Episode 37: Anneke Van Woudenberg

Anneke_VanWoudenberg_printAnneke Van Woudenberg first came to the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1997 on a drunken dare. The rest is history. In this episode, the famed human rights investigator discusses her life and career working for human rights in Africa. Woudenberg was born in Holland, raised in Canada, and schooled in the United Kingdom before she set foot in the country that would define her career. The name Anneke Van Woudenberg may not ring a bell to you –though it should–but Congolese warlords know and fear her. This is a fantastic episode with one of my personal heroes.

 

Somaly Mam, in her own words

Somaly Mam is on the line today. She is the Cambodian anti-sex trafficking activist who came to prominence a few years ago as celebrities in the west rallied around her and her organization. That all came crashing down this year when Newsweek published a cover story calling into question the credibility of her amazing personal story, which includes escaping from the sex trade herself. She was ousted from the organization that bears her name and was tarnished by some of her closest allies. Then, in September, Marie Claire published an article calling into question some of the claims of that Newsweek takedown, suggesting that key details were incorrect.

So what is the real story? I don’t know. The point of this interview was not to engage in a back and forth with Somaly about whether or not she fabricated claims about past. Rather, I was interested in learning what she is up to now, and how this controversy has affected her personally and her work rescuing girls from the sex trade. To be honest, I’m not sure I succeeded. It was a tough interview. I’ll let you decide. Please feel free to direct your criticisms and critiques (or, if you like it, your approbation) of this interview to me personally, via @MarkLGoldberg

How the UN Helps Fight Terrorism

The Security Council will hold an extraordinary meeting on Wednesday, chaired by President Obama, dedicated to stemming the flow of foreign fighters to the Syrian battlefield. The meeting demonstrates that the United States believes the United Nations has an important role to play in the global fight against terrorism. But what, exactly, does that mean? Here to discuss the Security Council meeting and the UN’s evolving involvement on terrorism issues (including its strengths and weaknesses) is Naureen Chowdhury Fink of the Global Center on Cooperative Security. 

 

Episode 33: Ruth Messinger

Ruth Messinger cut her teeth in New York City politics. She was a long serving member of the city council and one-time candidate for Mayor. She made the move from municipal politics to global affairs when she became the head of the American Jewish World Service, an international development and advocacy organization. Ruth tells Mark about growing up in New York, running for office, and making the switch to international issues. They kick off with a discussion about the work of the AJWS around the world.

Episode 27: Daniel Drezner

Daniel Drezner is on the line this week. You probably know him through his robust social media presence and as a long time blogger for Foreign Policy and the Washington Post. Now at the Fletcher School at Tufts University, Drezner talks with Mark about his life in and out of academia and how he first became interested in the global political economy as a young boy witnessing long lines at the gas station in the 1970s. It’s a fun conversation with interesting diverstions along the way.

 

A Child Migrant’s Perspective

There is a refugee crisis in the USA. Since October over 50,000 children and tens of thousands of families have streamed across the southern border of the United States. What is compelling this surge in migration, particularly of unaccompanied minors? Who are these children and families? And what is their journey like? I speak with Gary Shaye of Save the Children, which is running a relief operation in Texas for children and families that have made it across the border. He answers these questions and more.

Live from the UN, 2014 (Part 1)

Something different on the podcast this week! I recent sat down with a number of officials at the United Nations as part of Talk Radio Day 2014. This is an annual event hosted by the United Nations Foundation in which talk radio hosts from around the country broadcast from the UN for the day. I spoke with about a dozen officials, both from the United Nations secretariat and from member states. Each of the interviews focuses on topical issues related to the work of my very interesting guests.

Here’s the first batch of interviews. Look out for part two in the near future.

 

John Ashe, President of the General Assembly

Courtenay Rattray, Jamaica’s Ambassador to the UN

Le Hoai Trung, Vietnam’s Ambassador to the UN

Kurt Chesko, UN Mine Action Service

Andrew Hudson, UN Development Program

Chris Whatley, United Nations Association of the USA

 

Episode 21: Ambassador Thomas Pickering

 

Amb Thomas Pickering has had a front row seat to some of the most important foreign policy events of the last 50 years. The career foreign service officer and widely respected diplomat served as US Ambassador to the United Nations, Israel, Jordan, Russia, India, among others places. He speaks with Mark about the faltering Israel-Palestine peace process, his role in shaping US policy during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, and an awkward phone call with President-elect George H.W. Bush, who tapped him to serve as US Ambassador to the UN during the run-up to the Gulf War.

 

Episode 20: Jessica T. Mathews

Jessica Tuchman Mathews is on the line this week. The longtime head of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and foreign policy trendsetter discusses the crisis in Ukraine, growing up with a famous mother, her unconventional path from molecular biology to foreign policy; and how two of her Foreign Affairs articles forever changed how we think about the world.

It’s a great conversation!  Have a listen and let me know what you think.

Episode 18: Zalmay Khalilzad

 

Zalmay Khalizad is on the line this week. The Afghan native served as US ambassador to Afghanistan, Iraq and the United Nations under George W. Bush.

Ambassador Khalilzad discusses coming to the USA at the age of 15, how a chance encounter in grad school changed his career path, and how he helped shape US policy during the Iran-Iraq war. The conversation kicks off with a discussion of Afghan president Hamid Karzai’s legacy and America’s legacy of violence in Iraq.