Womanhood & International Relations

Natalia A. Bonilla Berrios
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Womanhood and International Relations is a weekly podcast created by Natalia A. Bonilla Berrios to explore the intersection of feminist theory from a personal to an international level.

  1. 203. Ruchira Gupta on Cultivating Hope & Protecting Freedom for Humanity

    09/25/2025

    203. Ruchira Gupta on Cultivating Hope & Protecting Freedom for Humanity

    Why are hope, kindness, and freedom essential to safeguarding humanity’s future? And how can arts and storytelling serve as powerful tools for social justice and interfaith understanding? In this conversation with journalist, activist and bestselling author Ruchira Gupta, we explore the transformative power of storytelling to bridge divides surrounding interfaith relationships, migration, and systemic violence, central themes in her new novel The Freedom Seeker. We discussed how small acts of kindness can restore our shared humanity in a time when freedoms—of speech, movement, and the press—are increasingly under threat due to armed conflicts, authoritarianism, and the misuse of emerging technologies like AI. Together, we reflected on the role of advocacy through the arts and how both young and adult audiences can draw powerful life lessons from literature to inspire resilience and collective action from grassroots to policymaking levels. Join us in this exploration, ⁠⁠follow us on LinkedIn ⁠⁠and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ subscribe to our podcast newsletter community here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Recommended links to this episode: Ruchira Gupta’s Official WebsiteApne Aap Women WorldwideThe Freedom SeekerI kick and I fly Documentary: The Selling of Innocents

    42 min
  2. 202. Kurt Warner on How Idol Worship Undermines Democracy

    09/02/2025

    202. Kurt Warner on How Idol Worship Undermines Democracy

    Are citizens evolving into fans or merely behaving like it?  Does the worship of political figures, celebrities, pop culture or sports idols reflecting a deeper cultural shift in how people engage with democracy and its values? How does the creation and following of idols, and the emotional investment they evoke, affecting the mental health of individuals and collectives? Is the fixation on seemingly superficial cultural phenomenons, such as tv programming, famous celebs or child-like items like dolls mirroring back to us how unsafe and restrictive political discourse and freedom of speech have become? What are the economic ideologies running, advertently or not, behind these figures and the media narratives that sustain them? How and why do "the masses" willingly surrender so much of their power, effectively infantilizing themselves in the process? An interview with Kurt Warner, psychotherapist, LCSW, and author of the book “False Idols: How Diversion is Destroying Democracy”.  Listen to related episodes: 91. Dr. Paul Slovic & Dr. Scott Slovic on the Science Behind the Limits of Compassion165. Rachel Winny on the Rise of Disinformation & Conflict Escalation190. Dr. William T. Armaline on The Crisis of Human Rights in the Age of Global Capitalism192. Nicole Steward on Radical Self-Care for Changemakers Recommended links to this episode: Kurt Warner Books Official WebsiteVictory in Every Fall: The Antaeus Approach to Overcome DisabilitiesFalse Idols: How Diversion is Destroying Democracy

    1h 8m
  3. 201. Dr. Bruna Soares de Aguiar: El Branding de las PEF en Latinoamérica y Brasil

    08/21/2025

    201. Dr. Bruna Soares de Aguiar: El Branding de las PEF en Latinoamérica y Brasil

    Are feminist foreign policy models from the Global South being constrained by unequal power dynamics? To what extent must they conform their design and implementation to norms or expectations set by Global North states in order to be recognized as legitimate? Why some ffps in Latin America are falling for the allure of the “branding” because of a secure hegemonic bet that discourages deep and meaningful structural reforms?  What can we learn from Sweden’s FFP model implementation in Bolivia? In what ways do decolonial feminist perspectives from Latin America expose the enduring legacies of colonialism and the presence of a double patriarchy that may shape the current and future adoption of feminist foreign policies in the region? Why does Brazil, under Lula da Silva’s Administration, serve as a compelling example of these tensions and contradictions? A new interview conducted in the Spanish language with Dr. Bruna Soares de Aguiar, Coordenadora de Projetos do Observatório de Política Externa Inclusiva in Brazil and author of the new book Política Externa Feminista como Branding Governista.  Listen to related episodes:   Ep. 9 Marissa Conway on How Feminist Foreign Policies is Transforming World AffairsEp. 47 Isabella Esquivel Ventura on Mexico's FFPEp. 130 Alice Ridge and Liz Gill-Atkinson on FFP Research in Australia and the Global SouthEp. 149. Kirthi Jayakumar on Anticolonialism in International RelationsEp. 189. María Paulina Rivera Chávez on How Mexico's FFP is Part of a Global Project Recommended links to this episode: OPEFI Official WebsitePolítica Externa Feminista como Branding GovernistaBruna Soares de Aguiar: LinkedIn profilePolicy Brief: Only a Label? The Dilemmas of Maintaining A Feminist Foreign Policy (Available in English, Portuguese and Spanish languages)Policy Brief: Feminist Development Policies and the Reform of Global Governance: Challenges and Opportunities (Available in English, Portuguese and Spanish languages)Politicas Externas Feministas en Perspectiva: Tendencias e DebatesSeminario de Politica Externa Feminista Inclusiva en Brasil  🌟⁠Join our podcast newsletter community here.

