The Psychopolitics of Hatred: The Need for Enemies
1/12/12
Speaker: Dr. Jerrold Post

Dr. Jerrold Post will lead a discussion that will consider man’s need for enemies. The need is biologically rooted but psychologically shaped. He will consider how hate-mongering leaders like Hitler and Osama bin Laden manipulate this deep seated need to justify man’s inhumanity to man so that groups under their hypnotic spell can righteously kill the innocents who have been dehumanized.

The Terrorist Threat to the West from Pakistan and Afghanistan
1/26/12
Speaker: Dr. Marvin Weinbaum

Dr. Marvin Weinbaum examines why Afghanistan and Pakistan are likely to continue to provide opportunities for spawning and protecting international terrorists. He identifies those groups posing the greatest threat to U.S. and Western interests. The discussion will also consider our best strategies for dealing with global terrorism once we have reduced our military presence in Afghanistan.

The United States and Mexico
2/1/12
Speaker: Dr. Jorge Dominguez

Dr. Jorge Dominguez considers how U.S.-Mexican relations have changed during the past generation and how those changes matter. Does anything “good” ever happen in U.S.-Mexican relations? Is NAFTA a success or a dud? Why has drug traffic-related violence spiked in Mexico in recent years?

Can the Euro Survive?
2/9/12
Speaker: Martin Walker

Europe’s sovereign debt crisis has exposed a flaw at the heart of the euro project: the difficulty of combining a single currency and monetary policy with a group of sovereign nations with vastly different economic and social policies. The U.S. manages this diversity among its states through a common federal tax system and payment transfers. Martin Walker examines: Can Europe do the same, or is there another way to combine national sovereignty and a common currency?

Israel, Iran, Regional Competitions
2/15/12
Speaker: Molly Williamson

Molly Williamson will explore these two non-Arab countries in a region of intra-Arab tension and unrest. She will review how these two countries in particular examine their neighborhoods, their risks, and opportunities.

Medicare's Place in American Politics
2/16/12
Speaker: Dr. Theodore Marmor

Dr. Theodore Marmor will bring his extensive experience in health policy to a discussion of Medicare's position in contemporary American politics.

Beyond Bits and Bytes: Cybersecurity as an Economic Problem
2/23/12
Speaker: Dr. Allen Friedman

Cybersecurity has dominated the headlines recently, but this is not just a technical problem. Dr. Allan Friedman will explore the nature of our vulnerability to computer attacks from a public policy perspective. Fundamental economic policy concepts such as externalities, information asymmetries and insurance can help us understand the fundamental challenge of information security.

Islamic Civil War: Who Is Winning & How Long Will It Last?
3/8/12
Speaker: Jerry Pubantz

For the past 30 years the world has been the battleground for a century-old Islamic civil war. Theoretical in origin, the struggle between moderate Muslims and radical Islamists has produced terror from New York to Madrid to Kabal. Jerry Pubantz will examine: Who is winning the battle for the future of Islam? When will the war end? What will be the consequences for the world's more than one billion Muslims?

What Lies Ahead as China Takes the Stage as a New World Power?
3/22/12
Speaker: Amb. Stapleton Roy

China is one of the world's oldest civilizations, with nearly 4,000 years of continuous history. China expert Amb Stapleton Roy will discuss the future of this great nation and the effects its rise as a world power may have on the future of the US and other nations.