Deep Dive with Shawn

Send us a textIn July of last year – 2022 – Lever Alejos emerged from the jungle in Panama, with no shoes, and just the tattered remains of clothes that still clung to his body after almost a week trekking through the Darien Gap – a 60 mile stretch of untamed, undeveloped jungle between Colombia and Panama. Lever was coming from Venezuela, escaping political persecution, in search of a better life. On arriving at the Texas border, he was processed by the United States government and then - and put on a bus out of the state, not knowing where he was being sent, presumably at the direction of Texas governor Greg Abbott. Although – I have to say that the governors of Texas, Arizona, and Florida have all employed this practice with immigrants arriving at the border, and they have done so shrouded in secrecy, so the details remain unclear as to which governor is responsible for which bus. This fact alone is unsettling – and, to my mind, I have to wonder why keep it a secret, unless one is worried about its legality or its humanity. In end, Lever was dropped off in Washington DC, and this is is currently where he is.  This episode is about Lever and his experience coming to the United States – why he left Venezuela, what his journey here was like, how he has been received in the United States, and what he hopes for his future.  While this is a very personal story – I urge you to consider this when listening: this is one of thousands of similar stories. Of people fleeing persecution, violence, war, torture – at the hands of their governments, most often authoritarian governments. Lever was one of the lucky few to have successfully made it – and by that I mean, survived the journey. Many people have died trying – either succumbed to the environment or have been murdered by police, cartels, bandits, and other nefarious actors.  As you will hear from Lever – people are putting their lives, very literally, on the line for a better life than the one their own government is providing. And, regardless of your politics, this should give you some pause. At minimum – to consider how lucky we all are to live in the country that we do. Mentioned:Lever Profiled in New York TimesUnited Nations High Commissioner for RefugeesRecommended:Doctors Without Borders-------------------------Follow Deep Dive:BlueskyYouTube Email: deepdivewithshawn@gmail.com Music: Majestic Earth - Joystock

Send us a textAccording to the 2022 Freedom in the World report issued by Freedom House – 38% of the global population live in Not Free countries, and only 20% live in Free countries. In 2022 alone, 60 countries experienced declines in democratic freedom, while only 25 experienced increases. This picture is stark – democracies are in decline. Authoritarianism is on the rise. Increasingly, especially on the Right, this trend is leveraged to suggest that authoritarian regimes are a legitimate alternative to democracy. That the rise of authoritarianism reflects the desire and need for something other than democracy – some counterbalance. But, this argument misses something fundamental. We need to consider something else in tandem with this trend – the rise of authoritarianism - to help us more fully draw conclusions and make assumptions. Perhaps it’s important to know how people living in these countries feel about increasing unfreedom.  So, here’s something to consider. The world is also awash in refugees and immigrants – almost universally fleeing authoritarian, theocratic, and totalitarian regimes; and they are landing in democracies. They are fleeing TO freedom. This undercuts the legitimacy of authoritarianism as a viable alternative to democracy. People don’t want to live in authoritarian states – They don’t want to live without voice, without freedom, without safety.  So, this is a different picture, a reality – that the number of democracies is declining while the number of authoritarian states is increasing – which has led to a massive influx of people fleeing these unfree states into increasingly shrinking available free states  - this is a crisis. Not of democracy. It’s a crisis of authoritarianism.  So, the next two episodes – today and next week - take a closer look at people that are fleeing two of these authoritarian regimes. Next week I’m talking to someone who fled political persecution in Venezuela for a better life in the United States – only to arrive and be placed on a bus commissioned by the Texas governor with no knowledge of where he was going and what would happen when he got there. And, today, I’m talking to someone who has fled Russia –  Sergey refused to be mobilized to fight in support of the Putin’s war in Ukraine. We talk about his life before the war, how and why he decided to leave his homeland, how it has disrupted his life, and what he hopes for his future, having lost everything he had planned for himself and his family. Recommended:Freedom HouseMentioned:Wednesday (TV Series)-------------------------Follow Deep Dive:BlueskyYouTube Email: deepdivewithshawn@gmail.com Music: Majestic Earth - Joystock