    1h 28m
  4. 200. Ivana Feldfeber: IA y Justicia Abierta en Argentina

    08/10/2025

    200. Ivana Feldfeber: IA y Justicia Abierta en Argentina

    What challenges and opportunities does AI presents for States and Peoples? How can the data from our online and offline lives be coded and used to support or threaten our livelihoods? What are feminist perspectives to the responsible uses of AI? What social phenomenons caused the heavy reliance on AI and what can we expect or prepare for in the future? A new interview conducted in the Spanish language with Ivana Feldfeber, executive director of Observatorio Data Género and founder of the open justice software AymurAI. Listen to related episodes:   190. Dr. William T. Armaline on The Crisis of Human Rights in the Age of Global Capitalism196. Rebecca Irby on Rethinking Nuclear Deterrence & Youth Action for Peace Recommended links to this episode: Observatorio Data GéneroAymurAI SoftwareDoing the Feminist Work in AI: Reflections from an AI Project in Latin America Perspectivas Feministas de la Inteligencia Artificial¿La IA es realmente neutral? Una charla sobre poder, género y regulación en América LatinaWebinar “Justicia abierta: un enfoque desde los datos y la Transparencia” a cargo de Ivana Feldfeber

    45 min
  5. 199. Wala Mohammed and Sadia Kidwai on The Impact of War and Displacement on Young Sudanese Women

    07/31/2025

    199. Wala Mohammed and Sadia Kidwai on The Impact of War and Displacement on Young Sudanese Women

    How the significant loss of caregivers, education and financial opportunities alongside the trauma related to  war, displacement and pre-existing health conditions has affected many young Sudanese women? In this interview with Wala Mohammed, co-director of Hopes & Actions Foundation and Sadia Kidwai, Advocacy Officer at ⁠Women’s Refugee Commission⁠, we examined both the shared and distinct experiences of young Sudanese refugees and displaced women across Egypt, Chad, West Kordofan, and Uganda.  Join us in this exploration, ⁠follow us on LinkedIn, subscribe to our Substack and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ subscribe to our podcast newsletter community here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Listen to related episodes:   190. Dr. William T. Armaline on The Crisis of Human Rights in the Age of Global Capitalism193. Devon Cone on USAID Funding Freeze: A Worldwide Setback for Refugee Women194. Melanie Nezer on The Impact of U.S. Immigration Orders on Displaced Women and Girls Recommended links to this episode: Futures on Hold: How War and Displacement Are Impacting Young Sudanese Women (report)In Her Own Words: Voices of Sudan (report)Overburdened and Under Siege: Women in Sudan's War (webinar)Hate Speech in Sudan: A Driver of Conflict and DisplacementHopes & Actions Foundation Website: https://hopesandactions.org/LinkedIn: https://sd.linkedin.com/company/hopes-actions-foundationInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopes.and.actions.foundation/?hl=enWomen’s Refugee Commission Website: https://www.womensrefugeecommission.orgLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/wrcommissionFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/wrcommission/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/womensrefugeecommission/Threads: https://www.threads.com/@womensrefugeecommissionBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/wrcommission.bsky.social

