Politics in the Rearview Mirror

Are we headed for a total white-collar wipeout, or is generative AI just a "stochastic parrot" prone to producing unreliable slop? Drawing on systematic data from 2022 to 2026—including job postings, software uploads to GitHub and iOS Apps launched, and a dramatic rise in AI-generated legal filings in US courts —this episode explores why the predicted mass unemployment hasn't arrived, but a profound white-collar transformation has. Tune in to discover why the real revolution isn't about the jobs we're losing, but how the work we do is being fundamentally redefined.This is Prof. Patrick Kuhn's final episode as producer and host of the podcast, as he is leaving Durham. Dr. Chenchen Zhang is taking over the production. To learn more about Chenchen and her research, visit her website at https://chenchenzhang.net/.Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

In today’s world, our wallets are often our loudest megaphones, but when we choose to boycott a brand or a global event, what are we actually doing? Whether you are passionate about consumer activism or skeptical of "virtue signaling," this episode offers a deep, philosophical look at the challenges and opportunities of boycotts. Joining this episode to navigate the complex moral landscape of boycotting—from its historical roots in 1780s Ireland to modern-day protests against the Eurovision Song Contest and the FIFA World Cup - is Dr. Brian Carey, an Associate Professor in Political Theory at Durham University’s School of Government and International Affairs. His research explores the intersections of political hypocrisy, collective action, and civil disobedience. Together, we tackle the difficult questions: Must a boycott have a "reasonable prospect of success" to be ethically justified? Is it possible to be an effective activist while still being labeled a "hypocrite" for shopping at Amazon? And when, exactly, is it time to stop?To learn more about Dr. Carey and his research, visit his website: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/brian-carey/Bibliography:Carey, Brian 2024. Hypocrisy and Epistemic Injustice. Ethical Theory and Moral Practice 27, 353–370Collins, Stephanie 2019. Group Duties: Their Existence and Their Implications for Individuals. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

On February 28th, 2026, Israel and the U.S. launched Operation Epic Fury. While the headlines are filled with news of airstrikes on Tehran and the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the true trajectory of this war will be decided far from the front lines. In this episode, we peek through the "fog of war" to offer a watchlist for the coming weeks. We dive into why the Strait of Hormuz has become a primary battlefield of financial warfare and what implications the war has for China and Russia. We explore the precarious position of Arab Gulf states, the high-stakes leadership vacuum in Tehran, and the domestic political cracks forming in both Israel and the United States—including the rift within the MAGA movement. If you want to understand the news before it happens, this is the guide you need.Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

**Recorded on Tuesday, 24 February 2026, before the start of the war on 28 February 2026 **Is the Iranian regime facing a point of no return? Following the largest domestic uprising since 1979—which saw five million people take to the streets—and a brutal state crackdown resulting in an estimated 36,500 civilian deaths, the Islamic Republic finds itself in a desperate "survival mode". Despite recent US aerial bombardments of its nuclear facilities during Operation Midnight Hammer, the regime has made a startling pivot back to the negotiating table in Geneva.In this episode, we sit down with Professor Anoush Ehteshami, the Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah Chair in International Relations at Durham University and a world-renowned expert on Persian Gulf geopolitics. Prof. Ehteshami dissects the "narrow landing zone" for a new nuclear deal with the Trump administration, the devastating impact of a plummeting Rial, and the looming shadow of succession as the 86-year-old Supreme Leader faces internal power struggles and allegations of systemic corruption. Join us for a close look at the complex interstate relationships of the Middle East and the domestic fractures threatening to unseat one of the region's most enduring powers.To learn more about Durham's revised MA Politics and International Relations of the Middle East, see https://www.durham.ac.uk/departments/academic/school-government-international-affairs/postgraduate-study/taught-courses/ma-politics-and-international-relations-of-the-middle-east/To learn more about Prof. Ehteshami research visit his website: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/a-ehteshami/The BRI Dialogues can be accessed on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/@bridialogues1185Earlier Politics in the Rearview Mirror episodes related to this one are:- Season 5, Episode 1: From the Bazaar to the Barricades: What Makes the Current Protest in Iran Different (with Dr. Kouhi-Esfahani) - https://open.spotify.com/episode/3rppWheYmghvkHqVHYcHkn- Season 3, Episode 8: Israel Strikes Iran: Why Now, What Comes Next, and Consequences (with Prof. Ehteshami) - https://open.spotify.com/episode/4waVMjEW1i1iMd4tVIR8L8Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

In recent years, Europe's China strategy "change through trade" has faced reality: China is simultaneously a partner, an economic competitor, and a systematic rival. As the EU struggles to find its footing between a rising China and an increasingly unreliable US, this episode explores the EU's struggles of "de-risking" its relationship with China and its quest for strategic autonomy. To navigate this complex maze, we are joined by two core members of the MA Politics and International Relations of East Asia: Dr. Gordon Cheung, an Associate Professor in International Relations of China, who looks at how the EU's integration history serves as both a blueprint and a warning for new trade blocs in East Asia and how it shaped EU-China relations in past decades, and Dr. Ferran Perez-Mena, an Assistant Professor of International Relations of East Asia, who pulls back the curtain on the internal political tug-of-war within the EU. From the high-voltage "EV war" to the influence of "national spoilers" like Hungary, we delve into the complex, often contradictory forces shaping the future of EU-China relations.To learn more about Durham's revised MA Politics and International Relations of East Asia, see https://www.durham.ac.uk/departments/academic/school-government-international-affairs/postgraduate-study/taught-courses/ma-politics-and-international-relations-of-east-asia/To learn more about Drs. Cheung and Perez Mena's research visit their websites: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/g-c-k-cheung/ and https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/ferran-perez-mena/Literature:Fix, L. (2026). Europe's Next Hegemon: The Perils of German Power. Foreign Affairs. Online at https://www.foreignaffairs.com/germany/europes-next-hegemon-liana-fix [Last accessed: 19 February 2026].Lamour, C. (2024). Orbán Placed in Europe: Ukraine, Russia and the Radical-Right Populist Heartland. Geopolitics, 29(4), 1297–1323.Lavery S. and D. Schmid (2021). European Integration and the New Global Disorder. Journal of Common Market Studies 59(5), 1322-1338.Livermore, D. (2024). Orbán’s ‘Diplomacy’ reveals a vulnerable West. Europe’s Edge. Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA). Online at https://cepa.org/article/orbans-diplomacy-reveals-a-vulnerable-west/ [Last accessed: 19 February 2026].Miró, J. (2023). Responding to the global disorder: the EU’s quest for open strategic autonomy. Global Society, 37(3), 315–335.Sanahuja, J. A., & López Burian, C. (2024). Variations in the geopolitics of the neo-patriotic far-right and the challenge to the international order. CEBRI-Journal, 3(11), 17–36. Segal, G. (1999). Does China Matter? Foreign Affairs. Online at https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/asia/1999-09-01/does-china-matter [Last accessed: 19 February 2026].Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

In this episode, we peel back the curtain on the "hidden geography" of American global power: the network of concrete and steel ground installations that serve as the eyes and ears of the US military. While aircraft carriers often dominate the headlines, the true foundation of US dominance lies in sites like Pituffik Space Base in Greenland and RAF Menwith Hill in the UK, which act as critical up- and downlinks for the world's most sensitive satellite networks.Dr. Bleddyn Bowen, an Associate Professor in Astropolitics in the School of Government and International Affairs and co-director of the Durham University Space Research Centre (SPARC) joins to discuss:- The reality of the "pointer list empire" and why the US relies on an international "empire of dots" to maintain global reach.- The logic—and contradictions—behind Donald Trump’s proposal to acquire Greenland and its link to the "Golden Dome" missile defence system.- The "two-way street" of intelligence sharing between the US and its Five Eyes allies.- What to really focus on to judge transatlantic military cooperation.To learn more about Bleddyn's research, visit his website at: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/bleddyn-e-bowen/To listen to Dr. Bowen's evidence in the House of Lords on the UK Engagment in Space, see https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/574c0630-e9b6-4cb8-8983-64263c26a3fe [Last accessed on 13th February 2026].Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

