August 2003
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First Week (August 2 through August 8)
Liberia's Charles Taylor
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Does America have a moral obligation to come to the aid of Liberia's
war-weary people? Founded by freed slaves in 1822, Liberia has been
in turmoil since a bloody coup in 1980. Can U.S. troops help stop
the violence? A roundtable discussion is led by Joe Miller (UVA).
Also featured: Who is Charles Taylor, and how did he become the
leader of Liberia? Historian Arthur Abraham (VSU) explains
how Taylor led a rebellion using child soldiers, unleashing a torrent
of violence throughout West Africa.
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Second Week (August 9 through August 15)
Shakespeare and Race
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Until recently, scholars assumed that the Elizabethans were both
white and English and that they didn't know people of color. But
if that's the case, why did Shakespeare, the best-known Elizabethan,
(after Elizabeth herself of course), write so many plays that include
black characters? And who is the mysterious dark lady of the sonnets?
Imtiaz Habib (ODU) is unearthing proof of sizable numbers of
transplanted people of color living in London during Shakespeare's
lifetime. Also featured: Bill Kemp (MWC) discusses the similarities
between the advent of the printing press and--600 years later--the
Internet.
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Third Week (August 16 through August 22)
A Close Shave with Mars
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In the early morning hours of August 27, astronomers all over North
America will have their eyes trained on the night sky as Mars makes
its closest approach to Earth in recorded history. It will be only
34,646,418 miles away! The last time Mars came that close was 60
thousand years ago. Astronomer Ed Murphy (UVA) tells us how
to get the best view. Also featured: Advances in imaging technology
have allowed for the invention of more powerful telescopes that
are giving astrophysicists new insight into the make-up of the universe.
Brian Dennison (VT) and Gary Copeland (ODU) explore
some of the possibilities.
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Fourth Week (August 23 through August 29)
Werowocomoco Unearthed
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When Robert and Lynn Ripley purchased a 300-acre farm in Gloucester
County, they knew that archaeologists suspected it was once the
home of Powhatan, the Indian chief who reigned as the first English
settlers moved into Virginia. Researchers recently confirmed that
the site is indeed the former village of Werowocomoco. Scholar Martin
Gallivan (W&M) discusses the significance of the discovery.
Also featured: What if the people of Jamestown had adopted some
of the values and lifestyles of their Indian neighbors? That's the
question Margaret Holmes Williamson (MWC) asks in her new
book Powhatan Lords of Life and Death: Command and Consent in
Seventeenth-Century Virginia.
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Fifth Week (August 30 through September 5)
Bits, Bytes, and Books
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Remember fifth grade when your teacher would show filmstrips in
class? For the enterprising, it was a time to supplement book and
classroom learning. For the rest of us, it was an excuse to catnap
or shoot spitballs. Nowadays, the filmstrip is likely to have been
replaced with a multimedia slideshow designed to complement the
Standard of Learning tests. Will this new technology enhance the
educational experience, or will it be a distraction? Education scholars
John Fahey (JMU) Carole Inge (LU) and Tom Sherman
(VT) discuss the place of the computer in the classroom.
For listings of past shows visit
the WGR Archive
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