Global Inquirer
News & Politics
About
Using case studies that often go untouched in news media, we examine how global trends are impacting real lives and international politics.Global Inquirer is a production of the International Relations Organization at the University of Virginia. We are also affiliated with TEEJ.fm, the podcast network of the University of Virginia and Charlottesville.Music: Audisseyhttps://open.spotify.com/artist/27PasEOltfafDKVv1TPTQR
Episodes
- The Dismantling of U.S. Foreign Aid: American Retreat and Chinese Expansion
In this episode with Professor Jane Zimmerman, we examine the dismantling of America’s foreign assistance system and what it means for American diplomacy and global development. Discussing the many roles foreign aid has historically played…
- AI and Society: Perspectives from the United States and China
In this episode with Dr. Lauren Bridges and Zhou Zhuoran, we examine how artificial intelligence is shaping society in both the United States and China. Looking across many different contexts, we consider how debates over AI safety, ethics…
- The Gutting of the State Department: Lessons from an Ambassador
In this episode with Ambassador David Young, we examine the recent gutting of the U.S. State Department. Discussing the Trump administration’s efforts to cut staffing, funding, and foreign assistance programs as part of a broader restructu…
- Modern Fascism: Beyond History and Symbols
In this episode with Professor Kyrill Kunakhovich, we examine the history and evolution of fascism. Discussing its origins under Mussolini, we explore why fascism has proven so difficult to define and how rigid definitions may sometimes ob…
- GI LIVE: Rethinking China’s Rise
In this first-ever live episode of the Global Inquirer, recorded in front of a live audience at a meeting of UVA’s International Relations Organization, we sit down with Professor Dale Copeland to rethink China’s rise. We dive into the deb…
- After Assad: Syria in Transition
In this episode with Professor Hanadi Al-Samman, we discuss Syria’s monumental regime change. Investigating the conditions of minority groups, we analyze the lead up to the Assad Regime’s collapse, the transition to the new government unde…
- U.S. Immigration: Trump’s Weaponization of an Already Broken System
In this episode with Professor Levi Vonk, we discuss the state of U.S. immigration under Donald Trump’s second administration. We analyze what is different about Trump’s repressive crackdown, but also explore what has remained the same und…
- Lebanon at a Crossroads: After the Bombs, What Comes Next?
In this episode with Dr. Hikmat Nasr, we discuss the aftermath of Israel’s most recent conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon. We analyze the human cost of the war, Hezbollah’s position in Lebanese society, and recent progress for the country’…
- Why Isn’t Anyone Talking About West Papua?
In this episode with Professor Camellia Webb-Gannon, we discuss the often-overlooked fight for self-determination in West Papua. We analyze the history of West Papua’s independence movement and the current state of the struggle, while also…
- Labor Trafficking in Canada? When Migration Becomes Exploitation
In this correspondent-led episode, we discuss the international labor trafficking scandal unfolding in, perhaps surprisingly, Canada. We analyze the systems that enable the exploitation of migrant workers, the experiences of the victims, a…
- El Salvador: The “World’s Coolest Dictator” and the Trade-Off Between Security and Democracy
In this episode, we dive into the fascinating political situation in El Salvador, where President Nayib Bukele—who has led the country’s transformation from the murder capital of the world to perhaps the safest country in the Americas—is i…
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo: Shedding Light on an Often Overlooked Conflict
In this episode, we discuss the ongoing conflict and desperate humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We analyze how ethnic tensions, resource extraction, foreign intervention, and a variety of other factors have culm…
- Venezuela’s 2024 Election Crisis: A Stolen Election in a Teetering Democracy
In this episode, we explore Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro’s blatant theft of his country’s 2024 presidential election, which evidence suggests he lost resoundingly to the most organized opposition in recent Venezuelan history. We disc…
- Israel and Palestine: Students’ Views on the Most Contentious Conflict in Geopolitics
In this episode, we interview two students with vastly differing opinions on the Israel-Palestine conflict. With little commentary from our staff, the podcast’s aim with this episode was simply to amplify student voices and address what is…
- Nagorno-Karabakh: Historical Erasure, Modern Exodus
In this episode, we discuss the history and impact of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Placed under Azerbaijani authority since the dissolution of the USSR, the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its historically Armenian-majority population have l…
- International Cybercrime
In this episode, we provide an introduction into the world of international cybercrime. Discover how it works, who's involved, and why it matters. Host: AJ Laurienti Researchers: Jack Cooper, Barbara Uzun Executive Producer: Reece Kaplan
- Ranked Choice Voting: Imagining a Different Election System
In this episode, we provide an overview of what ranked choice voting is and why it is being advocated for in American politics. Who does this system stand to benefit? Will it be implemented further? Find out in our Season 12 opener! Host:…
- The Filibuster: Setback or Savior?
