Wake

The world witnessed two major leadership shakeups this week in Brazil and Germany, and both seem to signal personality politics are the flavor of the moment. This week we’ll talk to a Brazilian political scientists about that country’s new far-right president, a biographer of Angela Merkel about the German chancellor’s slow transition out of power and an expert on populism to consider how global political sentiments are changing an age of anxiety. Our guests are: Cesar Zucco Jr., political scientist at Brazil's Fundação Getúlio Vargas Joyce Marie Mushaben, distinguished professor of comparative politics at the University of Missouri St. Louis, author, "Becoming Madam Chancellor" Benjamin Moffitt, senior lecturer in politics at Australian Catholic University, author, "The Global Rise of Populism" If you enjoy this discussion, follow Wake on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us, send an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Taped: October 30-November 1, 2018. Hosted by Luke Vargas.

The Trump Administration just lowered its refugee admissions ceiling for the next fiscal year to its lowest number in 40 years, and that’s not the only change afoot. Christian refugees also appear to be getting precedence over Muslims fleeing conflicts in places like Syria, Yemen or Somalia. This week on Wake we’ll go behind the numbers to see what’s changing in US refugee admissions policy. Helping us do that are: Kathleen Newland, senior fellow and co-founder of the Migration Policy Institute Daniel Schneiderman, deputy U.S. program director at theInternational Crisis Group Carl Bon Tempo, associate professor of history at SUNY Albany and author of “Americans at the Gate: The United States and Refugees during the Cold War” If you enjoy this discussion, follow Wake on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us, send an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Taped: September 21, 2018. Hosted by Luke Vargas.

On the heels of meetings with the leaders of Russia and North Korea, President Trump says he’s open to talking with Iran’s leaders without precondition. Curiously, that offer of face-to-face dialogue came just days after Trump threatened Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani. Several months after the American exit from the Iran deal, we’re looking today at where the deal stands, how Iran is faring with the deal in limbo, and trying to discern where US policy is heading. Helping us do that are: Daryl Kimball, executive director, Arms Control Association Shampa Biswas, Paul Garrett Professor of Political Science at Whitman College, author, “Nuclear Desire” Naysan Rafati, Iran analyst for the International Crisis Group If you enjoy this discussion, follow Wake on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us, send an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Taped: August 2, 2018 Hosted by Luke Vargas.

Russian President Vladimir Putin bragged this week that a new generation of Russian nuclear weapons would be "years, and perhaps decades ahead of foreign analogues." Those comments follow a video presentation earlier this year in which new Russian missiles were seen breaking through the clouds and heading straight for what appeared to be Florida. This week on Wake we’ll take a look at the recent upgrades to Russia’s military capabilities in recent years and consider whether or not upgrades to the country's armed forces should give the US and NATO something to worry about. Our guests this week: Bettina Renz, associate professor of politics and international relations, University of Nottingham, author, “Russia’s Military Revival" Dara Massicot, policy researcher at the Rand Corporation If you enjoy this discussion, follow Wake on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us, send an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Taped: June 20, 2018 Hosted by Luke Vargas.

Seated across from Kim Jong Un at a negotiating table in Singapore last week, President Donald Trump said he showed the notorious dictator a video of what a brighter North Korea could look like. The message of that video: there’s a prosperous economy awaiting Kim if he only shelves his nukes and plays nice. This week we’re putting aside the nuclear element of that offer and focusing on North Korea’s economy and what it could possible become, under the status quo or in an era of new North Korean relations. Our guests this week: Nicholas Eberstadt, political economist, American Enterprise Institute (4:12) Eunjung Lim, professor international relations, Ritsumeikan University (15:10) Ian Bennett, associate program manager, Choson Exchange (29:48) If you enjoy this discussion, follow Wake on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us, send an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Taped: June 17, 2018 Hosted by Luke Vargas.

For months, President Trump built up expectations that North Korea’s nuclear program could be quickly negotiated away in historic talks with Kim Jong Un in Singapore. But expectations have since shifted to talk of an agreement to end the Korean war, and instead of asking for sanctions relief, North Korea says it wants security guarantees from the U.S. This week on Wake, we’ll try to cover as many angles of the Singapore talks as we can, from the evolving demands of the U.S. and North Korea, to the particular desires of China, South Korea and Japan looming just offstage. Helping us do that are this week's guests: Joe Cirincione, president, Ploughshares Fund Naoko Aoki, research associate, Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland (CISSM) Sharon Squassoni, research professor, Institute for International Science and Technology Policy, George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs If you enjoy this discussion, follow Wake on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us,

People power prevailed in Armenia in April, as mass demonstrators dislodged Prime Minister (and former president) Serzh Sargsyan, who changed the county’s constitution in a bid to remain in office. After a peaceful revolution, Armenia has a new leader and is embarking on a laundry list of complex political and economic reforms. This week on Wake we’ll dive into what Armenia’s revolution tells us about the country’s future, the future of the Transcaucasus and the states of the former Soviet Union. Helping us do that are this week's guests: Richard Giragosian, director of the Regional Studies Center, an independent think tank in Armenia Anahit Shirinyan, academy associate at Chatham House If you enjoy this discussion, follow Wake on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us, send an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Taped: May 24, 2018 Hosted by Luke Vargas.

