The Conversation Weekly

Military juntas have seized power in a series of coups in recent months in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso. We ask three experts what the coups mean for the war against jihadi insurgents in the Sahel – and for the future of French and European soldiers in the region. Featuring Folahanmi Aina, PhD candidate at King's College London in the UK, Mady Ibrahim Kanté, lecturer at the University of Legal and Political Sciences of Bamako in Mali and Thierry Vircoulon, a researcher at the University of Paris in France.And, we talk to researcher looking for ways to alleviate discrimination faced by people who speak English with a foreign accent. Shiri Lev-Ari, a lecturer in psychology at Royal Holloway University of London in the UK, explains why people might discriminate against non-native speakers even if they are not prejudiced – and what to do about it. (From 31m40s)And Jack Marley, an environment editor for The Conversation in Newcastle, England, recommends some recent articles on the ethical questions raised by eating meat. (From 43m40s)The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode available here.Further readingMapping the contours of Jihadist groups in the SahelIn the Sahel, France is being pushed out (in French)France has started withdrawing its troops from Mali: what is it leaving behind?Here’s why people might discriminate against foreign accents – new researchCow documentary shows the need for fundamental legal rights for animalsThe meat paradox: how your brain wrestles with the ethics of eating animals

As frantic diplomatic efforts continue to avert a Russian invasion of Ukraine, Europe’s reliance on Russian gas supplies – and what would happen to them in the case of a war – remains an ever-present threat.We speak to two experts on the geopolitics of natural gas about the history of the energy relationship between Russia and Europe, and the role gas supplies play in the current diplomatic efforts to avoid war. Featuring Michael Bradshaw, professor of global Energy at Warwick Business School at University of Warwick in the UK and Anastasiya Shapochkina politics lecturer at Sciences Po in France.And, the Beijing winter Olympics are the first games to use 100% artificial snow. We talk to a Madeleine Orr, lecturer in sport ecology at Loughborough University in the UK about what that might mean for the athletes – and for the environment around the Olympic sites. (Listen from 30m30)Plus, Haley Lewis for The Conversation in the Canadian capital Ottawa recommends some recent analysis of protests by truckers against COVID-19 restrictions that continue to block the city's streets. (Listen from 42m50)The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode available here.Further reading:Can the US find enough natural gas sources to neutralize Russia’s energy leverage over Europe?Natural gas is a fossil fuel, but the EU will count it as a green investment – here’s whyBeijing’s scant snow offers a glimpse at the uncertainty — and risks — of future Winter OlympicsHow Canada’s ‘freedom convoy’ was overtaken by a radical fringeCould Ottawa police be sued for failing to arrest ‘freedom convoy’ protesters?

What is it like to discover a new COVID-19 variant? We hear the inside story from Jinal Bhiman at South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases, one of the scientists who first alerted the world to the omicron variant. And Shabir A Madhi, professor of vaccinology at the University of Witwatersrand, explains what lessons South Africa's experience can offer the rest of the world about future coronavirus variants. We’re joined by Ozayr Patel, digital editor for The Conversation based in Johannesburg for this story.And new research finds a person’s emotional reaction to music has a lot to do with their cultural background – we speak to George Athanasopoulos, a musicologist at Durham University in the UK. (From 34m15s)Plus, Laura Hood, politics editor for The Conversation based in London, recommends some recent analysis on the political pressures facing the British prime minister, Boris Johnson, over parties held during coronavirus lockdowns. (From 47m10s)The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode available here. A transcript of this episode is available here. Further reading:The hunt for coronavirus variants: how the new one was found and what we know so farSouth Africa has changed tack on tackling COVID: why it makes senseHow your culture informs the emotions you feel when listening to musicFour key takeaways from the ‘partygate’ investigation into Boris Johnson’s Downing StreetBoris Johnson pledges to ‘fix’ Downing Street after partygate – but this is a failure of his leadership

When the Beijing Winter Olympics open on February 4, diplomats from a number of countries, including the US, UK, Canada and Australia, will not be there to watch. Their diplomatic boycott hinges on concerns about human rights abuses in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. We talk to three experts about China’s long-term vision for Xinjiang, and what its strategy there means for the region’s persecuted Uyghurs. Featuring Darren Byler, assistant professor of international studies at Simon Fraser University in Canada; David Tobin, lecturer in east Asian Studies at the University of Sheffield in the UK; and Anna Hayes, senior lecturer in politics and international relations at James Cook University in Australia.And what toxic heavy metals are lingering in houses around the world? Cynthia Faye Isley, postdoctoral research fellow in environmental science at Macquarie University in Australia, explains what she's found analysing vacuum cleaner dust from around the world.Plus, Matt Williams, breaking news editor at The Conversation in New York, recommends his picks of recent analysis on the build-up of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border.The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode available here. A transcript is available here.Further reading:How an independent tribunal came to rule that China is guilty of genocide against the UyghursCan China win back global opinion before the Winter Olympics? Does it even want to?House dust from 35 countries reveals our global toxic contaminant exposure and health riskIt’s just a ‘panic attack’ – Russian media blames US for escalating Ukraine crisisThe US military presence in Europe has been declining for 30 years – the current crisis in Ukraine may reverse that trend

