Dignified Resilience with Riada Akyol

Riada Asimovic Akyol
  • 4.8 (21)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
Dignified Resilience with Riada Akyol

With compelling research, beautiful storytelling and powerful interviews with extraordinary people from different industries and from all around the world, journalist Riada Asimovic Akyol presents a podcast about fresh narratives on confronting despair, alleviating distress, and forging ahead. While innovatively linking two powerful concepts - dignity and resilience - she also aims to grow a global conversation that seeks to better acknowledge different individual and sociocultural perspectives on meaningfully weathering life‘s adversities. Ultimately, this podcast is an invitation for people to engage in a thoughtful introspection, regardless of one‘s geographical location or state of mind. Stronger human relationships and more adequate resources for everyone‘s resilience are the goal. We have different lives, distinct pathways, cultures and contexts, but we can find common ground in supporting dignified resilience anywhere.

  1. 03/17/2022

    Riada talks to Karina Orlova on Russia’s aggression on Ukraine, censorship, propaganda, ways forward

    This was a special episode. I interviewed a dear friend, someone whom I enjoy having conversations on many topics offline, and today we decided to move our conversation about Russia’s conversation of Ukraine, about propaganda and misinformation, censorship, something that Karina Orlova, my today’s guest is very knowledgeable about herself. She was the Washington, D.C., correspondent for Russia’s liberal radio station, Echo of Moscow, before it was shut a few days after the invasion began. She left Russia in 2015, and has for years been very vocal about her opposition to Vladimir Putin and his regime. This was a very illuminating conversation with Karina, who as per usual self, offered many frank insights on the context of the invasion, her thoughts about why she feels guilty and ashamed at the moment, about the benefits of the sanctions and the consequences for the stability of the regime, her thoughts on Putin’s potential usage of chemical and nuclear weapons in Ukraine, and how to help Russian dissidents and people who most need it today - those in Ukraine.

    1h 10m

  2. 02/23/2022

    Riada talks to Catherine Baker, Azra Hromadzic on Politics, Race, Migration, Environment in Balkans

    It was an incredible privilege for me to host two experts like Catherine Baker and Azra Hromadzic for such an intellectually stimulating exchange! We had a great conversation that addressed topics like race, racism, migration, nationalism, environment, positionality, identification in research, and connected them in a way that I hope would be interesting beyond the geographical context of Southeast Europe as well. Azra and Catherine’s scholarship have inspired me to think about these topics and many other important issues in new ways, so maybe you too will decide to explore more of the same after listening to this conversation. I for sure know that I will go back to it many more times in the future. Enjoy! Catherine Baker is a lecturer in 20th Century History at the University of Hull, a scholar whose research includes topics related to nationalism, ethnicity and identity, connections with popular culture and the entertainment industry, travel, migration, mobility and other interesting ties in the former Yugoslavia and Southeast Europe. She brought that expertise to our conversation today, including her scholarly and theoretical work that offer a distinctive insight into how the region is configured by, and through, race. Catherine is also an author of numerous academic papers and book “Race in the Yugoslav region.” Azra Hromadzic is a cultural anthropologist based in Syracuse University in the U.S., at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs - and her research interests are in the anthropology of international policy in the context of state-making in postwar Bosnia and Herzegovina. Her book ”Citizens of an Empty Nation: Youth and State-making in Postwar Bosnia and Herzegovina” is an ethnographic investigation of the internationally directed postwar intervention policies in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the response of local people, especially youth, to these policy efforts. Several years ago, Azra initiated a new project that ethnographically researches aging, care and social services in the context of postwar and postsocialist Bosnia and Herzegovina. She is currently working on what she calls “riverine citizenship” in Bihac (focused on the Una river). Photo credit: Azra Hromadzic, American Anthropological Association website, and for Catherine Baker, University of Hull website.

