Politics in the Rearview Mirror

Are we headed for a total white-collar wipeout, or is generative AI just a "stochastic parrot" prone to producing unreliable slop? Drawing on systematic data from 2022 to 2026—including job postings, software uploads to GitHub and iOS Apps launched, and a dramatic rise in AI-generated legal filings in US courts —this episode explores why the predicted mass unemployment hasn't arrived...

In today’s world, our wallets are often our loudest megaphones, but when we choose to boycott a brand or a global event, what are we actually doing? Whether you are passionate about consumer activism or skeptical of "virtue signaling," this episode offers a deep, philosophical look at the challenges and opportunities of boycotts. Joining this episode to navigate the complex moral landsca...

On February 28th, 2026, Israel and the U.S. launched Operation Epic Fury. While the headlines are filled with news of airstrikes on Tehran and the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the true trajectory of this war will be decided far from the front lines. In this episode, we peek through the "fog of war" to offer a watchlist for the coming weeks. We dive into why the Strait of Hormuz has b...

**Recorded on Tuesday, 24 February 2026, before the start of the war on 28 February 2026 ** Is the Iranian regime facing a point of no return? Following the largest domestic uprising since 1979—which saw five million people take to the streets—and a brutal state crackdown resulting in an estimated 36,500 civilian deaths, the Islamic Republic finds itself in a desperate "survival mode". D...

In recent years, Europe's China strategy "change through trade" has faced reality: China is simultaneously a partner, an economic competitor, and a systematic rival. As the EU struggles to find its footing between a rising China and an increasingly unreliable US, this episode explores the EU's struggles of "de-risking" its relationship with China and its quest for strat...

In this episode, we peel back the curtain on the "hidden geography" of American global power: the network of concrete and steel ground installations that serve as the eyes and ears of the US military. While aircraft carriers often dominate the headlines, the true foundation of US dominance lies in sites like Pituffik Space Base in Greenland and RAF Menwith Hill in the UK, which act as cr...

Do political scandals contribute to the decay of liberal democracy, are they a sign of democracy working, or both? In this episode, Prof. Patrick M. Kuhn dives into the political science behind the headlines to unpack the dynamics and consequences of political transgressions. From the recent unsealing of the Epstein files to the falls of prime ministers and mass ministerial resignations across Eur...

Can a democracy use autocratic methods to save itself without losing its soul? In this episode, Prof. Patrick M Kuhn explores the "constitutional paradox"—the idea that liberal democracies may occasionally adopt the very autocratic tools they are built to prevent to survive existential threats. Starting from President Trump's threat to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807, this episod...

This episode explores the rapid disintegration of the post-1945 international order during the second term of the Trump presidency. Following extraordinary recent events, such as the military capture of President Nicolas Maduro and the US’s interest in Greenland, this episode (building on the earlier episode linked below) discusses what might come next.  Dr. Dennis Schmidt and Prof. John Williams ...

How can Hannah Arendt's work help us make sense of today's politics? In this episode, we bridge the gap between her "dark times" and our "post-truth" era to discover why her scholarship is the ultimate survival guide for modern democracy. Dr Oliver Belcher, Prof. Ilan Baron, Prof. Maria Dimova-Cookson, Prof. Christopher Finlay, and Prof. John Williams illuminate how Are...

This episode covers the ongoing mass protests in Iran, which started in December 2025 and spread to multiple cities in several provinces, involving an unusually wide range of social groups. Dr. Marzieh Kouhi-Esfahani, Assistant Professor in Politics and International Relations of the Middle East at Durham University's School of Government and International Affairs, discusses the causes of the...

This episode discusses a significant political event that remained largely outside the media spotlight: the White House visit of Ahmed Al-Sharaa, the former al-Qaeda insurgent and leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), who ended Syria’s brutal 13-year civil war. How did a man once listed as a US terrorist end up shaking hands with the American President? Joining the show is Dr. William Plowright, a...

