Government/Politics
20th and 21st Century Virginia Politics
Posted: March 8, 2024 at 6:53 pm
The evolution of Virginia politics and demographics from the rural-dominated, white-controlled society and government of the first half of the 20th Century to today’s robust multi-cultural economy and politics.
A/V requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, Screen
Demographic Change and the Transformation of US Politics
Posted: January 23, 2024 at 5:16 pm, Last Updated: January 23, 2024 at 5:18 pm
How demographic change in the US is transforming our politics and the competitiveness of the two parties.
What is the Political South?
Posted: January 22, 2024 at 7:12 pm, Last Updated: January 22, 2024 at 7:14 pm
Based on a research book project that examines the question of whether conventional definitions of the American South make any sense politically given the vast demographic and cultural shifts in the region. The presentation will explore how the South has fundamentally changed, creating entirely new challenges for the two major parties as they attempt to […]
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 […]
International Food Assistance, Food Security, and National Security
Posted: November 6, 2023 at 3:54 pm
Food Insecurity is one of the most critical problems confronting the global community in the Twenty-First Century. Despite numerous national and international efforts over the past 60 years, its elimination remains elusive due to a complex array of environmental and human factors. Despite the existence an adequate supply of food to feed the global population […]
A/V requirements: Internet Access, 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.)
Religion and Conflict in the USA (Unavailable Spring Semester 2024)
Posted: October 29, 2021 at 2:48 pm, Last Updated: March 4, 2024 at 3:55 pm
Religious conflict in the United States is partially the result of the perceived loss of the “culture wars” by the religious right. Rooted in the fundamentalist/modernist split, this conflict is especially catalyzed by the perceived necessity of the religious right to preserve their identity. What has transpired is a new blend of religion and politics […]
A/V requirements: None
Charles E. Davidson, Ph.D. (Unavailable Spring Semester 2024)
New Topics in Political Conflict in the USA (Unavailable Spring Semester 2024)
Posted: October 29, 2021 at 2:47 pm, Last Updated: March 4, 2024 at 3:55 pm
The nature of domestic political conflict in the United States has changed gradually in the past 25 years, demonstrating more rigid characteristics of polarization, combativeness, and identity-basis. The candidacy and presidency of Donald Trump and the fallout over the election of Joe Biden and the COVID-19 pandemic have crystalized conflict in ways that have been […]
A/V requirements: None
Charles E. Davidson, Ph.D. (Unavailable Spring Semester 2024)
Communicating with Congress
Posted: October 27, 2021 at 4:35 pm
Learn how to effectively communicate with Congress. Rehr is the author of The Congressional Communications Report, Landmark research on communication methods and preferences of congressional offices, they’re staff and those working to influence them. Find out where Congress goes for information, what why rely on, what they actually use, and how you can use this […]
A/V requirements: LCD Projector, Screen
Influencing Congress
Posted: October 27, 2021 at 4:33 pm
How Congress is influenced by citizens and interest groups. The topic includes: ● How does Congress receive information? ● Where do Members and staff look for information? ● How do activist citizens leverage relationships with elected officials? ● Which special interest organizations exercise their power well? Which do not achieve results? ● What advocacy tools […]
A/V requirements: LCD Projector, Screen
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
Failure of Leadership
Posted: August 23, 2021 at 3:31 pm
Lesson learned in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria. A soldier’s analysis of the justifications, mistakes, miscalculations, and combat operations that characterized America’s longest wars.
A/V requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen
Polarization’s Children: Political Socialization in the Age of Hatred
Posted: July 23, 2021 at 2:46 pm
This is part of an ongoing research project looking at whether polarized parents pass along their hatred to their children. It is derived from a proprietary data set of 1,048 pairs of parents and middle school children.
A/V requirements: Laptop, LCD, Screen
Border Security (not available until June 2025)
Posted: July 13, 2021 at 3:11 pm, Last Updated: April 12, 2024 at 5:16 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
Political Tribalism in America: Causes and Cures.
Posted: June 29, 2021 at 4:52 pm, Last Updated: July 24, 2023 at 3:04 pm
Why do political conflicts in America increasingly resemble ethnic, religious, and nationalist struggles that have been fought out violently in many other nations. How can the threat of civil violence in our own country be averted?
A/V requirements: None
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
How Did Face Masks Become a Partisan Symbol? (And Other Questions You Didn’t Learn in School)
Posted: May 28, 2020 at 7:18 pm, Last Updated: April 23, 2021 at 5:06 pm
In this brief lecture, I draw on political science findings about political parties, partisan identity, human psychology, and media to help explain everyday political events in the context of political science. The lecture begins with a summary of cutting edge social science results that help explain the current state of affairs in American politics. Then […]
A/V requirements: Internet Access, LCD Projector, Screen, White Board and Markers
Elections and Voting in America
Posted: May 28, 2020 at 7:16 pm, Last Updated: September 13, 2021 at 8:14 pm
This presentation describes the current state of affairs in U.S. elections, and includes three sections. First, drawing on sights from leading political theorists, I dispel myths about what democracy is, why it’s valuable, and the role that voting and elections play in democratic states. Second, we take a look at the practice of voting. why […]
A/V requirements: Internet Access, LCD Projector, Screen, White Board and Markers
The State of U.S. Democracy
Posted: May 28, 2020 at 7:14 pm, Last Updated: September 13, 2021 at 8:15 pm
This presentation describes the state of democracy in contemporary American politics, through the lens of political science. Drawing on history, political philosophy, social psychology, and economic decision calculus, the presentation aims to achieve three goals. First, I identify the root causes of partisan polarization in the United States today, and dispel a number of myths […]
A/V requirements: Internet Access, LCD Projector, Screen, White Board and Markers
Current Events (not available until September, 2025)
Posted: December 16, 2019 at 8:30 pm, Last Updated: February 8, 2024 at 4:06 pm
Immigration, Demographic Change, Populism, Nativism, Backlash, Minority Politics, Islam, Identity Politics, Brexit, White Working Class Voters, United States, Europe, Middle East, Policy Communication
A/V requirements: Internet, Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen
Cancel Culture as a New Social Conflict: Reputation Management Lessons
Posted: August 20, 2019 at 7:17 pm, Last Updated: July 12, 2021 at 7:16 pm
Reputation management has become more complicated in the context of new ethics. This presentation addresses an ongoing social conflict represented in cancel culture and moral outrage campaigns. The presentation illustrates new ways to counter reputational crises through pre-emptive inoculation and image repair strategies whether it be scientific arguments or attacks on individuals or organizations.