    51 min
  6. 198. The Human-Matrix Web

    06/20/2025

    198. The Human-Matrix Web

    How Are Media, AI and Technologies Altering Human Relations and World Affairs Today? How has our increasing exposure, consumption and engagement with international news throughout the decades changed our perception of ourselves, our relations with others and the current and future state of the world?  Is the hyper-mediatization of Politics and International Relations, in this new era of global digital algorithms, new weapons and AI machine learning, fragmenting human connection and eroding Individuals and States’ sense of power and quest for peace and justice? Beyond the perils of manufacturing of consent for conflict and wars and the weaponization of information, are humans (even those in political and economic power positions) willingly becoming utilitarian and transactional versions of themselves to survive the violence in the online and offline world?  Is the world today reflecting back to us a Human-Matrix divide? Join us in this exploratio⁠⁠⁠n, follow us on LinkedIn ⁠⁠⁠and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ subscribe to our podcast newsletter community here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  If you want to support our independent work and learn more in community, subscribe to our podcast’s Substack today. Listen to recommended interviews:  26. Kimberly Loh on Compassionate Conversations36. Dr. Roudabeh Kishi on Mapping Political Violence86. Chloé Meulewaeter on Global Military Spending & Demilitarization Efforts91. Dr. Paul Slovic & Dr. Scott Slovic on the Science Behind the Limits of Compassion98. Elaine Briere on How & Why Colonial Powers Want to Control Haiti143. Roundtable: Countering Militarized Masculinities for Feminist Peace 165. Rachel Winny on the Rise of Disinformation & Conflict Escalation180. Dr. L. Ayu Saraswati on Pain, Power and Transnational Feminism190. Dr. William T. Armaline on The Crisis of Human Rights in the Age of Global Capitalism192. Nicole Steward on Radical Self-Care for Changemakers Other related podcast explorations and film/series reviews:  76. War Journalism's Effect on Us102. The Matrix Trilogy - What Can We Learn From It?130. How to Become a Tyrant: A Gender Lens Doc Review164. The Diplomat: When Does Soft Power Cave In?174.Social Media Warfare Effects On Us182. Our Brand is Crisis - Film Review Recommended links for this episode: ACLED Conflict Watchlist 2025ICRC in 2024: Upholding humanity in conflictThe African Spatial Conflict Life Cycle The Arithmetic of Compassion ProjectNumbers and Nerves: Information, Emotion, and Meaning in a World of DataCenter for Information Resilience Pain Generation: Social Media, Feminist Activism, and the Neoliberal SelfieHuman Rights Praxis and the Struggle for SurvivalRadical Self-Care for Helpers, Healers, and ChangemakersCompassionate Conversations: How to Speak and Listen from the Heart

    49 min
  7. 197. The Apprentice: What Male Leaders Project and Suppress for Power

    05/01/2025

    197. The Apprentice: What Male Leaders Project and Suppress for Power

    How do masculine understandings of power shape the public personas of male leaders? How do they cultivate masculine energy traits, repressing feminine energy expressions internally but seeking them externally in the forms of bodies, territories, nations or States?  How nuanced are the concepts of “strength” and “weakness” in human relations, particularly in leadership and decision-making within domestic and foreign affairs? A gender lens film review of The Apprentice (2024). Join us in this exploration, ⁠⁠follow us on LinkedIn ⁠⁠and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ subscribe to our podcast newsletter community here.⁠⁠⁠⁠ Listen to related episodes: 23. Hegemonic Masculinity and Hegemonic Femininity in World Politics 44. Denormalizing the Concept of "Statesmen": A First Look into Masculinities in IR 71. The Masculine/Feminine National Cultures Index 142. Psychology in International Relations 150. Healing Our Inner/Outer Masculine & Feminine Imbalances 166. Hypermasculinity & Hyperfemininity on States

    55 min
  8. 196. Rebecca Irby on Rethinking Nuclear Deterrence & Youth Action for Peace

    04/24/2025

    196. Rebecca Irby on Rethinking Nuclear Deterrence & Youth Action for Peace

    Is nuclear deterrence an outdated policy? And if so, what’s holding us back from transitioning to a nuclear ban once and for all? What are the racial and gendered dimensions of nuclear weapons production and nuclear waste storage? How do these policies impact marginalized communities, both domestically and abroad? What role can youth action play in shifting nuclear politics and advocating for lasting peace at local and UN levels? In this interview with Rebecca Irby, founder of P.E.A.C. Institute and organizer of the upcoming 24-Hour Global Pause for Peace to be held on October 4, 2025, we dive into the complex world of nuclear politics, exploring what we know and what we don’t. From the impact of nuclear weapons testing and waste storage on marginalized communities to the rising threats and calls for nuclear deterrence, we touch on the underplayed significance of the UN treaty to ban nuclear weapons, the evolving divestment movement in the nuclear field, and the looming collapse of the industry as only a few political leaders continue to support nuclear armament. We also address how we can engage youth in these critical conversations, emphasizing the importance of including their voices in decision-making processes and the need of peace education programs in supporting the next generations to shape the future of International Relations and, hopefully, build a more peaceful world. Join us in this exploration, ⁠⁠follow us on LinkedIn ⁠⁠and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ subscribe to our podcast newsletter community here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Recommended links to this episode: Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear WeaponsOppenheimer: what you need to know before watchingRacism and nuclear weaponsThe Ultimate Coloniser: Challenging Racism and White Supremacy in Nuclear Weapons Policy MakingThey didn't know their backyard creek carried nuclear waste. Now, they're dying of cancer.

    1 hr
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Womanhood and International Relations is a weekly podcast created by Natalia A. Bonilla Berrios to explore the intersection of feminist theory from a personal to an international level.

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