Global Inquirer

In Global Inquirer’s first live episode of the semester, we examine the case for and against international humanitarian intervention in Syria. Joined by guest Mark Leon Goldberg, editor of the United Nations’ UN Dispatch blog and host of the Humanity in Action's Global Dispatches Podcast, along with researcher Dom Giovanniello, we’ll examine cases for and against humanitarian intervention in Syria...

Since 2003, Rwanda has seen economic prosperity and stability under president Paul Kagame. His rule, which very well may endure until 2034, has also been characterized by repression of dissidents and few political opponents. Kagame is not the only one in the continent, however. Ten of the worlds 20 longest ruling leaders are from Africa. Why and how is this the case? Are people more acceptant towa...

Following the 2035 Global Trends report published by the US Intelligence community, Global Inquirer takes a step back to look at how our previous episodes relate to the most recent report in our Midseason review. What kind of issues will attract the most attention? What factors will transform the global economy and who will be its major players? How will governments and individuals respond to tech...

Across Mexico, citizens have been disappearing. These forced disappearances have received little investigation from Mexican authorities and occur under suspicious circumstances. What can these disappearances tell us about the state of Mexican security authorities and their relationship with civilian activists and institutions? Join us as we sit down with Jorge Verastegui and Ximena Suarez and disc...

Our special report on the Rappahannock native tribe receiving federal recognition will take you out to southeastern Virginia, where we sat down to interview the chief and tribal council to discuss what federal recognition means to them, why it took so long, and how “history was hijacked and held hostage by the state.” Host: Niko Marcich Researcher: Tyler Hinkle Guest interview: Chief Anne Richards...

What does the Khorgos dry port mean for economic and political relations between Central Asian republics and China? How will countries like Kazakhstan navigate foreign affairs and global power dynamics in the region? Sitting down with Dean Shawn Lyons and Dr. Richard Weitz, we answer some of these questions and look at how ex-Soviet republics have positioned themselves geopolitically and the impli...

Why are female workforce participation rates so low in developing countries, and what kinds of solutions are trying to encourage women to enter the workforce and pursue entrepreneurship? Sitting down with UVA Global Studies Professor Sree, we discuss some of the institutional and cultural constraints that perpetuate low female workforce participation, specifically in South Asia. Then, we sit down...

After Iran's announcement to ban the teaching of English in primary schools, we examine the implications of cultural protectionism in Iran and around the world. What are the end goals of cultural protectionism? How does the Internet challenge the traditional nature of cultural protectionism? Host: Niko Marcich Researcher: Nicholas Mortensen Guest Interview: Professor of Media Studies at UVa - Emil...

Seeking to better their lives, thousands of immigrants pass through its southern border every day. The journey is never easy. Beatings, sexual assaults, murder, and other encounters with cartels await these immigrants on their journey north. This harsh reality not only occurs on the border that the United States and Mexico share, but also on the border of Mexico and Guatemala. In our last episode...

In a special season review, technical director Andy Carluccio takes a look back at some of the highlights from all the episodes this semester. Host and Producer: Andy Carluccio Global Inquirer is a production of the International Relations Organization at UVa. We are also affiliated with TEEJ.fm, UVa's undergraduate podcasting network. Music: Long Way From Home - Peter Cincotti, Auddisey

"This is the largest corruption scandal in the history of the world..." What started off as a money laundering investigation in Brazil quickly transformed into a large scale corruption probe. Politicians indicted, company executives thrown in jail, and billions of dollars of dirty money have been recovered. Will Operação Lava Jato (Operation Car Wash) translate into stronger political institutions...

Our current system of global health governance is made up of a bevy of acronymic and mysterious health organizations constituting a veritable alphabet soup of agencies. We look at the challenges faced by the Ebola crisis and how the public health community has learned from their deadly mistakes. Host: Niko Marcich Researcher: Balthazar Merrin and Geoff Keating Producer: Geoff Keating Global Inquir...

“Where can we be black if we can’t be black in Africa?” Western European standards continue to dominate education in South Africa, affecting students across races and wealth tiers. Even though Apartheid was dismantled in 1991, why do South African primary and secondary schools still appear so racially divided? How does the lasting footprint of colonialism affect schools, and how does the universal...

