The Munk Debates Podcast

Munk Members Podcast provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.   This edition of the Munk members podcast features two stories in the news. First, with Russian troops set to capture the strategic city of Severodonetsk in the Donbas region, are we seeing the beginning of the end of the war? What are the chances that Russia will consolidate its positions in the Donbas and southern Ukraine in the coming weeks? Will new NATO weapon systems give the Ukrainian army the opportunity to turn the tables on the plodding but so far effective Russian advance? Second, the Biden Administration is courting some of the lowest approval ratings of any recent presidency heading into crucial mid-term elections. What is the cause of Biden’s sagging popularity? What could it mean for the mid-term elections and what happens after in terms of political and policy gridlock? How should Canada be positioning itself for a period of political instability in the U.S.?   This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.   More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Should billionaires exist? On this episode of the Munk Debates Podcast, the editor of Jacobin Magazine, Bhaskar Sunkara, debates American Enterprise Institute's James Pethokoukis on the motion Be it resolved, a society that allows billionaires to exist is immoral. SOURCES: NBC, CNBC, SXSW, CBS NEWS

This program provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates. This week’s Munk Members podcast explores a wild week in financial markets brought on by central banks around the world aggressively raising interest rates to fight surging inflation. Are witnessing more than just a regular market sell off? The last decade and a half saw the normalization of new monetary policy tools by central banks such as ultra low interest rates and fueled record levels of indebtedness on the part of governments, consumers and corporations. The recent surge in inflation and the response by central banks to rapidly raise interest rates looks set to upend this status quo ante with big consequences for the economy, growth and economic inequality. Janice and Rudyard discuss what could come next and the important lessons that policy makers should take away from the economic turmoil effecting everything from equity and bond markets to currencies, housing and crypto. To access the full-length episode, consider becoming a Munk Member. Membership is free. Simply log on to www.munkdebates.com/membership to register. Under your membership profile page, you will find a link to listen to the full-length editions of the Munk Members Podcast. If you like what the Munk Debates is all about, consider becoming a Supporting Member. For as little as $9.99 monthly, you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents). To explore your Munk Membership options, visit www.munkdebates.com/membership. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue. More information at www.munkdebates.com.

In 2016, the UK stunned the rest of Europe by voting to leave the European Union. The split was close, 48 per cent of people voted to stay but 52 per cent voted to leave the geopolitical and trade alliance. In his book, Geography is Destiny, Ian Morris argues Brexit should not have come as a surprise. Instead he says, this has been playing out for 10,000 years, when the landmass now known as Britain first became an island. Morris argues that Britain is uniquely positioned due to its proximity to Europe while able to stay insular thanks to the English Channel. This wasn’t always the case. For the first seventy-five hundred years, the British were bit players on the edge of the European stage. But by 1500 CE, advancement of ships and governments of the day turned  Britain into a worldwide power. By 1900, Britain was beginning to see the sun set on its empire thanks to rapid globalization. Now Morris says, the great question facing Britain now is how to keep up with Beijing and is it “chaps or maps” that make a country great.  Joining the Munk Debates for this Dialogue is Ian Morris, author of Geography is Destiny.  QUOTES: “The title of the book is “Geography is Destiny”. That’s because nothing that was said or done during the Brexit debate was in any way new. It was like it was the latest round in an 10,000-year-old argument that we can trace back to the history and archaeology about “what do insularity and proximity mean” and “what do we do with them?” -Ian Morris   The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths - @rudyardg.   Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/ To sign up for a weekly email reminder for this podcast, send an email to podcast@munkdebates.com.   To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership Members receive access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events.This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/   Senior Producer: Kelly Linehan Editor: Adam Karch

This program provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates. This week’s Munk Members podcast focuses on two stories in the news. First, what should we take away from the public debut of the findings of the U.S. congressional committee looking into the January 6, 2021 attack on the capitol buildings? Is this the end of Trump’s political ambitions to launch a second bid for the presidency in 2024? How close was America in January 2021 in irreparably breaking its democratic institutions? Second, Shanghai is set to go back into lockdown this weekend for another round of testing of its 24 million plus inhabitants. What is driving Beijing’s relentless COVID zero strategy as China’s economy falters and public unrest over seemingly endless restrictions grow? Are we in fact witnessing a new phase of authoritarian government emerging in China that could well outlast the pandemic? To access the full-length episode, consider becoming a Munk Member. Membership is free. Simply log on to www.munkdebates.com/membership to register. Under your membership profile page, you will find a link to listen to the full-length editions of the Munk Members Podcast. If you like what the Munk Debates is all about, consider becoming a Supporting Member. For as little as $9.99 monthly, you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents). To explore your Munk Membership options, visit www.munkdebates.com/membership. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue. More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Is university a waste of time and money? On this episode of the Munk Debates Podcast, Bryan Caplan, author of The Case Against Education, debates Professor Nicholas Dirks, the former Chancellor of UC Berkeley, on the motion Be it resolved, cut public spending for universities. It's a waste of time and money. SOURCES: CNN, Newsweek, EWTN, Global News.

