On Shifting Ground
975 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 days ago - ★★★★ - 163 ratingsGeopolitical turmoil. A warming planet. Authoritarians on the rise. We live in a chaotic world that’s rapidly shifting around us.
“On Shifting Ground with Ray Suarez” explores international fault lines and how they impact us all.
Each week, NPR veteran Ray Suarez hosts conversations with journalists, leaders and policy experts to help us read between the headlines – and give us hope for human resilience.
A co-production of World Affairs and KQED.
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Episodes
Why Russia Is Stealing Ukraine’s Future
March 30, 2023 09:00 - 29 minutes - 41.1 MBIn recent decades, millions more Russians have died than have been born. There are many causes – Russian women don’t have many children, and Russian men are dying young in large numbers – and the war in Ukraine is only worsening the trend. So why is Vladimir Putin risking the future of Russia? Ray Suarez talks with post-Soviet expert Nicholas Eberstadt to understand why this historic population collapse is fueling Putin’s brinkmanship in Ukraine. Guest: Nicholas Eberstadt, ...
The ICC Issues a Warrant for Putin… What Happens Next?
March 27, 2023 09:00 - 23 minutes - 32.2 MBSince the beginning of the war in Ukraine, thousands of Ukrainian children have been abducted by Russian forces. On March 17, 2023, the International Criminal Court issued a warrant to arrest President Vladimir Putin for crimes against humanity. In the weeks before the ICC's action, officials within the state department were pressuring the US to support the court’s efforts to hold the Kremlin accountable, but the Pentagon blocked the Biden administration’s coordination with the ICC. ...
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Fighting Authoritarianism in Exile
March 23, 2023 09:00 - 24 minutes - 33.7 MBBelarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has long had strong ties to the Kremlin, but he has become increasingly dependent on Putin since he retained power after a contested election in 2020. International observers recognized the true victor as Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who is now leading her country’s democratic movement in exile. With Belarus’ neighbors still at war, we’re revisiting her conversation with Ray Suarez to understand how women might light a new path of leadership, and ...
Can Microloans Lift Women Out of Poverty?
March 20, 2023 09:00 - 28 minutes - 39.5 MBSo far, the world has failed to keep up with the U.N. development goals for gender equality… and the clock is ticking. Can increased financial inclusion and political participation for women help bridge the gap? Mary Ellen Iskenderian, President and CEO of Women’s World Banking, believes our traditional financial system fails women. She speaks with Ray Suarez about how tech and global investment can help level the playing field. Guest: Mary Ellen Iskenderian, President & ...
Alexei Navalny Goes Hollywood
March 17, 2023 09:00 - 35 minutes - 48.6 MBLast May, Ray sat down with documentarian Daniel Roher to chat 'Navalny,' his new film following the famed Russian opposition leader’s recovery from a Kremlin-sponsored assassination attempt and his ongoing search for justice. We revisit the episode after 'Navalny' recently took home the Academy Award for best documentary. Guest: Daniel Roher, documentary filmmaker and director of 'Navalny' Host: Ray Suarez If you appreciate this episode and want to sup...
21 Economies Walk Into a Conference Room…
March 16, 2023 09:00 - 17 minutes - 24 MBThere are few places in the world where delegates from the United States, China and Russia meet together to consider trade and economic issues, but they met recently in Palm Springs. World Affairs visits a recent Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) event, where 21 nations hashed out the future of global trade. Ray Suarez talks with APEC research head, Carlos Kuriyama, about how the global economy can bounce back from the pandemic. Guest: Carlos Kuriyama, Policy Support Uni...
The Children the Pandemic Left Behind (And How We Can Help Them Catch Up)
March 13, 2023 09:00 - 35 minutes - 49.4 MBOne billion children lost a year or more of critical schooling due to the lockdowns caused by COVID-19. How can we make up for this lost time? On this week’s program, Ray Suarez is joined by Norbert Schady, Chief Economist for Human Development, and Mamta Murthi, Vice President for Human Development, both at the World Bank. They address the challenge of lost human capital, and explain why it’s not too late to get kids back on task. Guests: Norbert Schady, Chief Economist for Hu...
What A Veteran Writer from the New Yorker Learned Covering the Ukraine War
March 09, 2023 10:00 - 30 minutes - 41.3 MBJoshua Yaffa wasn’t a war correspondent, but The New Yorker writer became one when Russia invaded Ukraine. He tells Ray Suarez how the war solidified a sense of Ukrainian unity that didn’t exist previously. “That is the tragic and dark irony of this war,” said Yaffa. “Putin's invasion brought about the very thing Putin thought he was fighting against from the beginning.” Guest: Joshua Yaffa, contributing writer at The New Yorker Host: Ray Suarez If you appreciat...
