Doha Debates Podcast

Are superheroes moral leaders—or caped propagandists?  From comic books to billion-dollar blockbusters, superheroes have fascinated us for over a century. But what do these stories really teach us? Are they our moral guides or do they reinforce Western ideals, individualism and even militarism?  This debate explores why anti-heroes like the Joker captivate us, what it means when our moral icons are billionaires or kings created by entertainment giants, and whether superhero stories shape a new moral compass or uphold the status quo.   💬 Join the conversation in the comments.  Featuring:  Nnedi Okorafor:  Award-winning novelist, Black Panther comics author  Hussein Rashid: Independent scholar of religion and pop culture  Keith Spencer: Author and social critic focused on culture, media, and tech 

Over the past decade, critics argue that identity politics and censorship have stifled academic freedom, while others say these concerns are overstated. This debate explores whether initiatives for justice and inclusion of historically excluded voices actually strengthen academia’s truth-seeking mission or risk replacing critical inquiry with moral conformity—and what kind of intellectual culture universities should build for the future.  💬 Join the conversation in the comments.  Featuring:  Dorian Abbot: Professor of Geophysics at the University of Chicago  Pablo Avelluto: Former Minister of Culture of Argentina  Omer Bartov: Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Brown University  Mohammad Fadel: Professor of Law at the University of Toronto 

Can the West be trusted with global justice after Gaza?    Never has global justice faced a greater moral crisis than the destruction of Gaza, with the post-World-War-II moral order facing intense scrutiny. While Western-led institutions claim to champion human rights, when it comes to Gaza, do these institutions live up to their own ideals? In this episode of the Doha Debates Podcast, global experts debate whether the West can be trusted to promote global justice, and who should decide instead what moral framework guides the future of justice in a multipolar world.     💬 Join the conversation in the comments.  Featuring:  Bruno Maçães: Author and member of the European Council on Foreign Relations   David Oldroyd-Bolt: Historian and broadcaster, specializing in Anglosphere relations  Dr. Randa Slim: Foreign policy expert and non-resident fellow with Middle East Institute  Wadah Khanfar: Palestinian journalist and former director general of Al Jazeera 

Should we accept aging or reverse it?  While the search for eternal youth is not new, what does it mean to value youth above all else? What do we lose in the process?    Many argue that science should extend our lives and reduce suffering. Others believe there must be limits. In this episode, experts debate whether we should handle the aging process with acceptance or with scientific intervention. 

The battle over online disinformation is usually framed as a fight for truth. But it is also a fight over power.  As platforms tighten policies, algorithms quietly shape visibility and experts step in as arbiters of credibility, a deeper question emerges: are these systems protecting open discourse or controlling it?  In this episode of the Doha Debates Podcast, we explore the rise of digital censorship and the growing assumption that the public cannot be trusted to think critically without supervision. Can harmful falsehoods be reduced without eroding the right to freely exchange ideas? And who decides where the line between protection and control is drawn?  Experts join moderator Mohamed Hassan to debate how truth is defined, who gets to define it and what ethical responsibilities come with that authority.  💬 Join the conversation in the comments.  Featuring:  Renée DiResta: Author and associate research professor at Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy   Glenn Greenwald: Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, former constitutional lawyer and New York Times bestselling author  Siva Vaidhyanathan: Professor of Media Studies and director of the Center for Media and Citizenship at the University of Virginia 

Start the year 2026 with us as we discuss the questions shaping our world: What happens when disagreement is labeled disinformation? Can aging be cured — and should it be? After Gaza, who decides what justice looks like?  The Doha Debates Podcast returns with a bold, reimagined season, featuring Majlis-style debates that challenge you to think differently. Each week, our moderators sit down with experts to explore these big issues through a wide range of perspectives.   🗓️ First episode premieres Tuesday, January 6 🎧 New episodes every Tuesday 🔔 Subscribe and join the conversation! 

