Political Bark

Welcome to a episode of PB; Great with the Israeli Ambassador to Norway. We discussed the ongoing protests in Israel against the governments changes to the judiciary system and appointment of judges, the war in Europe and it's impact on Israel as well as the Israeli-Palestine conflict. Tune in

Amal has dedicated her life and career to breaking stereotypes about Arabs (especially Arab women) from her native country of Lebanon. This fall, she is releasing a new book that gives the world an intimate glimpse into the “silent” Arab generation that came of political age in the 1980s. Read more about miss Ghandour here: https://amalghandour.com

Dear listener, thank you for tuning in again to Political Bark, for an interesting and important interview with the Hungarian Ambassador to France. We discuss French-Hungarian relations, the war in Europe, economic changes and political unity in Europe. Most importantly we also discuss what “to tell the youth” about the multiple crisis' that are ongoing, in light of the Ambassadors late father, Otto Von Habsburg, and his wisdom both in life and politics. To know more about what advice Von Habsburg might have given, and what the Ambassador says - make sure to tune in!

“The EU and Türkiye partnership in 2022”

Racism and discrimination are sadly common occurences in France in 2022. Here is an insider conversation on this topic and a snapshot into the life of Algerian born Iskander Ramadan, live from Marseille, France. Tune in!

In this episode of Political Bark I speak with the Egyptian Ambassador to Norway about the Ukraine/Russia War and Egypt's more pragmatic position. As I discuss with H.E the Ambassador, right now, in this intense and volatile global climate, it is required that we look for solutions that lead to peace and communication instead of those leading to war. In order to get new and refreshing perspectives on solutions t we need to hear from those countries that are acting and positioned more neutrally in this war. Egypt is such a country - that has a strategically very interesting position right now; being a neutral actor, thriving on important bilateral agreements and relations with both the Kremlin, Ukraine, the EU and Washington today. Together we also discuss the detrimental consequences the war is having on third countries, such as those in the Middle East and in North Africa where the price of wheat and other commodities has doubled these last weeks. Tune in for an interesting and important episode!

In this week's episode of Political Bark I am speaking with the Hungarian Ambassador to Norway, H.E. Eszter Sandorfi. We are discussing the Hungarian responses to the Ukrainian - Russian war, and the ongoing refugee inflow coming across the border from Ukraine. In only 3 weeks, we see more than 200.000 refugees entering Hungary from Ukraine. This inflow has naturally caused a need for an immediate and elevated effort from both the Hungarian government and its people. In this 'Snapshot from Hungary' - episode we get first hand insights into these responses from the ambassador, whom recently returned from Budapest. If you are interested in donating to organizations that work at the border and in Hungary right now, please donate to: Magyar Maltai Szeretetszolgalat - Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta: IBAN: HU34 11763842 0014881 000 0000 swift: OTPVHUHB Tune in!

With the Chairman of the Political Science Youth organization of Bulgaria, Sergey Petrov, Political Bark tackles the topic of the ongoing crisis between Ukraine, Russian and the West. In this conversation we discuss a weakened EU, and a tactical and strategic strong Kremlin. The biggest loser is Ukraine, which since the war in 2014 contines to suffer from a weakened economy and society due to external pressures. Tune in!

