Global in the Granite State

You never know when your next global connection will happen. While host and executive director, Tim Horgan, took his daughter to a play group, he met the leader of a twice yearly service trip to Rwanda right here in New Hampshire. After talking about the program and how it is a true grassroots effort, Tim wanted to tell the story of how the people of New Hampshire forge inspiring connections to th...

On February 4th Russia and China announced a renewed relationship that "has no limits". Three weeks later Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, violating the territorial sovereignty of an independent nation. In this month's episode we explore the relationship between these two countries and what the invasion signals for the future. Sarwar Kasmeri, host of the Polaris Live Podcast, joins us to prov...

In a recent article for Foreign Affairs, Erica Chenoweth and Zoe Marks argue that Authoritarians repress women's rights for more than just chauvinism, but because they actually "fear" the power women hold in creating lasting democratic change through pro-democracy movements. In this episode, we discuss why women help to make these movements so successful and what this means for the prospects of de...

In this month's episode, we take a look at the ongoing diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Olympic Games held in Beijing. As a part of the wider geopolitical competition between the US and China, this effort to highlight human rights abuses in China has been met with mixed success. We talk with former Olympian and NH resident, Julia Ford, former US Olympic Committee member, Dick Swett, and China expert...

The World Affairs Council of New Hampshire sat down with Vikram Mansharamani to gain his insights into why the Uyghurs matter. This discussion dives into the history of the Uyghur lands, why China views them as a problem, and the geopolitical standoff that is occurring around these people. With competing narratives around what is actually happening (re-education vs. forced labor), it can be diffic...

Over the past several years the World Affairs Council of New Hampshire has hosted a number of exchange participants from Afghanistan to talk with them about ways to improve their countries. From government officials to nonprofit leaders, these people have left a lasting impact on the people of New Hampshire. In this episode, WACNH executive director, Tim Horgan, speaks with an alumni of a 2019 exc...

It seems that everyday a story about the crisis at the border bubbles to the surface, either eliciting sympathy or stoking fears. However, what drives people to make the journey north for an opportunity to enter the United States, where there are so many perils along the way. Dehydration, starvation, exposure, rape, kidnapping, and even murder occurs as people traverse various terrains, lead by un...

There is a long and complex history that helps to explain the ongoing conflict in Ethiopia today. It is a diverse country with many different ethnic groups, all of whom have competing interests. Those in power call for unity, while those without it call for respect of cultures and diffuse power structures. An understanding of the country's history is vital to an understanding of the current confli...

For the past several decades, foreign policy experts have been sounding the alarm bells about a rising China who would one day pose a threat to the United States of America as a global leader. Those bells seemingly ring louder each and every day. Whether it is a trade war, war of words, or something worse, the relationship between the two countries are at an all time low. This episode explores a n...

The recent discovery of over 1,000 unmarked graves at the sites of three former residential schools for First Nations people, has brought these institutions back into the spotlight. However, many people were never taught about the history of these programs to wipe out native cultures. In this month's episode we talk with Dr. Ronald Niezen of McGill University about the ongoing history of the treat...

Iran is a key player in the Middle East and occupies an outsized amount of U.S. attention when it comes to foreign affairs. From proxy wars in Yemen, Syria, and other places, to the ongoing nuclear negotiations, understanding Iran is key to understanding U.S. policy in the region. With an upcoming election in just a few days, it is important to examine what this latest election can tell us about t...

It is hard to believe, but there is a world leader who laments that previous dictators did not kill more of their countrymen. He also has pretty clear ties to violent militias, including one militia who killed a city councilwoman in Rio. However hard it may be to believe, this is the case with Brazil and their President, Jair Bolsonaro. In this episode we speak with Harvard University Professor, B...

Where does the global fight against climate change stand? What can you do about it? Why is it important on both a local and international scale? Speaking with Julie Cerqueira of the US Climate Alliance and Rob Werner, State Director of the League of Conservation Voters, we dive into these questions and more to help you better understand what is needed to avoid a potential disaster.

