemen escalating again? π
The ongoing civil war in Yemen risks an escalation with drone strikes launched by the Houthi against the United Arab Emirates. This is apparently in retaliation against the increased military campaign against the Houthis led by the Saudis and the UAE. The Houthi...
Is Russia acting out of aggression or self-defense in its threats against Ukraine? π
Russia’s relationship with Ukraine is complicated. Ukrainian independence coming out of the collapse of the Soviet Union ended a 350-year history of Ukraine as a part of the Russian Empire, and then the Soviet Union. From that period forward, the two nations...
How is Omicron affecting global vaccine distribution efforts and issues of inequity? π
COVID-19 has a new variant. Omicron has drastically increased cases worldwide and has governments contemplating new measures, including lockdowns and moving schools back online. The lack of global vaccinations ode partially to uneven distribution to poorer nations and...
Why have protests erupted in Kazakhstan? π
On January 2nd, protests erupted throughout the Central Asian nation of Kazakhstan. The proximate cause was a drastic increase in fuel prices and a popular discontent against the three-decade rule of former President Nursultan Nazarbayev. His handpicked successor to...
Has the US Supreme Court lost its legitimacy? What kinds of reforms might restore its legitimacy? π
Following the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett during the 2020 presidential election, the US Supreme Court majority held a conservative worldview that was not reflective of the popular votes for US president and continued the journey of the court in deciding cases...Subscribe by Email
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