Hvordan kan vi hjelpe unge ut av gjengmiljøer og ut av kriminelle miljøer? I denne episoden av Political Bark snakker jeg med Usman Ali (Oslo Kommune) som jobber med ungdomskriminelle hver dag, og som vet veldig mye om gjengmiljøer i Oslo etter ti-års erfaring som Politibetjent der (PB3), som vokst opp på Grorud i en Norsk-Pakistansk familie, og som har jobbet lenge i det offentlige med unge kriminelle. Usman kan alt om verktøyene som vil bidra til å hjelpe unge ut av kriminelle miljøer - da han bruker disse hver da - og han vet hva samfunnet trenger å gjøre nå. Slik vi diskuterer og kommer frem i denne uformelle samtalen, er det verdi-problemer i det norske samfunnet som gjør at unge blir med i gjenger: De unge lever utenfor 'det normale' og det er ingen som ønsker å ta dem med videre heller, inn i stor-samfunnet. Det at unge marginaliseres og hele bydeler marginaliseres noe skaper utenforskap og negative konsekvenser - slik som gjengkriminalitet. Unge søker seg til gjenger fordi de føler mening, spenning og trygghet der. Og så lenge storsamfunnet ikke kan bidra med stabilitet, glede og motivasjon, vil unge forsette å bli med i gjenger og søke ut kriminelle miljøer. Når familien ikke kan ta vare på sine unge, er det samfunnet som skal gjøre det, men når samfunnet ikke ønsker det heller, så blir gjengen en ideell løsning. Hvordan kan vi så hjelpe de unge? -Vet at vi erkjenner at vi ikke kan tilsidesette hele bydeler og hele minoritetsgrupper, kun fordi de ikke ligner oss selv - i storsamfunnet - det hjelper ikke å pøse millioner inn i fotballbaner og fritdsklubber på østkanten hvis viljen og respekten ikke er der: Når vi erkjenner at våre minoriteter også er 'som oss' vil problemet forsvinnet, gradvis. Ikke fall for at disse unge som ser annerledes ut enn oss ikke er som oss - de trenger å bli sett, hørt og verdsatt.

Are you curious about the future of the EU? Then you should listen in to this conversation with Politicking me Off (Kaniskh, University of Mumbai), as we discuss potential scenarios for the future of the EU, and the ongoing crisis between Brussels/Von Der Leyen and Poland - Hungary. As all political issues are, this is also a highly complicated and conflictual one that needs a great deal of attention and care right now. We both hope for a smooth solution to the crisis, and an EU where member states and their sovereignty remains respected, while states enjoy taking part in an economic and social union also. We discuss the role of the USA and Russia in today's crisis, and try to come to a (ambitious) agreement on what the EU might look like in year 2100.

Hi listeners! Are you curious about events happening in Afghanistan and in Kabul from a local's perspective? Then please make sure to listen to this episode where we discuss the Taliban, women's situation today, every day life with the Taliban, the economy, and how recent events have changed Afghanistan, in just some months. My guest is Karim Kakar, PHD student at Punjab University.

Are you looking for a full picture of Afghanistan in 2021? Are you looking to get an understanding of the local population, their views on the Talibans & their relation to them? Do you know who the stakeholders in the region are? What about the national interest of Turkey, Qatar and Pakistan in the conflict? Afghan women and the Taliban, or how they will be treated onwards? What about the US's quick pull out, and the damage done to its reputation as a key security & peacekeeper internationally? Hear this, and more, in Afghanistan 2.0

Welcome to a new episode of Political Bark ! In this episode of Political Bark I speak with writer and presenter Sandra Gathmann (Al Jazeera) about her life, career and perspectives on journalism in 2021. This conversation is a relaxed, informal and friendly chat that I hope you enjoyed listening to it as much as I did recording it! Photo credit: AJ EN

Join me in this week's episode of Political Bark straight from the square outside the Norwegian Parliament where I speak with my good friend Lea, from Beirut. We are gathered today on the 04 of August 2021 to commemorate  the tragic event that happened a year ago in Beirut, where 200+ lost their lives and 6500+ were injured. Lebanon is in a deep crisis; political, economic, social. And the future is dark. With mismanagement and corruption being the norm for decades, the future of the country is simply put, depressing.  The only solution now is a strong French plan for the country and for the corrupt elite, as well as potential UN involvement. International reactions against the corrupt elite in power are much needed from abroad, so spread the word! Following is a brief but en-lighting  peak into Lea's story, enjoy!

