Big World

As long as there have been people, there has been conflict and war among them. And too often, this conflict has been accompanied by sexual violence. Through the centuries, there has been a move to re-classify war rape as a war crime rather than as spoils of war. But there has also been a recognition that sometimes sexual violence is not just a traumatic outcome of conflict; sometimes rape is part of the strategy.

In this episode of Big World, SIS professor Wanda Wigfall-Williams joins us to discuss sexual violence as a strategy of war and to share her experiences as a scholar-practitioner who has seen the traumas of conflict first-hand. She breaks down why groups use rape as a war strategy (2:18) and tells us about her interactions with survivors of conflict-related sexual violence (4:38).

Where does this type of sexual violence take place? Professor Wigfall-Williams explains the global scope of rape as a war strategy (16:01). She also illustrates the dangers she came across while working with an NGO aiming to help survivors (17:14) and discusses the impact of the increased awareness and discussion around sexual violence (21:10).

During our “Take Five” segment, Professor Wigfall-Williams lists her recommendations for how governments and NGOs can help survivors of conflict-related sexual violence (12:31).

This episode of Big World contains discussion of sexual violence in war and conflict zones that some listeners may find disturbing.

The School of International Service takes an enormous amount of pride in our students and their potential to positively impact the world. We believe that a crucial piece of preparing students to effect positive change is preparing them for landing a great job when they graduate.

In this episode of Big World, Cunningham joins us to give her insights on landing jobs in international affairs. She shares the types of experiences that students should acquire while they’re in school (1:29), ways to gain experience abroad (3:39), and the mistakes applicants should avoid when applying for jobs in international affairs (6:14).

Networking is an integral part of preparing for the job hunt, but how should students make time to do so (9:19)? And how can introverts and extraverts network in different ways (11:11)? Cunningham breaks down the different tactics for building a network.

Employers want to hire people with specific skill sets; Cunningham lists the skills that can bolster an applicant’s resume (15:25). She also suggests how students can figure out which jobs they should pursue (19:49) and discusses why paying attention to political landscapes around the world can help students in their international affairs job searches (24:05).

During our “Take Five” segment, Cunningham reveals the five key elements of a good job search strategy (13:31).

There is, perhaps, no better measure of a country than how it treats its workers, and Germany, the world’s fourth-largest economy, is a manufacturing powerhouse that is known for its progressive ideals on labor relations.

In this episode of Big World, SIS professor Steve Silvia joins us to discuss labor in Germany and to contrast its labor relations with that of the US. He explains why the German manufacturing sector is so strong (1:50), the differences between German and American attitudes toward unions (4:52), and the way German unions engage with politics (8:41).

What does ‘exporting power’ mean, and why is it so difficult for unions to do (16:31)? Silvia discusses how German trade unionists have tried to export power to German car plant workers in the US (20:08).

After a decade of economic expansion, Germany narrowly avoided a recession at the end of 2018. Silvia breaks down why the country has dealt with several economic hardships over recent years (22:35). He also takes a look into the future to discuss some of the challenges that labor markets in Germany and the US may face in five to ten years (24:10).

During our “Take Five” segment, Silvia tells us some things he would change about labor relations (12:33).

Small businesses are often referred to as the engine or the backbone of the economy. Entrepreneurs, the people who build new businesses and come up with innovative ideas, can help deter economic stagnation.

In this episode of Big World, Professor Krista Tuomi joins us to discuss entrepreneurship and startups, as well as how local governments stake a claim in the promotion of innovation (1:08). She explains how disproportionate regulation can be a barrier to small businesses (2:53) and highlights the actions cities have taken to bolster startups (4:45). Tuomi doesn’t just teach her students about entrepreneurship, she also supports entrepreneurs through her pro bono work (10:26). During her free time, Tuomi serves as a consultant to organizations like the Angel Capital Association; we ask her to define angel investors and explain how they support startups (12:01).

A class on entrepreneurship sounds like a business school course, but Tuomi discusses how the study of startups is relevant to international affairs (14:22). And what kind of personality is best suited for an entrepreneur? Tuomi’s answer may surprise you (17:20).

We ask Tuomi what five policies she would institute that would have a positive impact on the world of startups during our “Take Five” segment (7:06).

At the heart of the 35-day partial government shutdown, the longest in US history, was a fiery debate over funding for the border wall. Throughout that period, Americans were constantly reassured by officials that the military would remain funded. While the shutdown ended, Trump’s desire to fund the wall did not.

In this episode of Big World, Professor Emeritus Gordon Adams joins us to discuss how defense money can be moved around across departments (1:31) and how flexible that money can be (4:42). He also explains what Trump’s national emergency declaration means for the future of the US from the perspective of both the president and Congress (8:31). But what exactly is an “emergency?” Adams helps us understand the difficulties in defining this word (14:21). He details the intricacies of the 2020 Pentagon budget and what goes into building those types of budgets (23:42). Finally, Adams shares why he includes the word “thespian” in his email signature (30:52).

What five things would Adams change about the way the US engages the world? Hear his bold ideas in our “Take Five” segment (19:36).

Over the years, environmental activism in America has evolved. The movement began with a concern for wilderness and focused on pollution as we transitioned into the Industrial Revolution. Events that occurred during World War II then gave rise to the modern environmental movement in which the post-war generation no longer accepted environmental destruction at the price of progress. And now, the environmental challenge that defines our time is climate change.

