News In Context

Putin’s Invasion of Ukraine: Why Now, with Stanford Political Scientist Kathryn Stoner

In this episode, we continue our conversation with Stanford political scientist Dr. Kathryn Stoner… on the context of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

Stoner is the Mosbacher Director of the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law; Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies; Political Scientist at Stanford; and Senior Fellow (by courtesy) at the Hoover Institution.

Stoner is also the author of Russia Resurrected. Its Power and Purpose in a New Global Order.

This is Part Two of my interview with Dr. Stoner… You can hear Part One at Newsincontext.net.

Putin’s Invasion of Ukraine in Context, with Stanford Political Scientist Dr. Kathryn Stoner

In this episode, we continue exploring the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine - or as our guest, political scientist Dr. Kathryn Stoner, clarifies – Putin’s invasion.

Stoner is the Mosbacher Director of the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law; Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies; Political Scientist at Stanford; and Senior Fellow (by courtesy) at the Hoover Institution.

Stoner is also the author of Russia Resurrected. Its Power and Purpose in a New Global Order.

My interview with Dr. Stoner will be presented in two parts. This is part one… which focuses on Putin’s version of a global order… and his goals with regard to Ukraine… as well as an exploration of the balancing acts both Putin and NATO are engaging in… as this conflict proceeds. Part 2 will air next week.

Exploring the historical and geopolitical context of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine w/Amir Weiner

In this episode, we explore the historical and geo-political context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as well as the role and actions of NATO.

As we watch and read about Putin’s brutal actions in Ukraine and how they are affecting the people who live there, many of us find ourselves wondering why this is happening at all.

Discussing this with me today is Dr. Amir Weiner, Director of the Center for Russian, East European, & Eurasian Studies at Stanford University.

Vaccines - the science and our perceptions, with Science Magazine Senior Reporter Meredith Wadman

In this episode, we discuss the realities of COVID-19 and other diseases on our health and well being - and how vaccines have both saved us from the grim realities, and led us to forget just how bad diseases can get without vaccines to keep them at bay.

My guest is Meredith Wadman, senior reporter with Science Magazine in Washington, D.C., and author of The Vaccine Race: Science, Politics, and the Human Costs of Defeating Disease.

Communicating Science: Vaccine Efficacy, Public Health, & Combatting Misinformation, with Greta Keenan

In this episode, we discuss vaccines – the science that has brought us such an incredible solution to public health crises; the human response to vaccines, mandates, and scientific information; and how misinformation has derailed clear communication.

My guest is Greta Keenan, program specialist for science & society at the World Economic Forum.

 

Photo Credit: Wellcome Images

Working Toward Free & Fair Elections, & Fighting efforts to suppress voices, with Jonathan Mehta Stein, ED at CA Common Cause

In this episode, we explore elections issues that make it harder for us to participate in democracy, the consequences of that, and how we can address these issues and improve our civic health.

This includes redistricting, campaign finance, voter suppression, weaponizing the recall, and other issues.

My guest is Jonathan Mehta Stein, executive director of California Common Cause.

California’s Redistricting Process & the Impact of the 2020 Census w/CalMatters Reporter Sameea Kamal

In this episode, we discuss California’s redistricting process, and the maps recently certified after the latest round of map drawing in the state. This is only the second time California’s non-partisan redistricting commission has convened.

My guest is Sameea Kamal, reporter for CalMatters who covers redistricting.

The importance of local news and how to keep it healthy, w/Washington Post Media Reporter Elahe Izadi

In this episode, we discuss local journalism, and the important role it continues to play - both in the health of our democracy - and in holding powerful organizations, companies, and government officials to account.

We also explore the challenges local journalism faces, and how news audiences can support robust local news in their communities.

My guest is Elahe Izadi, media reporter for the Washington Post.

Mental Health and the Pandemic: Learning Lessons from the Mental Health Arena, with Jeff Bell

In this episode, we explore mental health throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic… including the mental health challenges exacerbated by the pandemic… as well as what all of us can learn to cope from coping methods taught by mental professionals.

My guest is Jeff Bell, Bay Area broadcast journalist, and co-founder & president of the Adversity to Advocacy Alliance (A2A). Jeff is also author of two books on OCD: Rewind, Replay, Repeat and When in Doubt, Make Belief.

Find out more at A2AAlliance.org and HEAR and SHARE messages of hope at ProjectHopeExchange.com.

If you’re facing mental health challenges, connect with a professional, get emotional support from friends and mental health support organizations, and take care of yourself - including getting sleep and exercise.

