Third Space Thoughts to Policy

Join Amina as she interviews Ms. Meena Srinivasan, an expert on gratitude. Meena goes over key strategies folks can use to cultivate gratitude, even during a challenging time like the one we are currently facing. Ms. Srinivasan goes over the most important steps we need to take when we feel discouraged and stuck, especially now in the COVID-19 era. She also explains how she defines gratitude and mindfulness in her work, which are very trendy terms these days. Meena also explains how to teach gratitude to various age groups, from children to adults. Ms. Srinivasan also talks about her book, "Teach, Breathe, Learn: Mindfulness In and Out of the Classroom", and different techniques for cultivating loving-kindness, gratitude and greater human connection. Meena Srinivasan, MA, National Board Certified Teacher, is a South Asian-American edupreneur with deep expertise in the fields of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and Mindfulness in Education. She is the Founding Executive Director of Transformative Educational Leadership (TEL), an empowering, racially and culturally diverse, compassion-centered, innovative program for educational leaders who are called to integrate mindfulness-based, social, emotional, academic and ethical learning into schools and school systems. Prior to this role she spent five and a half years working in partnership with the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) to implement SEL system-wide in the Oakland Unified School District. Meena has taught and led in a variety of school settings (public, private, urban, international) and is the creator of the SEL Every Day online courses, author of Teach, Breathe, Learn: Mindfulness In and Out of the Classroom and SEL Every Day: Integrating SEL with Instruction in Secondary Classrooms which was chosen as one of 2019’s Favorite Books for Educators by the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley.

Join Amina as she interviews Dr. Carolyn Zahn-Waxler on the complexity and importance of empathy. Empathy has come up a few times before earlier this season, but during this interview, we will take an even deeper diver into the concept. In part 2 of this interview, Dr. Carolyn Zahn-Waxler discusses the importance of empathy in good leadership, the role of culture, the impact conflict situations and sociopolitical conditions can have on the ability to have concern for others, what inspired her to pursue researching this concept further, and much more. Throughout her career, Dr. Zahn-Waxler has studied the origins and development of empathy and caring behaviors beginning in the first years of life. These longitudinal studies have focused on the role of genes, temperament, family life and socialization experiences that foster or impede compassion and altruism in children. She has also conducted longitudinal studies on the role of emotion in the development of psychopathology in adolescents, as well as risk and protective factors in the development of conduct problems. She has written about the intergenerational transmission of depression from mothers to daughters from a personal perspective. She served on the Task Force on women and depression for the Lt. Governor of Wisconsin and works to de-stigmatize mental illness. Dr. Zahn-Waxler is currently interested in translational questions, for example, how scientific advances can inform the development of practices and interventions that foster kindness, altruism and positive emotions in children.

Join Amina as she interviews Dr. Carolyn Zahn-Waxler on the complexity and importance of empathy. Empathy has come up a few times before earlier this season, but during this interview, we will take an even deeper diver into the concept. Dr. Carolyn Zahn-Waxler discusses what makes empathy worth studying, more about its origins and how genes and environment play a role, as well as some negative forms of empathy and how best to avoid those. Throughout her career, Dr. Zahn-Waxler has studied the origins and development of empathy and caring behaviors beginning in the first years of life. These longitudinal studies have focused on the role of genes, temperament, family life and socialization experiences that foster or impede compassion and altruism in children. She has also conducted longitudinal studies on the role of emotion in the development of psychopathology in adolescents, as well as risk and protective factors in the development of conduct problems. She has written about the intergenerational transmission of depression from mothers to daughters from a personal perspective. She served on the Task Force on women and depression for the Lt. Governor of Wisconsin and works to de-stigmatize mental illness. Dr. Zahn-Waxler is currently interested in translational questions, for example, how scientific advances can inform the development of practices and interventions that foster kindness, altruism and positive emotions in children.

