Cultural/Social/World Issues
U.S. Immigration Today: Data and Policy
Posted: January 2, 2024 at 9:18 pm
Immigration is among the most significant and salient issues in America today. As Director of Mason’s Institute for Immigration Research (IIR), Dr. Witte provides audiences with a view on immigrants and immigration in line with the IIR’s mission: To produce valid, reliable, and objective multidisciplinary research on immigrants and immigration to the United States and […]
Civil Rights in Biblical Times: What Was It Like Then and Does Anything from That Era Apply Today?
Posted: September 20, 2023 at 6:58 pm
Many of us look to the Bible to justify our views on the rights of women, minorities, immigrants, persons with disabilities, etc., as well as finding models for good and bad management of cities, towns, and countries, plus tax policy, land management, and many more issues. This talk spans two millennia of biblical themes from […]
Transgender and Gender Expansive Children in Families and Schools
Posted: August 4, 2023 at 3:01 pm
This topic focuses on the experiences of trans and gender expansive children (children who identify or express their gender outside of the male/female gender binary) and offers strategies for adults (parents, teachers, couches) who work with gender expansive children to ensure affirming care. Resources for additional information and supports will be offered.
A/V requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector
Immigrant Families
Posted: August 4, 2023 at 3:00 pm
This topic focuses on immigration trends in the US and the experiences of immigrant families, especially in terms of parenting and education. Strategies for understanding and working with immigrant families across a number of sectors will be offered.
A/V requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector
Renewable and Non-Renewable Energy Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
Posted: April 14, 2023 at 2:45 pm, Last Updated: April 14, 2023 at 2:46 pm
This talk addresses the scientific and social concepts associated with renewable and non-renewable energy and the environment. It will provide an overview of the physical concept of energy as well as the scientific thoughts and processes. The talk examines both the non-renewable and renewable sources of energy in use today alongside the viable alternatives for […]
A/V requirements: Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen
Nuclear Energy in the 21st Century
Posted: April 14, 2023 at 2:41 pm
This talk addresses the issues associated with the use of nuclear energy, including nuclear power generation for electrical energy and nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons are among the most dangerous military threats facing humanity. Nuclear waste is considered one of the most fearsome long-term risks to life on Earth. The talk also addresses the many ethical […]
A/V requirements: Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen
Russia’s War on Ukraine: Origins and Update
Posted: November 18, 2022 at 4:24 pm, Last Updated: November 18, 2022 at 4:55 pm
On February 24, 2022, drawing upon a variety of demonstrably false historical analogies, Vladimir Putin ordered a mass invasion of Ukraine, extending a war that had been ongoing since 2014. Ukrainians have suffered horrific crimes at the hands of the Russian invader, but Ukraine has inspired the world through its remarkable resistance and resilience. How […]
A/V requirements: LCD projector and screen
Steven Barnes (Note: For in-person engagements, speaker needs to wear a mask.)
The Only Way to End the Risk of Nuclear War
Posted: June 1, 2022 at 3:28 pm, Last Updated: August 29, 2022 at 1:06 pm
100 seconds to midnight is the current setting of the “doomsday clock,” which shows how close we now are to nuclear war — closer than we have ever been. This talk is from a speaker who has studied the nuclear issue for years, and who believes there is only one way can avoid nuclear war. […]
A/V requirements: LCD projector and screen
Understanding the Soviet Gulag, Understanding Stalinism
Posted: October 8, 2021 at 1:56 pm, Last Updated: October 11, 2021 at 2:43 pm
Professor Barnes offers an engaging reconsideration of the role of the Soviet Gulag in Stalin’s Soviet Union based on over two decades of research in formerly highly classified Soviet archives. His discussion raises important questions about the place of the concentration camp and mass detention in the modern world and engages in systematic comparison of […]
A/V requirements: LCD Projector, Screen
Steven Barnes (Note: For in-person engagements, speaker needs to wear a mask.)
The Origins of Putinism in 1990s Russia
Posted: October 8, 2021 at 1:55 pm
Professor Barnes offers a deep dive into the consequences of the end of the Soviet Union in 1990s Russia and how the culture shock, chaos, economic pain, and violence of that era of “transition.” from Communism to so-called freedom, capitalism, and democracy help explain the origins of Putinism and the popularity of Vladimir Putin in […]
A/V requirements: LCD Projector, Screen
Steven Barnes (Note: For in-person engagements, speaker needs to wear a mask.)
