Why are hope, kindness, and freedom essential to safeguarding humanity’s future? And how can arts and storytelling serve as powerful tools for social justice and interfaith understanding?

In this conversation with journalist, activist and bestselling author Ruchira Gupta, we explore the transformative power of storytelling to bridge divides surrounding interfaith relationships, migration, and systemic violence, central themes in her new novel The Freedom Seeker.

We discussed how small acts of kindness can restore our shared humanity in a time when freedoms—of speech, movement, and the press—are increasingly under threat due to armed conflicts, authoritarianism, and the misuse of emerging technologies like AI.

Together, we reflected on the role of advocacy through the arts and how both young and adult audiences can draw powerful life lessons from literature to inspire resilience and collective action from grassroots to policymaking levels.

Join us in this exploration, ⁠⁠follow us on LinkedIn ⁠⁠and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ subscribe to our podcast newsletter community here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Recommended links to this episode:

• Ruchira Gupta’s Official Website
• Apne Aap Women Worldwide
• The Freedom Seeker
• I kick and I fly 
• Documentary: The Selling of Innocents 

Are citizens evolving into fans or merely behaving like it? 

Does the worship of political figures, celebrities, pop culture or sports idols reflecting a deeper cultural shift in how people engage with democracy and its values?

How does the creation and following of idols, and the emotional investment they evoke, affecting the mental health of individuals and collectives?

Is the fixation on seemingly superficial cultural phenomenons, such as tv programming, famous celebs or child-like items like dolls mirroring back to us how unsafe and restrictive political discourse and freedom of speech have become?

What are the economic ideologies running, advertently or not, behind these figures and the media narratives that sustain them?

How and why do "the masses" willingly surrender so much of their power, effectively infantilizing themselves in the process?

An interview with Kurt Warner, psychotherapist, LCSW, and author of the book “False Idols: How Diversion is Destroying Democracy”. 

Listen to related episodes:

• 91. Dr. Paul Slovic & Dr. Scott Slovic on the Science Behind the Limits of Compassion
• 165. Rachel Winny on the Rise of Disinformation & Conflict Escalation
• 190. Dr. William T. Armaline on The Crisis of Human Rights in the Age of Global Capitalism
• 192. Nicole Steward on Radical Self-Care for Changemakers

Recommended links to this episode:

• Kurt Warner Books Official Website
• Victory in Every Fall: The Antaeus Approach to Overcome Disabilities
• False Idols: How Diversion is Destroying Democracy 

Are feminist foreign policy models from the Global South being constrained by unequal power dynamics?

To what extent must they conform their design and implementation to norms or expectations set by Global North states in order to be recognized as legitimate? Why some ffps in Latin America are falling for the allure of the “branding” because of a secure hegemonic bet that discourages deep and meaningful structural reforms? 

What can we learn from Sweden’s FFP model implementation in Bolivia? In what ways do decolonial feminist perspectives from Latin America expose the enduring legacies of colonialism and the presence of a double patriarchy that may shape the current and future adoption of feminist foreign policies in the region?

Why does Brazil, under Lula da Silva’s Administration, serve as a compelling example of these tensions and contradictions?

A new interview conducted in the Spanish language with Dr. Bruna Soares de Aguiar, Coordenadora de Projetos do

Observatório de Política Externa Inclusiva in Brazil and author of the new book Política Externa Feminista como Branding Governista. 

Listen to related episodes:  

• Ep. 9 Marissa Conway on How Feminist Foreign Policies is Transforming World Affairs
• Ep. 47 Isabella Esquivel Ventura on Mexico's FFP
• Ep. 130 Alice Ridge and Liz Gill-Atkinson on FFP Research in Australia and the Global South
• Ep. 149. Kirthi Jayakumar on Anticolonialism in International Relations
• Ep. 189. María Paulina Rivera Chávez on How Mexico's FFP is Part of a Global Project

Recommended links to this episode:

• OPEFI Official Website
• Política Externa Feminista como Branding Governista
• Bruna Soares de Aguiar: LinkedIn profile
• Policy Brief: Only a Label? The Dilemmas of Maintaining A Feminist Foreign Policy (Available in English, Portuguese and Spanish languages)
• Policy Brief: Feminist Development Policies and the Reform of Global Governance: Challenges and Opportunities (Available in English, Portuguese and Spanish languages)
• Politicas Externas Feministas en Perspectiva: Tendencias e Debates
• Seminario de Politica Externa Feminista Inclusiva en Brasil 

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What challenges and opportunities does AI presents for States and Peoples? How can the data from our online and offline lives be coded and used to support or threaten our livelihoods? What are feminist perspectives to the responsible uses of AI? What social phenomenons caused the heavy reliance on AI and what can we expect or prepare for in the future?

A new interview conducted in the Spanish language with Ivana Feldfeber, executive director of Observatorio Data Género and founder of the open justice software AymurAI.