For more resources, check out The National Institute of Mental Health… Mental Health America, The National Alliance on Mental Illness, and the International OCD Foundation.

Using Humanizing Language to Connect Communities & Create Inclusive Realitites, with Aubrey Nagle of Reframe at Resolve Philly

In this episode, we explore the power of language, and the importance of using humanizing language in journalism.

My guest is Aubrey Nagle, editor of Reframe at Resolve Philly  – “an initiative that aims to help journalists more fairly and accurately report on misrepresented and excluded communities.”

In our conversation, we focus on the importance of recognizing the humanity in the sources and stories journalists cover, and we discuss how we all can elevate humanity, connect with fellow community members, and de-prioritize misinformation and false equivalencies by using humanizing language.

Find out more about Reframe @ReframeNews

News Industry Challenges & Ideals, with Yumi Wilson & Grace Provenzano

In this episode, we explore the journalism industry and approaches to news coverage in the US - including the challenges we face, how young people are thinking about storytelling and information sharing, and what journalism should offer society.

My guests are former journalists, turned educators: Yumi Wilson… journalism professor at San Francisco State University, and Grace Provenzano, journalist, documentary producer, and educator at Arizona State University.

Grace, Yumi, and I co-authored a book about journalism called Writing & Reporting the News for the 21^st Century.

Bridging Across Difference in Polarized Times, with Convergence CEO David Eisner

In this episode, we explore the proliferation of organizations working to engage people across difference, and the urgency this work has taken on in recent years, as people in the US become more and more polarized.

 

This is Civity Week on News in Context. Civity is a culture of deliberately engaging in relationships of respect and empathy with others who are different - moving people from us-versus-them to we-all-belong.

 

My guest is David Eisner, CEO of the nonprofit bridging organization Convergence.

Objectivity, Bias, and Doing Journalism Well, Pt. 2 with Tom Rosenstiel

In this episode, we continue our conversation with Tom Rosenstiel, journalist, press critic, and co-author of the seminal book on Journalism, The Elements of Journalism, which is now in its third edition. Rosenstiel is also the author of ten other books, including four novels. He is currently the Eleanor Merrill visiting professor on the future of journalism at the Phillip Merrill college of journalism at the University of Maryland.

In Part 1 of our conversation, we focused on many issues affecting U-S journalism, including the health of the industry and how things have shifted.

We also discussed the role of politics, and the diminishing of local news, on the health of the journalism industry.

In addition, we began our conversation about the role of objectivity and bias in journalism - what those words were meant to mean, and what they’ve become, as well as a discussion of opinion versus opinion journalism.

Rosenstiel reminds us that opinion journalists are indeed journalists who were trained in the art of doing journalism well.

We continue our conversation on objectivity and bias, as well as how journalism can play a more effective role in better informing the public.

The state of local journalism in the U.S. with Tom Rosenstiel

In this episode, we explore the state of journalism in the U.S., including the challenges we face, as well as where we can find hope for a future of robust journalism that holds power to account and helps us understand our world – both near and far.

My guest is Tom Rosenstiel - journalist, press critic, and co-author of the seminal book on Journalism, The Elements of Journalism, which is now in its third edition. Rosenstiel is also the author of ten other books, including four novels.

He is currently the Eleanor Merrill visiting professor on the future of journalism at the Phillip Merrill college of journalism at the University of Maryland.

This is part 1 of our conversation you can hear part 2 next week.

The Debt Ceiling and its Role in Congressional Politics, with UC Berkeley Economist Barry Eichengreen

In this episode, we explore the debt ceiling - what it is, why it exists, and why it keeps coming up in Congressional negotiations and wrangling.

My guest is Barry Eichengreen, professor of economics and political science at UC Berkeley, and co-author of In Defense of Public Debt, and How to Achieve Inclusive Growth.

Bringing Attention to Missing People of Color, with BAMFI co-founder Derrica Wilson

In this episode, we discuss the disparity in attention in the U.S., when it comes to missing people of color.

My guest is Derrica Wilson, co-founder of the Black & Missing Foundation (BAMFI). They work with families of missing loved ones to help them connect with law enforcement, news media, and other resources, in an effort to bring attention to - and find - those who are missing.

For more information, go to BAMFI.org.

List of people missing in California: https://blackandmissinginc.com/search/

Making the U.S. Tax System Work Better, with Annette Nellen

In this episode, we discuss the state of U-S tax policy, as well as some ideas for how to overhaul the system to make it more equitable, efficient, and coherent.