Send us a textWhen Russia invaded Ukraine in February of last year, the general consensus was that Ukraine was outgunned, disorganized, and unable to mount any type of meaningful resistance. The expectation was that Ukraine would fall quickly – maybe even within days of the assault. But, that didn’t happen. And, it’s not like Russia struggled – Ukraine took the fight directly to Russia, denying a quick win, holding territory that experts expected to fall effortlessly, and even reclaimed territory that Russia had taken. Ukraine’s allies in Europe, the United States, and Canada provided an unexpected level of support that has been maintained, and Russia has become a pariah on the global stage. Nothing is certain at this point, and there are signs that Russia may be regrouping and preparing for another overwhelming assault on Ukraine in the next couple of months. But, the debate has shifted from one of when Ukraine falls and how the rest of the world will react, to one focused on the strong possibility that Russia might actually lose the war. And, if that happens, I wonder that looks like.So, today I’m talking to Dr. Alexander Motyl, professor of political science at Rutgers University and a widely regarded and respected expert on Soviet and post-Soviet politics. He has published extensively – academically, as well as fiction and non-fiction books. One of his recent works in Foreign Policy – an article titled It’s High Time to Prepare for Russia’s Collapse - is the catalyst for today’s discussion. We talk about the possibility that Ukraine wins this war, what that might look like for Russia, and how the rest of the world should be preparing for this outcome.-------------------------Follow Deep Dive:BlueskyYouTube Email: deepdivewithshawn@gmail.com Music: Majestic Earth - Joystock

Send us a textConsider this. 40% of all plastics that are produced today are just thrown away within a month of acquisition. Only 10% of all plastic waste is recycled – which means 90% is not. And 32% of all plastic waste ends up in nature, including our oceans. 9-14 million tons of plastic waste is dumped into the oceans every year. That’s 17 tons per minute – a garbage truck’s worth of plastic waste dumped into the oceans each minute. And, this problem is only growing. It is estimated that by 2040, between 23—37 million tons of plastic waste will make its way into our oceans each year. This has real and tangible impacts – all negative – on us, the world’s wildlife, particularly marine wildlife, and our atmosphere.Today I’m talking to Elise d'Epenoux, head of internal communications for SeaCleaners – an organization whose sole mission is to work toward pollution-free oceans, and they do so by employing some really unique strategies. They educate, they innovate, and they coordinate. Elize explains this work of SeaCleaners, and some of the more interesting and entrepreneurial projects they’ve got underway, including the Manta innovation – a first of its kind processing ship that literally trolls the seas and collects, treats, and repurposes floating plastic debris, and the Mobula Against Plastic Pollution (or MAPP) program, which unites partner organizations, governments, communities, researchers, and technical experts to implement clean-up operations on inland waters and onland activities to combat plastic pollution. We also talk about the scale of the problem, why it matters, and what we all can be doing in our daily lives to mitigate some of the worst impacts of plastic pollution upstream before it becomes a catastrophe downstream. -------------------------Follow Deep Dive:BlueskyYouTube Email: deepdivewithshawn@gmail.com Music: Majestic Earth - Joystock

Send us a textEmmanuel Macron was only 39 and a relative neophyte when he was elected to the French presidency in 2017. In his first term in office, his policy agenda was so ambitious that it generated mass protest – known as the Yellow Vest movement -  that paralyzed the country. It got so bad that many wondered not only if his agenda would be imperiled, but if he would even survive re-election. It’s against these odds that Macron did manage to transform much of France’s civil and fiscal policy – including its labor, taxation, and pension laws. And, he did, in fact, win re-election in April of 2022 – in a rematch against his 2017 opponent – the right-wing leader of the National Front, Marine Le Pen. Macron, more than any other European leader, has positioned himself as the director of Europe’s response to Russian aggression. While he has maintained contact with Vladimir Putin through the Ukrainian invasion and its subsequent atrocities, much to the chagrin of many of his European counterparts, he has also worked hard to shore up solidarity on the continent, ensuring wave after wave of European sanctions continue to land on Russia. Today, I’m discussing all of this with my guest - Dr. Andy Smith – professor of Political Science at Sciences Po Bordeaux and Director of Research at Centre Emile Durkheim in Bordeaux, France. He is an expert on France, and a specialist of European integration and political economy. He has published extensively on these subjects in numerous academic journals and texts. We talk about how French politics has developed since WWII, how France and its politics are evolving to meet the challenges that the European continent is currently facing, how Macron might be reshaping France and situating himself to be a leader in Europe, and what the future might hold for France, and Europe, in former German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s absence and in the face of Russian aggression. -------------------------Follow Deep Dive:BlueskyYouTube Email: deepdivewithshawn@gmail.com Music: Majestic Earth - Joystock

