Best UC3P Podcasts (2025)

1
Criminal Governance in Brazil | Benjamin Lessing 1:00:53

2M ago1:00:53

1:00:53

In this episode, Professor Benjamin Lessing unpacks the dynamics of organized crime and informal governance in Brazil. He discusses how extra-legal organizations operate as alternative authority structures—stepping into the vacuum left by weak state presence. Traditional law enforcement often fails to dismantle them, requiring innovations in policy…

1
Congo in Crisis: History, Minerals, and Power | Eduardo Montero 44:38

4M ago44:38

44:38

This episode explores the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo through the lens of historical legacies, regional dynamics, and international interests. Our guest, Professor Eduardo Montero, introduces the current crisis and its deep roots in colonial exploitation, institutional fragility, and unresolved tensions from past conflicts.…

1
What’s Next for Ukraine? | Roger Myerson 51:52

5M ago51:52

51:52

This episode features Professor Roger Myerson, Nobel Laureate (2007) and Professor at the University of Chicago. We discuss the war in Ukraine through his on-the-ground experience and academic expertise. Professor Myerson reflects on the political, social, and technological shifts he has witnessed since the war began. The conversation examines how …

1
Behavioral Science to Conflict Mitigation | Rebecca Wolfe 51:52

6M ago51:52

51:52

This episode features Professor Rebecca J. Wolfe, senior lecturer and Executive Director of International Policy & Development at the Harris School of Public Policy. Drawing on her extensive experience designing conflict prevention and violence reduction programs worldwide, Dr. Wolfe explores how behavioral science can be leveraged to mitigate conf…

1
Intro to Third Spaces 49:37

6M ago49:37

49:37

Third time's the charm, right? With home and work being the two places we are at most often, there is something special about whatever your third space is. Whether it is your church, local bar, art studio, or the gym, these places are where people choose to go to enjoy themselves and those around them. Without institutionalized roles, these places …

1
Paths to Reconciliation | Sergio Jaramillo Caro 52:08

6M ago52:08

52:08

This episode explores strategies for finding consensus between the government and rebel insurgencies. We spoke with Sergio Jaramillo Caro, former High Commissioner for Peace in Colombia, who led the secret negotiations between the Colombian government and the FARC guerrillas, culminating in the Final Agreement in 2016. He discusses strategies for p…

1
From Vision to Action | John Marks 37:40

7M ago37:40

37:40

How can social entrepreneurship help end violent conflict? In this episode, John Marks, founder of “Search for Common Ground”, an international NGO dedicated to resolving global conflicts, shares insights from over 40 years of experience in peacebuilding. Marks discusses key lessons from his extensive career, highlights core concepts from his lates…

1
KSB Presents: Kinda Sorta Live! (2024) 1:09:27

9M ago1:09:27

1:09:27

Hey KSFam! We are finally releasing the audio from our yearly live recording event - Kinda Sorta Live! We had a great time discussing community, coalition, and collaboration with representatives from cultural affinity groups on campus. Tune in to hear about what it means to be a student of color on campus, and learn about how different groups can a…

1
A Possible Path for Haiti | Michèle Duvivier Pierre-Louis 54:56

9M ago54:56

54:56

Karl Popper once said, “Open societies are their own worst enemies.” In this episode, Michèle Duvivier Pierre-Louis, former prime minister of Haiti and president of the Knowledge and Freedom Foundation, reflects on this idea. She shares her perspective on Haiti’s development challenges and paths to peace. Michèle emphasizes the importance of negoti…

1
Does Counterterrorism work? | Richard English 39:15

10M ago39:15

39:15

Defining successful antiterrorism strategies is challenging. With groundbreaking research in the history of political violence, terrorism, and nationalism, Professor Richard English guides us through the main concepts and structures to understand valid approaches for countering terror. Richard English is a Professor of Politics at Queen's Universit…

1
Community & Coalition 18:15

10M ago18:15

18:15

Welcome back KSFam! This is the first episode of our tenth season! To celebrate this milestone, we are diving into our namesake - what does it mean to be Kinda Sorta Brown? For some of us, it is term that gathers all people of color together. For others, it resembles a personal message of a multi-cultural background. No matter how we see it, we can…

1
Wealth in People | James Robinson 50:01

11M ago50:01

50:01

How can the West learn from Africa? Professor James Robinson, director of The Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts, highlights the richness of development in the African region. Robinson has conducted extensive fieldwork in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, and is …