We also discuss some current tax structures… and their practical impacts on the items we buy… the money we make… and who bears an unequal share of the tax burden.

My guest is Annette Nellen, Tax Professor and Director of the Graduate Tax Program at San Jose State University.

This is part two of our conversation. You can hear Part 1 at news-in-context-dot-net.

Professor Nellen also writes the Blog 21st Century Taxation.

For more information on the topics discussed in this episode and Pt. 2, check out these resources:

• Treasury Resources on Taxes and Society
  https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/faqs/taxes/pages/taxes-society.aspx
  
  
• Some information on income distribution:
  • Joint Committee on Taxation,  Present Law And Background On The Taxation Of High Income And High Wealth Taxpayers, 5/10/21
    https://www.jct.gov/publications/2021/jcx-24-21/
  • Chicago Booth Review, Never mind the 1 percent, Let's talk about the 0.01 percent, by Gold
    https://review.chicagobooth.edu/economics/2017/article/never-mind-1-percent-lets-talk-about-001-percent
    
    
• Links to tax reform hearings on the 117th Congress (and earlier)
  https://www.sjsu.edu/people/annette.nellen/website/117th-hearings.htm
  
  
• Simpson-Bowles report of 2010
  https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/moment-truth-report-national-commission-fiscal-responsibility-and-reform-december-2010
  
  
• President Bush's Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform (2005) (home mortgage deduction proposal is on page 70 of chapters 5 - 7)
  https://govinfo.library.unt.edu/taxreformpanel/
  
  
• My 21st Century Taxation website and blog
  http://www.21stcenturytaxation.com/
  http://21stcenturytaxation.blogspot.com/

The History and State of Tax Policy in the U.S. with Annette Nellen, Pt. 1

In this episode, we explore taxes in the US, including how tax policy has evolved and devolved over the course of U-S history, what taxes are meant to be for, and how we can help the general public engage in discussions and decisions involving tax policy.

My guest is Annette Nellen - Tax Professor and Director of the Graduate Tax Program at San Jose State University. Professor Nellen also writes the Blog 21st Century Taxation.

For more information on the topics discussed in this episode and Pt. 2, check out these resources:

• Treasury Resources on Taxes and Society
  https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/faqs/taxes/pages/taxes-society.aspx
  
  
• Some information on income distribution:
  • Joint Committee on Taxation,  Present Law And Background On The Taxation Of High Income And High Wealth Taxpayers, 5/10/21
    https://www.jct.gov/publications/2021/jcx-24-21/
  • Chicago Booth Review, Never mind the 1 percent, Let's talk about the 0.01 percent, by Gold
    https://review.chicagobooth.edu/economics/2017/article/never-mind-1-percent-lets-talk-about-001-percent
    
    
• Links to tax reform hearings on the 117th Congress (and earlier)
  https://www.sjsu.edu/people/annette.nellen/website/117th-hearings.htm
  
  
• Simpson-Bowles report of 2010
  https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/moment-truth-report-national-commission-fiscal-responsibility-and-reform-december-2010
  
  
• President Bush's Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform (2005) (home mortgage deduction proposal is on page 70 of chapters 5 - 7)
  https://govinfo.library.unt.edu/taxreformpanel/
  
  
• My 21st Century Taxation website and blog
  http://www.21stcenturytaxation.com/
  http://21stcenturytaxation.blogspot.com/

Voting as Speech: Elections & the First Amendment with Lata Nott

In this episode, we explore the First Amendment aspects of voting, elections, and campaigns - in particular how voting and related activities might be considered speech, and how the courts have come to view the First Amendment’s role - or lack thereof - in voting.

My guest is Lata Nott, First Amendment Fellow at the Freedom Forum; and deputy policy director for State Voices, a voting rights organization.

Making connections across sectors to connect communities & improve well being, with Nang Mo Kham of the Word Bank

In this episode, we explore the importance of making connections across sectors to achieving healthy communities.

Our guest is Nang Mo Kham, Eisenhower Fellow & senior health specialist at the World Bank, based in Myanmar. Nang sees herself as someone who can help establish a system that knits together local services, including education, public health, and others, to improve access for everyone, no matter their social status, background, or ethnicity - and thus improve the overall health of her community.

This is Civity week on NIC. Civity is a culture of deliberately engaging in relationships of respect and empathy with others who are different. Nang’s work aligns with the civity principles of building relational infrastructure to bridge difference and move from us-vs-them to ‘we all belong.’

We are also joined in this episode by Civity intern, Maya Fiorella.