Send us a textI’ve had a hard time characterizing this past year – has it been uniformly dire? No – there have been some promising signs. The midterms were a disaster for Republicans. They took the House, but by a vanishingly small margin and they were unable to flip the Senate. Election deniers up and down the ticket lost their elections (although some did win), and abortion-rights movements had a strong showing across the country after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Additionally, the Respect for Marriage Act, enshrining the right to marriage for same-sex and bi-racial couples, was recently signed into law by President Biden. There are increasing signs that ex-President Trump might actually be held to account for his numerous misdeeds and crimes. And, it appears as if Congress is set to clarify and protect the electoral count process – perhaps, hopefully, shielding it from any future mischief on the part of Trump or his political offspring. So, was it a bad year? Kinda. Was it a good year? Kinda. I need some clarity, so for this episode I’m relying on some Deep Dive alum to weigh in. I’ve invited back some previous guests to give me their thoughts about the past year, their feelings going into the new year, and also if they celebrate any seasonal holidays and, if so, what some of their traditions are.  I’ll be talking to Dr. James Hawdon of Virginia Tech about far-right extremism and political violence and Dr. Sara Benesh of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee about the Supreme Court and what the past year suggests for its legitimacy. I’m also talking to some friends of mine about travel in the new year and some other friends about being queer in this increasingly confrontational anti-LGBTQ+ environment in the United States. But, first, I’m talking to Dr. David Faris, Associate Professor of Political Science at Roosevelt University. If you’ll remember from the episode we did together in July – we discussed some tools, legislation, and actions that Democrats can employ to ensure that our elections fairly represent the popular will and popular vote for Democrats, but also defangs the Republican Party from continuing to twist norms and procedures to anti-democratic, authoritarian ends. A lot of Dr. Faris’ suggestions hinge on a Democratic majority in Congress and holding the presidency – which we have had for the past two years, but it’s set to expire in January. Following the midterm elections, while Democrats did better than expected, they did lose the House.Recommended:It's Time to Fight Dirty - David FarisThe US Court of Appeals and the Law of Confessions - Sara BeneshDovi DesignSoda Canter - Instagram-------------------------Follow Deep Dive:BlueskyYouTube Email: deepdivewithshawn@gmail.com Music: Majestic Earth - Joystock

Send us a textLast season, I did an episode with Dr. Peter LaChapelle about the history of country music and how/when, and why it transitioned from being the music of the working class and poor to being the music of right-wing conservatism. In that episode, we also talked about the history of African influence in country music – which made me wonder why there are so few voices in country music. he told me about Black Opry – an outfit aimed at lifting up and spotlighting black artists in the country music industry. When I think of black musicians in contemporary country music – folks like Charley Pride, Aaron Neville to some degree, and more recently Darius Rucker and Mickey Guyton come to mind. And, that’s almost it. When you think of what a juggernaut the country music industry is, how much money it generates, and how many musicians represent the genre – the sheer absence of black artists (and corporate leaders) is kinda shocking. And, especially so, when you consider the fact that country music has roots in Africa and the African American experience.  But, it turns out, this state of affairs is not for lack of black country artists or folks telling their stories or people making space for black voices to be heard at all levels of the country music industry. One of the the projects that Dr. LaChapelle brought to my attention is Black Opry – an outfit aimed at lifting up, spotlighting, and supporting black artists in the country music industry.  So, today, I actually have three guests – and I’m super excited about all of them. I’m talking to the founder and co-director of Black Opry – Holly G. And, I’m also talking to two Black Opry affiliated musicians – Julie Williams and Tae Lewis, both traveling with the Black Opry Revue and both musicians that I’m really into. We talk about how and why Black Opry came to be, some barriers that black performers encounter in the country music industry, how Black Opry provides a space for black country artists to flourish, some projects Black Opry is creating and supporting, and what comes next for Black Opry and for the musicians. Mentioned:Rissi PalmerEmily Scott RobinsonRecommended:Black OpryTae Lewis Julie Williams-------------------------Follow Deep Dive:BlueskyYouTube Email: deepdivewithshawn@gmail.com Music: Majestic Earth - Joystock

Send us a textI’ve been thinking a lot lately about my evolution as a human being, generally, but more specifically as a gay man – where I come from, how it influenced the trajectory of my life, how I fit into the community, how I’ve changed, and also how the world has changed (for good and bad) – and what does that mean for my future as a gay man, as a queer person.And, I thought it would be interesting to talk to some friends of mine who might be in the same boat –gay men in our 40s. And, I thought it might be even MORE interesting to record that conversation and share it with you all – because I doubt that we’re alone in our reflection and our thoughts. So, today, I’m talking to Soda Canter – who you might remember from an earlier episode of Deep Dive, when we talked about his artistry and his music. And, I’m also talking to Justin Hentges, a new guest of Deep Dive, and a longtime friend of mine. This conversation is very heavy at times, and very silly at times. This is a wide-ranging conversation. We talk about Mathew Sheppard, and the influence his torture and death had on our young queer lives, our coming out stories, racism, misogyny, and transphobia in the queer community, where some of our greatest support from the queer community has come from, who our first crushes were, the utility of caftans, and whatever happened to Amy Grant?  Mentioned: Nellie’s Sport Bar JRs Bar Tell Me Lies After the Ecstasy, the Laundry - Jack Kornfield The ExpanseMartina McBrideReba McEntireMatchbox TwentyFaith HillBobbie GentryAmy GrantRecommended:Morgantown Blues-------------------------Follow Deep Dive:BlueskyYouTube Email: deepdivewithshawn@gmail.com Music: Majestic Earth - Joystock