Do political scandals contribute to the decay of liberal democracy, are they a sign of democracy working, or both? In this episode, Prof. Patrick M. Kuhn dives into the political science behind the headlines to unpack the dynamics and consequences of political transgressions. From the recent unsealing of the Epstein files to the falls of prime ministers and mass ministerial resignations across Europe, we explore why some scandals erupt while others disappear, why not all politicians are affected equally, how polarization undermines accountability, and what the consequences of political scandals are for popular support and trust in democracy. To learn more about Patrick's research, visit his website: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/p-m-kuhn/Literature:Christensen, T., & Lægreid, P. (2025). Cabinet turbulence and political scandals—Accountability under pressure. Scandinavian Political Studies.Close, C., Dodeigne, J., Hennau, S., & Reuchamps, M. (2023). A scandal effect? Local scandals and political trust. Acta Politica, 58, 212–236.Doherty, D., Dowling, C. M., & Miller, M. G. (2011). Are financial or moral scandals worse? It depends. PS: Political Science & Politics, 44(4), 749–757.Doherty, D., Dowling, C. M., & Miller, M. G. (2014). Does time heal all wounds? Sex scandals, tax evasion, and the passage of time. PS: Political Science & Politics, 47(2), 357–366.Dziuda, W., & Howell, W. G. (2021). Political scandal: A theory. American Journal of Political Science, 65(1), 197–209.Gulati, J., & Brown, L. M. (2021). The personal is political: Reconsidering the impact of scandals on congressional incumbents. Congress & the Presidency, 48(1), 25–49.Guo, C. (2025). Do voters still care? The effect of polarization on scandal tolerance [Doctoral dissertation, The University of Texas at Austin].Hamel, B. T., & Miller, M. G. (2019). How voters punish and donors protect legislators embroiled in scandal. Political Research Quarterly, 72(1), 117–131.Invernizzi, G. (2016). Political scandals [Working paper/Mimeo]. Columbia University.Just, M. R., & Crigler, A. N. (2019). Media coverage of political scandals: Effects of personalization and potential for democratic reforms. In H. Tumber & S. Waisbord (Eds.), The Routledge Companion to Media and Scandal. Routledge.Nyhan, B. (2009). Strategic outrage: The politics of presidential scandal [Doctoral dissertation, Duke University].Nyhan, B. (2015). Scandal potential: How political context and news congestion affect the president’s vulnerability to media scandal. British Journal of Political Science, 45(2), 435–466.Nyhan, B. (2017). Media scandals are political events: How contextual factors affect public controversies over alleged misconduct by U.S. governors. Political Research Quarterly, 70(1), 223–236.Praino, R., & Stockemer, D. (2022). The electoral consequences of scandals: A meta-analysis. Parliamentary Affairs, 75, 469–491.Rottinghaus, B. (2014). Surviving scandal: The institutional and political dynamics of national and state executive scandals. PS: Political Science & Politics, 47(1), 131–140.Rottinghaus, B. (2023). Do scandals matter? Political Research Quarterly, 76(4), 1932–1943.Saxton, G. W., & Barnes, T. D. (2022). Sex and ideology: Liberal and conservative responses to scandal. Journal of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties, 32(2), 396–407.Stockemer, D., & Praino, R. (2019). The good, the bad and the ugly: Do attractive politicians get a ‘break’ when they are involved in scandals? Political Behavior, 41, 747–767.Tumber, H., & Waisbord, S. R. (2004). Introduction: Political scandals and media across democracies, Volume II. American Behavioral Scientist, 47(9), 1143–1152.von Sikorski, C. (2018). The aftermath of political scandals: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Communication, 12, 3109–3133.Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

Can a democracy use autocratic methods to save itself without losing its soul? In this episode, Prof. Patrick M Kuhn explores the "constitutional paradox"—the idea that liberal democracies may occasionally adopt the very autocratic tools they are built to prevent to survive existential threats. Starting from President Trump's threat to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807, this episode draws on legal-political models of emergency powers, current empirical research revealing when and under what conditions the use of extraordinary powers results in democratic erosion, and previous uses of the Insurrection Act in U.S. history to illuminate the thin line between decisive leadership and the erosion of constitutional order.To learn more about the host and his research interests, visit Patrick's website: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/p-m-kuhn/Relevant Literature:Bjørnskov, C., & Voigt, S. (2018). Why do governments call a state of emergency? On the determinants of using emergency constitutions. European Journal of Political Economy, 54, 110–123.Bjørnskov, C., & Voigt, S. (2021). You don’t always get what you’d expect: On some unexpected effects of constitutional emergency provisions (Working Paper). SSRN.Bjørnskov, C., Voigt, S., & Khesali, M. (2022). Unconstitutional states of emergency. Journal of Legal Studies, 51(2), 455–481.Genovese, M. A. (1979). Democratic theory and the emergency powers of the president. Presidential Studies Quarterly, 9(3), 283–289.Goupy, M. (2018). The state of exception theory of Carl Schmitt and the ambivalent criticism of liberalism. Zeitschrift für Politikwissenschaft, 28, 395–408.Humphreys, S. (2006). Legalizing lawlessness: On Giorgio Agamben’s State of Exception. European Journal of International Law, 17(3), 677–687.Kurian, G. T. (Ed.). (2011). Emergency powers. In The Encyclopedia of Political Science. CQ Press.Laebens, M. G. (2023). Beyond democratic backsliding: Executive aggrandizement and its outcomes (V-Dem Working Paper Series 2023:54). Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Institute.Lazar, N. C. (2006). Must exceptionalism prove the rule? An angle on emergency government in the history of political thought. Politics & Society, 34(2), 245–275.Lijphart, A. (1978). Emergency powers and emergency regimes: A commentary. Asian Survey, 18(4), 401–407.Loevy, K. (2021). Emergency powers. In The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Constitutional Law. Oxford University Press.Lowande, K., & Rogowski, J. C. (2021). Executive power in crisis. American Political Science Review, 115(3), 911–927.Lührmann, A., & Rooney, B. (2021). Autocratization by decree: States of emergency and democratic decline. Comparative Politics, 53(4), 617–649.Nunn, J., & Goitein, E. (2025, November 12). The Insurrection Act, explained. Brennan Center for Justice.Peltz, P. (2023). The abuse of emergency provisions: How and under which conditions declared states of emergency foster democratic decline (Working Paper). Institute of Law and Economics, University of Hamburg.Poyet, C., Niemikari, R., & Raunio, T. (2024). What makes democratic institutions resilient to crises? Applying a novel analytical framework to the case of Finland. Journal of Contemporary European Studies, 32(1), 246–261.Reynolds, J. (2012). The political economy of states of emergency. Oregon Review of International Law, 14(1), 85–130.Rooney, B. (2019). Emergency powers in democracies and international conflict. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 63(3), 644–671.Scheuerman, W. E. (2000). The economic state of emergency. Cardozo Law Review, 21(5-6), 1869–1894.Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

This episode explores the rapid disintegration of the post-1945 international order during the second term of the Trump presidency. Following extraordinary recent events, such as the military capture of President Nicolas Maduro and the US’s interest in Greenland, this episode (building on the earlier episode linked below) discusses what might come next. Dr. Dennis Schmidt and Prof. John Williams draw on the new US National Security Strategy, the emergence of the so-called “Donroe Doctrine”, and the racialised imageries underpinning current US foreign policy to sketch out key features what a new international order might look like. They also examine the precarious position of the UK and Europe, discussing how Britain’s "special relationship" and independent nuclear deterrent are being tested as the United States shifts from a global guarantor to an unpredictable, and at times hostile, actor.To listen to our episode from March 2025 on the changing international order click here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4wrsLXcqfwEnuuU4RX0BMVTo learn more about our guests and their research, check out their websites:Dr. Dennis Schmidt: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/dennis-schmidt/Prof. John Williams: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/j-c-williams/Following this episode, Prof. Williams and Dr. Schmidt wrote the following blog post in the Global Policy Journal, elaborating on how the international order might change: https://www.globalpolicyjournal.com/blog/10/02/2026/empire-yes-19th-century-not-so-much [Last accessed 10th February 2026].Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

