Diplomacy and Discourse Podcast

In this episode of Diplomacy and Discourse, we will unpack one of the most complex challenges of our time: wicked problems. From climate change and global poverty to war, health crises, and radicalization — we explore why these problems are so difficult to solve and how systems thinking helps us make sense of the chaos. This is part one of a two-part journey into the tangled web of science, politics, and policy. If you’ve ever wondered why progress feels so slow on global issues, this episode lays the foundation for understanding the deep-rooted, interconnected nature of our world’s biggest challenges.

💡 Tune in, think critically, and get ready for part two — where we take the next step from systems to real solutions.

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The Systems Thinker – Systems Thinking: What, Why, When, Where, and How? - The Systems Thinker

Goal 13: Climate action - The Global Goals

Key aspects of the Paris Agreement | UNFCCC

Global action plan for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases 2013-2020

Reviving diplomacy: A new strategy for the Yemen conflict? - Atlantic Council

The crisis in Yemen, explained: 5 things to know in 2024 | Concern Worldwide

ADA585846.pdf

What are Wicked Problems? | IxDF

In this episode, we will explore the global quest for sustainability — not just as a buzzword, but as a real framework for building a resilient, equitable, and livable future. We take a deep dive into the competing demands of economic growth, environmental protection, and social equity. From climate action and global governance to the everyday decisions that shape our collective future, this conversation untangles the complexity of sustainable development in a world full of trade-offs.

🌱 What does it really mean to be “sustainable” in today’s interconnected world? 🌀 How can systems thinking help us design smarter, more inclusive policies?

Tune in as we unpack the big questions, the contradictions, and the hope embedded in the sustainability conversation.

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Brundtland Report 1987: Our Common Future

Qualitative vs Quantitative Research: What's the Difference?

Brown, Becky & Hanson, Mark & Liverman, Diana & Merideth, Robert. (1987). Global Sustainability: Toward Definition. Environmental Management. 11. 713-719. 10.1007/BF01867238.

The Paris Agreement | UNFCCC

What's a Wicked Problem? | Wicked Problem

Ecuadorians reject oil drilling in the Amazon, ending operations in a protected area | AP News

In this episode of Diplomacy and Discourse, we will explore the powerful role education plays in shaping a more peaceful, empathetic, and inclusive world. From historical lessons like Mandela's leadership to real-world challenges in conflict zones like the West Bank and Rwanda, we examine how education fosters tolerance, dialogue, and unity across borders. Tune in to discover how knowledge can become a transformative force in healing divided societies and building sustainable peace.

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Galtung, J. (1996). Peace by peaceful means: Peace and conflict, development and civilization. SAGE Publications Ltd, https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446221631

Ambassador L. Paul Bremer III on Iraq: Twenty Years After the Fall of Saddam Hussein - Middle East Forum

Hill, K. (2011). Possibilities for Social Cohesion in Education: Bosnia-Herzegovina. Peabody Journal of Education, 86(2), 155–170. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23048769

Rocha, O., Kamphambale, D., MacMahon, C., Coetzer, J. H., & Morales, L. (2023). The Power of Education in a Globalised World: Challenging Geoeconomic Inequalities. Peace Review, 35(4), 708–723. https://doi.org/10.1080/10402659.2023.2270501

How Nelson Mandela created the conditions for success

From_Apartheid_To_Democracy.pdf

Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) | #LeadingSDG4 | Education2030

In this premiere episode of Diplomacy and Discourse, we invite you listeners, to peel back the layers of academia, politics, and human identity through a powerful, transdisciplinary lens. From global governance to culture, psychology, and sustainability, this episode explores how breaking down disciplinary silos can help us confront today’s most complex challenges. More than a lecture—it’s a call to embrace vulnerability, accountability, and collective growth in an increasingly fractured world. Tune in and begin the journey toward deeper understanding and meaningful change.

Asikainen, Sari, Brites, Claudia, Plebańczyk, Katarzyna, Rogač Mijatović, Ljiljana & Soini, Katriina (2017). Culture In Sustainability Towards a Transdisciplinary Approach ENCHANTING SUSTAINABILITY From enlightened modernity towards embodiment and planetary consciousness (Pg. 10-21) / Forthcoming. ISBN 978-951-39-7267-7 ISSN 1238-8025

Bibri, Simon Elias. “A Foundational Framework for Smart Sustainable City Development: Theoretical, Disciplinary, and Discursive Dimensions and Their Synergies.” Sustainable Cities and Society, vol. 38, 2018, pp. 758–794, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2017.12.032.

Gibbs, Paul, and Alison Beavis. Contemporary Thinking on Transdisciplinary Knowledge: What Those Who Know, Know. Springer Nature, 2020.

Gibbs, Paul, editor. Transdisciplinary Higher Education: A Theoretical Basis Revealed in Practice. SPRINGER, 2017.

Kilgo, Ed.D, Jennifer L. and Aldridge, Jerry and Vogtle, Laura and Ronilo, William and Bruton, A., Teaming, Collaboration, and Case-Based Learning: A Transdisciplinary Approach to Early Intervention/Education (June 2017). Case Studies Journal ISSN (2305-509X) – Volume 6, Issue 6 June-2017, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3419365