World Policy On Air

The passing of revolutionary Fidel Castro this week triggered public mourning on the streets of Havana, marking a milestone in Cuba's transition to a younger generation of political leaders. On today's episode of World Policy On Air, World Policy Institute fellow Lissa Weinmann considers the future of the island nation under Raúl Castro and his potential successor, as well as Cuba's relations with the U.S. and the rest of the Western Hemisphere. World Policy On Air Archive

From bartering to coins, paper, and virtual currency, economic transfers have taken many forms over the centuries to facilitate finance and trade. Yet, as historian Rebecca L. Spang explains on today's episode of World Policy On Air, the narrative tying changes in money to technological progress obscures the political aspects of currency and the inequality it produces. World Policy On Air Archive

As the effects of climate change pose new challenges in the Arctic, melting ice and warmer temperatures also present economic opportunities. On the latest episode of World Policy On Air, Inuuteq Holm Olsen, the first Greenland representative at the Danish embassy in Washington, explains how the semi-autonomous nation is working to balance an emerging tourism industry and natural resource extraction with environmental sustainability. World Policy On Air Archive

From TPP to NAFTA, President-elect Donald Trump’s stated positions on free trade will directly and negatively impact many of those who voted for him in Tuesday’s election. On today’s episode of World Policy On Air, World Policy Institute fellow Jonathan Cristol assesses the implications of Trump’s policies for the global economic system. World Policy On Air Archive

The current protests by members of the marginalized Oromo ethnic group in Ethiopia have origins in the fight to expel Italian colonialists from the country in the late 19th century. On today's episode of World Policy On Air, Mohammed Ademo, founding editor of Opride.com, discusses why history books must be rewritten to properly recognize the Oromo people's contributions to Ethiopian independence, nationalism, and culture. World Policy On Air Archive

As Colombia grapples with the legacy of its 50-year conflict with the FARC, examples from Argentina to South Africa offer lessons for moving forward from a violent past. On today's episode of World Policy On Air, human rights expert Robin Kirk of Duke University examines the strengths and weaknesses of transitional justice in redressing human rights abuses. World Policy On Air Archive

Several authoritarian states in the Middle East fail to listen to the demands of their citizens. On this week's episode of World Policy On Air, Beirut-based journalist Rami Khouri explains why governments continue to breach their social contracts five years after the Arab Spring uprisings. World Policy On Air Archive

For more than 100 years, Canada’s Indian Residential Schools separated indigenous children from their families in an effort to eradicate their culture and language. On this week's episode of World Policy On Air, documentary photographer Daniella Zalcman explores the painful history and legacy of these schools and similar institutions across the globe. World Policy On Air Archive

The ancient Greek tragedy Philoctetes by Sophocles tells the story of a wounded soldier left behind by his comrades. On this week's episode of World Policy On Air, director of the “Theater of War” series Bryan Doerries explains how performances like Philoctetes can provide a forum for veterans of all ranks to listen to each other and share their struggles. World Policy On Air Archive

The Chinese government has worked tirelessly to erase the 1989 protest in Tiananmen Square from the country's historical memory. On today's episode of World Policy On Air, former BBC and NPR China correspondent Louisa Lim explains how this campaign reflects the state's emphasis on preserving political stability over other national concerns. World Policy On Air Archive