Ambassador McFaul: How the Ukrainians Can Break Through
March 06, 2023 10:00 - 23 minutes - 32.1 MBThe war over Ukraine continues, and former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul says Putin is not backing down. He tells Ray Suarez why the global response to the current crisis will determine who wins or loses. This episode was produced in partnership with Stanford Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies podcast WorldClass. Guest: Michael McFaul, US ambassador to Russia (2012-2014), director at Stanford’s Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies ...
From Russia with Love: Escaped Russians Face History
February 27, 2023 10:00 - 22 minutes - 31.1 MBWhen Putin announced a mandatory draft of Russians after taking huge losses in Ukraine, thousands fled the nation. As these anti-war activists have taken refuge in post-Soviet countries, they’ve had to face Russia’s complicated relationship with its neighbors. In part two of our Ukraine war anniversary series, journalist Levi Bridges tells the story of the Russian exodus, and the cultural reckoning that followed. Guest: Levi Bridges, journalist and audio producer If ...
Bill Browder: Putin’s Stalemate in Ukraine
February 24, 2023 10:00 - 30 minutes - 41.8 MBBill Browder, formerly Russia’s largest foreign investor, predicted President Vladimir Putin’s long and cruel war in Ukraine. One year later, Browder says Putin’s failures extend far beyond the battlefield. So, what fuels Putin’s destructive campaign? And what can the rest of the world do to bring the war to an end? In the first part of our Ukraine anniversary special, Browder joins host Ray Suarez to answer what Putin might do next – and how long this war may last. Guest: ...
Why China Can’t Forget the Century of Humiliation
February 20, 2023 10:00 - 51 minutes - 70.2 MBThe aftermath of the Chinese surveillance balloon saga reveals a growing diplomatic divide between the US and China. Where does this mistrust come from? And why would Beijing take the risk of high-stakes state espionage? In “Wealth and Power,” authors Orville Schell and John Delury argue that foreign humiliation over the past century and a half is the story that holds China together. They join host Ray Suarez to discuss China’s quest for global dominance. Guests: Jo...
Kerning Cultures Presents: Armenian Pilgrimages
February 16, 2023 10:00 - 36 minutes - 49.5 MBA father and daughter journey to their ancestral homeland, looking to track down the place their family had lived before being forced to flee the Armenian genocide. Armenian Pilgrimages: A Journey to the Homeland, comes from Kerning Cultures, a podcast telling stories from the Middle East, North Africa, and the spaces in between. As a postscript to this story – Nubar ended up going back, on a second trip to historic Armenia. This time with a camera crew and a fixer. He wanted to...
The Siege of Nagorno-Karabakh
February 13, 2023 10:00 - 17 minutes - 24.4 MBOn December 12, 2022, Azerbaijan blockaded a narrow road into Nagorno-Karabakh, creating a disastrous situation for the region’s 120,000 Armenian residents. The blockade is the latest in a bloody, post-Soviet conflict flying under the radar. Journalist Lara Setrakian and political scientist Artak Beglaryan join Ray Suarez to explain the stakes of the crisis, the role of regional powers Russia and Turkey and hopes for democracy’s survival in the region. Guests: Artak Beglary...
Has the NRA Gone Global?
February 09, 2023 10:00 - 18 minutes - 26.1 MBEarlier in the week, we heard about how President Jair Bolsonaro stoked a Second Amendment culture war in Brazil–a country without a Second Amendment. Now we'll hear from Bloomberg reporter Neil Weinberg, who explains how the NRA forged ties with Brazilian gun advocates, and how the American gun lobby exported its aims around the world. Guests: Neil Weinberg, Bloomberg News reporter Host: Ray Suarez If you appreciate this episode and want to support the wo...
Storming Brasilia: Bolsonaro's Second Amendment Culture War
February 06, 2023 10:00 - 34 minutes - 46.9 MBFormer president Jair Bolsonaro galvanized a U.S.-style gun culture in Brazil. Although Brazilians still have no constitutional right to bear arms, the former president loosened gun control, and encouraged his supporters to arm themselves. After Bolsonaro lost the 2022 presidential election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, what happened next closely mirrored what happened in the United States after Donald Trump lost the election in 2020. So, how did Jair Bolsonaro leverage a Second Amen...