Listen to related episodes:  

• 190. Dr. William T. Armaline on The Crisis of Human Rights in the Age of Global Capitalism
• 196. Rebecca Irby on Rethinking Nuclear Deterrence & Youth Action for Peace

Recommended links to this episode:

• Observatorio Data Género
• AymurAI Software
• Doing the Feminist Work in AI: Reflections from an AI Project in Latin America 
• Perspectivas Feministas de la Inteligencia Artificial
• ¿La IA es realmente neutral? Una charla sobre poder, género y regulación en América Latina
• Webinar “Justicia abierta: un enfoque desde los datos y la Transparencia” a cargo de Ivana Feldfeber

How the significant loss of caregivers, education and financial opportunities alongside the trauma related to  war, displacement and pre-existing health conditions has affected many young Sudanese women?

In this interview with Wala Mohammed, co-director of Hopes & Actions Foundation and Sadia Kidwai, Advocacy Officer at ⁠Women’s Refugee Commission⁠, we examined both the shared and distinct experiences of young Sudanese refugees and displaced women across Egypt, Chad, West Kordofan, and Uganda. 

Join us in this exploration, ⁠follow us on LinkedIn, subscribe to our Substack and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ subscribe to our podcast newsletter community here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Listen to related episodes:  

• 190. Dr. William T. Armaline on The Crisis of Human Rights in the Age of Global Capitalism
• 193. Devon Cone on USAID Funding Freeze: A Worldwide Setback for Refugee Women
• 194. Melanie Nezer on The Impact of U.S. Immigration Orders on Displaced Women and Girls

Recommended links to this episode:

• Futures on Hold: How War and Displacement Are Impacting Young Sudanese Women (report)
• In Her Own Words: Voices of Sudan (report)
• Overburdened and Under Siege: Women in Sudan's War (webinar)
• Hate Speech in Sudan: A Driver of Conflict and Displacement
• Hopes & Actions Foundation Website: https://hopesandactions.org/
• LinkedIn: https://sd.linkedin.com/company/hopes-actions-foundation
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopes.and.actions.foundation/?hl=en
• Women’s Refugee Commission Website: https://www.womensrefugeecommission.org
• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/wrcommission
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wrcommission/
• Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/womensrefugeecommission/
• Threads: https://www.threads.com/@womensrefugeecommission
• BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/wrcommission.bsky.social

How Are Media, AI and Technologies Altering Human Relations and World Affairs Today? How has our increasing exposure, consumption and engagement with international news throughout the decades changed our perception of ourselves, our relations with others and the current and future state of the world? 

Is the hyper-mediatization of Politics and International Relations, in this new era of global digital algorithms, new weapons and AI machine learning, fragmenting human connection and eroding Individuals and States’ sense of power and quest for peace and justice?

Beyond the perils of manufacturing of consent for conflict and wars and the weaponization of information, are humans (even those in political and economic power positions) willingly becoming utilitarian and transactional versions of themselves to survive the violence in the online and offline world? 

Is the world today reflecting back to us a Human-Matrix divide?

Join us in this exploratio⁠⁠⁠n, follow us on LinkedIn ⁠⁠⁠and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ subscribe to our podcast newsletter community here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

If you want to support our independent work and learn more in community, subscribe to our podcast’s Substack today.

Listen to recommended interviews: 

• 26. Kimberly Loh on Compassionate Conversations
• 36. Dr. Roudabeh Kishi on Mapping Political Violence
• 86. Chloé Meulewaeter on Global Military Spending & Demilitarization Efforts
• 91. Dr. Paul Slovic & Dr. Scott Slovic on the Science Behind the Limits of Compassion
• 98. Elaine Briere on How & Why Colonial Powers Want to Control Haiti
• 143. Roundtable: Countering Militarized Masculinities for Feminist Peace 
• 165. Rachel Winny on the Rise of Disinformation & Conflict Escalation
• 180. Dr. L. Ayu Saraswati on Pain, Power and Transnational Feminism

• 190. Dr. William T. Armaline on The Crisis of Human Rights in the Age of Global Capitalism
• 192. Nicole Steward on Radical Self-Care for Changemakers

Other related podcast explorations and film/series reviews: 

• 76. War Journalism's Effect on Us
• 102. The Matrix Trilogy - What Can We Learn From It?
• 130. How to Become a Tyrant: A Gender Lens Doc Review
• 164. The Diplomat: When Does Soft Power Cave In?
• 174.Social Media Warfare Effects On Us
• 182. Our Brand is Crisis - Film Review

Recommended links for this episode:

• ACLED Conflict Watchlist 2025
• ICRC in 2024: Upholding humanity in conflict
• The African Spatial Conflict Life Cycle 
• The Arithmetic of Compassion Project
• Numbers and Nerves: Information, Emotion, and Meaning in a World of Data
• Center for Information Resilience 

• Pain Generation: Social Media, Feminist Activism, and the Neoliberal Selfie
• Human Rights Praxis and the Struggle for Survival
• Radical Self-Care for Helpers, Healers, and Changemakers
• Compassionate Conversations: How to Speak and Listen from the Heart

How do masculine understandings of power shape the public personas of male leaders?

How do they cultivate masculine energy traits, repressing feminine energy expressions internally but seeking them externally in the forms of bodies, territories, nations or States? 

How nuanced are the concepts of “strength” and “weakness” in human relations, particularly in leadership and decision-making within domestic and foreign affairs?

