In this episode, co-hosts Chris Donnelly and Romi Bathia explore hard power and the qualities that can make it an effective diplomatic tool, from decisiveness to secrecy. Caroline Cordts discusses hard power’s connection to North Korea’s military support of Russian armed forces in the Russo-Ukrainian War. Romilly Thompson also presents the Russ-Ukrainian war through the lens of Europe’s larger remilitarization, highlighting the growing tensions between the executive branch and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

In this episode, BPR producer Erin Ozyurek explores the concept of soft power and its relevance in today’s shifting global political landscape, particularly as it relates to the role of the United States on the world stage. Chris Donnelly examines the Trump administration’s tariff policies and how they may be impacting U.S. soft power. In the Passport segment, Romi M. Bhatia takes a closer look at Saudi Arabia’s growing influence and its strategic use of sportswashing in recent years. Chicha Nimitpornsuko unpacks how the sex work industry may also play an unexpected role in soft power dynamics around the world.

In this interview, Ariella Reynolds from Brown Political Review’s Interview Board speaks with Professor Jacqueline Nesi about the impacts of social media on adolescent mental health. This episode is an excerpt of the full interview. You can read the full edited transcript on our website.

In this highlight, Chris Donnelly discusses immigration policy in Germany and Becky Montes explains the impacts and reactions to President Trump’s new immigration policy here in Rhode Island. This highlight was excerpted from Season 3 Episode 3 "Fortress America: Trump's Immigration Policies and Global Impact.” Listen to the full episode wherever you listen to podcasts.

In this episode, BPR producers Romilly Thomson and Becky Montes explore the immigration landscape during Trump’s presidency and how it compares to his previous term. Guilherme Sequeira introduces a new segment: Writer’s Highlight, where he sits down with a featured writer to discuss their latest published piece. Chris Donnelly and Becky Montes add to the discussion with their segments, Passport and the Rhody Report, in which they discuss the impact of immigration policy worldwide and locally.

In this segment, Becky Montes discusses the social implications of President Trump’s “restoring sanity” agenda for transgender individuals. This highlight was excerpted from Season 3 Episode 2 "Well That’s Queer: The State of LGBTQ+ Issues in Trump’s First 50 Days.” Listen to the full episode wherever you listen to podcasts.

In this episode, BPR Producers Caroline Cordts and Guilherme Sequeira discuss developments affecting the LGBTQ+ community following Trump’s return to office. Erin Ozyurek, Becky Montes, and Romilly Thomson delve deeper into the topic through an analysis of policy changes under Trump, an examination of shifts in transgender rights, and an insightful guest interview.

In her segment, "A Day in Office," Caroline Cordts walks us through everything President Donald Trump did and said on February 9th and 10th. This highlight was excerpted from Season 3 Episode 1 "404 Not Found: USAID." Listen to the full episode wherever you listen to podcasts.

Starting off the third season of the Brown Political Review Podcast, BPR Producer Chompoonek Nimitpornsuko explores the global and domestic fallout of Trump’s foreign aid cuts with an emphasis on humanitarian crises and shifting geopolitical power. Caroline Cordts and Erin Ozyurek add to the discussion with their segments, Passport and A Day in Office.

In the fifth episode of a series diving deeper into Brown Political Review Magazine articles, Multimedia Director Mitsuki Jiang interviews BPR Staff Writer Adora Limani ('28) about her recent article, "Echoes of the Past." Her article is featured in the Change edition of the BPR Magazine and can also be found on the BPR website.