On Shifting Ground

While globalization has lifted millions out of poverty, the geopolitical forces that drove it have largely left the middle class behind. There is a growing sense that the social contract established after WWII is broken. 

This is the third episode of our 3-part series on the rebuilding of that social contract from three distinct perspectives: that of the people, that of the corporate sector, and that of government.

Governments are accused of letting the social safety net disintegrate for the many while facilitating vast economic gains for the few. An ever-expanding wealth gap has reinforced these views. Jason Furman, economics professor at Harvard, and Gillian Tett, US managing editor for the Financial Times, discuss what role governments can play in forging solutions with WorldAffairs Co-host Ray Suarez.

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Direct download: 12_30_19_Social_Contract-Part_3.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

While globalization has lifted millions out of poverty, the geopolitical forces that drove it have largely left the middle class behind. There is a growing sense that the social contract established after WWII is broken. 

This is the second episode of our 3-part series on the rebuilding of that social contract from three distinct perspectives: that of the people, that of the corporate sector, and that of government. This first episode is from the people’s perspective. 

Since deregulation in the 1980’s, the only stakeholder that has mattered to business is the shareholder. Jay Coen Gilbert, co-founder of B-Lab, and Colin Mayer, professor at Oxford University and author of “Prosperity: Better Businesses Makes The Greater Good,” discuss why the corporate culture may be at an inflection point with WorldAffairs Co-host Ray Suarez.

We want to hear from you! Please take part in a quick survey to tell us how we can improve our podcast: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PWZ7KMW

Direct download: 12_23_19_Social_Contract-Part_2.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

While globalization has lifted millions out of poverty, the geopolitical forces that drove it have largely left the middle class behind. There is a growing sense that the social contract established after WWII is broken. 

This week and for the following 2 weeks, we’re featuring a 3-part series on the rebuilding of that social contract from three distinct perspectives: that of the people, that of the corporate sector, and that of government. This first episode is from the people’s perspective. 

What forces caused the social contract to break and more importantly, what can citizens do to rebuild it? Tom Nichols, professor at the Naval War College and author of The Death of Expertiseand Ian Bremmer, president and founder of Eurasia Group and GZERO Media, discuss why the people matter in rebuilding social trust with WorldAffairs Co-Host Ray Suarez.

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Direct download: 12_16_19_Social_Contract-Part_1.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

In May 2018, President Trump withdrew the United States from the Iran nuclear deal, and re-imposed crippling economic sanctions against Tehran. Iran responded by restarting elements of its nuclear program and sponsoring militant attacks against US interests and allies in the Middle East. Trump claims he will keep the pressure on until Iran agrees to a better nuclear deal, while Iranian leaders insist they will not negotiate under duress. Colin Kahl, Steven C. Házy senior fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies' Center for International Security and Cooperation and former national security advisor to the vice president of the United States, speaks with WorldAffairs CEO Jane Wales about Trump's Iran strategy and how it risks igniting war with the country.

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Direct download: 12_09_19_Colin_Kahl_Iran.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

Globally, social media is playing an increasingly important role in politics. Not only does it determine our political discussions, it has transformed the way politicians communicate with both the public and each other. On this week’s episode, we’re discussing leadership and governance in 280 characters or less with Matthias Lüfkens, founder of Twiplomacy, and Charlie Warzel, op-ed journalist for The New York Times. They're in conversation with Markos Kounalakis, WorldAffairs co-host and visiting fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution about the changed nature of political communication in the age of social media.

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Direct download: 12_02_19_Social_Governance.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

Protesters have flooded downtown Hong Kong over the last six months, winning concessions and even adding to their demands. Experts say protests like these have proliferated around the world in recent years. But can they lead to lasting change? On this week’s episode of WorldAffairs, Richard Youngs, senior fellow at Carnegie Europe and and the author of “Civic Activism Unleashed: New Hope or False Dawn for Democracy?,” discusses what the explosion of civic activism says about the state of citizen discontent with Co-Host Ray Suarez.

