On this episode Sarah talks with Jori Breslawski, a Postdoctoral Fellow at Watson and expert on one type of organization that’s been on the front lines in the fight against Covid-19: armed non-governmental groups. That means groups like Boko Haram, Hezbollah, and the Islamic State, as well as gangs in countries like Brazil, El Salvador, and South Africa. While ‘emergency healthcare provider’ might seem like a surprising role for these types of groups, Jori explains how, once you understand how they operate in society, it's not surprising at all. You can read Jori's article about how armed groups are responding to Covid in 'The Conversation' here: [https://theconversation.com/terrorists-militants-and-criminal-gangs-join-the-fight-against-the-coronavirus-135914]

Trending Globally: Politics and Policy

Terrorist Group, Armed Militia, or Public Health Provider? In a Pandemic, the Lines Get Blurred.

This is the second part in a special series from Trending Globally exploring the housing crisis in the United States, and in Rhode Island in particular. The crisis has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, but as we’ll show, it’s a problem that has been with us for much, much longer. On this episode, we follow one Rhode Island family's story in order to understand the psychological and economic costs of eviction, and we examine the state-level policies that make the experience so much more punishing than it has to be. We look at the long-term causes of housing insecurity, and explore what it would actually mean to make housing a human right. Contributors to this podcast include students from Brown University and the media collective Signs of Providence. You can learn more about their organization here: [evicted-in-ri.com/#/] You can listen to Parts 1 and 2 here: [https://soundcloud.com/watsoninstitute/sets/less-to-lean-on-housing] To learn more about the Watson Institute's other podcasts, visit: [https://watson.brown.edu/news/podcasts]

Less to Lean On, Part 3

How does a President’s health affect their ability to lead? Do Presidential candidates deserve any privacy in terms of their medical history? How do we define what health issues ‘matter’ for a role as all-encompassing as President of the United States? On this episode Sarah looks for answers with the help of Watson Professor Rose McDermott. McDermott’s 2010 book ‘Presidential Leadership, Illness, and Decision Making,’ explores the history of health issues faced by US Presidents, and the effects they’ve had on the country and the world. As we prepare for the inauguration of a 78-year-old President amidst a global pandemic, there’s no better time to understand the complex relationship between a President’s health and health of the nation. You can learn more about and purchase Rose McDermott's book here: [https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/presidential-leadership-illness-and-decision-making/9A5FE725BE2C9156E6A82554B3E50705]

The Secret History of Presidential Health and Illness

On this episode Sarah talks with Watson Senior Fellow and former North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp. As the Democratic Party faces a divided government and nation, Senator Heitkamp is someone many people are turning to for ideas on how to move forward. Sarah and the Senator discuss the fallout from the Presidential election, as well as the strategic and philosophical debates that are happening right now within the Democratic Party.

How to Grow the Democratic Party with Senator Heidi Heitkamp

On this episode Sarah talks with Watson Associate Professor of Latin American and Caribbean Studies Erica Durante about her new book ‘Air Travel Fiction and Film: Cloud People,’ which explores the role air travel plays in modern storytelling, and by extension, our culture. By looking at how air travel manifests itself in film, literature, and our everyday lives, Erica makes clear: whether you used to fly regularly or you’ve never gotten on a plane, we’re all cloud people now. You can learn more about and purchase Erica's book here: [https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9783030526504]

Miss Flying? We Have the Book for You.

On this episode Dan talks with Watson Faculty Fellow and Chair of the Political Science Department at Brown Wendy Schiller about the state of the race in its closing days: who has already voted, who is left to sway, and what we’ve learned so far from this unprecedented election season.

Election 2020: Who is Left to Sway?

No matter who wins the Presidency this fall, this much we know: human-driven climate change will continue to be one of the greatest threats we face, as a country and as a planet. On this episode Sarah talks with Watson Professor Jeff Colgan and political science PhD candidate Fred Shaia about the newly created Climate Solutions Lab at Watson, and their recently published report “Presidential Climate Action on Day One: A Foreign Policy Guide for the Next U.S. President.” The report looks at the ways executive action in the US could be used to fight climate change, with or without cooperation from Congress. Some are ideas you might be familiar with. Others, not so much. All of them are worth considering. You can read Jeff and Fred’s report here: [https://watson.brown.edu/files/watson/imce/news/explore/2020/Final%20CSL%20Report.pdf] You can learn more about the Climate Solutions Lab here: [https://watson.brown.edu/news/explore/2020/ClimateSolutionsLab]

A Climate Agenda for the Next US President

On this episode, guest host Rich Arenberg talks with Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island about some of the most pressing issues in American politics. Rich is the Interim Director of the Taubman Center for American Politics and Policy at Watson, and spent decades staffing some of the most influential Congress people of the 20th century. Senator Whitehouse is a leading voice on many issues in Congress, including climate change, campaign finance reform, and judicial appointments. In this conversation, they give an insider’s view on everything from the Supreme Court battle to the presidential election, to the newest evolution of dark money in our politics. You can learn more about the Taubman Center for American Politics and Policy here: [https://watson.brown.edu/taubman/] This conversation was recorded on October 7, 2020. We'll put a link here to the full version on YouTube as soon as it's available.

