Global Conversations

Drawing from Sidney Mintz's influential book Sweetness and Power, University of Toronto anthropologist Professor Shirley Yeung explains in an interview with Julia Chapman how sugar transformed from a luxury good to a global commodity intertwined with colonialism, labour exploitation, and economic systems.

In this episode co-produced with Munk School Black Students Association (MSBSA), Adhithya and Dan focused on four monumental Black Canadians: Lincoln Alexander, Jean Augustine, Desmond Cole, and Viola Desmond. Following this, Faith and Amie from MSBSA interviewed Kofi Hope about his accomplishments and impacts in Toronto. Tune in for more empowering stories and join us in celebrating Black History Month! 

Adhithya and Dan discuss what a liberal constitutional democracy is and why it may be on the decline worldwide. This episode features Peter Biro, a liberal constitutional democracy activist and founder of Section1.ca. Listen now! 

In this episode, migration policy advocate Christie Ma sheds new information on the ongoing situation of increased global migrations. By combining her experience as a writer and researcher, she uncovers interesting aspects following the Fall 2021 Mexico – United States border crisis in Del Rio, Texas. Using the case of Haitian migrations, she offers unique insights for U.S policymakers and global institutions on how to better serve and protect those seeking asylum.

This segment explores the importance of cooperation at the highest levels of government. Using the European Union as a lens into the gold standard of international cooperation, former Member of European Parliament Sir Graham Watson answers important questions through the use of his wealth of experiences about how we can have a more integrated world strategy. 

In this episode, Luca sits down with Dr. Darius Ornston, a professor at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto, to talk about the welfare state. Luca asks Dr. Ornston what exactly is the welfare state, what his favourite model of the welfare state is, why the government needs to play a strong role in administering it, and if Universal Basic Income should be a part of it.

In this first episode of the 2021-22 school year, podcast contributor Sky interviews Yunny, a Business Major at the Seoul National University in South Korea. Yunny shares some fascinating insights on her background, life in South Korea as a university student, how South Korea tackled COVID-19, what motivates her to stay active, her views on leadership, and the future of technology in the fitness industry. From Canada to South Korea, this episode is as global as it gets.

In this episode, Sky Shi and Prof. Joseph Wong, VP International at UofT,  engage in a very timely, personal, and frank conversation about their lived experiences as Chinese-Canadians.

The Covid-19 Pandemic has changed the world as we know it. The way in which we interact with businesses has changed. What role does the digital space play for small businesses making it through the pandemic and eventual recovery? What policies and initiatives have governments put in place to embark on the journey of recovery? In this episode we sit down with a graduate fellow from the Urban Policy lab, Madison Leisk, to discuss how main streets have changed and how the pandemic has brought to light existing weaknesses in policies supporting small businesses, then we’ll speak to Nick Vo, whose family’s small business migrated into the digital space created and a new path for a business that couldn’t otherwise operate during lockdowns. 

In this episode, Ella interviews Dr. Christopher Stuart Taylor at the University of Waterloo in the Department of History. They discuss teaching the history of sports in Canada, race, misogyny, and anti-Black racism, as well as writing migrant stories and navigating the academy. Dr. Taylor completed his PhD at Western University in History and Migration & Ethnic Relations, and also works in the Ontario Public Service. You can find the podcast we discuss, as well as the specific episode about Diego Maradona, here: https://open.spotify.com/show/2uWSN6o13xG2vuKuiCYlvD?si=YhfVS0WGTvKj8kKJ3fpGhQ. And you can find more about Dr. Taylor and his work at: https://uwaterloo.ca/history/people-profiles/christopher-taylor. 

In this episode, Ella interviews Dr. Jinsook Kim, a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for Advanced Research in Global Communication at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. They discuss online hate culture and misogyny, global digital media, feminist activism and personal storytelling in contemporary South Korea. You can find more about Dr. Kim and her work at: https://www.asc.upenn.edu/people/faculty/jinsook-kim-phd. 

In this episode, Pitasanna speaks with Francesca Albanese and Dr.Lex Takkenberg - co-authors of Palestinian Refugees in International Law. Francesca P. Albanese is an international lawyer with a specialization in human rights and refugee issues in the Arab world. Lex Takkenberg is the former Chief of the Ethics Office of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.  

In this episode, Larissa Chan and Paige Smith speak with Samaa Kazerouni about the role of multilateral organizations and governments in engaging with the private sector to promote the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in helping to create sustainable business practices. Samaa highlights the power of the private sector through their financial influence, but also through its role in service delivery, innovation, and advocacy. The podcast concludes with some of the challenges of cross-sector collaboration in implementing the SDGs, but also underlines some of the positive shifts in business behaviour. Samaa is a second-year Master of Global Affairs student with experience working in the private sector at UNICEF South Asia and Global Affairs Canada. 

