Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes Pulitzer Prize winning historian and Princeton Professor Emeritus James M. McPherson for a discussion of his new book, "Trial by War." Their discussion focuses on the qualities that defined Abraham Lincoln's leadership, how he came to define the role of commander in chief, the evolution of his thinking on national policy with regard to slavery, how his goal of saving the Union shaped the politics of the war, his relationship to his generals, and the thinking and circumstances that led to his suspension of habeas corpus and the initiation of...
Ira Lapidus, Professor Emeritus of History at the University of California, Berkeley, and the founding Chair of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies on the Berkeley campus joins Harry Kreisler to discuss Islam, its relation to politics, the treatment of women in Islamic societies, and how an understanding of Islamic history might inform U.S. foreign policy.
Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes Stanford Professor Ian Morris for a discussion of his new book, Why the West Rules - For Now. Professor Morris uses the insights of biology, geography and sociology to identify the essential features and patterns of global history. Focusing on the complex relationship between geography and social development, he emphasizes humanity's capacity to adapt to the changing constraints and opportunities presented over time. He uses these variables to explain the dominance of the West and the rise of the East. He then sketches the future--anticipating, on...
Welcome to a Conversation with History. I'm Harry Kreisler of the Institute of International Studies. Our guest today is Howard Zinn. Howard Zinn is an activist, a historian, a writer, and a playwright. He is the author of many books, including A People's History of the United States, The Zinn Reader, and an autobiography called You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train. His three plays are Emma, Daughter of Venus, and Marx in Soho. He is a Professor Emeritus of History at Boston University.
Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author Haynes Johnson joins UC Berkeley's Harry Kreisler in a discussion on U.S. presidents from Eisenhower to the current President Bush.
Host Harry Kreisler welcomes Pulitzer Prize journalist Haynes Johnson for a discussion of McCarthyism and its lessons for contemporary politics. Key Words: Journalists, Historians, RIP
Host Harry Kreisler welcomes Hanna Holborn Gray, former President of the University of Chicago, for a discussion of leadership. She reflects on the influence of her parents, her historical studies, the challenge of being the first woman president of a major American university, the values that guided her, the changing identity and mission of universities as they seek to insure equality and excellence, the problem of financing universities without threatening the integrity of research and teaching, and the impact of globalization. Finally, she offers suggestions to students on education and...
Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes historian Garry Wills for a discussion his new book, Bomb Power. Wills recalls the formative influences on his work as a writer including his Catholic faith and education; William Buckley and the editors of The National Review; the Vietnam War protests and the Civil Rights movement. Wills discusses the origins of one of his early books, Nixon Agonistes: The Crisis of the Self Made Man. He explains the roots of his interest in leadership and reflects on other themes in his writing. Wills compares Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Abraham Lincoln, and...
Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes Francis Fukuyama for a discussion of his new book, The Origins of Political Order. Fukuyama traces his intellectual odyssey, discusses the origins of "The End of History" thesis, and describes the influence of Samuel Huntington. The conversation moves on to focus on the problem of political order. Fukayama identifies his purpose in writing the new book, the importance of history and comparative studies to the development of his arguments, the relevance of insights from the biological sciences, and the role of ideas in institution building. He...
Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes Pulitzer Prize winning historian Eric Foner for a discussion of his book, "The Fiery Trial." The conversation focuses on Lincoln's relationship to slavery over the course of his career. As Lincoln moved from local, to state and then national politics, he grew in stature and his understanding of the complexity of the issue matured. The discussion focuses on the key dimensions of his intellectual and political growth including Lincoln's background, his command of language in his speeches and writings, and his remarkable skills as a political leader...