Join Amina as she interviews Dr. Gregory Light for the second part of their conversation on critical thinking and problem solving. Dr. Light tells us more about his observations from his work in critical thinking at different universities around the world and explains how students can strengthen their problem solving skills and ability to think critically by participating in study abroad programs (prior to COVID-19 outbreak and hopefully again in the future after travel is safer). At the end, he also gives tips on how listeners can improve their own problem solving and critical thinking skills in the challenging times we live in today. Dr. Gregory Light served as the director of the Searle Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching for 15 years at Northwestern University where he was instrumental to innovative change across the university. Currently, he is a member of the advisory boards for the University of Toronto and for the new American University of Sicily. After retirement, Dr. Light has published more than a dozen new papers, chapters and presentations as well as a co-written a book on Reflective Teaching in Higher Education that was published in the U.K. March. He has published more than 50 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, often collaborating with others. One of his most recent international projects has been in the Middle East and South America, and he has consulted with universities around the world -- on every continent except Antarctica. He has delivered more than 150 invited talks, keynotes and workshops on a wide range of topics related to pedagogy and learning in higher and professional education. He has been crucial in conceptualizing and implementing wide-ranging programs, from tailored sessions and workshops, assessments and curriculum support to program evaluations across Northwestern University that focus on evidence-based learning. While at Northwestern University, Dr. Light collaborated on 10 major grant-funded projects, including the Gateway Science Workshop program (Mellon Foundation); Northwestern University Ventures in Biology Education (Howard Hughes Medical Institute); the CLIMB program (National Institutes of Health), the Critical Thinking in STEM (National Science Foundation) and the Palestinian Faculty Development Program. He has served on numerous committees to enhance the culture of learning, including the University Diversity Council, the Educational Technologies Advisory Committee, the University Course and Teaching Evaluation Committee, the University Council on Assessment and Accreditation and the University Classroom Committee. A committed educator, Light also was pivotal in the reconfiguration of the Masters of Higher Education Administration Program in 2002; he taught in the program as well as served in an advisory role for over 13 years. He has mentored many students and colleagues throughout the years adhering to a philosophy of building capacity in others and inclusive excellence.

Join Amina as she interviews Dr. Gregory Light from the University of Toronto , who discusses problem solving and critical thinking during the time of COVID-19 and why critical thinking is essential in education settings, particularly higher education settings, in order for us to solve pressing issues today including racial inequality and other social injustices as well as climate change and the global COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Light discusses the difference between surface approaches and deep approaches to learning, and gives insight on how faculty and teachers can cultivate critical thinking in their classrooms to help teach students to engage in creative, effective, and innovative problem solving. Dr. Gregory Light served as the director of the Searle Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching for 15 years at Northwestern University where he was instrumental to innovative change across the university. Currently, he is a member of the advisory boards for the University of Toronto and for the new American University of Sicily. After retirement, Dr. Light has published more than a dozen new papers, chapters and presentations as well as a co-written a book on Reflective Teaching in Higher Education that was published in the U.K. March. He has published more than 50 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, often collaborating with others. One of his most recent international projects has been in the Middle East and South America, and he has consulted with universities around the world -- on every continent except Antarctica. He has delivered more than 150 invited talks, keynotes and workshops on a wide range of topics related to pedagogy and learning in higher and professional education. He has been crucial in conceptualizing and implementing wide-ranging programs, from tailored sessions and workshops, assessments and curriculum support to program evaluations across Northwestern University that focus on evidence-based learning. While at Northwestern University, Dr. Light collaborated on 10 major grant-funded projects, including the Gateway Science Workshop program (Mellon Foundation); Northwestern University Ventures in Biology Education (Howard Hughes Medical Institute); the CLIMB program (National Institutes of Health), the Critical Thinking in STEM (National Science Foundation) and the Palestinian Faculty Development Program. He has served on numerous committees to enhance the culture of learning, including the University Diversity Council, the Educational Technologies Advisory Committee, the University Course and Teaching Evaluation Committee, the University Council on Assessment and Accreditation and the University Classroom Committee. A committed educator, Light also was pivotal in the reconfiguration of the Masters of Higher Education Administration Program in 2002; he taught in the program as well as served in an advisory role for over 13 years. He has mentored many students and colleagues throughout the years adhering to a philosophy of building capacity in others and inclusive excellence.

