Carnegie Council Podcasts
689 episodes - English - Latest episode: 17 days ago - ★★★★ - 11 ratingsListen to the latest insights from Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs—the world’s catalyst for ethical action. Tune in to hear from leading experts and thinkers from around the world who are tackling the most complex issues today and tomorrow, including the intersection of AI and equality, the governance of climate altering technologies, America’s changing role in the world, and the future of global migration. To learn more, visit our website at http://www.carnegiecouncil.org.
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Episodes
The People vs. Democracy: Why Our Freedom Is in Danger and How to Save It, with Yascha Mounk
April 23, 2018 16:54 - 57 minutes - 65.4 MBHarvard's Yascha Mounk argues that liberalism and democracy are coming apart, creating new forms of illiberal democracy (democracy without rights) and undemocratic liberalism (rights without democracy). Populist leaders are flourishing; indeed, Hungary is on the verge of descending into dictatorship, with shamefully little criticism from the Europe or the U.S. What are the causes of this phenomenon? What can we do about it?
Global Ethics Forum Preview: To Fight Against This Age, with Rob Riemen
April 19, 2018 18:49 - 4 minutes - 5.09 MBNext time on Global Ethics Forum, Nexus Institute founder Rob Riemen delivers a stark warning about the rise of fascism in the United States and Europe. In this excerpt, Riemen discusses the features of fascism in the 21st century and why it needs to be called out.
The Living Legacy of WWI: The Politics & Medicine of Treating Post-Traumatic Stress, with Tanisha Fazal
April 17, 2018 15:50 - 44 minutes - 50.5 MBAlthough it has been written about for centuries, post-traumatic stress was not officially recognized as a medical condition until the 1980s. However World War I "was really a turning point in terms of acknowledging and starting to identify and treat what we call today post-traumatic stress," says Tanisha Fazal of the University of Minnesota, whose project on treating PTS will make the connection between World War I and current times.
On Grand Strategy, with John Lewis Gaddis
April 13, 2018 21:10 - 1 hour - 69.1 MBAre there such things as timeless principles of grand strategy? If so, are they always the same across epochs and cultures? What can we learn from reading the classics, such as Thucydides, Sun Tzu, and Clausewitz? "The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing," according to Isaiah Berlin. Which type makes better strategists, or do you need to be a bit of both? John Lewis Gaddis has some wise and thoughtful answers.
Global Ethics Forum Preview: Tackling Inequality in the United States, with Chuck Collins
April 12, 2018 15:29 - 2 minutes - 3.14 MBNext time on Global Ethics Forum, Institute for Policy Studies’ Chuck Collins discusses extreme inequality in America. In this excerpt, Collins tells journalist Magalie Laguerre-Wilkinson what the one percent needs to do to build a more equitable society.
The Living Legacy of WWI: Airpower During the First World War, with Philip Caruso
April 10, 2018 14:20 - 1 hour - 69.2 MB"World War I was the beginning of what we now consider to be one of the cornerstones of the ways in which we engage in war," says Major Caruso. "At that time air power was relatively new, it was a nascent technology, but now most countries have some form of air force. There are recent conflicts that have been fought almost entirely via air power." He goes on to discuss the evolution of international humanitarian law with respect to air power.
Hope for Asian Fisheries, with Brett Jenks
April 05, 2018 20:12 - 24 minutes - 28.1 MBWith rich and varied coral reefs, Indonesia and the Philippines are critically important for marine biodiversity, says Brett Jenks of Rare, a conservation organization. Overfishing could result in millions losing their livelihoods and leads to degradation of coastal habitats, making them less resilient to climate change. But there is hope. In marine reserves started as pilot projects, fish populations are increasing by as much as 390 percent.
Global Ethics Forum Preview: Extreme Poverty in the United States, with Philip Alston
April 05, 2018 16:04 - 4 minutes - 5.22 MBNext time on Global Ethics Forum, the UN's Philip Alston discusses poverty in the United States and the dark side of American exceptionalism. In this excerpt, Alston tells journalist Stephanie Sy about a shocking example of extreme poverty in Alabama and why it persists in 21st century America.
#MeToo in China, with Maura Cunningham and Jeffrey Wasserstrom
April 04, 2018 18:32 - 26 minutes - 30 MBChina experts Cunningham and Wasserstrom start by talking about the small, mainly campus-based #MeToo campaign in China--to avoid internet censorship young people often use emojis of a rice bowl and a rabbit, which sound the same as "me too" in Chinese, but now the censors have figured that out--and go on to consider more general issues of censorship, repression, and the ups and downs of gender equality in China.
