Best Ibrahim Alex Podcasts (2025)

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137. Nicola Bonucci on the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention 38:09

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20h ago38:09

38:09

Join regular KB host Liz David-Barrett in conversation with Nicola Bonucci, a veteran public international lawyer who has been involved in the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention since its creation. This episode traces the convention's journey from its 1993 origins to current challenges, exploring how peer review mechanisms have transformed international …

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"Tomorrow Is Yesterday" with Robert Malley and Hussein Agha 57:42

7d ago57:42

57:42

On September 9, 2025, Israel Defense Forces struck inside Doha targeting members of the Hamas negotiating team. With the Israeli government appearing to reject any ceasefire despite the remaining hostages in Gaza, urgent questions emerge about the future of millions of Palestinians. Amid the crisis, a new book offers some clarity and context: "Tomo…

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From Oyster Farming to Running for Senate with Graham Platner 50:55

14d ago50:55

50:55

Campaigns for the 2026 midterm elections are officially kicking off and candidates are starting to roll out their intro bios and platforms. One ad in particular, went viral online. It featured Graham Platner, a marine and army veteran and oyster farmer. He’s running for U.S. Senate in Maine to unseat five-term Republican Senator Susan Collins. He j…

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Protests, Political Violence and Its Alternatives with Erica Chenoweth 57:59

21d ago57:59

57:59

We are resharing this episode, which originally published on May 6th, 2025. You’ve probably seen footage or photos of people protesting the Trump regime. Some data suggests that the volume of protestors is higher than in Trump’s first term. But at the same time, you might be wondering if we’re seeing enough civil resistance to preserve American dem…

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'Here Comes The Sun' with Bill McKibben 54:17

28d ago54:17

54:17

Amid all of the political turmoil and global crises, one source of hope stands out: our ability to power modern life with zero emissions. Scientists warn that to limit global warming, emissions need to be cut significantly in the coming years to reach net-zero by mid-century. Bill McKibben, founder of climate justice organization 350.org and Third …

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Unpacking the US-China Trade War with Bill Bishop 57:29

1M ago57:29

57:29

When President Trump announced sweeping tariffs on all Chinese imports, China retaliated back with tariffs of its own. Since February 2025, the US and China have engaged in a renewed trade war – and to this day, no agreement is in sight. Bill Bishop, a China expert and former media executive with more than a decade experience living and working in …

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Baltimore's Violent Crime Perception vs. Reality with Mayor Scott 51:10

1M ago51:10

51:10

This week, President Trump called Baltimore “so far gone” amid the deployment of the National Guard in DC. In reality, Baltimore has seen record low rates of violent crime the past few years. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott joins WITHpod to talk about the perception versus reality for crime stats in in Baltimore, the city’s Comprehensive Violence Pre…

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90. Kurt McClung: Worldbuilding, Communities and the Storyteller's Responsibility 1:05:42

1M ago1:05:42

1:05:42

In this episode of Future of Film, Alex Stolz speaks with worldbuilding pioneer Kurt McClung, a narrative designer whose “world-first” methodology has helped build over 100 fictional universes across AAA games, film, TV, animation, and transmedia. From major gmaing franchises such as Ghost Recon and Beyond Good & Evil 2 to original IPs in developme…

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'Not My Type' with E. Jean Carroll 50:51

2M ago50:51

50:51

Author and journalist E. Jean Carroll successfully sued Donald Trump in two civil suits, one for sexual abuse and another for defamation. The two suits resulted in a total of $88.3 million in damages awarded to Carroll, both of which are under appeal. She has written five books including her latest, “Not My Type: One Woman vs. a President." She joi…

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The United States' Standing in the Global Economy with Aya Ibrahim 56:07

2M ago56:07

56:07

The state of the U.S. economy will come into full view this week as a wave of crucial economic data is set for release, including the jobs report, inflation, consumer confidence and corporate earnings. Where is the U.S. in terms of the global economic order? And how did we get to this point? Aya Ibrahim served as senior advisor on the Secretary of …

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89: Doug Shapiro: AI, Infinite Content & the Next Great Disruption 1:03:08

2M ago1:03:08

1:03:08

In this episode, Alex Stolz talks with Doug Shapiro, media strategist, former Turner executive and author of The Mediator, about the disruptive force of generative AI and what it truly means for filmmakers and creators.Doug draws a striking parallel: just as the internet drove the cost of moving bits (distribution) toward zero and reshaped the medi…

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The Resistance vs. Trump 2.0 with Omar Wasow 52:57

2M ago52:57

52:57

We’ve seen a good number of protests during Trump 2.0. What role does our ability to organize and protest play in this moment as we see the erosion of democracy right in front of us? Omar Wasow, associate professor of political science at UC Berkley, joins to discuss how he’s making sense of American politics at this moment, protests in this era an…