Years of military efforts to destroy Boko Haram have failed to eradicate the terror group. Boko Haram continues to stage daring attacks, kidnap civilians and fuel a regional refugee crisis that's displaced hundreds of thousands. This week on Wake we’ll trace the origins of Boko Haram consider how the group fits into the global terrorism landscape. Helping us do that are this week's guests: Scott MacEachern, professor of anthropology at Bowdoin College, author, "Searching for Boko Haram: A History of Violence in Central Africa" Tricia Bacon, assistant professor in the Department of Justice, Law & Criminology at American University, author, “Why Terrorist Organizations Form International Alliances” If you enjoy this discussion, follow Wake on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us, send an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Taped: April 19, 2018 + May 8, 2018 Hosted by Luke Vargas.

Just the word 'Russia' conjures up a range of loaded associations from Ukraine to collusion, Syria to election meddling, Sergei Skripal to nuclear weapons. The Cold War is over, but the U.S. continues to push Russia on a range of issues across the far corners of the globe. This week on Wake we'll ask if the U.S. would be better off ignoring Russia, and we'll learn several reasons why we absolutely can't. Helping us to demystify Russia are: Amb. Michael McFaul, former U.S. Ambassador to Russia, author, "From Cold War to Hot Peace" Sarah Henderson, associate professor of political science, Oregon State University If you enjoy this discussion, follow Wake on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us, send an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Taped: May 8, 2018 Hosted by Luke Vargas.

Cuba recently underwent a historic presidential leadership change, turning the page on decades of rule by brothers Fidel and Raúl Castro with the election of Miguel Díaz-Canel. But far from being a shock to the system, Díaz-Canel is a party stalwart, groomed by the Castros for a leadership role and likely to continue in their footsteps. This week on Wake we’ll consider what Díaz-Canel's presidency means for the future of Cuba, and we’ll step back to survey the state of the US-Cuba relationship and whats likely to change – and not change – in the years ahead. Helping us do that are this week's guests: Marguerite Rose Jiménez, director for Cuba at the Washington Office on Latin America Amb. Vicki Huddleston, former chief of the U.S. Interests Section in Havana and author of “Our Woman in Havana: A Diplomat’s Chronicle of America’s Long Struggle with Castro’s Cuba” If you enjoy this discussion, follow Wake on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us, send an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Taped: April 3

The idea for a global parliament, a citizen legislature, and the sovereignty of the human being dates back centuries. It’s an idea with roots in ancient Greece and the Roman Republic. It traces back to birth of the United States, the French Revolution and the establishment of the U.N. out of the rubble of World War II. This week on Wake we’ll talk with the leader of a movement to create a global parliament aimed at addressing major problems that nation states are struggling to address. Andreas Bummel, director of Democracy Without Borders and author of "A World Parliament: Governance and Democracy in the 21st Century." If you enjoy this discussion, follow Wake on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us, send an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Taped: April 11, 2018 Hosted by Luke Vargas.

From day one of his presidential campaign, Donald Trump has directed his ire at Mexico and raised questions about the motives and character of Mexicans seeking a life in the United States. As President, that focus on Mexico has only intensified. Trump frequently disparages the Mexican government, he’s strips away what little legal protections existed for young migrants and created new agencies entirely focused on amplifying news about crimes committed by immigrants. This week on Wake we’re going behind the headlines – and definitely behind the Tweets – to look at how the current political climate is changing what it means to be an immigrant in the United States. Helping us do that are: Andrew Selee, president of the Migration Policy Institute Ana Raquel Minian, assistant professor of history and comparative studies in eace and ethnicity, Stanford University, author, “Undocumented Lives: The Untold Story of Mexican Migration.” Alexis M. Silver, associate professor of sociology, SUNY Purchase College, author,

