Best The Institute of Middle East Understanding Podcasts (2025)

1
Writing for the Crusader with Dr. Paul Kengor 42:50

5h ago42:50

42:50

On this episode of Reaganism, Reagan Institute Director Roger Zakheim is joined by Dr. Paul Kengor a prominent scholar on Ronald Reagan, and author of ‘The Crusader’. They discuss the significance of the ‘Evil Empire’ speech, exploring how it framed the Cold War in moral terms and the role of speechwriting in shaping Reagan’s legacy as a communicat…

1
Caitlin Killian, "Understanding Reproduction in Social Contexts" (Bloomsbury, 2025) 1:07:52

5h ago1:07:52

1:07:52

In today's post-Roe v. Wade world, U.S. maternal mortality is on the rise and laws regarding contraception, involuntary sterilization, access to reproductive health services, and criminalization of people who are gestating are changing by the minute. Today I’m joined by Dr. Caitlin Killian, the editor of and one of the contributors to a new book fr…

1
Ian Boyd, "Science and Politics" (Polity, 2024) 1:11:14

1d ago1:11:14

1:11:14

The recent coronavirus pandemic proved that the time-old notion seems now truer than ever: that science and politics represent a clash of cultures. But why should scientists simply “stick to the facts” and leave politics to the politicians when the world seems to be falling down around us? Drawing on his experience as both a research scientist and …

1
Russell Blackford, "How We Became Post-Liberal: The Rise and Fall of Toleration" (Bloomsbury, 2023) 1:20:48

2d ago1:20:48

1:20:48

Liberalism is in trouble. As a set of ideas, it has lost much of its historical authority in guiding public policy and personal behaviour. In this post-liberal climate, Russell Blackford asks whether liberalism is truly over. How We Became Post-Liberal: The Rise and Fall of Toleration (Bloomsbury, 2023) examines how Western liberal democracies beca…

1
Randy Laist and Brian Dixon, "Figures of Freedom: Representations of Agency in a Time of Crisis" (Fourth Horseman, 2024) 50:06

3d ago50:06

50:06

Figures of Freedom: Representations of Agency in a Time of Crisis takes on the idea and terminology of freedom, examining our understanding of this concept and our relationship to the word itself as well as what it means to society, culture, and politics. Randy Laist and Brian A. Dixon, two scholars who often explore popular culture to better under…

1
Maurizio Ferrera, "Politics and Social Visions: Ideology, Conflict, and Solidarity in the EU" (Oxford UP, 2024) 1:22:50

4d ago1:22:50

1:22:50

The starting point of this book is the 'civil war' of ideas that broke out during the early 2010s about the purpose and even the desirability of the European Union as a polity, with a number of right-wing populist formations openly advocating for exiting the Union. The sovereign debt crisis triggered a spiral of ideological decommunalization: natio…

1
China’s Trade War Strategy: How Xi Jinping Uses Autocracy, Fear, and Innovation to Compete with the West 48:00

5d ago48:00

48:00

Hosts Nina dos Santos and Owen Bennett-Jones analyze the global fallout after Donald Trump plunged America and the world into a trade war with China. David Rennie, The Economist’s geopolitics editor and former Beijing and Washington D.C. bureau chief, joins the podcast to unpack how Xi Jinping is playing the long game and playing to win. In this ep…

1
Academic Freedom Under Fire: Why It Matters and How to Protect It 28:53

6d ago28:53

28:53

In this episode, we will explore the significance of academic freedom, the challenges it faces globally, and the ways in which researchers and academics can defend and promote this essential liberty. We'll also discuss the broader implications of restricting academic freedom on society and our understanding of various phenomena.Our guest today is J…

1
Marcus Kreuzer, "The Grammar of Time: A Toolbox for Comparative Historical Analysis" (Cambridge UP, 2023) 56:59

6d ago56:59

56:59

In The Grammar of Time: A Toolbox for Comparative Historical Analysis (Cambridge UP, 2023), political scientist Marcus Kreuzer synthesises the different strands and traditions of Comparative Historical Analysis to show how interpretive and positivist research designs might complement rather than compete with one another. Like the contents of the bo…

1
The Significance of US-India Relations with Shruti Rajagopalan 49:27

7d ago49:27

49:27

On this episode of Reaganism, Reagan Institute Director of the Center for Civics, Education, and Opportunity Dan Rothschild is joined by Shruti Rajagopalan who is a Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center. They discuss the evolving relationship between the United States and India, emphasizing the significance of economic engagement, the impac…

