WORLD WATCH: WAR/TERRORISM EXPERTS
VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY (Vanderbilt has a campus broadcast facility with a dedicated fiber optic line for live TV interviews (615-322-2706), a radio ISDN line and a radio actuality line 615-343-NEWS (6397). This list will be updated as needed. American Foreign Policy, International Relations
Thomas Schwartz, associate professor of history—can discuss America’s current foreign policy in regards to Iraq. He has done extensive research on the making of American foreign policy, the interaction of domestic and foreign policy interests and the role of alliance politics in U.S. foreign policy. He currently is the lead teacher of a class called “Understanding the New Global Crisis.” He’s written several books including the forthcoming Lyndon Johnson and Europe: In the Shadow of Vietnam and is working on another book about the Cold War.
Phone: 615-343-4328, News Service: 615-322-2706 thomas.a.Schwartz@vanderbilt.edu Radio Actuality: 615-343-NEWS Click to listen in mp3 format or Click to listen in wav format Download: right click and "save target as" or drag the link above to your desktop. The larger wav file will provide the best quality for editing for use in radio news _____
Smallpox, Biological Weapons, Infectious Diseases
William Schaffner, professor and chairman of the department of preventive medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center—can discuss the different types of biological agents, how they could possibly be used as weapons, their effects on the human body, and treatments and preventions for them. Schaffner is a member of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and a consultant with the Tennessee Department of Health on issues of public health, including biological weapons. He is the infection control officer for Vanderbilt University Hospital. He has more than 30 years of public health experience and is considered by his peers across the nation as a leader in the field.
Medical Center News and Public Affairs: 615-322-4747
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Foreign Policy, International Conflict, Middle East, U.S./Israeli Relations, Terrorism
James Ray, professor of political science—written about American foreign policy in the Middle East and terrorism. He teaches a course on international law and organization that looks at current issues regarding human rights protection, international aggression, holding world leaders accountable and the role of the U.N. in international crises. He is also team-teaching the “Understanding the New Global Crisis” course and writing a book on American foreign policy. One of his previous books, Global Politics, is a comprehensive review of issues in international politics.
Phone: 615-322-6235, News Service: 615-322-2706 >james.l.ray@vanderbilt.edu</a>
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American Children of War, Department of Defense Schools
Claire Smrekar, associate professor of public policy and education—can discuss how children of American military cope when their mothers and fathers are deployed. Not only do the children cope, but schools operated by the DOD score higher on national reading and writing tests than public schools, according to Smrekar’s research. She recently spent a week at a military base in the Southeast and is now working on a paper focusing on social networks and support systems and student success at that base school. She has written two books and numerous papers on education and received her doctorate degree from Stanford.
Phone: 615-322-8001, News Service: 615-322-2706 >Claire.smrekar@vanderbilt.edu</a> Link to DOD Tipsheet Smrekar’s Bio Radio Actuality: 615-343-NEWS Click to listen in mp3 format or Click to listen in wav format Download: right click and "save target as" or drag the link above to your desktop. The larger wav file will provide the best quality for editing for use in radio news _____
Psychological Effects of War on Troops and their Families
Dr. Paul Ragan, assistant professor of psychiatry, Vanderbilt
University Medical Center—Ragan was a U.S. Navy psychiatrist during the Gulf War and served with occupational forces in Kuwait City, treating troops for post-traumatic stress disorder. He can comment on what kinds of stressors troops will likely encounter, what will affect them and how, both acutely and over the long term. He can also address the stress and fears of families left behind.
Medical Center News and Public Affairs: 615-322-4747
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Psychological Effects of War in Afghanistan, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Karen Starr, R.N., Lt. Col. in the U.S. Army Reserves—Starr, who runs the psychology clinic for the Vanderbilt Transplant Center, has spent active duty time treating troops of the 101st Airborne Division at Ft. Campbell as they returned from the war in Afghanistan. "Apparently, it’s a lot bloodier in Afghanistan than we were led to believe," she said.
Medical Center News and Public Affairs: 615-322-4747
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Middle East, Arab-American Muslims
Samar Ali, senior, Student Government Association (SGA) President—can discuss what it’s like being an Arab-American Muslim during these difficult times and how a war with Iraq will be viewed by people living in the Middle East from a personal perspective. Vanderbilt students elected its first Arab-American Muslim as SGA president not long after Sept. 11. Samar was born and raised in Waverly, Tenn., where both of her parents are physicians. Her mother, Dr. Maysoon Shuqair-Ali, is from Syria and her father, Dr. Subhi Ali, is Palestinian and, at one time, lived in Ramallah. Samar’s grandfather, Dr. Abdel Rahman Shuqair, is a prominent Arab living in Jordan.
