Big World

“Disinformation” and “misinformation” are two words we often hear, but how many people know what those words mean? How do we identify disinformation? How is it spread? The disinformation issue is not unique to the US, as countries around the world are facing the consequences of the spread of false and sometimes even harmful information.

In this episode of Big World, SIS professor Sumitra Badrinathan joins us to discuss disinformation and misinformation in India (1:17) and the ways in which the spread of disinformation in India is both similar and different to the ways disinformation spreads in the US.

Badrinathan explains her definition of disinformation (1:25) and shares why she uses the term “misinformation” when discussing her work (2:42). She also describes how different types of disinformation and misinformation, such as health and political misinformation, affect both India and the world (3:38).

How does India’s status as the world’s most populous country affect the spread of misinformation (6:37)? How do social media and messaging apps like WhatsApp contribute to the spread of misinformation (9:14)? Badrinathan answers these questions and discusses the impact of misinformation on political outcomes in India (20:33). The podcast concludes with Badrinathan’s comments on foreign influence in the spread of disinformation and misinformation in India (23:46).

During our “Take Five” segment, Badrinathan shares five ways that researchers and academics have worked to counter global misinformation (13:46).

This July marks 33 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed — a landmark law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in several areas, including employment, transportation, communications, and government resources. The ADA is meant to protect people with disabilities from discrimination in everyday life, and the law’s signing made the US the first country in the world to adopt a declaration of equality for persons with disabilities. The legacy of the ADA has included increased activism and policy gains for persons with disabilities worldwide.

In this episode of Big World, SIS and Kogod professor Derrick Cogburn joins us to discuss the ongoing legacy of the ADA (2:12), noting that disability policy was once a bipartisan issue in the United States but is no longer. He also describes disability policy as emanating from three imperatives: moral, economic, and legal (4:37).

Cogburn explains the importance of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) (6:28), explaining that the US is not among the more than 180 countries who have ratified the convention, despite then-President Barack Obama signing the CRPD (8:28). He also describes global disability movements (9:42) and discusses frameworks like the New Urban Agenda, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and the Sendai Framework, all of which incorporate disability policy.

What are some policy shifts in the realm of online accessibility over the last decade (20:23)? What are the ramifications of untapped potential when spaces, either physical or online, are not accessible to people with disabilities (29:32)? Cogburn answers these questions and discusses shifts in activists’ approach to creating disability policy goals in recent years. The podcast concludes with Cogburn’s comments about how the inclusion of persons with disabilities can have many positive impacts on our world (33:29).

During our “Take Five” segment, Cogburn shares the five disability policies he would want to see instituted globally (16:39).

Together, Pakistan and India account for nearly a quarter of the world’s population. The two nations and their peoples also have made innumerable contributions to the world’s great religions, history, and culture. In this episode of Big World, SIS professor Akbar Ahmed joins us to talk about the interfaith dynamics within and between India and Pakistan; their global roles and influence; and his own influential career as a diplomat, scholar, and author.

Ambassador Ahmed briefly explains the origins of his career, including how an experience as a child influenced both his life and his future commitment to interfaith dialogue (3:25). He discusses his three decades of experience in the Pakistani civil service and the impact of that time on his views about peace (7:10). Ahmed gives his thoughts on the state of Pakistan’s democracy and his hopes for the nation’s future (9:41).

Reflecting on his arrival in the US and Washington, DC, the week before September 11, 2001, Ahmed talks about how and why the tragic events of that day impressed upon him the importance of interfaith dialogue (11:56). He also answers the question: was there ever a moment, post-9/11, in which he was afraid to be a Muslim living in America (18:35)?

What kind of productive interfaith dialogues are happening within India (21:33)? Can interfaith dialogue help ease tensions between India and Pakistan (24:41)? Is Hindu nationalism, at its core, divorced from the actual tenets of Hinduism (26:36)—and are extremist versions of religions always similarly out of step with their own foundational beliefs? Ambassador Ahmed answers these questions while also explaining how he got his students heavily involved in the various projects he’s produced over the years (31:29). Finally, what does he think will be his legacy (34:54)?

During our “Take Five” segment, Ambassador Ahmed shares the five things he believes people and nations can do to improve interfaith relations inside and outside of their borders (29:05).

