On this episode, UC Berkeley's Harry Kreisler talks with Perry Anderson Professor of History and Sociology at UCLA about his intellectual journey and the status of the left.
Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes Harvard historian Niall Ferguson for a discussion of his new book, "The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World." Drawing on insights from the biological sciences, Ferguson describes the rise and evolution of finance focusing on insurance, banks, and the bond market. Using the examples of housing and the U.S. China economic relationship, Ferguson demonstrates the way history can inform our understanding of the current financial crisis. He also reflects on the implications of the financial crisis for American global hegemony.
Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes Harvard historian Niall Ferguson for a discussion of his new book The War of the World. Ferguson analzyes the role of ethnic conflict, economic volatility, and the decline of empires in making the twentieth century the most violent one in human history.
Host Harry Kreisler welcomes British historian Niall Ferguson for a discussion of the dynamics of money and power in international politics, the British Empire, and the U.S. role in world affairs.
Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes historian Niall Ferguson of the Hoover Institution who is the 2016 Underhill Lecturer at Berkeley. After discussing the importance of Anglo American Studies, and the implications of the wave of populism sweeping the West, including Brexit and the Trump phenomena, the conversation turns to an in depth look at Ferguson’s recent book on Kissinger, 1923-1969, The Idealist. Ferguson details the evolution of Kissinger’s thinking about international affairs up until the time he assumes the position of national security advisor under President Nixon,. He...
Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes historian and artist Nell Irvin Painter for a discussion of her intellectual odyssey. Professor Painter discusses the influence of her parents, her work as a historian and the importance of art as a way to complement the traditional historical narrative.
Key Words: Historians, Art, Black Lives, Women Trailblazers
"Science and History" - Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes historian John Heilbron, the 2007 Hitchcock Lecturer, for a discussion of the history of science. He reflects on his contributions to the field, analyzes the challenges of studying science as a historian, and offers insight into the value of science history for society. John Heilbron also discusses his years as Vice Chancellor of the Berkeley campus.
Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes Yale Law School Professor John Fabian Witt for a discussion of the craft of legal history. Topics covered include: understanding context in legal narratives; nationalism and cosmopolitanism in the evolution of civil liberties and tort law; and the importance of slavery, emancipation, and the established laws of nations in the making of Lincoln’s Code, a revolutionary change in U.S. laws of war. The conversation concludes with thoughts on how legal history could inform a discussion of the sharing economy’s impact on the law.
Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes Dartmouth's James Wright, President Emeritus and Eleazar Wheelock Professor of History, for a discussion of his work as a historian and as President of an Ivy League college. Topics covered include: his formative years, his research on populism in the Western U.S. in the 19th century, leadership in higher education, and challenges facing public and private universities in the new economic environment. President Wright also discusses his work in aiding Afghanistan and Iraq War veterans to pursue higher education. He places these efforts in the...