Join Amina as she interviews Dr. Kimberly Schonert-Reichl who tells us more about the fascinating concepts of self-regulation and mindfulness, and why they are important for human development. This is the second part of a two-part interview. Dr. Schonert-Reichl is an applied developmental psychologist and a professor in the Human Development, Learning, and Culture area in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology and Special Education at the University of British Columbia (UBC). She is also the director of the Human Early Learning Partnership in the School of Population and Public Health in the Faculty of Medicine at UBC. She began her career as a middle school teacher and then was a teacher for “at risk” adolescents in an alternative high school. She received her master’s from the University of Chicago and her doctorate from the University of Iowa. She was a National Institute of Mental Health Postdoctoral Fellow in the Clinical Research Training Program in Adolescence at the University of Chicago and Northwestern University Medical School in the Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Schonert-Reichl is a renowned expert in the area of social and emotional learning (SEL) research with children and adolescents, particularly in relation to the identification of the processes and mechanisms that foster positive human qualities such as empathy, compassion, altruism, and resilience. For more than two decades, her research has focused on the social and emotional development of children and adolescents in school and community settings. She is currently a member of the Board of Directors for CASEL, the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning.

Join Amina as she interviews Dr. Kimberly Schonert-Reichl who tells us more about the fascinating concepts of self-regulation and mindfulness, and why they are important for human development. Dr. Schonert-Reichl is an applied developmental psychologist and a professor in the Human Development, Learning, and Culture area in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology and Special Education at the University of British Columbia (UBC). She is also the director of the Human Early Learning Partnership in the School of Population and Public Health in the Faculty of Medicine at UBC. She began her career as a middle school teacher and then was a teacher for “at risk” adolescents in an alternative high school. She received her master’s from the University of Chicago and her doctorate from the University of Iowa. She was a National Institute of Mental Health Postdoctoral Fellow in the Clinical Research Training Program in Adolescence at the University of Chicago and Northwestern University Medical School in the Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Schonert-Reichl is a renowned expert in the area of social and emotional learning (SEL) research with children and adolescents, particularly in relation to the identification of the processes and mechanisms that foster positive human qualities such as empathy, compassion, altruism, and resilience. For more than two decades, her research has focused on the social and emotional development of children and adolescents in school and community settings. She is currently a member of the Board of Directors for CASEL, the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning.

Join Amina as she interviews Ms. Mary Gordon, President and Founder of Roots of Empathy. They discuss how empathy can break cycles of violence, combat various social injustices including racism, and make our world more peaceful. Ms. Gordon goes into detail about the inspirational work her organization does to foster empathy and emotional literacy in classrooms around the world. Mary Gordon is recognized internationally as an award-winning social entrepreneur, educator, author, child advocate and parenting expert who has created programs informed by the power of empathy. They have been used as a best practice model internationally. Ms. Gordon is a frequent keynote speaker in conferences and has presented to and advised governments, educational organizations and international bodies such as The World Health Organization, and the United Nations. Both Ms. Gordon and her organization have received many international awards recognizing her contribution to innovation in education and international social entrepreneurship. She has won her country’s highest award for innovation, the Governor General’s Award for Innovation and the Manning Innovation Award. She has been given the highest distinction in her country, the Order of Canada, the Order of Ontario, and the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador. She is an Ashoka Globalizer and represents 3,500 Ashoka Social Entrepreneurs on the Global Board in DC. Both Ms. Gordon and the program have been featured in the New York Times, the LA Times, the Washington Post, the BBC, The Globe and Mail, Time Magazine, Japan’s NHK, CBC and in features on PBS, CNN, NBC and the Huffington Post. She has written articles and book chapters and her book, Roots of Empathy: Changing the World Child by Child, is a Canadian bestseller.