Welcome to a new episode of Political Bark In this episode I interview Halvard Wideroe, a political scientists and engineer. We discuss the 'small' topic of the world moving from a 'unipolar setting' to a 'multipolar world order'. We have all seen the cold relationship between China, Russia and the US/West. We are actually in the middle of somewhat of a propaganda war between the two poles. What we are seeing is in my opinion a shift from a world order, to another one. This means that power dynamics, alliances, and the economy is shifting, replacing a model which we have followed since the end of the cold war and up until today. What we have seen from 1945 to 1991 might be a resemblance of what is to come, according to some scholars, and in this episode of Political Bark we attempt to predict how, and why. Tune in! Links to relevant scholars speaking on the subject: -The future of the liberal world order by John Ikenberry and John Mearsheimer -Caspian Report: Decline of Russia's Putin -The retreat of Western Liberalism: Peter Zeihan -Life after the end of the world: Peter Zeihan

Are you curious about local events in Russia in 2021? Check out this recent episode that Political Bark has done with an expert in the field: Jakub Godzmirski. I ask Jakub about Russia's place in the world: In terms of the high north (Arctic), the USA, Norway, as a force to be reckoned with, and as a main producer of crude oil and gas. What happens when we switch to more renewable energy forms and our dependency (EU) on Russia lessens? Which role will Russia play in the world the next decade? An important one according to Godzmirski. However, as Political Bark points out, driving a zero sum game with neighbors and distant allies (or enemies) is not the smartest way to behave internationally. Last but not least, who is Navalny? Why is Navalny important? Why is he a disruptor? PS: TECHNICAL ISSUE - Sorry for bad sound quality. Tune in !

In this week's episode of Political Bark, I speak with Ambassador Hesham Youssef (United States Institute of Peace). Right now, Israeli led attacks have started again at holy sites in Palestine, only hours after a much sought after peace agreement between Palestine and Israel was negotiated. The continuous cycle of violence that erupts every few months, and years, needs to end: The US needs to orchestrate the road that will led to the end, and to the creation of a two state solution. This episode bases itself on a recent publication by Ambassador Youssef (found here https://www.usip.org/publications/2021/05/10-steps-washington-can-take-after-de-escalation-war-gaza) and is an informal, and important discussion, including a Q&A from Political Bark's listeners on the ongoing war. Read more about Ambassador Youssef here: https://www.usip.org/people/ambassador-hesham-youssef Tune in!

In this episode of Political Bark, I have the pleasure of having writer and activist Nancy Herz with me as a guest, speaking on the topic of 'Identity in 2021'. Growing up in Norway, with Lebanese parents, Nancy is the product of a multicultural, multi-religious and multi-linguistic background: What effect has that had on her, from a youngster until today?  I have always been curious about how we can help young people create strong foundations and strong identities, even in very multicultural and bipolar societies, such as the way in which Norway can be at times. The future holds for more multicultural and international populations, not less; it is therefore our responsibility, us being 'a mixed bunch' to make way and to create equitable and strong foundations, that can thrive in multi-polarity, multi-ethnic and multicultural settings. Nancy Herz is an expert at this. Tune in! (Picture by Leikny Havik Skjærseth)

In this informal chat I speak with Cafecitos Ricos - the new podcast that is going to help thousands of LatinX (and others) in moving forward when it comes to understanding investment, finance, and how to make money - and grow your income. Cafecitos Ricos is a new podcast created by Stef & Betty, two hard working, ambitious and kind women, that want to give back to their communities - by helping women climb the money ladder, and especially so the Latina women in the US and abroad. Check them out on instagram: CafecitosRicos.  In this episode I also give my listeners 5 steps when starting their own podcast; which are 5 steps I wish I knew when I started Political Bark. Tune in!