In November 2025, the Trump government designated Nigeria a 'Country of Particular Concern' (CPC) under the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act, threatening to end aid or even launch a military attack. Is this merely a policy decision, or part of a deeper geopolitical dynamic? This week, we explore the complex intersection of US foreign policy, religious freedom, and international ord...

The upcoming UK Budget statement is more than an accounting or economic exercise—it’s politics in action. Chancellor Reeves faces a defining challenge of modern governance: how to finance public demands and defence commitments while adhering to strict fiscal rules and Labour’s promise not to raise Income Tax, VAT, or National Insurance rates for working people. This episode explores the politics o...

While UK net migration has been declining in 2024, the public's concern about immigration has been increasing, making it the public's main issue. In this episode, Dr. Omar Hammoud-Gallego, an Assistant Professor of Public Policy in the School of Government and International Affairs, who researches migration and refugee policies, discusses public opinion and perceptions of migration, the re...

When US President Trump and Defense Secretary Hegseth authorized lethal strikes against alleged Venezuelan drug boats, were they fighting "narco-terrorists" or normalizing uncontrolled executive power? Join us as Prof. Christopher Finlay, Professor in Political Theory and Head of the School of Government and International Affairs (SGIA) at Durham University, draws on his essay "Bewa...

In this episode, we take another look at the Israeli-Palestine conflict, which some have described as the “third rail” in British academia. With the ceasefire at the verge of collapse and domestic tensions remaining high in the aftermath of the attack on the Synagogue in Manchester, the urgent need for a public, thoughtful conversation about Jews, Israel, and Palestine is clear. Joining the podcas...

In this episode, Dr. Alice Finden, an Assistant Professor of International Relations in the School of Government and International Affairs (SGIA) at Durham University, draws on her research to discuss the political implications of deploying the concepts "terrorism" and "counterterrorism" in the context of the Gaza conflict and UK domestic politics. To learn more about our guest...

Why is political violence making a comeback in the world’s most established democracies? From the storming of the U.S. Capitol in 2021 to riots in Brazil in 2023 and extremist attacks across Europe, violence is again being used to achieve political goals. In this episode Prof. Patrick M Kuhn digs into the paradox at the heart of democracy: why systems built on peaceful disagreement are seeing risi...

On the 1st October 2025, the U.S. government has once again ground to a halt — hundreds of thousands furloughed, non-essential federal services frozen, and the world watching a political standoff the Republican president and congressional Democrats unfold. In this episode, Prof. Patrick Kuhn, with inputs from Dr. David Andersen and Dr. Neil Visalvanich, unpacks the mechanics and meaning of the cur...

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has reshaped Europe’s security landscape. With Donald Trump back in the White House and questions about U.S. commitment to NATO, European states are rapidly rearming and investing in new defence strategies. At the same time, repeated Russian airspace violations and suspicious drone activity are raising alarms across the continent. In this episode, we speak w...

In this final episode of our third series, we will try to make sense of the 2024 US Presidential election. Eight months on, we will discuss what we know about how the Trump Campaign managed to win the US Presidential election and what this means for US electoral politics going forward. Joining me to do so are Drs. David Andersen and Neil Visalvanich, both of whom are Associate Professors of US Pol...

In this episode, Prof. John Williams, Dr. Dennis Schmidt, and Dr. Tessa Ditonto answer your questions on the legality of the US bombardment of Iranian nuclear sites and the reasons for the gender gap we observe in party support in the US and Western Europe. To learn more about our guests' research, visit their websites: John Williams: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/j-c-williams/ Dennis Schmidt...

This episode looks at the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, which started on the night of Friday, 13th June 2025, when Israel bombed over 100 military and nuclear facilities. Since then, the conflict has escalated with Israel and Iran sending drones and firing rockets at each other. In recent days, the US has been moving naval and air force assets into the region, suggesting that it mig...

In early June 2025, the government published the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), which was commissioned by Prime Minister Kier Starmer shortly after the July 2024 election. The SDR sets out 62 recommendations to transform the UK Armed Forces from hollowed-out forces into “war-fighting ready” capabilities, with a focus on expanding the nuclear deterrent, cyber and electronic warfare, autonomous sys...