A gender lens film review of The Apprentice (2024).

Join us in this exploration, ⁠⁠follow us on LinkedIn ⁠⁠and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ subscribe to our podcast newsletter community here.⁠⁠⁠⁠

Listen to related episodes:

23. Hegemonic Masculinity and Hegemonic Femininity in World Politics

44. Denormalizing the Concept of "Statesmen": A First Look into Masculinities in IR

71. The Masculine/Feminine National Cultures Index

142. Psychology in International Relations

150. Healing Our Inner/Outer Masculine & Feminine Imbalances

166. Hypermasculinity & Hyperfemininity on States

Is nuclear deterrence an outdated policy? And if so, what’s holding us back from transitioning to a nuclear ban once and for all? What are the racial and gendered dimensions of nuclear weapons production and nuclear waste storage? How do these policies impact marginalized communities, both domestically and abroad? What role can youth action play in shifting nuclear politics and advocating for lasting peace at local and UN levels?

In this interview with Rebecca Irby, founder of P.E.A.C. Institute and organizer of the upcoming 24-Hour Global Pause for Peace to be held on October 4, 2025, we dive into the complex world of nuclear politics, exploring what we know and what we don’t.

From the impact of nuclear weapons testing and waste storage on marginalized communities to the rising threats and calls for nuclear deterrence, we touch on the underplayed significance of the UN treaty to ban nuclear weapons, the evolving divestment movement in the nuclear field, and the looming collapse of the industry as only a few political leaders continue to support nuclear armament.

We also address how we can engage youth in these critical conversations, emphasizing the importance of including their voices in decision-making processes and the need of peace education programs in supporting the next generations to shape the future of International Relations and, hopefully, build a more peaceful world.

Join us in this exploration, ⁠⁠follow us on LinkedIn ⁠⁠and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ subscribe to our podcast newsletter community here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Recommended links to this episode:

• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons
  
  
• 
  
• Oppenheimer: what you need to know before watching

• Racism and nuclear weapons
• The Ultimate Coloniser: Challenging Racism and White Supremacy in Nuclear Weapons Policy Making
  
• They didn't know their backyard creek carried nuclear waste. Now, they're dying of cancer.

How are modern cities creating hostile and exclusionary urban spaces? Who has the right to access and fully participate in cities?

In this interview with Dr. Nourhan Bassam, feminist urbanist, architect, author and founder of The Gendered City, we explored how urban spaces reflect societal and gender norms, often reinforcing power imbalances and marginalizing individuals from diverse gender, racial, economic, and religious backgrounds.

We discussed how outdated urban planning designs confine individuals to specific gender roles and behaviors, limiting their access to—and safe, meaningful participation in—city environments.

We also reflected on current efforts by modern cities to address gender-based violence and power inequalities in areas like mobility, transportation, housing, and employment (including unpaid care labor). 

Additionally, we considered how feminist perspectives on urbanism are shaping what non-sexist cities could look like, both today and in the future.

Join us in this exploration, ⁠follow us on LinkedIn ⁠and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ subscribe to our podcast newsletter community here.⁠⁠⁠⁠

Recommended links to this episode:

• The Gendered City Official Website 
• The Gendered City book
• Fem.DES Network
• Feminist Placemaking
• Women After Dark Series
• Fem Green

How outdated are U.S. immigration laws? What are the long-term, intended and unintended consequences of Trump Administration new executive orders such as the repeal of the Ending Sensitive Zones Policy, the suspension of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, the USAID Funding Freeze, and the reinstatement of the Global Gag Rule?

Are anti-immigration discourses genuinely focused on 'protecting' women, both domestically and abroad, or are they driven by other underlying goals and agendas?

In this interview with Melanie Nezer, Vice President of Advocacy and External Relations at Women’s Refugee Commission, we explored how recent executive actions fail to protect vulnerable groups, including women, children, and victims of different forms of violence, drug trafficking, and human trafficking who are seeking asylum and safety in the U.S.

We also examined the critical link between rising U.S. and global military spending and the violent conflicts that are driving populations to flee their home countries in search of protection abroad.

Join us in this exploration, follow us on LinkedIn and⁠⁠⁠⁠ subscribe to our podcast newsletter community here.⁠⁠⁠⁠

Listen to related episodes:  

• 86. Chloé Meulewaeter on Global Military Spending & Demilitarization Efforts
• 95. Jose R. Rivera-Gonzalez on US Withdrawal of Afghanistan
• 190. Dr. William T. Armaline on The Crisis of Human Rights in the Age of Global Capitalism
• 193. Devon Cone on USAID Funding Freeze: A Worldwide Setback for Refugee Women

Recommended links to this episode:

• ⁠Women’s Refugee Commission Official Website
• WRC Crisis Response Programs
• In Name Only: The False Allure of Anti-Immigration Policies That Claim to Protect Women from Harm
• The Global Gag Rule Endangers Refugee Women’s Lives
• Women’s Refugee Commission’s Statement on the Laken Riley Act
• Elimination of “Sensitive Zones” Will Create Fear, Cause Harm to Immigrant Women and Kids Seeking Safety From Domestic Abuse