Undercurrents - Season 3

As the New Year dawned a serious crisis emerged in the Middle East after US President Donald Trump ordered the assassination of Qassem Soleimani, commander of Iran's Quds special forces. In the aftermath Ben and Agnes speak to two experts about the background to the crisis.&nbsp; &nbsp; , Deputy Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme, joins Ben to provide some historical context to the state of domestic politics in Iran and the factors driving its foreign policy.&nbsp; Agnes then speaks to , a Senior Research Fellow in the Middle East and North Africa Programme, who explains the effects of the crisis on the political situation in Iraq and delves into the history of Iran-Iraq relations.&nbsp; Read the Expert Comments:

Episode 44: the Iran Crisis, and Politics in Iraq

This week Ben explores the political outlook in Kazakshtan with colleagues from the Russia and Eurasia Programme. Kazakhstan is at a turning point in its history. A partial handover of political power through an orchestrated transition in 2019 has taken the country into uncharted territory. Will it be able to pursue modernization and reform, and break from its authoritarian past? In this episode Ben speaks to  and  from the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House to find out more.&nbsp;&nbsp; Afterwards Ben is joined by Communications Department colleague Jemma Finnegan to discuss a new youth engagement project, Common Futures Conversations.&nbsp; Read the Chatham House Report:  Learn about the project:  Credits: Speakers: James Nixey, Kate Mallinson and Jemma Finnegan Host: Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Producer: Ben Horton Recorded and produced at Chatham House

Episode 45: Politics in Kazakhstan

This week Undercurrents returns with interviews on decolonization and the impact of the coronavirus crisis on China’s economy. Ben is joined by Events team colleague Amrit Swali to interview  and  about the decolonization process. They explore the role of civic institutions in re-thinking the legacies of the British Empire and breaking down colonial power structures which survive to this day.&nbsp; Next, Agnes discusses the Coronavirus crisis with  from the Asia-Pacific Programme. They assess the impact of the health emergency on China's economy and its reputation globally.&nbsp; Watch the Chatham House Event:  Read the Chatham House Expert Comment:  Listen to the new podcast:  Credits: Speakers: Tristram Hunt, Meera Sabaratnam, Yu Jie Hosts: Agnes Frimston, Ben Horton, Amrit Swali Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Producer: Ben Horton Recorded and produced at Chatham House

Episode 46: Understanding Decolonization, and China’s Response to Coronavirus

A new documentary from Pakistani-American director  explores the politics behind Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy laws. The film follows conservative cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi and examines the cases of those accused of disrespecting Islam, including Asia Bibi, the Christian woman who spent almost 10 years on death row. This week Agnes and Ben meet with Mohamed to discuss the making of the film and also consider how documentary films can drive political change.&nbsp; &nbsp; Watch the BBC Storyville documentary:  [available in UK only] Credits: Speaker: Mohamed Ali Naqvi Hosts: Agnes Frimston and Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Producer: Ben Horton Recorded and produced at Chatham House.

Episode 47: Pakistan's Blasphemy Laws

This week the Undercurrents team explores the debate around intelligence accountability, and asks who should be paying to fix climate change.&nbsp; How can democratic governments hold intelligence and security agencies to account when what they do is largely secret? Agnes meets author Jamie Gaskarth to find out how intelligence professionals view accountability in the context of 21st century politics.&nbsp; Next, Ben discusses climate financing with Iseoluwa Akintunde. While all states have a role in addressing the threat of climate change, some argue that developed countries should bear more of the financial burden.&nbsp; Find the book:  Read the Chatham House Interview:

Episode 48: UK Intelligence Agencies, and Paying for Climate Action

Undercurrents returns from remote corners of lockdown UK to discuss how the EU has responded to the coronavirus pandemic, and to find out how celebrity interacts with politics.&nbsp; This week, Ben speaks to  about the economic impact of Europe's lockdown measures, and the challenges facing the Eurozone as the pandemic continues. Then Agnes meets  to discuss his new book on the history of celebrity.&nbsp; Read the Expert Comment:  Read The World Today article:  Find the book:  Credits: Speakers: Pepijn Bergsen and Greg Jenner Hosts: Agnes Frimston and Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Producer: Ben Horton Recorded and produced at Chatham House.

Episode 49: EU Responses to COVID-19, and the Politics of Celebrity

This week, Agnes speaks to Chatham House Senior Press Officer Jordan Lim about the challenges facing governments and the media as they try to communicate effectively during the coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp; Then Ben discusses the prospect of justice for the Rohingya community, with  from the Asia-Pacific Programme. Sandra explains the ongoing international investigations into Myanmar's treatment of their Rohingya minority population, and highlights the lessons that can be drawn from the Khmer Rouge Tribunal in Cambodia.&nbsp; Subscribe to the Newsletter:  Read the Expert Comment: &nbsp; Credits: Speakers: Jordan Lim, Sandra Smits Hosts: Agnes Frimston, Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Producer: Ben Horton Recorded and produced at Chatham House.