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Direct download: 11_25_19_Power_Protest.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

Africa is home to some of the fastest growing economies in the world. By 2050, it will have a population greater than China and up to a quarter of the world’s workforce. More than half of its population will be under 25 – presenting tremendous growth potential with the right opportunities in place and posing significant risks without them. Governments and businesses from all over the world are scrambling to have a strong footing in Africa by strengthening ties and making investments. In this week’s episode, we’ll consider what countries – from within and outside Africa – stand to gain the most and more critically, how Africans might actually benefit from this investment. Amaka Anku, head of the Africa practice at Eurasia Group, Alex Vines, head of the Africa Program and research director for Risk, Ethics, and Resilience at Chatham House, and Jonathan Ledgard, founder of Droneport and Linnaeus, make the case for the promise of Africa's future with WorldAffairs co-host Ray Suarez.

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Direct download: 11_18_19_Africa_Investment.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

Susan Rice worked for the US State Department during some of the most challenging periods this country has ever faced, from Black Hawk Down in Somalia to the Iran Nuclear Deal. In her new book, “Tough Love, My Story of the Things Worth Fighting For,” she describes the family struggles, ancestral legacies, and personal experiences that led her to the White House and the United Nations. Susan Rice joins Jane Wales, Vice President at The Aspen Institute, to share her experiences, and offer her perspectives on today’s foreign policy challenges.

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Direct download: 11_11_19_Susan_Rice.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

The withdrawal of US troops from northern Syria has had grave repercussions for the security and stability of the entire region. The Turkish military has invaded northern Syria, killing dozens of Kurdish civilians and forcing over 200,000 Kurds to flee. In the absence of US troops, Russian and Syrian troops have rushed in to fill the power vacuum. Meanwhile, hundreds of ISIS fighters have escaped detention. Brett McGurk, distinguished lecturer at Stanford University and former special presidential envoy for the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, and David Phillips, director of peace-building and rights at Columbia University and former senior advisor to the US Department of State, make sense of the cascading impacts with WorldAffairs co-host Ray Suarez.

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Direct download: 11_04_19_Syria_Crisis.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

At the age of 22, Amaryllis Fox became one of the CIA’s youngest female officers. After training, she was deployed as a spy, under non-official cover, working throughout the Middle East to stop acts of extreme terrorism and the illegal sale of arms and explosives. Fox joins KQED's Mina Kim to share her story of life undercover and talk about her new career working to promote peace around the world.

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Direct download: 10_28_19_CIA_Undercover.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

Escalating tensions between the US and China, driven by an ongoing trade war, technological competition and unrest in Hong Kong, may have long-term consequences for both countries along with the entire global economy. David Lampton, fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute at Stanford University and director of China Studies at Johns Hopkins University, joins WorldAffairs co-host Markos Kounalakis to discuss how Beijing and Washington could diffuse the disruptive tensions of this growing rivalry.

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Direct download: 10_21_19_China_US.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

Every minute, an estimated one million dollars of public money is funneled toward farm subsidies around the world. Critics say these payouts pervert the economies of supply and demand, hide the true cost of foods and harm the health of both us and the planet. Jeremy Oppenheim, founder and managing partner of SYSTEMIQ, and Dr. Ann Thrupp, director of the California Food Is Medicine Coalition and founder of Down-to-Earth Innovations, join WorldAffairs co-host Ray Suarez to discuss how subsidies impact food production around the world and how they might be redirected to sustainably feed a growing planet.

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Direct download: 10_14_19_Food_Subsidies.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

While the US has moved away from the term “colony,” the legacy of its colonial rule endures. In this week’s episode, we’re talking about America’s covert history of expansion and how that has impacted the people who live in those places. Daniel Immerwahr, professor of history at Northwestern University and author of the book, How to Hide an Empire, A History of the Greater United States, and Ed Morales, journalist and author of the new book, Fantasy Island: Colonialism, Exploitation, and the Betrayal of Puerto Rico, join WorldAffairs co-host Ray Suarez to discuss how Puerto Rico and other American territories navigate their complicated national identities.

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Direct download: 10_07_19_US_Colonialism.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

What started in June as protests against a controversial extradition law has grown into something much larger and more formidable. On this week’s episode of WorldAffairs, David Rennie, columnist for the Economist, Illaria Maria Sala, a freelance journalist based in Hong Kong, and a Chinese reporter who has asked to remain anonymous join WorldAffairs co-host Ray Suarez to discuss what the protests mean for Hong Kong, China, and the pro-democracy movement.