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136. Mo Ibrahim on Good Governance in Africa 43:31

2M ago43:31

43:31

This Kickback episode features Mo Ibrahim, who joins Liz David-Barrett to share his transition from entrepreneurship to philanthropy, by establishing the Mo Ibrahim Foundation to promote good governance and leadership in Africa. Mo shares the primary mechanisms to achieving the Foundations goals, including the Ibrahim Index of African Governance, a…

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The Supreme Court’s Power Grab Under Trump 59:35

2M ago59:35

59:35

Well, it was another consequential Supreme Court term. So, we had to have Chris's wife Kate Shaw, along with the other co-hosts of the Strict Scrutiny podcast, Melissa Murray and Leah Litman back to break down some of the biggest SCOTUS decisions including Medina v. Planned Parenthood, U.S. v. Skrmetti, and Trump v. CASA. There's a lot to discuss a…

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88. Guy Gadney: AI, Microdramas & the Next Screen Revolution 46:35

2M ago46:35

46:35

In this episode, Alex Stolz speaks with Guy Gadney, CEO and founder of Charismatic.ai, about how generative AI is being used not just to assist, but to co-create stories in bold new ways. Charismatic — a spin-out from a major UK R&D consortium with Channel 4 and Aardman — has developed a platform that enables creators to develop structured, consist…

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Crypto in Trump 2.0 with Zeke Faux 49:15

3M ago49:15

49:15

Note: this episode originally published on 02/11/25. A lot of things are changing. And there’s a lot of things that the new White House administration wants to do differently. One of the areas where we’ve seen a lot of attention is cryptocurrency. Some of the latest developments are pretty confounding, to say the least. Lucky for us, our guest this…

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135. Nicole Rose & AJ Brown on Corruption in Australia 43:48

2M ago43:48

43:48

For this episode, regular host Robert Barrington is joined by two anticorruption experts from Australia. Nicole Rose is the Deputy Commissioner at The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), and AJ Brown is a Professor of Public Policy and Law at Griffith University and the Chair of Transparency International’s (TI) Australian chapter. Some of …

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Discussing the Context of the US Bombing Iran with Robert Malley 53:00

3M ago53:00

53:00

When news alerts went out that the US sent missiles to bomb Iranian nuclear sites, debates began about how deeply the US would continue to wade into the conflict between Israel and Iran. After days of panic, President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between the two countries. But it was Trump himself who, in his first term, stopped US efforts to…

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“My Brain Finally Broke” with Jia Tolentino 57:00

3M ago57:00

57:00

You’ve probably come across content online that seems real but is actually fake. And that experience is becoming more common with the proliferation of AI generated content. Our guest this week points out that the mental gymnastics of this starts to take a toll. Jia Tolentino, a staff writer at The New Yorker, wrote a piece all about this aptly titl…

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134. Oguzhan Dincer & Michael Johnston on Corruption in America 42:14

3M ago42:14

42:14

This episode features Oz Dincer and Michael Johnston, who join regular Kickback host Robert Barrington to discuss their new book 'Corruption in America', which explores corruption in various policy areas across all fifty states. Dincer O, Johnston M. Corruption in America: A Fifty-Ring Circus. Cambridge University Press; 2025.…

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Strategies for the Resistance 2.0 with Leah Greenberg 52:34

3M ago52:34

52:34

Note: this episode originally published on 01/07/25. Our guest this week co-founded one of the biggest groups that initially came about in response to Trump 1.0. Leah Greenberg is co-founder and co-executive director of Indivisible, an organization with a mission to organize thousands of local groups to resist the GOPs agenda, elect local champions…

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The Narrative vs. Real Effects of This Economy with Joe Weisenthal 56:17

3M ago56:17

56:17

It can be hard to follow and make sense of all of the volatility we’ve been seeing in the markets and economy recently. Lucky for us, Joe Weisenthal, co-host of Bloomberg’s “Odd Lots” podcast is joining this week to help break down what’s been going on. He joins WITHpod to discuss recent economic volatility and what it means for financial markets v…

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133. Rebecca Dobson Phillips, Helen Taylor & Alex Jacobs on the UK's Anti-Corruption Ecosystem 42:40

3M ago42:40

42:40

Is Anti-Corruption work an inclusive movement deeply connected to its grassroots origins, or a self-serving, hierarchical entity that partially manufactures the problems for which it offers solutions?To critically examine this dichotomy, and the UK’s anticorruption ecosystem more broadly, Kickback host Robert Barrington is joined by Rebecca Dobson-…

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“Empire of AI” with Karen Hao 50:27