How can Hannah Arendt's work help us make sense of today's politics? In this episode, we bridge the gap between her "dark times" and our "post-truth" era to discover why her scholarship is the ultimate survival guide for modern democracy. Dr Oliver Belcher, Prof. Ilan Baron, Prof. Maria Dimova-Cookson, Prof. Christopher Finlay, and Prof. John Williams illuminate how Arendt's lived experience and scholarship on power and violence, "earth alienation", politics and her distinction between liberty and freedom can illuminate the politics of our time.To learn more about our guests and their research visit their websites:- Dr. Oliver Belcher: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/oliver-belcher/- Prof. Ilan Baron: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/ilan-baron/- Prof. Maria Dimova-Cookson: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/maria-dimova-cookson/- Prof. Christopher Finlay: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/christopher-j-finlay/- Prof. John Williams: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/j-c-williams/For a Conversation piece Prof. Finaly wrote on how Arendt can help us understand this new age of far-right populism, see https://theconversation.com/how-hannah-arendt-can-help-us-understand-this-new-age-of-far-right-populism-269626 [Last accessed: 16 Janaury 2026]Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

This episode covers the ongoing mass protests in Iran, which started in December 2025 and spread to multiple cities in several provinces, involving an unusually wide range of social groups. Dr. Marzieh Kouhi-Esfahani, Assistant Professor in Politics and International Relations of the Middle East at Durham University's School of Government and International Affairs, discusses the causes of the current anti-government protests, the regime's reaction to date, how they relate to previous waves of protests, and what they might mean for the regime in Tehran.To learn more about our guest and their research visit their website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/marzieh-kouhi-esfahani/Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

This episode discusses a significant political event that remained largely outside the media spotlight: the White House visit of Ahmed Al-Sharaa, the former al-Qaeda insurgent and leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), who ended Syria’s brutal 13-year civil war. How did a man once listed as a US terrorist end up shaking hands with the American President? Joining the show is Dr. William Plowright, an Assistant Professor of International Security in the School of Government and International Affairs at Durham University, to explore the motivations behind the Trump administration's pragmatic decision. We take a close look at Al-Sharaa’s radical transformation "from jihad to politics," examining whether his moderate image is reliable or merely a political performance, and discuss the internal challenges Al-Sharaa faces in governing the country. Discover the immense regional challenges, from dealing with Israel over the Golan Heights to preventing instability that could breed a new wave of extreme jihadism across the Middle East and Europe. Tune in to understand the immense stakes involved in Syria's future.Link to Dr. Plowrights article in The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/how-former-jihadist-ahmed-al-sharaa-ended-up-being-welcomed-to-the-white-house-269631To learn more about our guest and their research visit their website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/william-plowright/

In November 2025, the Trump government designated Nigeria a 'Country of Particular Concern' (CPC) under the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act, threatening to end aid or even launch a military attack. Is this merely a policy decision, or part of a deeper geopolitical dynamic? This week, we explore the complex intersection of US foreign policy, religious freedom, and international order with the author of the Duck of Minerva article entitled "Bullies, Follies, and the Decadent Orders", Dr. Kodili Chukwuma. He argues that these actions illustrate "bullying as a discourse and practice of international ordering". Tune in to understand the powerful, paradoxical, and often destabilizing effects of naming, shaming, and ordering the world.Link to the discussed Duck of Minerva article: https://www.duckofminerva.com/2025/11/bullies-follies-and-decadent-orders-constructing-nigeria-as-a-country-of-particular-concern.html [Last accessed 28/11/2025].To learn more about the research of our guest, visit their website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/kodili-chukwuma/Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

The upcoming UK Budget statement is more than an accounting or economic exercise—it’s politics in action. Chancellor Reeves faces a defining challenge of modern governance: how to finance public demands and defence commitments while adhering to strict fiscal rules and Labour’s promise not to raise Income Tax, VAT, or National Insurance rates for working people. This episode explores the politics of taxation, arguing that tax choices are fundamentally political and at the heart of a state's capacity. Drawing on comparative analysis with countries like Sweden and the United States, Prof. Patrick M Kuhn looks at how the institutional structure and commitment devices structuring UK fiscal politics affects tax choices, including the abrupt Income Tax U-turn in the run-up to the budget statement. Discover how self-imposed constraints and the political necessity of keeping highly visible manifesto pledges force governments to pivot toward less visible revenue streams, like the highly effective but regressive “fiscal drag”. While politically pragmatic, this approach leads to an increasingly complicated, less efficient, and less progressive tax structure. Tune in to uncover why UK policy choices are politically predictable but economically perilous, locking the government into incoherent tax adjustments to avoid political self-immolation.To learn more about Patrick and his research, visit his website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/p-m-kuhn/Literature:House of Commons Library 2025. Tax Statistics: An Overview. Online at https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8513/ [Last accessed on 21/11/2025].Kiser, Edgar and Steven M Karceski 2017. The Political Economy of Taxation. Annual Review of Political Science 20, 75-92.Schumpeter, Joseph A. 1991 (1918). The Crisis of the Tax State. In Joseph A. Schumpeter: The Economics and Sociology of Capitalism, edited by Richard Swedberg, pp. 99–140. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.Steinmo, Sven H. 1996. Taxation and Democracy: Swedish, British and American Approaches to Financing the Modern State. New Haven; Yale University Press.Swank, Duane and Sven Steinmo 2002. The New Political Economy of Taxation in Advanced Capitalist Democracies. American Journal of Political Science 46(3), 642-655.Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

While UK net migration has been declining in 2024, the public's concern about immigration has been increasing, making it the public's main issue. In this episode, Dr. Omar Hammoud-Gallego, an Assistant Professor of Public Policy in the School of Government and International Affairs, who researches migration and refugee policies, discusses public opinion and perceptions of migration, the recent migration policies of UK parties, and the politics behind them.To learn more about our guest and their research, visit their website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/omar-hammoud-gallego/Literature: Assaad, R., Ginn, T., & Saleh, M. 2023. Refugees and the education of host populations: Evidence from the Syrian inflow to Jordan. Journal of Development Economics, 164, 103131.Gathmann, Christina, and Julio Garbers. 2023. Citizenship and integration. Labour Economics 82, 102343Hainmueller, Jens, Dominik Hangartner, and Giuseppe Pietrantuono 2017. Catalyst or Crown: Does Naturalization Promote the Long-Term Social Integration of Immigrants?” The American Political Science Review 111(2): 256–276. Hainmueller, Jens, Dominik Hangartner, and Dalston Ward. 2019. The effect of citizenship on the long-term earnings of marginalized immigrants: Quasi-experimental evidence from Switzerland. Science Advances 5(12): 1610The Migration Observatory 2025. UK Public Opinion toward Immigration: Overall Attitudes and Level of Concern. Online at https://migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/briefings/uk-public-opinion-toward-immigration-overall-attitudes-and-level-of-concern/ [Last accessed: 14.11.2025].The Migration Observatory 2025. Net migration to the UK. Online at https://migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/briefings/long-term-international-migration-flows-to-and-from-the-uk/ [Last accessed: 14.11.2025].Turnbull-Dugarte, Stuart J. , Jack Bailey, Daniel Devine, Zachary Dickson, Sara Hobolt, Will Jennings, Robert Johns, Katharina Lawall 2025. Accommodating the Radical Right: The Electoral Costs for Social Democratic Parties. Working Paper, Southampton University. Online at: https://osf.io/6yhpe/files/osfstorage?view_only=dcd151d87276493d9dbcc5efcb1e469d [Last accessed: 14.11.2025].YouGov 2025. EuroTrack: publics across Western Europe are unhappy with immigration. Online at: https://yougov.co.uk/international/articles/51684-eurotrack-publics-across-western-europe-are-unhappy-with-immigration [Last accessed: 14.11.2025].Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