Today, the global order is facing challenges from shifting power and ongoing conflicts around the world. In this moment of rapid change, our latest town hall sought to examine the competing values and principles that underpin our societies—and uncover fundamental truths about which philosophical building blocks are most essential to building a better, more equitable and peaceful world.Expert guests Victor Gao, Hina Khar and Vali Nasr, together with an onstage audience of students and recent graduates, joined us to explore this urgent question: which principles should shape our future? This Doha Debates town hall was moderated by journalist Femi Oke and produced in partnership with Doha Forum. It was filmed in Doha, Qatar on December 6, 2024.

Join renowned voices Fatima Bhutto, a novelist and social commentator, Steve Clemons, a seasoned journalist, and Konstantin Kisin, a comedian and writer, as they delve into the complexities of Western narratives on global justice. They explore how these narratives often overshadow diverse perspectives and question the West's commitment to equality and democracy. The conversation highlights the roles of media bias, free speech, and the urgent need to amplify marginalized voices, while unraveling the intricacies of identity and power in global discussions.

At Doha Debates, we believe that debate can help solve some of the world's most challenging problems. But are there limits to what free speech and debate can accomplish? Social media has allowed more people to connect and share their perspectives than ever before. That has led to an immense amount of learning and progress—but it's also led to an uptick in hate speech and misinformation, online and IRL. Today, anyone can have a platform—but should they? Is everything up for debate, or should some things be out of bounds?Jacob Mchangama, founder and executive director of The Future of Free Speech think tank, argues that free speech and open debate are the only ways to build and secure open and tolerant societies. He thinks we should all be able to speak our minds, and says that engaging with people and perspectives we disagree with can help sharpen our own opinions or help us learn something new. Author and journalist David Stubbs says that unlimited free speech tends to favor extreme voices and that certain ideas, like climate denial, don’t deserve a platform and are “just plain wrong.” Listen to Doha Debates Podcast as these experts discuss the limits of debate and the future of free speech.

Climate anxieties—and global temperatures—are on the rise. According to the United Nations, if the planet warms by 1.5 degrees Celsius, we’ll be facing irreversible climate damage. To stop that increase, we need to reach net zero emissions by 2050. Reaching such an ambitious goal means changing a lot of our behaviors, including cutting back on our use of fossil fuels. But should everyone, and every nation, be held to the same standard? Is it realistic to ask countries in the global south to shoulder equal responsibility for cutting carbon emissions?Dr. Rahul Tongia, Senior Fellow at the Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP) in New Delhi and non-resident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, concedes that while we must be more innovative and aggressive when it comes to the development of green technology, it’s unrealistic to cut out fossil fuels entirely. He adds that we need to decouple the idea of “access” from “clean,” and make sure there is electrical wiring in every home across the globe before we focus on going green. Zaki Mamdoo, South African environmental activist and coordinator of the StopEACOP (Stop East African Crude Oil Pipeline) campaign, says that it is entirely unnecessary to harm the environment in order to increase energy access. He says fossil fuels are actually anti-development, in that they not only pollute the air, land, water and livestock, but they destroy local economies, desecrate cultural sites and ruin labor systems and communities. He argues that all nations must refrain from new fossil-fuel use, leapfrog towards more renewable energy resources like wind and solar and embrace a just transition to a low-carbon economy. Listen to these experts discuss and dissect the best pathways to a greener world on this episode of Doha Debates Podcast.This special episode is inspired by Necessary Tomorrows, a podcast from Doha Debates and presented by Al Jazeera that combines fiction and fact to imagine better futures. To dig deeper into the core issues of environmentalism and the ethics of energy use and development, check out the episode “The Last Impala.” Listeners are thrust into a world in the near future where a climate refugee is on trial for murder—not for killing a human, but for killing an ecosystem. Doha Debates Podcast is a production of Doha Debates and FP Studios. This episode is hosted by Karen Given. Thoughts on this conversation? Let us know! Follow us everywhere @DohaDebates and join the post-episode discussion in our YouTube comments.