Classified information is utilized by nearly every agency in the government, but what happens when that information is leaked or mishandled? After classified documents were discovered in the private residences of both former and current presidents, and classified Pentagon documents were leaked online, classified documents and their handling have become a hot topic of discussion. In this episode of Big World, former FBI intelligence analyst Jorhena Thomas, SIS/MA ’04, joins us to discuss the classification process, document handling, security clearances, and more.

Thomas discusses the type of information that get classified and the different classification levels (2:45). She also walks us through the classification process (5:24) and discusses who gets to decide what information is classified (6:00).

Recent leaks have raised questions and concerns over security clearances, including: how does one get a security clearance in the first place (7:40)? Once a document is classified, how long does it stay that way (11:52)? What is proper handling protocol for classified documents (17:43)? Closing out the episode, Thomas discusses why some government agencies may “overclassify” documents (20:47) and explains the tear-line process of declassifying documents in part (23:19).

During our “Take Five” segment, Thomas shares five things that listeners should know about classified documents (13:33).

Whenever we hear the word corruption, we always think that it’s others who are corrupt; it’s never the people we support, and it’s certainly never us. In this episode of Big World, SIS professor Malini Ranganathan and AU’s College of Arts and Sciences professor David Pike join us to talk about corruption, the stories we tell about it, and the narratives to which we cling.

Professors Ranganathan and Pike discuss the inspiration behind their recent book, “Corruption Plots,” and explain why the story is so important now (2:01). Ranganathan walks us through defining what exactly “corruption talk” is and how it differs from actual corruption (4:39). Pike describes the meaning behind the book’s title and explains the ways in which the multiple connotations of the word “plots” make up different aspects of the co-authors’ research expertise (6:32).

Since the book itself is comprised of a multitude of stories, Ranganathan (8:40) and Pike (11:25) give their favorite anecdote and memory from their on-the-ground research. Pulling from his own discipline, what does Pike think fiction can teach us that real-life fieldwork cannot (13:29)? Ranganathan also describes what Operation Clean the Nation was and how understanding it can teach us about corruption narratives (18:35).

Why do social difference and inequality matter in the study of corruption (21:49)? And how does corruption apply to the middle class (25:12)? What is the relationship between corruption and capitalism, and are there economic systems that do a better job of preventing systemic corruption (27:48)?

During our “Take Five” segment, Professors Ranganathan and Pike share the five things they would tell anti-corruption agencies (15:14).

Since its inception in 1949, NATO has expanded both its size and role to keep up with a changing world. Its initial role as a counterweight to the Soviet Union was both reenforced and updated when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. In this episode of Big World, SIS professor and former dean Jim Goldgeier joins us to discuss the enlargement and role of NATO from its inception to today.

Professor Goldgeier discusses the thought process behind his latest book about NATO enlargement and explains what he hoped to accomplish by bringing together a group of scholars with diverse opinions and viewpoints (2:12). He also walks us through pivotal moments related to NATO’s enlargement in the 1990s (5:43), including Russian President Boris Yeltsin’s warnings to President Bill Clinton (8:30).

Was there ever a moment when Russia might have joined NATO (10:49)? And moving into the 2000s, what was the rhetoric within Russia about NATO (13:28)? Does Russian President Vladimir Putin truly believe that pro-democracy protests borne of popular uprisings are really just puppet protests engineered by the US and other NATO countries (16:10)? Professor Goldgeier answers these questions and describes Russia’s aggression toward Georgia and Ukraine since 2008 (20:01) and the impact of NATO enlargement as it grew ever-closer to Russia’s borders (23:26).

During the Trump administration, some Americans began to buy into the rhetoric that NATO was obsolete. So what should Americans understand about the continued importance of NATO (25:40)? Closing out the episode, Goldgeier discusses why the likely prospect of Sweden and Finland joining NATO doesn’t seem as problematic in the eyes of Putin as when countries once part of the former Soviet Union have desired to join (29:58).

During our “Take Five” segment, Professor Goldgeier shares the policies and practices he would institute for the transatlantic community (17:44).

The United States military is the most powerful in the world; it is ordered from within by a strict hierarchy—people in uniform—and from without by civilian leadership, or people in suits. The Joint Chiefs of Staff bridge the gap between the military and executive branches to maintain the balance between military and civilian leadership. In this episode of Big World, SIS professor Sharon Weiner joins us to discuss the roles of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Professor Weiner discusses her new book “Managing the Military” (2:46) and explains the history of the JCS’s policy of public disagreement (4:41). She discusses how Robert McNamara shaped the practices of the JCS (time) and talks about the impact of the Goldwater-Nichols Act (9:55).