When US President Trump and Defense Secretary Hegseth authorized lethal strikes against alleged Venezuelan drug boats, were they fighting "narco-terrorists" or normalizing uncontrolled executive power? Join us as Prof. Christopher Finlay, Professor in Political Theory and Head of the School of Government and International Affairs (SGIA) at Durham University, draws on his essay "Beware the Boomerang Effect" to dissect the profound legal and ethical challenges posed by these actions. The administration’s choice to frame these actions as "acts of war" against "unlawful combatants" grants them the latitude to use lethal force as a first resort, violating the crucial principles of necessity and imminence.Link to the Ethics & International Affairs article: https://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/online-exclusives/beware-the-boomerang-effect-why-u-s-strikes-on-alleged-drug-boats-pose-a-profound-threat-to-american-freedomTo learn more about our guest and their research, visit their website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/christopher-j-finlay/Related Literature: Finlay, Christopher J. 2025. The Philosophy of Force: Violence, Domination, and the Ethics of Republican War. Oxford University Press. Finlay, Christopher J. 2024. Political Violence Misliked: The Meaning of ‘Terrorism’. In H. Williams, D. Boucher, P. Sutch, D. Reidy, & A. Koutsoukis (Eds.), The Palgrave Handbook of International Political Theory (pp. 231-247). Springer Nature Switzerland.Finlay, Christopher J. (2022). Ethics, Force, and Power: on the Political Preconditions of Just War. Law and Philosophy, 41(6), 717-740.Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

In this episode, we take another look at the Israeli-Palestine conflict, which some have described as the “third rail” in British academia. With the ceasefire at the verge of collapse and domestic tensions remaining high in the aftermath of the attack on the Synagogue in Manchester, the urgent need for a public, thoughtful conversation about Jews, Israel, and Palestine is clear. Joining the podcast this week is Prof. Ilan Baron, a Professor in International Political Theory at the School of Government and International Affairs and Director of the Centre for the Study of Jewish Culture, Society and Politics at Durham University. He is the author of an article entitled “Antisemitism, Israel and the Problem with no Easy Solution”, which was published on the Duck of Minerva website in October 2025. The article challenges the automatic linkage between actions by the Israeli government and diaspora Jews, which he argues is particularly prevalent in journalistic reporting, treating Jews around the world as proxy representatives for Israel, thereby undermining the safety of British Jews.Link to the Duck of Minerva article: https://www.duckofminerva.com/2025/10/antisemitism-israel-and-the-problem-with-no-easy-solution.htmlTo learn more about our guest's research visit their website: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/ilan-baron/Literature mentioned in this episode:Baron, Ilan Z. 2009. The Problem of Dual Loyalty. Canadian Journal of Political Science, 42(4), 1025-1044Baron, Ilan Z. 2014. Obligation in Exile: The Jewish Diaspora, Israel and Critique. Edinburgh University Press; Oxford University Press.Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

In this episode, Dr. Alice Finden, an Assistant Professor of International Relations in the School of Government and International Affairs (SGIA) at Durham University, draws on her research to discuss the political implications of deploying the concepts "terrorism" and "counterterrorism" in the context of the Gaza conflict and UK domestic politics. To learn more about our guest, visit their website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/alice-e-finden/Literature:Aitlhadj, L., Finden, A., Haspeslagh, S., Kaleem, A., Khan, R. M., Salhab, A., Schotten, C. H., Sen, S., & Stampnitzky, L. (2024). Where is Palestine in Critical Terrorism Studies? A roundtable conversation. Critical Studies on Terrorism, 17(3), 437-462.Finden, Alice E. (2025). Counterterrorism and Colonialism: Everyday Violence in Britain and Egypt. Routledge.Finden, A. E. (2025). Colonial Law and Normal Violence: The Racialised, Gendered and Classed Development of Counter Terrorism. In Global Counterterrorism: A Decolonial Approach. Manchester University Press.Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

Why is political violence making a comeback in the world’s most established democracies? From the storming of the U.S. Capitol in 2021 to riots in Brazil in 2023 and extremist attacks across Europe, violence is again being used to achieve political goals. In this episode Prof. Patrick M Kuhn digs into the paradox at the heart of democracy: why systems built on peaceful disagreement are seeing rising levels of aggression. Drawing on new political science research, he unpacks how polarization, populism, and elite manipulation can fuel unrest—and what the effects of violence are for democratic politics.To learn more about Patrick Kuhn and his research visite his website (https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/p-m-kuhn/) and the website on 19th-century election violence in England and Wales (https://victorianelectionviolence.uk/).In season 2, episode 1 of this podcast we compared nd contrasted the aftermath of the 2021 riots in the U.S. with those in early 2023 in Brazil and asked what this might tell us about the state of democracy in those countries. You can listen to this episode at https://open.spotify.com/episode/147cTxqUlNzAUileQDIUFIBibliography: Blaxill, L., Cohen, G., Hutchison, G., Kuhn, P. M., & Vivyan, N. (2025). Electoral violence in England and Wales, 1832–1914. Past & Present, 267(1), 154–210. https://doi.org/10.1093/pastj/gtae017Daxecker, U. E., Prasad, N., & Ruggeri, A. (2025). Political violence in democracies: An introduction. Journal of Peace Research, 62(5), 1363–1375. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022343324123456 Mares, I. (2022). Protecting the ballot: How first-wave democracies ended electoral corruption. Princeton University Press. Nieburg, H. L. (1969). Political violence: The behavioral process. St. Martin’s Press.Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

On the 1st October 2025, the U.S. government has once again ground to a halt — hundreds of thousands furloughed, non-essential federal services frozen, and the world watching a political standoff the Republican president and congressional Democrats unfold. In this episode, Prof. Patrick Kuhn, with inputs from Dr. David Andersen and Dr. Neil Visalvanich, unpacks the mechanics and meaning of the current government shutdown. Why do shutdowns keep happening despite their enormous economic costs? What makes this one different — and potentially more damaging — than those before? From political brinkmanship to the deeper constitutional roots of America’s recurring budget crises, we explore how partisan deadlock has turned governing into a high-stakes game of chicken.To learn more about the speakers and their research visit their websites:Prof. Patrick M Kuhn: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/p-m-kuhn/Dr. David Andersen: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/david-j-andersen/Dr. Neil Visalvanich: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/neil-visalvanich/Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has reshaped Europe’s security landscape. With Donald Trump back in the White House and questions about U.S. commitment to NATO, European states are rapidly rearming and investing in new defence strategies. At the same time, repeated Russian airspace violations and suspicious drone activity are raising alarms across the continent.In this episode, we speak with Dr. Emil Archambault, an Addison Wheeler postdoctoral fellow at Durham University and current fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations, about Europe’s rearmament efforts, the challenges of defence collaboration, and the growing security implications of militarized drones.To learn more about our guest and their research, visit their website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/emil-d-archambault/Related Literature:- Anicetti, Jonata and Urlich Krotz 2024. Why States Arm and Why Sometimes, They Do so Together. International Studies Review 26(4), viae031. - Archambault, Emil 2025. How FACAS can move forward. DGAP Memo. Online at https://dgap.org/en/research/publications/how-fcas-can-move-forward [Last accessed: 3.10.2025].- DeVore, Marc R., & Stai, Nora K. (2019). When Collaboration Works: High Politics and Realism’s Renaissance in Arms Collaboration Studies. European Review of International Studies, 6(2), 18-42.Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

In this final episode of our third series, we will try to make sense of the 2024 US Presidential election. Eight months on, we will discuss what we know about how the Trump Campaign managed to win the US Presidential election and what this means for US electoral politics going forward. Joining me to do so are Drs. David Andersen and Neil Visalvanich, both of whom are Associate Professors of US Politics at the School of Government and International Affairs at Durham University.To learn more about David and Neil's research visit their websites:- David Andersen: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/david-j-andersen/- Neil Visalvanich: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/neil-visalvanich/Related previous episodes:- Politics in the Rearview Mirror (2024). Craziest Election Ever or Just Another US Presidential Race? Contextualising the 2024 Race for the White House. Series 1, Episode 5. Online at: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2kl615JHKqv0IaxWqlMF4i [Last Accessed: 4th July 2025].Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