Divided We Stand
Posted: October 4, 2021 at 4:46 pm
Students sometimes ask, “Is this the most divided the U.S. has ever been?’’ I remind them that we did once have a civil war where three quarters of a million Americans died during that terrible time, most from disease or starvation. But I add, this is the most divided the U.S. has been since the […]
A/V requirements: None
Land Back: The Movement for Indigenous Rights and Decolonization throughout the Americas
Posted: July 30, 2021 at 2:54 pm, Last Updated: September 13, 2021 at 8:16 pm
Indigenous Peoples throughout North and South America find themselves on the front lines of struggles over natural resources–land, forests, rivers, and subsoil minerals–and they are not shying away from the fight. From Chile to the Arctic Circle, native communities have been organizing for recognition and partnering with allies to protect sacred places. Beyond the ethical […]
A/V requirements: Internet Access, LCD Projector, Screen
Amazon Rainforest: Social and Environmental Dimensions of a Crucial World Region
Posted: July 30, 2021 at 2:52 pm, Last Updated: September 13, 2021 at 7:05 pm
The world’s largest and most biodiverse tropical rainforest, Amazonia has come under increasing threat in recent years. Understanding what’s at stake for the global climate requires an appreciation for the complex entanglements of landscape, culture, and politics in the region. Solutions to the environmental crises of deforestation, land degradation, fire, and climate change lie in […]
A/V requirements: Internet Access, LCD Projector, Screen
Human Trafficking (not available until June 2025)
Posted: July 13, 2021 at 3:15 pm, Last Updated: April 12, 2024 at 5:15 pm
A/V requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen
Immigration (not available until June 2025)
Posted: July 13, 2021 at 2:51 pm, Last Updated: April 12, 2024 at 5:16 pm
A/V requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen
Organized Crime (not available until June 2025)
Posted: July 13, 2021 at 2:49 pm, Last Updated: April 12, 2024 at 5:16 pm
A/V requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen
Critical Race Theory: What Is All The Controversy About?
Posted: June 29, 2021 at 4:55 pm, Last Updated: September 13, 2021 at 6:18 pm
Critical race theory is an approach to issues of race, social structure, and history that has caused intense disagreement among analysts and activists of various political schools. This talk describes the doctrine analyzes the sources of disagreement about it, and suggests ways of resolving the conflict.
A/V requirements: None
Andes, Quinoa
Posted: June 22, 2021 at 6:00 pm, Last Updated: September 13, 2021 at 7:07 pm
Speaker will discuss the impact of global demand for quinoa on the culture, development, and agrarian lives of Quechua quinoa cultivators in the Andes.
Civil War Memorials in Washington, DC (no speaking engagements through August 2024)
Posted: March 4, 2021 at 5:04 pm, Last Updated: April 8, 2024 at 6:32 pm
This talk considers the design and origins of key Civil War memorials in the Washington, DC, metro area, as well as contemporary debates over their meaning and removal.
A/V requirements: Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen
Meredith Lair (no speaking engagements through August 2024))
The Threat to American Democracy and Civil Society: Understanding Influence Operations, Violent Extremism, and the Fractures Spawned by Political Partisanship
Posted: January 15, 2021 at 2:58 pm
On January 6, 2021, the United States Capitol was attacked by a violent mob in an attempt to disrupt an electoral vote count by a joint session of congress. The Capitol almost fell under the weight of this insurrection. Americans – stunned and frozen in front of their televisions and mobile devices – witnessed a […]
A/V requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen, White Board and Markers
The Great Facade: How Surveillance Capitalism Almost Toppled the World’s Greatest Democracy and the European Union
Posted: November 30, 2020 at 8:40 pm, Last Updated: July 1, 2021 at 2:57 pm
We’ve all witnessed the changes in public and personal discourse and civility since the 2016 presidential election. Unfortunately, it seems as if the country is plunging into a downward spiral, and the death of reason is inevitable. How did we get here? Together, we will examine the intersections and impacts of foreign and domestic influence […]
A/V requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen, White Board, and Markers
Criminal Justice Reform: Understanding the Root of the Problem and the Cost of the Cure
Posted: November 30, 2020 at 8:35 pm, Last Updated: July 1, 2021 at 2:56 pm
How did the police – sworn to protect and serve their communities – come to be seen as an occupying force by disadvantaged communities throughout America? Why have they lost the faith and confidence of the communities they serve? What needs to be done to turn the tide and restore the profession of policing and […]
A/V requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen, White Board, and Markers
AI (Artificial Intelligence) after ChatGPT (Unavailable April – November, 2024)
Posted: April 22, 2020 at 3:02 pm, Last Updated: April 18, 2024 at 3:22 pm
AI technologies are fundamentally transforming our daily lives. They promise to transform the workplace, shift labor markets, redefine economies. How did we get here, and where are we going? This talk will first provide an overview of AI, its history, and its accomplishment. Then, it will focus on specific AI technologies that are changing our […]
A/V requirements: None
Speaking Truth to Power: The Thunderous Messages of the Hebrew Prophets and What They Mean Today
Posted: October 31, 2019 at 6:14 pm, Last Updated: September 13, 2021 at 5:58 pm
In all of literature there are few parallels to the soaring rhetoric and poetry of the Hebrew prophets. They speak to us clearly today after almost three millennia: Amos in 800 BC crying seeking help for the poor and the disenfranchised (“let justice flow like a river”); Hosea comparing his country to a prostitute; Isaiah […]
A/V requirements: LCD Projector, Screen, Laptop
Lives in Ruins: Life in the Archaeological Site of Chichén Itzá
Posted: October 11, 2019 at 1:34 pm, Last Updated: May 30, 2023 at 4:48 pm
While millions of international tourists a year visit the World Heritage site of Chichén Itzá in southern Mexico and eagerly bask in its ancient wonder, few people appreciate the contemporary significance of the archaeological site. Using archival and ethnographic research, I discuss 1) how modern science and modern Maya people came to view this “ancient […]
A/V requirements: Laptop, Screen
Computing in Science and Society
Posted: July 23, 2019 at 6:12 pm, Last Updated: June 22, 2021 at 3:45 pm
Computing is now so ubiquitous that we tend to forget the profound consequences it is having in science and society. The talk explores the advent and evolution of computing in science and society, and attempts to predict future developments.