In this episode, we discuss the arguments for and against one of the most intriguing rules in American government: the filibuster. Does it protect minority opinion, or does it result in the rule of the minority? Is the filibuster going any…
- Ukraine War Review Part 2: Going Forward
In this episode, we pick up our discussion on the War in Ukraine. We focus on the impact of Finland's ascension to NATO along with the importance--and possible future impacts--of the war. Host: AJ Laurienti Researcher: Reece Kaplan Consult…
- Ukraine War Review Part 1: Perspective, History, Territory
In this episode, we look more closely at the War in Ukraine, focusing on the Russian public's perspective, historical factors driving the war, and the role of territory. Host: AJ Laurienti Researcher: Reece Kaplan Consulted Expert: Kyrill…
- Chinese Foreign Policy
In this episode, we explore current Chinese Foreign Policy initiatives and their ramifications for the international community.
- Youngkin's Campaign: Education Policy and Gender Studies
Glenn Allen Youngkin defeated Terry McAuliffe in the 2021 Virginia gubernatorial election. How did he do it? Listen here as we zoom in on Youngkin's education platform and the consequences it has moving forward.
- More Harm Than Good?
This podcast discusses the persistence of sexual exploitation and abuse and gender-based violence through the humanitarian sector. It examines power dynamics between humanitarian workers and local populations, systems of accountability, an…
- The Rise of Right Wing Nationalism in the Western World
In recent years Right Wing Nationalism has resurfaced within many great world powers. As the waves of these movements shift the balance of power at the domestic level, they impact trends across the globe. This podcast delves into how Right…
- Climate Change, Deforestation, and Life Within the Amazon Rainforest
As climate change remains an important issue affecting the lives of every person, we take a closer look into its effects in the Amazon Rainforest and the indigenous communities that live within. This podcast delves into the recent politica…
- Germany After Angela Merkel
Germany’s upcoming federal election to determine the successor to Angela Merkel, chancellor of Germany, marks a critical juncture in German foreign policy. An increasingly important foreign policy flashpoint is Germany’s relationship with…
- r/WallStreetBets
What happens when large groups of retail investors are able to congregate through the internet to control the direction of a stock price? In this episode, we investigate the formation and purpose of online discussion forums and the ways th…
- Dollars for Development
Billions of dollars go to foreign aid every year, but what happens when aid is mishandled, misused, or misallocated? Host Emma Ross and Executive Producer Sarah Rocca sit down with guest Daniel Altman, the former USAID Assistant Inspector…
- Dezinformatsiya: Fake News and the Pandemic
(Disinformation, Russian) What is the effect of fake news on public health in the context of a pandemic? This episode explores the nature of fake news itself and its history and examines the proliferation of COVID-19 fake news in Eastern E…
- Kyrgyzstan: A Central-Asian Beacon of Democracy?