In this episode, Prof. John Williams, Dr. Dennis Schmidt, and Dr. Tessa Ditonto answer your questions on the legality of the US bombardment of Iranian nuclear sites and the reasons for the gender gap we observe in party support in the US and Western Europe.To learn more about our guests' research, visit their websites:John Williams: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/j-c-williams/Dennis Schmidt: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/dennis-schmidt/Tessa Ditonto: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/tessa-m-ditonto/Related literature and earlier episodes:Kinstler, Linda 2025: Are we witnessing the death of international law? The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/law/2025/jun/26/are-we-witnessing-the-death-of-international-law [Last accessed: 28th June 2025].Politics in the Rearview Mirror 2025. International (Dis)Order: Trump, Ukraine, and the Shift in Global Order. Series 2 Episode 9. https://open.spotify.com/episode/4wrsLXcqfwEnuuU4RX0BMV [Last accessed: 28th June 2025].Politics in the Rearview Mirror 2024. Craziest Election Ever or Just Another US Presidential Race? Contextualising the 2024 Race for the White House. Series 1 Episode 5. https://open.spotify.com/episode/2kl615JHKqv0IaxWqlMF4i [Last accessed: 28th June 2025].Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

This episode looks at the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, which started on the night of Friday, 13th June 2025, when Israel bombed over 100 military and nuclear facilities. Since then, the conflict has escalated with Israel and Iran sending drones and firing rockets at each other. In recent days, the US has been moving naval and air force assets into the region, suggesting that it might be joining the conflict on the side of Israel. Joining this episode to discuss the background, consider its development, and think about regional and global consequences is Prof. Anoush Ehteshami, a Professor of International Relations in Durham University’s School of Government and International Affairs and the Director of the Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammad Al-Sabah Programme in International Relations, Regional Politics, and Security. To learn more about Prof. Anoush Ehteshami's research, visit his website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/a-ehteshami/.Related Literature:- Akbarzadeh, Shahram, William Gourlay, and Anoushiravan Ehteshami 2023. Iranian proxies in the Syrian conflict: Tehran’s ‘forward-defence’ in action. Journal of Strategic Studies 46(3), 683–706.- Bahgat, Gawdat and Anoushiravan Ehteshami 2021. Defending Iran: From Revolutionary Guards to Ballistic Missiles. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.- Geist Pinfold, Rob, Clive Jones, and Anoushiravan Ehteshami 2025. Collision Course: How Iran and Israel Brought the Middle East to the Brink of War. Global Policy 16, 289-298.Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

In early June 2025, the government published the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), which was commissioned by Prime Minister Kier Starmer shortly after the July 2024 election. The SDR sets out 62 recommendations to transform the UK Armed Forces from hollowed-out forces into “war-fighting ready” capabilities, with a focus on expanding the nuclear deterrent, cyber and electronic warfare, autonomous systems, and strategic stockpiles. The government has accepted all 62 recommendations and pledged to increase UK defence spending from ~2.3% to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, with an ambition to reach 3%.Joining me to discuss the SDR, whether it is an appropriate response to the identified rising global threats, what new technologies and domains might have been missed, whether it can even be delivered within the set budget envelope, and if not, what should be prioritised, is Dr. Bleddyn Bowen. Bleddyn is the Associate Professor of Astropolitics and an expert in astropolitics, space warfare, technology and modern warfare, and international relations.To learn more about Dr. Bowen's research and expertise, visit his website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/bleddyn-e-bowen/Literature:- Ministry of Defence 2025. The Strategic Defence Review 2025 - Making Britain Safer: secure at home, strong abroad. Online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-strategic-defence-review-2025-making-britain-safer-secure-at-home-strong-abroad [Last accessed: 12 June 2025].Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

In this episode, we are turning our attention to the war in Ukraine and two recent, bold attacks carried out by Ukraine's Secret Service deep within Russian territory. These aren't just isolated military actions; looking at them through the lens of the bargaining model of war and taking a broader international security perspective suggests that theirthe timing was carefully chosen and their aim goes far beyond the physical damage done to the Russian air force and infrastructure. Prof. Patrick Kuhn, a Professor of Comparative Politics at Durham University's School of Government and International Affairs (SGIA) and convenor of Analytical Politics, a second year UG module, considers the implications of these attacks through the lens of the bargaining model of war for war in Ukraine and the broader global international security.To learn more about Prof. Patrick Kuhn's research, visit his website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/p-m-kuhn/Literature:- Reiter, Dan 2003. Exploring the Bargaining Model of War. Perspectives on Politics 1(1), 27-43.Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

In light of the devastating humanitarian situation in Gaza we are reposting episode 9 from our first series (published on the 6. December 2024), in which we talk to Dr. William Plowright, an Assistant Professor of International Security at the School of Government and International Affairs at Durham University, about his new book " War on Rescue: The Obstruction of Humanitarian Assistance in the European Migration Crisis”, where he describes, analyses, and explains why and how governments block assistance to people in times of crisis. To learn more about our guest, Dr. Will Plowright, see his website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/william-plowright/More information on Dr. Will Plowright's book "War on Rescue: The Obstruction of Humanitarian Assistance in the European Migration Crisis”, can be found at https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501778353/the-war-on-rescueMusic: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

This episode takes us into the world of foreign policy bluffing, nuclear strategy, and presidential unpredictability. We’re talking about the Madman Theory -- a term associated with colourful US Presidents like Richard Nixon or Donald Trump in combination with words like "unhinged" or "strategic genius". But what is the Madman Theory, really? Does acting crazy help a world leader win concessions? And what does the data actually say?Prof. Patrick Kuhn, a Professor of Comparative Politics at Durham University's School of Government and International Affairs (SGIA) and convenor of Analytical Politics, a second year UG module, unpacks the theoretical mechanism underlying the madman gambit and reviews the existing empirical evidence, before considering the extent to which the madman strategy will work for President Trump in his second term.To learn more about Prof. Patrick Kuhn's research, visit his website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/p-m-kuhn/Literature referred to:Drezner, Daniel W. 2025. It's a Mad Mad Mad Madman's World: I see we're gonna be testing the madman theory in 2025. Online at: https://danieldrezner.substack.com/p/its-a-mad-mad-mad-madmans-world [Last accessed: 23. May 2025].McManus, Roseanne W. 2019. Revisiting the Madman Theory: Evaluating the Impact of Different Forms of Perceived Madness in Coercive Bargaining. Security Studies 28(5),976-1009McManus Roseanne W. 2021. Crazy Like a Fox? Are Leader with Reputations of Madness More Successful at International Coercion? British Journal of Political Science 51, 275-293.Schwartz, Joshua A. 2023. Manman or Mad Genius? The International Benefits and Domestic Costs of the Madman Strategy. Security Studies 32(2), 271-305.Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

It has been half a year since President Trump announced the creation of DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency, headed by Elon Musk. In the 8th episode of the first season, we discussed whether government efficiency is important, what efficiency reforms might look like, and what institutional hurdles and constraints DOGE might face. Now that the media focus on DOGE has died down and Musk is stepping away to focus more on his business ventures again, my colleague Dr. Aung Hein and I thought we’d take a look at the last half-year to see what DOGE has achieved and at what costs, how Musk justified DOGE's actions, and what alternative approaches could have been taken.If you'd like to learn more about Aung's research, visit his website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/aung-hein/.Sources:DOGE's Wall of Receipts: https://doge.gov/savings [Last Accessed: 16th May 2025]The Financial Times: What has Elon Musk’s Doge actually achieved?: https://www.ft.com/content/085430ab-27fe-46fc-a798-1059649d3b32 [Last Accessed: 16th May 2025]Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