1
Postscript: Political Scientists Ring Alarm Bell Over Trump’s Second Administration 42:41

7d ago42:41

42:41

After being sworn in as the 47th president, President Donald Trump quickly altered American government – and political discourse. He issued a slew of executive orders that affected how American government functions and he spoke about officers of the government, federal agencies, executive power, the press, the Constitution, and the rule of law in w…

1
Fernanda Gallo, "Hegel and Italian Political Thought: The Practice of Ideas, 1832-1900" (Cambridge UP, 2024) 48:06

8d ago48:06

48:06

Political Theorist Fernanda Gallo (Homerton College, University of Cambridge) has a fascinating new book, Hegel and Italian Political Thought: The Practice of Ideas, 1832-1900 (Cambridge UP, 2024), about how Georg Hegel’s philosophical thought made its way to Italy and how it was integrated into the various schools of thought within Italy. This is …

1
Agnieszka Pasieka, "Living Right: Far-Right Youth Activists in Contemporary Europe" (Princeton UP, 2024) 46:29

9d ago46:29

46:29

Radical nationalism is on the rise in Europe and throughout the world. Living Right: Far-Right Youth Activists in Contemporary Europe (Princeton University Press, 2024) provides an in-depth account of the ideas and practices that are driving the varied forms of far-right activism by young people from all walks of life, revealing how these social mo…

1
Political Mythmaking in Nepal 33:12

10d ago33:12

33:12

How and why do local political processes in rural Nepal become an arena for political mythmaking? And, how do political myths obscure their own historical construction, thereby making hierarchical power structures appear inevitable? In this episode we discuss these questions with Ankita Shrestha whose ethnographic explorations into these issues for…

1
Is Democracy and Peace Possible in Myanmar? A Conversation with Claire Smith 41:11

11d ago41:11

41:11

As the civil conflict in Myanmar passes its fourth anniversary, is this ethnically complex country any closer to a peaceful resolution of its internal conflict? Do opposition forces have a singular vision for what a post-conflict Myanmar might look like, or could the country simply break apart? Join Petra Alderman as she talks to Claire Smith about…

1
Is Liberal Democracy Dying? 1:06:42

12d ago1:06:42

1:06:42

Live from the Frontline Club in London, Ctrl Alt Deceit is back for its second season. Hosts Nina dos Santos and Owen Bennett-Jones host a fascinating discussion on the myriad threats to democracy, particularly in light of Trump's re-election. Joined by Gabriel Gatehouse is an award-winning BBC journalist and broadcaster, formerly International Edi…

1
The Future of Fintech | Fintech Files Season 4 Finale 20:54

13d ago20:54

20:54

We’re wrapping up Season 4 of Fintech Files with a special episode reflecting on the past season, while also looking ahead to the future of fintech. Hosts Bianca, Nora and Annika dive into the trends they have seen shape the industry, from AI-driven transformation and the rise of digital banking to the growing focus on sustainability and financial …

1
The Rafah Paramedic Massacre: How Israel Executed Gaza’s Humanitarian Workers 20:46

13d ago20:46

20:46

On March 23, a convoy of Palestinian paramedics rushed to the site of an Israeli airstrike in Rafah. They were on a mission to save lives—but they never returned. In this episode, we uncover the harrowing story of the Rafah paramedic massacre, where Israeli forces ambushed, executed, and buried 15 emergency responders in a mass grave alongside thei…

1
Engage and Evade in 2025: Asad L. Asad on Latino Immigrants in America 51:48

13d ago51:48

51:48

Today I’m speaking with Asad L. Asad, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Stanford University. He is the author of Engage and Evade: How Latino Immigrant Families Manage Surveillance in Everyday Life (Princeton UP, 2023). A highly relevant book, Engage and Evade documents the interactions between undocumented people and the agents and institutions …

1
DOGE’s Impact on Government Efficiency with Joseph Lonsdale 29:31

14d ago29:31

29:31

On this episode of Reaganism, Reagan Institute Director Roger Zakheim is joined by Joseph Lonsdale who is Founder and Managing Partner at 8VC. They discuss the impact of Doge on government transparency and efficiency, the need for budget cuts in Congress, and the importance of technology in improving government operations. Mr. Lonsdale also address…