4M ago50:27

50:27

There’s a good chance that before November of 2022, you hadn’t heard of tech nonprofit OpenAI or cofounder Sam Altman. But over the last few years, they’ve become household names with the explosive growth of the generative AI tool called ChatGPT. What’s been going on behind the scenes at one of the most influential companies in history and what eff…

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Where Do We Go From Here? with Anna Galland (2024) 59:14

4M ago59:14

59:14

Note: this episode originally published on 11/12/24. From original description: Whew, the past few days have been a lot. Like you probably, Chris hasn’t slept much this past week. There’s a lot to process given that Donald Trump is now president-elect… again. Our guest this week, who has worked as an organizer throughout numerous political ups and …

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What’s Behind the Tax Revolt? with Arjun Singh 57:27

4M ago57:27

57:27

Tax policy has been a core part of the Republican party. A central feature within the GOP, particularly since Reagan, has been cutting taxes for corporations and some of the wealthiest Americans. President Trump, breaking away from traditional party orthodoxy, recently raised the idea of increasing taxes on some of the country’s richest. Our guest …

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132. Nishan de Mel on Sri Lanka's governance-linked bond 39:28

4M ago39:28

39:28

This episode features Nishan de Mel, the Executive Director of Verite Research, to discuss their development of Sri Lanka’s innovative governance-linked bond, which seeks to break the country’s vicious cycle of poor governance and financial instability. Learn more about:Verite Research - https://www.veriteresearch.orgThe Civil Society Governance Di…

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How Project 2025 is Reshaping America with David Graham 53:55

4M ago53:55

53:55

We got a pretty clear heads up about what Trump 2.0 could portend for so many facets of American life. The Mandate for Leadership, also known as Project 2025, is perhaps the clearest compilation of goals for Trump’s second term. Now that 100 days have passed of the second Trump administration, we thought it would be a good time to see where things …

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“Trump Is Not a King” with NY Attorney General Letitia James 54:39

5M ago54:39

54:39

A good amount of institutions have capitulated and complied in recent months with many of the Trump administration’s actions that far overstep executive authority. At the same time, we’ve seen a few places where there has been opposition and resistance to tactics employed by the Trump 2.0 regime. Some of the most pushback has come from democratical…

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131. Mario Hidalgo on corruption & organised crime in Ecuador 27:36

5M ago27:36

27:36

This episode of Kickback features Dr. Mario Hidalgo, from the Transparency and Anti-Corruption Laboratory at UTE university in Ecuador, to shed light on Ecuador's transition from the "Island of Peace" to a country facing widespread organised crime and violence, highlighting the significantly enabling role of corruption. The conversation also touche…

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‘America, América' with Greg Grandin 57:57

5M ago57:57

57:57

The United States is pretty intertwined with Latin America. So why has it historically been seen as more of a European outpost as opposed to a nation in the Western hemisphere that is part of the broader Americas? Our guest this week points out that there are other ways to understand the history and identity of the U.S., aside from the narrative th…

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‘Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza’ with Peter Beinart 55:05

5M ago55:05

55:05

We’re now a year and a half into the war in Gaza. Our guest this week has spent a lot of time thinking and writing about all that has unfolded. Peter Beinart is the author of numerous books including his latest, “Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning” and writes “The Beinart Notebook” on Substack. He’s also an MSNBC analyst and th…

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130. Daniel Paget on authoritarianism & resistance in Tanzania 36:14

5M ago36:14

36:14

For this episode, regular host Liz David-Barrett is joined by Dr Daniel Paget, an assistant professor in politics at the University of Sussex, to unpack the nuances of electoral authoritarianism in Tanzania, the aspirations of a key opposition movement, and the power of alternative theoretical frameworks for understanding the fight against dominati…

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How Process is Killing Progress with Ezra Klein 1:11:08

6M ago1:11:08

1:11:08

Why has America's 20th century vision of innovation and opportunity transformed into a stagnant and stunted dystopian reality? Our guest this week claims that “the crisis that’s clicking into focus now has been building for decades” and it’s all because we haven’t been following building enough. Ezra Klein is host of The Ezra Klein Show podcast, a …

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Why ‘Everything is Tuberculosis’ with John Green 55:06

6M ago55:06

55:06

Tuberculosis is the deadliest infectious disease in the world. Why does something that’s curable still kill millions every year? And what does this illustrate about global health disparities? John Green is the author of “Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection.” Green is also the co-creator of Vlog brother…

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129. Marianne Camerer & Devi Pillay on State Capture in South Africa 53:29

6M ago53:29

53:29

For this episode Dr Marianne Camerer, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Cape Town’s Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance, and Devi Pillay, a research fellow with the GI-ACE programme, join regular KB host Liz David-Barrett to discuss the experience of state capture in South Africa, under the presidency of Jacob Zuma. Check out the follow…

