"Pius XII was afraid of, certainly in the first years of the war, that the Nazis were going to win. And so he felt he had to plan for a Europe that was going to be under Nazi control with their pal Mussolini helping out," David Kertzer in an interview with PBS News Hour on the findings in his new book.
In the News
Pope Pius XII was not 'neutral' on Holocaust, fumes Pulitzer-winning historian (comments by David Kertzer)
Aghast at continued apologia for Pope Pius XII, Watson faculty fellow and historian David Kertzer reveals archival finds about the Vatican's stance on Jewish genocide, in The Times of Israel.
Can R.I. weather the exit of so many leaders? (comments by Wendy Schiller)
"The governor's race, in particular, creates a lot of uncertainty for health care providers in the state because you don't know who you're going to be dealing with," Wendy Schiller comments in Providence Business News.
The End of Energy Free Trade (comments by Chas Freeman)
Chas Freeman, senior fellow and former Ambassador comments in The Wall Street Journal, "Europe can never again trust Russia to be its primary energy provider, and that even if sanctions are lifted, countries are proposing costly new infrastructure and endorsing long-term alternative supply contracts that will lock in the new energy map."
Journalists push for more representation of Brazil's trans community (comments by James Green)
"The government, for example, has not funded films that deal with LGBTQ issues, including trans issues. The government also supported the closing of an art exhibit that included trans people," James Green comments for Internation Journalists' Network.
How Much Do Your Genes Shape Your Politics? (comments by Rose McDermott)
"About 60 percent of overall liberal-conservative ideology is genetically influenced," Rose McDermott comments in The New York Times.
How it became taboo to tell your kid 'good job' (written by Emily Oster)
Emily Oster writes for Jewish World Review, "This advice is well-meaning, but it can become yet another for parents to feel like we're failing."
The Costs of War project cited in Salon, an average of 45,000 human beings are killed each year — more than two-fifths of them innocent civilians.
Bringing Finland into NATO is a big mistake (written by Stephen Kinzer)
Stephen Kinzer writes for The Boston Globe, "With war raging in Ukraine, long-neutral Finland is suddenly eager to join the American-led NATO military alliance. We shouldn't jump into this marriage."
The Pope's Secret Channel Back to Hitler (written by David Kertzer)
David Kertzer writes for The Atlantic, "Newly revealed Vatican documents uncover a long-held secret: As war broke out, Pius XII used a Nazi prince to negotiate with Adolf Hitler."
Deep in Vatican Archives, Scholar Discovers 'Flabbergasting' Secrets (comments by David Kertzer)
David Kertzer comments in The New York Times, "Part of what I hope to accomplish, is to show how important a role Pius XII played."
Republicans return to their roots as the antiwar party (written by Stephen Kinzer)
Stephen Kinzer writes in the Boston Globe, "Since the Vietnam era, Americans have come to expect antiwar rhetoric from liberal Democrats. Cancel that."
A deadly silence: Assessing the moral failings of Pope Pius XII during World War II (David Kertzer book review)
Boston Globe book review highlights "The Pope at War," an assessment of the moral failings of Pope Pius XII during World War II, written by Professor of Italian Studies David Kertzer.
Why Fed says fighting inflation is Job 1, despite recession risk (comments by Mark Blyth)
Professor of International Economics Mark Blyth offered commentary for the Christian Science Monitor, on the Federal Reserve's efforts to contain inflation.
Bloomberg Daybreak: May 25, 2022 (interview with Wendy J. Schiller)
In this radio segment, Professor of Political Science Wendy Schiller discusses gun laws in the U.S and the primary elections in several states.
Is inequality widening in Poland? (comments by Anthony Levitas)
Senior Fellow Anthony Levitas offered commentary for Deutsche Welle, on the methodology used by a new report that measures social inequality in Europe.
Law, not faith (written by Ashutosh Varshney)
Ashutosh Varshney writes for The Indian Express, "Attempt to reclaim Gyanvapi mosque for Hindu religious purposes flatly contradicts the Constitution."
Brown economist named one of TIME's 100 Most Influential People of 2022 (Emily Oster recognized)
Professor of Economics Emily Oster received the distinction in Time Magazine for her work in translating data into simple, rational guidance for parents worldwide.
Neurodiversity And The Elusive Job Quest (comments by Glenn Loury)
Professor of Economics Glenn Loury comments in Forbes, on the dynamics of "cognitive inequality," and whether there can be jobs in the economy for those with certain limited cognitive skills.
China experts blast Biden's Taiwan slip (comments by Ambassador Chas Freeman)
Ambassador Chas Freeman in Asia Times, "This is the fourth time this year that the White House has sought to walk back statements by the president committing the United States to go to war with China over Taiwan."
Midland, not Moscow!' — Texas offers a global antidote to Moscow's aggression (written by Deborah Gordon)
Deborah Gordon writes for Midland Reporter-Telegram, "the U.S. can double down on cleaner energy now. There's no place better than Texas to make the first move."
Q&A: How Measuring the Differences Between Barrels of Oil Improves Climate Policy (interview with Deborah Gordon)
Deborah Gordon joined The Good Men Project for a discussion of her research and its public policy and private sector implications.
Decades of US military aid has been a disaster for Nigerians (Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Studies cited)
A report titled, U.S. Security Partnerships and the Protection Of Civilians, which was co-authored by the Center from Human Rights and Humanitarian Studies is cited in Responsible Statecraft.
