Doha Debates Podcast

Work has long been tied to social value and identity. We are told it builds character and is essential to a functional society. But in an age of hustle culture, economic insecurity and burnout, many are asking whether work is meaningful or just a means of survival.

This episode explores the meaning, value and future of work. Has its soul been lost to corporate profit and relentless productivity, or has social and economic innovation made it better? And as AI expands and evolves, will work need to be redefined altogether?

💬 Join the conversation in the comments. 

Featuring: 

Moderated by award-winning journalist and writer Mohamed Hassan

Journalism was built on a promise: uncover the truth and hold the powerful to account. Today, media company ownership is in flux, news goes global—and viral—at the touch of a screen and everyone has a platform to tell their version of events. Is that promise becoming more or less possible to keep?

In this episode, we ask: Is the journalism industry in a necessary evolution or is it in crisis? Has social media democratized the news, or made it harder to trust? How has the role and responsibilities of a journalist changed over the years, and how do they capture the respect (and attention) of the next generation?

💬 Join the conversation in the comments. 

Featuring: 

Moderated by award-winning journalist and writer Mohamed Hassan

International law was built on a simple idea that even the most powerful nation-states should be bound by the same rules. But today, that idea is being challenged: Rulings go unenforced, institutions are unable or unwilling to act, and some are questioning whether the rules were truly globally applicable to begin with.

This episode asks what's left of international law, and whether it still holds significance. Does it still matter when the rules are broken? Is there consensus on what the rules mean in the first place? And what sort of system do we want the next generation to inherit?

💬 Join the conversation in the comments. 

Featuring: 

- Charli Carpenter: Professor of political science, University of Massachusetts Amherst

- Victor Gao: Vice president, Center for China and Globalization

- Balakrishnan Rajagopal: Associate professor of law and development, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

- Curtis Yarvin: Political philosopher

Moderated by international presenter and host Dareen Abughaida

For years, Western vision and values have shaped the global order. Now, China is on the rise, championing a different model. Who will lead us into the future?

In this episode, we explore these competing visions of the world and ask which one will end up on top. Is the West actually losing influence, or is something more complicated happening? Does China's rise offer a real alternative to the Western order, or a new kind of dependency? And as tensions simmer over Taiwan, Ukraine and the global AI race, can the world’s major powers find a way to coexist, or are we headed toward deeper division?

💬 Join the conversation in the comments. 

Featuring: 

- Renata Ávila: CEO, Open Knowledge Foundation

- Arnaud Bertrand: Entrepreneur

- Isabel Hilton: Visiting professor, Lau China Institute, King’s College London

- Henry Wang: Founder and president, Center for China and Globalization

Moderated by international journalist and media executive Soraya Salam

Who controls our money? Will China or the West lead us into the future? Is work even meaningful anymore?

Football (or soccer) is more than just a game; it's a global phenomenon. Today, as football club ownership, team talent and the fandom all evolve, have the meaning and merits of the sport also changed? What can we learn about ourselves and our world by examining the current state of the “beautiful game”?

In many places around the world, birth rates have dropped to historic lows. Some argue this is a good thing in a world grappling with environmental crises and waning resources. Others fear the loss of legacy and even the extinction of humanity.  

In this episode, we explore the meaning and the impact of falling birth rates. Is it a sign of liberation from outdated norms? Is it proof that individualism has gone too far? Or is it the inevitable result of modern-day challenges?  

💬 Join the conversation in the comments.  

Featuring:  

Alaka Basu: Professor of developmental sociology, Cornell University 

Laurie DeRose: Assistant professor of sociology, The Catholic University of America 

Antonina Lewandowska: Sociologist, researcher and activist 

Stephen J. Shaw: Data scientist and demographer 

Moderated by international journalist and media executive Soraya Salam 

History is full of resistance movements that were condemned in their time but later celebrated, including the French Resistance, women’s suffrage and the fight against apartheid led by Nelson Mandela. This begs the question: Which modern resistance movements will the world honor in the future, and what determines whether or not they are recognized? 

In this episode, we explore the question of what makes resistance legitimate. Is it the cause, the tactics, the outcome—or something else? And who gets to decide whether or not legitimacy is granted? 

💬 Join the conversation in the comments.  

Featuring:  

Diana Buttu: Practitioner-in-residence, Georgetown University in Qatar  

Victor Gao: Vice president, Center for China and Globalization 

Saeed Khan: Associate professor of Near East & Asian studies, Wayne State University  

Amina Rasul: President, Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy 

Moderated by presenter, filmmaker and producer Nadir Nahdi. 

Some critics argue that contemporary art has lost touch with the principles and traditions that define artistic greatness. Others see its break with tradition as liberating; a move toward more inclusion, experimentation and personal and political expression. 

This episode explores what makes great art in the 21st century. Is it adherence to tradition, or disruption and reinvention? Is artistic beauty understood across time and culture, or does each generation need to redefine it? And with the AI era upon us, what even constitutes art in the first place? 

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Featuring:  

Wafaa Bilal: Artist; professor, Tisch School at New York University 

Molly Crabapple: Artist, writer and journalist 

Fen de Villiers: Fine art sculptor 

Samar Younes: Quantum culture artist 

Moderated by presenter, filmmaker and producer Nadir Nahdi 

This episode was recorded on December 6th, 2025. 

In recent decades, traditional religious frameworks have steadily lost influence in Western societies. At the same time, we’ve seen the emergence of social justice movements focused on uncovering and dismantling systemic forms of oppression. Some argue that these secular movements are a replacement for faith. Others say they don’t offer the same moral depth, cohesion and forgiveness provided by traditional religion. 

In this episode, our guests debate whether today's social justice movements effectively replace religion in the West—and whether they share similar ethical principles with the traditions they often want to move beyond. 

💬 Join the conversation in the comments.  

Featuring:  

Joshua Mitchell: Professor of political theory, Georgetown University 

Khaled A. Beydoun: Professor of law, Arizona State University 

Michael Eric Dyson: Professor of African American and diaspora studies, Vanderbilt University 

Moderated by international presenter and host Mohamed Hassan