1
Speaking Law to War | Kathleen Cavanaugh 54:03

12M ago54:03

54:03

What are the key legal principles that govern the conduct of war and protect human rights? In this episode, we speak with Professor Kathleen Cavanaugh, the Executive Director of the Pozen Family Center for Human Rights, and Senior Instructional Professor in the College at UChicago. Professor Cavanaugh’s scholarship, like her academic training, is i…

1
Amnesties, Law, and Peace | Louise Mallinder 56:02

1y ago56:02

56:02

How is law understood and used by different actors during political transitions to achieve peace? In this episode, we speak with Professor Louise Mallinder, a Professor in the School of Law at Queen's University Belfast and Faculty Affiliate of the Pearson Institute. She has a longstanding and internationally recognized expertise in amnesty laws th…

1
Human Rights in North Korea | Ambassador Julie Turner 35:34

1y ago35:34

35:34

How does the United States coordinate with regional partners to promote human rights in North Korea? In this episode, we speak with Ambassador Julie Turner, the U.S. Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights at the Department of State. Ambassador Turner is globally recognized as an expert in human rights and democracy and has worked over the past…

1
A War Later | Juanita Velez 53:20

1y ago53:20

53:20

How do stories give new perspectives to conflict and peace? In this episode, we speak with Juanita Vélez, a journalist and political scientist. She was the editor of La Silla Sur, a regional subsidiary of Colombian news website La Silla Vacía, focused on covering the implementation of the 2016 Peace Agreement in southern Colombia. She researches an…

1
Power & Development | Raul Sanchez de la Sierra 1:11:09

1+ y ago1:11:09

1:11:09

What is the role of narratives within the political economy of development? In this episode, we speak with Professor Raul Sanchez de la Sierra, an Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy and Faculty Affiliate of the Pearson Institute. His research tackles problems in the economics of development, political …

1
Polarization in a Region of Turmoil | Daniel Brumberg 59:31

1+ y ago59:31

59:31

What factors hindered Tunisia's democratic transition after the Arab Spring? In this episode, we speak with Professor Daniel Brumberg, a Professor in the Department of Government at Georgetown University and co-founder of its Democracy and Governance Master’s program. We discuss Tunisia’s political landscape and how polarization impacted its own de…

1
Boys II Men 1:02:59

1+ y ago1:02:59

1:02:59

Hey KSFam! It all starts with mom although we’ve come to the end of the road, we just can’t let you go without discussing the pivotal role black mothers play in their sons’ lives. The portrayal of Black men, in media, continues to have negative effects on the way Black boys perceive themselves and grow into adulthood. One way in which this poor rep…

1
Bleeding Hearts See Red 39:53

1+ y ago39:53

39:53

Welcome back KSFam! Listen in as Zara and Hina consider Black womanhood through the lens of expressive action, manifesto and poetry, and hear from UChicago Underground Collective’s Lauren Dotson discuss their relationship to expression through poetry. Stay tuned until the end to hear a live performance of one of Dotson’s original works reflecting o…

1
Colonizing Kashmir | Hafsa Kanjwal 40:53

1+ y ago40:53

40:53

What is the history of Kashmir’s path to self-determination? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Hafsa Kanjwal, an assistant professor of South Asian History at Lafayette College. We talk about Dr. Kanjwal’s new book Colonizing Kashmir: State-building Under Indian Occupation. The book interrogates how Kashmir was made "integral" to India through a s…

1
The Horrors of Black Girlhood 41:43

1+ y ago41:43

41:43

Welcome back KSFam! This episode opens the door to the chilling world of black girlhood and horror from this unique perspective. Explore the eerie realities of everyday life through the lens of black girlhood and how the horrors of her world take on a hauntingly distinct form when portrayed in white media. We unveil the captivating journey of black…

1
Philosophies of Research | Austin Wright 1:33:12

1+ y ago1:33:12

1:33:12

What kind of ethical concerns should researchers think about when deciding to take on a project? In this episode, we speak with Professor Austin Wright, an Assistant Professor of Public Policy at The University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy and a faculty affiliate of the Pearson Institute and Empirical Studies of Conflict Project. We …

1
Gendered Dimensions of Conflict | Maliha Chishti 55:25

1+ y ago55:25

55:25

How do war and conflict give rise to gender-based violence? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Maliha Chishti, an assistant instructional professor at the Divinity School and an associate of The Pearson Institute. Her core research interests are international peacebuilding, security, and development, as well as gender and human rights in post-confl…

1
Mothers and Peacebuilding | Amal Hamada 43:55

1+ y ago43:55

43:55

What is the role of mothers in counterterrorism efforts? Within conflict, women have traditionally been viewed as victims that need protecting; however, their involvement is much more nuanced than that. In this episode, we speak with Professor Amal Hamada, a professor of political science and gender studies at Cairo University. We talk about the ro…

