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PODCAST

Diplomacy and Discourse Podcast

Welcome to the Diplomacy and Discourse Podcast! Hosted by A.R., this podcast delves into the intricate world of politics, culture, and society through a transdisciplinary lens. Each episode explores diverse themes, from comparative politics and global governance to religion, history, psychology, philosophy, and economics. Join us for insightful discussions, fresh perspectives, and expert insights on pressing global issues.

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All Episodes

38:18

#26 - Gaza Humanitarian Crisis, Radicalization, Media...

Diplomacy and Discourse Podcast ·

2025/12/03

In this episode of Diplomacy and Discourse, we take a deep, unapologetically honest look at the Gaza war and the broader Israeli–Palestinian conflict. We explore how occupation, blockade, and collective trauma fuel radicalization; how Western media frames the story; what role the U.S. and regional powers are really playing; and whether the events of October 7, 2023 advanced or damaged the Palestinian cause.We unpack the difference between radicalism and extremism, examine the psychological toll of

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40:15

#25 Pt. 3 - Islam, Law, and the West

Diplomacy and Discourse Podcast ·

2025/10/29

What this episode asks: Can Islam, as lived and organized in Western democracies, align with one secular legal order, strong free-speech protections (including for blasphemy), and full gender/LGBTQ equality?Migration facts vs. fears: EU registered ~14M first-time residence permits (2015–2024). Muslim share remains single-digit and rising gradually; local concentration drives perceptions. Expect Pew’s next Europe update around 2026; arc remains incremental, not explosive.Sharia and secular law:

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26:04

#24 Pt. 2 - Fault Lines and Supply Lines: How Power...

Diplomacy and Discourse Podcast ·

2025/10/22

In this three-part special, host A.R. explores whether today’s tensions reflect a clash of civilizations—or a more complex shift toward a world of regions and emerging “super civilizations.” We connect identity, power politics, and the real engines of influence: infrastructure, technology, finance, and media.What’s inside:Eurasia’s integration web: BRI, EAEU, SCO—geoeconomics over ideologyAfrica’s leverage: AU/ECOWAS, coups, critical minerals, and Ubuntu as a cooperative ethosSouth America’s

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29:13

#23 Pt. 1 - Islam, China, and the West: Clash,...

Diplomacy and Discourse Podcast ·

2025/10/15

In Part 1 of this two to three-part series, host A.R. unpacks Samuel P. Huntington’s Clash of Civilizations and tests it against the world we actually live in.What we cover:The theory: Huntington’s civilizational blocs and “fault lines”The critique: simplifications, identity flattening, and “us vs. them”Real-world flashpoints: U.S.–China rivalry, Russia’s war in Ukraine, Gaza (2023–25), Taliban rule in Afghanistan, EU migration politicsParadoxes of power: U.S.–Saudi alignment, China brokering a

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17:04

#22 - America’s Broken Safety Net

Diplomacy and Discourse Podcast ·

2025/10/03

In this episode of Diplomacy and Discourse, we confront the heartbreaking case of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee murdered on a Charlotte light-rail train in August 2025.Iryna came to America fleeing war, seeking safety and a better life. But her death—at the hands of a mentally ill repeat offender with a history of violent crime—has ignited debate far beyond North Carolina.We break down the layers of failure:The courts allowing violent offenders back into communities with minimal

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18:21

#21 - Talk Before You Tear: Choosing Dialogue Over...

Diplomacy and Discourse Podcast ·

2025/09/25

In this episode, we take a hard look at the culture of contempt that frames political opposition as an existential threat. We discuss how the American two-party structure compresses complex identities into simplistic camps and how geography, religion, and identity markers are exploited as wedges instead of bridges. We trace how social-media outrage cycles, economic insecurity, and the erosion of community fuel anxiety and loneliness — and how politics rushes in to fill the void, often making us more

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26:24

#20 - Beyond Apartheid: Gaza, Genocide, and the...