The Dangers of a Digital Democracy, with Rana Foroohar
April 03, 2018 19:05 - 37 minutes - 43.4 MBThe revelations about the misuse of Facebook data have started a pushback against the top five big tech companies: Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Google. How do approaches to privacy and data use differ in the U.S., Europe, and China? What kind of transparency should we demand? How will AI affect workers? All this and more in a lively and informative discussion with author and "Financial Times" columnist Rana Foroohar.
The Living Legacy of WWI: Hidden Photographic Narratives, with Katherine Akey
April 03, 2018 11:09 - 36 minutes - 41.8 MBKatherine Akey is researching "gueules cassées," soldiers who suffered facially disfiguring injuries on WWI battlefields, focusing on those who were treated at the American Hospital in Paris. Though many of their stories have been lost, haunting photographs of these servicemen remain. Akey's research will delve into complicated questions about caring for the wounded, the ethics of war photography, and how Americans learn about World War I.
Liberalism in the Philippines, with Lisandro Claudio
April 02, 2018 19:46 - 25 minutes - 28.8 MBPopulist leader President Duterte has killed thousands in his "war on drugs," idolizes Putin, and openly uses fake news and excessive nationalism to consolidate his power. And it's working: he has an 82 percent popularity rating right now. What happened to the nation's liberal democratic heritage? Author and historian Lisandro Claudio discusses the situation and how he is using Youtube videos, articles, and a new book to fight back.
Normalizing Intolerance in Indonesia, with Sandra Hamid
March 29, 2018 20:38 - 29 minutes - 33.9 MB"Indonesian civil societies and academics are very good at collecting cases of discrimination," says Sandra Hamid, author of "Normalizing Intolerance." "But what we don't have is the ethnography of the everyday life of discrimination, things that are not necessarily discrimination with a capital D; this is like your daily experience." Today we see myriad examples of the gradual normalization of belittling and isolating non-Muslims.
Anti-Pluralism: The Populist Threat to Liberal Democracy, with William A. Galston
March 29, 2018 18:10 - 58 minutes - 67 MBSome unpleasant truths for liberals, from William Galston: The rise of anti-pluralist populist movements is caused by a combination of economic factors and migration; we need to take these concerns seriously, instead of feeling morally superior. In the U.S., this will require reintegrating our economy so that small towns and rural areas thrive again; breaking through government gridlock; and purging the "poison" of our immigration policies.
Piety and Public Opinion: Understanding Indonesian Islam, with Tom Pepinksy
March 22, 2018 19:38 - 32 minutes - 36.6 MBAre there differences in political, social, and economic attitudes among Indonesians--and Indonesian Muslims in particular--based on their levels of religious piety? Intriguingly, Tom Pepinsky and his fellow researchers found that the answer is no; piety is not the deciding factor. Pepinsky also examines Indonesia's approach toward minority rights, which he defines as tolerance for group rights but not for individual rights.
Global Ethics Forum Preview: China, Climate Change, & the Environment, with Elizabeth Economy
March 22, 2018 19:15 - 3 minutes - 3.91 MBNext time on Global Ethics Forum, Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow Elizabeth Economy discusses China’s complicated relationship with environmentalism. In this excerpt, Economy tells Stephanie Sy how Chinese leadership’s approach toward climate change has evolved in the last few decades.
The Origins of Happiness, with Richard Layard
March 21, 2018 18:20 - 19 minutes - 9.01 MBToday we can accurately measure happiness and we know much more about its causes, says Professor Layard. It turns out that getting richer is often not enough for real happiness. So now, instead of just looking at GDP, many policymakers around the world are focusing on how to raise the level of people's satisfaction with their lives, including their mental and physical health, for example.
The Case for Universal Basic Income, with Andrew Yang
March 21, 2018 12:45 - 39 minutes - 45.4 MBAutomation is causing the greatest shift in human history and will put millions of Americans out of work, says entrepreneur and 2020 presidential candidate Andrew Yang. His solution? Put human values before GDP and provide a universal basic income of $1,000 a month, funded by a 10 percent value-added tax (VAT). This is not a government program, he argues, but a dividend given to we, the people, who are the owners of this country.
European Futures in the Shadow of American Disengagement, with Andrew Michta
March 16, 2018 17:39 - 25 minutes - 29.1 MBEurope is going through deep structural changes, says Andrew Michta of the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies. He argues that it may become "a "Europe of clusters," where countries even within the EU will align themselves differently depending on their economic or security interests. In any case, these shifts are largely driven by internal factors such as the migration crisis, not by U.S. policy towards Europe.