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Direct download: 09_30_19_Hong_Kong.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

Democracy is in retreat worldwide. In his new book, "Ill Winds: Saving Democracy from Russian Rage, Chinese Ambition, and American Complacency," Larry Diamond argues that we are at a pivotal point where a new era of tyranny could upend the established order of liberal democracy. On this week’s episode, Diamond, senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, joins WorldAffairs co-host Markos Kounalakis to discuss what it will take to save American democratic values abroad.

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Direct download: 09_23_19_Larry_Diamond.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 8:09am PDT

Guyana is the latest country where a major oil discovery has been made. With ExxonMobil set to begin oil production next year, the small, impoverished nation is on the path to become one of the richest in the world. But with oil production brings risk. Next door Venezuela offers a cautionary tale of the “resource curse,” a spiral of political corruption and economic mismanagement that has driven commodity-rich nations into crisis.  But it doesn’t have to happen that way.  In some places natural resource production has brought much-needed development through education, infrastructure and economic diversification. What can Guyana learn from countries that have avoided the resource curse?

Direct download: 09_16_19_Resource_Curse.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

A burning Amazon rainforest. Thinning ice sheets. Sea level rise. Wildfires in California. Thawing Arctic permafrost. It’s no surprise that many of us have anxiety about our planet’s future. The mental health impacts of climate change are increasing distress about the future while intensifying the trauma of natural disasters already happening. On this week’s episode of WorldAffairs, Caroline Hickman, Executive Committee member of the Climate Psychology Alliance and teaching fellow at the University of Bath joins WorldAffairs co-host Ray Suarez to discuss eco-anxiety in the age of climate change.

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Direct download: 09_09_19_Climate_Anxiety.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

By 2030, up to 800 million global workers may lose their jobs to automation. Technological advancement in an ever-globalized economy is changing both service-sector and professional jobs at a staggering pace. How can governments help workers remain vital to the global economy? Richard Baldwin, author of the new book, The Globotics Upheaval: Globalization, Robotics, and the Future of Work, is in conversation with WorldAffairs co-host Markos Kounalakis.

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Direct download: 09_02_19_Richard_Baldwin.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

While the Islamic State no longer has any territory in the Middle East, its ability to recruit soldiers and engage in violence remains. In fact, its newly decentralized nature may make it even more effective in carrying out terrorist attacks. On this week's episode, Ali Soufan, former FBI special agent and author of “The Anatomy of Terror: From the Death of Bin Laden to the Rise of the Islamic State,” and Robin Wright, contributing writer to The New Yorker and fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center, discuss the future of ISIS and the fate of tens of thousands of captured fighters and their families with WorldAffairs Co-Host Ray Suarez.

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Direct download: 08_27_19_ISIS.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

Today’s elites are some of the more socially concerned individuals in history. But do their philanthropic missions really make a difference, or do they perpetuate the system of inequality they’ve profited from? Anand Giridharadas, author of the new book “Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World,” talks with Markos Kounalakis, visiting fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution, about how philanthropists are preserving the very structures at the root of societal inequity.

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Direct download: 08_20_19_Anand_Giridharadas.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

Recent tragic events in Gilroy, El Paso and Dayton have forced a painful reckoning amongst Americans across the country as kitchen table conversations turn to the issue of gun violence. While mass shootings have also happened in characteristically peaceful societies like Canada, Norway and New Zealand, those governments, unlike in the US, have been swift and decisive in enacting meaningful gun control. The question is: how do we do that here? New York Times columnist Max Fisher and Chelsea Parsons, vice president of gun violence prevention at the Center for American Progress, share their global perspectives on gun violence with Co-host Ray Suarez.

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Direct download: 08_12_19_Gun_Violence.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

In the modern age of Facebook, Google, and smart devices, most of us are under 24-hour surveillance. These data points are collected by large tech companies and are in turn sold to and used by governments and businesses alike to influence our behavior. On this week’s episode, Dr. Shoshana Zuboff discusses her new book, The Age of Surveillance Capitalism, which explores what can be done to protect democracy and free thought against these new threats. She is in conversation with Jim Fruchterman, founder and CEO of Tech Matters.

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Direct download: 08_05_19_Shoshana_Zuboff.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

In May 2018, President Trump withdrew the United States from the Iran nuclear deal, and re-imposed crippling economic sanctions against Tehran. Iran responded by restarting elements of its nuclear program and sponsoring militant attacks against US interests and allies in the Middle East. Trump claims he will keep the pressure on until Iran agrees to a better nuclear deal, while Iranian leaders insist they will not negotiate under duress. Colin Kahl, Steven C. Házy senior fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies' Center for International Security and Cooperation and former national security advisor to the vice president of the United States, speaks with WorldAffairs CEO Jane Wales about Trump's Iran strategy and how it risks igniting war with the country.