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87. Tobias Queisser: Taking Greater Creative Risks with AI 45:46

6M ago45:46

45:46

"Data and AI can increase risk taking" Tobias QueisserIn this episode, Tobias Queisser, co-founder and CEO of Cinelytic, discusses how AI and machine learning can not only de-risk decision making in the greenlight and the overall filmmaking process - but also empower greater apparent risk taking too.Tobias addresses common misconceptions about AI, …

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Weaponization of the FBI from Hoover to Trump 2.0 with Beverly Gage 50:50

6M ago50:50

50:50

J. Edgar Hoover is one of the most polarizing figures in U.S. history. And the seeds he planted as the decades long founding director of the FBI continue to shape much of today’s conservative political landscape. Kash Patel, who now leads the FBI, has openly vowed to find ways to punish Trump’s political enemies. While that’s appalling, it’s not th…

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86. Fiona Gilles and Mahesh Ramachandra: Pitching, AI and Getting to Greenlight with SMASH 41:34

6M ago41:34

41:34

In this episode of Future of Film Podcast, we’re joined by Fiona Gillies and Mahesh Ramachandra, co-founders of SMASH — the innovative platform that’s transforming how creators connect with industry decision-makers.SMASH is rethinking the pitching process from the ground up—offering creators a structured, accessible space to build and share their p…

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What’s the Deal with Congestion Pricing? with Janno Lieber 55:33

6M ago55:33

55:33

Public streets play a big role in our day-to-day lives. And if you’ve visited any large metropolitan city, you’ve seen just how much traffic can fill up roadways. New York City became the first city in America to implement congestion pricing, a program aimed at generating revenue and making streets less crowded. But the initiative hasn’t been immu…

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128. Kevin E. Davis on the FCPA enforcement pause 29:18

6M ago29:18

29:18

This episode features a discussion between regular KB host Liz David-Barrett, and Kevin E. Davis, the Beller Family Professor of Business Law at NYU School of Law. Their conversation centres on the international regulation of bribery and corruption, specifically focusing on the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), following President Trump's …

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Resisting Threats to Democracy with Rep. Robert Garcia 57:52

7M ago57:52

57:52

The Democratic Party has its work cut out. Meanwhile, there’s a fundamental issue: the party doesn’t currently have formal power. It doesn't have a majority in either House of Congress, it doesn't control the executive branch, and the Supreme Court has a 6-3 Trump majority. And all of this is creating a kind of impotent rage, frustration and feelin…

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The Darkest Corners of the Internet with Elle Reeve 54:21

7M ago54:21

54:21

Trolls have basically taken possession of the U.S. government. How have trolls been able to go from being mostly cordoned off in dark parts of the internet to gaining so much influence in American culture and politics? Our guest this week has spent years researching and reporting on-the-ground to learn more about how the battle online between the r…

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85. Sarudzayi Marufu: Hustle & Creativity: Strategies for Independent Storytelling 1:02:14

7M ago1:02:14

1:02:14

In this episode of the Future of Film podcast, host Alex Stolz speaks with Sarudzayi Marufu, founder of Uras Films, about the challenges and opportunities facing filmmakers today, particularly in the African market. They discuss the importance of understanding audience engagement, innovative approaches to crowdfunding, and the intersection of creat…

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127. Blair Glencorse and Gary Kalman on Trump's USAID cuts 28:06

7M ago28:06

28:06

For this episode of KickBack, we are joined by Gary Kalman, who is the Executive Director of Transparency International United States and Blair Glencorse, the Founder and co-CEO of Accountability Lab. They join Liz Dávid-Barrett to dissect the Trump administration’s drastic cuts to US aid and its implications for anti-corruption efforts worldwide.h…

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The Stalled Engine of American Opportunity with Yoni Appelbaum 58:50

7M ago58:50

58:50

A defining feature of America from its inception has been physical mobility. And that physical mobility has been the engine of social mobility. But we’ve seen a great deal of economic and social sclerosis over the past few decades. Our guest this week has how, for many people, America has ceased to be the land of opportunity. Yoni Appelbaum is a de…

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The Uncertain Future of USAID with Jeremy Konyndyk 50:53

7M ago50:53

50:53

So much has happened in the past few weeks. And we’ve seen a speed game of sorts being played by the Trump administration to try to act as rapidly as possible to rework the administrative state of the government. One example of that is the attempts to end the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The letters have even been taken off of…

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126. Dan Haberly on illicit global financial networks 27:04

7M ago27:04

27:04

This episode dives into the shadowy world of illicit financial networks with Dr Dan Haberly, whose research with the GI ACE program addresses significant knowledge gaps around the opaque structures of the global economy. Dan introduces the Regulation of Illicit Financial Flows (RIFF) dataset, which aims to track regulatory progress in financial tra…