Public Problems: Recent Episodes
Justin Bullock
Jared and Matt discuss the first film to feature Jason Voorhees as the killer! Still no hockey mask, though. We will have to wait for part three!
In his fifth film, Godzilla meets his greatest foe: Ghidorah! He will need to team up with Rodan and Mothra if he wants to save the Earth from this giant extraterrestrial dragon!
The title tells you pretty much everything you need to know! We had a lot of fun talking about this wildly over-the-top film.
There is something strange going on at the local funeral home and 13 year old Jody knows the very tall and sinister mortician is behind it. Listen in as we discuss this surreal Don Coscarelli classic!
By 2016, the zombie genre was worn out. So when a film that seemed to be "Zombies On a Train" came out, I didn't rush to see it. Fortunately, this film is a lot more than that!
When Mothra's egg washes up on the beach, it is threatened by greedy businessmen...and Godzilla!
When sleazy TV producer Max Renn (James Woods) discovers an underground broadcast of tv show containing nothing but violence and torture, he thinks it will be perfect for his market. But as he tries to locate the origin of the signal, Max falls into a surreal nightmare world of conspiracy.
In this episode, Jared talks with guest Matt about their shared love for the Friday the 13th film and the franchise it started.
Malignant is directed by James Wan, who also brought us films like Saw and The Conjuring. It is the story of a woman who begins having visions of real murders and is forced to confront her past. That's actually a pretty terrible summary, but to say much more would spoil a wild story!
Despite being Godzilla's second film and the first time he fought another giant monster, this sequel is often overlooked. Does it deserve more recognition?
While hosting a New Year's countdown show, Blaze gets a phone call from a man with a disguised voice who says he is going to commit murder. As the New Year arrives in each time zone across America, he changes into a new disguise and commits another murder, calling Blaze each time to torment her live on air. As the killer works his way closer to her, will the police be able to catch him in time?
This holiday season we are discussing one of the most important and respected Christmas horror movies. It is arguably the first slasher movie and certainly one of the most influential examples of that genre.
Happy Thanksgiving! We are celebrating by watching this bizarrely awful movie about a man who falls in with a group of hippies, does drugs, eats turkey meat that has been experimented on and turns into a killer turkey monster!
Happy Halloween! Do you remember the silly things that scared you as a child? Do you remember the first movie or show that frightened you? Maybe you saw or heard something that you were too young for? We will discuss all those memories and more!
For people who grew up with Ernest, this movie may be considered a minor Halloween classic. But what if this is your first Ernest movie and you are seeing it as an adult?
For our third Halloween episode this October, we are discussing the story of Donnie Darko, a teenage boy who receives a warning from a man in a creepy bunny outfit that the world is going to end in 28 days.
Listeners of a certain age may have nostalgic memories of this film. Others may be confused at our inclusion of a Disney Channel movie in our Halloween series. Try to put yourself back into the mindset of a child during the Halloween season and give this film a try.
For our first episode of this October Halloween themed series, we are discussing House of 1000 Corpses! This feature length film debut of heavy metal musician Rob Zombie was loved by many horror fans but dismissed as "torture porn" by many others. It was one of the first in a new wave of extremism in the genre and is still divisive among fans today. Listen in to hear our thoughts and then give us yours!
What happens when one of the greatest ever filmmakers creates one of the most controversial movies of all time? This is a film you won't forget anytime soon.
Before the HBO Tv Series and before George Romero's Creepshow, Amicus Productions made this anthology adaptation of five stories from the classic 1950's EC horror comics. Join us as we review each segment, pick our favorites and compare the stories to source material!
The Game of Ideas. The main source for this short is Tim Urban's The Story of US Chapter 4: The Enlightenment Kids. Available here: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/09/enlightenment-kids.html
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Walt Whitman's When I Heard The Learn'd Astronomer
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45479/when-i-heard-the-learnd-astronomer
The main source for Political Value Games as Democracy is Tim Urban's The Story of US Chapter 4: The Enlightenment Kids. Available here: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/09/enlightenment-kids.html
For more information on Public Problems with Justin Bullock:
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Godzilla meets...The Blair Witch Project? Before the found footage subgenre was completely overdone, it seemed like an interesting idea. Did this new take on the giant monster loose in the city story inspire awe and terror, or just motion sickness?
The main source for Economic Value Game as Capitalism is Tim Urban's The Story of US Chapter 4: The Enlightenment Kids. Available here: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/09/enlightenment-kids.html
For more information on Public Problems with Justin Bullock:
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The main source for Equality and Government Control is Tim Urban's The Story of US Chapter 4: The Enlightenment Kids. Available here: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/09/enlightenment-kids.html
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The main source for Distributive Fairness is Tim Urban's The Story of US Chapter 4: The Enlightenment Kids. Available here: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/09/enlightenment-kids.html
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The main source for Procedural Fairness is Tim Urban's The Story of US Chapter 4: The Enlightenment Kids. Available here: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/09/enlightenment-kids.html
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The main source for the material for Freedom and The Harm Line is Tim Urban's The Story of US Chapter 4: The Enlightenment Kids. Available here: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/09/enlightenment-kids.html
For more information on Public Problems with Justin Bullock:
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The main source for the material for The Value Games is Tim Urban's The Story of US Chapter 4: The Enlightenment Kids. Available here: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/09/enlightenment-kids.html
For more information on Public Problems with Justin Bullock:
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The citizen body should be the giant’s brain, not a dictator’s brain.
Check out the full story here: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/08/story-of-us.html
For more information on Public Problems with Justin Bullock:
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When this Hollywood remake of a Japanese ghost story was released, it was a phenomenon. Twenty years later, we take a look back to see if the reaction was justified.
Note: Due to some internet issues, you may hear a few moments of audio issues. Sorry about that. Remember, we are recording from opposite sides of the planet!
A constitutional government IS better than a cudgel.
Check out the full story here: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/08/story-of-us.html
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A constitution IS better than a dictator.
Check out the full story here: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/08/story-of-us.html
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Inalienable Rights, ya know, the ones like life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
Check out the full story here: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/08/story-of-us.html
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"The Power Games basically goes like this: everyone acts fully selfish, and whenever there’s a conflict, whoever has the power to get their way, gets their way. Or, more succinctly:
Everyone can do whatever they want, if they have the power to pull it off.
There are no principles in the Power Games—only the cudgel. And whoever holds it makes the rules."
Check out the full story here: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/08/story-of-us.html
And a longer discussion of the Power Games phenomenon and other related ideas here: https://youtu.be/Plgk6eUPnpU
For more information on Public Problems with Justin Bullock:
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The Cudgel is a key ingredient in many Superglue Stories. It's also a favorite tool of the dictator.
Check out the full story here: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/08/story-of-us.html
And a longer discussion of the Cudgel phenomenon and other related ideas here: https://youtu.be/Plgk6eUPnpU
For more information on Public Problems with Justin Bullock:
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A Queen Bee is one of the ingredients in a Superglue Story.
Check out the full story here: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/08/story-of-us.html
And a longer discussion of The Queen Bee phenomenon and other related ideas here: https://youtu.be/Plgk6eUPnpU
For more information on Public Problems with Justin Bullock:
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Superglue Stories are the ones that are viral and very sticky in human minds. They often have similar characteristics.
Check out the full story here: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/08/story-of-us.html
And a longer discussion of the Superglue Stories phenomenon and other related ideas here: https://youtu.be/Plgk6eUPnpU
For more information on Public Problems with Justin Bullock:
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Human behavior is derived from a number of factors including the primitive and higher mind and knowledge and delusion about the environment.
Check out the full story here: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/08/story-of-us.html
And a longer discussion of Human Behavior can be found here: https://youtu.be/Plgk6eUPnpU
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Animal behavior is derived from primal motivations and the environment.
Check out the full story here: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/08/story-of-us.html
And a longer discussion of Animal Behavior and other related ideas here: https://youtu.be/Plgk6eUPnpU
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Lulu & Mooch are representative of animal and human behavior, and how both types of behavior may be modified.
Check out the full story here: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/08/story-of-us.html
And a longer discussion of Lulu & Mooch and other related ideas here: https://youtu.be/Plgk6eUPnpU
For more information on Public Problems with Justin Bullock:
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A Story of Stories describes how narratives and certain types of stories drive conflict and decision making and dominate groups of individuals’ behaviors. The "stories" function something like a brain to giants.
Check out the full story here: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/08/story-of-us.html
This is also the title of Chapter 3 from The Story of Us: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/09/stories.html
And a longer discussion of the Story of Stories phenomenon and other related ideas here: https://youtu.be/Plgk6eUPnpU
For more information on Public Problems with Justin Bullock:
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A Game of Giants describes how much of what drives conflict and decision making can be understood as being influenced by large tribes and group think. Giants are a representation of larger tribes and the ways in which tribal behavior can dominate groups of individuals’ behaviors. This is a phenomenon described by Tim Urban in The Story of Us.
Check out the full story here: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/08/story-of-us.html
And a longer discussion of the Giants phenomenon and other related ideas here: https://youtu.be/Plgk6eUPnpU
For more information on Public Problems with Justin Bullock:
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Giants are a representation of larger tribes and the ways in which tribal behavior can dominate groups of individuals’ behaviors. This is a phenomenon described by Tim Urban in The Story of Us.
Check out the full story here: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/08/story-of-us.html
And a longer discussion of the Giants phenomenon and other related ideas here: https://youtu.be/Plgk6eUPnpU
For more information on Public Problems with Justin Bullock:
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Ants vs. Spiders highlight the way that some organisms favor individual behavior whereas others are more dominated by group behaviors. This is phenomenon used by Tim Urban in The Story of Us.
Check out the full story here: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/08/story-of-us.html
And a longer discussion of the Ants vs. Spider phenomenon and other related ideas here: https://youtu.be/Plgk6eUPnpU
For more information on Public Problems with Justin Bullock:
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Emergence Tower is the description of emergent phenomenon used by Tim Urban in The Story of Us.