The Man Who Runs The World: Xi Jinping’s China
January 30, 2023 10:00 - 53 minutes - 72.8 MB*Ray Suarez will be at World Affairs live and in-person on Wednesday, February 1, 2023, for a discussion about his life and career. Find out more information by clicking this link to sign up and attend in person or view online.* “On Shifting Ground” host Ray Suarez has just returned from a four-month stint living in Shanghai. There, he had a front-row seat to draconian lockdowns, the White Paper Protests, and Xi Jinping’s triumphant acceptance of a third term, cementing the Chin...
Learning From Past Fights With Inflation
January 26, 2023 10:00 - 31 minutes - 43.7 MBEconomist Brad DeLong was feeling optimistic in February 2021, because inflation was well below target. Weeks later, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine, sending price shocks through the global economy. The latest numbers indicate inflation is slowing, but people around the world are still feeling the sting. While the US has it better than most, no one is immune from the global economic slump. So what does inflation mean for our pocketbooks, and for ...
How Tech Layoffs Threaten Silicon Valley’s Immigrant Workers
January 23, 2023 10:00 - 21 minutes - 30.1 MBSilicon Valley relies on a huge foreign born workforce, mostly from India and China, to provide specialized skills in fields like engineering, biotech, AI and computer science. But after the most recent round of tech layoffs, visa holders have 60 days to find a new job, or lose their residency in the U.S. Tech reporter Pranav Dixit has been paying attention to the outsized role foreign born workers play in companies like Google, Meta, and Amazon, who have laid off more than 26,000 empl...
What ISIS Can Teach Us About Drone Warfare in Ukraine
January 16, 2023 10:00 - 53 minutes - 74.1 MBAs we approach the first anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine, Iran has been hit with further sanctions for supplying Russia with drones and ballistic missiles. The dense web of overseas conflicts and the growing use of remote weaponry has left many average Americans feeling disengaged from the human toll of war. Journalist Azmat Khan says our ignorance isn’t an accident. She was recently awarded a Pulitzer Prize for her work uncovering the US military’s systematic failure to investigate c...
What Will a Republican Majority in the House Mean for US Foreign Policy?
January 12, 2023 10:00 - 24 minutes - 34 MBWhat will a new Congress mean for the next two years of foreign policy? The writing on the wall of the new GOP-controlled House spells more hawkishness on China, and more scrutiny of the Biden administration’s aid to Ukraine. Ray Suarez speaks with Chris Tuttle, from the Council on Foreign Relations, about the impact of the midterms on US foreign policy. Will the razor-thin Republican majority in the House of Representatives empower more conservative, “America-first” factions within th...
Why Congressman Andy Kim is Worried About War With China
January 09, 2023 10:00 - 29 minutes - 40.8 MBA viral photo captured Rep. Andy Kim as he worked to clear debris in the aftermath of the Capitol attack. Two years after January 6th, Congressman Andy Kim has been reflecting on today's era of division and uncertainty. From the failure of deterrence with Russia and China, to rising authoritarianism and a growing disconnect between Washington and the American people, geopolitical norms are under stress. To avoid catastrophic international conflict, Rep. Kim says we will need to think ...
January 6th and the Global Far Right Revival
January 02, 2023 10:00 - 53 minutes - 73.9 MBWhen President Trump incited his followers to storm the US Capitol, he punctured a 220-year-old tradition in the United States of America. Two years later, we’re still reckoning with the consequences. Rising political violence is no surprise to Ruth Ben-Ghiat, scholar of fascism and advisor to the House Select Committee on January 6th. Ben-Ghiat and Ray Suarez discuss the stakes of the committee, and how to prevent another riot in the United States. Then, Ray is joined by Julia Ebner,...
An American Martyr in Persia, with Reza Aslan
December 29, 2022 10:00 - 33 minutes - 45.7 MBThis year’s protests in Iran, sparked by the death of Mahsa Jina Amini, are not the first time Iranians have united in the struggle for freedom. Writer, scholar and television star Reza Aslan tells Ray the epic story of an American named Howard Baskerville, who joined Iran’s first fight for democracy nearly 100 years ago. Guest: Reza Aslan, writer, religious scholar, and author of a new book, “An American Martyr in Persia: The Epic Life and Tragic Death of Howard Baskerville.” ...
