During the past year of the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone has had to make significant life changes that include a heavy reliance on smartphones and technology. Researchers are still working to figure out just how much this smartphone usage is really affecting us. Are some online activities worse for our mental health than others? In this episode, I chat with Christina Stratton about how problematic smartphone usage intersects with mindfulness.

In a polarized political climate, the idea of how much a government should be involved in regulating the economy is a highly partisan issue. However, research shows that by understanding a vulnerable country’s needs and controlling capital accordingly, appropriate government intervention can make a lasting difference in the overall health of an economy. In this episode, I chat with Reagan Shane about differing approaches to capital controls in Argentina and Chile.

Hi! My name is Millie Vieira. We’re back with our second season of Global Tides, a podcast by Pepperdine University that highlights research across liberal arts and social science disciplines. This year’s five-episode series will feature four students and one professor about topics ranging from capital controls in Argentina and Chile to feminist sound design. Thank you for listening and we hope you enjoy!

Terrorism is something society as a whole fears because it appears as though it can affect anyone. However, a closer look at the victims of terrorism reveals that attacks can be both gendered and racialized. In this episode, I talk to Dr. Candice Ortbals, a professor of Political Science, and Charlotte Lang, a student of Political Science, about their research on the victims of terrorism.

Countries throughout the world are scrambling to devise plans that will enable them to escape the climate disaster caused, partly, by the use of fossil fuels. A possible way to quickly enact climate-conscious policy in the energy sector is through State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs). In this episode, I talk to Filippo Margheritini, an International Studies student, about SOEs, climate action, and energetic independence.  

Although economic development in India has been outstanding for several decades, the country's social inequality still remains prevalent. Could social entrepreneurship be a way to eradicate these social hierarchies? In this episode, I talk to Heet Ghodasara about the prospects of bringing social and gender equality to India through social entrepreneurship. 

A project developed by Pepperdine Law is trying to introduce plea bargaining, an arrangement whereby the defendant pleads guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for concessions from the prosecutor, in Uganda. In theory, this practice could decrease case backlog and increase trust in institutions, but is that happening in practice? In this episode, I talk to Dr. Julia Norgaard, a Professor of Economics who is evaluating the progress of this project. 

As the world becomes less hospitable to humans due to anthropogenic changes to the environment, more and more people will become displaced. The legal status of these displaced persons, commonly known as climate refugees, is still to be discussed by the international community. In this episode, I talk to Caroline Sisson, a Political Science Honors student who has written her senior thesis on the international law of climate refugees. 

Hi! My name is Daniel Iturri and welcome to Global Tides, a new podcast by Pepperdine University that highlights exciting Social Science research done by students and faculty. In this 5-episode series, I will have conversations with 4 students and 2 professors about topics ranging from the victims of terrorism to climate refugees. Thank you for listening and we hope you enjoy!