
Trending Globally: Politics and Policy
An award-winning show exploring today's biggest global challenges with the world's leading experts, from the Watson School of International and Public Affairs at Brown University. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.
Latest episodes

May 15, 2019 • 29min
Mark & Carrie - Carrie On Regardless
Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown's Watson Institute, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and associate director of Brown's Master of Public Affairs program, share their take on the week's news.
In today's last show of the semester, topics include, Julian Assange, Brexit in a post-Torre world, the Democratic primary, China tarrifs, Alabama's abortion law, warmongering with Iran and record setting CO2 emissions.
We'll update this description with a link to the new, dedicated Mark & Carrie Soundcloud account once its ready to launch in the upcoming weeks. See you in the fall!
You can read a transcript of this episode here: [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tq5ZgMgiykl-9vJCuc3uvyAmRUNyj6o2/view]

May 1, 2019 • 25min
A.I., Robots, and Imagining 'The Future of Work'
On this episode of Trending Globally, Sarah Baldwin talks with Darrell M . West, Vice President of Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution and author of ‘The Future of Work: Robots, AI, and Automation’ [https://www.brookings.edu/book/the-automated-society/]. They dive deep into the changing nature of work, and into the impact A.I. and robots will have on our economy, society, and politics. West argues that these changes don’t have to be as damaging as our worst sci-fi nightmares; in fact, they could help create an economy that works better for everyone. But to make the best of these change we need to start planning for it. Now.
You can read a transcript of this episode here: [https://watson.brown.edu/files/watson/imce/news/podcast/trending-globally/transcripts/E86_Darrell%20WestEdited_mixdown.pdf]

Apr 15, 2019 • 32min
'Unlearning Race' with Thomas Chatterton Williams
On this episode of Trending Globally, Watson Economics Professor Glenn Loury talks with writer Thomas Chatterton Williams. Williams’s 2010 memoir ‘Losing My Cool: Love, Literature, and a Black Man’s Escape from the Crowd,’ [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/304246/losing-my-cool-by-thomas-chatterton-williams/9780143119623/] combined cultural criticism with his own personal story, of falling in (and out) of love with hip hop culture growing up. His forthcoming book ‘Self Portrait in Black and White: Unlearning Race,’ continues his exploration of issues at the intersection of race, culture, family, and his own story. Thomas visited Watson this Spring, and Glenn sat down with him for a wide-ranging conversation about race, literature, family, and life in Paris.
You can read a transcript of this episode here: [https://watson.brown.edu/files/watson/imce/news/podcast/trending-globally/transcripts/E85_GlennThomasFinal.pdf]

Apr 14, 2019 • 27min
Mark & Carrie - Keep Calm and Carrie On
Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown's Watson Institute, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and associate director of Brown's Master of Public Affairs program, share their take on the week's news.
Today's topics include, the Notre Dame fire, Mueller Report, Bernie, Brexit (and the destruction of the Torre party), "Handsy" Joe, measles and vaccinations in a post-facts world, and Mark & Carrie's take on Coachella.
You can read a transcript of this episode here: [https://drive.google.com/file/d/10tDrbszsVE4_rC8fp7NU5ftvOoiLTgYp/view]

Apr 1, 2019 • 28min
The Untold Story of Gay Brazilian Revolutionary Herbert Daniel
On this episode of Trending Globally, Sarah Baldwin talks with James Green, a professor of Latin American History and Director of the Brazil Initiative at The Watson Institute [https://watson.brown.edu/brazil/]. His newest book, 'Exile within Exiles' [https://www.dukeupress.edu/exile-within-exiles], tells the story of Herbert Daniel, a gay Brazilian revolutionary and activist, who fought for wide-ranging social and political rights in Brazil from the 1960s until his death in 1992.
**You can subscribe to James Green’s new Watson podcast ‘Brazil Unfiltered’ on any of your favorite podcast apps. You can find more information about the show https://soundcloud.com/brazilunfiltered **
You can read a transcript of this episode here: [https://watson.brown.edu/files/watson/imce/news/podcast/trending-globally/transcripts/E84_Jim%20Green_mixdownREV.pdf]