The Return of Marco Polo's World, with Robert D. Kaplan
March 16, 2018 14:44 - 59 minutes - 68.2 MBIf you wish to understand the depth and breadth of the geographical, historical, technological, and political forces that are shaping our world, there is no better guide than Robert Kaplan. Using Marco Polo's journey as "a geographical framing device for Eurasia today," he examines China's ambitious One Belt One Road project, dissecting China's imperial dream and its multiple, under-reported objectives.
Global Ethics Forum Preview: Rescue: Refugees and the Political Crisis of Our Time, with David Miliband
March 15, 2018 17:42 - 5 minutes - 5.91 MBNext time on Global Ethics Forum, International Rescue Committee president David Miliband discusses the moral tragedy of the refugee crisis and what the West needs to do. In this excerpt, Miliband brings up the moral, strategic, and historic reasons for caring about the world’s 65 million refugees.
The U.S. Foreign Service and the Importance of Professional Diplomacy, with Nicholas Kralev
March 15, 2018 16:28 - 45 minutes - 51.6 MBProfessional diplomats are made not born, says Nicholas Kralev of the Washington International Diplomatic Academy. It's not enough to be a people person: training is needed in specific skills. Sadly, many Americans don't realize how diplomats' successes or failures can affect their own security and prosperity. Even U.S. presidents often don't appreciate the Foreign Service. And under Trump, State Department professionals are leaving in droves.
Fighting Threats to Philippine Democracy, with Joy Aceron
March 14, 2018 12:09 - 30 minutes - 34.8 MB"Despite the vibrancy of civil society, political and economic power continues to be in the hands of very few people in the Philippines. In fact, there are statistics that would say that if you want to make one important policy decision, you only have to talk to about 40 people because that is where power is concentrated." Joy Aceron, of G-Watch talks politics, press freedom, and civil society in this info-packed podcast.
The Lost History of Prosecuting Axis War Crimes, with Dan Plesch
March 13, 2018 17:59 - 33 minutes - 38.1 MBBefore Nuremberg--indeed, long before the end of the war--there was the United Nations War Crimes Commission, a little-known agency which assisted national governments in putting on trial thousands of Axis war criminals in Europe and Asia. Why do we know so little about it? "With the onset of the Cold War and the repression of civil rights in America, this whole Commission was shut down," says Dan Plesch. Learn more about this buried history.
Motorcycles & the Art of Politics in Thailand, with Claudio Sopranzetti
March 09, 2018 16:25 - 25 minutes - 29.7 MBAnthropologist Sopranzetti's new book discusses the surprising role of motorcycle taxi drivers in a recent coup in Thailand, and their important place in everyday Thai life. In this fascinating interview, he also looks at the bigger picture: "there is a larger trend in East Asia of a certain Chinese model of authoritarianism that is not outside the rule of law, but in fact uses the rule of law to govern through other methods."
Global Ethics Forum Preview: Democracy and Its Crisis with A. C. Grayling
March 08, 2018 21:14 - 5 minutes - 6.61 MBNext time on Global Ethics Forum, British philosopher A. C. Grayling discusses the crisis of democracy in the U.S. and UK and how we can fix it. In this excerpt, Grayling talks about some unfortunate traditions in British politics that are especially corrosive to the system of representative democracy.
Economics, Peace, Security, and "Women's Issues" with Ambassador Melanne Verveer
March 08, 2018 11:51 - 44 minutes - 50.7 MBWe have made tremendous progress, but there's still a long way to go, says Melanne Verveer, head of Georgetown's Institute for Women, Peace and Security and former ambassador-at-large for global women's issues. She looks forward to the day when "women's issues" are no longer seen as marginal, but as a mainstream component of peace and prosperity.
Political Tribes: Group Instinct and the Fate of Nations, with Amy Chua
March 07, 2018 15:09 - 1 hour - 71.1 MB"The United States today is starting to display destructive political dynamics much more typically associated with developing countries: ethno-nationalist movements, the erosion of trust in our institutions and electoral outcomes, and above all, the transformation of democracy into an engine of zero-sum political tribalism."
Is Indonesia Becoming Like Pakistan? with Andreas Harsono
March 06, 2018 16:21 - 26 minutes - 30.6 MBThe maximum penalty for blasphemy in Pakistan is death, and public protest is not allowed. Indonesia is nowhere near as bad as this--yet. "Indonesia is now going down the Pakistan route," says Andreas Harsono of Human Rights Watch. "There are more and more political manipulations using the blasphemy law, and there are more and more discriminatory regulations against minorities in Indonesia."
