Entitled

While citizenship is often celebrated as a cornerstone of democracy and equality, constitutional scholar Dimitry Kochenov argues it functions as something far more troubling: a global caste system.

In this episode, we speak with Kochenov, who is also a professor of legal studies at the Central European University, about how citizenship acts as a tool of exclusion—a "passport apartheid" assigned almost entirely by the luck of where or to whom you were born. We explore the deep tension between human rights and nationality, examining how the abstract machinery of passports erases individual humanity in favor of arbitrary borders. From the illusion of international reciprocity to practical alternatives grounded in individualized assessment, Kochenov challenges us to rethink how we grant dignity, mobility, and rights in a modern world.

 

 

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When the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021, they didn't just alter the country's political landscape—they systematically dismantled the legal and social reality for all women and girls. Through a continuous rollout of oppressive edicts, women and girls have been banned from universities, barred from working for NGOs, and forbidden from even speaking aloud in public spaces. International legal experts and activists are increasingly calling this reality gender apartheid.

In this episode, we sit down with Rina Amiri, top diplomat and former U.S. Special Envoy for Afghan Women, Girls, and Human Rights. Having spent decades navigating the complex world of conflict resolution and international peacebuilding at the UN and the State Department, Amiri brings an unparalleled level of insight to one of the most critical human rights crises of our time.

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The collapse of the Afghan government has raised grave concerns for the future of the country, particularly for women. Exit is not a generally available option, but should it be? This week, we wanted to re-release our conversation about the rights of women in Afghanistan as we prepare to release a special conversation with Rina Amiri who was the US Special Envoy for Afghan Women, Girls, and Human Rights.

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In this episode of Entitled, we examine how caste discrimination doesn’t end at the borders of India. As Dalit workers migrate to the US in search of better wages, many encounter familiar patterns of exclusion and abuse right here in the United States.

We speak with Qayam Masumi and Roja Singh, members of the Dalit Solidarity Forum, an advocacy organization dedicated to raising awareness about caste discrimination. They are advocating on behalf of Dalit workers who they say were trafficked from India to come to New Jersey to build a new temple connected to BAPS, a major Hindu religious organization with a global presence. Many workers reported extremely long hours and wages as low as about $1.20 per hour, and have suffered from severe health and safety violations.

Resources:

https://www.iswaa.com/

https://dalitsolidarityforumusa.com/justice-for-baps-workers/

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSepVVrJLD0_OJn6wxn2HU4PMDocReBh0V8qMTwAFgRbcf2Lcw/viewform

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In this episode of Entitled, we sit down with Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, who has served as the Representative of Myanmar to the United Nations since October 2020. Despite the February 2021 military coup, he remains in his position, representing the interests of the democratic government and opposing the military junta at the UN. He has survived threats and has been challenged by the junta, but the UN has continued to recognize him as the representative.

As Myanmar continues to face political upheaval and widespread displacement following the coup, Ambassador Tun offers a firsthand perspective on the country’s ongoing crisis and its implications for the global human rights landscape. We explore the challenges of representing a nation in turmoil, the role of international institutions in responding to democratic backsliding, and what accountability can—and should—look like on the world stage.

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