Genghis Khan's Surprising Legacy

KUER 90.1 | By Doug Fabrizio

Published November 29, 2017 at 9:00 AM MST

Genghis Khan was the greatest conqueror in human history. He was a ruthless warrior known for his scorched earth tactics. So it may surprise you to learn that he was a deeply principled and passionate man, and a champion of religious freedom.

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the name Genghis Khan? Conquest, right? The terrifying Mongol hordes. But Genghis Khan’s legacy wasn’t built entirely on the battlefield. Motivated by fear and love, he was remarkably fair to the people he subjugated, going so far as to grant them religious freedom. Anthropologist Jack Weatherford has chronicled Genghis’s life and ideas, and he joins us to discuss their place in American political life and what they can teach us today.

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Doug Fabrizio

Doug Fabrizio has been reporting for KUER News since 1987, and became News Director in 1993. In 2001, he became host and executive producer of KUER's RadioWest, a one hour conversation/call-in show on KUER 90.1 in Salt Lake City. He has gained a reputation for his thoughtful style. He has interviewed everyone from Isabel Allende to the Dalai Lama, and from Madeleine Albright to Desmond Tutu. His interview skills landed him a spot as a guest host of the national NPR program, "Talk of the Nation." He has won numerous awards for his reporting and for his work with RadioWest and KUED's Utah NOW from such organizations as the Society of Professional Journalists, the Utah Broadcasters Association, the Public Radio News Directors Association and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

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