    1h 32m

  3. 01/24/2022

    Riada talks to Blerta Basholli, director of ‘Hive,’ film from Kosovo shortlisted for Oscars 2022 nominations

    It was a pleasure to host Blerta Basholli, the director of the Kosovar film "Hive," currently shortlisted among 15 international feature films for Oscars 2022. The film is inspired by the true story of Fahrije Hoti from Krusha village, whose husband was missing from the war in Kosovo. In order to help the survival of her family and ensure kids' livelihood, she comes up with an idea to establish a cooperative, to start an agricultural business. On the way, she faces numerous challenges in a traditional, patriarchal environment. I spoke with Blerta about the background of the story, the process of making the film, Fahrije's resilience, the grief and its portrayal in the film, the importance of storytelling through this medium, the reception of the film in Kosovo, Blerta's plans for the film and her message for the viewers. It is a beautiful movie and I hope this conversation brings to more visibility for it, and that as many people get to see it! The film has achieved a tremendous success already, it won the top three awards at the US Sundance Film Festival in 2021, for “Best Film”, “Best Director” and “Audience Award," and continues its festival route. It will also be available for streaming on some major platforms in the US soon.

    36 min

  4. 12/16/2021

    Riada talks to Dr. Bruce D. Perry on ”What Happened to You?” - on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing

    It‘s been a great pleasure to host Dr. Bruce D. Perry in this episode, for a fascinating conversation on his work and his most recent book, What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing (2021), co-authored with Oprah Winfrey, is a #1 New York Times Bestseller. We discussed the meaning behind the title and the shift to asking “What happened to you?” rather than “What’s wrong with you?”. You will learn about the impact of our pasts on our lives, how all experience is processed from the bottom up, meaning, to get to the top, “smart” part of our brain, we have to go through the lower, not-so- smart part, and what that means for our interactions. You can learn why is it crucial to understand both vulnerability and resilience, and how all of us experience stress as an unavoidable and necessary part of life, but that how we experience stress that matters. Is everything bad that we experience trauma, or why not? Does every bad experience lead to PTSD, and why not? What are the best ways to heal? How can we change generational traumas? This has been a beautiful conversation, and I hope it helps you learn how to help yourself and others by acknowledging and respecting ”what happened to them,” instead of asking ”what is wrong with them?”. Dr. Perry is the Principal of the Neurosequential Network, Senior Fellow of The ChildTrauma Academy and a Professor (Adjunct) in the Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago and the School of Allied Health, College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria Australia. Over the last thirty years, Dr. Perry has been an active teacher, clinician and researcher in children’s mental health and the neurosciences holding a variety of academic positions. His work on the impact of abuse, neglect and trauma on the developing brain has impacted clinical practice, programs and policy across the world. Dr. Perry is the author, with Maia Szalavitz, of The Boy Who Was Raised As A Dog, a bestselling book based on his work with maltreated children and Born For Love: Why Empathy is Essential and Endangered. Dr. Perry‘s most recent book, What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing (2021), co-authored with Oprah Winfrey, is a #1 New York Times Bestseller.

    1h 18m

  5. 09/30/2021

    Riada & Jasmin Mujanovic, Harun Buljina on politics, multigenerational legacies of trauma, history, future of Bosnia & H., Western Balkans

    Wow, what a truly candid and powerful conversation - on politics, history, future of Bosnia & Herzegovina, Western Balkans and so much more! Learn why Jasmin believes that the biggest threat in the Western Balkans region is the renewed Serbian ultra-nationalism as the stated government policy of the regime in Belgrade. Guests also addressed the “Open Balkan” regional market initiative and the absence of Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, and why ”in the Western Balkans, the Serbian World is a fact on the ground and a threat to be confronted; concepts like the Open Balkan initiative are just fine ideas on paper” (J.M.). Harun and Jasmin shared their thoughts on the latest news (which is not news at all) from the EU that it can no longer agree to give a guarantee of future membership to the six Balkan countries that were for years led to believe they had a place in the EU. We talked a lot about the continuous gaslighting and dehumanization of Bosnian genocide survivors, as well as Bosniaks more broadly, and about the historical aspects and longevity of the anti-Muslim sentiment about the region. At the same time, the research on the denial of the Bosnian genocide shows it has moved into the academic-literary sphere at the international level, so guests shared their views about that, including on repercussions of insulting, hateful and dangerous claims such as that “Bosniak nationalists” have made Srebrenica their “chosen trauma” to avoid reconciliation with the Serbs. We talked about intergenerational legacies, representation, trauma, mutual mentorship, future prospects for Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region, hope, dealing with hate online and so much more. I hope that this conversation helps you learn or deepen your knowledge on these subjects, and that you see it as an invitation for more, maybe better or more thoughtful and meaningful exchanges on these topics in the future. Jasmin Mujanovic is a political scientist and analyst of southeast European and international affairs with a PhD from York University in Toronto. His career background is a unique blend of global academic and professional engagement, as he has worked as a scholar, policy analyst, consultant, researcher, and writer in both North America and Europe. His first book, ”Hunger and Fury: The Crisis of Democracy in the Balkans,” was published in 2018. He was the co-host of the podcast Sarajevo Calling. Harun Buljina is a historian of the late Ottoman and modern Balkans, with a focus on Muslim intellectual and socio-political networks in this region. He received his Ph.D. in History from Columbia University in May 2019, defending a dissertation on the Pan-Islamist reform movement in late 19th and early 20th century Bosnia-Herzegovina. Most recently, he was affiliated with the Center of the Middle Eastern Studies at Harvard University.