Hello and welcome to a new episode of Political Bark! In this week's episode I speak with Johnny Abu Issa (Studio Johnny Salon). We talk about the jantelov, discrimination, motivation & hard work. Johnny Is one of thousands of refugees in Norway. This is only one of many succes stories that we discuss. Johnny shares his 3 tips when «making It in Norway». Tune in

Welcome to a new episode of Political Bark. In this special episode for the International Women's day, I speak with Design Anthropologist and psychologist, Anna Kirah (US). We have an open, informal and honest conversation on what it is like to be a foreigner in Norway, seeing the country from a "insider - outsider perspective"; we speak about gender equality in Norway, discrimination, sexism, and what it is like being a woman in the workplace in 2021. In order to talk about these issues, I firstly learn a lot about Anna Kirah's fascinating experiences from all of the world, from the time she was a little girl, where she learned to master the skills of "observing human behavior" and all the way towards her move back to Norway later in life.  Anna's life journey and her experiences have very much shaped her into becoming an anthropologist, psychologist and master of human behavior; and especially focused on how technology and human needs come together in the 21st century. Anna Kirah worked at Boeing as a Senior Researcher and later at Microsoft as a Chief Design Anthropologist (a job title created for her), where she did revolutionary work by using "people centered approaches" in her analysis, understanding tech from a human needs perspective. Make sure to listen to her ted Talks and other talks on Youtube and to check out her published books! Happy Women's day 2021!

Together with the podcast “My New Politics” (London) hosted by Alex Benn Amir, we discuss the important topic of Interfaith Dialogue in 2021. The topic is of high importance right now for a multitude of reasons ranging from the existence and growth of extremism, conflict, and even war (especially outside Europe) - to more institutionalized reasons (especially in Europe) such as the clear need to find a better way of living together. Western societies are becoming more and more heterogeneous and complex, and the binding glue that unifies us as citizens is at times hard to understand and see. We need and interfaith dialogue not only between religions but also between all groups of society in order to combat dark forces such as radicalism, racism, discrimination and inequalities in 2021. Tune in for this informal conversation and leave a comment ☪️✝️

Virginity testing in 2021 - a live conversation with Dehli based @PolitTickingmeOff (India) and Political Bark

In this episode of Political Bark the show “Food Checking” (Le Parisien) is the topic. The show is hosted and made by Hadrien Gonzales, and throughout this conversation he gives us insights into how he started his show, how he creates it on a weekly basis, and some insight into the different types of journalism that exists these days: we wonder - has the art of being a journalist become a tad too “egocentric”? How can one create stories and content that the consumers like? How does “Food Checking” produce content that consumers want to know more about? Find out this and more in this week's episode! ✔️

Yoweri Museveni is a Ugandan politician who has been President of Uganda since 1986. Today he was re-elected as President, serving his 36th year. Tune in and learn about him, his opponent Mr Bobi Wine, and the current democratic situation in Uganda, as I have the privilege to speak with Maren H.Bjørgum live from Nairobi

I speak with political scientist and engineer Halvard Widerøe as we discuss these important questions: especially focusing on Biden's first steps as the new president, will he be forced to focus on a desperate situation at home (covid19, economy, divisions) or will he be able to re-launch the US as an important and respected (and trusted) world player?

DONATIONS to: Hayastan All Armenian Fund: https://www.himnadram.org/en • Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Russia are the key actors in the conflict, that was swiftly settled some days ago. Political Bark speaks with Dr. Gevorg Avetikyan about the causes of the conflict and the potential outcomes

Multicultural society in Norway: Political Bark podcast in conversation with novelist Ole-Asbjørn Ness In this episode of Political Bark podcast, host Sophie Matláry has invited Norwegian novelist Ole-Asbjørn Ness to discuss the topic of “Multicultural society in Norway in 2020”. In fact, this topic is very relevant right now. These times are extremely challenging for multicultural societies - such as in light of recent events in Francis, where a whole nation is preparing to re-define the concept of a multicultural France, and what that entails In Norway, we are luckily far from facing the same challenges, but we are however still needing to make some changes to our societies. That is why this episode of Political Bark especially analyzes the existing multicultural model in Norway. As Ole-Asbjørn Ness comments in the episode “in Norway, we pretend that anyone can be of any identity and religion and still be Norwegian, and still integrate. That is however not the case, as the examples of people used to prove this point, are always those that have more or leas taken on all the secular Norwegian values. People such as politicians Abi Raja or Hadia Tajik”. In fact, Ness points out the apparent hypocrite dimension of our current model, a topic that has never really been discussed openly before.

