Fireside Chats: The Roosevelt Group Podcast

The Roosevelt Group

Fireside Chats: The Roosevelt Group Podcast is an extension of the Roosevelt Group, a publication and think-tank started by students at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. Host Aarya Zimmermann delves into conversation with individuals from all walks of life. Each episode explores current events, passions and hobbies, and keeps us curious.

  1. Episode 5-Willie Rennie

    May 20

    Episode 5-Willie Rennie

    In this season finale, Aarya and special guest host Fergus sit down with Fife's very own MSP Willie Rennie for a conversation that ranges from Holyrood to Helsinki, covering Scotland's place in a continent that has serious questions about the future.

    26 min
  2. Episode 4-David Meale

    Mar 30

    Episode 4-David Meale

    In this episode, Aarya speaks to David Meale, former deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in Beijing, and now head of Eurasia Group's China practice. In this episode, we get into the wave of purges inside China's military leadership, what it tells us about Xi Jinping's grip on power, and why it matters . We talk trade, the fragile state of US-China relations, and the indicators to watch to understand where US China relations are actually heading.

    28 min
  3. Episode 3-Professor Mario Aguilar

    Feb 27

    Episode 3-Professor Mario Aguilar

    In this episode, Professor Aguilar and I sit down and have a discussion about theology, the Vatican's role in geopolitics, and China's stance on Tibetan monasteries.

    54 min
  4. Episode 2-Dr Anette Stimmer

    12/02/2025

    Episode 2-Dr Anette Stimmer

    In the second episode. Aarya sits down with Dr Annette Stimmer of the School of International Relations, where they talk on how norms are shaped in the current international system and the Ukraine War.

    24 min
  5. Episode 1-Professor Anthony Lang

    10/14/2025

    Episode 1-Professor Anthony Lang

    In this hallmark first episode, Aarya sits down with Professor Anthony Lang of the School of International Relations, where they talk about global constitutionalism, the current state of the US-China trade deal, and even Golf!

    25 min
  6. Fireside Chats-2025-2026 trailer

    Season 5 Trailer

    Fireside Chats-2025-2026 trailer

    This introductory episode introduces the hosts and ushers in a New Age for Fireside Chats.

    2 min
  7. Publishing "Subversion": From initial brainstorming to celebrating the launch of Roosevelt Group's New Annales Issue VII

    05/12/2025

    Publishing "Subversion": From initial brainstorming to celebrating the launch of Roosevelt Group's New Annales Issue VII

    In her final episode as host, Brooke Ryback interviews multiple Roosevelt Group members, documenting the creative process of publishing the think tank's yearly New Annales from start to finish. She first speaks with Roosevelt Groups' Head of the New Annales, third year Stella Mortarotti, to contextualize the hard work put into a publication truly worth celebrating. Then, Brooke brings listeners along to the celebration and launch of this year's publication "Subversion" which took place at The Hide on 20 March, 2025 in St Andrews.

    40 min
  8. 'Rejection Therapy': The Recurring Lesson We Didn't Know We Needed - A Conversation with Julianna Tully

    02/17/2025

    'Rejection Therapy': The Recurring Lesson We Didn't Know We Needed - A Conversation with Julianna Tully

    In our first episode of Semester 2 in the 2024/2025 academic season, host Brooke Ryback brings in a friend and fellow podcast host Julianna Tully! Co-Head of the UNA St Andrews' own podcast, Julianna relates to Brooke her flourishing love of podcasting and her work with UNA St Andrews. The two also talk about the influence the performative arts, learning new languages, and exploring a wide range of subject matters through opportunities like Roosevelt Group had on their lives. Through it all, they come to find a shared recurring insight: sometimes 'rejection therapy' is the lesson we never knew we needed.

    59 min
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About

Fireside Chats: The Roosevelt Group Podcast is an extension of the Roosevelt Group, a publication and think-tank started by students at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. Host Aarya Zimmermann delves into conversation with individuals from all walks of life. Each episode explores current events, passions and hobbies, and keeps us curious.

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