A bit more than a week ago, on the 1st May 2025, a series of local and mayoral elections, as well as a Westminster by-election were held in England. The results showed a large swing to Reform UK. The two main parties, Labour and the Conservatives, both lost seats. The Conservatives suffered a particularly devastating loss of over 670 councillors and control of all 16 councils they had previously controlled. Both the Greens and the Liberal Democrats gained seats, withthe Liberal Democrats gaining control of three out of the 23 councils holding elections. In the immediate aftermath of these results, commentators were quick to pronounce the end of the British two-and-a-half party system and the end of class-based voting, proclaiming a major political realignment in British politics. Joining me on this episode to contextualise these results in light of current British Political Science research is Prof. Gidon Cohen, a Professor of Politics in the School of Government and International Affairs here at Durham University. He researches British political development and public opinion using both qualitative and quantitative methods and teaches a module called “Class, Nation, and Party in British Politics.”To learn more about Gidon's research, visit his website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/gidon-cohen/This FT article offers some interesting data and graphs on Reform UK run English Councils: https://www.ft.com/content/d7858718-91a9-4881-baa6-10dc7c05a260 [Last accessed: 13th May 2025].Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

On the 23rd April 2025, Jordanian security forces raided the offices of the Muslim Brotherhood, the largest opposition movement of the kingdom, confiscating assets and property and outlawing all the group’s activities. This is not an isolated event. Rather, Jordan seems to be joining other countries in the MENA region by taking actions to sideline Islamist opposition parties in recent years.Dr. Rory McCarthy, an Associate Professor in Comparative Politics of Islam in Durham University's School of Government and International Affairs, joins the show to unpack the domestic, international, and global factors that explain the timing of this action and what it means for democracy and the political stability of the wider region. To learn more about Rory and his research, visit his website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/rory-p-mccarthy/Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

Due to current events, we are starting our third season with a bonus episode. On Wednesday, the UK government announced that it, together with the US, had bombed Houthi targets in Yemen to protect freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. In the bonus episode you are about to hear, I discuss with Dr. Tom Walsh, a former PhD Student and current Tutor at the School of Government and International Affairs at Durham University, why the Houthis have decided to attack international shipping lanes in the Red Sea, what the links between the Houthis and Iran are, and to what extent US military intervention will resolve the issue or could lead to a further escalation involving Iran.  The episode was originally recorded at the end of January 2024. To learn more about our guest, visit Tom's webiste at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/tom-j-walsh/Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

On February 27, 2025, Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), called for the group to disarm and disband, signaling a possible end to the four-decade-long conflict with the Turkish state. A few days later, the PKK declared an immediate ceasefire. This development followed months of preparations and overtures from the Turkish government of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, marking what could be a crucial turning point in Turkish politics and the broader region. Joining me unpack the conflict between the PKK and the Turkish state and discussing the various political factors explaining the emergence of this latest ceasefire is Dr. Francesco D’Alema, a Teaching Fellow in International Relations and Security at the School of Government and International Affairs here at Durham University.To learn more about Francesco's research visit his website: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/francesco-dalema/Relevant literature:- Associated Press (AP) 2025. What to know about the latest effort to end Turkey’s 40-year Kurdish conflict. Online at https://apnews.com/article/turkey-kurds-pkk-peace-ocalan-dem-prison-3d6e7e2c0cedcb87d4bd145667d79ae1 [Last accessed: 21st March 2025].- Christofis, Nikos 2019. The State of the Kurds in Erdoğan's `new' Turkey. Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies 21(3), 251-259.- D'Alema, Francesco 2024. Turkey's approach to the Arab spring revisited: political field and foreign policy in the AKP era. Turkish Studies 25(5), 806-834.- Guardian 2025. PKK declares ceasefire with Turkey after more than 40 years of conflict. Online at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/01/pkk-declares-ceasefire-with-turkey-after-40-years-kurdish [Last accessed: 21st March 2025].Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

President Trump’s unilateral attempt to end the war in Ukraine raised concerns among Western allies. Both his statements and actions have sparked widespread debates about diplomacy and power in the 21st century, and whether they signify an end to the rules-based international order established in the aftermath of World War II.  Joining me online to unpack the concept of “international order”, what it involves, how it emerged, whether actions taken by President Trump have indeed unravelled it, or whether it has always been more fragile than its defenders admit, are my colleagues Prof. John Williams, a Professor of International Relations, and Dr. Dennis Schmidt, an Assistant Professor of International Relations here at Durham University's School of Government and International Affairs.To learn more about our guests, please visit their websites: Prof. John Williams: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/j-c-williams/Dr. Dennis R. Schmidt: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/dennis-schmidt/Related literature:- Schmidt, Dennis R. 2023. International Law and World Order: Theoretical Perspectives. In: Oxford Research Encyclopedias. Online: https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190846626.013.696 [Last accessed: 13th March 2025].Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

Migration remains one of the most contentious political issues, shaping debates on borders, identity, and economies, including in the UK. Earlier in February this year, the Labour government announced that those arriving irregularly to the UK, even if they are legitimate refugees, will be barred from ever becoming British citizens. Joining the show to discuss the politics behind this announcement, what it aims to achieve, whether it will work, and what alternative approaches Labour could have pursued is Dr. Omar Hammoud-Gallego, an Assistant Professor of Public Policy in the School of Government and International Affairs here at Durham University, where he teaches in the new MSc Public Policy starting this coming academic year. To learn more about Omar and his research on migration, visit his website: https://www.omarhgallego.com/Related Literature:- Gathmann, C., & Garbers, J. 2023. Citizenship and integration. Labour Economics, 82, 102343. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labeco.2023.102343 - Hammoud Gallego, O. 2025. Labour’s latest immigration policy is counterproductive. LSE Blog, online at https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/labours-latest-immigration-policy-is-counterproductive/ [Last accessed: 7th March 2025].- Krause W, Cohen D, Abou-Chadi T. Does accommodation work? Mainstream party strategies and the success of radical right parties. Political Science Research and Methods. 2023;11(1):172-179. doi:10.1017/psrm.2022.8 Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

40 years ago on Monday, 3rd March 1985, the 1984-1985 UK’s miners’ strike ended. The coal miners' strike aimed to prevent the closure of pits that the conservative government deemed “uneconomic”. Many observers regard the miners’ strike as “the most bitter industrial dispute in British history” and with 26 million person-days of work lost, it was the largest by impact since the 1926 General Strike. Joining me, to look back at this major industrial dispute and why it still matters today is Dr. Lewis Mates, an Associate Professor in Political Theory in the School of Government and International Affairs at Durham University. To learn more about Lewis' research visit his website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/lewis-mates/Resources mentioned in this episode: - Sherwood (2022) BBC One Series, for more information on the show see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherwood_(2022_TV_series). To view the series see https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/p0c724lz/sherwood (only available in the UK).Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

Germany is heading to the polls this coming Sunday (23rd February 2025) after the traffic light coalition between the Social Democrats (red), the Liberal Party (yellow), and the Greens (green) collapsed in November last year. In this episode, Dr. Moritz Osnabrügge outlines the main topics of the election campaign, how the campaign compared to 2021, what the latest polls predict, and what potential government coalitions may emerge.To learn more about Dr. Moritz Osnabrügge's research, visit his website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/moritz-osnabruegge/Polling and election modeling:- Reuters (2025): The Latest Polls Ahead of the German Snap Election. Online at: https://www.reuters.com/graphics/GERMANY-ELECTION/POLLS/akveedlravr/ [Last accessed 20th February 2025].- Zweitstimme.org (2025). Die Wissenschaftliche Vorhersage der Bundestagswahl. Online at: https://zweitstimme.org/ [Last accessed: 20th February 2025].Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

This week we are looking at the politics behind one of the Executive Orders from President Trump. The Executive Order “Addressing Egregious Actions of the Republic of South Africa”, was issued on the 7th of February 2025. As justification for this order, President Trump cited South Africa’s Expropriation Act 13, which allows for land to be expropriated with nil compensation in limited circumstances and has been criticized as racially discriminatory by some white Afrikaners, decedents of the European settlers that have ruled South Africa during apartheid and still own a disproportionate share of land and wealth. Dr. Simon Taylor, a Teaching Fellow in International Relations & Security at Durham’s School of Government and International Affairs and an Extraordinary Researcher at North-West University in South Africa, is joining me to discuss the politics behind this Executive Order. Before joining academia, he served as a Senior Foreign Service Officer for the South African Department of International Relations and Co-operation.To learn more about Simon's research visit his website: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/simon-d-taylor/Literature related to the episode: - Executive Order "Addressing Egregious Actions of the Republic of South Africa" 7th February 2025. Online at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/addressing-egregious-actions-of-the-republic-of-south-africa/ [Last accessed: 14th February 2024].Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