Join me for this intimate conversation with Mr. Nihal, a refugee from Sudan. He gives us an insight into his journey as a refugee, since the age of 12 years old; walking from Sudan to Ethiopia - having friends being eaten by hyenas; others by deadly bacteria or lack of food. He tells me about his current hardships as a African refugee in an Arab country - as we together proceed to look for the solutions to the migration crisis; and discuss Its mostly failed policies. Check out the little sequence of Sudanese Jazz in the Middle of the episode for a small break

In this informal chat, I speak with some interesting people in Budapest. I am curious to ask what they think about the current political climate in Hungary, and also what they think about the international press and their writings about Hungary. As many have seen or read, Hungary is heavily criticized by the European Parliament for its corona legislations; calling them “not in line with the EU's values”; however, much of this legislation has been removed or reduced. PM Orbán is also often in the spotlight especially so in Western media. The Us freedom house recently called Hungary a “hybrid between a democracy and a dictatorship”. I am curious to hear what young Hungarian say about that. As all the topics that are covered in my podcast, this is an equally difficult one to conclude on. The situation in Hungary can and should be seen from many perspectives, but what I have come to understand is that the politics and current events in Hungary are part of a delicate issue with many stake holders. It is in fact a myriad of things: traditions, conservative values and liberal ones, historical events and social changes, but also geography (Budapest vs periphery), demography and social background. Indeed, Hungary is often pulled between two shores, one being a post modern and “liberal” one, and one being a more traditional one, more alike the Hungary that has existed for a long time.

In this episode of Political Bark I speak with IR & Middle East politics expert, Elias Dahrouge (Corvinus University, HU) about Lebanon in 2020. Dahrouge is of Lebanese-Hungarian origin and therefore gives us an insiders perspective on current affairs in Beirut. We look at questions such as “what lead to the deep economic crisis”, “why is there zero trust in the government”, “how is Lebanon's political ruling elite set up - and why are they hated by the people?”, and finally; “Who will save the Lebanese people from despair onwards, if their own government wont?” These are all hard questions to answer, but Dahrouge gives us an honest outlook on his reflections and expectations for the future of his country. Tune in!

In this episode of Political Bark, I have the pleasure of speaking with Ambassador Youssef, currently in Washington D.C (See bio below). I ask about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, especially in regards to Prime Minister Netanyahu's  annexation plans. What are the international stances on the annexation?  How are France, Germany, Jordan and Egypt forming a never before seen "New Quartet" , asking for more negotiations instead of a escalation of the conflict; and what are the possible future scenarios for the conflict;  is there any way to achieve lasting peace, perhaps modeled on the peace agreements between Egypt-Israel or Jordan-Israel? Find out in today's episode. Biography: Ambassador Hesham Youssef was a career diplomat with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Egypt. From 2014-2019, he served as Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian, Cultural and Social Affairs of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and completed his term in July 2019. From 2001-2014, he served as a senior official in the Arab League, as Official Spokesman and later the Chief of Staff to Secretary General Amr Moussa from 2003- 2011. From 2012-2014, Mr. Youssef was a Senior Advisor to the Secretary General of the Arab League, Dr. Nabil Elaraby, on issues pertaining to crisis management as well as the reform of the Arab League. Amb. Youssef has worked extensively on conflict resolution in the Middle East and in particular the Arab Israeli conflict, reconciliation in Iraq and the situation in Sudan. He has written several papers on reform in the Arab world and focused in the last five years on fragility and the humanitarian situation in the Islamic world, in particular in Somalia, the Palestinian Territories, Chad, Niger and Myanmar. Amb. Youssef joined the Egyptian Foreign Ministry in 1985. He was posted to the Egyptian Embassy in Canada (1988-1992) and the Egyptian Mission in Geneva where he focused on economic and trade issues in the United Nations and the World Trade Organization (1995-1999). He was a member of the Cabinet of the Egyptian Minister for Foreign Affairs in the periods 1992-1995 and 1999-2001.