1
Dána-Ain Davis and Christa Craven, "Feminist Ethnography: Thinking Through Methodologies, Challenges, and Possibilities" (Rowman & Littlefield, 2022) 56:21

14d ago56:21

56:21

How do we acquire knowledge about societies? Does how we acquire social knowledge shape what we know? How conscious must we be of our own experiences as we do our research? What does feminism add to our methods and modes of research? Now in its second edition, Feminist Ethnography: Thinking through Methodologies, Challenges, and Possibilities (Rowm…

1
David Wiles, "Democracy, Theatre and Performance: From the Greeks to Gandhi" (Cambridge UP, 2024) 1:11:24

15d ago1:11:24

1:11:24

Democracy, argues David Wiles, is actually a form of theatre. In making his case, the author deftly investigates orators at the foundational moments of ancient and modern democracy, demonstrating how their performative skills were used to try to create a better world. People often complain about demagogues, or wish that politicians might be more si…

1
Pandemic Power: The Covid Response and the Erosion of Democracy - A Liberal Critique 1:05:20

16d ago1:05:20

1:05:20

In this episode, host Andrea Talabér (CEU Press) sat down with Muriel Blaive to talk about her new book with CEU Press, Pandemic Power: The Covid Response and the Erosion of Democracy - A Liberal Critique. In the podcast we talked about the (failure of the) pandemic response, the necessity of critique, being shadowbanned on Facebook, censorship, an…

1
James Davison Hunter, "Democracy and Solidarity: On the Cultural Roots of America's Political Crisis" (Yale UP, 2024) 38:43

17d ago38:43

38:43

Liberal democracy in America has always contained contradictions—most notably, a noble but abstract commitment to freedom, justice, and equality that, tragically, has seldom been realized in practice. While these contradictions have caused dissent and even violence, there was always an underlying and evolving solidarity drawn from the cultural reso…

1
Matthew D'Auria et al., "The Cambridge History of Nationhood and Nationalism" (Cambridge UP, 2024) 1:41:07

18d ago1:41:07

1:41:07

The origins and nature of nationhood and nationalism continue to be topics of heated scholarly debate. This major new reference work with contributions from an international team of scholars provides a comprehensive account of ideas and practices of nationhood and nationalism from antiquity to the present. It considers both continuities and discont…

1
Benjamin M. Studebaker, "Legitimacy in Liberal Democracies" (Edinburgh UP, 2024) 1:04:06

19d ago1:04:06

1:04:06

Liberal democracies don’t age gracefully. Established systems of governance like those of the UK and the US which once served as blueprints are today experiencing a profound crisis of legitimacy. In Britain, a landslide general election result was quickly followed by a catastrophic tumble in approval ratings. In the US presidential campaign, meanwh…

1
Adam J. Berinsky, "Political Rumors: Why We Accept Misinformation and How to Fight It" (Princeton UP, 2023) 44:47

20d ago44:47

44:47

Political rumors and misinformation pollute the political landscape. This is not a recent phenomenon; before the currently rampant and unfounded rumors about a stolen election and vote-rigging, there were other rumors that continued to spread even after they were thoroughly debunked, including doubts about 9/11 (an “inside job”) and the furor over …

1
Trump’s Foreign Policy with Alexander B. Gray 42:49

21d ago42:49

42:49

On this episode of Reaganism, Reagan Institute Director Roger Zakheim is joined by Alex Gray who serves as CEO of American Global Strategies LLC. They discuss the strategic importance of Greenland and the Panama Canal in U.S. foreign policy, particularly during the Trump administration. Gray emphasizes the historical context of U.S. interest in Gre…

1
Eric Min, "Words of War: Negotiation as a Tool of Conflict" (Cornell UP, 2025) 1:02:52

21d ago1:02:52

1:02:52

Of all interstate conflicts across the last two centuries, two-thirds have ended through negotiated agreement. Wartime diplomacy is thus commonly seen as a costless and mechanical process solely designed to end fighting. But as Dr. Eric Min argues in Words of War: Negotiation as a Tool of Conflict (Cornell University Press, 2025), that wartime nego…

1
Frances Yaping Wang, "The Art of State Persuasion: China's Strategic Use of Media in Interstate Disputes" (Oxford UP, 2024) 24:38

22d ago24:38

24:38

Why do nations actively publicize previously overlooked disputes? And why does this domestic mobilization sometimes fail to result in aggressive policy measures? The Art of State Persuasion (Oxford UP, 2024) delves into China's strategic use of state propaganda during crucial crisis events, particularly focusing on border disputes. Frances Wang aim…