On February 1, 2021, the military instigated a coup of the democratically elected government. In short order, this relatively new democracy went from aspirational to regressive. Protests started immediately and have only grown over the past month. In this episode, we speak with an American who has lived in Myanmar since 2016. She has a close connection to New Hampshire, having served as an AmeriCo...

Like much of the rest of his Presidency, the Trump Administration's Foreign Policy legacy draws quite different reactions based on who you speak with. In this episode, we focus solely on breaking down the successes, failures, and missed opportunities of the past four years. Speaking with Gil Barndollar, Senior Research Fellow at the Center for the Study of Statesmanship, we dive into these issues...

Over the past several years, attention has waxed and waned on a number of global conflicts that are more important to global affairs than their coverage seems to give them. In this month's episode, we talk with Alejandro Velasco, Associate Professor at NYU, about the current crisis in Venezuela. We also speak with Elise Guilano about the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. As you will hear, just because...

In this month's episode, we look at two cold international conflicts that seem to be headed in different directions. First, we talk with Dr. Ezzedine Fishere, senior lecturer at Dartmouth College, about the history of the Arab Israeli conflict and what the warming ties between Israel and some of its Arab neighbors really means. We then talk with the Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cult...

During this mid-month episode, WACNH Executive Director, Tim Horgan, and UNH Associate Professor, Melinda Negron-Gonzales, talk about the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, as well as disinformation campaigns by Russia and China. For those looking for the video mentioned in this podcast, here is the link: https://youtu.be/Q5BZ09iNdvo This comes with the disclaimer that it is produced and distributed by...

"You can't escape it and if you are not able to escape it, you ought to understand it; you ought to participate in it; you ought to try and shape it." This quote comes from Craig Snyder, outgoing President of the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, when asked about why people should learn about international issues. This episode looks at the importance of global understanding to the larger soci...

Join World Affairs Council of New Hampshire Executive Director, Tim Horgan, and Dr. Melinda Negron-Gonzales, Associate Professor at UNH Manchester, as they discuss top international stories including the poisoning of Alexsy Navalny, the Afghan- Taliban Peace Process, and the challenges of the Eastern Mediterranean gas exploration.

Have you found yourself asking a lot of questions about TikTok, since it has broken into the mainstream with the Administration working to ban the video sharing service over national security concerns? We speak with Xiaomeng Lu, Senior Analyst of Geo-Technology at the Eurasia Foundation, about the geo-political nature of this issue and whether or not TikTok is a national security threat. We also t...

During this episode we cover a wide range of topics on issues facing the African continent. Through our discussions with Susan Stigant, Director of Africa Programs at the US Institute of Peace, you will learn about the current state of Sudan, one year after they overthrew the dictator, Omar al-Bashir. Also, in conversations with Rain for the Sahel and Sahara, we cover the COVID-19 pandemic in the...

Protests, both at home and abroad, have created a bi-polar news cycle for the past couple of weeks. In the wake of the murder of George Floyd by a Minnesota Police Officer, many countries held protests in support of racial justice. This was on top of many different protests around the world, striving for justice in our time. We speak with Bill Wanlund and Dawn Brancati about Global Protest movemen...

In this episode we explore the importance of international understanding through the two main programs the World Affairs Council of New Hampshire runs. First, we speak with Bill Clifford, President and CEO of the World Affairs Councils of America, about the power of this network to effect change across the country. Second, we speak with Anne Grimes, Director of the Office of International Visitors...

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to ravage economies worldwide, we take the time to speak with Dr. Bruce Elmslie of UNH about the global economy during this time. Also, we speak with Dr. Sarwar Kashmeri about China's Belt and Road Initiative, as well as how China's relations with the world will be affected by the current crisis. Join us for these interesting discussions and hear more about how t...