Vincent E. McHale, Ph.D. – Marcus A. Hanna Professor of Political Science

Dear Colleagues:

Since The Guardian in June began publishing leaked documents from Edward Snowden about the National Security Agency’s surveillance tactics, it has become difficult to keep track of all the charges and concerns. This week’s news includes legal release of documents showing that the NSA promised the FISA court that it would only track the addresses, not content of e-mails – but apparently collected more. Revelations about eavesdropping on world leaders have led to public protest from numerous such leaders, including Brazil’s president, Dilma Rousseff, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

All of which raises logical questions: is the NSA a rogue agency, have the past two Presidential administrations authorized surveillance that at best was politically risky, or did the NSA do whatever it did because it was just normal behavior? Is it really unusual for any country to spy on foreign leaders? Is the NSA’s gathering of data really different from what search engines collect whenever you use your computer?

Vince McHale has been participating in and teaching our students about the intelligence community for decades. Join us as he shares his perspectives on the NSA controversy.

All best regards,
Joe White
Luxenberg Family Professor of Public Policy and Director, Center for Policy Studies

About Our Guest

Vincent McHale received his Ph.D. from the Pennsylvania State University in 1969 where he was also awarded a certificate in Russian area studies. Although his early research had focused on French and Italian electoral politics, his research and publications have expanded to include politics, political systems, and socio-political change across Europe, with his most recent article being “Democratic Transition and the Evolution of Mass Politics in Post-Communist Central and Eastern Europe,” Historical Social Research (XX:2, 1995). He also has published on crime and violence in 19th-century Europe. His books include Vote, Clivages Socio-politiques, et Developpement Regional en Belgique (1974), Evaluating Transnational Programs in Government and Business (co-edited, 1980), and a two-volume edited work, Political Parties of Europe (1983).

Dr. McHale has been supported by grants from both the Canadian and United States governments. Early in his career he was principal investigator for a National Science Foundation grant (NSF-IG-72) focusing on developmental change, social dissent, and political opposition in Europe. He was project director for a two-year United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare grant entitled “Transnational Issues: A Proposal for Curricular Development” (G00-760-3403). This latter grant provided the foundation for the undergraduate international studies program at Case Western Reserve University.

Dr. McHale has been a recurring lecturer at the Sherman Kent School for Intelligence Analysis, in Washington, D.C.; and he continues to serve as a consultant on European elections and political issues for the United States government.

Where We Meet

The Friday Public Affairs Lunch convenes each Friday when classes are in session, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. We usually meet in the Dampeer Room of Kelvin Smith Library. The Dampeer Room is on the second floor of the library. If you get off the elevators, turn right, pass the first bank of tables, and turn right again. Occasionally we need to use a different room; that will always be announced in the weekly e-mails.

Parking Possibilities

The most convenient parking is the lot underneath Severance Hall. We regret that it is not free. From that lot there is an elevator up to street level (labeled as for the Thwing Center); it is less than 50 yards from that exit to the library entrance. You can get from the Severance garage to the library without going outside. Near the entry gates – just to the right if you were driving out – there is a door into a corridor. Walk down the corridor and there will be another door. Beyond that door you’ll find the entrance to an elevator which goes up to an entrance right inside the doors to Kelvin Smith Library.

Friday Lunch Upcoming Topics and Speakers:

November 29 : No Session – Thanksgiving Break

December 6: Political Ethics – An Oxymoron? With Jeremy Bendik-Keymer, Beamer-Schneider Professor in Ethics and Joseph White, Luxenberg Family Professor of Public Policy.