Libya is a battlefield, and many fear that it is becoming the new Syria. What was Libya like during Qaddafi's rule? Some say it was a lot better than the chaos that has taken it today, others say external involvement was necessary.  What was President Sarkozy and Berlusconi's roles, and why were they so involved? Who is General Haftar, and what local support does he have in Libya? What are President Erdogans motives in Libya? And perhaps more nerve-wrecking today - will there be a rapid escalation in Libya - pushing the country into an even more disastrous war? Find out in this week's episode of Political Bark. translator: Nouredine El-Senawi

In this week's episode we ask the Israeli Ambassador to Norway, H.E Ambassador Alon Roth about migration: models, waves and integration, both before and today to Israel - and why migration to Israel is succesful. Where did the first migrants come from, how did the integration occur, does one have to be of Jewish religion to migrate to Israel today? Tune in for an interesting and pleasant conversation about a sometimes disputed topic.

We had the pleasure of speaking with Benjamin Haddad, French Scholar and head of the Future Europe Initative for the Washington Based think tank «Atlantic Council». Haddad is originally French and was the Washington DC representative of Emmanuel Macron's movement En Marche in 2017.

In this episode of Political Bark, we speak with Morten Jentoft, who is NRK´s Moskva correspondent  (the Norwegian government-owned radio and television public broadcasting company) since the 80´s.  We enjoy a very interesting conversation about Russia before and today, as well as Norwegian-Russian relations, cultural and historical similarities as well as differences, and ask questions about his latest book: On the espionage case involving the Norwegian man Frode Berg, released not long ago from prison.

In this episode of Political Bark we speak with professor Balkan Devlen, professor in Political Science specializing in forecasting of political change and events in society. We analyze Turkey in the Middle-East and on the world scene, specifically asking about President Erdogan´s next move with regards to allies and neighbors.  We also learn more about the task of forecasting and probability calculations. Tune in!  

Political Bark is thankful for this informing conversation with Ambassador Amr Ramadan as we hear new thoughts on China and international relations (trade-relations, political, economic and cultural), about the Covid19 situation in Egypt, Egyptian-Norwegian relations, as well as on ethnicity and race in Egypt - with reference to the ongoing protests in the US (#black lives matter). Note that after the episode is over, we have added a top of the charts Egyptian summer song, 3 Daqat - Abu Ft. Yousra ثلاث دقات - أبو و يسرا for a little introduction to summer in Egypt, enjoy!

Political Bark is very excited to speak with Anita Khron Traaseth in this weeks episode about "Change". Anita is a member of the European Innovation Council Advisory Board (EIC) and former CEO of Innovation Norway and HP Norway. She is a business manager and writer, and started her career as a traineed for IBM in 1996. She has received several awards for her work there, and is a big name both in business and in Norwegian society. In 2014 she published the book "God Nok for De Svina" (Good enough for those pigs): A leaders thoughts on courage, vunerabiilty, and cedibility. She also has her own podcast, with the same name, to be found here: https://podtail.com/no/podcast/godt-nok-for-de-svina-en-mentorpodkast/ With Anita, we speak about change, how to effectively manage and tackle change, as well as how different people (especially men and women) react to change. We also touch upon the importance of good leadership when it comes to driving an organization through big change, where Anita draws upon her experience from Innovation Norway and HP. (picture: Tore Sætre)

In this episode, Political Bark has a video-conversation with Miss Passand El Hammami, an entrepreneur, business owner and start-up success-story, with her brand and Cafe, Sea Salt Bakery http://www.seasaltbakery.com/ This episode is not an podcast episode, but a video one, so it is shared on our instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/politicalbark/ and Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/Political-Bark-100229255000866 Passand gives an authentic and truthful insight into her life as a business owner in the Middle East, highlighting her challenges as a woman, but also how her hardships again turned fruitful, as she invested in her dream, Seasalt Bakery.

