Why It Matters

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EVERY TWO WEEKS

Each episode of Why It Matters breaks down an issue that is shaping our world‘s future. Join host Gabrielle Sierra as she speaks with the leaders and thinkers who are facing these questions head on. Fueled by the minds at the Council on Foreign Relations, Why It Matters brings some of the world‘s most compelling stories home to you.

6 DAYS AGO

Why the World Next Week Matters

Tumultuous events have rocked the last four years: the COVID-19 pandemic, Europe’s largest land war in eighty years, and an escalating Middle Eastern conflict between Israel and Iran-backed forces. On top of that, the United States faces an intensifying geopolitical struggle with China and Russia. Now, U.S. President Joe Biden is running out of time to secure his legacy while the transition to a second Donald Trump administration comes sharply into focus. The U.S. president-elect has been quickly nominating leaders to his cabinet and receiving calls from foreign leaders. Why It Matters sits down with the hosts of The World Next Week to talk about what the United States–and a closely watching world–should expect in the weeks and months to come as incoming President Trump takes office. Featured Guests: Robert McMahon (Managing Editor, CFR) Carla Anne Robbins (Senior Fellow, CFR) For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/why-world-next-week-matters

37 min
13 NOV

The New Tech World Order

For most of our history, the realm of international relations was dominated by nation-states. They waged wars and signed treaties through the framework of governance. But today, more so than ever before, tech titans are acting as unilateral decision-makers, upsetting the balance and structure of global power around the world. Featured Guests: Rana Foroohar (Global Business Columnist and Associate Editor, Financial Times; Global Economic Analyst, CNN) Adam Segal (Ira A. Lipman Chair in Emerging Technologies and Director of the Digital and Cyberspace Policy Program, CFR) For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/wim/new-tech-world-order

36 min
21 OCT

A World Under the Influence

With the rise of social media, influencers around the world have increasingly taken on the role of newscaster without a traditional media organization behind them. Some say it has democratized journalism, but with the rise of misinformation, influencers who capture massive audiences online also run the risk of spreading false or even harmful information. How much have influencers altered the media landscape? Featured Guests: Nic Newman (Senior Research Associate, Reuters Institute) Michael Spikes (Lecturer and Director of Teach for Chicago Journalism Program, Northwestern University) Renee DiResta (Technical Research Manager, Stanford Internet Observatory) For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/wim/world-under-influence

39 min
3 OCT

Who’s Afraid of the National Debt?

The United States national debt is rising to levels not seen since World War II. Many economists say Washington is on an unsustainable track, but no one knows when it will pass the point of crisis. What is at risk if U.S. debt continues to grow? Featured Guests: Maya MacGuineas (President of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget) Roger W. Ferguson Jr. (Steven A. Tananbaum Distinguished Fellow for International Economics, CFR) For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/wim/whos-afraid-national-debt

30 min
18 SEPT

Why Is the World Obsessed With the U.S. Election? Ask Germany

The world is watching the U.S. presidential contest between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris with intense interest. Few countries are tracking the race more closely than Germany, Europe's biggest economy and a founding member of the NATO alliance. Its experiences provide insights into how this election is reverberating globally. Featured Guests: Liana Fix (Fellow for Europe, CFR) Stefan Kornelius (Foreign Editor, Süddeutsche Zeitung) For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/wim/why-world-obsessed-us-election-ask-germany

33 min
20 JUN

Can West Africa Curb Its Brain Drain?

West Africa is losing many of its best and brightest. Across the region, doctors, lawyers, and engineers are leaving, depriving some of the world’s youngest countries of the minds they need to develop sustainably. At the same time, coups have rocked the nearby Sahel, threatening to create a corrosive cycle of instability. Can West Africa quell the tide of emigration? Featured Guests: Aanu Adeoye (West Africa correspondent, Financial Times) Ebenezer Obadare (Douglas Dillon Senior Fellow for Africa Studies, CFR) For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/can-west-africa-curb-its-brain-drain

39 min
5 JUN

Global Abortion Access After Roe

In the past thirty years, sixty countries have expanded access to abortion care as an underpinning of maternal health. The 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade made the United States the fourth country ever to decrease access to abortion—and the world took notice. Some countries have since reinforced protections for abortion care, while others have moved to further restrict it. Featured Guests: Onikepe Owolabi (Director of International Research, Guttmacher Institute) Patty Skuster (Reproductive Health Law Policy Researcher and Consultant, University of Pennsylvania) For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/global-abortion-access-after-roe

25 min
23 MAY

India, Modi, and Hindu Nationalism

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the most popular man in India. On track to be elected for a third term, he has boosted the country’s global standing and propelled strong economic growth while consolidating power and galvanizing majoritarian support for his Hindu nationalist agenda—all while growing closer to the United States. How could Hindu nationalism reshape India? Ashok Swain (Head of Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University) Hartosh Singh Bal (Executive Editor, The Caravan) For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/india-modi-and-hindu-nationalism

34 min

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Gabrielle Sierra

Host

Each episode of Why It Matters breaks down an issue that is shaping our world‘s future. Join host Gabrielle Sierra as she speaks with the leaders and thinkers who are facing these questions head on. Fueled by the minds at the Council on Foreign Relations, Why It Matters brings some of the world‘s most compelling stories home to you.