Check out the full story here: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/08/story-of-us.html
And a longer discussion of Emergence Tower and other related ideas here: https://youtu.be/Plgk6eUPnpU
For more information on Public Problems with Justin Bullock:
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A concept taken from the this blog post: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/08/fire-light.html
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concept taken from this blog post: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/08/fire-light.html
For more information on Public Problems with Justin Bullock:
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A concept taken from this blog post: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/08/fire-light.html
For more information on Public Problems with Justin Bullock:
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The idea of meditation as intentional cognitive defusion is described in more detail in this blog post: https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/mELQFMi9egPn5EAjK/my-attempt-to-explain-looking-insight-meditation-and
Flinching, as described in this blog post:
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/mELQFMi9egPn5EAjK/my-attempt-to-explain-looking-insight-meditation-and
Mr. Question Mark Man
"But we hit the crazily futuristic year 1700 AD and most humans were living as a cell inside some human giant where the rules, the rights, and the resources were inflicted by a few people at the top on everyone else below.
What that meant for almost everyone was that while your destiny in life would be partially shaped by your biology, upbringing, choices, and luck—it mostly depended on the Mr. Question Mark Man who happened to sit at the top of your giant and whatever Question Mark story happened to rule over its culture.
How the Question Mark ruler and Question Mark story felt about things like freedom, fairness, or your particular ethnic group would determine everything about how you were able to live. It was like drawing a card from a deck and hoping it was a high card. If you happened to draw a jack of hearts and be born the child of a noble in one of the dictator’s deemed upper castes, you might live a safe and enjoyable life. But more often, you’d find yourself with the 7 of clubs and spend your one life as an in-the-shit peasant, or you’d draw a 4 of diamonds and spend 40 hard years as a slave, or you’d draw a 2 of spades and be thrust at the age of 13 into the front lines of one of Mr. Question Mark Man’s foreign exploits and that would be that for you. Even if you did draw a decent card, you were always one heart attack or assassination of the leader away from a new queen bee taking control of the giant and reshuffling the deck."
Check out the full story here: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/08/story-of-us.html
And a longer discussion of the Mr. Question Mark Man phenomenon and other related ideas here: https://youtu.be/Plgk6eUPnpU
For more information on Public Problems with Justin Bullock:
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Looking, as discussed in this blog post:
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/mELQFMi9egPn5EAjK/my-attempt-to-explain-looking-insight
Cognitive Defusion, as discussed in this blog post:
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/mELQFMi9egPn5EAjK/my-attempt-to-explain-looking-insight-meditation-and
Cognitive Fusion, as referenced in this blog post:
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/mELQFMi9egPn5EAjK/my-attempt-to-explain-looking-insight-meditation-and
It's the underrated folk horror murder mystery musical! Police Sergeant Neil Howie goes to an island to investigate the disappearance of a young girl. As a conservative-minded Christian, Howie is shocked to find the the citizens of the island have embraced paganism and deny the existence of the girl. He slowly uncovers a plot far darker than he could have imagined!
The Story of US Part 2.
The main source for the material this week is Tim Urban's The Story of US Chapter 3: The Story of Stories: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/09/stories.html
Also available on YouTube as a video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Plgk6eUPnpU&t=14s
For more information on Public Problems with Justin Bullock:
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The Story of US Part 3: The Enlightenment Kids.
The main source for the material this week is Tim Urban's The Story of US Chapter 4: The Enlightenment Kids. Available here: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/09/enlightenment-kids.html
A video version of this episode can be found on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eN5HOANltUA
For more information on Public Problems with Justin Bullock:
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What's What?, The Learn'd Astronomer, and Afghanistan
A video version of this episode can be found on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpKRz-PHlgA&t=454s
On this episode of Public Problems with Justin Bullock, we take a break from The Story of Us to share channel updates, a brief passage from Aldous Huxley's "The Island," Walt Whitman's "The Learn'd Astronomer," and Justin chats with Professor of International Affairs Gregory Gause about the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
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In this episode Justin introduces Tim Urban's The Story of Us.
Original Blog Link: https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/08/story-of-us.html
Also available on Youtube as a video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EwBPezYIRM&t=38s
For more information on Public Problems with Justin Bullock:
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In today's live episode of Public Problems, Justin looks at rational, scientific, and spiritual approaches to answering: who are we?
Also available on Youtube as a video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjMjJAcEFiU&t=2096s
Sources:
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/mELQFMi9egPn5EAjK/my-attempt-to-explain-looking-insight-meditation-and
https://www.organism.earth/library/document/who-are-we
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence
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Public Problems Podcast returns! Justin asks: Who are We?
Also available on Youtube as a video here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utzbtxVmgzo
For more information on Public Problems with Justin Bullock:
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A group of adventurous women find themselves trapped in an uncharted cave after the entrance collapses. But that is only the beginning of their problems, as they soon realize that there is something else with them in the darkness!
When the first trailers for this movie came out, it looked generic. But there was a lot of buzz around the movie, with people encouraging others not to spoil the twist. Listen as we discuss tribute to the horror genre and its many references. Did we miss any?
It's the movie that taught us that zombies eat brains...and the movie that gave this podcast its name! "Do you wanna party?!" Then join us in celebrating The Return Of The Living Dead, a movie that perfectly balances fun and fright!
Join our hosts as they discuss the current and future state of democracy, the effects of neoliberalism and the evolution of race relations in the U.S. in the final episode of Uncorked. This is a foreign policy and domestic policy podcast that spotlights international, national and local news topics the U.S. faces today.
On this episode, join our hosts as they discuss the effects of COVID-19 with Dr. Christine Blackburn. Topics include the longterm symptoms of COVID-19, COVID-19’s impact on the health infrastructure and economy, and the relation between pandemics and national security. This is a foreign policy and domestic policy podcast that spotlights international, national and local news topics the U.S. faces today.
On this episode, join our hosts as they discuss current issues the U.S. faces on both a domestic and international scale. Topics include COVID-19, Biden’s new infrastructure bill, voting laws and the importance of democracy. This is a foreign policy and domestic policy podcast that spotlights international, national and local news topics the U.S. faces today.
On this episode, join our hosts as they discuss U.S.-Mexico politics with Dr. Aileen Teague. Topics include the Biden administration’s ability to create effective immigration reform, the history of counterinsurgency and the war on drugs, and where the U.S. should be strategically deploying resources in Latin America. This is a foreign policy and domestic policy podcast that spotlights international, national and local news topics that affect the U.S. today.
On this episode, join our hosts as they discuss Latin American politics and migration in Germany with Dr. Mathias Poertner. Topics include immigration policy, the role of foreign aid in repairing Central American governments and key issues regarding immigration in Germany.
In this episode, join our hosts, Dr. Justin Bullock and Dr. Gregory Gause, as they discuss state and local governments with guests Dr. Ann Bowman and Dr. Robert Greer. Topics include Texas vaccine roll out and reopening of businesses, infrastructure challenges and the future of local and state governments
In this episode, Justin, chats with public service professionals Dylan Armstrong, Lindsey Gonzalez, Alicia Ortman, & Alix Waitman about the challenges AI presents to public service delivery
For references and script for the conversation click below:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/18DOmiAFm4cEzur0TDAgiEu0URhSOUSrG/view?usp=sharing
Horribly shy Angela is having a rough first year at summer camp. The other campers bully her and there is a killer on the grounds! We have a lot of fun discussing this entry into the summer camp slasher sub-genre....and it's unforgettable twist ending!
After stealing a small fortune from her work, Marion leaves town. She stops at a small motel run by an eccentric young man with a secret. Loved by critics and endlessly analyzed by academics, Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece was decades ahead of it's time.
It's almost Saint Patrick's Day! That's a good enough excuse to watch Leprechaun! This hilarious early 90's horror comedy is more clever and entertaining than you might expect.
In this episode, Justin shares C.S. Lewis' Inner Ring essay.
https://www.lewissociety.org/innerring/
To prepare for the upcoming remake, we watch the first battle between these two giants of cinema!
February 22, 2021 Weekly Public Problems with Justin Bullock Episode #7 Script
Welcome! Welcome back to another episode of Public Problems! I’m your host Justin Bullock Today is Monday, Feb 22 2021 and I’m doing the weekly podcast live again on FB live. Thanks to those of you joining us live, watching this video, and listening to this audio. Challenging week for Texas & the Country: Moment of silence
Updates Patreon Supporter Events for February Ask Me Anything 2/25
Last Week’s Segment The Value Alignment Problem personified by Godzilla
This Week’s Segments Lo Wainwright Ch. 1
Next Week’s Segment: CS Lewis Inner Ring
After nearly 70 years and more than 35 films, the original Godzilla is still considered by many to be the best. We discuss why the films works so well, the historical and cultural influences of its creation, and our early memories of being a fan of the series.
February 15, 2021 Weekly Public Problems with Justin Bullock Episode #6 Script
Welcome! Welcome back to another episode of Public Problems! I’m your host Justin Bullock Today is Monday, Feb 15 2021 and I’m doing the weekly podcast live again on FB live. Thanks to those of you joining us live, watching this video, and listening to this audio.
Updates Patreon Supporter Events for February Live Recording on Zoom 2/15 Ask Me Anything 2/25
Last Week’s Segment The Last Chapter of Odd John This Week’s Segments
Public Problem: The Value Alignment Problem (An ongoing series) Today, I want you to think about 3 concepts Existential Risk
Top 5 Existential Risks: Value Alignment Pandemics (human engineered) Nuclear Weapons Climate Change Environmental Degradation
Risk Factors (Make things worse) Security Factors (Make things better)
Godzilla (1954) Human Made H-Bomb
Bombing of Tokyo (Apr 18, 1942 – Mar 10, 1945) The Bombing of Tokyo was a series of firebombing air raids by the United States Army Air Forces during the Pacific campaigns of World War II. Operation Meetinghouse, which was conducted on the night of 9–10 March 1945, is the single most destructive bombing raid in human history. Flashing lights and shooting things (risk) Oxygen destroyer (security)
Next Week’s Segment: Lo Wainwright: Homo Superior February 22.
In his first full length film, David Lynch created one of the most bizarre and unsettlingly movies you will ever see. It follows Henry Spencer, who tries to take care of his severely deformed newborn in a decrepit city. Everything else is up for interpretation and we have a lot of fun discussing our theories!
In this episode, listen as our hosts, Dr. Justin Bullock and Dr. Gregory Gause, discuss the trajectory of the new Biden Administration. Topics include impeachment, COVID-19 relief and the possibility of bipartisanship.