Join Amina as she interviews Dr. Mohammed Abu-Nimer to talk about forgiveness and its complicated relationship with reconciliation and justice. Dr. Abu-Nimer also elaborates more on how forgiveness plays a role in his work, including interfaith dialogue and peace building. Dr. Mohammed Abu-Nimer is a professor at the International Peace and Conflict Resolution program at American University, and former Director of the Peacebuilding and Development Institute. He has conducted interreligious conflict resolution training and interfaith dialogue workshops in conflict areas around the world, including Palestine, Israel, Egypt, Northern Ireland, the Philippines (Mindanao), Sri Lanka, and others. In addition to his articles and publications, Dr. Abu-Nimer is the co-founder and co-editor of the Journal of Peacebuilding and Development. His professional services include being on the Advisory Board of Nonviolence International and being a co-chair of the PARD (Partnership for Religion and Development). One of his most recent publications is a co-edited book with Michelle Garred on Making Peace With Faith. He also co-directed a research project on forgiveness with Dr. Ilham Nasser (who has been on our podcast for the past three seasons) on perceptions of forgiveness among teachers in the Arab world.

Join Amina as she interviews Ms. Emily Esfahani Smith on the program over Zoom to talk about meaning making. Emily Esfahani Smith's Ted Talk titled “There’s More to Life Than Being Happy” has over 8 million views on Ted.com and over 3 million on YouTube. In this talk she explained that even though “our culture is obsessed with happiness” she learned “chasing happiness can make people unhappy” and that having meaning in life is more beneficial to individuals. Emily lets us know why she thinks this topic resonated with so many people and elaborates more on how she came to this conclusion. She also discussed her bestselling book, The Power of Meaning: Crafting A Life that Matters, where she names 4 pillars of meaning: belonging, purpose, storytelling, and transcendence. Emily shares these with the audience and explains how they contribute to meaning making and ways to best cultivate them in our communities.

Listen into our conversation with Dr. Cynthia Miller-Idriss on sense of belonging, one of the constructs measured in the first two rounds of the AEMS Mapping the Terrain Study. This term usually has positive connotations but also comes up alot in Dr. Miller-Idriss's work on far right extremism which she delves into more deeply during the podcast along with ways that faculty and administrators can help increase sense of belonging for students on campus. They also discuss sense of belonging through online learning, which is particularly relevant in the time of COVID-19 era. Dr. Cynthia Miller-Idriss is an award-winning author and scholar of far right extremism and higher education. She is Professor of Education and Sociology and runs the Polarization and Extremism Research & Innovation Lab (PERIL) in the Center for University Excellence (CUE) at the American University in Washington, DC. She is also Director of Strategy and Partnerships at the U.K.-based Centre for Analysis of the Radical Right and serves on the international advisory board of the Center for Research on Extremism (C-REX) in Oslo, Norway. Dr. Miller-Idriss has testified before the U.S. Congress and frequently serves as a keynote speaker and expert panelist on trends in white supremacist extremism to global academic and policy communities as well as staff and representatives in U.S. and international government agencies and embassies. Dr. Miller-Idriss is the author, co-author, or co-editor of six academic books, including Hate in the Homeland: The New Global Far Right, forthcoming from Princeton University Press in fall 2020. She also has recent by-lines in The Washington Post and The New York Times and also appeared on NPR's All Things Considered.

Listen in to Amina's conversation with Dr. Andreas Krafft as they discuss the power of hope, one of the constructs studied in the second round of IIIT's research for the Mapping the Terrain Study, part of its Advancing Education in Muslim Societies (AEMS) initiative. For the past ten years, Dr. Krafft has been working on a very exciting project called the Hope-Barometer, which is an annual survey of people's hopes and expectations for the future. This has included approximately 10,000 people in 14 different countries each year. Dr. Krafft reveals to Amina what inspired this initiative and what the most important findings have been. They also discuss the benefits of hope, its various sources, as well as its relationship to spirituality and religion. Dr. Andreas M. Krafft is a Research Associate and Lecturer at the Institute of Systemic Management and Public Governance, University of St. Gallen (Switzerland). He is also the head of the International Hope-Barometer Research Network and Co-President of swissfuture, the Swiss Society for Future Studies. Dr. Krafft is also a Board member of SWIPPA, the Swiss Association of Positive Psychology.