    1h 35m

  6. 09/23/2021

    Riada and Jay Van Bavel on ”Power of US” - Harnessing Our Shared Identities to Improve Performance, Increase Cooperation and Promote Social Harmony

    In today’s fascinating conversation, Riada talks to Dr. Jay Van Bavel about the dynamics of shared identities, what causes people to develop a social identity, and what happens to people when they define themselves in terms of group memberships. Identities are not a stable or a static thing, but Jay also explained what does conformity to norm accomplish for a group. We also addressed toxic patterns of standard group and identity dynamics, and you might be surprised to learn why we go along with others. Jay told us about studies that reveal some critical lessons about human nature, including that people are not blindly obedient to authorities, but that a sense of common identity is crucial to understanding when people help and support one another. Learn why dissent is important even when difficult, and why on social media or offline, people can be led into belief-confirming information bubbles. Finally, learn why would the group cling to the belief system even after watching it get debunked, as well as the importance of leadership and how it influences the group norms, and the behavior of the group of people when they take on an identity. I hope you enjoy this great conversation, and appreciate the tools that you can learn to harness “The Power of Us” for good. Jay Van Bavel is an Associate Professor of Psychology & Neural Science at New York University, an affiliate at the Stern School of Business in Management and Organizations, and Director of the Social Identity & Morality Lab. From neurons to social networks, Jay’s research examines how collective concerns—group identities, moral values, and political beliefs—shape the mind, brain, and behavior. His research team studies these issues using a social neuroscience approach, that incorporates neuroimaging, lesion patients, social cognitive tasks, cross-cultural surveys, and linguistic analysis of social media posts. Jay has published over 100 academic publications and written research essays in The New York Times, BBC, Scientific American, Wall Street Journal, Quartz, and the Washington Post. His work has appeared in academic papers as well as in the US Supreme Court and Senate. He has also given talks at dozens of the Psychology Departments and Business Schools, as well as academic conferences, professional events, and non-academic organizations. His research was also featured in TEDx and TED-Ed videos.

    1h 1m

  7. 04/05/2021

    Riada talks to Amra Sabic-El-Rayess on book "The Cat I Never Named," Bosnian genocide, resilience

    Wow, this was such a treat! I am excited to share my conversation with Amra Sabic-El-Rayess, the author of the highly acclaimed book titled "The Cat I Never Named: A True Story of Love, War, and Survival" published by Bloomsbury in 2020. Our conversation was recorded in late February 2021. Amra's stunning memoir – which was the basis of our conversation – talks about a Muslim teen struggling to survive in the midst of the Bosnian genocide. It has received starred reviews from – be ready the list is long but I think it should be heard: Publishers Weekly, Booklist, School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, School Library Collection, Foreword Reviews, it was announced as 2020 Best Book - Kirkus Reviews, 2021 Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award, Finalist, 2020 Junior Library Guild Gold Standard, and it continues getting more awards as we speak! In this wonderful conversation, we talked about Amra's inspiration for writing and the very process of writing this book, the reliving of traumas while retelling the story, but the reward and empowerment that such brave decision brings as well. She told us about some very difficult moments from her life during that period (many are described in the book), about why school mattered to her even in those very difficult circumstances, and the importance of education - as her parents taught her. We also talked about solidarity – which I felt was described so lovingly, between friends at school often, between her and her brother, family. We learned how important it was to keep a sense of humor in those tough times as well. Considering the pervasive culture of the Bosnian genocide denial in the region, and current lack of leadership willing to take steps necessary for facing some tough facts of the past, Amra shared her thoughts about the future of the region. Additionally, she she shared her thoughts on the perpetuated narratives of othering beyond Bosnian context as well. There is much to learn and so many inspiring exchanges packed in this one hour that I truly hope you enjoy listening or watching, as much I as enjoyed recording it! Besides this must-read book and extraordinary achievement, Dr. Sabic-El-Rayess is Associate Professor of Practice-Project Director, Center for Benefit-Cost Studies in Education (Teachers College, Columbia University), affiliated Faculty, Harriman Institute for Russian, Eurasian and Eastern European Studies (Columbia University), an interdisciplinary scholar who leverages fields of economics, sociology, and political science to address the questions of radicalization, discrimination, Islamophobia, social mobility, corruption, social transformations, and exclusion of women. She works on concrete ways to facilitate women’s social mobility through better financial inclusion and access to financial services. Her work also examines the role of informal educational practices and formal institutions in creating new societal dynamics, norms, and behaviors.