The headlines are filled with grave proclamations about the future of the European Union. Recent Italian elections swept eurosceptic parties into office, a vocal Front National in France is taking inspiration from President Trump while Eastern and Central European states band together to defy the E.U. on immigration. But are things really as bad as they seem? Maybe collective governance of 28 member nations is bound to be messy, and maybe some pressure is just what the E.U. needs to revitalize its mission a quarter-century after its founding. Helping us perform a health check on the E.U. are: Mai'a Davis Cross, professor of political science at Northeastern University and author of “The Politics of Crisis in Europe”  Ivan Berend, distinguished research professor at UCLA and author of “The Contemporary Crisis of the European Union: Prospects for the Future" If you enjoy this discussion, follow Wake on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us, send an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Taped: March 13, 201

Tourism is diplomacy. A single tourist may not move markets or drive political change, but tourism responds to the times, rising and falling along with political rhetoric, immigration policy and cultural shifts. This week on Wake we’re exploring recent trends in global and domestic travel, considering what the U.S. can do to draw more visitors to America’s shores and how Americans tourists can be better ambassadors abroad. Our guests this week are: Rick Steves, travel guidebook author and TV host Amos Snead, spokesperson, Visit U.S. Coalition If you enjoy this discussion, follow Wake on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us, send an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Hosted by Luke Vargas.

Freedom around the world is in retreat as "democracy faces its most serious crisis in decades."  This week on Wake we’ll try to get to the bottom of these worrying trends overseas and turn the focus on the U.S., to see what’s changing here at home and what if anything, the U.S. can do to set a model for the world. Our guests this week are: Sarah Repucci, senior director for global publications at Freedom House Thomas Carothers, director of the Democracy and Rule of Law Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Rosarie Tucci, director of Inclusive Societies at the United States Institute of Peace If you enjoy this discussion, please follow us on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us, send us an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Recorded February 22, 2018.  Hosted by Luke Vargas.

China’s young generation is large, fiercely competitive and tapped into global education, commerce and tourism. This dynamic cohort is coming of age as China itself reawakens from a 'Century of Humiliation' and increasingly drives the world economy. This week on Wake we’re looking at China's 'millennials' – what could be the world’s most influential generation.  Our guest is: Zak Dychtwald, author of "Young China: How the Restless Generation Will Change Their Country and the World." If you enjoy this discussion, follow us on Twitter @WakeOnAir. Reach the program by email at wake@talkmedianews.com. Recorded February 7, 2018.  Hosted by Luke Vargas.

United Nations peacekeeping is at a crossroads. Under threat, over-extended and beset by scandal, perhaps is it's no surprise the Trump Administration made the U.N. peacekeeping budget an early target of funding cuts. This week on Wake we'll ask if reforms can modernize peacekeeping and whether peacekeeping advances or sets back American interests.  Heling us answer those questions are: Ambassador James Dobbins, senior fellow at the RAND Corporation and former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Norrie MacQueen, honorary research fellow at the University of St. Andrews. If you enjoy this discussion, follow us on Twitter @WakeOnAir. Reach the program by email at wake@talkmedianews.com. Recorded January 30, 2018.  Hosted by Luke Vargas.

 In 2015, the Panama Papers peeled back the lid on how the world's uber rich shelter money in offshore accounts. More revelations in 2017 known as the Paradise Papers showed us how little has changed.  This week on Wake we're diving into the world of offshore finance and what the public needs to know about the costs of financial dealings intended to remain private. Our guests include: Dr. Mary Alice Young, senior lecturer in law, Bristol Law School, University of the West of England George Turner, writer and researcher, Tax Justice Network. If you enjoy this discussion, please follow us on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us, send us an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Recorded December 7, 2017.  Hosted by Luke Vargas.

At every stop along President Trump’s state visit to Asia in November, he said the U.S. and its allies were stepping up pressure on North Korea. But months on, it seems not much has changed. In conversation with Cheon Seong-Whun this week we’re taking a step back to consider if we’re looking at North Korea all wrong, and if seeing the country differently could unlock new policy options. This week's guest: Cheon Seong-Whun, visiting research fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies. If you enjoy this discussion, please follow us on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us, send us an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Recorded November 8, 2017.  Hosted by Luke Vargas.

U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley has just returned from a big trip to Africa. She visited refugee camps South Sudan, famine victims in Ethiopia, and in Congo, she insisted that long-postponed elections finally be held. Upon her return to New York, she announced $60 million in US funding to create an anti-terror fighting force in Africa’s Sahel region. Ten months into the Trump administration, is Africa now on the agenda? Is there a U.S. “Africa policy” per se, and does that matter? To help us answer those questions are: Joshua Meservey, senior policy analyst for Africa and the Middle East at the Heritage Foundation Todd Moss, senior fellow at the Center for Global Development If you enjoy this discussion, please follow us on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us, send us an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Recorded November 1, 2017.  Hosted by Luke Vargas.