Wake

If the 2016 election changed the way America talks about trade, corporate taxation and immigration, economist Kimberly Clausing wants a reset. In her new book, “Open,” she tries to identify where our American discourse on trade, immigration and global capital went astray, and argues that free trade deals, higher corporate taxes and immigrants are being falsely portrayed as the cause of the economic and social insecurity felt by many Americans. This week on Wake we’re joined by Reed College economist Kim Clausing to hear her diagnosis of what’s actually plaguing modern American economic life and what can be done about it. Recorded June 12, 2019. If you enjoy this discussion, leave us a review on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. To share feedback with us, send an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Produced, hosted and edited by Luke Vargas.

From adopting more conservative definitions of gender identity to instructing the State Department to spend more time focused on old-school 'natural law' rights, protections for the gay, lesbian and transgender communities appear to be under threat in the U.S. Victor Madrigal-Borloz is a U.N. Special Rapporteur for Human Rights and researches the laws and rhetoric that shape the lives of gay, lesbian and transgender individuals. After a year-and-a-half on the job, we’ll ask him how the U.S. stacks up against the rest of the world and what steps can be taken to reduce violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. If you enjoy this discussion, leave us a review on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. To share feedback with us, send an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Produced, hosted and edited by Luke Vargas.

The current U.S. effort to economically weaken and diplomatically subdue Iran seems like the very definition of a “maximum pressure” campaign. But maximum pressure doesn’t mean optimal pressure. If the U.S. wants Iran to engage in new talks to replace a 2015 nuclear deal, is the current approach the best way to go about that? What makes a successful pressure campaign and is this one of them? This week on Wake we’ll talk to the Rand Corporation's Ariane Tabatabai about the big picture of the US-Iran standoff, what both sides want and what to expect in the months ahead. If you enjoy this discussion, leave us a review on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. To share feedback with us, send an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Taped: May 10, 2019. Hosted by Luke Vargas.

Investigative reporting by Reuters has unearthed a multi-billion dollar African gold smuggling operation through the United Arab Emirates. That gold is one of many natural resources that leave Africa without any revenue making its way back to the people of Africa – or should we say, anyone but Africa’s ruling elite. This week on Wake we’ll talk to the BBC’s Paul Kenyon about his book, “Dictatorland: The Men Who Stole Africa,” about his work reporting on and studying some of Africa’s less savory leaders and what their habits can teach us. If you enjoy this discussion, leave us a review on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. To share feedback with us, send an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Taped: April 26, 2019. Hosted by Luke Vargas.  

Russian President Vladimir Putin presented his vision for Russia’s development of the Arctic earlier this month. He predicted commercial use of a northern sea route connecting Europe and Asia via the Arctic Ocean would increase four-fold by 2025 and he promised Russia would be there to make the new shipping lane “safe and commercially feasible.” But as the Arctic ice pack thins, the region could be used for more than shipping. Russia is reopening and modernizing a number of Soviet-era Arctic military bases and claiming vast tracts of the continental shelf as its own. This week on Wake we’ll consider whether Russia’s Arctic ambitions make the region ripe for future conflict. Helping us do that are this week's guests: Lassi Heininen, research Director, Institute for Atmospheric and Earth Research, University of Helsinki Suzanne Lalonde, professor of public international law, University of Montreal If you enjoy this discussion, leave us a review on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. To share feedback w

Read the headlines and you'd think the world is in chaos. American leaders have spent decades warning that the world is full of dangers, and that failing to address them – often at great expense in lives lost and dollars spent – could spell ruin for the United States. It's an odd refrain to hear from the most powerful nation on Earth, and as this week's guest argues, it's also inaccurate given that the world safer, freer and healthier than ever before. By playing up threats to America, is the U.S. is losing track of the more serious threats right in front of us? Helping us consider that question is: Michael A. Cohen, columnist, The Boston Globe, author, “Clear and Present Safety: The World Has Never Been Better and Why That Matters to Americans” If you enjoy this discussion, leave us a review on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. To share feedback with us, send an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Taped: April 8, 2019. Hosted by Luke Vargas.