Women, Life, and Iran’s Struggle for Freedom
December 26, 2022 10:00 - 21 minutes - 29.8 MBIran continues to be shaken up by nationwide protests and general strikes. With no real independent press in the country, Iranians covering the story from around the world continue to provide critical insight into the protests and political turmoil. Golnaz Esfandiari, a senior correspondent for Radio Farda, joins the show to explain how breaking news escapes the country, despite threats and censorship from the regime. Guest: Golnaz Esfandiari, Senior correspondent for Radio Free ...
A Family Flees Genocide: Lisa Phu on Her Mom’s Story in “Before Me”
December 22, 2022 10:00 - 48 minutes - 66.1 MBWhen journalist Lisa Phu’s mother escaped genocide in Cambodia in 1980, she had no idea what would happen to her. It wasn’t until Lisa had a baby of her own that she had a long overdue conversation with her mother, Lan, about their family’s history—through war and violence, separation and loss, endings and beginnings. In this special episode, we share “Before Me”, a five-part podcast series following one woman’s life—from Cambodia to America—over the course of decades. The story was cr...
The New Nuremberg? Cambodia’s Genocide Tribunal
December 19, 2022 10:00 - 53 minutes - 74.1 MBA half-century ago, almost two million people were killed by the Khmer Rouge, a radical communist authoritarian regime in Cambodia. In 2006 – with the assistance from the United Nations – the Cambodian government set up a genocide tribunal. Sixteen years and over $300 million later, only three men were convicted of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. Why did it take decades to prosecute, and why was the decision so weak – and costly? Ray Suarez speaks with David Scheffer...
Spreading Abortion Lies on TikTok
December 15, 2022 10:00 - 20 minutes - 27.5 MBAs Americans continue to grapple with a post-Roe future, how should those seeking reproductive healthcare navigate rampant misinformation online? Ray Suarez speaks with Alaa Mostafa from Reveal and Anabel Sosa, a journalist with the Human Rights Center investigations lab at the UC Berkeley School of Law, to untangle the spread of abortion misinformation on TikTok and YouTube. Guests: Alaa Mostafa, Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting Anabel Sosa, Hum...
A Post-Roe World: Poland’s Pro-Choice Fight
December 12, 2022 16:35 - 33 minutes - 46 MBWhen the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, one group wasn’t surprised: Polish abortion activists. Poland has also restricted access to abortions, and feminist Agnieszka Graff observed, “ This is a cultural battle that has been ongoing for half a century, and I think we were wrong to assume that we won it.” Can Poland’s fight over abortion offer lessons for an uncertain future? Ray Suarez speaks with Agnieszka Graff about Poland’s war on abortion – and how a historic p...
Why the World Cup is So &#*$&%! Expensive
December 05, 2022 10:00 - 52 minutes - 72.6 MBThe 2022 FIFA World Cup, the world’s most popular sporting event, is hosted by Qatar, and over 5 billion viewers are expected to tune in. Even if you’re not a diehard soccer fan, you might be familiar with some of the serious controversies surrounding this year’s games. From allegations of corruption and bribery around Qatar’s bid to the host’s flagrant human rights abuses, the World Cup has already had a heavy financial and human cost. Ray Suarez teases the tournament’s most interesti...
The Fight to Keep Native Kids on Tribal Lands
November 28, 2022 10:00 - 54 minutes - 74.5 MBTribal rights are guaranteed by the US Constitution, but modern court cases – including the Brackeen case currently before the US Supreme Court – are reminders that Indigenous sovereignty and Native lands are still at risk in the United States. And in Canada, Indigenous activists are still fighting back against generations of hardship and forced separation of families. Ray Suarez is joined by Tammerlin Drummond, creator and host of the Gold Chains from the Northern California chapter...
How Technology Fights – and Fuels – Misinformation
November 21, 2022 10:00 - 53 minutes - 74 MBThe US midterms may be over, but the web of misinformation shaping global politics is everywhere…disrupting elections, destabilizing currencies, and dividing communities around the world. Identifying false information, like deep fakes and conspiracy theories, can be hard – and sites like Facebook and Twitter aren’t making things any easier. In this week’s episode of On Shifting Ground, we look at the global relationship between misinformation, war, and peace. CEO of PeaceTech Lab, Shel...
All Eyes on Sudan: Putin, Biden, and the Fight for Democracy
November 14, 2022 10:00 - 53 minutes - 74.1 MBIt’s been three years since the Sudanese Revolution, a massive grassroots campaign that ousted the country’s longtime dictator Omar Al-Bashir. Now, Sudan is back under military control … but calls for change from the country’s pro-democracy movement are only getting louder. On this week’s episode, Ray brings us to the frontlines of Sudan’s daily street protests, guided by activist and researcher Muzan Alneel. Then, guest host Hana Baba speaks with Declan Walsh, Chief Africa Corresponde...