This program provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates. This week’s Munk Members only podcast focuses on two stories in the news. First, the Russia-Ukraine War marks its 100th day of fighting. Where is this conflict headed next? Will we still be talking about an ongoing war one hundred days from now? Have the risks of wider escalation of the war increased, or is the threat of a NATO vs. Russia conflict receding as both parties seek to keep the war contained in Ukraine? Second, central banks around the world are hiking overnight interest rates to cool overheating economies. What is the likely impact of increased borrowing costs on the larger economy? Is a recession in the cards or can central banks engineer a so called “soft landing” that sees inflation come down while avoiding a prolonged contraction in economic growth? To access the full length episode consider becoming a Munk Member. Membership is free. Simply log on to www.munkdebates.com/membership to register. Under your membership profile page you will find a link to listen to the full length editions of Munk Members Podcast. If you like what the Munk Debates is all about consider becoming a Supporting Member. For as little as $9.99 monthly you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents). To explore you Munk Membership options visit www.munkdebates.com/membership. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue. More information at www.munkdebates.com.

While many people are now happily returning to restaurants and concert halls after two years of COVID isolation, most workers are not as eager to return to the office. Office occupancy rates in the US are only at 40%, with as many as 15% of people say they plan never to return. Some economists argue that workers must be at the office for at least part of the week to facilitate creativity, collaboration, and innovation. Specifically, young workers have a lot to learn from their senior colleagues, an invaluable knowledge transfer which is often the result of spontaneous workplace interactions or friendly relations which are hard to cultivate via Zoom. Likewise, older workers need to become invested in their colleagues’ success, mentoring them, offering them assignments, and championing them to others. These are important relationships that are not only vital to individual progress, but also to the long-term success of the company. Others point to statistics that show working from home, avoiding long commutes, and having more time for leisure activities actually increases productivity and effectiveness. And polls show that a third of workers would rather resign than return to the office full time. Instead of returning to an old and outdated workplace culture, companies need to redesign how they function and use new technology to reinforce social bonds. Workplaces which let their employees work from home while embracing new digital work tools of the 21st century will increase productivity, strengthen relationships, retain better employees, and ultimately get better results. Arguing for the motion is Allison Schrager, columnist for Bloomberg Opinion and senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute Arguing against the motion is Adrian Wooldridge, global business columnist for Bloomberg Opinion QUOTES: ALLISON SCHRAGER  “If we completely get rid of the office, then at what point do you connect with your coworkers? In a quarterly or annual retreat? You're never going to really have the spark in chemistry if that's the only time you see them.” ADRIAN WOOLDRIDGE “People have discovered that they can be just as productive, just as creative, just as intelligent at home as in the formal office …. work is no longer tied to a place.”   Sources: Yahoo Finance, Bloomberg Markets, CNBC The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths - @rudyardg.   Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/ To sign up for a weekly email reminder for this podcast, send an email to podcast@munkdebates.com.   To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership Members receive access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/   Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz Editor: Adam Karch

This program provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates. This week’s Munk Members podcast analyses two stories in the news. First, something feels different about the latest school shooting incident in America. The scale of horror and the event following so closely on the racially motivated killings in a Buffalo supermarket suggest a bigger set of problems are besetting the U.S. beyond the urgent need for gun control. What are these issues? How could they be addressed? Janice and Rudyard discuss. The show wraps up with a recap of week of events in the Russia-Ukraine War and the fierce debates at Davos over the morality of a negotiated settlement that could leave Putin in control of large swaths of Ukraine’s East and South. To access the full length episode consider becoming a Munk Member. Membership is free. Simply log on to www.munkdebates.com/membership to register. Under your membership profile page you will find a link to listen to the full length editions of Munk Members Podcast. If you like what the Munk Debates is all about consider becoming a Supporting Member. For as little as $9.99 monthly you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents). To explore you Munk Membership options visit www.munkdebates.com/membership. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue. More information at www.munkdebates.com.

By any measure, the Russian invasion of Ukraine represents a profound security risk for the world. It raises fundamental issues about the basic principles that underwrite the current international order and it threatens the specter of an entrenched, high-risk Great Power conflict. How is this fast-evolving crisis best addressed? Does it demand a resolute and relentless push by the West to punish, isolate and degrade Putin’s Russia economically, politically and militarily? Or is a solution to be found in acknowledging Russia’s security needs and finding ways to mutually de-escalate the war, sooner not later? Which of these different strategies stand the best chance of success? And how ultimately is this conflict best resolved? Arguing in favour of the resolution are John Mearsheimer, R. Wendell Harrison Distinguished Service Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago, and Stephen Walt, the Robert and Renee Belfer Professor of International Affairs at Harvard Kennedy School. Arguing against the resolution are The Hon. Radosław Sikorski, member of the European Parliament and former defence minister of Poland, and Michael McFaul, who served as the US ambassador to Russia from 2012-2014. QUOTES: JOHN MEARSHEIMER: "We in effect poked the Russian bear in the eye and then we left Ukraine defenceless. We have led the Ukrainians down the primrose path."STEPHEN WALT: "If you want to bring this to an end, as quickly as possible, you have to start by recognizing Russia's security interests, the reasons they went to war."RADEK SIKORSKI: "This is not a war about NATO membership, which is a hypothetical possibility. This is the last gasp of Russian imperialism."MICHAEL MCFAUL :"The US, NATO and the West have recognized Russia's security interests for three decades. Yet, that did not prevent Putin from invading Ukraine."   The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths - @rudyardg.   Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/ To sign up for a weekly email reminder for this podcast, send an email to podcast@munkdebates.com.   To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership Members receive access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events.This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/ Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz Editor: Adam Karch