Israelis head to the polls in closely-watched elections next week, and if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reelected the Trump Administration is reportedly prepared to unveil a long-awaited Israeli-Palestinian peace plan crafted by the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. But this is not the two-state solution deal long pushed by U.S. administrations. Instead, the U.S. will likely mobilize foreign economic assistance to the West Bank in Gaza, but not force Israel to make tough concessions on occupied territory or control of Jerusalem. This week on “Wake” we’ll talk to a former Palestinian peace negotiator about what he calls America’s ‘Blind Spot’ when it comes to the peace process, and what to expect in the weeks ahead. Khaled Elgindy, nonresident fellow, Center for Middle East Policy, Brookings Institution, author, "Blind Spot: America and the Palestinians, from Balfour to Trump" If you enjoy this discussion, leave us a review on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. To share feedback with us, se

The E.U. passed sweeping new online copyright legislation this week known as Article 13, handing a victory to ‘content creators’ over platforms like YouTube and Facebook that monetize content. Big players in music, film and media love the law. Others fear a world in which corporate media strengthens its hand while independent creators find their content wrongly blocked by overly-cautious platforms whose new algorithms care little about fair use or free speech protections. This week on Wake we’ll look at the new rules that set out to tame the Wild West of online content. Helping us do that is this week's guest: Jens-Henrik Jeppesen, director for European affairs, Center for Democracy and Technology If you enjoy this discussion, follow Wake on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us, send an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Taped: March 29, 2019. Hosted by Luke Vargas.

Seven western states agreed this week share the waters of the Colorado River, something that’s proved difficult after two decades of drought. Success of the deal hinges on dramatically cutting water usage, but at least there’s a pledge to cooperate. Yet around the world, population growth paired with rising demand for water-intensive consumer goods is rapidly draining available fresh water faster than they can be replenished, and in many cases, there are no blueprints in place to correct that imbalance. This week on “Wake” we’ll look at the risk of an American and global water crisis and what if anything can be done to stop it. Helping us do that is this week's guest: Sandra Postel, director, Global Water Policy Project, author, "Replenish: The Virtuous Cycle of Water and Prosperity" If you enjoy this discussion, follow Wake on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us, send an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Taped: March 22, 2019. Hosted by Luke Vargas.

The U.S. military has been at war in Afghanistan for more than 17 years. “Combat Obscura,” a new documentary out today offers a rare behind-the-scenes look of that war, mixing combat footage with glimpses of the more mundane daily efforts by young American men and women to make sense of a complex culture and discern combatants from civilians. The U.S. is finally trying to end the war in Afghanistan and is engaged in talks with the Taliban to do so, but watching this footage from 2011 makes you realize the U.S. probably should have done that a long time ago. This week on Wake we’ll talk to director Miles Lagoze about his life, his new film and how little Americans know about what the U.S. military is up to overseas. ~ 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, 2019. Hosted by Luke Vargas.

Anti-government protesters are in the streets of Algeria and Sudan. In Algeria, they’re angry with 82-year-old President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s decision to seek fo fifth term in office, despite being too ill to even make a public appearance. To the east and south across the Sahara Desert, protests against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir are in their third month as organizers impressively defy a state of emergency, violence and intimidation. This week on “Wake” we’ll consider whether the Middle East and North Africa are experiencing a second “Arab Spring,” and if so, what’s different this time around. Helping us do that are this week's guests: Chloe Teevan, Middle East and North Africa program coordinator, European Council on Foreign Relations Zachariah Mampilly, professor of political science and international studies, Vassar College If you enjoy this discussion, follow Wake on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us, send an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Taped: March 8, 2019. Hosted by Luke Varg

Outer space isn’t about to be militarized, it’s been militarized for decades, and as China, Russia and the U.S. race to outdo each other in a new domain of battle, the world is waking up to the risks that war in space pose for everyone back on Earth. When destroying a satellite with a missile or laser can bring communications networks and financial institutions to a halt – effectively shutting off countries from the world or businesses from markets – it’s troubling just how few rules exist to stop that from happening. This week on Wake we’ll look at a new U.S. report on the space arms race and discuss efforts to try and stop it. Helping us do that is this week's guest: Theresa Hitchens, senior research associate, Center for International and Security Studies, University of Maryland If you enjoy this discussion, follow Wake on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us, send an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Taped: March 1, 2019. Hosted by Luke Vargas.

“Banishment is back.” That’s the assessment by one prominent legal scholar as countries start to strip terrorists of their citizenship – sometimes rendering them stateless in refugee camps in Syria and the world’s other distant battlefields. This week on Wake we’ll look at the legality and practicality of denationalization, and consider whether fear of returning terrorists is pushing western countries to toss out the established judicial playbook and resort to extraordinary legal tactics we might come to regret. Helping us to do that are this week's guests: Jo Shaw, Salvesen Chair of European Institutions, University of Edinburgh School of Law Peter J. Spiro, co-director, Institute for International Law and Public Policy, Temple University School of Law If you enjoy this discussion, follow Wake on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us, send an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Taped: February 22, 2019. Hosted by Luke Vargas.

