Doha Debates Podcast

Ken ventured out into the “real world” from Barbieland and returned with a new definition of masculinity. Andrew Tate’s influence on teen boys has amplified conversations about the “manosphere.” People around the world are eager for new rules for being a man—why?Men are struggling. That’s what Richard Reeves, president of the American Institute for Boys and Men, contends, pointing to the widespread mental health crisis men and boys are facing in developed countries, as suicide rates rise. Meanwhile, higher education enrollment for men is lower than ever, and historically male-dominated jobs like manufacturing and farming are disappearing. Reeves says we must acknowledge these problems in order to solve them, but maintains that helping men does not and should not come at the expense of women.Dr. Barbara Risman, editor in chief of "Gender & Society," says that we're not grappling with a crisis of masculinity, but rather a socio-economic crisis that's hurting working-class women and men—especially men of color. To fix this, she says we must create more economic support for these men, be it in jobs or education, and update our ideas of traditional gender roles. Listen to the Doha Debates Podcast as our guests debate what the future of masculinity should look like and how to help men and boys without getting trapped in the manosphere. Doha Debates Podcast is a production of Doha Debates and FP Studios. This episode is hosted by Joshua Johnson. Thoughts on this conversation? Let us know! Follow us everywhere @DohaDebates and join the post-episode discussion in our YouTube comments.

It can write emails, essays and even songs. It has created award-winning pieces of art, and it’s one reason that Hollywood is on strike. That’s right—today’s podcast episode is about artificial intelligence.Generative AI programs such as ChatGPT, DALL-E and Midjourney are worrying artists of all kinds about the future of art. Is AI coming for artists’ jobs and livelihood, or is it a helpful tool pushing art to a new horizon?Jason Allen used generative AI to create his work “Théâtre d'Opéra Spatial,” which won the Colorado State Fair’s annual fine art competition in 2022, making news headlines. He says artists should be excited and more open to working with AI as a new artistic medium that can help break down barriers and democratize art for everyone. On the other side, Molly Crabapple, award-winning artist and writer, says artists—and everyone—should be concerned about generative AI, arguing that these programs are not only stealing from, but “sucking the lifeblood,” from living artists. Additionally, she contends that the limited creativity of AI art programs will ultimately impoverish human culture. Listen to the Doha Debates Podcast as our guests debate the controversy surrounding AI art, the economics of artificial intelligence and the future of art around the world.Doha Debates Podcast is a production of Doha Debates and FP Studios. This episode is hosted by Joshua Johnson. Thoughts on this conversation? Let us know! Follow us everywhere @DohaDebates and join the post-episode discussion in our YouTube comments.

This week, enjoy a special episode from our friends at Foreign Policy Magazine from their podcast FP Live.Has China peaked? After decades of record economic growth, China’s economy is showing signs of a slowdown. In the world’s second-largest economy, recent numbers show a reduced rate of growth. Michael Beckley, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and popularizer of the term “peak China,” argues that China’s rise is not as inevitable as it once was. Keyu Jin, a tenured professor at the London School of Economics, says that while China has its issues, theories about its decline are often wrong. Joining Foreign Policy’s Ravi Agrawal, they debate the possibilities of China’s economic future.The Doha Debates Podcast returns with a new debate in two weeks.

Do you think it’s OK to sacrifice a mouse’s life to cure a disease? What if it were a monkey? A cow? Or a dog?For a long time, research on animals has been a crucial component of scientific and medical innovation. Testing on animals has led to the development of the world's first vaccine. And drugs used to combat cancer, malaria and HIV/AIDS and many other illnesses would not have been possible without animal research. But today, with all of our technological advancements, is animal testing necessary—or unnecessarily cruel? Dr. Katherine Roe, Chief of the Science Advancement and Outreach division at PETA, argues that not only is animal testing cruel, but she contends that the significant species differences between humans and other animals limit the usefulness of animal research. Instead, Dr. Roe says that we should be investing more time and money into alternatives to animal testing, like computer modeling, non-invasive diagnostic imaging, stem cell research, and more human-centric clinical research. On the other side is Dr. Juan Carlos G. Marvizón, a retired UCLA neuroscientist who spent his career researching the causes and cures of chronic pain. He argues that animals are a valuable—and for now, irreplaceable—part of the scientific process and says that animal research not only helps save lives and lead to huge scientific breakthroughs—like the rapid development of the COVID-19 vaccine—but it also helps us better understand humanity and the world. Listen to the Doha Debates Podcast as these two scientists debate the ethics of animal testing. Doha Debates Podcast is a production of Doha Debates and FP Studios. This episode is hosted by Mariya Karimjee. Thoughts on this conversation? Let us know! Follow us everywhere @DohaDebates and join the post-episode discussion in our YouTube comments.