"Tariffs, the most beautiful word in the dictionary!", President Trump exclaimed at one point during the election campaign. In office, he has (so far) announced general import tariffs against Columbia, Mexico, Canada, and the US, only to withdraw them once Columbia, Mexico, and Canada accepted to take back criminal immigrants or strengthen border controls, respectively. In this episode, we discuss with Dr. Michael Nower, an Assistant Professor of Economics at the Durham University Business School, how trade tariffs work, who ultimately pays them, for what purposes they have been used in the past, and how President Trump talked about them and is currently using taxes on trade.To learn more about Dr. Michael Nower and his research, visit his website: https://www.durham.ac.uk/business/our-people/michael-nower/Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

On Wednesday, the 29th of January 2025 Friedrich Merz, the leader of the mainstream conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), broke a longstanding taboo in German politics, the so-called "Brandschutzmauer" (firewall) by passing a non-binding motion to tighten immigration rules with the backing of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), a radical right party, with established links to Neonazi groups. Neither the ruling Social Democrats (SPD) nor the Greens supported the motion. In this episode, Prof. Patrick Kuhn will describe what happened, why this event sent shockwaves through German politics, and what political science research tells us about mainstream parties' likely success of such accommodative strategies. To learn more about Prof. Patrick Kuhn's research, visit his website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/p-m-kuhn/ Literature referred to: - Budge, Ian and Farlie D. 1983. Explaining and Predicting Elections: Issue Effects and Party Strategies in Twenty-three Democracies. London/Boston: Allen & Unwin. - Chou, Winston, Rafaela Dancygier and  Amaney A. Jamal 2021. Competing for Loyalists? How Party Positioning Affects Populist Radical Right Voting. Comparative Political Studies 54(12), 2226–2260. - Downs Anthony 1957. An Economic Theory of Democracy. New York: Harper. - Krause Werner, Cohen Dennis, Abou-Chadi Tarik 2023. Does accommodation work? Mainstream party strategies and the success of radical right parties. Political Science Research and Methods 11(1), 172-179. - Meguid, Bonnie M. 2008. Party Competition between Unequals: Strategies and Electoral Fortunes in Western Europe. Cambridge MA: Cambridge University Press. Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

On the 19th January 2024 a cease fire process between Israel and Hamas started, which will hopefully end the fighting and human suffering, which has been ongoing since the bloody October 7 attacks by Hamas in 2023. In season 1 episode 9 we have talked about the challenges Humanitarian Organizations face in getting aid into Gaza and to other vulnerable people to alleviate human suffering. In this episode we will look at what impact the War in Gaza had on Israeli society and the state. Joining the show to discuss this topic is Prof. Ilan Baron, a Professor in International Political Theory and Director of the Centre for the Study of Jewish Culture, Society and Politics. Prof. Baron's research explores different ways that we experience international politics in our everyday lives. To learn more about our guest visit Prof. Baron's website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/ilan-baron/ To lear more about the Centre for the Study of Jewish Culture, Society, and Politics, visit their website: https://www.durham.ac.uk/research/institutes-and-centres/jewish-studies/ Literature mentioned in the episode: - Baron, Ilan and Ilai Saltzman 2024. The Undoing of Israel: The Dark Future that Awaits After the War in Gaza. Foreign Affairs. 12th August 2024. Online at: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/middle-east/undoing-israel [Last accessed: 22 Janaury 2025]. - Rabin, Ytzak 1996. The Rabin Memoirs, Expanded Edition with Recent Speeches, New Photographs, and an Afterword. The University of California Press. Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

The peaceful transition of power is a hallmark of democracy. In January 2021 and 2023, the US and Brazil, respectively, both experienced post-electoral riots as supporters of the outgoing presidents ransacked government buildings. Four, respectively two years later Prof. Patrick Kuhn, a Professor of Comparative Politics at the School of Government, looks at the actions taken in those countries to hold the various actors accountable and what this tells us about the state of democracy in the United States and Brazil. To learn more about Prof. Patrick Kuhn's research, visit his website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/p-m-kuhn/ Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

To tell us what you like and dislike about the podcast please complete this 3min survey: https://forms.office.com/e/bv0tQMczUv. The survey will remain open until 6th January 2025. Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

At the end of October 2024, Israel’s parliament voted to ban the UN's Palestinian refugee agency (Unrwa) from operating within Israel and occupied East Jerusalem. While most of Unrwa's projects take place in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, it relies on agreements with Israel to operate. Thus, on a practical level, the ban on interacting with Israeli officials means it is now almost impossible for the agency's staff to operate effectively. Joining the show to discuss the Unrwa ban and the broader issues of when, why, and how states obstruct Humanitarian Assistance is Dr. William Plowright, an Assistant Professor of International Security at the School of Government and International Affairs at Durham University, where he teaches on the MSc Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding and MSc Defence, Development and Diplomacy. Before joining Durham Will spent nearly a decade working in operational management in the humanitarian sector, for Doctors Without Borders / Medecins Sans Frontieres, in various countries and situations of armed conflict, mass displacement, detention, and disease outbreaks. He has just published a new book entitled “War on Rescue: The Obstruction of Humanitarian Assistance in the European Migration Crisis”, where he describes, analyses, and explains why and how governments block assistance to people in times of crisis. To learn more about our guest, Dr. Will Plowright, see his website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/william-plowright/ More information on Dr. Will Plowright's book "War on Rescue: The Obstruction of Humanitarian Assistance in the European Migration Crisis”, can be found at https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501778353/the-war-on-rescue Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

On the 12th of November 2024, President Trump announced that “the Great Elon Musk, working in conjunction with American Patriot Vivek Ramaswamy, will lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Together, these wonderful Americans will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies - essential to the “Save America” Movement.” On the show this week to discuss what reforms for efficiency gains are, what Musk and Ramaswamy might target, and what institutional hurdles they might face is my colleague Dr. Aung Hein, an Assistant Professor of Public Policy in the School of Government and International Affairs, and a core member of staff on our new MSc Public Policy starting next academic year. His research interests include state capacity, public bureaucracy, and civil service reforms. Before joining Durham, he led a policy research programme advising two successive Myanmar civilian governments. To learn more about Dr. Aung Hein and his research visit https://www.durham.ac.uk/departments/academic/school-government-international-affairs/about-us/news/meet-assistant-professor-aung-hein/ To learn more about the MSc Public Policy at Durham's School of Government and International Affairs visit https://www.durham.ac.uk/public-policy Relevant Literature: Bevan G. and C. Hood 2006. What's Measured is What Matters: Targets and Gaming in the English Public Health Care System. Public Administration 84, 517-538. Burgess S. and M. Ratto 2003. The Role of Incentives in the Public Sector: Issues and Evidence. Oxford Review of Public Policy 19, 285-300. Finan, F. , B. A. Olken, and R. Pande 2015. Personnel Economics of the State. Cambridge: Bureau of Economic Research. Hood C. 1991. A Public Management for All Seasons? Public Administration 69: 3-19. Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