Send us a textIn 2013, Russia adopted a federal law criminalizing the distribution to children of any material that depicts any non-traditional sexual relationships as normal and positive. Despite the language, this was targeting how queer folks and queer relationships are portrayed in Russia. Since then, anti-gay violence and anti-gay hate crimes have grown exponentially. And, as I speak, an update to that law – referred to as the gay propaganda law – is working its way through the Duma (or the Russian Parliament) extending that criminalization to any positive depiction of queer folks or queer relationships to anyone in Russia. Essentially, it will become illegal to promote or praise homosexuality or non-traditional sexual relationships in any form.  Today, I’m talking to Dr. Alexander Kondakov – a sociologist and assistant professor in the School of Sociology at University College Dublin in Ireland. His work has focused on law and sexuality studies – specifically queer sexualities. His work appears in numerous journals and recently he published the book Violent Affections: Queer Sexuality, Techniques of Power, and Law in Russia. This book takes a sociological approach to violence committed against the queer community and queer folks, or folks perceived to be queer, to help us understand how the crafting, implementation, and enforcement of law and policy can prime potential perpetrators of violence, and how feelings of anger and insecurity can manifest in violence against the queer community. This book takes a microscope to incidents of violence against queer people in Russia, discussing them in extremely vivid detail. But there’s a reason for that, which we discuss. We also talk about how easy it is to transform feelings of disenfranchisement, powerlessness, and loss into hate – how politicians have leveraged it, how incidents of violence, especially hate-motivated violence, can be linked to violent rhetoric on the part of politicians and other elites, and how violence is almost exclusively a male problem.  Mentioned:The Banshees of InisherinRecommended:Violent Affections: Queer Sexuality, Techniques of Power, and Law in Russia - Alexander Kondakov-------------------------Follow Deep Dive:BlueskyYouTube Email: deepdivewithshawn@gmail.com Music: Majestic Earth - Joystock

Send us a textTravel, to me, is something life-affirming, inspiring, and fulfilling; something almost necessary. It represents, in part, the ability to make those words and those images in guidebooks, on billboards, on Instagram - come to life – give them dimension. Not just the sight or description of a place, but also the smells, the sounds, the flavors, the energy. And, it makes anything seem possible – each trip I take reminds me that the confines of my life are often self-imposed – and that should I choose, I could change any aspect of my life – my scenery, my house, the people I interact with (or don’t), the food I eat, etc. I have only been traveling extensively for about eight years. And, one of the books that I read in my earlier years of travel, and continue to read is The Wayfarer’s Handbook – A Field Guide for The Independent Traveler by Evan Rice. This book is really unique – kind of in a category of its own. Part memoir, part guidebook, part travel hacks, and part utility – there’s just good useful information in this book that you don’t know you need until you’re trying to speak to a waiter in sub-saharan Africa in a regional dialect while mentally doing the currency conversion. This book, literally, helps with that. You also learn how to spot scams, what gestures are best avoided in certain countries, the history of cartography, photo etiquette, how to travel with pets, minimum safe ice thickness for various activities, and much much more – including travel-related quotes and thoughts from well-known, and sometimes not so well known, authors and poets. It’s a lot – AND it’s highly readable. I go back to this book on a regular basis – it’s both functional and inspiring.  So, today, my guest is Evan Rice – the author of The Wayfarer’s Handbook. In his 20s, Evan left for Africa on a one-way ticket, unsure if he’d back in three days or three years. Suffice to say, it wasn’t three days. We talk about that nomad life, how he did it, why he did it, what travel means to him, some hacks he picked up along the way, some of his favorite places, what motivated him to write such a quirky book, and what the future of travel looks like for him. Mentioned: Oh I Wept - Free Recommended:The Wayfarer's Handbook: A Field Guide for the Independent Traveler - Evan S. Rice-------------------------Follow Deep Dive:BlueskyYouTube Email: deepdivewithshawn@gmail.com Music: Majestic Earth - Joystock