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
Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera (not available until June 2025)
Posted: June 12, 2019 at 2:10 pm, Last Updated: April 12, 2024 at 5:14 pm
Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera (Ph.D. in Political Science, The New School for Social Research) is Associate Professor at the Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University. Her areas of expertise are Mexico-U.S. relations, organized crime, immigration, border security, social movements and human trafficking. She was the Principal Investigator of a research grant to study organized […]
Foreign Intelligence
Posted: December 18, 2018 at 8:45 pm, Last Updated: June 22, 2021 at 3:53 pm
How does the U.S. conduct foreign intelligence.
A/V requirements: None
Robert L. Deitz
Posted: December 18, 2018 at 8:43 pm, Last Updated: June 29, 2021 at 2:05 pm
Lawyer in private practice; general counsel NSA; senior counselor to the direct CIA; professor of public policy.
What’s Ahead in Politics
Posted: December 17, 2018 at 3:08 pm, Last Updated: September 13, 2021 at 8:14 pm
All topics related to the current political scene.
A/V requirements: None
Bill Schneider
Posted: December 17, 2018 at 3:06 pm, Last Updated: May 21, 2021 at 12:15 pm
Bill Schneider is Professor Emeritus at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University. He was the Cable News Network’s senior political analyst from 1990 to 2009. He has been a visiting professor at the University of California at Los Angeles, Boston College, and Brandeis University. Schneider is the author of Standoff: […]
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
Management in Health Care
Posted: March 30, 2016 at 4:59 pm, Last Updated: March 29, 2021 at 7:44 pm
The evolving management requirements in today’s health care.
A/V requirements: Flip Chart, Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector, TV and VCR, White Board and Markers
Ana Stoehr
Posted: March 30, 2016 at 4:55 pm, Last Updated: March 29, 2021 at 7:44 pm
Full time faculty member who specializes in nursing and management; certified in Perioperative nursing and Critical Care; a retired Navy nurse with a vast array of experiences around the world.
Why Everyone Should Care About the Problem of the Healthcare Uninsured
Posted: September 29, 2014 at 8:21 pm
The number of health care uninsured continues to grow, adding to the problem of growing health care costs, public health problems and growing business sector personnel costs. This presentation outlines the causes and consequences of health uninsurance and what public and private sector options can be used to address this complex problem.
A/V requirements: LCD, Screen
Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech
Posted: September 26, 2014 at 8:33 pm, Last Updated: September 13, 2021 at 5:46 pm
This speech is one of the greatest speeches in US History because of its structure, word selection, and message. Even though many of the word choices are different today King’s use of metaphor and imagery reflect the needs of the time. It was an opportunity that maybe only King could have the necessary ethos to […]
A/V requirements: PowerPoint
Highways, Land Use, Transit and Transportation Policy, Planning & Finance
Posted: September 26, 2014 at 7:09 pm, Last Updated: March 29, 2021 at 6:40 pm
Transportation funding, finance, the Interstate Highway System, intelligent transportation systems (ITS), transportation and land use, technological standardization, and information systems strategic planning, infrastructure banks, secondary road policy, transportation planning and urban development, environmental impact, and decision making.
A/V requirements: Laptop, LCD, Screen
Gentrification in Washington, DC
Posted: September 26, 2014 at 6:33 pm, Last Updated: October 9, 2023 at 7:50 pm
Gentrification and its impact on inequalities and democratic participation in Washington, DC. From the 1940s to the present.
A/V requirements: LCD, Screen
Foreign Policy
Posted: September 26, 2014 at 6:21 pm, Last Updated: June 30, 2021 at 7:24 pm
Ambassador Kauzlarich can address any number of topics regarding foreign policy, the former Soviet Union, the Balkans, international energy and economic issues, energy transition and sustainability, role of US local governments in international relations, human rights, conflict resolution and peacemaking, and humanitarian aid.
A/V requirements: Internet, Laptop, LCD, Screen
Auction Use by the Federal Government
Posted: September 9, 2014 at 8:17 pm, Last Updated: September 29, 2021 at 4:50 pm
A variety of government agencies use various auction strategies to both buy and sell goods and services. This talk will discuss auction designs and their uses within the federal government.
A/V requirements: Laptop, LCD, Screen
America and the World: The Challenge of Foreign Policy
Posted: September 9, 2014 at 8:04 pm, Last Updated: October 31, 2016 at 5:17 pm
Since its founding, the United States has wrestled with the challenge of creating a foreign policy that would protect the American people and the American republic, and be true to America’s values, without destroying America as a democratic republic. This conversation explores the historical and intellectual roots of American foreign policy — from Washington’s “Farewell […]
A/V requirements: None