Communications and Media
AU Experts:Aftermath of Paris Terror Attacks
WHO: American University experts available for discussion and analysis
WHAT: Discussion and analysis of the Paris attacks, U.S. national security, the Syrian refugee crisis, political reaction in the U.S.
WHEN: November 18 - ongoing
WHERE: Via telephone, email, in-studio, or at American University
ISIS/Terrorism/National Security/Foreign Policy
Joe Young, School of International Service and School of Public Affairs associate professor, is an expert in cross-national causes and consequences of political violence and extremism. Young is available to discuss ISIS; threat of domestic extremism; domestic surveillance and homeland security.
Chris Edelson, School of Public Affairs assistant professor of government, is an expert in terrorism and national security. He authored Emergency Presidential Power: From the Drafting of the Constitution to the War on Terror and Power without Constraint: The Post 9/11 Presidency and National Security, expected to be released in 2016. Edelson is available to discuss: national security and terrorism;human rights law;and presidential power and emergency power.
Akbar Ahmed, School of International Service professor of comparative and regional studies, was the Pakistan High Commissioner (Ambassador) to the United Kingdom and Ireland and was the First Distinguished Chair of Middle East &Islamic Studies at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. He is an expert on Islam; Islam in America; mosques; Pakistan; Afghanistan; South Asia; anthropology; comparative and regional studies; terrorism; ISIS and drones.
Jordan Tama, School of International Studies assistant professor, specializes in the politics, processes, and institutions of U.S. foreign and national security policy making, including presidential-congressional relations, national security strategy, and blue-ribbon advisory commissions. He is the author of National Security Reform: How Commissions Can Drive Change during Crises. He also advised as a member of the intelligence and counterterrorism expert advisory groups for President Obama's presidential campaign. Tama can discuss foreign policy and national security strategy;terrorism;the intelligence community;and the presidency and U.S. Congress.
Thomas Zeitzoff, School of Public Affairs assistant professor in the department of justice, law, and criminology. Areas of expertise include political violence, exposure to violence, and psychological effects of violence. Zeitzoff can discuss civil wars, terrorism, protests, and riots, particularly in the Middle East.
James Goldgeier, dean of School of International Service, served on the National Security Council Staff and at the State Department during the Clinton administration. Goldgeier's areas of expertise include 20th and 21st century U.S. presidents' foreign policy agendas, contemporary U.S. foreign policy as it relates to international security, and relations with industrialized nations and the emerging economies.
Max Paul Friedman, professor of diplomatic history, studies United States foreign policy in Western Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. Friedman can conduct interviews in Spanish, English, German and French. Friedman is available to discuss: U.S. foreign policy;the Syrian conflict, refugee crisis and immigration.
Tricia Bacon, School of Public Affairs assistant professor, specializes in terrorism, particularly Al-Qaida, the Islamic State, Lashar-e-Tayyiba, al-Shabaab, and other jihadist groups, counterterrorism policy and tactics, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, and East Africa. Bacon worked in counter terrorism for more than 10 years at the State Department.
ISIS/U.S. Military Operations
Lt. Gen. David Barno (USA Retired), School of International Service distinguished practitioner in residence served as a senior American commander of U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan from 2003–2005. Barno is an authority on military operations, the changing character of conflict, civil-military issues, and leader development. Barno is available to discuss: U.S. military operations and cyber threats and cybersecurity.
Nora Bensahel, School of International Service distinguished scholar-in-residence, is an expert on U.S. defense policy, military operations and force structure;coalition and alliance operations;and leader development. Bensahel is available to discuss: U.S. military operations;the threat from ISIS;U.S. relations with NATO, other U.S. allies, and coalition partners.
Cybersecurity/Encryption/Terrorist Use of Communication
Scott Talan, School of Communication professor of public &strategic communication, is an expert in social media, digital media, new media, personal branding and multimedia. He has been a writer, producer, and reporter for numerous media organizations, including ABC News/Good Morning America. Talan can discuss: strategy/branding tactics;ISIS recruitment propaganda;ISIS videos and use of social media;encrypted and disappearing apps.
Andrew Lih is an associate professor of journalism. He is a noted expert in online collaboration and digital news innovation and founded the web-based city guide NY.com in 1994. He is a contributor to the weekly PBS MediaShift podcast and has been a speaker at South by Southwest (SXSW), the Online News Association, Wikimania and Wikisym. Lih can discuss secure mobile communications;data security;and encryption.
U.S. Political Response/Impact on Election 2016
Leonard Steinhorn, School of Communication public communication professor, is an expert in American politics, culture and media, strategic communication, the presidency, and recent American history. Since 2012, Steinhorn has served as a political analyst for CBS News. Steinhorn has 15 years' experience as a political consultant and speechwriter. He can discuss immigration and politics;the U.S. states and banning Syrian refugees' entry;and 2016 candidates and U.S. foreign policy.
Migrant Crisis/Immigrant Integration
Alan Kraut, professor of history, is a non-resident fellow of the Migration Policy Institute, a historical consultant and the prize-winning author or editor of nine books and numerous scholarly articles. Kraut can discuss immigration;the migrant crisis and the implications of the attacks for Muslim-American immigrants and patterns of prejudice. A frequent historical consultant to museums and media, Kraut is a consultant to New York's Lower East Side Tenement Museum and PBS television documentaries such as They Came to America and the popular PBS series History Detectives.
Pedram Partovi is an expert on modern Iranian history and the history of jihadist movements in the Middle East and can discuss Muslim integration in France and the rise of ISIS.
Ernesto Castaneda is a sociology professor and conducts research on migration, urban issues, vulnerable populations, and social movements. He compares immigrant integration and ethnic political mobilization in the U.S. and Western Europe, particularly France. Castaneda can discuss immigrant integration in France.
ISIS Funding & European Economy
Frank Dubois is an international business professor and expert in global supply chain management, customs facilitation, and social network analysis. His focus of study covers business, and trade;European Community;global competition;global supply chain management;customs facilitation. He can also discuss border crossings, regional integration and impact on Europe's supply chain.
Jeffrey Harris, Kogod School of Business finance professor, has an extensive background in market microstructure and regulatory issues. He recently served as Chief Economist at the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission and can speak about international banking and finance.
Ghiyath Nakshbendi is an executive in residence at the Kogod School of Business and an expert on doing business in the Middle East, the global marketplace, export-import management, Islamic financing and sovereign wealth funds. His research focuses on the Middle East and North Africa regions, public-private partnerships, and sovereign wealth funds, foreign direct investment, with a focus on Yemen, and Syria. Nakshbendi has more than 30 years of professional finance and real estate experience. His international business experience covers 19 countries. He was a financial advisor at the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development in Kuwait as well as a financial advisor at the Kuwait Investment Authority, one of the oldest sovereign wealth fund institutions in the world.