Larry Brilliant on Stopping The Next Pandemic
November 07, 2022 10:00 - 53 minutes - 73.1 MBCOVID-19 and monkeypox cases may be down for now … but we’re not out of the woods yet. And according to famed epidemiologist and CEO of Pandefense Advisory, Larry Brilliant, these aren’t the last – or even the most destructive – mass outbreaks we could see in our lifetimes. Climate change, population growth, and rampant disinformation will exponentially increase the risks of disease. On this week’s episode of On Shifting Ground, Brilliant joins Ray Suarez to break down what the global ...
Taiwan and the US-China Tug of War
October 31, 2022 09:00 - 53 minutes - 73.8 MBIn August, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi landed in Taipei and stood shoulder-to-shoulder to Taiwanese officials. She said her visit was to honor the US’s unwavering support for Taiwanese sovereignty. Leaders in mainland China – who have made the annexation of Taiwan a key political priority – were furious. This week, Ray takes a close look at Taiwan: its colonial past, vibrant democratic tradition, and what recent disputes over independence could mean for its people — and national securit...
Welcome to On Shifting Ground
October 28, 2022 06:24 - 44 seconds - 1.01 MBNew name...same award-winning insights. "On Shifting Ground with Ray Suarez" drops on October 31st.
Bound By Oil: Rethinking Biden’s Middle East Strategy
October 24, 2022 09:00 - 59 minutes - 81.1 MBWhen Joe Biden took office, he promised to pull the US out of costly wars in the Middle East and take a harsher stance toward human rights violations in the region. But this past year, Putin’s invasion of Ukraine – and the ensuing energy crisis – have thrown a wrench in Biden’s strategy. And longtime ally Saudi Arabia is giving the US the cold shoulder, cutting oil production weeks before midterm elections. This week, Ray Suarez sits down with two Middle East policy experts to debate t...
Hate Speech and Extremism: What to Listen For Ahead of Midterm Elections
October 20, 2022 09:00 - 30 minutes - 42.5 MBIn the past few years, there’s been a growing number of high-profile acts of violence inspired by the “great replacement theory,” an extremist doctrine based on the unsubstantiated belief that non-white populations will “replace” and subjugate white majorities across the globe. Once confined to the radical fringe, replacement theory has now entered mainstream conservative rhetoric. On this week’s episode, Ray Suarez sits down with Daniel Byman, a counterterrorism expert and author of ...
Grace: Cody Keenan on Writing for President Obama – and That Charleston Speech
October 17, 2022 09:00 - 29 minutes - 39.9 MBPresident Barack Obama delivered over 450 speeches during his tenure, but one of his most famous was entirely unscripted. Back in 2015, as the country mourned the victims of Charleston church shooting, the president spontaneously began to sing. And for longtime staff speechwriter Cody Keenan, Obama’s famous “Amazing Grace” speech epitomized the power of oration to guide Americans in times of immense national crisis. This week, Keenan joins Ray to discuss his new book, “Grace: Presiden...
Cuba Revisited: From Cold War to Normalization – and Back Again
October 10, 2022 09:00 - 59 minutes - 81 MBCuba is a small island nation of 11.3 million people, but the country has long loomed large in the American political imagination. Viewed as both a hostile pro-Soviet neighbor and an anti-imperialist revolutionary, Cuba has held a contentious relationship with the US. The Obama administration began to repair the strained diplomatic relationship, but the invasion of Ukraine and enduring Trump-era sanctions are once again inflaming deep-rooted Cold War tensions. In this week’s episode, w...
I Was Held Hostage. America Can Do Better
October 06, 2022 09:00 - 24 minutes - 34.1 MBIn 2008, Jason Rezaian made a life changing decision to move to Iran and follow his dream of being a foreign correspondent. He fell in love, became a reporter for the Washington Post, and even played host to Anthony Bourdain in the Iran episode of “Parts Unknown.” Then, Jason’s life was turned upside down when he was arrested and held hostage in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison for 544 days. At least 40 Americans are currently held captive around the world–not by terrorist groups, but by...
What Brittney Griner’s Detention Can Teach Us About Putin’s War
October 03, 2022 09:00 - 35 minutes - 48.2 MBJust days before Putin invaded Ukraine, Russian authorities detained U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner on reported minor drug charges. Seven months later, Putin’s war rages on … and Griner—a Black lesbian athlete—remains in Russian custody, facing a brutal nine-year sentence that experts say may be politically motivated. With her sentencing, Griner joins a growing list of US citizens detained abroad—not by rogue terrorist groups, but by established foreign governments. This week, E...