Third Space Thoughts to Policy is back with season 3! Join Amina as she interviews Dr. Ilham Nasser, Director of Mapping the Terrain Research at IIIT to talk about the latest developments with the study in spite of COVID-19 and the importance of researching values that are part of this round of Mapping the Terrain including hope, gratitude, sense of belonging, forgiveness, and meaning making. For the last two seasons, we’ve discussed various topics pertaining to education, human development, religion, policy, grassroots activism, wellbeing, culturally responsive education, how these overlap, and much more. All twelve of the episodes in our second season centered around the concept of wellbeing in or through education. Our third season discusses the values or constructs being measured in our global Mapping the Terrain Study which include hope, sense of belonging, meaning making, and forgiveness. These are all very relevant and timely concepts and audience members benefit from hearing from the experts who have studied these concepts and/or provided workshops on how best to foster them. To kick off the third season, we starts by interviewing the Director of Mapping the Terrain Research, Dr. Ilham Nasser in episode 25 to discuss the latest developments with the global Mapping the Terrain study, which is still progressing in spite of COVID-19, as well as why we’re focusing on these particular values and how this information can be helpful for humanity as a whole.

Join Amina and Dr. Jehanzeb Cheema for the finale of season 2 of Third Space Thoughts to Policy. Dr. Cheema is an Assistant Professor at George Mason University's School of Business and a research methodologist with a background in education and economics. Prior to joining the School of Business, he taught research methodology courses at the University of Baltimore and also taught at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He received his Ph.D. in Education from George Mason University in 2012, specializing in research methodology. He also has a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, specializing in labor economics and development economics. His research interests include research methodology, focusing on measurement, assessment, and evaluation. His secondary fields of research interests include educational psychology and survey research. Dr. Cheema is also interested in missing data analysis and student achievement. He’s been published in numerous academic peer-reviewed journals including Educational Psychology, International Review of Education, Entertainment Computing, Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods, The Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research, and numerous others. He is the Methodologist for IIIT’s Mapping the Terrain study, part of the AEMS initiative.

Join the second part of our discussion on well-being and the future with Scott Jordan from The Centre for Postnormal Policy and Futures Studies (CPPFS). We discuss how understanding the concept of postnormal times can help policy makers make better decisions in the best interest of societal and individual well-being as well its role in educational settings. Scott Jordan is the Executive Assistant Director at CPPFS. A philosopher and political scientist, Scott is attached to the Asian World Center at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. He is a member of the Nonkilling Consortium International, and has worked with an international summer camp in China through the Soong Ching Ling Foundation. A regular contributor to the quarterly Critical Muslim, he hosts a radio podcast show, Tea Talk Asia. His research is focused on the postnormal dimensions of international policy, politics and governance, which he often explores through films.

Join the first part of our discussion on well-being and the future with Scott Jordan from The Centre for Postnormal Policy and Future Studies (CPPFS). We discuss the definition of "postnormal times", futures studies, and how understanding these concepts can help policy makers. Scott Jordan is the Executive Assistant Director at CPPFS. A philosopher and political scientist, Scott is attached to the Asian World Center at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. He is a member of the Nonkilling Consortium International, and has worked with an international summer camp in China through the Soong Ching Ling Foundation. A regular contributor to the quarterly Critical Muslim, he hosts a radio podcast show, Tea Talk Asia. His research is focused on the postnormal dimensions of international policy, politics and governance, which he often explores through films.

Listen into Amina's conversation with Dr. Nora El-Bilawi from Hood College as they discuss well-being and training of teachers. Dr. Nora El-Bilawi is currently an assistant professor of education at Hood College, Fredrick MD. Dr. El-Bilawi has a Ph.D. and a Master’s degree from George Mason University, College of Education and Human Development with a specialization in multicultural education, international education, and curriculum and instruction. She has taught graduate and undergraduate courses in online, hybrid, and in face-to-face class format focusing on cultural studies, international and globalization perspectives, and on language learning methods and strategies. Also, she held a position during 2014-2016 as an assistant professor of education at the American University in Dubai, UAE. Her research interest and field publications focus on international education, multiculturalism/multilingualism, education reform, teacher training/education, and curriculum and instruction.