RBG is Gone: Now What? (With Senator Sheldon Whitehouse)

On March 2, 2020, Watson Fellow and Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Kertzer was granted access to the Vatican Apostolic Archives -- formerly known as the Vatican’s ‘secret archives.’ David used the opportunity to explore the records of Pope Pius XII, who led the church during World War II, and whose role in that war is still a source of heated debate. In August, David published a piece in The Atlantic based on his research, about the Vatican’s behavior in the face of rising German power during World War II. It was groundbreaking, beautifully written -- and utterly disturbing. On this episode, Sarah talks with David about what he uncovered, and why it should be a lesson for us all. You can read David’s article in The Atlantic here: [https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/08/the-popes-jews/615736/]

The Pope, WWII, and the Vatican’s ‘Secret Archives’

On this episode Sarah talks with physician, public health expert, and Watson Faculty Fellow Adam Levine about a new study examining the effectiveness of convalescent plasma treatment for people with Covid-19. Depending on what Adam and his colleagues find, it could mark the beginning of a new phase in the fight against coronavirus. Adam’s team is looking for volunteers for this study, in Rhode Island and across the country. You can find out if you qualify and learn how to get involved by following the links below: Trial for people currently infected with Covid-19: [https://harims.egnyte.com/dl/gU0smp3Lph/] Trial for people who are at high risk of infection: [https://harims.egnyte.com/dl/012v7o3H57/]

The Promise of Plasma in the Fight Against Covid-19

In the US, we’ve grown accustomed to hearing about China’s transformation into a ‘global superpower’ in the 21st century. But according to journalist and author Michael Schuman, that’s not the only way to see China’s economic and political resurgence. On this episode, Watson’s Director Ed Steinfeld talks with Michael about his book 'Superpower Interrupted: The Chinese History of the World.' The book will be, to many, a fresh perspective on Chinese history. But it's more than a history lesson; it’s also a powerful example of how national narratives develop, and how they are used for political ends. You can learn more about and purchase 'Superpower Interrupted: A Chinese History of the World,' here: [https://www.publicaffairsbooks.com/titles/michael-schuman/superpower-interrupted/9781541788329/]

Chinese Power, Interrupted

This is the second part in a special series from Trending Globally exploring the housing crisis in the United States, and in Rhode Island in particular. The crisis has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, but as we’ll show, it’s a problem that has been with us for much, much longer. In Part II, we explore the role racism has played in this ongoing crisis, through policies and practices both unofficial and government sanctioned. We also look at how history is repeating itself today, as President Trump implies that white suburbs are facing an existential threat. But if the current inequalities are the result of deliberate actions, perhaps deliberate actions can also be used rectify them. (Photo credit: Steve Ahlquist) Contributors to this podcast include students from Brown University and the media collective Signs of Providence. You can learn more about their organization here: [evicted-in-ri.com/#/] *We'll be back in two weeks with another episode of Trending Globally, and soon thereafter with Part 3 of 'Less to Lean On.'

Less to Lean On, Part 2

After reading about how supply chains were disrupted by the pandemic, and how American farmers were suddenly left with food they couldn’t sell, Will Collier ‘20 (Architecture and Economics concentrator) and Aidan Reilly ‘21 (Political Science and Government concentrator) had an idea: maybe they could raise money to buy the food, and deliver it themselves to people that needed it. So in the midst of the pandemic they founded Farmlink, which to date has delivered over 10 million pounds of unsold produce to food banks across Southern California. And while their idea was borne out of this current crisis, it has grown into something far bigger than emergency relief. This episode is the third in our series on how Brown students are navigating the pandemic. Will and Aidan discuss how they came up with the idea for Farmlink, the underlying issues in our food system that have made Farmlink so impactful, and what it’s like learning to drive a semi-trailer. You can learn more about Farmlink here: [https://thefarmlinkproject.org/] Photo credit: Owen Dubeck

Connecting Farmers and Food (Even If They Have to Drive the Trucks Themselves)

A good documentary doesn’t just tell a story; it makes you question what you think you know, and helps you to understand lives that are different from your own. Rory Kennedy ‘91 is a celebrated documentary filmmaker; Randall Poster ‘81 is a film music supervisor, who has worked with filmmakers such as Wes Anderson and Martin Scorsese. Last year, they helped launch the John F. Kennedy Jr. Film Initiative, which is housed at Watson [https://www.brown.edu/news/2020-01-21/film]. Like John, they’re both Brown alums; John was Rory’s cousin, and Randy’s classmate. Through screenings, discussions, and workshops, this Initiative connects world-class documentarians with the Brown community, at a time when more and more students are looking to use narrative storytelling in their research and activism. On this episode, Watson’s Director Ed Steinfeld talks with Rory and Randall about their careers in film, the motivation behind the Initiative, and the power documentaries have to affect social change. You can sign up to for updates about the initiative here: [https://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin?v=001tAx93SxsVPdIu0VdUKzGrI5l26fcYQCXzMIohbPEVcDI7_R5BmKHvSaASTST4iiMXJq5MU_zoqdr4GNPZ7gqSkHScQHfeVZpUO_sgEQQT-Fr7vpMrH5zUInF2EaK9CVlQseYI1RfQaGsYl-9ytBBjmLkXmv7hMCd] And you can learn more about the full slate of programming here (Fall Event announcements will be added in the coming days): https://watson.brown.edu/events/series/john-f-kennedy-jr-initiative-documentary-film-and-social-progress

How Good Documentaries Transcend Borders, and Why We Need Them Now More Than Ever

This is the second in our ongoing series of conversations with Brown students about life during the pandemic. On this episode: Aaron Gruen ‘22 is a double concentrator in chemistry and music, and he was preparing for the most important cello recital of his life when Brown’s campus closed in March. He flew back home to Germany, and finished his classes remotely. Between classes, he found a new extracurricular -- serving as a frontline healthcare worker.

How One Brown Undergrad Became a Frontline Health Worker

Podcast by Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs

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Trending Globally: Politics and Policy

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