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Searching for America with Robyn Curnow

Searching for America with Robyn Curnow

Written by: Robyn Curnow Bleav
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About this listen

America is confusing. For Americans - and for everyone else watching. In Searching for America, award-winning journalist Robyn Curnow tries to make sense of it all from an unusual vantage point: a South African living in the Deep South, commenting on the United States from the inside but with an outsider’s view. In short, smart bite-sized episodes, Robyn explores American politics, culture, power, and identity. One week it’s Washington madness, the next it’s Dolly Parton’s politics, the Halloween Industrial Complex, or the strange rituals of American life that still perplex her after a decade living in Atlanta. This isn’t a shouty politics podcast or a policy lecture. It’s curious, globally aware, and easy to listen to in one sitting - for anyone who’s ever wondered why America is the way it is. Searching for America is part explanation, part exploration - and a guide to a country that never stops arguing with itself.2025 Robyn Curnow Political Science Politics & Government Social Sciences
Episodes
  • In Odds We Trust: Trump doesn't negotiate he bets
    Feb 16 2026

    Donald Trump isn’t playing chess.

    He’s playing poker.

    And once you see that, American politics start to feel less like a grandmaster tournament - and more like a high-stakes table in Vegas.

    This week on Searching for America, I ask what happens when a country that increasingly thinks in bets elects a president who governs like a gambler. From tariffs and brinkmanship to Super Bowl wagers and prediction markets pricing everything from elections to the end of the world - belief in America isn’t just argued anymore.

    It’s priced.

    We’re living in an odds era.

    So the question is: when everyone’s at the table, who’s bluffing - and who’s about to call?

    READ MORE ON ROBYN'S BLOG

    http://robyncurnow.substack.com

    WATCH ON YOUTUBE

    http://youtube.com/@therobyncurnow

    MORE ON ROBYN

    http://www.robyncurnow.net

    http://www.x.com/robyncurnow

    http://instagram.com/robyncurnow

    • Got a great idea for an episode? Drop Robyn a message here with the subject line PODCAST IDEA
      Subscribe to Robyn's Substack.
    • Visit her website here.
    • To book Robyn to speak at your event, get in touch here.

    More about Robyn's public speaking
    Robyn Curnow is a sought-after public speaker on what it takes to create positive leadership in complicated times. As a South African now living in the American South, Robyn is determined to bring a hopeful and light-hearted tone to all conversations.

    She reflects on her interviews with U.S. Presidents Bush, Clinton and Carter and First Lady Michelle Obama. She has impactful stories of working alongside Nobel Peace Prize Lauretes Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu

    She has delivered talks and hosted events around the Blue Economy in the Principality of Monaco where she introduced Prince Albert of Monaco and Prince William, Prince of Wales and French President Emmanuel Macron, the Lincoln Centre in New York, the Science Museum in London, the Swedish Royal Palace in Stockholm, the YPO annual conference in Cape Town, the United Nations, a Haaretz newspaper panel in Jerusalem, the Nantucket Yacht club and many more.

    She has recently worked with Prince Albert II Foundation in Monaco and Philadelphia, the Swedish royal family in Stockholm, Made by Dyslexia in London, the Red Cross of Georgia in Atlanta alongside Delta Airlines.


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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    9 mins
  • Where Will The Next War Start? Look Up
    Feb 9 2026

    Where will the next war start? Not on a border. Not at sea. But a few hundred miles above our heads.

    The most important battlefield of the future isn’t on Earth. Power is shifting - not across borders, but above them. Space is the next frontier because it's the backend of our modern life.

    In this episode of Searching for America, I explore how space has become the next battlefield, and why lower Earth orbit, the Moon, and Mars are now central to U.S. vs China strategic competition. From my surreal interview with Buzz Aldrin to the rise of military satellites, AI infrastructure in space, and missile defense systems, this episode breaks down how geopolitics, national security, and space technology are converging.