In this episode of Public Problems, Justin says goodbye to Odd John and hello to Lo Wainwright. February 8, 2021 Weekly Public Problems with Justin Bullock Episode #5 Script Welcome! Welcome back to another episode of Public Problems! I’m your host Justin Bullock Today is Monday, Feb 8 2021 and I’m doing the weekly podcast live again on FB live. Thanks to those of you joining us live, watching this video, and listening to this audio. Updates Patreon Supporter Events for February Live Recording on Zoom 2/15 Ask Me Anything 2/25 Two Weeks Ago Segment Odd John Ch. 10 Plight of Humanity Other thoughts from last week Last Week’s Segments AI, Discretion, & Bureaucracy Available Here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Tpn2j1UO0M2EMlfTROMZld3uPXcq29YJ/view?fbclid=IwAR3CEuOCfOzAlSRiIo2ZJ8ZuFtBw_nVxZKJRIxfqZMzZmgH1XpyKyH_mDlQ
This Week’s Segment The Last Chapter of Odd John
Next Week’s Segments The Value Alignment Problem (An ongoing series) AI, Governance, Future of Humanity Lo Wainwright: Homo Superior
February 1, 2021 Weekly Public Problems with Justin Bullock Episode #4 Script (available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1I0zWELz8I_qMrZM-kv-6DcH0lNnb_9sWxbeTZFlTYmc/edit?usp=sharing)
Welcome!
Welcome back to another episode of Public Problems! I’m your host Justin Bullock. Today is Monday, Feb 1 2021 and I’m doing the weekly podcast live again on FB live. Thanks to those of you joining us live, watching this video, and listening to this audio.
Updates Patreon Email today!
Supporter Events for February Live Recording on Zoom 2/15 Ask Me Anything 2/25
Microphone
AI Governance Kickoff Event success
Last Week’s Segment Odd John Ch. 10: Plight of Humanity Other thoughts from last week
This Week’s Segments AI, Discretion, & Bureaucracy Available Here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Tpn2j1UO0M2EMlfTROMZld3uPXcq29YJ/view?usp=sharing
Next Week’s Segment The Last Chapter of Odd John Other segments
We go nearly a century into the past to watch a silent film. Although highly praised by film critics and historians, does Nosferatu have much to offer a modern audience?
January 25th, 2021 Weekly Public Problems with Justin Bullock Episode #3 Script
Welcome!
Welcome back to another episode of Public Problems! I’m your host Justin Bullock
Today is Monday, January 25th, 2021 and this is our third weekly show and our second live Monday morning recording
Thanks to those of you joining us live, watching this video, and listening to this audio.
Updates! I have a few updates for you since last week.
We now have 10 patrons of Patreon! Thanks so much for those of you who are already supporting the podcast.
If you are not yet supporting the podcast, please consider doing so on patreon. I offer three levels of monthly support there Assistant $3/ Associate $5 Full /$7
Each of these comes with its own benefit, and 10% of all donations will go to “Giving What We Can” Top 5 charities for 2021 and once you are a patron you will also receive a free copy of my Lo Wainwright which is set to be published on July 1.
New microphone as well!
Events for Supporters In February, Patreon supporters will begin receiving additional benefits. These include a link to virtually attend a live recording and an Ask Me Anything Hangout Session. I will be emailing you the details of these events this week!
Book Updates! 25k words Editors hired Illustrations and photography commissioned More coming in the following weeks
Reading Segments for this past week Read William Carlos Willams Danse Russe https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46483/danse-russe Read Ch 1 of Odd John Give background https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odd_John Letter from Birmingham
Readings for this Week Ch 10 of Odd John, read in 5 parts and abridged
Feb 1 Next Episode
This episode of Public Problem was recorded live on Facebook Live on January 18th, 2021. Here's the link to the video: https://www.facebook.com/PublicProblemsPodcast/videos/1166301500453277
In this episode, Justin provides updates on the podcast, reflects on the reading from last week, reads Danse Russe, reads Ch.1 of Odd John, and in memory of Martin Luther King Jr reads a portion of Letter from Birmingham Jail. The links to each of the sources are below.
Also, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustinBullock?fan_landing=true
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46483/danse-russe
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odd_John
https://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html
Join us for this episode as Jared, Mia, and Justin discuss the classic The Shining. Enjoy!
In this first episode of Public Problems for 2021, Justin announced that the Public Problems Podcast will publish weekly podcast episodes on Mondays. This will be a variety show that will include academic work, poetry, fiction, and conversations with different types of guests.
Public Problems will also continue to post The Rabid Weasel Podcast and Bush School Uncorked.
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustinBullock?fan_landing=true
Support us on Venmo: @Justin-Bullock
Thomas Roethke's The Waking available here: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43333/the-waking-56d2220f25315
Artificial Intelligence: A Double Edged Sword available here: https://bush.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/V11-9_AI_Takeaway.pdf
You better watch out....Krampus is coming to town! For our last podcast of 2020, we discuss this horror comedy that focused on an under appreciated piece of folklore.
Join our hosts Dr. Bullock and Dr. Gause this week as they discuss election outcomes, presidential transition, and the potential future of American elections!
For our first Christmas themed podcast, we take a look at the holiday hybrid stop-motion classic: Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas!
AI in Distance Learning and Higher Education with Brian Nakamura and Lisa Brown
Listen to this special episode of Uncorked as Dr. Bullock hosts two of the Bush School's own: Professor Brian Nakamura and Ms. Lisa Brown! This conversation focuses on AI and its practicality and effects in educational institutions.
Join our host Dr. Bullock as he sits with Dean of the Bush School, General Mark Welsh to discuss effective leadership and public service in today's world.
We took a little break after releasing five episodes in October, but we are back with this Sci-Fi classic about a city whose citizens are being replaced by clones controlled by space spores!
Recorded the day after the 2020 US Presidential election, Justin and Greg consider the challenges the USA faces for a peaceful transfer of presidential power.
Happy Halloween! We are finishing our October podcasts with the mandatory choice: John Carpenter's famous Halloween!
This episode we decided to discuss the holiday of Halloween: our favorite memories, costumes, candies and more!
Listen to this week's podcast as we discuss presidential leadership! We're joined by another Uncorked regular, Dr. John Schuessler! Also, go vote!
This episode we discuss the 2019 film adaptation of the popular and controversial children's horror books. Did the movie live up to the spooky standard?
This episode dives into discussing the obstacles and barriers that come with voting in the middle of a pandemic! Join us as we host frequent podcast guest, Dr. Jonathan Coopersmith to learn more on what to expect this election season.
On Halloween night a group of teenagers go to an abandoned funeral to party and accidentally summon a demon! Oops! It begins possessing them and changing them into killer monsters. Will anyone survive the Night of the Demons?
It's the first of five Halloween themed podcasts for October! This week we get into the spirit of the season with what may be the perfect Halloween movie: Trick r' Treat!
In this episode of Bush School Uncorked we sit with Dr. Christine Blackburn to discuss the ongoing efforts to manage the global pandemic. How is the world doing? What can we do? How effective have our responses been? These are just a few of the questions covered in this episode!
For our 5th episode, Mia wanted to watch Rosemary's baby. Will she like it? Will we avoid the elephant in the room? Will Justin say "dundundun!" at every plot twist? Listen to find out and let us know what you think about this one!
Our first Bush School Uncorked guest for the academic year is Dr. Raymond Robertson! Listen as we converse on the economic impacts and effects of the pandemic. Be sure to check out our YouTube channel, Bush School Uncorked, for live streams!
"Things coming out of crates and eating people! Dead people coming back to life! People turning into weeds!" That's right. This episode we are discussing possibly the best horror anthology ever: Creepshow!
This episode dives into the DNC/RNC Conventions, discussions on the US Postal Service, and growing tensions between the US and China on the technological concerns with apps such as TikTok and WeChat. Enjoy!
In this episode of Bush School Uncorked, Dr. Gause and Dr. Bullock discuss recent events including Back to school, Beirut, COVID-19, and Elections.
For our third episode, we look at the most famous adaptation of Mary Shelley's Gothic novel. Will Justin and Mia find value in a movie that came out with sound was new to movies?
On the second episode of the Rabid Weasel Podcast, Jared introduces Justin and Mia to their first film by the controversial Italian director Lucio Fulci's Zombie! Listen as we discuss the film's plot, special effects, and of course, the infamous shark scene!
It’s the very first episode of the Rabid Weasel Podcast! Twice a month, we will discuss a different classic of horror cinema. This week, horror nerd Jared introduces Justin and Mia to 1985’s gory, gross and hilarious zombie classic Re-Animator! Please like our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/rabidweaselreviews for updates and new written reviews every Friday!
In this episode, our hosts discuss Fourth of July celebrations, recent Congressional decisions, and the implications of AI on social media platforms. Listen in as we hit on a variety of current issues, in particular, the impacts of tech companies and how their data collection poses privacy/security concerns for their users.
This week, our hosts take to discussing news on President Trump, the Sul Ross statue at Texas A&M, and ongoings of the current pandemic. As well, we converse a bit on recent rulings from the Supreme Court and their potential implications. Listen here!
Listen to our newest episode as our hosts discuss the protests, riots, and race-related issues stemming from current events. We take a look into some of the systemic variables contributing to the modern racial climate along with the responses from lawmakers and elected officials.
Listen as the episode discusses how state and local governments are responding to the pandemic, and what impacts it may have on them financially and politically. Our hosts sit with Professors Ann Bowman and Robert Greer to examine these issues more closely and offer what they believe the effects will be.
People are having to rely on technology now more than ever to accomplish school and work-related tasks. How will this increasing reliance affect privacy within our democracy, and what should people be aware of during these times? Listen now to hear some answers to these questions!
What impacts will COVID-19 have on federalism and states' rights? How will this pandemic affect state economies and consumer spending? What steps can governors and other state actors take in ameliorating the negative externalities they now face? Listen as our hosts discuss answers to these questions!
In this episode, Dr. Justin Bullock sits with health economist Dr. David Bradford to discuss the economic impact of COVID-19. Namely, they converse on how this pandemic will affect the private and public sectors, along with the mark it could leave globally. Give it a listen!
In the third installment of our Encampment series, co-host Justin Bullock interviews the team that went to Brownsville, Texas to hear their insights from the trip. The team discusses what they saw, their reactions, and their thoughts on how to proceed in the future when dealing with policies concerning refugees and asylum seekers. A special thank you to Mary Lu Hare, Angela Sayre, and Scott Spreier for agreeing to be a part of this series.