    59 min

  8. 02/26/2021

    Riada talks to Dr. Brian Hare about his book "Survival of the Friendliest"

    I was so excited to read and then host one of two authors of a book about friendliness and how it came to be an advantageous evolutionary strategy. In it, advancing what they call the “self-domestication theory," Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods put forward “a powerful new theory of human nature” which suggests that our secret to success as a species is our unique friendliness. So, in this exciting episode, learn how cooperative communication allowed us to thrive while other humans went extinct. Learn also what led some species to be more cognitively sophisticated than others, and what type of friendliness drove human “self-domestication,” as well as what’s behind it. How and why it is not just a result of artificial selection accomplished by humans choosing which animals to breed, but also the result of natural selection as well? Dr. Hare also explains us the dark side of our friendliness, and helps us understand how do we reconcile our unique friendliness with our capacity for cruelty? How did we come to this idea of social category that we call “intragroup stranger,” and how does it enable us to dehumanize other individuals and then harm those dehumanized social groups? “We are both the most tolerant and the most merciless species on the planet,” the authors of the book write, yet fortunately they also offer some ways forward. From the book and our conversation, learn also about Albert Bandura’s important experiment on dehumanization, why as Dr. Hare asserts, “We did not evolve to be despots,” and about transition from how and when the seeds of despotism were sown, leadings us all the way to explaining the benefits of constitutional and liberal democracies. The authors of the book assert that “In order to survive and even to flourish, we need to explain our definition of who belongs.” So, learn about it all and much more in this thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Hare. Enjoy! Dr. Brian Hare is a core member of the Center of Cognitive Neuroscience, a Professor in Evolutionary Anthropology, and Psychology and Neuroscience at Duke University. He received his PhD from Harvard University in 2004, and in 2005, following his work at the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig, was awarded the Sofia Kovalevskaja Award, Germany’s most prestigious award for scientist under 40. In 2007, Smithsonian Magazine named Hare one of the top 35 scientists under 36. Hare has published over 100 scientific papers and his research has received consistent national and international attention. In 2019, Hare and his research were featured in Steven Speilberg’s documentary series Why We Hate. Hare’s first book with co-author Vanessa Woods, "The Genius of Dogs" is a New York Times Bestseller. "Survival of the Friendliest: Understanding Our Origins and Rediscovering Our Common Humanity" came out in July 2020.

    1h 4m
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4.8
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21 Ratings

About

With compelling research, beautiful storytelling and powerful interviews with extraordinary people from different industries and from all around the world, journalist Riada Asimovic Akyol presents a podcast about fresh narratives on confronting despair, alleviating distress, and forging ahead. While innovatively linking two powerful concepts - dignity and resilience - she also aims to grow a global conversation that seeks to better acknowledge different individual and sociocultural perspectives on meaningfully weathering life‘s adversities. Ultimately, this podcast is an invitation for people to engage in a thoughtful introspection, regardless of one‘s geographical location or state of mind. Stronger human relationships and more adequate resources for everyone‘s resilience are the goal. We have different lives, distinct pathways, cultures and contexts, but we can find common ground in supporting dignified resilience anywhere.

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