UndeRated

From the 23 to the 26 of May, the citizens of 28 (most likely 27... ) countries will vote in the largest transnational elections in the world. Over 700 members will be elected to the European Parliament and Bruzzels is buzzing with excitement. But what exactly is the European Parliament and what role does it play in the EU? With so much at stake, why has voter turnout plunged over the past four decades? What are the political groups? Are there any newbies in the race? Stick around and let Victor, Harpa and Anna walk you through the maze of EU politics (we can’t promise you’ll find the exit, though…).

Not all that glitters is gold and not all gold shines bright. Rosie Birchard helps us examine the dark glow of the EU golden visas and passports, as well as the risks and ethical questions that arise from the murky business of selling and buying EU citizenship.

Ever since the World Wide Web gave us all access to the Internet, it has fundamentally changed our communications, businesses, services and even politics. Now, policies are trying to catch up, and the Internet as we know it may be about to change for good. The European Union’s Parliament has approved a new legislation to address copyright issues in the digital era. We interview the man pushing for this regulation to kick in. MEP Axel Voss helps us untangle the reasons, the ambition and the challenges of trying to regulate the Internet. Are these measures a threat to freedom of speech online or a necessary intervention to level the playing field for copyright holders?

Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (fYROM) have for decades clashed over nine letters: M-A-C-E-D-O-N-I-A. The conflict isn’t new, but the solution is. Last June, the two nations signed an agreement that officially changes fYROM’s name to the "Republic of North Macedonia". But why did the country have to change its name in the first place? What exactly is Macedonia? Why is this happening now? And, what are the implications of the agreement being ratified by the two nations? Tune in and we will try to untangle this complex, messy situation for you.

Get ready for season 2 of UndeRated. Stay tuned. And see you in October!

Think tanks do more than just thinking. They also promote ideas, craft policies and advocate for change. But as anything human-made, they are not exempt from criticism. Can we trust their research? How impactful is it in real life? Are think tanks truly independent? And, more importantly, do we really need them or are they a luxury good we can actually spare? Tune in to UndeRated and join Matt Dann (@mattdannbrussel) in discussing what think tanks are, where they come from and where they heading to. After 12 years working at Bruegel, he knows a thing or two about it.

As our modern societies become increasingly complex and interconnected, metrics have become a guiding light for those trying to steer policy development in the right direction. But can our metrics sometimes lead us astray? Is measuring corruption trickier than it seems? Is it risky business to pray to the god of metrics - the GDP? We dig into some of the hidden dangers of taking some of our most well-known metrics at face value.

Have you ever wondered why humans do sport? Why do we watch others compete? And why on earth would we invest time, blood, sweat, tears and toil (and money, lots of money) in hopes of lifting a trophy that says "I can kick a ball better than you"? Tune in to UndeRated's latest episode and find out why sports are simply irresistible!

A shot of Tequila - mix it with some salt and lemon - and you have the recipe for a wild night you will most likely not remember! We guess you are nodding your head right now, but is this notion accurate? Well, we took to the streets of Brussels to test this theory and of course UndeRated would not be UndeRated if we did not try to look beyond the obvious when it comes to this notorious spirit! Victor, a true Tequila enthusiast, enlightens Harpa and Alex about the old and rich culture of Mexico’s national drink. We also touch upon the various myths of Tequila, the production process, its even more underrated brother “Mezcal” and compare the drinking patterns of Mexicans with the Russians and some of the European drinking champions out there that seem to think everyday of the week deserves a toast!

Tinder. One simple word, so many complexities! Tinder has ushered in a new era in the world of dating. All the single (or not) ladies and lads can now find each other more efficiently than ever before and start their happily-ever-after, thanks to modern technology and a little dating app that is making big waves! Tune in a listen to two non-Tinder users, Harpa and Alex, try to understand the mechanics behind Tinder and the rules of the game with the help of two experienced Tinder jedi-masters, Portal and Victor. We also address all the questions we know y'all wanna ask: Is Tinder bringing us true joy? Is it shaping us more than we would like to think? In the world of Tinder, is it better to be a man or a woman? Portal and Victor hold nothing back when trying to answer these cheeky questions and more ... This episode was produced by Lisa Vallese.

Harpa once contemplated whether having her kid vaccinated was a good idea. At some point, Alex was persuaded his own country did not exist. Victor being Victor still denies real quesadillas can be found in Brussels. WTF is going on? Well, in a world where fake news often seem to make more sense than facts, telling what’s real from what isn’t is more challenging than ever. Is there anything we can do about it? Yes! Tune in and listen to @Brandon Mitchener draw on his journalistic and comms experience to untangle this concept; explain why you should never trust your mum when she says she loves you; highlight the costs that misinformation brings to society; describe why it is so hard to fight fake news; and lay down some interesting solutions on how to tackle one of the most pressing issues of our modern society.

We all know that trust is the foundation of every good relationship and the same goes for societies, right? Then why do we so often overlook this aspect when discussing societal progress? Is it because it is so tricky to measure? Because it is so tricky to build? Or do we simply not really know what the heck it is when it comes to politics, policies and societies? Tune in and listen to our attempts to make sense of this underrated topic with some journalistic help courtesy of the fantastic Alex Saaedy (@ajsaeedy).

Culture is a no-brainer, right? If that's the case then how come it is so tricky to define? Is it intrinsic to the human being or can animals have culture too? Is there such a thing as “bad” culture? How is it shaping the world around us? And the most important question of all: can a computer become an award winning novelist? Well, only one thing to do… Call in the expert! Tune in and listen to the awesome Lorena Aldana (@Dianel_Aldana) tackle these questions and many more, from the most profound issues to the just plain absurd!

What’s happening this Sunday in Mexico? Well, only the largest Mexican elections eveeeeer. Believe us. It’s true. Huuuuge elections and you gonna love it. What’s up with politics in Mexico? Who are the presidential candidates? Is AMLO really Mexico’s Donald Trump? What are the pressing issues in Mexico today? Tune in and listen to Victor get the election date wrong; Harpa mispronounce the names of all of the presidential candidates; and Alex struggle to come up with something else other than drugs and corruption when thinking of Mexico. Share with us a snapshot of Mexico’s political landscape and learn why these elections are so important.

In the first episode of UndeRated, we explore the overlooked concept of emotional labour. We are joined by Svea Windwehr, a great friend and a passionate feminist. We talk about chores, Icelandic rap, toilet paper shortages, conflicts in the workplace and how a very underrated phenomenon affects all of us more than we think.

A hot tamale, a salty pretzel and a tangy fish explore the overlooked side of things by asking the questions you would never make yourself. UndeRated is the podcast that throws light on the stuff that somehow ended up in the shade.