1
Populism, Power, and the Crisis of Globalism: A Conversation with Wolfgang Streeck 39:28

23d ago39:28

39:28

What explains the growing divide between elites and the broader public in democracies across Europe and the United States? In this episode of International Horizons, sociologist Wolfgang Streeck joins RBI director John Torpey to discuss the rise of populism, the limits of globalism, and the tensions between democracy and capitalism. Drawing from hi…

1
Colonial Origins of Democracy and Dictatorship: A Discussion with Alexander Lee and Jack Paine 36:27

24d ago36:27

36:27

The debate about the impact of colonialism on the prospects for democracy and development continues to rage. Was the legacy of colonialism equally destructive everywhere? Or were some forms of colonial rule more likely to give rise to stable and effective democracies? Join Nic Cheeseman as he talks to Alexander Lee and Jack Paine about their import…

1
We Have Never Been Woke: A Conversation with Musa al-Gharbi 45:37

25d ago45:37

45:37

Why does occupation reliably predict political leanings? What is social capitalism, and how does it span income classes? If social capitalists are sincerely committed to equality and “wokeness,” why do they simultaneously benefit from—and perpetuate—the very inequalities they denounce? Join us as we dive into Musa al-Gharbi’s provocative new book, …

1
Postscript: Collective Action to Support Students at American Colleges and Universities 47:40

26d ago47:40

47:40

A coalition of educators and allies has come together to push back against a variety of different kinds of attacks on higher education and students at colleges and universities, particularly in the United States. This group is driven by the belief that a democracy is only as strong as its commitments to academic freedom, intellectual integrity, hum…

1
Interoperability in African Fintech: Throwback Episode with Alfred Mukudu from Amazon 32:07

27d ago32:07

32:07

We’re bringing back one of our favourite episodes from Season 3! We dive into the complexities and opportunities within Africa's financial services sector with Alfred Mukudu, Financial Services Go-To-Market Lead at Amazon Web Services (AWS) South Africa. With over 50 countries and about 42 different currencies, Africa presents a unique landscape fo…

1
Political Entertainment in a Post-Authoritarian Democracy 1:02:10

27d ago1:02:10

1:02:10

Welcome to the Global Media & Communication podcast series, a multimodal project powered by the Center for Advanced Research in Global Communication (CARGC) at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. At CARGC, we produce and promote critical, interdisciplinary, and multimodal research on global media and communicat…

1
Inside the White House: Policy Making Unveiled with Dr. Tevi Troy 32:53

28d ago32:53

32:53

On this episode of Reaganism, Reagan Institute Director Roger Zakheim is joined by Dr. Tevi Troy who servces as a Senior Fellow at the Ronald Reagan Institute. They discuss the intricacies of how the White House makes policy, the evolution and role of various policy councils, and the dynamics of President Trump’s second term, particularly focusing …

1
Postscript: History, Narratives, and Political Power--An Emergency Oral History Project 46:07

28d ago46:07

46:07

President Donald Trump has threatened the federal funding and jobs of institutions and individuals that document, archive, and analyze historical materials. On March 27, 2025, Trump signed “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” an executive order that directs Vice President JD Vance to eliminate "divisive race-centered ideology" from Smi…

1
Andrew Canessa and Manuela Lavinas Picq, "Savages and Citizens: How Indigeneity Shapes the State" (U Arizona Press, 2025) 1:01:11

29d ago1:01:11

1:01:11

Although Indigenous peoples are often perceived as standing outside political modernity, Savages and Citizens: How Indigeneity Shapes the State (University of Arizona Press, 2025) by Dr. Andrew Canessa & Dr. Manuela Lavinas Picq takes the provocative view that Indigenous people have been fundamental to how contemporary state sovereignty was imagine…

1
Rhys Machold, "Fabricating Homeland Security: Police Entanglements Across India and Palestine/Israel" (Stanford UP, 2024) 40:47

1M ago40:47

40:47

Homeland security is rarely just a matter of the homeland; it involves the circulation and multiplication of policing practices across borders. Though the term "homeland security" is closely associated with the United States, Israel is credited with first developing this all-encompassing approach to domestic surveillance and territorial control. To…

1
Marc Owen Jones, "Digital Authoritarianism in the Middle East: Deception, Disinformation and Social Media" (Hurst/Oxford UP, 2021) 27:23