The 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference or Conference of Parties (COP) at Baku in Azerbaijan closed at the end of November 2024. The COP aims to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, emphasising the urgent need for investment in climate action. The COP29 Presidency also stresses the importance of operationalising the Loss and Damage Fund to support vulnerable communities, especially Small Island Developing States. Joining this episode to evaluate the COP29 and put it into a broader perspective in relationship to the global political economy, livelihoods, and politics is my colleague Dr. Maria Eugenia Giraudo, an Assistant Professor of International Political Economy. Her research explores developing states’ capacities to govern the uneven geographies of capital that emerge during commodity booms and critically analyses the policy frameworks states employ. To learn more about Dr. Eugenia Giraudo's work visit her website at: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/maria-e-giraudo/ Literature mentioned in the episode: Jarvis, A., and Forster, P.M. 2024. Estimated human-induced warming from a linear temperature and atmospheric CO2 relationship, Nature Geoscience. Open Access via: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-024-01580-5. Daniela Gabor 2022. The Wall Street Consensus at COP27: https://www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/the-wall-street-consensus-at-cop27/ [Last accessed: 22nd November 2024]. Jessica Green 2021. Follow the Money: ⁠https://www.foreignaffairs.com/world/follow-money ⁠[Last accessed: 22nd November 2024]. Jessica Green 2023 The False Promise of Carbon Offsets: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/world/false-promise-carbon-offsets [Last accessed: 22nd November 2024]. Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

This episode looks at a brutal Sudanese civil war, which started in April 2023 and so far has displaced over 8 million people and caused tens of thousands of deaths., but has been happening largely outside the global media spotlight. The conversation with Dr. Will Plowright, an Assistant Professor of International Security in the School of Government and International Affairs, summarizes Sudan’s recent history, highlights the factors contributing to the outbreak of the civil war, and describes the humanitarian situation. Will is an expert on intra-state armed conflict and has before his academic career worked for almost a decade in the Humanitarian sector for Medicine Sans Frontiers (Doctors Without Borders) in various sub-Saharan African countries, the Middle East and Sudan. The conversation was initially recorded in February 2024, but the introduction has been updated with the latest figures. To learn more about our guest, Dr. Will Plowright, see his website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/william-plowright/ For the most recent information on the Humanitarian situation on the ground see the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (UNOCHA) website on the Sudanese civil war at https://reports.unocha.org/en/country/sudan/ [Last accessed: 16.11.2024]. Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

Earlier in October CHOGM, the Commonwealth Head of Government Meeting, took place in Samoa, where Caribbean leaders succeeded in including a call for reparatory justice regarding the trans-Atlantic trade in enslaved Africans and chattel enslavement in the Leader Statement (point 22, page 8) despite the UK government's objection. In this episode Dr. Elizabeth Kahn, an Associate Professor of Political Theory researching injustices and moral dilemmas, looks more closely at the concepts of historical injustice, reparations, and colonialism and what case can be made for reparations from a philosophical perspective. To learn more about our guest, visit Elizabeth Kahn's website: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/elizabeth-kahn/ The CHOGM Leader Statement can be found here: https://thecommonwealth.org/news/chogm2024/Samoa-communique-leaders-statement-and-declarations Literature discussed in this episode: Amighetti, Sara. and Nuti, Alasia 2015. Towards a Shared Redress. Journal of Political Philosophy, 23: 385-405. Bhargava, R. 2013. Overcoming the Epistemic Injustice of Colonialism. Global Policy, 4: 413-417. Butt, Daniel 2007. “On Benefiting from Injustice.” Canadian Journal of Philosophy 37(1): 129–52.  Butt, Daniel 2008 Rectifying International Injustice: Principles of Compensation and Restitution Between Nations Oxford: Oxford University Press. Butt, Daniell 2012. Repairing Historical Wrongs and the End of Empire. Social & Legal Studies, 21(2), 227-242.  Lu, Catherine 2011. Colonialism as Structural Injustice: Historical Responsibility and Contemporary Redress. Journal of Political Philosophy, 19: 261-281. Lu Catherine 2017. Justice and Reconciliation in World Politics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. McKeown, Maeve 2021. Backward-looking reparations and structural injustice. Contemporary Political Theory 20, 771–794. Nuti Alasia 2019. Injustice and the Reproduction of History: Structural Inequalities, Gender and Redress. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

After months of primaries, a late change candidacy, blockbuster conventions, two assassination attempts, and hundreds of rallies nationwide, US citizens will finally be heading to the polls this Tuesday. To reflect on the 2024 race to the White House and put it into context by comparing it to presidential elections in the recent past, we assembled SGIA’s US Politics trio Dr. Tessa Ditonto, Associate Professor of Gender & Politics, Dr. David Andersen, Associate Professor of US Politics, and Dr. Neil Visalvanich, Associate Professor of Political Science to unpack what changed and what remained the same in this campaign compared to past presidential races. To learn more about our guests, visit their websites: Dr. Tessa Ditonto: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/tessa-m-ditonto/ Dr. David Andersen: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/david-j-andersen/ Dr. Neil Visalvanich: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/neil-visalvanich/ The link for Durham University staff and students to sign-up for our Chancellor in Conversation event is: https://pay.durham.ac.uk/event-durham/chancellor-in-conversation#:~:text=Staff%20and%20students%20are%20invited,pm%20in%20Mount%20Oswald%20Hub. Links to information and further reading on the topics covered in this episode: - Burn-Murdoch, J 2024. Will Trumpism Outlast Trump: the changed political and cultural landscape makes a rest unlikely. The Financial Times 1st November 2024 https://www.ft.com/content/3ce7ceef-9135-45ab-a4f5-412ee5037da2 {Last accessed: 1st November 2024]. - Campbell, W. J. (2022). Misfires and Surprises: Polling Embarrassments in Recent U.S. Presidential Elections. American Behavioral Scientist, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/00027642221118901. - Cassese, E.C. and Barnes, T.D., 2019. Reconciling sexism and women’s support for Republican candidates: A look at gender, class, and whiteness in the 2012 and 2016 presidential races. Political Behavior, 41, 677-700. - Ditonto, T., 2017. A high bar or a double standard? Gender, competence, and information in political campaigns. Political Behavior, 39, 301-325. - Eagly, A.H. and Karau, S.J., 2002. Role congruity theory of prejudice toward female leaders. Psychological Review, 109(3), 573. - Jennings W, Wlezien C. 2018. Election polling errors across time and space. Nature Human Behaviour 2(4):276-283. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-018-0315-6. - Junn J, Masuoka N. 2020. The Gender Gap Is a Race Gap: Women Voters in US Presidential Elections. Perspectives on Politics 18(4):1135-1145.  https://doi.org/10.1017/S1537592719003876 - Lake, C. and A. Iovino 2024. A Democratic and a Republican Pollster Agree: This Is the Fault Line That Decides the Election. The New York Times 30th October 2024: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/10/30/opinion/gender-education-gap.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare [Last accessed: 1st. November 2024]. - Sommer, U. and I. Franco 2022. Trump’s African Americans? Racial resentment and Black support for Trump in the 2020 elections. Politics, Groups and Identities 12(4), 921-947. https://doi.org/10.1080/21565503.2023.2265899 - Sommer, U. and I. Franco 2024. Solidarity in question: activation of dormant political dispositions and Latino support for Trump in 2020. European Political Science Review 16(3), 351-377. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1755773923000371 Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/

Tackling obesity has been on the UK’s public health agenda for quite some time. Recently weeks received prominence via the government's announcement that it is looking into whether the new weight-loss drugs could be used to reduce unemployment for obesity-related reasons. Joining the show to discuss obesity policy more broadly and Labour's "jabs for job" announcement is Dr. Renu Singh, an Assistant Professor of Public Policy at SGIA. Her research focuses on public health and she is finishing a book manuscript on the topic. She is also the Programme Director of our new MSc Public Policy.  To learn more about Renu and her research, visit her website: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/renu-singh/ To learn more about SGIA's new MSc Public Policy visit: https://www.durham.ac.uk/public-policy For background information on this topic see: - Unemployed could get weight loss jabs to return to work. BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjd54zd0ezjo [Last accessed: 26.10.2024]. - Weight loss jabs for jobless not dystopian - Streeting. BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgk7l30egjeo [Last accessed: 26.10.2024]. - What are weightloss jabs and how do they work? BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/clyz9xzr0d4o [Last accessed: 26.10.2024]. - Why weight-loss drugs may be no obesity silver bullet. BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czxgqp1nd1jo [Last accessed: 26.10.2024]. Music: The Good News by SHANTI from https://tunetank.com/track/263-the-good-news/