Links for World Central Kitchen & Team Brownsville: https://wck.org/ https://www.teambrownsville.org/
In this episode, our hosts take to Zoom for a live recording of Uncorked. Listen as we discuss how the pandemic is expected to affect factors such as national security and higher education. As well, we converse on the international response to COVID-19 and how the US has played a role during this crisis.
Concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic? Interested in what health and disease experts are saying on the subject? Listen as our hosts chat with Professor Andrew Natsios, Director of the Scowcroft Institute, on what nations are doing to confront the crisis on our newest episode!
How does the US response to the pandemic compare to other countries? Are we doing what's necessary to flatten the curve and prevent the spread of COVID-19? Has our response been timely? These are just a few of the questions answered in our newest episode with Dr. Gerald Parker and Dr. Christine Blackburn, both highly-esteemed members within the Scowcroft Institute at the Bush School. Give it a listen!
In this Hot Takes episode, our hosts discuss results from the democratic primaries and updates on the coronavirus pandemic. The conversation ranges from potential democratic presidential candidates/running mates, along with the economic and societal implications that come with the COVID-19 pandemic. Listen as our hosts speak on what we may expect in the coming months on both of these fronts.
Listen as our hosts discuss factors leading to the end of the Cold War with Dr. Fritz Bartel, Assistant Professor within International Affairs at the Bush School. This episode provides both economic and historical contexts that explain how factors such as finance and oil impacted U.S. and Soviet relations.
The second installment of Uncorked's Encampment Series features an interview between co-host, Dr. Justin Bullock, and producer, Faith Dingas.
Listen as we reflect on the thoughts and impacts of Dr. Bullock's experiences working with refugees and asylum seekers in the second episode of the series.
Sources for the episode:
https://www.dhs.gov/immigration-statistics/refugees-asylees https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/02/12/us-remain-mexico-program-harming-children https://www.npr.org/2020/01/10/795414116/gov-greg-abbott-says-new-refugees-wont-be-allowed-to-settle-in-texas
In this episode, our hosts sit with Texas A&M professor and historian, Dr. Jonathan Coopersmith. The conversation features topics such as automation and its impact on labor markets, along with what future technological endeavors hold. Give it a listen!
This is a new series documenting the recent trip co-host, Dr. Justin Bullock, and podcast producer, Faith Dingas, took to the U.S. - Mexico border. Accompanied by a team led by former Bush School student, Mary Lu Hare, the Uncorked crew worked alongside Team Brownsville and World Central Kitchen to help feed refugees at the encampment in Matamoros, Mexico. The purpose of this series is to examine the current refugee and asylum seeking processes, along with providing commentary and interviews of what on the ground operations look like.
In this first installment, Dr. Bullock sits and explains the current policies implemented by the United States government. The focus is on understanding the process by which refugees and asylum seekers are expected to undergo, along with statistics on who is being let in.
Sources for the episode can be found at:
https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/02/12/us-remain-mexico-program-harming-children# https://www.dhs.gov/immigration-statistics/refugees-asylees https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/refugees-and-asylum/asylum https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/refugees-asylum/refugees
In this Hot Takes episode, our hosts discuss results from the democratic primaries and updates on the coronavirus pandemic. The conversation ranges from potential democratic presidential candidates/running mates, along with the economic and societal implications that come with the COVID-19 pandemic. Listen as our hosts speak on what we may expect in the coming months on both of these fronts.
In this Bush School Uncorked episode, our hosts speak with Bush School professor and Director of the Mosbacher Institute for Trade, Economics, and Public Policy, Dr. Raymond Robertson. Listen as the conversation focuses on trade and migration patterns, and how those aspects influence relationships within the global economy.
In this Bush School Uncorked episode, our hosts sit with Dean and Senior Associate Dean of the Bush School, Mark Welsh and Dr. Frank Ashley. Listen in as they discuss their insight on working for the school and with students from around the globe. Bush School Uncorked is happy to welcome them both as our first guests of the semester!
In this episode of Bush School Uncorked, Dr. Gause and Dr. Bullock discuss their thoughts on the most recent news on Iran, impeachment, and the democratic primaries.
Recorded live at Downtown Uncorked, listen as our hosts discuss the implications of these events both at home and abroad.
In this episode of Bush School Uncorked, Justin Bullock and Gregory Gause chat with Ambassador Larry Napper about the political and historical roots that have led Ukraine to its current state of affairs. Check it out!
In this episode of Bush School Uncorked, Justin Bullock and Gregory Gause host Dr. Kent Portney and Dr. Jonathan Coopersmith to discuss various topics related to science and technology policy. There's a lot going on at the intersect of technology, ethics, and public policy. Check it out!
In this Bush School Uncorked Hot Takes episode, Justin Bullock and Gregory Gause discuss impeachment, the Democratic presidential candidates, and global protests. Enjoy!
In our most recent episode, Professors Ann Bowman and Rob Greer, along with Deputy City Manager of Bryan, Texas, Mr. Hugh Walker, sit to discuss the dynamics of local government. Join us as our panel converses on topics such as municipal economic development, intergovernmental relationships, and local strategic planning. It's worth the listen!
In this episode of Uncorked, Dr. Bullock sits with Dr. Will Brown, a Bush School professor and Director of the Center for Nonprofits and Philanthropy. Additionally, we are joined by Alison Prince of United Way, AJ Renold of Voices for Children, and Theresa Mangapora of the Brazos Valley Food Bank. Sit with us as we discuss the role of nonprofits in society and, specifically, how these nonprofit experts operate on a daily basis.
In this episode of Bush School Uncorked, Dr. Justin Bullock and Dr. Gregory Gause sit with Dr. John Schuessler to discuss grand strategy and concepts related to its meaning and historical significance within the United States. "U.S. Grand Strategy in the Trump Era" is specifically a dialogue on how President Trump has approached international relationships and how those interactions can impact policy on a global level. Academic, yet fun, this episode is a conversation that is worth the listen.
On Season 2 Episode 2 of Bush School Uncorked, Dr. Bullock and Dr. Gause discuss political events from the summer and breaking news around a presidential impeachment inquiry. Recorded live on September 24th at Downtown Uncorked in Historic Downtown Bryan, Texas, “Hot Takes: Summer 2019” covers topics from presidential impeachment inquiries to conflicts in the Middle East and protests in Hong Kong. With a blend of expertise from both of our hosts, this episode is definitely worth the listen! Enjoy!
On this episode of Bush School Uncorked, hosts Dr. Justin Bullock and Dr. Gregory Gause, sit with Dr. Deborah Kerr and Dr. Lori Taylor to discuss HB 3, an education bill that passed with unanimous votes across the Texas legislature. Titled “Improving Governance Outcomes in Texas,” this conversation focuses on the mechanics of HB 3, along with the contextual factors that were considered for its implementation. Recorded live on September 10th at Downtown Uncorked in Bryan, Texas, this episode is the first of many for this semester!
In this episode Justin Bullock gives a lecture titled "Creating Artificial Bureaucrats: A Path Forward." He argues that artificial intelligent complex systems will need to embody certain characteristics to be able to execute governance tasks utilizing artificial discretion. He also presents the comprehension criteria as the limiting case for when human discretion should remain preferable to artificial discretion.
On July 31, 2019, Justin Bullock delivered a public lecture at National Chengchi University (NCCU) for the Taiwan Institute for Governance and Communication Research (TIGCR). The lecture is titled "Creating Artificial Bureaucrats: A Path Forward." The unedited audio from the lecture is provided in this podcast episode.
This lecture can also be found in video format on the TIGCR's youtube page at the link below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9re1hBT55U
On May 29, 2019, Justin Bullock delivered a public lecture at National Chengchi University (NCCU) for the Taiwan Institute for Governance and Communication Research (TIGCR). The lecture is titled "International Comparisons of Public and Private Employees." It explores cross-national data from numerous countries to explore how similar or different public and private employees are motivated. The unedited audio from the lecture is provided in this podcast episode. Apologies for the quality of audio in this episode.
This lecture can also be found in video format on the TIGCR's youtube page at the link below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQtgfFSLmh4&fbclid=IwAR2ZaYZouuJrCczplOIR7A9bvwmryXiISPl2-d0lnW9dN-otwVftr4uZvF4
On June 19, 2019, Justin Bullock delivered a public lecture at National Chengchi University (NCCU) for the Taiwan Institute for Governance and Communication Research (TIGCR). The lecture is titled "Artificial Intelligence, Artificial Discretion, and Bureaucracy." It explores the role Artificial Intelligence is beginning to play in governance and offers a framework called Artificial Discretion to begin to understand both the impact of AI on governance and when and how various forms AI tools should be considered for augmenting or automating different governance tasks. The unedited audio from the lecture is provided in this podcast episode.
This lecture can also be found in video format on the TIGCR's youtube page at the link below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q5sucO9aE0
In this brief episode, Justin Bullock is interviewed by Kathleen Witte from KBTX Media of Bryan, Texas for a segment on the rise of “Deepfakes.”
The original interview, in video format, can be found at this link: https://www.kbtx.com/content/news/Bush-School-AI-expert-Deepfakes-easy-to-make-hard-to-stop-511426072.html?fbclid=IwAR207IuQW-rvK9zob2TuwUApJ_qFSQyDFZW1Ovb9_Qjb6sKrOBozpFlxxTg
In this episode of Public Problems, Justin Bullock is interviewed by Will Watson of the Texas A&M Speech and Debate Team as an expert for the Nationals 2019 Public Forum Topic Analysis on whether or not The United States federal government should enforce antitrust regulations on technology giants.
This conversation was also published at the following link on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wf1Sn1CyXOE&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR1X6O8IZgQXP1nLxSkXyDOdmMwyHhvnbPYKQnfcgXRMJr_r3wqYZpNNoh0
In this final episode of the first season of Bush School Uncorked, Professors Gregory Gause and Justin Bullock host Dr. Valerie Hudson to discuss here work on Women, Peace, and Security. More information can be found about Dr. Hudson's work on her website here: https://bush.tamu.edu/faculty/vhudson/
You can also find the WomanStats Database here: https://womanstats.org
Thanks for following along for a wonderful inaugural season of the Bush School Uncorked podcast. We will return in mid-September.
In this episode, Justin Bullock has a conversation with Bush School guest Zillah Fluker and Bush School professor Kenny Taylor on a number of topics. The conversation focuses on how to succeed in public and nonprofit organizations, social media, and higher education. Enjoy!