What if we connected the whole world to the Internet? Launched in 2013, Facebook's Free Basics platform promises to do just this. Stemming from an altruistic vision to expand access to information, Free Basics provides affordable Internet access to remote areas in developing countries. What else is behind Facebook's vision to expand Internet access, and why are some communities rejecting the platf...

What if we connected the whole world to the Internet? Launched in 2013, Facebook's Free Basics platform promises to do just this. Stemming from an altruistic vision to expand access to information, Free Basics provides affordable Internet access to remote areas in developing countries. What else is behind Facebook's vision to expand Internet access, and why are some communities rejecting the platf...

Anywheres have taken the streets. Somewheres remain complacent. What's at stake in Poland as the ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS) make sweeping changes to the judicial system, and how has the media in the West and East portrayed these changes? Is the media exacerbating tensions in Europe and the US, or simply conveying increasingly divergent perspectives? Host: Niko Marcich Researcher: Nicholas...

It promised to turn the desert green. Billions of dollars and almost two decades later, not only have these promises not been realized, but the continued obsession with similar projects has diverted important resources. In this episode, we look at the New Valley development project in Egypt and other White Elephant projects. Why do governments continue to pursue wasteful projects with dubious bene...

As the Trump administration works through NAFTA renegotiations, we discuss the costs and benefits of a tariff placed on Canadian lumber, the goal of NAFTA renegotiations and why trade deals are becoming so hard to implement in the 21st century. Does it simply reflect increasing levels of protectionism, or is it the nature of 21st century trade deals themselves? Host: Niko Marcich Researcher: Katya...

Cheap commercial drones are carving out a unique space in warfare and challenging some of the norms in the US tactical playbook. What's the best viable solution? Can $80 drones turn conventional warfare on its head? Host: Niko Marcich Researcher: Nicholas Mortensen Guest Interview: Dan Brown, Assistant Professor of Sciences at UVa Global Inquirer is a production of the International Relations Orga...

A new rail line connecting Addis Ababa to Djibouti, built by China. Estimates of over 1 million Chinese workers in Africa. China has been expanding infrastructure and investment projects in Africa. What is driving this expansion, and how is it affecting life in Africa? Should we be concerned? Host: Niko Marcich Researchers: Derrick Wang and Kay Khosbayar Guest interview: Senior Brookings Fellow, D...

Black and white. Charlottesville and UVa. Townies and Students. Following the August 12th white supremacist march in Charlottesville, we take a step back from our global perspective to talk about race relations in Charlottesville from both a historical and modern perspective. Furthermore, we sit down with a local Black Lives Matter activist and discuss the disconnect between UVa, its students and...

In the final episode of the semester, our host Niko Marcich and researchers Saajid Hasan and Tyler Hinkle explore the Universal Basic Income debate in India. We also host a special guest interview with International Economics Professor Kerem Cosar and the Software and Information Industry's (SIIA) David LeDuc, where we discuss the economic effects of automation, and learn how this global trend is...

In this week's episode, Niko Marcich explores the intricacies of refugee integration within the Charlottesville community. With guest interviews from the director of the International Rescue Committee and an Iraqi refugee, we take a deeper look into what happens to refugees after they've arrived in the U.S. Joined by Kay Khosbayar and Katya Sankow, we address the resources, challenges, and persona...

In this week's episode, we take an in-depth look into the geopolitical and economic ramifications of a reliance on oil. Looking into Venezuela's food shortage and the historical and modern implications of the reliance on oil, we examine how oil policy shapes geopolitics and look towards the future. Will green energy really shape the future? Global Inquirer is a production of the International Rela...

In this weeks episode, Niko Marcich is joined by Derrick Wang and Olivier Weiss, who dive into the Scarborough Shoal as they take a look at how the lives of Philippine fishermen have been affected by Chinese geopolitical expansion in the South China Sea. Specifically, they discuss the importance of the South China Sea, difficulties in enforcing international law, and how Chinese geopolitical expan...