Necessary Evil: How to Fix Finance by Saving Human Rights, with David Kinley
March 05, 2018 16:57 - 27 minutes - 31.5 MBRich and poor, we're all dependent on the global financial system and it can be a force for good, says human rights law professor David Kinley, but the incentive structures within banking encourage people to behave unethically. In other words, "finance does not attract cheats, it creates them." How can we change this? We have to start with education, says Kinley.
Global Ethics Forum Preview: The Impacts of Climate Change & New York's Climate Museum with Miranda Massie
March 01, 2018 15:32 - 4 minutes - 4.91 MBNext time on Global Ethics Forum, Climate Museum founder Miranda Massie discusses the need for all Americans to take an interest in the environment. In this excerpt, Massie tells journalist Magalie Laguerre-Wilkinson how her previous career prepared her for environmental activism and alerted her to the social costs of global warming.
On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century, with Timothy Snyder
February 27, 2018 05:00 - 1 hour - 72.9 MBCan tyranny happen here? asks historian Timothy Snyder. His chilling answer is, "it can happen, it happens to people like us, and it is happening now." How can we fight back? Snyder offers 20 lessons; the first is the most important, as if we fail in this one it will be too late for the others: "Don't obey in advance. Most of the power of authoritarianism is freely given." Have the courage to take a stand--easy to say, but difficult to do.
Gandhi's Satyagraha & Social Change, with Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox
February 26, 2018 18:20 - 29 minutes - 33.3 MBSatyagraha, one of Gandhi's most influential teachings, stresses "passive resistance" in the face of injustice. Qunnipiac's Gadkar-Wilcox saw a powerful example of this in regards to a debate in India over sanitary napkins and she also sees it as Florida high school students push legislators for stricter gun control. Why is this tactic or "disposition" so effective?
It's Better than It Looks: Reasons for Optimism in an Age of Fear, with Gregg Easterbrook
February 26, 2018 16:27 - 47 minutes - 54.1 MBToday, many feel paralyzed by the constant stream of bad news. Yet as Gregg Easterbrook shows, statistics on crime, poverty, and longevity prove that things are actually getting better, both in the United States and most of the world. So why do we see the world in such a negative light? Is it a coincidence that this trend started in 2004, the same year that Facebook was created?
Does Fake News Matter? with Brendan Nyhan
February 22, 2018 21:55 - 28 minutes - 32.7 MBWhat are the real facts about fake news? Brendan Nyhan is co-author of an important new study on fake news consumption during the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign. He discovered that a staggering one in four Americans visited a fake news site in the month before the election. But what was the actual agenda for most of these sites and what effect did they have on voters? His findings may surprise you.
Virtual Reality for Social Good, with Jeremy Bailenson
February 21, 2018 22:02 - 19 minutes - 21.8 MBIn this fascinating conversation, Jeremy Bailenson, director of Stanford University's Virtual Human Interaction Lab, describes how virtual reality (VR) can be used as a force for good. By immersing people in experiences they wouldn't otherwise have, such as the disastrous effects of climate change or the struggles of refugees, they can be galvanized to tackle problems that previously seemed remote and abstract.
Dangerous Delegation: Military Intervention & the U.S. Public, with Kori Schake
February 21, 2018 15:24 - 20 minutes - 23.8 MBAre Americans too deferential to the armed forces, becoming increasingly willing to "outsource" judgement to the military? Senior Fellow Nikolas Gvosdev talks with Dr. Kori Schake of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, co-author with James Mattis of "Warriors and Citizens: American Views of Our Military."
To Fight Against This Age: On Fascism and Humanism, with Rob Riemen
February 05, 2018 17:13 - 57 minutes - 65.5 MBNo more euphemisms and denials, says Rob Riemen in this frightening and inspiring talk. Call it by its name: fascism. Neither technology, nor economic growth, nor political activism can fix this, he continues. We must create a new counterculture that replaces kitsch and conformism with truth, empathy, beauty, and justice.
"Modern Slavery" with Siddharth Kara
January 30, 2018 21:09 - 29 minutes - 34.3 MBIn his third book on slavery, which took 16 years of research, Siddharth Kara calculates that there are roughly 31 million slaves worldwide, at least half of them in South Asia. We need to apply much more resources and compassion to end "this horrible indignity."
Iran: A Modern History, with Abbas Amanat
January 29, 2018 20:42 - 1 hour - 71.1 MBThere are few countries in the world that are more misrepresented in the West than Iran. By exploring the imperial rivalries that played out there, the dynastic changes and revolutions, the population explosion, the role of religion, and Iran's relations with other nations in the Middle East, Abbas Amanat provides a context that helps us to demystify present-day Iran, one of the most powerful nations in the Middle East.