Diplomacy and Discourse Podcast ·

2025/09/15

In this episode of Diplomacy and Discourse, host A.R. examines Israel’s deepening expansion into Gaza City amid accusations of genocide. Moving beyond the headlines, this episode unpacks the frameworks of colonialism, apartheid, and genocide—and asks what they mean for diplomacy today.Drawing insights from international law, historical comparison with South Africa, and contemporary scholarship, the conversation highlights:Why words and frameworks matter when describing Gaza.How Israel’s system

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63:12

#19 - Candace Rondeaux - Putin, Wagner Group,...

Diplomacy and Discourse Podcast ·

2025/09/05

In this episode of Diplomacy and Discourse, A.R. talks with security expert and author Candace Rondeaux. Her new book, Putin’s Sledgehammer, explores the rise of the Wagner Group—a private army turned geopolitical power player—and its implications for global security.Candace reveals how:Yevgeny Prigozhin transformed from caterer to commanderWagner shaped modern hybrid warfare, from Ukraine to AfricaPrivate armies weaken state sovereignty and rewrite the rules of conflictThought-provoking and

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21:17

#18 - When Peace Talks Break Down: The Cost of...

Diplomacy and Discourse Podcast ·

2025/09/02

In this episode of the Diplomacy and Discourse Podcast, host A.R. takes listeners deep into the escalating crisis across Gaza, Lebanon, Israel, and beyond. As peace talks falter and ceasefires crumble, we examine how broken diplomacy has unleashed a wider humanitarian and geopolitical catastrophe — and why this conflict is no longer confined to borders.We unpack the roles of the United States, Iran, and other regional powers, comparing the sharply different foreign policies of the Biden and Trump

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23:14

#17 - Can Diplomacy Survive the Middle East?

Diplomacy and Discourse Podcast ·

2025/08/17

Welcome back to the Diplomacy and Discourse Podcast! In this episode, we will unpack the latest developments in the most volatile region on Earth — the Middle East.June 2025 marked a chilling escalation as Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a surprise strike on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. What followed was a storm of retaliation, missile fire, and regional mobilization, turning what began in Gaza into a full-blown multi-front conflict. From Hezbollah rockets in Lebanon to Houthi drones in the

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29:27

#16 - The Broken Cycle of Middle Eastern Peacebuilding

Diplomacy and Discourse Podcast ·

2025/08/07

In this powerful and timely episode, we will unpack the complex, devastating reality of peacebuilding failures across the Middle East—from Gaza and Syria to Yemen and Libya. As the region reels from decades of war, foreign intervention, and internal divisions, reconstruction efforts often fall flat. Why? Because peace built on silence, exclusion, or political erasure cannot last.We explore:Why massive humanitarian aid is falling short despite urgent needsHow political fragmentation is crippling

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48:06

#15 - Can the World Still Say No to War?

Diplomacy and Discourse Podcast ·

2025/07/31

In this powerful and thought-provoking episode of Diplomacy and Discourse, host A.R. explores one of the most urgent questions of our time: Can the world still say no to war? From the ashes of World War II to today’s battlefield technologies, proxy conflicts, and global power rivalries, this episode uncovers how war has evolved — and how our capacity to resist it has weakened.We unpack the rise and decline of liberal internationalism, the effectiveness (and failure) of institutions like the United

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26:06

#14 - Is International Relations Broken? Let's...

Diplomacy and Discourse Podcast ·

2025/07/17

In this episode of the Diplomacy and Discourse Podcast, host A.R. takes a deep dive into the intellectual foundations of international relations — and why many of those foundations no longer hold up.From Realism and Liberalism to Constructivism, Critical Theory, and Postcolonialism, we explore how these theories shaped our understanding of world politics — and why they may be out of sync with the complexities of today's geopolitical realities.As global crises multiply and institutions struggle to

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30:27

#13 Pt. 5 - Pressure Points - Ukraine, the...

