Episodes

  • Peacebuilding in Northern Ireland | Emma DeSouza

    Peacebuilding in Northern Ireland | Emma DeSouza
    Feb 10 2026
    In this episode, we speak with activist and journalist Emma DeSouza on peacebuilding in Northern Ireland 28 years after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. We explore what work remains to be done in implementing the agreement, and how to make the process an inclusive one that brings in the voices of the youth and women.

    Podcast Production Credits:
    Interviewing: Sabrina Beaver and Erik Tiersten-Nyman
    Editing: Sabrina Beaver
    Production: Sabrina Beaver

    Music from #Uppbeat :
    https://uppbeat.io/t/tim-schaufert/it-doesnt-have-to-end
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    51 mins
  • Event Recap: What's Next for Venezuela? | Chris Blattman, Ryan Kellogg, and Paul Poast

    Event Recap: What's Next for Venezuela? | Chris Blattman, Ryan Kellogg, and Paul Poast
    Jan 27 2026
    In this episode, we share a recent panel at the Harris School of Public Policy on the what comes next for Venezuela with University of Chicago professors Chris Blattman, Ryan Kellogg, and Paul Poast. This discussion touches on plans for the transition in Venezuela, the impact energy markets, and what this means for U.S. policy more broadly.

    Podcast Production Credits:
    Interviewing: Rebecca Wolfe
    Editing: Sabrina Beaver
    Production: Sabrina Beaver

    Music from #Uppbeat :
    https://uppbeat.io/t/tim-schaufert/it-doesnt-have-to-end
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    42 mins
  • Brief: Protests in Iran | Pegah Banihashemi

    Brief: Protests in Iran | Pegah Banihashemi
    Jan 20 2026
    In this brief, we speak with Pegah Banihashemi about recent protests in Iran. We discuss how this wave of protests differs from those of prior years and what conditions detainees likely face.

    Podcast Production Credits:
    Interviewing: Sabrina Beaver
    Editing: Sabrina Beaver
    Production: Sabrina Beaver


    Music from #Uppbeat:
    https://uppbeat.io/t/tim-schaufert/it-doesnt-have-to-end
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    14 mins
  • Reporting on Conflict | John Haltiwanger

    Reporting on Conflict | John Haltiwanger
    Jan 14 2026
    In this episode, we speak with Foreign Policy staff writer John Haltiwanger about his experiences reporting on conflict and national security matters. We explore how current conflicts, such as those in Ukraine and Gaza, may conclude, as well as the obstacles to peace. This conversation touches on conflict resolution, the importance of expertise, and the role of the US in these discussions.

    Podcast Production Credits:
    Interviewing: Sabrina Beaver and Kerem Tasdan
    Editing: Sabrina Beaver
    Production: Sabrina Beaver

    Music from #Uppbeat :
    https://uppbeat.io/t/neozoic/cold-fire
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    46 mins
  • The Role of Schools in Diminishing Conflict | Anjali Adukia

    The Role of Schools in Diminishing Conflict | Anjali Adukia
    Sep 18 2025
    In this episode, we speak with Professor Anjali Adukia from the University of Chicago about her research on restorative practices in schools and how they can reduce suspensions, arrests, and racial disparities without harming academic performance. We explore what restorative practices look like, why they matter, and how they may impact not only students but also teachers and families. The conversation also touches on the school-to-prison pipeline, the importance of representation in textbooks, and what schools and policymakers can do to give all children a fair chance to succeed.

    Podcast Production Credits:
    Interviewing: Isabella Nascimento, Alonso Gutiérrez Olivares
    Editing: Helena Talerman
    Production: Isabella Nascimento
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    46 mins
  • Criminal Governance in Brazil | Benjamin Lessing

    Criminal Governance in Brazil | Benjamin Lessing
    Jun 12 2025
    In this episode, Professor Benjamin Lessing unpacks the dynamics of organized crime and informal governance in Brazil. He discusses how extra-legal organizations operate as alternative authority structures—stepping into the vacuum left by weak state presence. Traditional law enforcement often fails to dismantle them, requiring innovations in policymaking aimed at reducing violence in the country. Lessing highlights what works—and what doesn’t—when the state seeks to reassert its authority. Professor Benjamin Lessing is a political scientist at the University of Chicago, specializing in criminal governance, state capacity, and Brazilian politics.

    This podcast is produced in partnership with the Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts. For more information, please visit their website at www.thepearsoninstitute.org.

    Podcast Production Credits:
    Interviewing: Isabella Nascimento, Fernanda Garcia, Gil do Vigor
    Editing: Megha Viswanath
    Production: Isabella Nascimento
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    1 hr and 1 min
  • Congo in Crisis: History, Minerals, and Power | Eduardo Montero

    Congo in Crisis: History, Minerals, and Power | Eduardo Montero
    May 1 2025
    This episode explores the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo through the lens of historical legacies, regional dynamics, and international interests. Our guest, Professor Eduardo Montero, introduces the current crisis and its deep roots in colonial exploitation, institutional fragility, and unresolved tensions from past conflicts. By the end of the episode, you will also understand the role of external actors and the broader geopolitical and economic stakes shaping the conflict today.

    This podcast is produced in partnership with the Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts. For more information, please visit their website at www.thepearsoninstitute.org.

    Podcast Production Credits:
    Interviewing: Isabella Nascimento, Júlia Mansur, Manda Bwerevu
    Editing: Megha Viswanath
    Production: Isabella Nascimento
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    45 mins
  • What’s Next for Ukraine? | Roger Myerson

    What’s Next for Ukraine? | Roger Myerson
    Apr 3 2025
    This episode features Professor Roger Myerson, Nobel Laureate (2007) and Professor at the University of Chicago. We discuss the war in Ukraine through his on-the-ground experience and academic expertise. Professor Myerson reflects on the political, social, and technological shifts he has witnessed since the war began. The conversation examines how Ukraine is adapting to the change in U.S. foreign policy under President Trump, the prospects for peace, the role of NATO and other security guarantees, and the gap between Europe’s economic power and military response.

    This podcast is produced in partnership with the Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts. For more information, please visit their website at www.thepearsoninstitute.org.

    Podcast Production Credits:
    Interviewing: Isabella Nascimento, Viktoriia Shcherba
    Editing: Megha Viswanath
    Production: Isabella Nascimento
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    52 mins