You can find additional information about Zillah Fluker: https://www.facebook.com/zmfluker
You can also find additional information about the book Why Not Win here: https://www.amazon.com/Why-Not-Win-Reflections-fifty-year/dp/1588383849
In this episode, Professor Justin Bullock talks with former Bush School students Bashir Baseem and Metra Mehran about the current peace talks between the US government and the Taliban, noting the lack of inclusion of the Afghan government and the Afghan people.
This one is worth the listen!
In this episode of Bush School Uncorked, Greg and Justin have a wonderful conversation with Professor Erin Snider. They talk about the challenges of providing foreign aid, in particular in the Middle East region. Enjoy!
In this episode of Bush School Uncorked, Professor Justin Bullock discusses public service with former Bush School students Lela Akiashvili-Tsaizer, Megi Llubani, and Haziq Masood. They also discuss the former students' journey to the Bush School.
In this lecture, Justin Bullock discusses Chapter 6: Estimating Reliability from Michael Furr's Psychometrics: An Introduction.
In this lecture, Justin Bullock discusses Part V: Two Selves from Daniel Kaheman's Thinking, Fast and Slow.
Many thanks to Allison Hall, Taimoor Hussain Alvi, Kimberly Winarski, Erika Koeniger, and Blake Sawyer for their work on this important topic.
There's a lot of information here and the team does an excellent job covering the challenge of mass shootings in the US.
Check it out.
In this episode, Justin and Nathan discuss National Emergencies. They focus on the most recent declaration for the US southern border and put this declaration in a broader context. Enjoy!
There are a number of sources that are discussed in this episode on National Emergencies. We provide the links to a number of those sources here in the description. See below:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/presidential-proclamation-declaring-national-emergency-concerning-southern-border-united-states/
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/5749671-National-Emergency-Joint-Declaration-2-21-19.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/15/us/politics/national-emergency-trump.html
https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/02/trump-emergency-declaration-contemptuous-of-rule-of-law/
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/01/presidential-emergency-powers/576418/
http://www.rollcall.com/news/podcasts/breaking-trust-build-wall
In this episode of Public Problems, Justin chats with Bush School students Katie Ott, Dohun Kim, Brittany Winters, Sam Ruelas, and Zane Deupree about crimes on tribal lands in the US. You may be surprised by their findings. Check it out!
In this lecture, Justin Bullock discusses Part IV: Choices from Daniel Kahneman's Thinking, Fast and Slow.
In this lecture, Justin Bullock discusses Part III: Overconfidence from Daniel Kahneman's Thinking, Fast and Slow
In this episode, Justin chats with Bush School students Michael Migaud, Morgan Seekatz, Jaycee Jones, Austin Reed, and Blane Counsil about urban sustainability amidst population growth. Our urban areas face a number of challenges in the 21st century. This among the most important. Check it out!
In this episode of Public Problems, Justin chats with Bush School students, Yi-Fan Wang, Colton Haffey, Keefer Patterson, Katie Leach, and Maheen Zahid about their research project on the Pacific Garbage Patch and the threats that garbage present to the Earth's oceans. There are some interesting and promising developments here. Check it out!
In this episode, hosts Justin and Greg chat with Professor Kent Portney and discuss his work and the work of the Institute for Science, Technology, and Public Policy at The Bush School of Government & Public Service at Texas A&M University. Professors Ann Bowman and Rob Greer join as wonderful panelists. Lively conversation ensues.
Thanks again to the audience who joined for our second live taping at Downtown Uncorked in Downtown, Bryan on January 29th, 2019.
And, as always, thanks to The Bush School of Government & Public Service for the support and to Downtown Uncorked for providing our discussion space
In this episode, Justin Bullock chats with Bush School Students Christian Pineiro, Carolyn Smith, AJ Lionberger, Edgar Encinia, and James Baldwin, about the lack of voting rights and representation of US territories Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
In this lecture, Justin Bullock discusses Chapter 5: Reliability, Conceptual Basis from Michael Furr's Psychometrics: An Introduction
**Sadly, after about 2 minutes in, Justin's audio cuts out. This is the first time we have encountered this problem with the software we use. The conversation between Professor Resh and Nathan is interesting enough the we are leaving the audio published, but wanted to make you aware of the unfortunate glitch.
In this first episode of the new untitled podcast series with hosts, Justin Bullock and Nathan Favero, a conversation is had with Professor William Resh about the recent US Federal Government Shutdown and its wide ranging impacts.
Professor Resh's recent opinion article for GovExev can be found here: https://m.govexec.com/excellence/management-matters/2018/12/shutdown-would-have-more-negative-effects-you-might-think/153635/?fbclid=IwAR1qKv1SA_9qaoawrkiBe3Zo_T7ERcYsoHs5YMVAq12TkoM-MZybi9NgRf0
Also more details about the recent US Government Shutdown can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_2018_United_States_federal_government_shutdown
In the lecture, Justin Bullock discusses Part II: Heuristics and Biases from Daniel Kahneman's Thinking, Fast and Slow.
In this episode of Bush School Uncorked, Host Justin Bullock discusses public service with former Bush School students Kirbie Ferrel, David Fujimoto, and MaryLu Hare.
In this episode, host Justin Bullock, chats with Bush School students Kassie Jones, Harrison Gregg, Emma Alexander, Nick Partipilo, and Zachary Wimer about their work on civil forfeiture.
In this episode of Public Problems, host Justin Bullock chats with Bush School students Madison Mata, Linsey Schwartz, Will Hill, and Jinhua Zhao about their report of Inequality in Education.
In the lecture, Justin Bullock discusses Chapter 4: Test Dimensionality and Factor Analysis from Michael Furr's Psychometrics: An Introduction
In the lecture, Justin Bullock introduces the basic concepts from Daniel Kahneman's Thinking, Fast and Slow and provides a discussion of Part I Two Systems.
In this episode of Bush School Uncorked, host Justin Bullock and Greg Gause chat with John Schuessler and Andrew Ross about US Grand Strategy and the Bush School's new Albritton Center for Grand Strategy.
This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at Downtown Uncorked in Downtown Bryan, TX on January 15th, 2019.
In this lecture, Justin Bullock gives an overview of Part III The Consciousness Revolution from Thomas Metzinger's book The Ego Tunnel: The Science of the Mind and the Myth of the Self
In this episode, Justin Bullock chats with Bethany Brice, Congyi Dai, Ellie Hooper, James McKenzie, and John Thomson about their research in to the history, challenges, and opportunities for Affirmative Action in Higher Education. Enjoy!
In Season 4 Episode #2: Decline in Trust in Government, Faith Dingas, Tony Ramos, Lauren McGrath, Matthew Vatthauer, and Joseph Byrum join Justin Bullock for this conversation.
They explore the causes and consequences of the declining trust in government in the United States.
In this lecture, Justin Bullock discusses Part II: Ideas and Discoveries from Thomas Metzinger's The Ego Tunnel
Nathan Favero and Justin Bullock announce "a new podcast series" that will be published here on the Public Problems Podcast.
We decided to have a little fun. We hope you enjoy!
Next Episode: A Look At The Government Shutdown
In this lecture, Justin Bullock covers Chapter 3: Individual Difference and Correlation from Michael Furr's text Psychometrics: An Introduction
In this episode of the Public Problems Podcast, Bush School students Rayna Willenbrink, Elizabeth Hughey, Jair Gonzalez, and Christina Morrison discuss challenges federalism presents for crime and law enforcement across the Texas-Mexico border.
In this lecture, Justin Bullock discusses Chapter 2 "A Tour of the Ego Tunnel" of Thomas Metizinger's The Ego Tunnel: The Science of the Mind and the Myth of the Self.
In this lecture, Professor Justin Bullock, discusses the importance of scaling. This lecture follows along with the Scaling chapter from Michael Furr's Psychometrics text.
In this lecture, Justin Bullock provides a discussion of Thomas Metzinger's detailed description of consciousness and the appearance of a world for the Decision Making in Public Service course.
In this lecture, Justin Bullock provides a discussion of Thomas Metzinger's Phenomenal Self Model (PSM) and The Ego Tunnel for the Decision Making in Public Service course.
In this lecture, Professor Justin Bullock introduces several of the foundational concepts to psychometrics and discusses its importance to the field of public service.
This lecture and course utilize the basic structure provided by Michael Furr in the 3rd edition of Psychometrics: An Introduction.
This is the first lecture of the "On Decision Making in Public Service" lecture series. In the lecture, Professor Justin Bullock provides a discussion of some of the basic concepts needed to understand decision making and decision making in public service.
This introduction provides an interview for the lecture series "On Quantitative Methods (Psychometrics) In Public Service"
“Welcome to the, Decision Making in Public Service course. My name is Justin Bullock and I will be the professor for this course
I have been very much looking forward to this course and preparing these lectures. Decision making is a topic that I have been fascinated with since grad school and up through my latest research in artificial intelligence. How and why decisions are made and how this process impacts public service and public servants
While I will give you a broad introduction lecture at the beginning of this course, much of the content of the lectures will be wrestling with and discussing the material from the four books that have been selected for this course.
These four books are also used to broadly structure the course. The first book that we will cover is Thomas Metzinger’s The Ego Tunnel: The Science of the Mind and the Myth of the Self. I would also recommend Ray Kurzweil’s How to create a mind: the secret of human thought revealed. Your brain structures your mind and who you identify yourself and how you make decisions, so we begin with developing a better understanding of what neuroscience and philosophy have to tell us about us, the individual decision maker.
We move from here to an extended treatment of Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast and Slow. It is here where the worlds of economics, psychology, and decision-making crash into one another. Daniel Kahneman is a Nobel prize winning economist and does a wonderful job conveying much of his life’s work in this wonderful book. You will be introduced to system I and system II thinking, how systematically irrational and biased we are, how this has consequences for decision making, and much much more
From here we incorporate machines into the decision-making conversation, as machine intelligence or artificial intelligence has continued to develop and substitute for human intelligence. For this treatment, we will read Nick Bostrom’s book Superintelligence, which is a serious treatise on the decision-making space and how artificial intelligence performs in comparison to human intelligence and what that looks like. I will also pull from some of my own work with co-authors on this topic and how it influences public service decision making
Finally, we turn to the concept of administrative evil, and here we turn from individual behavior or market behavior to more specifically some of the factors or organizations that lead them to engage in behavior that needlessly harms people, or as Danny Balfour and Guy Adams put it in their book, administrative evil. This concept looks at how some of the factors that influence individual decision making can be broadly influence by professional norms, tribal identities, and dehumanization. It is at this level, that the role of decision making becomes unmistakably important in the delivery of public services
I intend to publish a lecture just before each class. For those of you taking the course, the expectation is that you listen to the lecture before class and come prepared to discuss the content along with the assigned readings for class that week. For those of you following along who are not taking the course. I hope you enjoy the content as well!