What are the evolutionary origins of sugar cravings? What makes something taste sweet? And what does too much sugar do to the brain? This week we talk to three experts and go on a deep dive into the science of sugar.Featuring Stephen Wooding, assistant professor of anthropology and heritage studies at the University of California, Merced; Lina Begdache, assistant professor of nutrition at the Binghamton University, State University of New York and Kristine Nolin, associate professor of chemistry at the University of Richmond.And after the Canadian government agreed in principle to pay CAN$40bn (US$32bn) over discrimination against First Nations children by the country’s child welfare system, we talk to Anne Levesque, assistant professor at the faculty of law at the University of Ottawa in Canada, about the long fight for justice. (From 29m20)Plus, Veronika Meduna, science and health editor at The Conversation in New Zealand, recommends analysis of the recent Tonga volcano eruption. (From 45m45)The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode available here. A transcript is available here.Further reading:Read more from The Conversation's series on sugar's effects on human health and cultureMaking sugar, making ‘coolies’: Chinese laborers toiled alongside Black workers on 19th-century Louisiana plantations, by Moon-Ho Jung, University of WashingtonAs a lawyer who’s helped fight for the rights of First Nations children, here’s what you need to know about the $40B child welfare agreements, by Anne Levesque, University of OttawaWhy the volcanic eruption in Tonga was so violent, and what to expect next, by Shane Cronin, University of AucklandThe Tonga volcanic eruption has revealed the vulnerabilities in our global telecommunication system, by Dale Dominey-Howes, University of Sydney

We dive into the world of crypto and digital currencies in this episode to take a close look at two countries approaching them in very different ways. In 2021, El Salvador made the cryptocurrency bitcoin legal tender, while Nigeria launched its own central bank digital currency. Experts talk us through why they've taken such radically different paths.Featuring Iwa Salami, Reader (Associate Professor) in Law at the University of East London in the UK and Erica Pimentel, Assistant Professor at the Smith School of Business at Queen's University, Ontario in Canada.And if the latest Matrix film has left you wondering whether we are really living in a simulation, we talk to Benjamin Curtis, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy and Ethics at the Nottingham Trent University in the UK, on the long history of that idea. (At 30m20)Plus, Rob Reddick, COVID-19 editor at The Conversation in the UK, picks out some recent coverage of the wave of omicron cases sweeping the world. (At 42m10)The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. You can sign up to The Conversation’s free daily email here. Full credits for this episode available here. And a transcript is available here.Further reading:Nigeria’s digital currency: what the eNaira is for and why it’s not perfect, by Iwa Salami, University of East LondonAfter a big year for cryptocurrencies, what’s on the horizon in 2022?, by Erica Pimentel, Bertrand Malsch, and Nathaniel Loh, Queen's University, OntarioFree Guy’s philosophy: could we just be lines of code in a grand simulation, by Benjamin Curtis, Nottingham Trent UniversityWhat are the symptoms of omicron?, by Tim Spector, King's College LondonWhy does omicron appear to cause less severe disease than previous variants?, by Paul Hunter, University of East Anglia

From new mRNA vaccines, to space mission and developments in robotic automation, in this episode we talk to three experts about some of the scientific advances they’re watching out for in 2022. Featuring Deborah Fuller, professor of microbiology at the School of Medicine at University of Washington in the US and an expert on mRNA and DNA vaccines; Monica Grady, professor of planetary and space sciences at The Open University in the UK; Teresa Vidal-Calleja, associate professor at the Robotics Institute at University of Technology Sydney.We also speak about what 2022 holds in store for global inequality with economist Carlos Gradín, research fellow at United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research in Helsinki in Finland. And Naomi Schalit, senior politics and society editor at The Conversation in Boston in the US, recommends some reading to mark the one year anniversary of the attack on the Capitol in Washington D.C. The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. You can sign up to The Conversation’s free daily email here. Full credits for this episode available here.Further reading:Material from asteroid Ryugu starts to give up secrets of early Solar System, by Monica Grady, The Open UniversityGlobal inequality may be falling, but the gap between haves and have-nots is growing, by Carlos Gradín, United Nations University & colleaguesThe ‘sore loser effect’: Rejecting election results can destabilize democracy and drive terrorism, by James Piazza, Penn StateAmerican support for conspiracy theories and armed rebellion isn’t new – we just didn’t believe it before the Capitol insurrection, by Amanda J. Crawford, University of Connecticut