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Direct download: 07_29_19_Colin_Kahl_Iran.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

The most violent places today are not at war. Eighty-three percent of all violent deaths occur outside of conflict zones, and in 2015, more people died violently in Brazil than in Syria’s civil war. Yet multiple places which were once engulfed in violence and instability have recovered and have since formed stable democracies. Rachel Kleinfeld, senior fellow at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and author of  "A Savage Order: How the World’s Deadliest Countries Can Forge a Path to Security", joins Markos Kounalakis, WorldAffairs co-host and visiting fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution, in conversation about how violent and weak states transform into stable ones.

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Direct download: 07_22_19_Violent_Countries.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

Facebook’s recent announcement that it would be launching Libra, its own blockchain cryptocurrency, in 2020 has provoked a message of caution from regulators and central bankers around the world. Many worry that the social media giant's 2-billion-strong user base could allow it to upend the current global banking system, a system that depends on trust and transparency. Not exactly characteristics that come to mind with Facebook’s recent history. Is the world ready for a widespread digital currency with no government to back it? On this week’s episode, New York Times reporter Nathaniel Popper and Angela Walch, professor of law at St. Mary’s School of Law, discuss the future of money with WorldAffairs Co-Host Ray Suarez.

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Direct download: 07_15_19_Facebook_Libra.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

Global warming is causing the Arctic Circle to heat up twice as fast as the rest of the planet. A melting Arctic opens up both new opportunities but also new risks. A power play between rival nations — China, Russia and the US — has emerged, putting security at the forefront of strategic goals. On this week’s episode, Sherri Goodman, a senior fellow at the Wilson Center’s Polar Initiative, and Malte Humpert, founder and senior fellow at the Arctic Institute, consider the geopolitical consequences of a rapidly melting Arctic with WorldAffairs Co-Host Ray Suarez.

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Direct download: 07_08_19_Arctic_Race.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

What role has leadership played in history's greatest achievements? General Stanley McChrystal served in the US Army for 34 years, and rose in rank to become four-star general in command of all American and coalition forces in Afghanistan. He joins World Affairs CEO Jane Wales in conversation about effective leadership in a world of waning American influence abroad.

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Direct download: 07_01_19_Stanley_McChrystal.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

Since becoming the supreme leader of North Korea in 2011, Kim Jong Un has solidified his power base at home, clearing out his father’s top advisors and expanding the nation’s nuclear program. While he’s often characterized by his odd behavior, he has successfully maintained domestic dictatorial rule while also exerting international pressure to establish state legitimacy. Anna Fifield, Beijing bureauchief for The Washington Post and author of “The Great Successor: The Divinely Perfect Destiny of Brilliant Comrade Jong Un”, talks with Markos Kounalakis, WorldAffairs co-host and visiting fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution, about how a better understanding of North Korea’s leader might lead to improved relations with the closed-off nation.

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Direct download: 06_24_19_Anna_Fifield.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

Protesters flooded downtown Hong Kong over the weekend, winning concessions and even adding to their demands. Experts say protests like these have proliferated around the world in recent years. But can they lead to lasting change? On this week’s episode of WorldAffairs, Richard Youngs, senior fellow at Carnegie Europe and and the author of “Civic Activism Unleashed: New Hope or False Dawn for Democracy?,” discusses what the explosion of civic activism says about the state of citizen discontent with Co-Host Ray Suarez. 

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Direct download: 06_17_19_Richard_Youngs.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

While the Islamic State no longer has any territory in the Middle East, its ability to recruit soldiers and engage in violence remains. In fact, its newly decentralized nature may make it even more effective in carrying out terrorist attacks. On this week's episode, Ali Soufan, former FBI special agent and author of “The Anatomy of Terror: From the Death of Bin Laden to the Rise of the Islamic State,” and Robin Wright, contributing writer to The New Yorker and fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center, discuss the future of ISIS and the fate of tens of thousands of captured fighters and their families with WorldAffairs Co-Host Ray Suarez.