News Service: 615-322-2706 Article on Ali, download as a .pdf _____
Influencing the Enemy, Public Diplomacy and Media During War, Role of Media in Arab Countries
Michael Schoenfeld, vice chancellor for public affairs—As former Voice of America chief of staff during the Gulf War, Schoenfeld can discuss how governments try to influence the enemy and their allies, the impact and role of media in Arab countries and public diplomacy and media during war. At Voice of America, Schoenfeld served as liaison to the State Department, the National Security Council and presidential task forces on international broadcasting and public diplomacy. Before becoming Vanderbilt’s first vice chancellor for media relations, he was senior vice president for policy and public affairs at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in Washington, D.C.
Phone: 615-343-1790, News Service: 615-322-2706 Schoenfeld Bio _____
North Korea, Japan, East Asian Defense Policies
James Auer, director of the Center for U.S. Japan Studies at Vanderbilt, retired naval commander—can discuss North Korea’s military threats to Japan and the U.S. Auer was stationed in Japan and the Western Pacific during his naval career and was the former special assistant for Japan with the office of the secretary of defense. He has written numerous articles and made a number of presentations addressing East Asian security and defense policies. He is the coauthor of “The Maritime Basis of American Security in East Asia,” in the Naval War College Review.
Phone: 615-343-6980, News Service: 615-322-2706 >james.e.auer@vanderbilt.edu</a> Center for US-Japan Studies and Cooperation _____
War’s Impact on Economy, Historical Perspective of Financial Markets
Peter Rousseau, associate professor of economics—can address how war will impact the financial markets and what happened to the markets during past wars. Rousseau is a former financial systems analyst and Wall Street consultant who studies the financial markets from a historical perspective.
Phone: 615-343-2466, News Service: 615-322-2706 >peter.l.rousseau@vanderbilt.edu</a> Economy Tipsheet Radio Actuality: 615-343-NEWS Click to listen in mp3 format or Click to listen in wav format Download: right click and "save target as" or drag the link above to your desktop. The larger wav file will provide the best quality for editing for use in radio news _____
War’s Impact on Oil Prices, Economy
David Parsley, associate professor of economics, Owen Graduate School of Management—can discuss war’s impact on oil prices and how that will affect the economy. Parsley’s teaching and research interests are in the areas of international business, finance and global monetary systems.
Phone: 615-322-0649, News Service: 615-322-2706 >david.parsley@owen.vanderbilt.edu</a> Economy/Oil Tipsheet Parsley Bio _____
Health Effects of Nuclear Fallout and Long-term Radiation Exposure, Potential Health Effects of “Dirty Bombs”
John Boice, Ph.D., professor of medicine, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, scientific director, International Epidemiology Institute, Rockville, Md.—Boice has studied nuclear fallout in Chernobyl and has written extensively on the health effects of nuclear and other radiation exposures in groups of people over time. He can discuss the potential late health effects of the use of "dirty bombs" or nuclear weapons, both from fallout and from direct exposure. Has an international presence as a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the United National Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation.
Medical Center News and Public Affairs: 615-322-4747
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Racial Profiling
Brian Williams, assistant clinical professor of human and organizational development—areas of research include the impact of racial profiling and other controversial police strategies. He has served as a consultant to several police departments in the U.S., including San Diego. He can discuss how Muslims and Arab Americans are now experiencing what African Americans have endured for years. He is a member of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences and serves on the editorial board of Police Quarterly.
Phone: 615-322-6066, News Service: 615-322-2706 >brian.n.williams@vanderbilt.edu</a> Williams Bio _____
Peace Movements, Anti-War and Religion
James Hudnut-Beumler, dean of Vanderbilt Divinity School and professor of American religious history–can provide a historical context for the current peace movements triggered by the potential war with Iraq. He says such movements do change government policy, but only in conjunction with other events that help policy makers recalculate earlier opinions about a selected course of action. In his book "Looking for God in the Suburbs" he discussed the Vietnam protests and the Civil Rights movement. These and resistance to Reagan era Central American policy, he says, are revealing cases with respect to the current issue of a potential war with Iraq.
phone: 615-322-2776, News Service: 615-322-2706 >james.hudnut-beumler@vanderbilt.edu</a>
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Pacifism, Anti-War and Religion
J. Patout Burns, Malloy Professor of Catholic Studies edited "War and Its Discontents: Pacifism and Quietism in Abrahamic Traditions." Burns can provide background on the restrictions which Christianity and Islam have imposed on the use of force in warfare through their theories of justifiable warfare. He can also provide information on the pacifist Christian tradition and the quietist Islamic tradition, each of which asserts that their adherents do not have the authority to undertake warfare.
phone: 615-322-2776, News Service: 615-322-2706 >james.p.burns@Vanderbilt.Edu</a>