Maybe you’ve at least heard of most countries around the world. But have you ever heard of Comoros? This small island nation east of Africa and north of Madagascar has had an outsized impact on international trade and the the history of its region. Today’s Comoros has a complex political system and a rich diversity of culture. Join us as we discuss Comoros in this latest installment of our Spotlight series!

More information

Check out these great sources on Comoros:

* Diane Selkirk, “A Famous Island Nobody Knows,” BBC Travel.

* “Comoros Imports, Exports and Trade Partners,” The Observatory of Economic Complexity.

* Dr. Matin Oppenheimer and Dr. Harriet Oppenheimer, “Comoros: The Comoro Islands’ Home Page,” Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work, Kansas State University.

* Also listen to a fun sampling of twarab, a traditional music form on The Comoros!

Who decides when it might be appropriate for a country to intervene in another conflict? Is there an international consensus on when it is acceptable to use force? Join us as we tackle these complex issues in today’s episode, “International Law and Use of Force.”

For reference:

* CHAPTER VII: Action with Respect to Threats to the Peace, Breaches of the Peace, and Acts of Aggression, UN Charter.

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If you haven’t already, you should really subscribe to our show. It’s free and you’ll have our episodes delivered to you automatically every week. You can subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, in your email, or just about any way possible outside of carrier pigeons (coming soon). In case you’re not sure how to subscribe, check out our instructions page. And if you’re really averse to podcasts, you can also subscribe to us on YouTube.

 

Up to one billion people live in slums around the world and the numbers are only expected to rise.[1. The number of people  living in slums varies widely from source to source, but the UN has reported up to one billion. There is greater consensus on the fact that the numbers are rapidly increasing. http://www.un.org/en/globalissues/briefingpapers/cities/vitalstats.shtml] In this episode, we look at what drives the rapid urbanization around the world, how it leads to overcrowded slums and informal housing, and  what can be done to improve the lives of the people living  in  these overcrowded  areas.

Our special guest, Elizabeth Ramey, spent over two years working on local adult education and empowerment programs in one of Nairobi’s largest slums, Mukuru kwa Njenga. She helps us understand what life is like in this slum and some possible  approaches to the problems she saw. Liz is a young professional who specializes in democracy and governance in Sub-Saharan Africa. She holds a Master of Science in African Studies from the University of Oxford and a Master of Public Affairs from the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University. Liz has worked with the World Bank, The Government of Liberia, Vital Voices Global Partnership, the International Food Policy Research Institute, and numerous domestic and international nonprofits. Elizabeth is currently the Program Associate with the Africa Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC. She also offers personal branding services through her organization, Mimi Ni.

Related Articles

Take a look at some of our favorite articles that we came across while researching:

* UN-Habitat Urban Data

* Urban Squatters and Slums: Sites and Services

* Kenya Slum Upgrading Program

* World Bank: Kenya Informal Settlements Improvement Project

Subscribe!

If you haven’t already, you should really subscribe to our show. It’s free and you’ll have our episodes delivered to you automatically every week. You can subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, in your email, or just about any way possible outside of carrier pigeons (coming soon). In case you’re not sure how to subscribe, check out our instructions page. And if you’re really averse to podcasts, you can also subscribe to us on YouTube.

Did you ever think that animals (and other lifeforms for that matter) could be trafficked like they were illegal drugs? In fact, some of the same people, networks, routes and tactics are involved in this massive illicit trade. Join us as we discuss the motivations, methods, and consequences of wildlife trafficking in this week’s episode.

Digging Deeper

Check out some of the resources we used to prepare for this discussion:

* “International Illicit Trafficking in Wildlife,” John M. Sellar (CITES Secretariat), The Police Chief.

* “The Disappearing Act: The Illicit Trade in Wildlife in Asia” (PDF), Vanda Felbab-Brown, Brookings Institution.

* “Five Myths about Illegal Wildlife Trafficking,” Johan Bergenas, Stimson Center.