Episode 50: The Coronavirus Communications Crisis, and Justice in Myanmar

This week Agnes speaks to  about how states can learn the lessons from our coronavirus response, and better prepare for future pandemics. Then Ben meets  to find out about a speech given at Chatham House in 1931 by Mahatma Gandhi, as part of his campaign for Indian independence. Read the Expert Comment:  Read The World Today article:  Read Gandhi's speech:  Credits: Speakers: Patricia Lewis, Gitika Bhardwaj Hosts: Agnes Frimston, Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Producer: Ben Horton Recorded and produced at Chatham House.

Episode 51: Preparing for Pandemics, and Gandhi's Chatham House Speech

This week, Ben speaks to  from the Global Health Programme about the WHO's communication challenges around the coronavirus. They explore how pandemics are defined, and the implications of when the announcement was made.&nbsp;Then Agnes meets  to find out how former Georgian President Mikheil&nbsp;Saakashvili has gained political office in Ukraine.&nbsp; Read the Expert Comments:&nbsp;   Credits: Speakers: Charles Clift, Max Fras Hosts: Agnes Frimston, Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Producer: Ben Horton Recorded and produced at Chatham House.

Episode 52: Defining Pandemics, and Mikheil Saakashvili's Ukrainian Comeback

This week Agnes is joined by Lysa John, the Secretary-General of , to discuss the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on worker's rights across the world.&nbsp; Then Ben speaks to Leena Hoffmann from the Africa Programme at Chatham House about the food security crisis in West Africa and the Sahel. They explore the challenges facing governments in the region as they attempt to ensure their citizens have access to food despite the disruption caused by COVID-19. Read the Expert Comment:&nbsp;  Credits:&nbsp; Speakers: Lysa John, Leena Hoffmann Hosts: Agnes Frimston, Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Producer: Ben Horton Edited and produced by Chatham House

Episode 53: Protecting Workers During COVID-19, and Food in Security in West Africa

This week the Undercurrents team explore two perspectives on the global response to the coronavirus pandemic. Ben speaks to  from the Asia-Pacific Programme about the Indian government's response to the virus, exploring the impact of a severe lockdown and the limitations of a new contact tracing app.&nbsp; Then Agnes discusses how the media has covered the crisis with  of the . What is the media's role during such catastrophes? And how far can it go in terms of critiquing government policy? Read the Expert Comment:  Read the World Today article:  Credits: Speakers: Urvashi Aneja, James Ball Hosts: Agnes Frimston, Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Producer: Ben Horton Recorded and produced by Chatham House

Episode 54: India's COVID-19 Tracing App, and the Media's Pandemic Response

This week the Undercurrents team present a double-bill of interviews exploring the politics of Israel.&nbsp; Agnes discusses the recent political fortunes of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with , including the domestic and foreign policy implications of his ongoing corruption trial. Then Ben speaks to  and  about their investigation into the identity politics behind Israel's hosting of the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest.&nbsp; Read the Expert Comment:  Read the International Affairs article:  Watch the team's favourite song from Eurovision 2020:  Credits: Speakers: Yossi Mekelberg, Galia Press-Barnathan, Naama Lutz Hosts: Agnes Frimston and Ben Horton Producer: Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House

Episode 55: Benjamin Netanyahu's Trial, and the Identity Politics of Eurovision

In this week's episode Ben speaks to Erin Baines and Camile Oliviera about their research on the social status of children born as the result of ‘forced marriage’ during the Ugandan civil war of the 1990s and early 2000s, and attempts by some of the fathers to assume responsibility for their care and well-being.&nbsp; Children ‘born of war’ are increasingly recognized as a particular victim group in relevant international policy frameworks. Their social status falls somewhere between the victimization of their mother and perpetration of their father. Given the circumstances of their birth, they often experience social rejection and loss of identity with a long-term impact on their well-being. In fieldwork carried out between 2016 and 2019, Baines and Oliviera gathered the experiences of many men who served in the Lord's Resistance Army, a rebel group with links to widespread human rights abuses including the abduction of children.&nbsp; Warning: sensitive content including references to sexual violence in this episode may upset or offend. Read the International Affairs article:  Credits: Speakers: Erin Baines, Camile Oliviera Hosts: Ben Horton, Agnes Frimston Producer: Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House

Episode 56: Uganda's Children Born of War

The tragic killing of George Floyd in Minnesota at the end of May has sparked a wave of protests in the US and around the world. It has also sparked an important, long-overdue and often difficult, discussion on racism. This week Ben speaks to  about the issue of race in UK politics, and the obstacles that face ethnic minority individuals seeking to pursue a career in Westminster.&nbsp; Then Agnes discusses the tensions between expertise and politics in the response to the coronavirus pandemic with .&nbsp;&nbsp; Explore the New York Times reading list: , by Ibram X. Kendi Read The World Today article:  Credits: Speakers: Yusuf Hassan, Calum Inverarity Hosts: Agnes Frimston, Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House