Diplomacy and Discourse Podcast ·

2025/07/03

Welcome back to Diplomacy and Discourse, and thank you for joining us for the final installment of our five-part series on power politics. In this episode, we zoom in on today’s global flashpoints—Ukraine, Taiwan, the South China Sea—and unpack how these battlegrounds are reshaping the balance of power.From Russia’s costly war in Ukraine to China’s tightening grip over the Indo-Pacific, we examine how military aggression, spheres of influence, economic leverage, and strategic ambiguity are rewriting

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33:27

#12 Pt. 4 - Endgames and Echoes – Lessons and the...

Diplomacy and Discourse Podcast ·

2025/06/26

In Episode 12, Part 4 of Diplomacy and Discourse, we turn the page from the great power games of the past to the quiet calculations shaping the future. A.R. explores the subtle and often overlooked endgames of U.S. foreign policy — from Biden’s cautious yet coordinated response to the Ukraine war, to Trump’s unapologetically transactional worldview. This episode unpacks how restraint, ambiguity, and misread history are actively reshaping the norms of global conflict and cooperation.We ask big

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29:45

#11 Pt. 3 - Flashpoints and Frontlines - Power...

Diplomacy and Discourse Podcast ·

2025/06/19

In Episode 11, Part 3 of Diplomacy and Discourse, we dive into today’s most dangerous flashpoints—Ukraine, the South China Sea, and the Middle East—to reveal how power politics is alive, brutal, and evolving. From Russia’s Arctic ambitions to China’s Indo-Pacific expansionism, and from Iranian proxies to Israeli deterrence, this episode maps the high-stakes battlegrounds shaping our world. We also explore U.S. foreign policy, Trump vs. Biden strategies, and the rise of multi-alignment in a rapidly

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26:59

#10 Pt. 2 - Hard Liners and Soft Power - Power...

Diplomacy and Discourse Podcast ·

2025/06/12

Hey everyone, welcome back to Diplomacy and Discourse. First off, I want to apologize for the two-week delay in getting this episode out. Life got a little hectic — I’ve been busy packing, planning, and traveling. I’m now officially recording this episode internationally from Israel/Palestine, where I’ll be based for the foreseeable future. I appreciate your patience, and I’ll do my best to keep the episodes coming, even while I’m on the move.Now, onto the episode. This is Part 2 of our three-part

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26:39

#9 Pt. 1 - Empire, Influence, and Iron: A History of...

Diplomacy and Discourse Podcast ·

2025/05/22

In Part 1 of this special multi-part series, we will take you all on an epic journey through the history of power politics — from the brutal campaigns of the Assyrians and the legal-religious statecraft of Babylon to the empire-building of Rome, Persia, and the competing city-states of Greece. We trace how monarchs used religion, diplomacy, and warfare to consolidate control, and how the 20th century transformed power into an industrial and ideological showdown.This episode connects ancient

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34:24

#8 - The Complex Path to a Sustainable Energy Future

Diplomacy and Discourse Podcast ·

2025/05/15

We all hear that the future is renewable — but the road to clean energy is anything but smooth. In this episode, A.R. breaks down why the global transition to renewable energy isn’t just about going green — it’s a high-stakes power shift that's already reshaping global alliances, disrupting economies, and challenging long-standing geopolitical norms.From skyrocketing energy prices and resource competition to the new geopolitical risks around critical minerals and supply chains, we look at how the

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37:49

#7 Pt. 2 - Population, Resources, and Power:...

Diplomacy and Discourse Podcast ·

2025/05/08

In this extended episode, we explore the forces transforming the modern Middle East — and why they matter to the entire world. From exploding populations and water scarcity to migration waves, energy competition, and new power dynamics, host A.R. breaks down the geopolitical pressures shaping the region’s future. You’ll hear how cities, corporations, and rising powers are redrawing the map — and how climate, economics, and technology are driving a seismic shift across borders. If you want to

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47 results

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