Although Kyrgyzstan rarely makes the front page of the news, this Central-Asian nation has a fascinating history. From 1991, when Kyrgyzstan became independent from the Soviet Union to the present day in 2021, three of their democratically…
- The People's Princess: Female Leadership During COVID-19
As COVID-19 has ravaged the world, some countries have responded better than others. New Zealand and Germany have outperformed nations like the United States and Great Britain, and many attribute this success to the leadership of women lik…
- Through Smoke and Flames
As students departed Charlottesville given the University's decision to send everyone home in late March, 2020, a proportion of out-of-state students would journey back to their homes in California, Oregon, and Washington. To many, the Uni…
- Demystifying Data: The Personal Information Economy
What’s the difference between data privacy and protection? Season 8's premiere episode takes a deep dive into exploring this question with expert interviews addressing how your data is used in the emerging personal information economy, the…
- We Left Grounds and Never Came Back
In short, our world is occupied with the coronavirus. New stories from experts come out every day talking about the ever-growing death toll, testing availability issues, and economic downturn. However, we have not heard much about the pers…
- This Land is Not Your Land
This episode explores how Indigenous people around the world engage with their respective governments to reclaim their land and resist the legacies of oppression that have disadvantaged their communities over the generations. Tune in to th…
- Insaniyat, Jamhooriyat, Kashmiriyat
(Humanity, Democracy, long standing Hindu-Muslim amity in Kashmir) Kashmir has been a geopolitically tense region for about a quarter of a century now. India and Pakistan have fought three wars over the region, and there continue to be reg…
- A Mammoth Problem
As climate change threatens ecologies and challenges policy makers worldwide, Russia finds itself in a unique place. Already, powerful and bizarre effects of climate change are impacting regions in Siberia, sparking cultural changes and th…
- Leviathan: Behind the Eurodollar
Shadowy foreign governments, a powerless Federal Reserve, and a clandestine currency market controlled only by the world's most elite international bankers. This is the story of the Eurodollar: a financial term as mysterious as the saga be…
- Yeh Jo Des Tera
"Yeh jo des tera" is Hindi for "This country of yours." One India caught between two choices; to support or reject a controversial piece of legislation. You may have heard of the Indian citizenship act, but what is it really? Does it discr…
- Zooming in Iran: Implications of Soleimani's Assassination
On January 3, 2020 — three days before the first reporting of a mysterious viral pneumonia appeared in the New York Times — the United States assassinated Iranian general Qasem Soleimani. Host Emma Ross and Researcher Ari Ghasemian discuss…
- The Truths of the Rohingya Crisis
Facing discrimination, mass beatings, rape, and torture in their native country of Myanmar, the Rohingya people have fled to nearby Bangladesh, where the crisis has created the largest refugee camp in the world. In this week’s episode, we…
- How the Rich Stay Rich: Behind the Velvet Curtain
UVA's premier undergraduate research podcast, The Global Inquirer, hosts a special discussion about the significance of tax havens and the Panama Papers with Ruth Mason of UVA's School of Law and tax historian Joseph Thorndike. In 2016, th…
- Modern Echoes of the Cold War
As most of us learned in school, the Cold War was described as an intense battle between good and evil. Now that the Soviet Union is gone, how do our policymakers socialized during this time apply Cold War lessons in dealing with Russia? I…
- How to Lose the Narrative
Protest movements are often branded as unified fronts against injustice— but what happens when we unpack that assumption? This week on the Global Inquirer, we compare the protests in Hong Kong and France’s Yellow Vest protests in order to…
- BONUS - All Good Things
From climate change to impeachment, the traditional news media has a lot on its plate and hasn't been able to highlight the small victories that have been unfolding over the past year. To give you a break from your regularly scheduled Doom…
- There And Back Again
This week, executive producer Emi Lockwood investigates the recent Argentine presidential elections. The incumbent Mauricio Macri lost to Alberto Fernandez and Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (no relation) who ran as vice president. With a…
- Reporting For Duty
This week on the Global Inquirer, we take a look at the modern implications of mandatory military service and how the service affects these countries as a whole. We look at the reasons for why countries chose to draft their own citizens an…
- The Enemy Of My Enemy Is My Friend
President Trump, Mike Pompeo, and Rudy Giuliani love to hate the current Iranian regime. Now, it seems they’ve settled on even more dangerous alternative: the MEK. Researcher Ari Ghasemian takes us through this group’s journey from terrori…
- You Can't Do This To Us
Democracy has always been the solution of the western world, but is it the best option for Latin America? Researcher Sarah Rocca looks at protests in Puerto Rico and the dictatorship in Venezuela to answer this question. With information f…
- Just Say Nyet: Protests In Putin's Russia
The West cheers and hails protests in Russia with the hope that the people will one day overcome Putin. But as researchers Katya Sankow and Anna Von Spakovsky explain, promoting protests are not as pro-democratic as we’d hope. It was in fa…