Opinion Has It

To call China a colonial power is to diminish the true horrors that were faced by colonized communities. But that does not mean that African countries can be complacent as Chinese actors continue to deepen their economic engagement with the continent.In this episode, PS associate editors Whitney Arana and Greg Bruno speak with Hannah Ryder, a former head of policy and partnerships for UNDP in China, about China in Africa.

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With more than a million displaced people having found safety within Uganda’s borders, the region’s most willing supporter of refugees is feeling the strain. But a recent UN-backed effort to raise money for the crisis overlooks the fact that Uganda's president instigated many of the conflicts from which the refugees have fled. In this episode, PS editors Jonathan Stein and Whitney Arana speak with Helen Epstein, a professor at Bard College, about the real story behind the region’s current challenges.

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Most experts agree that the euro is undermining the EU. To dismantle it, however, would be extremely costly, and federalization isn’t feasible in the current political climate. Instead, Yanis Varoufakis suggests a different path: simulating a functioning federation. In this episode, editors Whitney Arana and Jonathan Stein talk with the former Greek finance minister about his proposal to save the EU and his “New Deal” solution to some of the bloc’s most pressing challenges.

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The founder of Poland’s Krytyka Polityczna, Sławomir Sierakowski, unpacks Donald Trump's recent visit to Warsaw and the country's slide toward illiberalism with PS editors Whitney Arana and Jonathan Stein.Like what you hear? Please subscribe, rate, and review our podcasts.

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When it comes to the Middle East, it is no surprise that political leaders, diplomats, and the donor and humanitarian community typically focus on the here and now. Yet we must not lose sight of the future. In this episode, editors Whitney Arana and Jonathan Stein speak with Tarek Osman, a PS contributor, author, political economist, and broadcaster, on four trends likely to set off new problems in the region.Like what you hear? Please subscribe, rate, and review our podcasts.

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Chris Patten, the last Governor of Hong Kong, discusses his memoir "First Confession" with Mark Leonard, Director of the European Council on Foreign Relations, and François Bougon of Le Monde.Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review our podcasts!

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Harvard’s Joseph Nye discusses Donald Trump’s impact on international affairs with Mark Leonard, director of the European Council on Foreign Relations, Le Monde’s Gaidz Minassian, and Yuya Yokobori from Yomiuri Shimbun.Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review our podcasts!

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After Goldman Sachs purchased $2.8 billion in Venezuelan bonds, many were quick to point out the deal's adverse effects on the country's people. PS editors Whitney Arana and Jonathan Stein discuss the matter, using analysis from a recent column by Ricardo Hausmann, a former minister of planning of Venezuela. He proposes a way out for index investors wanting to finance emerging markets, but not odious regimes. Read Hausmann's column at http://bit.ly/2qm7sHR. Like what you hear? Please subscribe, rate, and review our podcasts.

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In the decade between 1999 and 2009, the number of jobs in manufacturing fell from 17 million to 12 million, giving rise to the idea that the US economy suddenly stopped working – at least for blue-collar males – at the turn of the century. But it is wrong to suggest that previously all was well in US manufacturing. PS editors Whitney Arana and Stuart Whatley discuss misconceptions in trade deals and job losses, as well as the rise of robots. This episode features analysis and insight from UC Berkeley economic historian Brad DeLong. You can read his most recent columns at http://prosyn.org/fASM5JK and http://prosyn.org/dgJREMj.Like what you hear? Please subscribe, rate, and review our podcasts.

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Bill Emmott, former Editor-in-Chief of The Economist, discusses identity politics, corporate power, and his latest book with PS Contributing Editor John Andrews, Financial News columnist David Wighton, and Christoph Winder from Der Standard.

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