Archives for December 2014

Episode 46: Robin Wright

Robin_Wright.217792Robin Wright is one of her generation’s greatest foreign affairs journalists. The award wining journalist and analyst has reported from around the world and collected some incredible experiences along the way. In this episode of Global Dispatches, Wright shares some of the most poignant moments from early in her career, including one near death experience and many larger than life moments, including an improbable encounter with Mohammad Ali. She recounts these stories, reflects on what sparked her curiosity about the world, and discusses how she broke into international affairs journalism.  This is a fun episode. 

 

How the Pope Became a Diplomatic Ninja

Pope_Francis_Korea_Haemi_Castle_19_(cropped)Pope Francis and the Vatican played a key role in brokering the historic resumption of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States. This was high diplomacy, Vatican style. Father Thomas Reese of the National Catholic Reporter walks through the play-by-play that lead to the Pope playing a central role in the USA-Cuba deal. He also discusses the Vatican’s robust history of diplomacy and the unique role of the Vatican’s veritable clerical army of skilled diplomats. It’s a fascinating discussion about the Vatican’s specific role in the Cuba-USA detente and the international relations of the Holy See.

Episode 45: Aaron David Miller

aaron david millerAaron David Miller has been at the center of nearly every major Arab-Israeli peace initiative since the late 1980s. The historian and Middle East expert discusses what drew him to study the politics of the Middle East and US foreign policy. Miller and host Mark Leon Goldberg have an extended conversation about Israeli politics, what has made Israeli leaders seek peace in the past, and what can be done to set American policy in the region on a better course. You’ll learn a lot from this episode!

An Ebola Fighter Speaks

Screen Shot 2014-12-10 at 1.41.23 PMTime Magazine named Ebola Fighters as their 2014 Persons of the Year. Mark spoke with one of these health care workers, Dr. Joia Mukherjee of Partners in Health, literally as she was en route to Sierra Leone. They discuss why ebola cases are on the decline in Liberia, but not seemingly in Sierra Leone; why the fear of ebola is still much deadlier than the disease itself; why we need to invoke human rights language into any discussion about health care disparities in poor countries; and what lessons the international community needs to draw from this outbreak. This was a powerful, informative and exceedingly timely conversation with an experienced frontline healthcare worker. 

 

Episode 44: Samantha Nutt

Samantha NuttDr. Samantha Nutt is the founder of War Child, a group that assists children and their families in conflict affected countries around the world. Prior to founding War Child, Samantha Nutt was a humanitarian worker and researcher in places like Somalia, Burundi and Iraq. She pioneered a kind of gender study in war zones and her research on the deleterious humanitarian effects of economic sanctions is partly why there are so few countries currently under sanction these days. She tells some interesting (if harrowing) stories. It’s a great episode!

High Stakes Diplomacy at the International Climate Talks in Lima, Peru

Screen Shot 2014-12-04 at 10.06.03 AMDelegates from around the world are in Lima, Peru for the latest round of international climate talks, known as “COP20.” The climate change conference is not getting a tremendous amount of media attention, but it’s tremendously important. Mark speaks with Eliot Diringer of the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions about the big issues on the table, the big points of contention, and how these talks might move the needle towards an internationally binding climate accord. These talks are a big deal. Here’s what you need to know about the diplomacy of it all.