I will be publishing the first lecture on decision making which will be called Decision Making: Basic Concepts later this week. For the in-person students, you will need to listen to this as well before our first class. My general plan moving forward is to release the lecture on Sundays.
I hope you enjoy the lectures on decision making! Thanks for your time. “
Season 3 Episode #10: On Inequality of Funding in Public K-12 Education.
Thank you to Jaycee Jones, Blane Counsil, Morgan Seekatz, Michael Migaud,and Austin Reed for your work on this one.
I love it when we get to argue for better education. I've never found a compelling argument against improving education. The important question is how?
And for that question, this episode is worth a listen.
Enjoy!
In the latest episode of The Bush School of Government & Public Service's podcast, Bush School Uncorked, Justin Bullock and Gregory Gause, along with panelist Ann Bowman, host Will Brown and Kenny Taylor from the Center for Nonprofits & Philanthropy at the Bush School for a discussion on Nonprofits and Philanthropy.
A wonderful conversation is had about the role of nonprofits in modern society, questions of democratic accountability and gaps in service delivery, and the work the Center for Nonprofits & Philanthropy at the Bush School is doing locally, throughout the state, and globally.
Enjoy!
In this episode of Bush School Uncorked, Professors Gregory Gause and Justin Bullock provide some reflections on the 2018 US Midterms. The conversation was recorded mid-afternoon on Wednesday, November 7th, 2018.
Enjoy!
You can find a transcript for this episode and all our Bush School Uncorked episodes at: http://bush.tamu.edu/podcast.
In this episode of Bush School Uncorked, Professors Gregory Gause and Justin Bullock discuss democracy and democratic erosion with Professor Jessica Gottlieb. Professor Gottlieb is an expert in developing democracies, much of her work focuses on understanding how young democracies, throughout Africa, engage in governance activities. She is also currently engaged in a cross-university teaching collaboration at http://democratic-erosion.com/ which examines the prevalence of democratic erosion throughout the world.
The conversation touches on many facets of democracy that you may find interesting.
Many thanks to Professor Jessica Gottlieb for her time and the conversation!
Enjoy!
In this episode, Bush School Professors, Justin Bullock and Greg Gause host Professors Lori Taylor and Ann Bowman to discuss education, education policy in Texas, issue concerning state governance, and the upcoming elections.
Enjoy!
You can find a transcript for this episode and all our Bush School Uncorked episodes at: http://bush.tamu.edu/podcast.
On October 16th, Gregory Gause and Justin Bullock, with guest Raymond Robertson recorded the first episode of a new podcast sponsored by The Bush School of Government & Public Service, called “Bush School Uncorked.”
Professor Robertson schooled the hosts in the recently negotiated trade agreement, USMCA. We then explored the important world of trade and its impact on markets, countries, and individual humans.
Following Professor Robertson’s lessons in trade and empirical evidence, the conversation broadened to trade with other countries and other current conflicts on the global stage.
Given recent events, and our resident Saudi Arabia expert at the table, Professor Gregory Gause, the conversation inevitably turned to the killing of Washington Post reporter, Jamal Khashoggi.
The panel also discussed foreign policy tactics, the use of bullying techniques on friends and allies, and the cozying up to autocratic leaders.
The conversation was wonderful.
More episodes to come.
You can find a transcript for this episode and all our Bush School Uncorked episodes at: http://bush.tamu.edu/podcast.
In this teaser, Professors Justin Bullock and Gregory Gause introduce a new podcast, sponsored by The Bush School of Government & Public Service, called "Bush School Uncorked."
Thanks again for following along in 2018! Happy New Year! Check out this episode for a brief reflection on 2018 and several updates for 2019
Here are the links to events mentioned in this episode:
Bush School Uncorked Live Recording: https://www.facebook.com/events/302964363672881/
Book Club Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/331158434346206/
In this episode, Host Justin Bullock discusses DACA and Immigration Reform with Colton Haffey, Katie Leach, Keefer Patterson, Yi-Fan Wang, and Maheen Zahid. They discuss DACA, its history, its challenges, and possible paths forward.
Enjoy!
The Facebook event with the following details can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/events/331158434346206/
When: Spring 2019, Tuesdays 7:30-8:30pm, beginning January 15
Where: Google Classroom & Google Meet
Who: Hosted by Professor Justin B. Bullock
How: Register HERE: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe_IIPI-ndUg7Bih7Dd_9ZJ0XMfQ_v9rgCEuDUbbucsQkHzuQ/viewform?usp=sf_link
Book Club Agenda Here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1jdnODvh44UP3W4yj6p9PVbzkO-6htgVu
The Decision Making in Government and Public Service: Book Club & Online Discussion introduces decision making in government and public service. Our books and discussions we will cover several approaches to decision making at both the individual and the organizational level. We will explore the current empirical science of the mind, behavioral economics, intelligence, and administrative decision making. Each week there will be readings and questions posted in online discussion boards. Eight lectures on these topics will be provided by the host. Additionally, a weekly live conversation will be hosted for those who want to discuss the books together in video format.
My only request for registration is that you provide your name, a TAMU or GMAIL email account, and make a minimum online donation of $25 to the Bush School of Former Student Scholarship Program. This program provides scholarship(s) funds to a current Bush School student. When you do donate, please put “Book Club” in the additional comments. I’m hoping to raise $1,000.
If you have any questions, the host, Justin Bullock, can be reached at jbull14@tamu.edu.
In this episode, Justin Bullock talks with Professor Kenneth Meier about country music and political identity. Professor Meier has a forthcoming article in Social Science Quarterly titled "Looking for Meaning in All the Wrong Places: Country Music and the Politics of Identity"
The abstract of this paper can be found here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/ssqu.12556
Season 3 Episode 1: Opioid Crisis & Texas is now available!
These researchers, Congyi Dai, Ellie Hooper, James McKenzie, John Thomson do a wonderful job laying out the background of the National Opioid Crisis, discussing its impacts on Texas, and possible strategies for combatting this crisis.
It's worth the listen.
Enjoy!
In this episode, Host Justin Bullock introduces Season 3 of the Public Problems Podcast.
In the Public Problems Season 2 Finale, Dr. Bullock, reflecting on Season 2, makes a brief argument for the importance of conversation, in particular conversations about public policies and public problems.
This is the last conversation for Season 2. In two weeks, a concluding episode for season 2 will be broadcast. This concluding episode will discuss some of the themes from season 2.
As mentioned in the episode, you can sign up for the companion course to the Solving Public Problems: The Fourth Industrial Revolution, at this link:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1xMwgJ3naxO8sPvrDZkAk_sRwXRJ-LyC1eDcJpjWB5Sk
Additional information on the podcast and the course can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=17D7ZXSjTGCsVOsF7Hr6OMyhJGzrAEk2FApT0MyQ5VsE
In this episode, Justin Bullock discusses the War on Drugs with student researchers who examined the War on Drugs as a pressing Public Problem.
In the introduction of this episode, Justin also announces a new podcast series titled "Solving Public Problems: The Fourth Industrial Revolution." This series will be complimented by a free and publicly available course.
You can view the course announcement here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/17D7ZXSjTGCsVOsF7Hr6OMyhJGzrAEk2FApT0MyQ5VsE/edit?usp=sharing
You can register for the course here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdK-AVlFPyZ-i4J6MbeyaFObs9higU_ooJ4gtlGm-rSa8pzBQ/viewform
Suicide rates among veterans has substantially increased in the past decade. A third of veterans are likely to have considered suicide themselves or have been exposed to the phenomenon through other people who have served with them. The consequences of these increasing rates are not felt only within the veterans’ community but stretch far wider for society in general. Students at The Bush School of Government and Public Service conducted research on prevention mechanisms for suicide among veterans, from policy changes to nonprofit work. Togeher with the host they provide an overview of the data available, resources put in place from the public and non-public sector, as well as offer recommendations on tackling policies and initiatives to help veterans deal with PTSD, stress, and post-service re-integration in society.
Sources:
To read the PAWS Act: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/2327
Stop Soldier Suicide: https://stopsoldiersuicide.org/
Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/talk-to-someone-now/
Florid State University Research on Suicide: http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/bul-bul0000084.pdf
CDC Suicide data: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/suicide/index.html
Latest Veterans Affairs Report: https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/docs/2016suicidedatareport.pdf
To report on suicide for veterans visit this link: http://reportingonsuicide.org/
On more information regarding the 22 Push Ups challenge read: https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/what-is-the-22-push-up-challenge-raising-awareness-for-veterans-suicide-preventi.html
For more information on the Veteran’s Choice Program: https://www.va.gov/COMMUNITYCARE/programs/veterans/VCP/index.asp
Over 400,000 children were in foster care at the end of 2016 in the United States, an increase for the fourth year in a row, largely due to the opioid crisis. While on average children remain in the foster care system for 3 years, a considerable number remain for up to five years. While the primary goal of the foster care system is for children to be reunited with their families and relatives, this noble goal often falls short of its own expectations. Studies have shown that as many as 70 percent of placement changes for foster care children have nothing to do with improving their wellbeing. What are some of the major challenges facing the foster care system in the US? Students at The Bush School of Government and Public Service investigated the issue and discuss with the host the findings of their research and their proposed solutions to this public problem.
Gene editing, in which the DNA is inserted, deleted, modified or replaced in the genome of living organisms, has a long history dating back to the 18th century in the US and later on in Europe as well. Throughout the history of its application both in humans, animals, or plans the phenomenon of gene editing has been used in a variety of ways, from rape and forced sterilization to positively tackle different diseases. The ethical concerns stemming from gene editing and the science behind it is multifaceted. Students at the Bush School of Government and Public Service researched the topic and engage with the host in a discussion of the history of gene editing, its positive and negative arguments and ethical dilemmas arising from gene editing. Even if the potential of gene editing to cure diseases and be used for noble causes, what would stop governments from using gene editing for bioterrorism, creating strong armies and the like? How would we make sure to make use of the benefits of eugenics, while being careful about its potential negative consequences?