President Trump has named his selection to lead the world bank. David Malpass is a veteran of Ronald Reagan’s treasury department and the George H. W. Bush's State Department, but it's his more recent criticisms of the World Bank’s size and multilateralism in general that are turning heads. With America already pulling back from the United Nations, NATO and other multilateral institutions, is the World Bank next? This week on Wake we’ll look at the history, present and future of the World Bank and consider how it could change in the Trump era. Helping us to do that are this week's guests:  Nancy Birdsall, founding president, Center for Global Development Catherine Weaver, professor of public policy, Lyndon B Johnson School of Public Affairs, University of Texas at Austin If you enjoy this discussion, follow Wake on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us, send an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Taped: February 14, 2019. Hosted by Luke Vargas.

President Trump announced the U.S. withdrawal from a key 1980’s nuclear arms control agreement this month, accusing Russia of violating the INF Treaty for years and saying there was no reason for the U.S. to keep playing by the rules. Trump said maybe he could make a new deal with Russia and China, but if not, the U.S. would out-innovate and out-spend its rivals – hardly sounding concerned about another nuclear arms race. This week on Wake we’ll consider if that’s where the U.S. and Russia are heading, or if there are still ways to revive arms control diplomacy. Helping us to do that are this week's guests: Tom Collina, policy director at the Ploughshares Fund Alexandra Bell, senior policy director at the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation If you enjoy this discussion, follow Wake on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us, send an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Taped: February 8, 2019. Hosted by Luke Vargas.

The U.S. indicated the Chinese telecom company Huawei this week, accusing the firm of stealing intellectual property from T-Mobile. That's part of a larger U.S. complaint that China’s economic rise has been aided by the systematic pilfering of trade secrets from abroad and the funneling of that information back to domestic industries. This week on Wake we’ll consider the extent of China’s intellectual property theft, what the can the  U.S. can do about it and whether we’re headed for a "technology cold war." Helping us to do that is this week's guest: Robert Atkinson, founder and president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation Peter Harrell, adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security If you enjoy this discussion, follow Wake on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us, send an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Taped: February 1, 2019. Hosted by Luke Vargas.

It’s been a historic week in Venezuela, as opposition lawmaker Juan Guaidó claimed the title of Interim President and said Nicolás Maduro had usurped power and was illegitimate in the eyes of the Venezuelan constitution. Venezuela is on edge – Maduro has okayed violence against protesters, Guaido is in hiding, American diplomats have been ordered to leave the country as the world takes sides in the presidential crisis. This week on Wake we'll recap what’s happening in Venezuela and what could come next. Helping us to do that is this week's guest: Dr. Evan Ellis, research professor of Latin American studies, Strategic Studies Institute of the U.S. Army War College If you enjoy this discussion, follow Wake on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us, send an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Taped: January 25, 2019. Hosted by Luke Vargas.

President Trump says the U.S. is facing a crisis at its southern border as tens of thousands of migrants wait to lodge asylum claims or attempt to pass into the U.S. illegally. But the real crisis driving that migration is thousands of miles south in the 'Northern Triangle' region encompassing Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. This week on 'Wake' we'll explore the breakdown in governance in those countries that's fueling waves of migration. Helping us do that are this week's guests: Douglas Farah, senior visiting fellow, National Defense University Sarah Bermeo, associate professor of political science, Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy Eric L. Olson, director, Seattle International Foundation’s Central America-DC Platform If you enjoy this discussion, follow Wake on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us, send an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Taped: January 18, 2019. Hosted by Luke Vargas.

President Trump wants out of Syria and his aides say the U.S. is keen to reassert itself as a liberating, not an occupying military force. Amid a push to wind down prolonged conflicts, should we expect an end to the U.S. mission in Afghanistan? Helping us answer that question are this week's guests: Vanda Felbab-Brown, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution's Center for 21st Century Security Gil Barndollar, director of Middle East studies at the Center for the National Interest Graeme Smith, author, "The Dogs Are Eating Them Now: Our War in Afghanistan" If you enjoy this discussion, follow Wake on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us, send an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Taped: January 11, 2019. Hosted by Luke Vargas.

We’re living in an age of migration. The U.N. reports more than 25 million people are seeking shelter from conflict worldwide, as millions more uproot their lives in search of opportunities that don’t exist in their home countries. Many of us would do the same if put in their shoes. And yet, countries are increasingly locking down their borders to keep migrants out. Making the case that we're living in an 'age of walls' is our guest: Tim Marshall, author, "The Age of Walls: How Barriers Between Nations Are Changing Our World" If you enjoy this discussion, follow Wake on Twitter @WakeOnAir. To share feedback with us, send an email to wake@talkmedianews.com. Taped: January 4, 2019. Hosted by Luke Vargas.