Scottish independence: Andrew Wilson rejects claims by 'doomsayers' (Mark Blyth comments)
"Independence would be unravelling 300 years of history and would require a 'leap of faith' – but that doesn't mean it should not be done", Mark Blyth comments in The National.
Rights Group Urges Civilian Safeguards as Biden Sends Troops Back to Somalia (Costs of War Project cited)
Nearly 400,000 civilian men, women, and children have been killed in the U.S.-led post-9/11 wars, Costs of War cited in Common Dreams.
Bloomberg daybreak: May 20, 2022 (interview with Wendy J. Schiller)
In this radio segment, Professor of Political Science Wendy Schiller discusses politics, the economy, and the primary and general elections.
Military Buildup Ain't The Way (Costs of War project cited)
Costs of War report cited in Voices for New Democracy on the total human cost by direct war violence of the U.S. post-9/11 wars.
The 'Great Replacement Theory' Is a Lie. It's Also a Threat to Schools (written by Jonathan Collins)
Jonathan Collins explains in Education Week, "What the hateful ideology behind the Buffalo shooting means for educators"
George W. Bush called Iraq war 'unjustified and brutal.' He meant Ukraine. (Costs of War cited)
According to the Costs of War project at Watson, at least 200,000 civilians died as a result of "direct war-related violence" during the U.S. invasion of Iraq.
Don't Make Your Own Formula (written by Emily Oster)
Emily Oster writes in The Atlantic, "How parents should, and should not, manage the shortage".
During an interview with 'The Wire Talks', Ashutosh Varshney comments, "It's the electoral victory of the BJP which is causing this constitutional difficulty and it will might soon become a constitutional crisis."
15 months and counting, massive China bill tests ability of a divided US Congress to compromise (Richard Arenberg comments)
Richard Arenberg in South China Morning Post, "It can't just be the Democrats negotiating with themselves,"
Why Does Russia's Leadership Keep Saying that Ukrainians Are Nazis? (written by Omer Bartov)
"Comparing Volodymyr Zelensky to Hitler is absurd, but it fits Vladimir Putin's distorted view of World War II and Russian history", Omer Bartov writes for The Wall Street Journal.
Biden and the Democrats pivot to proxy war (Chas Freeman comments)
Chas Freeman in Asia Times, "At the outset of its response to the Russian invasion, the administration was careful to limit possible provocation of the Russians. But, not having seen direct retaliation from Moscow, it has become progressively less cautious."
My friends the political prisoners (written by Stephen Kinzer)
Stephen Kinzer writes in the Boston Globe, two good souls have been sent away for no crime other than challenging autocrats.
Abortion battle moves to homes of Supreme Court justices (Rob Blair comments)
Rob Blair comments on activists gathering outside the homes of three conservative Supreme Court justices to protest Roe v. Wade's potential demise.
J. Brian Atwood in The Hill, "The leak of the draft Supreme Court opinion on abortion has the political pot boiling over, but to what end? Whatever the result, American democracy is unlikely to be the beneficiary."
Podcast: India Might Be Entering the Stage of Pogroms Now (interview with Ashutosh Varshney)
Ashutosh Varshney on The Wire podcast, "I have studied communal riots of the 1990s, but this current violence in India is very different."
The Refugee Opportunity (written by Dany Bahar)
Dany Bahar in Foreign Affairs, "If the world really cares about rebuilding Ukraine, its goal must be for Ukrainian refugees to integrate as much as possible in other countries—not the opposite."
Facebook whistleblower kicks off William R. Rhodes '57 Lecture Series on Ethics of Capitalism
Frances Haugen told an audience of Brown students, faculty and staff that algorithms governing social media are the root of technology's challenges — and that social media can be a positive force to keep people connected.
The Foreign Service, Diplomacy, and the US-China Fight for Primacy: An Interview with Chas Freeman
The Brown Political review interviews Ambassador Chas Freeman.
Germany's epic 'rupture in time' (written by Stephen Kinzer)
Stephen Kinzer in Globe Ideas, "Younger Germans, however, are largely divorced from those experiences and impulses. They feel culturally and emotionally tied to the United States and want their country to play a robust role in NATO. For them, Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a defining moment."
Data that parents collect about their babies has limits (interview with Emily Oster)
Emily Oster in the Washington Post, "Sometimes our data is very limited or it's just very difficult to answer questions — or the answer is kind of different for everybody,"
Eric Patashnik in Vox, "It's possible this could have some influence on vote choices in the midterms, but the impact will be at the margin,"
In this interview, Jeff Colgan discusses how the United States plans to help Europe diminish its reliance on Russian natural gas.
Politics never trumped my 40-year friendship with Madeleine Albright
J. Brian Atwood reflects on his friendship with former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
US fighting Russia 'to the last Ukrainian': veteran US diplomat (interview with Chas Freeman)
In Ukraine, the Biden administration is fighting Russia "to the last Ukrainian," Ambassador Chas Freeman says.
US military aid to Ukraine guarantees more suffering and death (written by Stephen Kinzer)
Stephen Kinzer in the Boston Globe, "Our escalation in Ukraine will fuel counter-escalation. That intensifies a confrontation between two nuclear-armed powers."