Join Amina and Dr. Cynthia Miller-Idriss as they discuss well-being, culturally responsive research, and the far right. Dr. Cynthia Miller-Idriss is an award-winning author and scholar of far right extremism and higher education. She is Professor of Education and Sociology and Director of Research at the Center for University Excellence (CUE) at the American University in Washington, DC, and Senior Fellow and Director of Outreach at the U.K.-based Centre for Analysis of the Radical Right. A cultural sociologist, she has spent two decades researching the emotional and aesthetic dimensions of radical and extreme youth culture, most recently through a focus on how clothing, style and symbols act as a gateway into extremist scenes and subcultures. She also writes widely on higher education issues, particularly related to the internationalization of universities and the far right's impact on the higher education sector.​ In addition to her academic work, Miller-Idriss writes frequently for mainstream audiences, with recent by-lines in The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Boston Globe, CNN Style, The Guardian, Le Monde, Salon, and more. She appears regularly in the media as an expert source and political commentator, most recently on MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews, C-SPAN's Washington Journal, NPR's All Things Considered, NBC's The Today Show, the UK's BBC Radio 4 Thinking Allowed, France 24's The Interview, The Washington Post Live, Ireland's The Pat Kenny Show on Newstalk and in Austria's DATUM Magazine. ​In new research, Miller-Idriss has been studying transnational flows in far-right youth scenes' aesthetics and style in six countries. She is at work on a new book, Hate in the Homeland: The New Spaces and Places of the U.S. Far Right, to be published in fall 2020. Her most recent book, The Extreme Gone Mainstream: Commercialization and Far Right Youth Culture in Germany, was published last year in 2018.

Listen in to Amina's conversation on well-being and ethics with Venerable Tenzin Priyadarshi from The Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The Venerable Tenzin Priyadarshi from is an innovative thinker, philosopher, educator and a polymath monk. He is Director of the Ethics Initiative at the MIT Media Lab and President & CEO of The Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a center dedicated to inquiry, dialogue, and education on the ethical and humane dimensions of life. The Center is a collaborative and nonpartisan think tank, and its programs emphasize responsibility and examine meaningfulness and moral purpose between individuals, organizations, and societies. Six Nobel Peace Laureates serve as The Center’s founding members and its programs run in several countries and are expanding. Venerable Tenzin's unusual background encompasses entering a Buddhist monastery at the age of ten and receiving graduate education at Harvard University with degrees ranging from Philosophy to Physics to International Relations. He is a Tribeca Disruptive Fellow and a Fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. Venerable Tenzin serves on the boards of a number of academic, humanitarian, and religious organizations. He is the recipient of several recognitions and awards, and received Harvard’s Distinguished Alumni Honors for his visionary contributions to humanity.

Listen in to Amina's conversation on well-being and philanthropy with Dr. Shariq Siddiqui from Indiana University. Dr. Siddiqui is also part of the AEMS team at IIIT. Dr. Shariq Siddiqui serves as the visiting director and assistant professor of the Muslim Philanthropy Initiative at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Shariq has a Ph.D. and M.A. in Philanthropic Studies from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. He also has a JD from the McKinney School of Law at Indiana University and holds a B.A. in History from the University of Indianapolis. Shariq authors research on Muslim philanthropy and the Muslim nonprofit sector. Most recently, he conducted a national survey of full-time Islamic schools in the United States. This project resulted in the book (that he co-authored) Islamic Education in the United States and the Evolution of Muslim Nonprofit Institutions that will be published in November 2017. Shariq also serves as the co-editor of the new Journal on Muslim Philanthropy and Civil Society and as the Series Editor of the Muslim Philanthropy and Civil Society Book Series published by Indiana University Press. He has served as a nonprofit practitioner for over 20 years for international, national, regional, and local nonprofit organizations. Shariq is also the former Executive Director of Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA). ARNOVA is a leading international association that connects scholars, teachers, and practice leaders in research on nonprofit organizations, voluntary action, philanthropy and civil society.