For more on McKellar’s Book The Ethics of New Eugenics visit this link: http://www.berghahnbooks.com/title/MacKellarEthics
To read more about the Geneva Conventions visit this link: https://www.icrc.org/en/war-and-law/treaties-customary-law/geneva-conventions
In a world of increasingly polarized politics there are but a few topics that garner bipartisan support. Human trafficking is one of them. In June 2017, two democrats and two republicans in Congress introduced a joint bill to strengthen anti-human trafficking laws. Beyond being a point of unification in the realm of politics, human trafficking is a fundamental human rights issue and often dubbed modern day slavery. Once again, the host invites students at the Bush School of Government and Public Service, who conducted research on the topic to share their findings, thoughts, and critical thinking in tackling human trafficking. Over 55,000 cases of human trafficking are reported in the United States each year, with a significant portion involving children, and the majority being women. The guests offer an overview of existing legislation and policies at the federal and state level and offer a variety of solutions in tackling human trafficking.
Sources:
The text of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 can be found here: https://www.state.gov/j/tip/laws/61124.htm
A full list of ills passed on human trafficking is available here: https://www.state.gov/j/tip/laws/
Robots, Men and Sex Tourism by Ian Yeoman and Michelle Mars can be found here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016328711002850
To read more about Shyima Hall check out this website: http://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Shyima-Hall/407695673
A quarter of the world’s prisoner population is located in the United States. The incarceration problem has become a vicious circle, difficult to break and indefinitely repeating itself. The average number of prisoners in the US is almost five times higher than the next highest number among developed countries. What explains this phenomenon, that is less than intuitive? What are the consequences of large number of individuals incarcerated, who by all accounts do not pose a threat to society? How does this affect peoples’ lives and policymaking overall? Public service and administration students at the Bush School for Government and Public Service were so astounded by this figure that they pursued a semester long research project on mass incarceration in the United States. They attempt to answer these questions in their research and offer viable alternatives to current approaches in dealing with high levels of incarceration. In this podcast the host invites discussion of their findings and their significance for policy change today. Due to the long history of the prison system in the United States, the guests entangle some of the underlying issues that are tightly related to the panorama today. Namely, slavery, racial tensions and drugs are analyzed in detail throughout the podcast.
Sources cited:
To read more on Michelle Alexander’s book The New Jim Crow visit the website: http://newjimcrow.com/
The World Health Organization defines maternal death as the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management but not from accidental or incidental causes. Despite the status of the United States as a developed country with a leading role in the world, recent years have seen an increase in maternal death rates. In the past year the rate has been double that of Canada for instance. Such a counterintuitive problem for a developed country, puzzled students at The Bush School, who set out to understand the causes, consequences and problems associated with this challenge in the United States. The host and guests engage in a conversation that uses data and evidence on maternal deaths and proposes a number of options to provide better care for women and children. Why is the rate higher in this country? Are Americans less healthy than counterparts? How does access to health care influence general health outcomes and especially maternal death rates? How do racial disparities manifest themselves? What are possible solutions and policies that can improve the outcomes in this area?
Sources:
World Health Organization International Classification of Diseases: http://www.who.int/classifications/icd/en/
Department of State and Health Services. Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Task Force and Department of State Health Services: https://www.dshs.texas.gov/mch/maternal_mortality_and_morbidity.shtm
Sexual Assault Podcast In the last year, sexual assault has become the most present theme in the American public space. Numerous cases of mediatized sexual harassment and assault pointed to the longstanding problem of women objectification, that cuts across every sphere of society, from politics to entertainment. These developments have spurred the #MeToo movement, and a national conversation of gender and power relations in the country. To kick off the second season of The Public Problems podcast, the host initiates a conversation with graduate students at The Bush School of Government and Public Service, who conducted research on sexual assault on college campuses. According to research one in five women and seven percent of men in college campuses experience some form of sexual harassment, with a majority going unreported. Further, 89% of colleges in 2015 did not report any sexual assault in their campuses, showing the perverse incentives in many universities to downplay the prevalence and seriousness of this issue. What are the implications of sexual assault in college campuses? How does it affect someone's social, personal, academic wellbeing? Based on research conducted by the guests, this podcast offers an overview of the current trends with sexual assault in American universities, the consequences to those subject to the phenomenon and the larger policy implications. Ultimately, what should universities do to meaningfully address sexual violence in their campuses to provide for the safety of their students?
Sexual, #assault, #harassment, #college, #campuses, #MeToo, #Women, #Safety, #ClearyAct
Sources mentioned: American Association of University Women. Education. https://www.aauw.org/article/clery-act-data-analysis-2017/ To read the Campus Climate Survey Validation Study click: https://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=5540 To read more about restorative justice click: https://restorativejustice.org.uk/blog/restorative-justice-and-sexual-violence To read more about Rice University's Project Safe click: https://safe.rice.edu/project-safe To read more about UT's MasculinUT project click: https://cmhc.utexas.edu/vav/vav_masculinut.html
Nathan Favero and Justin Bullock chat with Alasdair Roberts, discussing his article "The Aims of Public Administration: Reviving the Classical View " forthcoming in the first issue of PPMG.
Nathan Favero and Justin Bullock speak live with Perspectives on Public Management and Governance, Editor, Professor Kirk Emerson about the new journal.
Public Problems Podcast, Host, Justin Bullock, introduces Season 2 of the Public Problems Podcast.
Public Problems Podcast host, Justin Bullock and regular Public Problems Podcast contributor, Nathan Favero, will begin a new Public Management Research Association series "Discussion on Management & Governance"
This is the 5th and final week of the first Public Problems course Public Problems 101: A January Review of the Evidence. Week 5 will include a recap of Weeks 1-4, some thoughts from Justin Bullock on Artificial Intelligence, Risk Management, and Administration, live Q&A, and a discussion of upcoming Public Problems with Justin B. Bullock events.
Ann Bowman, Rob Greer, and Public Problems host Justin Bullock discuss cities, challenges facing cities, and the importance of local involvement
A conversation with Nathan Favero and Justin Bullock on evidence and using evidence to make informed decisions about Public Problems.
This week, Justin Bullock talks with Greg Gause about the basics of international relations, how the US has interacted in the global arena post-WWII, and how to make sense of some of the current global conflict, particularly between the US and actors in the Middle East.
Video of this class can found here: https://youtu.be/PkVsaGPI6DM
Here are two links that Greg provided after the talk that he thought might be helpful:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWOyze8K22I http://foreignpolicy.com/2009/10/26/one-world-rival-theories/
For Week 2 of the Public Problems 101 course, David Bradford and Justin Bullock discuss the science of Medical Cannabis and ideas for how to regulate cannabis intelligently.
We are providing the audio for each class for the Public Problems 101 course. This is the audio from the Week 1 class.
You can still register for the course here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=13dwTXRjceKToBCmJAcS5Rs18tVcvIjKwi8W0BT2ipRA
Nathan Favero is an assistant professor in the Department of Public Administration and Policy. His research focuses on internal management, performance, research methodology, race/ethnicity, and customer satisfaction in the context of public institutions. Most of his empirical work has considered these topics in the context of education, drawing data from public school systems in Texas, New York City, California, and Denmark. His research has been published in a variety of academic journals, including the Journal of Public Administration Research & Theory, Public Administration Review, the International Public Management Journal, and Public Administration.
Institutions of higher education serve multiple purposes from the micro individual level to the macro societal level. They are places where knowledge is both produced and shared; they serve a practical purpose as well a theoretical one; they have a long-lasting influence for an individual’s economic well-being, as well as strong impacts for democratic citizenship and values in society. However, there is a dichotomy in the purpose of higher education in the US, split between the goal of educating students and that of producing academic research, which can often stand at odds with each other. Drawing on substantial experience and knowledge of the American higher education system the host and guest engage in an hour-long discussion about measuring performance in higher education as a tool to understand its impact in educating students. One key piece of the conversation revolves around performance based funding, as a carrot and stick policy that rewards good performance of a higher education institution. What are the dangers of a one size fit all policy in higher education? How are students impacted by the policy, and what are macro level repercussions of such an approach?
Sources:
Favero, N. (2017). The danger of ‘one size funds all’ policies. Huffington Post. Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-danger-of-one-size-funds-all-policies_us_58e7152ee4b00dd8e016eaa0
To read Dr. Favero’s full bio follow the link:
https://www.american.edu/spa/faculty/favero.cfm
For the full list of articles published by Dr. Favero follow the link:
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=KQW0iwMAAAAJ&hl=en
To check out Dr. Favero’s work check out his website:
http://nathanfavero.com/
Info on Public Problems 101 short course: https://www.facebook.com/events/1993700524209741/
Registration for Public Problems 101 short course: https://drive.google.com/open?id=13dwTXRjceKToBCmJAcS5Rs18tVcvIjKwi8W0BT2ipRA
Dr. Kent E. Portney is professor at the Bush School’s Department of Public Service and Administration. He was appointed director of the Institute for Science, Technology and Public Policy in September 2016 after serving two years as a Senior Fellow in the Institute. He was on the Tufts University faculty since 1979 and served as department chair in political science and directed the Graduate Program in Public Policy and Citizen Participation. Most recently, he was director of the Water and Research Program at the Center for International Environment and Resource Policy (CIERP) at Tufts’ Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. He received his Ph.D. in political science from Florida State University, his master’s from the University of Connecticut, and his bachelor’s from Rutgers University, where his studies focused on public administration and public policy. Dr. Portney’s areas of expertise include environmental policy, urban sustainability, urban politics, economic inequality, and policy analysis. He has authored or co-authored nine books on such topics as economic and environmental development, citizen participation, and teaching critical reasoning in the social sciences; and he has written numerous journal articles on urban sustainability, urban politics, and the local nonprofit sector.
Are sustainability and economic development at odds with each other? Does pushing for economic development mean sacrificing the environment and vice versa? In this conversation Dr. Portney explains the idea behind sustainable cities and what he understands as the combination of economic development with environmental protection and ensuring equity in service delivery by cities. In Dr. Portney’s view the relationship between economic development and sustainability is not a dichotomous one. There are more shades in between and the trade-off between the two is not a given. In fact, economic development cannot endure long-term if pollution and environmental problems are not addressed. What then should cities do to develop economically while concomitantly protecting the environment?