1
After Authoritarianism | Monika Nalepa 36:46

2y ago36:46

36:46

How are authoritarian elites and their collaborators handled in the aftermath of democratic transitions? The modern discipline of documenting transitional justice began with the Nuremberg trials for Nazi perpetrators. The trials shifted the way the international community thinks about accountability for human rights violations committed by authorit…

1
Black to Our Roots 21:07

2y ago21:07

21:07

Welcome back KSFam! We welcome you to a fresh season of Kinda Sorta Brown! We invite you to join us on the life journey centered in Blackness through the perspective of a black girl. As she grows into adulthood, as does everything around her- this brings us to talking points. What makes us distinctly ourselves? What role does Blackness play in infl…

1
Kurdish Women and Resistance | Rez Gardi 59:51

2y ago59:51

59:51

What role did Kurdish women play in Iran's protests last year? The death of Jina Mahsa Amini at the hands of Iranian authorities sparked mass demonstrations for women’s rights under the rallying cry of "Women, Life, Freedom." But the Kurdish minorities behind this resistance have largely been erased—and their movements co-opted before the internati…

1
Reimagining Sex Work 47:45

2y ago47:45

47:45

Join Sam and Hope as they reimaging sex work with Dr. Zoya Sameen postdoctoral fellow teaching in the Department of History at the University of Chicago. They dive into the ins and outs of sex work past and present and lead into a conversation on the future of policy surrounding sex work. Organizations to plug into: Support Ho(s)e- venmo: @SxHxColl…

1
Reimagining Covid 59:15

2y ago59:15

59:15

Looking back on Covid-19 what could have been done differently? In what ways can we change our perspectives to address the ongoing pandemic? In this episode, join Narvella and Aaron as they discuss the Covid-19 pandemic past, present, and future, with an emphasis on folks with disabilities and particularly Long Covid. They reimagine with Gabriel Sa…

1
Lives Amid Violence | Mareike Schomerus 57:35

2y ago57:35

57:35

What mental models underpin international development? And how do they hold back actors working in conflict-affected countries? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Mareike Schomerus, author of Lives Amid Violence and Vice President of the Busara Center, one of the first behavioral science research labs in the Global South. Drawing from ten years of …

1
Sudan’s Political Transition | Ibrahim Elbadawi 1:14:04

2y ago1:14:04

1:14:04

What does an interrupted democratic transition look like? In this episode, we speak to Dr. Ibrahim Elbadawi, managing director of the Economic Research Forum and former Minister of Finance and Economic Planning in the Republic of Sudan. In May of 2023, Dr. Elbadawi joined us in Chicago at the sixth annual Reverend Dr. Richard L. Pearson Lecture to …

1
Precarious Protections | Chiara Galli 1:14:54

2y ago1:14:54

1:14:54

What is the human toll of the U.S. immigration bureaucracy? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Chiara Galli, a sociologist at the University of Chicago. Her latest book, “Precarious Protections,” chronicles the experiences and perspectives of Central American unaccompanied minors and their immigration attorneys as they navigate the asylum process a…

1
Geography is Destiny | Ian Morris 59:00

2+ y ago59:00

59:00

How can geography explain Brexit and Britain’s changing relationship with the rest of the world? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Ian Morris, a historian and archeologist at Stanford University. His latest book, “Geography is Destiny,” chronicles the ten-thousand-year history of Britain’s relationship with Europe and how it has adapted in a globa…

1
Decolonizing Palestine | Somdeep Sen 1:00:48

2+ y ago1:00:48

1:00:48

How can we imagine liberation under colonial rule? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Somdeep Sen, a post-colonial studies professor at Roskilde University. His book, "Decolonizing Palestine," draws on his ethnographic research in the region to study how Israeli occupation shapes life and politics in the Palestinian territories. He documents how li…

1
The Troubles | Jon McCourt 1:13:27

2+ y ago1:13:27

1:13:27

When does the force of argument become stronger than the argument of force? In this episode, we speak with Jon McCourt, a community peace activist for over forty years in the City of Derry, North of Ireland. As a young man, he marched on the first civil rights demonstration in Derry in 1968. Witnessing the murder of friends and neighbors on Bloody …

1
Everyday War | Greta Uehling 57:31

2+ y ago57:31

57:31

How do civilians cope while living in a country at war? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Greta Uehling, a cultural anthropologist at the University of Michigan. Her forthcoming book, “Everyday War,” draws on her ethnographic research in Ukraine after Russia’s 2014 invasion of Crimea. She documents how the conflict disrupted lives and reshaped peo…