Moral Leadership Missing in Burma, with Ambassador Derek Mitchell
January 26, 2018 21:01 - 37 minutes - 43.1 MBFormer ambassador to Burma Derek Mitchell examines the complex situation there, including the roots of the ongoing Rohingya crisis and China's influence there. Aung San Suu Kyi is not providing the necessary leadership, he says--despite her constraints she should be speaking out about the Rohingya and about free speech, for example. Nevertheless, she has been given too much flak, and this has become counterproductive.
Global Ethics Forum Preview: False Dawn: Protest, Democracy, and Violence in the New Middle East, with Steven A. Cook
January 18, 2018 21:40 - 5 minutes - 6.18 MBNext time on Global Ethics Forum, Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow Steven Cook discusses the violent aftermath of the Arab Spring. In this excerpt, Cook describes how and why Washington got its response wrong to revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa, with a special focus on Libya.
The Ukrainian Night: An Intimate History of Revolution, with Marci Shore
January 17, 2018 20:00 - 54 minutes - 62.5 MB"'Likes' don't count," was the rallying cry that first brought people to the Maidan. In this remarkable conversation, Marci Shore explores what it means "to experience revolution in your own skin": the human transformation, blurring of time, and destroying of boundaries during this "extraordinary coming together of men, of women, of young people, of old people, of Jews, of Armenians, of Russian speakers, of Ukrainian speakers."
Tackling Inequality in the United States, with "Born on Third Base" Chuck Collins
January 16, 2018 15:27 - 48 minutes - 55.7 MBChuck Collins grew up in a wealthy family and gave away his fortune at the age of 26, yet he realizes that he still has advantages accrued over generations. The current level of inequality is bad for society as a whole, he declares. "It is not in anyone's interest to keep moving toward a sort of economic and racial apartheid." But it doesn't have to be this way. It can be reversed.
Top Risks and Ethical Decisions 2018 with Eurasia Group's Ian Bremmer
January 12, 2018 21:25 - 49 minutes - 56.3 MBProbably the most dangerous geopolitical environment in decades-China, AI, Trump, end of Pax Americana--yes, it's very bad. But all these challenges energize political scientist Ian Bremmer to do his best work! Don't miss this great talk.
Global Ethics Forum Preview: Europe's Far-Right Political Movements with Marlene Laruelle
January 11, 2018 20:26 - 4 minutes - 4.72 MBNext time on Global Ethics Forum, Carnegie Council Senior Fellow Marlene Laruelle explains the rise of far right political parties throughout Europe. In this excerpt, Laruelle and journalist Magalie Laguerre-Wilkinson discuss the issues of immigration and refugee flows as it relates to societal problems in Western Europe.
Deciphering the Middle East and Trump's National Security Stategy, with Asha Castleberry
January 10, 2018 20:24 - 28 minutes - 32.4 MBAsha Castleberry, Fordham professor and U.S. Army veteran, describes her "mixed reaction" to Trump's National Security Strategy--touching on China and Russia, cybersecurity, and climate change--and what effect it will actually have on the military's operations. Plus, she details an increasingly complicated Middle East, with the Saudi crown prince on a warpath and a dangerous transitional period in Syria and Iraq after major victories against ISIS.
Extreme Poverty in the United States, with the UN's Philip Alston
January 10, 2018 15:33 - 46 minutes - 53.7 MBThe UN's Philip Alston traveled across the U.S. recently and found appalling conditions, from homelessness in California to open sewage in rural Alabama. He discusses the political choices that allow this to continue and proposes solutions.
A Climate of Impunity? The Problem of Sexual Abuse by UN Peacekeeping Forces, with Justice Marie Deschamps
January 09, 2018 18:00 - 23 minutes - 26.4 MBOver two years after the release of a report on sexual exploitation and abuse by international peacekeeping forces in the Central African Republic, chaired by Marie Deschamps, has anything changed? Not much, says Deschamps in this shocking interview. The report's recommendations have not been implemented and there is still a "climate of impunity" for abusers, even though the first allegations against UN forces date back to the 1980s.
Global Ethics Forum Preview: Can America and China Escape Thucydides's Trap? with Graham Allison
January 04, 2018 16:29 - 4 minutes - 5.55 MBNext time on Global Ethics Forum, Harvard's Graham Allison discusses why he thinks the United States and China could be on track for war. In this excerpt, Allison describes why China is in a position to challenge America as the world's preeminent superpower.