UW–Madison experts available to media to discuss 9/11

As the world marks the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks at the World Trade Center and Pentagon, the University of Wisconsin–Madison has a number of experts who can discuss topics and issues connecting the anniversary and counterterrorism, religion and politics.

Additional contact information for most of the experts listed may be available by sending an email to experts@uc.wisc.edu.

Terrorism

Neil Whitehead, professor and chair of the Department of Anthropology, is an expert on warfare and terrorism and is available to discuss the Sept. 11 terror attacks and the ways terrorism has evolved in the 10 years since. Whitehead can be reached at 608-262-2866 or nlwhiteh@wisc.edu.
Andrew Kydd, associate professor of political science, is an expert on terrorism and can discuss issues of international security and counterterrorism. Kydd can be reached at 608-263-2024 or kydd@wisc.edu. (He will be out of the office the week of Aug. 29.)

U.S. and war

Jon Pevehouse, professor of political science and public affairs and expert on American foreign policy, can discuss the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq that stemmed from the Sept. 11 attacks. Pevehouse can be reached at 608-262-4839 or pevehouse@polisci.wisc.edu.
John W. Hall, assistant professor of military history, can reflect on the historical significance of Sept. 11, as well as the military actions that followed the terror attacks. Hall can be reached at 608-263-2364 or jwhall3@wisc.edu.

Pevehouse and Hall will be part of a discussion sponsored by the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters’ “Perspectives on a Post-9/11 World,” scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 11, in the lecture hall of the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art at the Overture Center, 227 State St. Their talk, “The U.S.: At Home and Abroad in a Post-9/11 World,” will start at 1 p.m. and cover American military operations since 9/11.

U.S. and religion

Charles Cohen, professor of history and religious studies and director of the Lubar Institute for the Study of the Abrahamic Religions, is an expert on interfaith relationships between Jews, Christians and Muslims. He can discuss how those relationships have changed in the 10 years since 9/11.

Cohen will also be part of the discussion sponsored by the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters’ “Perspectives on a Post-9/11 World.” At 2:45 p.m., Cohen will be part of a panel, “Islam and America: Citizenship and Democracy,” with Louise Cainkar of Marquette University and Asifa Quraishi of UW Law School.

Crisis management

Donald Moynihan, professor in the La Follette School of Public Affairs, can discuss how organizations responding to disasters or terrorist attacks coordinate to minimize the extent of the disaster and how those practices changed in response to 9/11. Moynihan can be reached at 734-657-2628 or dmoynihan@lafollette.wisc.edu. (He is unavailable on Aug. 23, 29 and 30th.)

Politics and public opinion

Charles Franklin, political science professor and expert on public opinion, can discuss how Sept. 11 shaped the politics of the last decade, as well as how public views have been affected by the terror attacks. Franklin can be reached at 608-263-2022 or franklin@polisci.wisc.edu.

Anxiety

Jack Nitschke, associate professor of psychiatry, can talk about how 9/11 images can cause anxiety in some people with underlying anxiety disorders. Dr. Nitschke does brain imaging research on the areas of the brain that light up in response to negative imagery, and also counsels people with post-traumatic stress disorder. He is part of a team of psychiatrists from the University of Wisconsin and the William S. Middleton Veterans’ Hospital involved in a large clinical study aimed at finding better PTSD treatments for veterans returning from Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Nitschke can be contacted through Susan Lampert Smith at  (608) 262-7335 or  Ssmith5@uwhealth.org.

Dave Riley, professor of human development and family studies, can discuss how parents can deal with questions children have about news coverage they see and read related to the 9/11 anniversary. Riley can be reached at 608-262-3314 or dariley@wisc.edu.

—Stacy Forster, of University Communications also contributed to this experts list.