References
Portney, K. E. (2003). Taking sustainable cities seriously: Economic development, the environment, and quality of life in American cities (Vol. 67). MIT Press.
Portney, K. E. (2013). Local sustainability policies and programs as economic development: Is the new economic development sustainable development?. Cityscape, 45-62.
To read more on Dr. Portney’s book Sustainability follow the link here:
https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/sustainability
Berry, J. M., Portney, K. E., & Thomson, K. (2002). The rebirth of urban democracy. Brookings Institution Press.
To see the full list of books and articles published by Dr. Portney follow the link here:
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=pmQf584AAAAJ&hl=en
Check out Dr. Portney’s website titled Our Green Cities in the following link here:
http://ourgreencities.com/
Ambassador Ryan Crocker is a career ambassador within the U.S. Foreign Service. Ambassador Crocker was in the Foreign Service for 37 years and, after retiring, was recalled to active duty by President Obama in 2011 to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan. His previous appointments included service as the U.S. Ambassador to Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Kuwait, Afghanistan and Lebanon. Crocker became dean of Texas A&M University’s George Bush School of Government and Public Service in 2010.
In this podcast Ambassador Crocker and the host engage in a discussion about one of the most concerning events in recent international affairs, the rise of the Islamic State (ISIS). A few days ago, up to 235 people were killed in a terrorist attack in Egypt, one of many that have occurred in the region, Europe and the United States. While no group has claimed responsibility until now, witnesses report that the assailants carried ISIS flags. In recent years ISIS has turned into a global threat, supplanting almost completely the danger posed by Al Qaeda decades earlier. ISIS has become infamous for its brutal and ruthless style of terror, with images that are still vividly haunting.
Is the Islamic State a symptom or a cause of bad governance? What will ISIS do after it has lost its physical hold on territories around the Middle East? What are the implications for US foreign policy in the region and beyond? Is America retreating from its policing role in the international arena?
References:
For a recent analysis of President Trump’s policy towards the State Department written by Ambassador Crocker for the New York Times follow the link here:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/27/opinion/dismantling-foreign-service-budget.html
For a full bio of Ambassador Crocker at the Wilson Center follow the link. here:
https://www.wilsoncenter.org/person/ryan-crocker
To watch the documentary Losing Iraq follow the link here:
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/losing-iraq/
Dr. Emily A. Sellars joined the Department of International Affairs at the Bush School this fall as an assistant professor. Prior to coming to the Bush School, she was a postdoctoral scholar in political economy at the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago. Dr. Sellars received a joint PhD in political science and agricultural and applied economics from the University of Wisconsin—Madison. She also holds an MA in political science from the University of Wisconsin and an AB in economics magna cum laude from Cornell University, where she was a College Scholar.
I/E/mmigration has an overarching impact in society, which is why it often carries charged debates and feelings among people fueling its controversial nature. In the podcast the host initiates a conversation about Dr. Sellar’s dissertation ‘’Essays on immigration and politics,’’ which received the Mancur Olson award for the best dissertation in political economy in the last two years. With current developments in the American political and policy scene there has not been a better time to ask questions pertaining to political dynamics of immigration and the relationship between immigration opportunities and collective action.
The United States relationship with immigration is a complex one. The very existence of a wide constellation of immigration statuses, both legal and illegal contribute to the lack of clarity of the nature of migration in the US and approaches to tackle it at the policy level. What do these intricacies and complexities mean for people coming to the US and how the lives of those already here are influenced and impacted. Who are the winners and losers? Do we place more importance on security considerations when thinking about migration or basic human rights?
Sources:
To read about Dr. Sellars’ research interest and publications follow the link. https://emilysellars.com/
To read Dr. Sellars’ profile in the Bush School page follow the link: http://bush.tamu.edu/faculty/esellars/
Sellars, E. A. (2013). Does Emigration Inhibit Reform? Evidence from the Mexican Agrarian Movement, 1910-1945. Article available here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/s814fa8w9zhm9qw/SellarsMigReform.pdf?dl=0
Sellars, E. A. (2017). Communities left behind: Migration, Wealth and Public Services in Mexico. Article available here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/f6k5w92ocw0kbqq/SellarsPublicGoods.pdf?dl=0
Sellars, E. A. (2017). Emigration and Collective Action. Article available here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ct5fqvga7xd368g/SellarsEmig.pdf?dl=0
John Schuessler is an Associate Professor in the Department of International Affairs at the Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A&M University. Previously, he taught at the Air War College. Schuessler received his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Chicago. In his analysis of presidential deception recently, Dr. Schuessler’s questions concern the visible depart that President Trump has marked in relation to the truth in the political arena. What is the relationship between democratic deception and self-deception? When does deception blur into self-deception? How does the current president differ from predecessors in the display of deception and/or self-deception? The host and guest analyze the current status of presidential rhetoric and what are the larger policy consequences stemming from these developments. They further undertake a historical perspective on the use of deception as a means to justify going to war, used by numerous presidents and administrations.
Democratic deception in modern liberal democracies refers to leaders, who try to use deception or misinformation, or framing to change/swing public opinion in a certain way as a tool to shift the blame for war onto others. Referring to the theoretical framework developed in his book, Dr. Schuessler carries out a historical analysis of the use of deceit in foreign policy, starting with President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Dr. Schuessler is the author of Deceit on the Road to War: Presidents, Politics, and American Democracy (Cornell University Press, 2015). More information on the book can be found in the following link:
https://www.cato.org/events/deceit-road-war-presidents-politics-american-democracy?utm_content=buffera5317&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
To read Dr. Schuessler’s bio and publications follow the Bush School of Government and Public Service link:
http://bush.tamu.edu/faculty/jschuessler/
To read Dr. Schuessler’s piece on the International Security Studies Forum titled Why does Donald Trump have so much trouble with the truth? Follow this link:
https://issforum.org/
To read New York Time’s list of verifiable lies from President Trump follow this link:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/06/23/opinion/trumps-lies.html?_r=0
For a list of journal articles written by Dr. Schuessler follow the link:
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=puTZj0IAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao
To read more articles from International Security Journal follow this link:
http://www.mitpressjournals.org/loi/isec
To read more articles from Perspective on Politics follow this link:
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/perspectives-on-politics
Free trade in its modern and recognizable form dates back to the ideas of Adam Smith. For centuries free trade has been considered in mainstream economics a key driver of economic growth. At the same time free trade has served as the battle ground for competing ideological perspectives throughout modern history. The debate continues to this day, extending beyond its economic realm, to capture political discourse. Today’s podcast is an attempt to use evidence in assessing free trade in light of increasing political rhetoric in the current administration.
Dr. Raymond Robertson is a professor and holder of the Helen and Roy Ryu Chair in Economics and Government in the Department of International Affairs at the Bush School of Government and Public Service. In this podcast the host and Dr. Robertson shed light on the obvious and hidden costs and benefits of free trade, how its impact differs across communities, and the need to be cognizant about its negative impacts. The premise of the talk, as Dr. Robertson indicates in the outset, is that in free trade, as in everything related to public policy, there will be winners and losers. But how much do the winners win, and how much do the losers lose? Is there a tradeoff between the benefits of free trade and the costs for workers in the labor market? How can we change the conversation from focusing solely on those who lose from free trade to ways of mitigating these losses, to sustain free trade’s overall positive influence for the country? Sources cited:
Dr. Robertson’s Vitae can be accessed following this link: http://bush.tamu.edu/faculty/rrobertson/VITARaymondRobertson_082117.pdf
More information on NAFTA can be accessed following this link: https://ustr.gov/trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements/north-american-free-trade-agreement-nafta
Dr. F. Gregory Gause, III, today’s guest, is Head of the International Affairs Department at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University and holds the John H. Lindsey Chair 44’. Given his vast expertise in the international politics of the Middle East, Dr. Gause accompanies the host through the troubled history of the Middle East and America’s role in shaping the region, dating back to the end of the Second World War, representing the initiation of substantive American influence in the area. The Middle East is as much a conundrum as it is widely apparent in academic, policy and media discourses in the United States. No discussion about the Middle East is complete or even imaginable without talking about oil interests Israel and the Cold War. The nexus between these three sets the historical stage for this talk, which moves forward in touching upon crucial events in the often-antagonistic relationship between US and the Middle East such as the Iranian Revolution, the Gulf wars, 9/11 and the current events in Syria and the spread of ISIS. Fast forwarding to present day US policy towards the Middle East the host and guest discuss a piece written by Dr.Gause on President Trump’s policy towards the region vis a vis President Obama’s approach. Given the rich dynamics of the past and the present between the United States and the Middle East, what should we expect from future administrations?
If you google marijuana or cannabis, a massive amount of information, academic and news articles will flood the screen. Should marijuana be legalized or not? What are the positive or negative impacts of using medical cannabis? What are the ethical and legal considerations that inform decision making on legalizing medical cannabis? The pros and the cons occupy most of the debates in social media as well as the academic sphere. In this podcast Dr. W. David Bradford, Busbee Chair in Public Policy at the University of Georgia, engages in an hour-long conversation with the host, trying to disentangle the medical cannabis debacle. It offers an evidence based account of its historical path in US policy and politics, accompanied by empirical evidence in relation to its position in the realm of medication and drugs as well as economic implications of legal use of medical cannabis. Using data from his own recent research Dr. Bradford analyzes the costs and savings that would occur if medical cannabis would be legalized, talking more in depth about Medicaid and Medicare.
Welcome! This is a new podcast called Public Problems, where the host - Dr. Justin B. Bullock will be discussing many of the pressing public problems of our day, with experts who are working on those problems.
Dr. Bullock currently is an Assistant Professor at Texas A&M University in the Bush School of Government & Public Service where he teaches and does research in the fields of public administration and public policy.
Over the past several years of being involved in these areas, the host got to know a number of experts who are doing outstanding work and fascinating research on the relevant public problems of our time. But, unfortunately, there is a gap between the knowledge held by the experts and access to this knowledge by the general public. The expert knowledge is also often ignored by legislators and policymakers. And, even worse, in the presence of this knowledge gap, many political actors, ideologues, and special interest groups have filled this space with misinformation and confusion about many public problems. Through this podcast, we hope to help close this current knowledge gap. Dr. Bullock will be interviewing these experts and sharing their knowledge and work with you. We hope you find this podcast to be both informative and enjoyable! The first full episode will be posted soon! Until then, take care!