In this episode we bring you three stories from Australia and the UK exploring the role of art in helping people deal with the challenges life throws at them. We talk to Cherine Fahd, associate professor at the School of Design at the University of Technology Sydney about Being Together: Parramatta Yearbook, a photography project in a suburb of Sydney bringing people back together again as COVID-19 restrictions lift.Angelina Hurley, PhD candidate at Griffith University in Brisbane tell us how art is used to process the trauma of colonisation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in Australia, and about the work of her father, the late artist Ron Hurley. And Kirsty Sedgman, a lecturer in theatre at the University of Bristol in England, explains why the second world war led to the birth of public funding for arts buildings in Britain – and how the Bristol Old Vic theatre became the first recipient.And Gregory Rayko, international editor for The Conversation in Paris, France give us his recommended reading.This episode of the The Conversation Weekly is supported by the UK/Australia Season Patrons Board, the British Council and the Australian Government as part of the UK/Australia Season, which centres on the theme Who Are We Now? The season's programme reflects on the two countries’ shared history, explores their current relationship, and imagines their future together.This episode was produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with reporting by Rhianna Patrick and Olivia Rosenman and sound design by Eloise Stevens. You can sign up to The Conversation’s free daily email here. Full credits for this episode available here.Further reading‘Art is our voice’: why the government needs to support Indigenous arts, not just sport, in the pandemic, by Angelina Hurley, Griffith UniversityYearning for touch — a photo essay, by Cherine Fahd, University of Technology SydneyArts rescue package: by all means protect Britain’s ‘jewels’ – but don’t forget the rest of the crown, by Kirsty Sedgman, University of BristolShould we be alarmed by the sound of boots on the Russia-Ukraine border?, by Christine Dugoin-Clément, IAE Paris – Sorbonne Business School (in French)France-Algeria: the diplomatic impasse, by Luis Martinez, Sciences Po (in French)

With a mirror six and half metres in diameter, a sun shield the size of a tennis court and an instrument compartment bigger than a phone booth, the James Webb Space Telescope is enormous. After years of delays, it's now set for launch on December 22. We speak to two astronomers about the telescope and the questions they hope it will answer about the beginning of the universe and the conditions on exoplanets orbiting far-away stars. Featuring Martin Barstow, professor of astrophysics and space science at the University of Leicester in the UK and chair of the Space Telescope Science Institute Council; and Marcia Rieke, Regents professor of astronomy at the University of Arizona in the US and principal investigator on the near-infrared camera onboard the James Webb Space Telescope.In our second story, Edwin Kwong, a research fellow at the University of Melbourne in Australia, explains his recent research into the tactics used by the food industry to boost sales of ultra-processed foods in middle-income countries. And Luthfi Dzulfikar, an editor for The Conversation in Jakarta, Indonesia recommends some analysis on the recent volcanic eruption on the island of Java.The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. You can sign up to The Conversation’s free daily email here. Full credits for this episode available here.Further reading:James Webb Space Telescope: An astronomer on the team explains how to send a giant telescope to space – and whyJames Webb Space Telescope: what will happen after its launch? (in French)How big companies are targeting middle income countries to boost ultra-processed food salesMount Semeru erupts: the history of its eruption (in Bahasa Indonesia)How religion influences Indonesian workers to seek work-life balance

After nearly two years of COVID, how is the pharmaceutical industry faring? In this episode, we explore where drug companies were before the arrival of COVID and how they performed financially during the pandemic. And we hear about the ongoing tensions between profits and equitable access to vaccines.Featuring, Ray Moynihan, assistant professor at the Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare at Bond University in Australia; Jérôme Caby, professor of corporate finance at Sorbonne Business School in Paris, France; Ana Santos Rutschman, assistant professor of law at Saint Louis University in the US; and Nicole Hassoun, professor of philosophy at Binghamton University, State University of New York in the US.And Ozayr Patel, digital editor at The Conversation in Johannesburg, South Africa, recommends some reading on the emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. You can sign up to The Conversation’s free daily email here. Full credits for this episode available here.Further reading:COVID vaccines offer the pharma industry a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reset its reputation. But it’s after decades of big profits and scandals, by Ray Moynihan, Bond UniversityWhy Moderna won’t share rights to the COVID-19 vaccine with the government that paid for its development, by Ana Santos Rutschman, Saint Louis UniversityThe US drug industry used to oppose patents – what changed? by Joseph M. Gabriel, Florida State UniversityThe hunt for coronavirus variants: how the new one was found and what we know so far, by a panel of experts in South AfricaOmicron is the new COVID kid on the block: five steps to avoid, ten to take immediately, by Shabir A. Madhi, University of the Witwatersrand