In this week´s episode of Political Bark we discuss right wing terrorism and how we talk about right wing terrorists. With us, we have Bjørn Ihler, Utøya survivor, peace activist, and part of the Kofi Annan "Extreme Together"  foundation, that works on combatting terrorism. Ihler gives us the necessary perspectives and explanations as to why some are called terrorists, while others are called "shooters". We dicuss this from a Norwegian perspective, however draw on examples and numbers from the US. We try to ask and understand why there is a bias in media and elsewhere in the coverage of right wing terrorism. Photo: Erik Roseth

In this week's episode of Political Bark we discuss the personality trait grit and body pressure. We look at what grit is, where it might come from and how it affects our ability to succeed. Moreover, what negative traits might come with grit when it is applied to the world of sports and body-pressure. We raise the question of whether we are training to be gritty or skinny? To help us answer these questions, we speak with Cecilia Brækhus, world renown boxer and only female boxer to hold all five world championship titles simultaneously. Photo: Terje Bendiksby

Gangs are unique, and so are their raison d'être. If we want to help young people out of gangs, we need to also come up with tailored and suitable ways to do so. In this episode of Political Bark we discuss criminal gangs. We explore the reasons people, and especially youth decided to join gangs, what they gain from such a membership, and what can lead them to commit both petty but also atrocious acts of violence. Senior Lecturer at King´s College London, Dr. Kieran Mitton, who specializes in field research on violence and marginalized youth, with extensive field research from Sierra Leon, Brazil and South Africa is our guest today. He reflects on the psychology of gangs, the different reasons individuals choose gang membership, and highlights which public policies are effective and which are counterproductive in addressing gang related issues. As mentioned at the end of this episode, everyone needs to check out this great initiative and important NGO: WAYout that helps young gang members in Sierra Leona leave gangs and gang milieus, aiding them in transferring their skills to other things - such as music, film and writing. "WAYout changes the lives of street, vulnerable and conflict affected young people through the arts. We offer training and shelter, make films that can effect change and record music that enables the excluded to re-engage. We promote artistic freedom, education and empowerment". http://www.wayoutarts.org/

In this episode of Political Bark, we discuss the debate culture in Norway. We look at a major survey conducted by the Norwegian Media Authority (medietilsynet) in 2019 on "critical media understanding" which concludes that 7 out 10 Norwegians have never participated in debates in media channels, be it on facebook or in the press. We also delve into what characterizes the Norwegian debate culture, and what consequences this might have. To help us shed light on this topic with talk with novelist, Ole Asbjørn Ness who has a background in economics, philosophy and takes an active part in Norwegian public discourse. He reflects on how Norway's a consensus-driven culture, "Jante-loven", and generational differences might play into our debate culture - and what consequences this might have. Photo credit: Niklas Lello

In this episode of Political Bark, we review the different policy alternatives to tackling the pandemic. We examine the particular strengths and challenges that the African continent faces. To gain insight on this topic, we speak The Ambassador for the Kingdom of Morocco to Norway, Madame Lamia Radi, as she gives a national standpoint on what is being done in Morocco. She also reflects on the role of supranational entities and the nation state. 

In this episode of Political Bark, we analyze the possible positive consequences of the corona pandemic and ask Riiber Knudsen about the tech environment and tech eco-system in Norway: where is it at today, what model does it belong to, and will it experience growth in a time of crisis? We are especially interested in analyzing the Norwegian tech environment compared to that of established start up nations, such as the US and Israel.

This first episode of Political Bark was created in the midst of the Corona pandemic. It features Sophie Matlary and Professor Haaland Matlary, (Political science, University of Oslo) as she answers questions about the pandemic and different international organizations but also nation states´reactions. Some of the questions that are covered in the episode: In what way is the world working together, or separate, in fighting the pandemic? What are different nations doing, where do they cooperate, and what is the role of the EU? Is this a common effort, requiring that we put aside political and historical differences? what can we predict after the pandemic? will we all act unified in order new pandemics? #EU #Russia #China #Coronapandemic