1M ago27:23

27:23

In the latest episode of Unlocking Academia, host Raja Aderdor sits down with Marc Owen Jones, associate professor at Northwestern University in Qatar, to explore the complex world of digital deception in the Middle East, as outlined in his book Digital Authoritarianism in the Middle East: Deception, Disinformation and Social Media (Hurst/Oxford UP…

1
Amy Adamczyk, "Fetal Positions: Understanding Cross-National Public Opinion about Abortion" (Oxford UP, 2025) 1:00:20

1M ago1:00:20

1:00:20

Most people think about abortion in the context of the country they live in. In the U.S., abortion fuels debate, elections, and legislation. In China, abortion is often treated as a settled issue. Why and how do abortion attitudes vary across the world? In her new book, Fetal Positions: Understanding Cross-National Public Opinion about Abortion (Ox…

1
U.S.-China Relations: Past, Present, and Future Implications 12:29

1M ago12:29

12:29

In this episode, we explore the multifaceted challenges and strategies of one of the most influential nations on the global stage: China.We'll examine the evolving relationship between China and the United States, highlighting key moments and decisions that have impacted their interactions. Understanding these dynamics is crucial to grasping the br…

1
Human Rights in the Trump Era: A Conversation with Kenneth Roth 32:47

1M ago32:47

32:47

In this episode of International Horizons, Kenneth Roth, former longtime executive director of Human Rights Watch, joins RBI director John Torpey to discuss Roth’s recent book, Righting Wrongs: Three Decades on the Front Lines Battling Abuse of Governments (Knopf, 2025), which reflects on strategies for defending civil, political, economic, and soc…

1
“Only Sick, Twisted People Keep Bodies”: Israel’s Policy of Withholding Dead Bodies 18:25

1M ago18:25

18:25

Israel’s brutal system controls Palestinians not only in life but also in death. In this episode, we examine the Israeli government’s policy of withholding hundreds of Palestinian bodies, denying their families the right to a proper burial. Lawyer Isam Aruri sheds light on this long-standing practice, while Sanaa Daqqa shares her personal struggle …

1
Madhavi Devasher, "Crossing Lines: Cross-Ethnic Coalitions in India and Prospects for Minority Representation" (Routledge, 2024) 42:07

1M ago42:07

42:07

Crossing Lines: Cross-Ethnic Coalitions in India and Prospects for Minority Representation (Routledge, 2024) explains why, how, and where ethnic political parties unexpectedly seek votes from non-coethnics and when voters support non-coethnic parties. It draws on case studies of three Indian states (Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan) and of Indian n…

1
Postscript: Not a Matter of Left or Right: Historians Fighting Censorship 43:28

1M ago43:28

43:28

The executive directors of the American Historical Association and Organization of American Historians join the podcast to talk about the effects of historical censorship, data shredding, meaningful public education – and what everyone can do to fight back. After being sworn in as the 47th president, Donald Trump issued a slew of executive orders. …

1
Gerald J. Postema, "Law's Rule: The Nature, Value, and Viability of the Rule of Law" (Oxford UP, 2022) 1:01:54

1M ago1:01:54

1:01:54

Rule of law faces serious threats to its viability in many countries. It has become a recurring topic in the media and is affecting our daily lives. To understand better the meaning of rule of law, the stakes, and how governments and citizens can respond to today’s challenges, we must return to first principles. In Law’s Rule (Oxford U. Press, 2022…

1
Adam K. Webb, "The World's Constitution: Spheres of Liberty in the Future Global Order" (Routledge, 2025) 1:51:40

1M ago1:51:40

1:51:40

“One thing I would note about the Trumpian populists and their counterparts elsewhere in the West today is that they're a very peculiarly tribal kind of post conservative right. It's almost a kind of reassertion of paganism and tribal boundaries and grievance. That is very different from a more traditional kind of conservatism, where the texture of…

1
Vuk Vuksanovic, "Serbia’s Balancing Act: Between Russia and the West" (Bloomsbury, 2025) 43:58

1M ago43:58

43:58

Even before its rebirth as a nation in the 1990s, Serbia had acquired a reputation abroad as Russia’s stalwart Slavic ally in the Western Balkans. Yet, as Vuk Vuksanović argues in Serbia’s Balancing Act: Between Russia and the West (Bloomsbury, 2025), two centuries of history and the 25 years since the fall of Slobodan Milošević tell a more nuanced…

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