Episode 57: Race in Westminster, and COVID-19 Expertise

The first term of Donald Trump's presidency has coincided with what many see as a fundamental shift in US foreign policy. Rather than viewing Trump as the exception to a past 'norm',  argues that his administration is the latest expression of the characteristics that mark out the US from other western states. Ben is joined by Bruno to discuss the political implications of American exceptionalism.&nbsp; Then Agnes speaks to  about the life and work of Rosemary Hollis, a former head of the Middle East and North Africa programme at Chatham House, who passed away in June 2020. Rosemary was a highly respected authority on the Middle East, and is remembered with great respect and affection, as a colleague and a friend. Read the memorial:  Read the obituary:  Find the book:  Credits: Speakers: Ian Black, Bruno Maçães Hosts: Agnes Frimston, Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House

Episode 58: The Birth of a New America, and Remembering Rosemary Hollis

In the first of two episodes this week, Agnes takes a deep dive into the politics of statues with historian  and  from the Africa Programme at Chatham House. They discuss the recent removal of the statue of slave-trader and philanthropist Edward Colston in Bristol, UK, and more broadly consider the significance of statues as public history.&nbsp; Read the Article:&nbsp;  Credits: Speakers: Yusuf Hassan, Charlotte Riley Hosts: Agnes Frimston, Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House

Episode 59: The Politics of Statues

While in recent times much attention has been paid in the media to the machinations of trade negotiations, from chlorinated chicken imports to fishing quotas, an often-overlooked concern is how such agreements fail to take account of human rights. In this discussion  and Rosie Beacock explain why human rights impacts are so difficult to monitor, and what steps governments and international organisations could take to better protect their citizens.&nbsp; &nbsp; Read the Research Paper:  Credits: Speakers: Rosie Beacock, Jennifer Zerk Hosts: Agnes Frimston, Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced at Chatham House

Episode 60: Protecting Human Rights in Trade Agreements

The 21st century has been a time of significant change for the global LGBTQ+ movement. While same-sex marriage and gender transition are increasingly celebrated in some parts of the world, laws to criminalise homosexuality and gender non-conformity have been strengthened in others. In this episode, Ben speaks to journalist  to find out more. Then Agnes discusses China's global reputation with  from the Asia-Pacific Programme at Chatham House. They cover how the coronavirus pandemic may have affected China's soft power, and also how the country is positioning itself in the international debate on climate change.&nbsp; Find the book:  Read the article:  Credits: Speakers: Sam Geall, Mark Gevisser Hosts: Agnes Frimston, Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House

Episode 61: LGBTQ+ Rights, and China's Post-COVID Global Standing

The meeting that called into being the British Institute of International Affairs was held on July 5, 1920 at the Royal Society of Arts on the Strand. The institute, as noted by Arthur Balfour, UK foreign secretary until the previous year, would cultivate ‘mutual comprehension between different nations and between the leaders of thought in different communities’.&nbsp; 100 years later, Chatham House remains a centre for debate and exchange on the major issues shaping international affairs.&nbsp; Undercurrents is marking the Chatham House centenary with an episode on the history of the institute. You'll hear from librarian Malcolm Madden about the origins of Chatham House, and then a selection of current Chatham House staff tell us about the events and speakers they have most enjoyed during their time at the institute.&nbsp; Watch the Events:  Read the Expert Comment:  Credits: Speakers: Malcolm Madden, Zara Berry, Yusuf Hassan, Kamil Hussain, Glada Lahn, Jo Maher, Esther Naylor, James Nixey, Alan Philps Hosts: Agnes Frimston, Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House

Episode 62: 100 Years of Chatham House

Policy-makers and researchers are daily confronted by violent images that influence how complex political problems are seen and consequently understood. From bodycam footage revealing acts of police brutality, to media coverage of the catastrophic impact of the refugee crisis, depictions of violence and horror spread at startling speed through social media platforms, drawing out powerful emotional responses from public and policymaker alike.&nbsp; In the last episode of Undercurrents before the summer break, Ben speaks to three academics whose work explores the connections between violent images and politics.  explains how images of suffering children are deployed in political debates around interventions.  shows how horror movies provide a space for understanding public responses to apocalyptic events such as nuclear war or global pandemics.  then discusses how social media platforms accelerate the spread of violent images, and the effects this has on policy responses.&nbsp; Read the International Affairs article:  Read the International Affairs article:  Read the International Affairs article:  Credits: Speakers: Helen Berents, Constance Duncombe, Stefanie Fishel Hosts: Agnes Frimston, Ben Horton Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House

Episode 63: The Politics of Violent Images

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