Why does an increase in so-called “jointness” increase the power of the chairman of the JCS (12:03)? Will we see another chairman as powerful and influential as Colin Powell again (14:07)? Why was it so shocking when current JCS chairman Gen. Mark Milley appeared in a certain famous photo with former President Trump (27:37)? Weiner answers these questions and discusses the importance and impact of the public and political image of the chairman and the JCS (28:35). The episode concludes as Weiner examines who really manages whom and how the government and military exert their leverage over one another (32:03).

During our “Take Five” segment, Weiner shares five policies and procedure that would improve military and civilian relations (20:57).

The continent of Europe has been home to every conceivable type of government over thousands of years, with democracy being the dominant force since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Yet, with the elections of far-right politicians across the continent in recent years, the landscape has changed. In this episode of Big World, SIS professor and Transatlantic Policy Center co-director Garret Martin joins us to evaluate what this shift toward right-wing nationalism might mean for the future of European democracy.

Professor Martin defines far-right nationalism (2:27) and explains its difference from the mainstream conservatism that functions within democratic norms (4:48). He discusses how Brexit has changed politics and the internal dynamics of political parties in the United Kingdom (6:17). He also talks about the results of Sweden’s most recent general election and the new right-wing majority bloc (8:00).

What effect does American support for right-wing leaders like Polish president Andrzej Duda and Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán have on European politics (11:25)? How has the war in Ukraine further complicated relationships and intercontinental politics among European countries (21:36)? Martin answers these questions and discusses what we can expect from Italy’s new government, led by far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (24:55). The episode concludes as Martin examines both the extent to which this surge of right-wing parties threatens European democracy (29:13) and also current measures the European Union is taking to put pressure on countries that act undemocratically (31:04).

During our “Take Five” segment, Martin shares five ways in which Europeans—whether officially, as in the European Union, or unofficially at the individual citizen level—can act to safeguard democracy (15:48).

The United States has been the leader in digital technology and innovation for decades. However, in recent years, the race between countries to control this space has become closer than ever. In this episode of Big World, SIS professor Daniel Gerstein joins us to explore the global technology war and the power that comes from being its winner at every stage.

Gerstein discusses his new book “Tech Wars: Transforming US Technology Development” (1:25) and how the US rose to the top of the global technology and innovation race (2:31). He explains how US innovation has benefitted the rest of the world (5:28) and the US government's role in technological innovation (10:04).

How are innovations like airplanes, medical equipment, smartphones, and the internet regulated (13:04)? What are the dangers of unregulated social media sites (22:02)? Gerstein answers these questions and discusses the importance of collaboration and evaluation to tackle data privacy and free speech concerns online (25:16). The episode concludes as Gerstein shares his thoughts on whether China and the US can ever have a symbiotic technology relationship (26:32).

During our “Take Five” segment, Gerstein forecasts five innovation trends as the US continues to compete in the global technology war (17:14).

December 1 is World AIDS Day, and January 2023 marks 20 years of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which provides for groundbreaking AIDS treatment, prevention, and research. In this episode of Big World, SIS dean Shannon Hader, an expert in infectious diseases and epidemiology and a global leader in the fight against HIV/AIDS, joins us to explore how the AIDS response informed policies during the outbreak of COVID-19 and how politics impacts the public perception of public health crises.

Dean Hader discusses how PEPFAR’s monumental achievements have influenced public health policy (3:22) and how PEPFAR continues to garner bipartisan, bicameral support from Congress, even throughout a time of intense political division (5:43). She explains how blame and shame are not sustainable or effective responses to an infectious disease (11:30). She also talks about the dangers of putting the goals of disease prevention and treatment in opposition to one another (13:23).

How did the HIV community respond to the emergence of the COVID-19 virus (17:07)? While with UNAIDS, how did Hader help advise public health officials on how to protect human rights amid a crisis (18:51)? Hader answers these questions and discusses the importance of data in making sound decisions and targeting resources (21:01). The episode concludes as Hader shares how her impressive career in public health prepared her to lead a top-10 international relations school (27:17) and what she hopes to accomplish while at SIS (31:20).

During our “Take Five” segment, Hader shares the five steps she would recommend to governments around the world to create and sustain positive forward momentum on AIDS research, prevention, and treatment (22:29).