Asia In-Depth

In the aftermath of the Arab Spring, several Middle Eastern countries have descended into violence as terror groups like the Islamic State have gained power. As they’ve seized territory in Syria, Iraq, and elsewhere, these organizations have systematically destroyed millennia-old archeological sites and trafficked priceless artifacts, creating a self-perpetuating cycle that provides funding for arms and erodes the region's shared identity. This process — which some experts have deemed "cultural cleansing" — has augmented the tragedy of the human lives lost to the conflict. In this episode, we explore what’s happening and what the world can do to stop it.

In July, after years of negotiations, Iran signed a historic deal with the United States and five other world powers to limit its nuclear capability in exchange for sanctions relief, triggering controversy throughout the world. But regardless of its international perception, the deal signals a major shift in Iran's domestic politics. In this episode, experts on the country discuss the political conflict playing out over Iran's future between aging hardline revolutionaries and a moderate younger generation more inclined to opening up to the world.

When Xi Jinping became China's top leader in 2012, few had any inkling of the sweeping changes that were to come. Three years later, a clearer picture has emerged, but many questions remain. Is he a reformer bent on curbing corruption at the highest levels of government? Or is he merely concerned with consolidating power within China's opaque political system? In this inaugural episode, scholars, journalists, and political figures weigh in on the man that some have described as China's most powerful leader since Mao.