    This isn’t science fiction. It’s modern warfare - fought through satellite interference, space-based AI, orbital dominance, and deterrence strategy. Because in every conflict, the side that holds the high ground wins - and this time, it’s literal.

    Thanks for listening, Robyn Curnow

    Blog and free newsletter from Robyn each week

    http://robyncurnow.substack.com

    Watch on Youtube

    http://www.youtube.com/@therobyncurnow

    More about Robyn Curnow

    http://www.robyncurnow.net

    • Got a great idea for an episode? Drop Robyn a message here with the subject line PODCAST IDEA
      Subscribe to Robyn's Substack.
    • Visit her website here.
    • To book Robyn to speak at your event, get in touch here.

    More about Robyn's public speaking
    Robyn Curnow is a sought-after public speaker on what it takes to create positive leadership in complicated times. As a South African now living in the American South, Robyn is determined to bring a hopeful and light-hearted tone to all conversations.

    She reflects on her interviews with U.S. Presidents Bush, Clinton and Carter and First Lady Michelle Obama. She has impactful stories of working alongside Nobel Peace Prize Lauretes Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu

    She has delivered talks and hosted events around the Blue Economy in the Principality of Monaco where she introduced Prince Albert of Monaco and Prince William, Prince of Wales and French President Emmanuel Macron, the Lincoln Centre in New York, the Science Museum in London, the Swedish Royal Palace in Stockholm, the YPO annual conference in Cape Town, the United Nations, a Haaretz newspaper panel in Jerusalem, the Nantucket Yacht club and many more.

    She has recently worked with Prince Albert II Foundation in Monaco and Philadelphia, the Swedish royal family in Stockholm, Made by Dyslexia in London, the Red Cross of Georgia in Atlanta alongside Delta Airlines.


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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    9 mins
  • Sorority Sisterhood Inc.
    Feb 2 2026

    I used to think sororities were just a girl gang cult — then I saw what they really are when my daughter joined one this past month.

    Greek sorority life in America is more than a mean girl clique or a perky authoritarian cheer squad in pastel and glitter.

    For millions of America's young women, sororities are built on loyalty, connection, and mutual support.

    In this episode of Searching for America, I look past the pink Instagram gloss to understand sororities as institutions: why they exist, what they provide, and why they may matter more than ever for a generation shaped by Covid, social media, and isolation. It’s a story about group identity, immigrant instincts, and the very American art of building a life sideways — through loyalty, networks, and showing up.

    If you’ve ever wondered what sororities really are — or why America builds community the way it does — this one’s for you.

    Youtube

    http://www.youtube.com/@therobyncurnow

    Sign up for a free newsletter

    http://robyncurnow.substack.com

    http://www.robyncurnow.net

    • Got a great idea for an episode? Drop Robyn a message here with the subject line PODCAST IDEA
      Subscribe to Robyn's Substack.
    • Visit her website here.
    • To book Robyn to speak at your event, get in touch here.

    More about Robyn's public speaking
    Robyn Curnow is a sought-after public speaker on what it takes to create positive leadership in complicated times. As a South African now living in the American South, Robyn is determined to bring a hopeful and light-hearted tone to all conversations.

    She reflects on her interviews with U.S. Presidents Bush, Clinton and Carter and First Lady Michelle Obama. She has impactful stories of working alongside Nobel Peace Prize Lauretes Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu

    She has delivered talks and hosted events around the Blue Economy in the Principality of Monaco where she introduced Prince Albert of Monaco and Prince William, Prince of Wales and French President Emmanuel Macron, the Lincoln Centre in New York, the Science Museum in London, the Swedish Royal Palace in Stockholm, the YPO annual conference in Cape Town, the United Nations, a Haaretz newspaper panel in Jerusalem, the Nantucket Yacht club and many more.

    She has recently worked with Prince Albert II Foundation in Monaco and Philadelphia, the Swedish royal family in Stockholm, Made by Dyslexia in London, the Red Cross of Georgia in Atlanta alongside Delta Airlines.


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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    12 mins
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