So many of us seem to be scrambling to understand where the world is heading. Decade-old certainties seem to crumble before our eyes. Perhaps we are reaching th...
What can we learn from the Peasants' War of 1525, Lyndal Roper?
We are living through a time of immense upheaval, with geopolitical, social, and economic shifts reshaping our world every day. However, this is not the first time humanity has faced such dramatic changes. In this episode, Misha Glenny and Eva Konzett are joined by historian Lyndal Roper to take us back 500 years to the Peasants' War of 1524–25 – the largest armed rebellion in Europe before the French Revolution.Inspired by Martin Luther and the Reformation, peasants across the German-speaking world fought for a radical new vision of freedom. Roper brings to life the peasants' fears, joys, and struggles while exploring how they rose up against their lords, what ideals fuelled their rebellion, and, crucially, what their fight can teach us for today's crises. Lyndal Roper is Regius Professor of History at the University of Oxford, specializing in the history of the Reformation and the early modern period in Germany. She is the author of a widely acclaimed biography of Martin Luther. Her new book Summer of Fire and Blood (German title: Für die Freiheit) explores the Peasants' War of 1525. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Is Trump preparing a constitutional coup, Mark Medish?
In this episode of Future Discontinuous, we dive deep into the political turmoil following Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 46th President of the United States. From overhauls in US domestic policy to disruptions in global diplomacy, this episode breaks down Trump‘s dramatic reshaping of the world order. Together with Mark Medish, policy consultant and former White House official, hosts Misha Glenny and Eva Konzett examine whether the Trump administration’s actions amount to a constitutional coup, assess the resilience of America’s checks and balances, and discuss the chainsaw Elon Musk is taking to the American state.Mark Medish is an American lawyer and policy consultant with extensive experience in government and international affairs. During the Clinton Administration, he served at the White House as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director on the National Security Council , as well as Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Affairs at the U.S. Treasury. He has also held senior roles at USAID and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Medish is Director and Vice Chair of Panterra, a strategic consultancy, and founder of Keep Our Republic, a nonprofit organization dedicated to civic education and democratic governance. Medish is also member of IWM’s Board of Trustees. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Are Ultra-Processed Foods the New Silent Killers, Rosie Boycott?
Ultra-Processed Foods lie at the heart of a global increase in a variety of chronic and fatal diseases from cancer to Type 2 Diabetes. The food industry has been pouring billions into convincing governments not to regulate these additives which make everything from baby food to burgers addictive, persuading customers to return for more. Rosie Boycott, a highly respected British publisher and journalist, has been studying the politics and science of food since she started farming two decades ago. In a revealing conversation with Eva Konzett and Misha Glenny, Boycott explains why Ultra Processed Foods are so catastrophic for health and environment, about how the food industry borrowed its lobbying strategy from tobacco, and how we can change our eating habits for the planet is to survive. Rosie Boycott is a member of the House of Lords and has a distinguished career as a journalist, publisher, and author. She served as the editor-in-chief of several British newspapers and co-founded the feminist magazine Spare Rib. Beyond her media career, Boycott is a well-known food activist, specialising in food and environmental politics and legislation. She was also chair of the London Food Board and advised the city's government on sustainable food policy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Who has a plan for peace in the Middle East, Dahlia Scheindlin?
The flood of headlines about the war in Israel and Gaza can feel overwhelming. Season two of Future Discontinuous kicks off with an episode examining the current state of the conflict, highlighting geopolitical dynamics and influential players. In conversation with Dahlia Scheindlin, hosts Eva Konzett and Misha Glenny explore Israeli public opinion, Netanyahu’s grip on power, Trump’s agenda for the region, and perspectives of the neighboring countries in the Middle East. Dahlia Scheindlin is a political and strategic consultant, and policy analyst at Century International. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Washington Post, The Guardian, and other publications. Scheindlin is also the author of The Crooked Timber of Democracy in Israel: Promise Unfulfilled (2023). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Do we have to destroy the environment to save it, Julie Klinger?
It is no news that humanity will have to extract enormous amounts of rare earths and other critical raw materials to move away from carbon-based economies. In episode four of Future Discontinuous, hosts Misha and Eva invite Julie Klinger, who studies the geopolitics of resource usage, to discuss the pitfalls of the green energy transition, whether we see the emergence of a new resource colonialism, and why states and mining companies alike are turning their gaze to outer space in the global race for rare minerals. Julie Klinger is an associate professor of geography and spatial sciences at the University of Delaware. She publishes on rare earth elements, natural resource use, the energy transition, and outer space, and is the author of the award-winning book Rare Earth Frontiers: From Terrestrial Subsoils to Lunar Landscapes (Cornell University Press, 2018). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
So many of us seem to be scrambling to understand where the world is heading. Decade-old certainties seem to crumble before our eyes. Perhaps we are reaching the moment that Karl Marx predicted when all that is solid melts into air. But don’t panic. In their brand-new podcast, Future Discontinuous, hosts Misha Glenny and Eva Konzett are seeking out some of the brightest minds on the planet to help you navigate your way through this uncharted ocean. We will learn whether technology really can prevent climate change, whether the current economic headwinds are temporary or structural, whether Russia and China are forever friends, and whether social media are turning us all into zombies. But unlike many podcasts, we will also be looking for answers. After almost a century of steady progress in health and prosperity, people no longer expect their lives to be an upgrade on that of their parents. Misha and Eva will be asking guests whether such trends can be reversed or whether we will sink into another period of conflict both within and between states. Things may look bleak on the surface, but around the globe, human ingenuity continues to draw on diverse traditions to create systems that will overcome or circumvent the political, social, and economic dangers that are all too visible. Our hosts: Misha Glenny is the Rector of the Institute for Human Sciences and one of the BBC’s most distinguished correspondents, as well as the presenter of the highly-praised podcast How to Invent a Country. Eva Konzett is a renowned editor and reporter for Vienna’s leading news magazine, Falter.About our show: Future Discontinuous: Smart Talk with Smart People is a co-production of Falter and the IWM Vienna. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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