Mario Draghi’s recent instalment as the 59th Prime Minister of Italy makes him the 10th person to hold that position in the last 20 years, and the 7th in just the last decade. Why are Italy's leaders unable to retain support within their own governments and among supporters? And, what kind of political reforms could Italy implement to ensure that it has more stable governments, especially during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic? In this episode of Global Conversations, Luca looks for answers to some of these questions - and many more - from Paolo Granata, an assistant Professor in Book and Media Studies at the University of Toronto.

In this special collaboration with Beyond the Headlines - a current affairs radio show produced by Master of Public Policy Students at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy - Regina sits down virtually with Hilary Lawson to talk about her recent feature contribution to Global Conversations' winter 2021 issue: "Nunavut’s Connectivity Gap Signals an Opportunity for China in the Arctic." They discuss, among other things, the technological and infrastructural gap between Canada and its arctic communities, how COVID-19 has widened that gap, and the geopolitical role of Canada's arctic regions.

In this episode, Sky seeks to understand the past, present and future of the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela with the help of Dr. Judith Teichman, Professor of Political Science and International Development at the University of Toronto. Prof. Teichman provides our listeners with a thorough overview of how this crisis has impacted the economy, migratory patterns and political landscape of Venezuela.

In this episode, Paige and Regina continue their conversation with Professor Ivan Kalmar on the rise of populism, how it started, where it has manifested, and how it's operationalized in the case of Hungary under Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

In this episode, Paige and Regina sit down with Professor Ivan Kalmar to discuss the rise of populism, how it started, where it has manifested, and how it's operationalized in the case of Hungary under Prime Minister Viktor Orban. From religion to migration, Dr. Kalmar provides his insight on the positionality of Central Europe in the midst of this global wave.

In this episode, Global Affairs student Luca Bonifacio-Proietto invites Dr. Peter Loewen to discuss the results of the 2020 US Election, Donald Trump’s attacks on American democracy over the course of his presidency, and what the United States might look like under the leadership of Joe Biden. This episode was recorded prior to the insurrection of the US Capitol on January 6th, 2021.

In this episode, Sky sits down (virtually) with Dr. Graeme Moffat, a Senior Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, and the Chief Scientist and Vice President of Regulatory Affairs with Interaxon: a Toronto-based world leader in consumer neurotechnology. They discuss - among other things - brain-computer interfaces (or BCIs), mental health, Elon Musk, and Neuralink: a start-up working to develop a device which Musk has described as a "Fitbit in your skull," with the potential to cure paralysis, deafness, blindness, and other neurological ailments.

In this episode, Paige Smith talks to Sara Beiruiti and Christian Tramontin - the Munk students running the on-campus Science for Peace group at the University of Toronto - about their organization's ongoing engagement in the conversation about climate change and non-proliferation.To learn more and connect with Science for Peace, check out https://scienceforpeace.ca or facebook.com/science4peace or the U of T Campus Group’s Instagram at @sfp.uoft.

In this episode, Paige Smith speaks to Professor Richard Sandbrook about his organization, Science for Peace, and how it is working to educate and conduct research in the fields of peace, sustainability and justice. Be sure to check out Part 2 of this series to hear from the MGA students running the Science for Peace on-campus group at the University of Toronto.To learn more and connect with Science for Peace, check out https://scienceforpeace.ca or facebook.com/science4peace.

In this episode, Shail Vin talks to Ellie O’Neill about how her social business – Powwater - is trying to help solve the global water crises by investing in local entrepreneurs across the developing world. They discuss Powwater’s fundraising model through sale of drink wear, as wells as the new digital marketplace the company is launching in Kenya. They also discuss the macroeconomic side of the global water crisis.

In this podcast, Pitasanna speaks with Tom Collina, Director of Policy at Ploughshares Fund, about the ongoing threat posed by nuclear weapons and the people who decide when they should (or shouldn't) be used. Tom also discusses his recent book, The Button: The New Nuclear Arms Race and Presidential Power from Truman to Trump, which he co-authored with former United States Secretary of Defense William Perry,

In this episode, Larissa and Dr. Uahikea Maile pick up where they left off in the previous episode, and discuss the failures of state-centred Indigenous (re)conciliation and what needs to change in order for Indigenous rights and sovereignty to be recognized. They speak about how state-centred acts of (re)conciliation perpetuate Eurocentric understands of Indigenous life, violence, and genocide, which ultimately conceal ongoing acts of colonialism and neglect to acknowledge Indigenous-led, bottom-up approaches to healing. Using Canada, Dr. Maile shows how Canadian institutions and rules are steeped in colonialism, and thus, pushing to the forefront Indigenous sovereignty necessitates fundamental restructuring of legal and political institutions.

