Vicissitudes of Violence: Fear, Physiology, and Behavior under Fire

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In battle, every soldier’s reaction is unique. The related range of brain chemistry reactions, acquired coping skills and shaping behavioral norms are so diverse that the concept of a “universal soldier” response to combat loses all meaning. Dr. Ed Coss leads an examination of this interactive process, clarifying what soldiers experience in battle and why […]

HISTORICAL INTERPRETER | Judith Kalaora on Deborah Sampson

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In the waning years of the American Revolutionary War, Deborah Sampson felt a higher calling as she heard news of the rebellion while in Massachusetts. Her response? The former indentured servant and schoolteacher disguised herself in men’s clothing and enlisted in the Continental Army under the name “Robert Shurtlieff.” Historical interpreter Judith Kalaora visits the […]

The Forgotten Home Front

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Often called the “Forgotten War,” the Korean War was, in fact, the ignored war. It was ignored not because Americans did not care, but because they cared too much about the threat posed by Communism and the Soviet Union. Dr. Janet Valentine examines the Korean War home front in context of America’s fear of Soviet […]

The Italian Home Front in World War II

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A wide variety of complex and diverse aspects defined the Italian experience as both enemy and ally during World War II. Lou DiMarco will lead an examination of these themes, drawing on topics such as daily life in Italy during the war, the role of the Mafia and the Italian resistance movement. The Italian experience […]

The Kansas Midterms

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The race to Election Day is heating up, providing one of the state’s most fascinating midterm cycles in recent memory. Guests can get an inside look at many of the seats in play at the 2018 Journalism and Politics Lecture. A panel of Kansas journalists discuss how they cover the midterm elections, highlight key races […]

2018 FALL | Political Campaigns, Top to Bottom: Data, Door Knocking and the 2018 Midterms

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Dole Fellow Kelly Dietrich Technology has transformed every aspect of the modern political campaign, from polling to messaging to fundraising and beyond. Kelly Dietrich, founder of the National Democratic Training Committee (NDTC) and KU alumnus, leads a discussion group series on the midterm elections and their intersection with tech and data. Dietrich and his guests […]

2018 CONSTITUTION DAY | Celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the 14th Amendment

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Proposed after the Civil War and ratified in 1868, the 14th Amendment is perhaps the single most important amendment to the Constitution. The 14th Amendment guaranteed citizenship to the former slaves and their descendants, and it also guaranteed “due process of law” and “equal protection of the laws” with respect to actions by state and […]

2018 | Military and Veteran Caregivers

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When Sen. Bob Dole was hospitalized at Walter Reed Hospital in 2011, Sen. Elizabeth Dole became a firsthand witness to the hardships experienced by the caregivers to our nation’s veterans. The experience prompted her to found the Elizabeth Dole Foundation in support of military caregivers. The 2018 Elizabeth Dole Women in Leadership Lecture will focus […]

Better Angels: Can We Depolarize America?

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In strained political times, Better Angels is taking on deep divisions in the United States. A nonpartisan nonprofit, the core of the group’s mission is to heal political divides in our nation through community-based alliances, workshops and constructive debate. Regional coordinator Rob Robertson arrives for a program examining Better Angels and its approach to reducing […]

Retreats, Riots and Reds: The Russian Annus Horribilis

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When Tsar Nicholas II took personal command of the Imperial Russian Army in 1915, he hoped to salvage the military situation on the eastern front. The issues on the front line paled, however, in comparison to the troubles at home. Sean Kalic and Gates Brown illustrate the vital connection between the home front and the […]

Military Professionalism in the Modern Age

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Nathan K. Finney and Tyrell O. Mayfield, editors of the new book “Redefining the Modern Military: The Intersection of Profession and Ethics,” join the institute to discuss the importance of re-examining the profession of arms during and between conflicts, as well the impact of modern warfare and social online communications on the military. This is […]

“Big Sonia” Screening and Filmmaker Q&A

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One of the last remaining Holocaust survivors living in Kansas City, Sonia Warshawski is a bridge between cultures and generations. Fondly nicknamed “Big Sonia” for her diminutive stature and larger-than-life personality, Warshawski has served as an inspirational public speaker at schools and prisons while running the tailor shop she’s owned for over 30 years. Join […]

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