We want to hear from you! Please take part in a quick survey to tell us how we can improve our podcast: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PWZ7KMW

Direct download: 06_10_19_ISIS.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

Rapid, sweeping changes in modern life are imposing new challenges upon society — but are also creating new opportunities. According to New York Times columnist Tom Friedman, these developments put a premium on “learning faster, and governing and operating smarter,” across the globe. He discusses the implications of this rapid transformational change for society with James Manyika, Chairman and Director of the McKinsey Global Institute.

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Direct download: 06_03_19_Tom_Friedman.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

What role can diplomacy play in an era of global authoritarianism, nationalism, and populism? Ambassador William Burns retired from the US Foreign Service in 2014, after a 33-year diplomatic career. He is only the second serving career diplomat in history to become Deputy Secretary of State. He joins World Affairs CEO Jane Wales in conversation about effective American leadership in a world of waning American influence abroad.

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Direct download: 05_27_19_Bill_Burns.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

While globalization has lifted millions out of poverty, the geopolitical forces that drove it have largely left the middle class behind. There is a growing sense that the social contract established after WWII is broken. 

This is the third episode of our 3-part series on the rebuilding of that social contract from three distinct perspectives: that of the people, that of the corporate sector, and that of government.

Governments are accused of letting the social safety net disintegrate for the many while facilitating vast economic gains for the few. An ever-expanding wealth gap has reinforced these views. Jason Furman, economics professor at Harvard, and Gillian Tett, US managing editor for the Financial Times, discuss what role governments can play in forging solutions with WorldAffairs Co-host Ray Suarez.

We want to hear from you! Please take part in a quick survey to tell us how we can improve our podcast: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PWZ7KMW

Direct download: 05_20_19_Social_Contract-Part_3.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

While globalization has lifted millions out of poverty, the geopolitical forces that drove it have largely left the middle class behind. There is a growing sense that the social contract established after WWII is broken. 

This is the second episode of our 3-part series on the rebuilding of that social contract from three distinct perspectives: that of the people, that of the corporate sector, and that of government. This first episode is from the people’s perspective. 

Since deregulation in the 1980’s, the only stakeholder that has mattered to business is the shareholder. Jay Coen Gilbert, co-founder of B-Lab, and Colin Mayer, professor at Oxford University and author of “Prosperity: Better Businesses Makes The Greater Good,” discuss why the corporate culture may be at an inflection point with WorldAffairs Co-host Ray Suarez.

We want to hear from you! Please take part in a quick survey to tell us how we can improve our podcast: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PWZ7KMW

Direct download: 05_13_19_Social_Contract-Part_2.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

While globalization has lifted millions out of poverty, the geopolitical forces that drove it have largely left the middle class behind. There is a growing sense that the social contract established after WWII is broken. 

This week and for the following 2 weeks, we’re featuring a 3-part series on the rebuilding of that social contract from three distinct perspectives: that of the people, that of the corporate sector, and that of government. This first episode is from the people’s perspective. 

What forces caused the social contract to break and more importantly, what can citizens do to rebuild it? Tom Nichols, professor at the Naval War College and author of The Death of Expertiseand Ian Bremmer, president and founder of Eurasia Group and GZERO Media, discuss why the people matter in rebuilding social trust with WorldAffairs Co-Host Ray Suarez.

We want to hear from you! Please take part in a quick survey to tell us how we can improve our podcast: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PWZ7KMW

Direct download: 05_06_19_Social_Contract-Part_1.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

There is a wide consensus in liberal democracies around the world that the social contract is broken. How do we fix it? Beginning May 7th, this 3-part series explores the origins of the problem as well as solutions from the perspective of citizens, business and government.

Direct download: 05_06_19_Social_Contract-Series_tease.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 3:47pm PDT

Over the last decade, Russia has re-emerged as a powerful global player. In this week’s episode, we’re considering how President Vladimir Putin reinvigorated Russia's influence on the global stage and the potential impact of his future ambitions. Angela Stent,director of the center for Eurasian, Russian and East European studies at Georgetown University and author of the new book “Putin’s World: Russia Against the West and With the Rest,” discusses what Russian resurgence means for the world with WorldAffairs Co-Host Ray Suarez.

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Direct download: 04_29_19_Angela_Stent.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

While the US foreign policy establishment is heavily influenced by views from the coastal middle class, the perspectives of the Midwestern middle class have largely gone unheard. Repairing that disconnect is at the heart of a new project aimed at starting a dialog that leads to better foreign policy, better engagement and better opportunity for those living in what has been derisively referred to as “flyover country.” Salman Ahmed, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and Edward Hill, professor of public policy and public finance at Ohio State University, discuss how policymakers can make US foreign policy work better for Middle America’s middle class with WorldAffairs Co-Host Ray Suarez.