Is it time to cancel the debts of low-income countries in the global south? It’s estimated that three out of five low-income countries are struggling to pay their debts. In Africa, 21 countries are either bankrupt or in financial distress, and are on the hook to repay more than $70 billion in 2023 alone. Freeing up this money could help these countries get back on their feet and invest more at home—but it’s not without its drawbacks.Heidi Chow, executive director of the UK-based nonprofit Debt Justice, says debt relief is needed. She argues that debt payments shouldn’t come before essential human needs, and that rather than tightening the screws on indebted countries, we should address the predatory lending practices that have pushed many global south countries to the brink of collapse. Bright Simons, policy analyst at the Ghana-based Imani Center for Policy and Education, contends that blanket debt cancellation doesn’t benefit anybody, saying that some countries have successfully paid back their debts while others have spent recklessly. And, he argues, domestic lenders and private investors shouldn’t have to pay the price for governments’ poor financial decisions. Listen to the Doha Debates Podcast as they debate how to best address Africa’s debt crisis. Doha Debates Podcast is a production of Doha Debates and FP Studios. This episode is hosted by Nazanine Moshiri. Thoughts on this conversation? Let us know! Follow us everywhere @DohaDebates and join the post-episode discussion in our YouTube comments.

Is it time to ban gasoline-powered vehicles? Climate activist and author Aakash Ranison says that while electric vehicles may not be a silver-bullet solution to climate change, they are an important and urgent step in the right direction. On the other side, journalist Jonathan Miltimore argues that there are actually lots of drawbacks and hidden costs to producing electric cars. Gas-powered vehicles, he says, are simply too important—to our individual lives and to the health of our economies—to ban outright, arguing that we should instead focus our time and efforts on other ways of combating climate change. Listen to the Doha Debates Podcast as they debate the efficiency, affordability and viability of eliminating gas-powered vehicles, and what the future of climate change might hold..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.

Are some sports too violent for children? Kids and teens who play full- or high-contact sports like rugby, American football and mixed martial arts have higher rates of concussions, which can lead to traumatic brain injuries. On the flip side, there are also huge benefits to playing sports when you’re young, including community and confidence. Dr. Bennet Omalu, a pioneer in understanding chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), says that children should not be allowed to play certain sports, and argues instead that we should invent new, safer sports for kids. Babalwa Latsha, Africa’s first female professional rugby player, contends that existing sports can and should be modified to be safer for children, and holds that participating in sports is a great way to learn valuable life skills. Listen to the Doha Debates Podcast as they discuss the different possibilities for children and sports. 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.

About 1.5 billion people in the world eat a plant-based diet. For most of them, it’s a necessity, because meat is either too expensive or unavailable. But about 75 million people choose to go vegetarian for reasons like animal welfare and personal health. Some meat-eaters counter that humans have evolved to eat meat, and that animals can be raised and slaughtered humanely. Doha Debates asks: Is choosing to eat meat is an act of cruelty, and what do humans and animals stand to gain or lose from continuing the practice? To debate this, we are joined by food blogger and meat-eater Humzah Ghauri, and Ghanaian musician and proud vegan Okyeame Kwame.

Who does art belong to? Where should it live? And how can—or should—it be shared with the world? These are some of the questions at the heart of this week's debate.Recently, museums like the Smithsonian in the US and the Horniman Museum and Gardens in the UK have made headlines by returning stolen and disputed artifacts to Nigeria, the country they were taken from centuries ago. Should more museums be doing this? And if so, what should that repatriation look like?Chidi Nwaubani, founder of digital art repatriation site Looty, says much of the damage is done and that we should focus on decolonizing our future. He proposes using technology like NFTs to digitally loot the stolen artwork and restore ownership. Tristram Hunt, director of the Victoria and Albert Museum in the UK, debates that artifacts in museums are valuable tools of education and cultural diffusion. Rather than returning all disputed artifacts, he says that we should find a more equitable way to house art in museums in both the global north and global south. Sofia Carreira-Wham, a curator and art advisor, says we must look beyond the museum walls and find meaningful ways to restore wider cultural benefits to the people and communities whose art has been taken from them. Listen to the Doha Debates Podcast as these guests dissect questions about ownership, reparations, colonial legacy, looting and who has the right to care for the world's treasures.Doha Debates Podcast is a production of Doha Debates and FP Studios. This episode is hosted by Afia Pokua. Thoughts on this conversation? Let us know! Follow us everywhere @DohaDebates and join the post-episode discussion in our YouTube comments.

Video games are built on creative storytelling and intricate worldbuilding, but what happens when the violence depicted in video games starts to spill over into the real world? Researchers at Dartmouth University have found a link between violence in video games and increased physical aggression in teens and preteens. Game designer Bahiyya Khan says that while violence can be important to video game storytelling, game makers must create responsibly and provide context for players. On the other side, political journalist Josh Ferme argues that video games are art—like books and music—which should never be censored. Listen to the Doha Debates Podcast as they discuss virtual violence, real-life repercussions and the future of video games.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.