* “Malaysia’s ‘Lizard King’ under probe for wildlife smuggling, report says,” Malay Mail Online.

Also check out this Al-Jazeera documentary about Malaysia’s notorious “Lizard King.” This is Anson Wong the animal trafficker by the way, not Jim Morrison. Sorry Doors fans!

 

Want to contribute to a future episode?

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The recent attacks in Paris shocked the world and left us wondering what could possibly motivate such barbarism. In this episode, we ask that question about terrorism in general. What has motivated terrorists around the world and through recent history? Spoiler: groups representing all kinds of ideologies have used terrorism as a tool long before the more recent (and more violent) attacks by Islamic extremist groups.

We also spoke briefly on this topic on the Challenging Opinions podcast!

Dig Deeper

Take a look at some of our favorite articles that we came across while researching [this topic]:

* Europol Terrorism and Situation Report (pdf)

* This is the group that’s surprisingly prone to violent extremism, Henry Farrell on the Washington Post

* Deadly Attacks since 9/11, New America Foundation

Want to contribute to a future episode?

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Rwanda has been lauded as a development success and a role model for Sub-Saharan Africa, but critics suggest that this development has come at the expense of healthy democratic governance. Kagame’s Rwanda is an excellent case study for a broader question in international development: does democratic change lead to development, or does development lead to democratic change? Can you have one without the other?

Related Articles

Take a look at some of our favorite articles that we came across while researching democracy and development in Rwanda:

* Authoritarian Regimes are Changing the Way the World Defines Democracy, Washington Post

* Freedom in the World 2015, Freedom House

* Aid and Democracy, International IDEA

Want to contribute to a future episode?

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This week, we  debut our Spotlight series. Unlike in our traditional round table discussions, the spotlight series will allow us to occasionally choose an interesting figure, location, or phenomenon to discuss. This episode’s figure is the world’s longest-reigning monarch alive: King Bhumibol Adulyadej. We start from his birth in the United States, move to his unexpected rise to the throne, and finally discuss his apotheosis.

Related Links

Take a look at some of our favorite articles that we came across while researching [this topic]:

* Bio on the Embassy to Singapore’s website

* Thai King Sparks Pink Shirt Craze, BBC

* Running Afoul of the Thai Monarchy, NYTimes

Lastly, here is the video that we mentioned in the episode:

Want to contribute to a future episode?

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Most of us are familiar with ISIL’s use of oil smuggling, but how do they do it? Who facilitates and who buys the oil? What other regions around the world are also seeing oil smuggling. Some of them are closer to home than you might have imagined. Join us as we invite our good friend Siree Allers to discuss these questions and more.

Further Reading

Check out some of the sources we used to research this topic:

* Matt Herbert. “Partisans, Profiteers, and Criminals.” Fletcher Forum 38, vol. 1. (Winter 2014).

* SE ASIA PIRACY: CRIMINAL NETWORKS, CORPORATE COLLUSION AND CORRUPTION. Laufer Group International. September 28, 2015.

* “Oil pipeline explosion kills 28 in Mexico.” CNN. December 20, 2010.

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More and more countries are fencing off their borders in an attempt to curb illegal immigration and smuggling. In this episode, we talk about how India has fenced off almost its entire border with Bangladesh - one of the longest borders in the world. Why does India feel that it needs a fence? How does it impact the people living along the border, and what will the threat of climate change mean for the future? Is the fence even effective? Join us as we explore these questions and more!

We’ve heard a lot about the drug wars in Mexico. We’ve even become familiar with the cartels that wage them- their names, territories and sagas given ample play in US media. But how much do we know about what drives the violence and keeps it aflame? In what ways are the cartels able to innovate in order to keep ahead of law enforcement on both sides of the US-Mexican border? Can law enforcement keep up with these ever-evolving organizations? If drug demand in the US were to vanish, how would the cartels cope? How much does corruption dilute successful cooperation between the United States and Mexico? Come join us for a chat about the ins and outs of Mexico’s Drug Cartels.