Ambassador Michael McFaul on Putin’s “Failed” War
September 23, 2022 21:50 - 59 minutes - 81.1 MBOn September 21, 2022, Vladimir Putin ordered a draft of Russian reservists, mobilizing up to 300,000 troops – the first such draft since World War II. Just before Putin's military order, former US Ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, spoke with Ray Suarez to give a sense of what we can expect from the war in Ukraine in the coming weeks and – perhaps – months, and how it’s impacting Russia’s international standing. Guest: Michael McFaul, Professor of Political Science a...
Cryptomania: How Cryptocurrency Can Save—or Destabilize—a Country
September 19, 2022 09:00 - 59 minutes - 81 MBWhether you’re a trader, techie, or average joe, you’ve probably heard the words “crypto” or “bitcoin” swirling around the web. In the past year, digital coins – once viewed as the exclusive domain of tech millionaires – have shot to global prominence as the preferred currency of Russian oligarchs, Ukrainian resistance fighters, Salvadoran politicians, and everyone in between. Despite the explosion of “cryptomania,” most people still know little about how the digital currency actually...
Boris Out, Liz In: The Global Impact of the British Election
September 09, 2022 22:08 - 59 minutes - 81 MBBetween the passing of Queen Elizabeth and the election of a new leader, the world’s eyes are on the United Kingdom. Until recently, British politician Liz Truss was a relative unknown outside of the UK. Now, as prime minister, she faces the country’s worst economic crisis in decades, the first monarchy changeover in seventy years, and a host of pressing foreign policy matters – notably, Ukraine, Brexit, and Northern Ireland. On this week’s episode, we break down the global impli...
Feeding 7.9 Billion…Without Wrecking the Planet
September 05, 2022 09:00 - 59 minutes - 81 MBIn today’s global economy, a single event – like a storm or virus outbreak – can impact access to basic necessities, like food for millions of people. Add to that a rapidly growing world population and many experts are wondering… how will we keep everyone fed? In what ways will our lifestyles, and our international supply chains, adapt to meet the needs of a warming and increasingly crowded planet? On this week’s episode, we hear from two experts with competing visions of how we can ...
How One South African Woman’s Fight for Marital Rights Changed Her Country
September 01, 2022 09:00 - 21 minutes - 29.8 MBIn collaboration with Foreign Policy, we bring you a story from “The Hidden Economics of Remarkable Women,” to look at how reforming marital rights could be the biggest first step toward gender equality. Host Reena Ninan uncovers the lesser-known role of women’s rights in the fight to end apartheid, and how the current struggle to reform sexist property laws in South African courts is keeping this legacy alive. Guests: Agnes Sithole, South African marital law reformist ...
South Africa Since Apartheid: Has Democracy Worked?
August 29, 2022 09:00 - 37 minutes - 51.9 MBIt’s been nearly thirty years since the fall of apartheid in South Africa. But what happens when the celebrations cease, the news cameras turn away, and the real work of democracy begins? In this episode, a co-production with Foreign Policy, we take a look at South Africa’s path to political and economic equality. First, political scientist Evan Lieberman joins Voice of America’s “Straight Africa Talk” host, Haydé Adams, to discuss the lingering “ghost of apartheid,” and why Sout...
The Price Haitians Have Paid for Freedom
August 25, 2022 16:15 - 26 minutes - 36.2 MBIn 1804, Haiti became the first nation to free itself from slavery, much to the disdain of the U.S. and the world’s leading European powers. Scars of colonialism and generations of racism have set Haiti back, and the country has been paying the economic price for freedom for over 200 years. Ray sits down with Haitian author Évelyne Trouillot and historian Leslie Alexander for a conversation about Haiti’s turbulent history since its revolution. Guests: Leslie Alexander, Prof...
Zero Sum, Zero Change: What Racism Costs Everyone
August 22, 2022 09:00 - 33 minutes - 46 MBIn the US, polls show that more and more Americans say they want and need public goods like education, infrastructure, and healthcare. So why do we struggle to implement them? Policy expert Heather McGhee says this tension is a centuries-old, racialized system of zero-sum economics and politics, which dictates that progress for some must come at the expense of others. McGhee joins Ray to discuss her new book and podcast, The Sum of Us, and the burgeoning cross-racial alliances pushing ...