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Direct download: 04_22_19_Ohio_Middle_America.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

At the southern border, the rhetoric and emotion surrounding the issue of immigration have stood in the way of comprehensive reform. Where policy has fallen short, international, national and local nonprofit organizations have stepped in to provide vital, life-saving services. On this week’s episode, we’re taking a sobering look at the realities of what happens to migrants when they reach the border. Joining us are civil society leaders working to lessen the trauma for migrants and asylum seekers fleeing violent crime and political persecution.

Lee Gelernt, Deputy Director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, Carolyn Miles, President and CEO of Save the Children, Maria Moreno, Principal of the Las Americas Newcomer School, and Jonathan Ryan, CEO and President of RAICES, are in conversation with Neal Keny-Guyer, CEO of MercyCorps.

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Direct download: 04_15_19_US_Immigration.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

Globally, social media is playing an increasingly important role in politics. Not only does it determine our political discussions, it has transformed the way politicians communicate with both the public and each other. On this week’s episode, we’re discussing leadership and governance in 280 characters or less with Matthias Lüfkens, founder of Twiplomacy, and Charlie Warzel, op-ed journalist for The New York Times. They're in conversation with Markos Kounalakis, WorldAffairs co-host and visiting fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution about the changed nature of political communication in the age of social media.

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Direct download: 04_08_19_Social_Governance.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

While some nations are willing to pay ransom to terrorists in order to free hostages, the US and Britain do not negotiate. As a result, a high number of American and British hostages have been killed. Should the US and Britain rethink their strategies? Joel Simon, author of the new book “We Want to Negotiate: The Secret World of Kidnapping, Hostages and Ransom,“ talks with Markos Kounalakis, WorldAffairs co-host and visiting fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution, about the conflicts and consequences in negotiating with terrorists and paying ransom.

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Direct download: 04_01_19_Joel_Simon.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

In the modern age of Facebook, Google, and smart devices, most of us are under 24-hour surveillance. These data points are collected by large tech companies and are in turn sold to and used by governments and businesses alike to influence our behavior. On this week’s episode, Dr. Shoshana Zuboff discusses her new book, The Age of Surveillance Capitalism, which explores what can be done to protect democracy and free thought against these new threats. She is in conversation with Jim Fruchterman, founder and CEO of Tech Matters.

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Direct download: 03_25_19_Shoshana_Zuboff.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

While trade wars have been dominating headlines, globalization’s impact on labor has gone largely unnoticed. Global trade now favors more knowledge-intensive labor over low-cost, unskilled labor. How will this affect the future of work? Laura Tyson, distinguished professor and faculty director of the Institute for Business & Social Impact at the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business, and Susan Lund, partner and leader of the McKinsey Global Institute, discuss why globalized economies are in transition with World Affairs CEO Jane Wales.

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Direct download: 03_18_19_Globalization_Transition.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

In recent years, Hungary and Poland have become havens for alt-right movements that target human rights groups, feminists, and pro-immigration activists. But this rise of authoritarianism is not confined to Eastern Europe, and it has become a global phenomenon. In this week’s episode, we explore the forces fueling the erosion of democracies worldwide. Anna Grzymala-Busse, international studies professor at Stanford University andsenior fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute, and Jason Wittenberg, political science professor at University of California, Berkeley, discuss the future of liberal democracies with World Affairs CEO Jane Wales.

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Direct download: 03_11_19_Eroding_Democracies.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

By 2030, up to 800 million global workers may lose their jobs to automation. Technological advancement in an ever-globalized economy is changing both service-sector and professional jobs at a staggering pace. How can governments help workers remain vital to the global economy? Richard Baldwin, author of the new book, The Globotics Upheaval: Globalization, Robotics, and the Future of Work, is in conversation with WorldAffairs co-host Markos Kounalakis.

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Direct download: 03_04_19_Richard_Baldwin.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

Despite decades of autocratic rule, Saudi Arabia has historically been a close ally to the US. This has been especially true under the Trump administration, which saw the transition of power to Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, also known as MBS. Initially lauded as a social reformer, MBS’ international standing has since fallen as a result of arbitrary arrests, the proxy-war in Yemen, and the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Steven Cook, senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, joins WorldAffairs Co-host Ray Suarez to discuss whether the US should reassess its ties to the Kingdom’s ruler.