In this episode, Larissa interviews Dr. Uahikea Maile - a Kanaka Maoli Indigenous Hawaiian who is a professor of Indigenous politics at the University of Toronto, as well as an activist. They discuss Indigenous sovereignty and settler colonialism through the lens of the Thirty Meter Telescope project in Hawaii, which aims to build a telescope on the top of Mauna Kea - a sacred mountain to Indigenous Hawaiians and part of un-ceded national Hawaiian lands. Larissa and Dr. Maile also talk about how colonialism exists and is reinforced through state and educational institutions, both of which are contributing massive funds for the Thirty Meter Telescope project. Drawing on the annexation of Hawaii and its stolen lands, Dr. Maile also speaks about how settler science is a form of techno-scientific conquest and a continuation of colonialism.

In this episode, Paige Smith sits down with Global Conversations NewsWatch writer, Imran Bayoumi, to talk about his recently published article: “Will a Biden win spell victory for American multilateralism?” Paige and Imran discuss president-elect Joe Biden's potential stance on foreign policy as President of the United States, as well as the fate of American multilateralism in the post-Trump era.

In this episode we interview Izzy Jones, a second year Master of Global Affairs student at Munk who studies disinformation and far-right media. Ella and Izzy discuss the upcoming US federal election on November 2nd and consider the influences of conspiracy theories and far-right groups on American electoral politics, as well as these group's relationship to candidate and President Donald Trump and the global reach of online far-right efforts. You can find the animated data graphic Ella mentions at the start of the episode here: https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/interactives/political-polarization-1994-2017/.

In this episode of Global Conversations, Simon Malevich and Erica Wilson have a socially-distanced discussion on the current outbreak of COVID-19. Key pivotal events are discussed such as early warning signs of a pandemic, the situation around medical supplies, and divergent responses from national governments. Join us as we consider the economic and social impacts the pandemic has had on our world, including workers' rights, workplace culture, and financial and psychological supports.

In this episode, Regina meets with Jesse Martin (MGA1) and Brody Hoppenheim(MGA2) to discuss their recent trip to Japan with the Kakehashi Project. This project seeks to build and maintain relationships politically, socially, and culturally between Canada and Japan and provides 50 Canadians with the opportunity to visit each year! We discuss their experiences, COVID-19, and much more!For more information please see below:Asia-Pacific Foundation of Canada https://www.asiapacific.ca/education/kakehashi-projectThe Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy https://munkschool.utoronto.ca/csgj/kakehashi/

This is an episode in a series about Munk second-year students recounting their experiences during their global internships. Each podcast broadcasts their unique experiences at their workplaces, culture shock, and advice for first-year Munk students who are about the embark on their own internship journey.In this episode, Emily Tsui discusses her time with the Permanent court of arbitration at the Singapore office. Emily shares her thoughts on applying, what her work involved, and daily life in Singapore.

This episode is part of a continuing series on the Global Conversations podcast, Environmental Governance Lab: in Conversation. In this episode, Anthony and Reginafinish their conversation with professor Cochrane, and turn their attention towards innovation in Canada’s oil and gas sector, the United States’ role in encouraging climate action in Canada, the “election about nothing,” and much more!

This episode is part of a continuing series on the Global Conversations podcast, Environmental Governance Lab: in Conversation.In this episode, Anthony and Regina get political with Christopher Cochrane to discuss the politicization of the climate issue, the relationship between political ideology and attitudes toward climate policy, Canada’s political climate following the recent election, and much more! Christopher is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Toronto and the University of Toronto Scarborough. He is the author of Left and Right: The Small World of Political Ideas (MQUP, 2015) and co-author, with Kelly Blidook and Rand Dyck, of Canadian Politics: Critical Approaches (Nelson, 2016). His research interests are Canadian politics, ideology, party competition, and computational social science.

In this episode of Global Conversations, Charlotte and Mohit break down the process of the impeachment trial of U.S. President Donald Trump. They lay out the Constitutional process of impeachment and then analyze the case against President Trump, while also speculating of what the political landscape of 2020 may look like.

This episode is part of a continuing series on the Global Conversations podcast. This series, second-year students at Munk recount their experiences during their global internships. Each podcast broadcasts the unique experiences of Munk students at the workplace, their response to culture shock, and advice for first-year students. In this episode, Kix McRae tells the story of her experience in Myanmar interning at the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance. Kix also shares some interesting particularities of Myanmar culture as well as potential areas for culture shock.Find more on Kix and her experiences here: https://www.munkgc.com/internship-diaries/international-institute-for-democracy-and-electoral-assistance-myanmar/

This episode is part of a continuing series on the Global Conversations podcast, EnvironmentalGovernance Lab: In Conversation. In this episode, Anthony and Regina sit down with Heather Millar to discuss her prospects for Canadian climate policy following the 2019 federal election. Heather is an SSHRC postdoctoral fellow at the Institute for Science, Society, and Policy at the University of Ottawa, and was previously a fellow with the Environmental Governance Lab at the Munk School.