Mar 25, 2019 • 22min
Making Sense of Brexit
On this week's episode of Trending Globally, Sarah Baldwin talks with Nick Ziegler, an expert in European politics at the Watson Institute [https://watson.brown.edu/people/faculty/ziegler]. They discuss how Brexit might affect Britain, Europe, and the world, what exactly is making it so difficult to follow through on, and why the idea of the UK leaving Europe gained such momentum in the first place.
You can read a transcript of this episode here: [https://watson.brown.edu/files/watson/imce/news/podcast/trending-globally/transcripts/E83_Nick%20Zeigler_mixdown.pdf]

Mar 18, 2019 • 24min
Mark & Carrie - College scandals, troubled aircrafts, and agreeing with President Trump(!)
Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown's Watson Institute, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and associate director of Brown's Master of Public Affairs program, share their take on the week's news.
Today's topics include, the tragic mass-shooting in New Zealand, what's wrong with Boeing's airplanes, the college admission scandal, how Captain Marvel brings us hope, and the odd sensation of agreeing with President Trump.
You can read a transcript of this episode here: [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DkQzcJtg1tRo_ICVxORwACXrnLsC_6SG/view]

Mar 15, 2019 • 28min
Governing Rio de Janeiro's Favelas
On this episode of Trending Globally, Sarah Baldwin talks with Watson Fellow Nick Barnes about the formal and informal ways Rio de Janeiro’s favelas are governed. Much of his work focuses on Complexo Maré, a district in Rio de Janeiro made up of 16 interconnected favelas. In Complexo Maré, gangs have often done the work of governments, from social welfare programs to public safety. But when Rio was chosen to host the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics, that dynamic began to change.
You can find more information about 'Maré de Dentro: Race, Gender, and Life amid the Militarization of Rio de Janeiro’s Favelas,' an art exhibit on view at The Watson Institute through May 3, here: [https://watson.brown.edu/events/2019/art-watson-presents-mar-de-dentro-race-gender-and-life-amid-militarization-rio-de]
You can read a transcript of this episode here: [https://watson.brown.edu/files/watson/imce/news/podcast/trending-globally/transcripts/E82_Nick%20Barnes_REV.pdf]

Mar 10, 2019 • 28min
Reflections on the Fight for Social Justice in India
On this episode of Trending Globally Sarah Baldwin talks with Aruna Roy [https://watson.brown.edu/southasia/people/aruna-roy], one of India’s most prominent activists. In 1968 Roy joined the Indian Administrative Service, but left in 1975 to work directly with poor and marginalized communities. In 1987, she and two other activists founded MKSS (The Association for the Empowerment of Labourers and Farmers). They’ve fought for everything from the right to work to food security to government transparency. Roy is currently a fellow at the Watson Institute, and her new book 'Power to the People: The Right to Information Story' [https://www.amazon.com/Power-People-Right-Information-Story/dp/8193984625] looks at how the fight for government transparency in India grew from a movement into a law. (Photo Credit: Augustus Binu)
You can read a transcript of this episode here: [https://watson.brown.edu/files/watson/imce/news/podcast/trending-globally/transcripts/E81_Aruna%20Roy_mixdown.pdf]

Mar 4, 2019 • 25min
Special Episode: Madeleine Albright on The Sanford School's Policy 360
This week, something a little different. We at Trending Globally came across a great podcast produced by the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University [https://sanford.duke.edu/], and we wanted to share it with you. It’s called Policy 360 [https://sites.duke.edu/policy360/]. On it, Sanford School Dean Judith Kelley interviews scholars, policymakers, and politicians about some of the most pressing public policy issues today. So this week on Trending Globally: a special episode from Policy 360, featuring former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright discussing the history of fascism and her book Fascism: A Warning.(Music by Vittoro by Blue Dot Sessions [freemusicarchive.org/music/Blue_Dot_Sessions/], Creative Commons License: creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/)
You can read a transcript of this episode here: [https://watson.brown.edu/files/watson/imce/news/podcast/trending-globally/transcripts/E80_Duke%20Ep_REV.pdf]