1
Nothing About Us Without Us 47:29

2+ y ago47:29

47:29

Think of your favorite museum. How is the museum layed out? Who or what does the museum give space to? What is exhibited? Where are said items from and how were they obtained? War, violence, and theft underlie the history of museums in addition to the artifacts that lie within them — a colonial undercurrent that is only beginning to be addressed in…

1
Somaliland's Independence | Bashir Goth 49:45

2+ y ago49:45

49:45

The Republic of Somaliland is a de facto sovereign state in the Horn of Africa. Declaring independence from Somalia in 1991, Somaliland is a self-governing country, with democratic elections and a distinct history, but it’s still considered part of Somalia by the international community. In this episode, we speak with Bashir Goth, the Head of the S…

1
Re-evaluating, Re-educating and Reimagining 41:13

2+ y ago41:13

41:13

In the two and half years since KSB’s inception, going on eight seasons, the number of transformational guests we’ve welcomed, and the countless KSFam we have been listening in, our time has been spent learning, questioning, and diving into issues that matter to our POC communities. The opportunity to discuss these topics is vital for our communiti…

1
Information as Resistance 44:57

2+ y ago44:57

44:57

Discussions on Palestine in the U.S. are always framed as a “conflict”, when the issue is not really a matter of two equally matched opponents, but rather the occupation and extraction of resources by Israel that has displaced Palestinians from their homes. Although Palestinians still in Palestine and those spread throughout the world continue to f…

1
Trust After Betrayal | Erin McFee 1:04:28

2+ y ago1:04:28

1:04:28

How do ex-combatants transition back into society after conflict? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Erin McFee, a political anthropologist and UKRI Future Leaders Fellow at the London School of Economics. Focusing on Colombia and the reintegration of the FARC, her team studies reconciliation in post-conflict societies—the interventions that create…

1
Gender and Conflict | Lina Haddad Kreidie 1:03:02

3y ago1:03:02

1:03:02

How do war and displacement disproportionately impact women? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Lina Haddad Kreidie, a political psychologist and Academic Director of Gender Studies at the Lebanese American University. Her research centers marginalized communities, mainly displaced and refugee women in the Middle East. We discuss her work with the …

1
African Political Philosophy | Francis Njoku 49:05

3y ago49:05

49:05

How does African philosophy shape African political institutions? And how have they evolved separately from European models of statehood and development? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Francis Njoku, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a visiting scholar at the Harris School. We talk about his research and how homeg…

1
The American War in Afghanistan | Carter Malkasian 55:45

3y ago55:45

55:45

What should we learn from the aftermath of the US War in Afghanistan? And what decisions could’ve brought a better outcome? The fall of Kabul to the Taliban last year marked the end of America’s longest war in history, with former Afghan government unable to retain control of the country. In this episode, we speak with Carter Malkasian, a historian…

1
Political Resistance in Myanmar | Jason Gelbort 30:34

3y ago30:34

30:34

How is the Myanmar military exacerbating human rights abuse in the country? In February 2021, the Myanmar military initiated a coup – throwing the country back into its long history of authoritarian rule. As the military has taken control, public resistance has become unprecedented. In this episode, we speak with Jason Gelbort, an international law…

1
African Solutions to African Challenges | Martin Kimani 43:35

3y ago43:35

43:35

What are African solutions to African challenges? And how can African agency act as a counterpoint to the divisions and legacy of colonialism? In this episode, we speak with Ambassador Martin Kimani, the Permanent Representative of Kenya to the United Nations, about his recent speech criticizing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the failures of Western…

1
Global Impact and Philanthropy | Liz Drew 36:20

3y ago36:20

36:20

How do non-profits navigate changes in humanitarian aid policy? And how is the philanthropic sector evolving? In this episode, we speak with Liz Drew, a Chicago-based strategist with nearly two decades of leadership in advancing human rights, gender equity, and social justice. From working as a U.S. State Department and White House advisor in the O…

1
The Non-profit Industry: Who Is Really Profiting? 45:14

3y ago45:14

45:14

When you think about the non-profit sector, what do you think: harmful or helpful? As the third largest workforce in the United States, the nonprofit sector creates 11.4 million jobs… What was once a web of grassroots and community-centered organizations has gained so much momentum that it has evolved into a multimillion dollar industry. In our epi…

1
A Dream from C.R.E.A.M 55:12

3y ago55:12

55:12

It is no exaggeration to say that cash rules everything around us. The need for money dictates where we work, what we eat, and how we spend our free time. For those who are in an area of low income and low resources, it is even harder to function. It is easy to get stuck in a cycle that keeps one in the same place of poverty. In this episode, our h…

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