A/V requirements: Laptop, LCD, Screen
Mexico-U.S. Relations (not available until June 2025)
Posted: June 12, 2019 at 2:14 pm, Last Updated: April 12, 2024 at 5:17 pm
A/V requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen
Is That Really in the Bible?
Posted: June 3, 2019 at 6:45 pm, Last Updated: June 22, 2021 at 3:46 pm
Nearly everybody has a favorite event or story from the Bible. Ruth has collected dozens of them for the class, each with a very different spin than may be customary. The lecture will address love stories in Genesis, and great curses in Deuteronomy, the stories of Deborah and Hannah—two great heroines—will be covered. Several stories […]
A/V requirements: LCD Projector, Screen, Laptop
The Public Health Impacts of Gender-based Violence against Women
Posted: January 24, 2019 at 3:59 pm, Last Updated: September 13, 2021 at 5:59 pm
What are the public health impacts of gender-based violence against women? How can we research gender-based violence against women? What are promising intervention approaches to both reduce gender-based violence against women?
A/V requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen
Medal of Honor Recipient Sgt. Rodney M. Davis (USMC)
Posted: October 17, 2018 at 3:04 pm, Last Updated: September 13, 2021 at 6:05 pm
My new book, “Sgt. Rodney M. Davis: The Making of a Hero,” is a factual account of the life, death and enduring legacy of Macon, Georgia’s lone Medal of Honor recipient following that fateful afternoon in Vietnam’s Que Son Valley in which his company of 200 Marines desperately tried to withstand an onslaught by an […]
A/V requirements: Internet, laptop
Climate Change: Preparing for the New Normal in Virginia
Posted: April 26, 2018 at 4:20 pm, Last Updated: June 21, 2022 at 7:02 pm
“Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.” This old saying neglects the fact that all of us are inadvertently doing something about the weather – we are changing it. The reality of global climate change is now undeniable and the likelihood is high that human activities have caused the majority of […]
A/V requirements: LCD Projector and Screen
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) – Everything You Wanted To Know But Were Afraid To Ask (Not available until September 2024)
Posted: April 27, 2017 at 2:23 pm, Last Updated: March 4, 2024 at 9:39 pm
Dr. El-Shazli can speak on the current state of affairs in MENA countries and their governments; international relations between MENA countries and the West; Arab literature and culture as a way to understand their politics; Islam and Politics; Labor Migration issues in MENA; and the Arab Uprisings – reasons and impact.
A/V requirements: Internet access, LCD Projector
Things That Keep Me Up at Night: Technology’s Severest Challenges
Posted: April 13, 2017 at 6:48 pm, Last Updated: September 13, 2021 at 8:12 pm
If you are pretty much comfortable with today’s information technology world, this course is probably not for you. The instructor, who teaches technology policy at Mason, has collected several dozen of what he thinks are the scarier, more worrisome, and potentially game-changing topics in information technology that may be in our near-term and longterm future. […]
A/V requirements: None
Economics of the Arts
Posted: March 22, 2017 at 3:47 pm, Last Updated: September 13, 2021 at 8:02 pm
A study on whether commercialization is good or bad for the arts, and how fame is produced in modern societies.
A/V requirements: None
Peru, Indigenous Populations, Conflict
Posted: September 29, 2014 at 1:39 pm, Last Updated: September 13, 2021 at 7:08 pm
Speaker will discuss current and past conditions and livelihoods of Quechua-speaking indigenous peoples in Peru.
A/V requirements: Laptop, LCD, Screen
Nuclear Power — Is it Green?
Posted: September 26, 2014 at 9:30 pm, Last Updated: September 13, 2021 at 7:05 pm
A discussion of the past, present and future of nuclear power, and its contribution to our quest for clean energy.
A/V requirements: LCD projector and screen