In this episode of Big World, SIS professor Paul Wapner joins us to discuss environmental activism as well as the problems with America’s idealized notion of Nature (1:47). He explains how “wild places” can be defined (4:51), why it’s important for humans to recognize their power over ecology (6:35), and how environmental activism has changed over the years (7:56). We also ask Wapner to define and tell us more about climate suffering (14:56).

Now that Earth is on track to pass the two-degree Celsius global warming threshold, is it too late for environmental activism (21:22)? Wapner discusses what we should do now that climate change isn’t so much a puzzle that has a solution but is rather a permanent part of the human condition (23:09). On a lighter note, Wapner shares why he chose to jump into the Potomac River on a cold day in February (26:36).

During our “Take Five” segment, Wapner tells us five ways he would change the underlying engines of environmental degradation (11:16).

In this episode of Big World, SIS professor Paul Wapner joins us to discuss environmental activism and how it has changed over the years.

Far-right extremists are often opposed to values such as equality—especially the idea that all races are equal. They reject the notion that America is a country comprised of immigrants and that the government has a role in preventing and prosecuting discrimination. But why?

In this episode of Big World, SIS professor Carole Gallaher joins us to discuss America’s relationship with far-right extremism and its movements, groups, and people (1:25). She breaks down who is most likely to engage with extremist ideals (3:26), and we learn how those ideals are becoming normalized by President Trump (8:07).

What is the purpose of using the word “nationalist” in far-right political rhetoric? (11:15) Has “nationalism” always been a ‘dog whistle’ for racist politics, or has the word ever connoted a more neutral meaning? (12:53) We discuss the observable patterns of right-wing extremist violence (13:45) and discuss the efficacy of right-wing movements in solving the issues that initially mobilized extremists (20:09). Gallaher introduces us to the world of alt-right Twitter, and we learn more about “do-it-yourself” radicalization on the internet (21:25).

During our “Take Five” segment, we ask Gallaher about the top five ways she would counter far-right extremism (16:41).

The education of sexuality and reproduction, or (as we called it in high school) sex ed, is a controversial topic around the world. Discussions on how to teach sex ed can often get mired in a combination of politics and perceptions of morality. Which begs the question: how do politics and these perceptions affect public health policy?

In this episode of Big World, SIS professor Rachel Robinson joins us to discuss the similarities between the sex ed experiences of students in Mississippi and Nigeria (1:33). We examine the challenges and outcomes of implementing sex ed in these areas (3:32), and we learn about the current political conversations surrounding the topic, including the worldwide debate on comprehensive versus abstinence-only programs (6:41).

How does the global gag rule, which forces international NGOs to choose between receiving US funding or ending abortion services, affect women around the world? (10:21) We discuss the prevailing concern (both in the US and abroad) that sex ed makes young people more sexually active—despite substantial evidence that shows otherwise—and we learn what strategies are being used to dispel these fears (12:25) amid the obstacles faced by local organizations working in the space (15:27).

During our “Take Five” segment, we ask Robinson what five policies she would institute to positively influence reproductive health (8:09).

Why do aid projects in Haiti so often seem to fail? In this episode of Big World, Professor Scott Freeman joins us to discuss the colonial history of foreign intervention in the country [01:28] and urges us to work past the international aid community’s historical rhetoric to create new narratives for “the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere.” He encourages us to consider the prescribed terms and conditions of aid initiatives, and he challenges how we should define “successes” and “failures” for ongoing aid projects [04:24].

We learn more about who’s controlling aid and how NGOs and elite individuals have designed policies without local input, including how Haitians were essentially excluded from planning meetings after the disastrous 2010 earthquake by virtue of the meetings being conducted in English rather than Haitian Creole [06:09]. Freeman explains how over-productive American markets can be the cause (rather than the solution) to Haiti’s economic precarity and how Haitian commodities can be priced out of consumption and change traditional diets [08:33].

Transport yourself into the shoes of Haitian farmers facing impossible decisions: If your only income comes from keeping your land as productive as possible, would you risk poverty to conserve it for the next generation [16:58]? What is Haiti’s most famous luxury export, and how does the industry actively suppress farmer involvement for financial gain [18:56]? And to add insult to injurious aid: as the US spends less on international aid and natural disasters increase in frequency, where does the future of aid leave Haiti in the time of climate change [22:41]?

We ask Freeman about the changes he would make to international development practices in our “Take Five” segment [12:42], and we learn more about the global economy, including how engaging with foreign policy can be more powerful than simply donating to a charity [14:50].

From hyperdrives to the Vulcan salute, science fiction and fantasy have provided the abundance of worlds and characters that comprise our pop culture. But can these genres inform or reflect our thinking about international relations?

In this episode, Professor Jackson joins us to discuss the ways that pop culture intersects with international relations, including how Star Trek reflected the discussion on Vietnam in the ‘60s (05:36) and how the Star Wars universe takes place in a morally ordered reality (08:45).

Learn how Battlestar Galactica sparked conversations on terrorism (15:29) and how Ursula Le Guin’s books encourage readers to reflect on society and themselves (18:36). Also, consider the kinds of topics that future science fiction writers might need to grapple with based on today’s world (21:12).

We ask Jackson about the ways he would change the study of international affairs in our “Take Five” segment (11:00), and we learn why it’s important for international affairs scholars to read and take part in conversations in other languages.