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Direct download: 02_25_19_Steven_Cook_Saudi_Arabia.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

The three-month-old yellow vest movement in France is the largest protest the country has seen in decades. While protesters hail from diverse backgrounds, what they do share is a deep resentment towards both their government and their nation’s elites. And here the French are not alone. The Italian and British governments have also been feeling the backlash as yellow vest-inspired protests continue to spread. Does the yellow vest movement represent an inflection point for the future of Europe? Carnegie Europe’s Judy Dempsey and New York University’s Stephane Gerson share their insights with WorldAffairs Co-host Ray Suarez.

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Direct download: 02_18_19_Yellow_Vests_EU.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

On January 23rd, millions of Venezuelans took to the streets in support of Juan Guiado, the president of the National Assembly, as he swore himself in as interim president. While Guiado has the support of many foreign governments, including the United States, President Nicolas Maduro insists that he is the rightful leader. How did Venezuela get to its current economic and political crisis? What happens next? Venezuelan columnist Moisés Naím discusses the future of the country with World Affairs CEO Jane Wales.

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Direct download: 02_11_19_Moises_Naim.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

As democracy declines around the globe and geopolitical competition grows, US sentiment increasingly appears to favor going it alone. But if we abandoned our long-term global commitments, what would happen to the current world order? Robert Kagan, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and author, The Jungle Grows Back: America and Our Imperiled World, discusses the future of American foreign policy with World Affairs CEO Jane Wales.

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Direct download: 02_04_19_Robert_Kagan.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

In July 2014, Washington Post Tehran bureau Chief Jason Rezaian was arrested by Iranian police and accused of spying for America. What he initially thought was a political stunt became an eighteen-month prison stint with impossibly high diplomatic stakes. Jason Rezaian joins WorldAffairs Co-host Ray Suarez to share his story, as told in his compelling new book, Prisoner: My 544 Days in an Iranian Prison.

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Direct download: 01_28_19_Jason_Rezaian.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

Artificial intelligence (AI) brings boundless possibilities. It can now drive our cars, diagnose our diseases, and even help us tackle climate change. But AI can also divide societies and drive nations to conflict. As we cede more of our fundamental decisions to machines, how do we ensure AI is designed with our best interests in mind? Fei-Fei Li, Co-director of the Stanford Human-Centered AI Institute and co-founder of the non-profit AI4ALL, and Olaf Groth, founder of Cambrian AI and co-author of the new book, Solomon’s Code: Humanity in a World of Thinking Machines, discuss how our relationship with AI is central to the future of humanity with WorldAffairs Co-host Ray Suarez.

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Direct download: 01_21_19_Groth_Li_AI.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

This program is a re-air from 2018.

In today’s reality, democracy no longer ends with a revolution or military coup, but with a gradual erosion of political norms. As a growing number of countries are chipping away at liberally democratic values, are these institutions safe from elected, authoritarian leaders? Daniel Ziblatt, professor at Harvard University and co-author of How Democracies Die, discusses the future of liberal democracies with World Affairs CEO Jane Wales.

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Direct download: 01_14_19_Daniel_Ziblatt.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

In the last fifty years, a doubling of the world’s population has contributed to substantial habitat loss and large-scale species extinction. What can we do, as individuals and societies, to fight back against environmental degradation and animal endangerment? In this week’s episode, Jonathan Foley, Senior Scholar at the California Academy of Sciences, and Peter Knights, Executive Director at WildAid, discuss how to curb climate change and the illegal wildlife trade with World Affairs CEO Jane Wales.

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Direct download: 01_07_19_Wild_Aid.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

This program is a re-air from earlier in 2018.

On December 12, British Prime Minister Theresa May faced a vote of no confidence in Parliament. May survived the test, but the lack of a Brexit deal still plagues her administration. The critical issue: how to avoid creating a hard border between The Republic of Ireland, remaining in the EU, and North Ireland, part of the UK. In this week’s episode, Fintan O’Toole, journalist for the Irish Times, talks about the high-stakes issues involved and shares his thoughts on a possible way forward with World Affairs CEO Jane Wales.

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Direct download: 12_31_18_Fintan_OToole.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

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