Although Kyrgyzstan rarely makes the front page of the news, this Central-Asian nation has a fascinating history. From 1991, when Kyrgyzstan became independent from the Soviet Union to the present day in 2021, three of their democratically-elected presidents have been unseated by protesters and civil unrest. In this episode, we dive into Kyrgyzstan’s complex history of electoral politics, and whether the country lives up to its designation as a beacon of democracy. Special thanks to Dr. Margaret Hanson of Arizona State University for allowing us to interview her!

Host: Emma Ross
Researchers: Maggie Sparling and Alma Wolf
Producer: Jessica Ji and Ella Anderson

The Global Inquirer is a production of the International Relations Organization at UVA, and affiliated with TEEJ, UVA’s podcasting network.

Kyrgyzstan: A Central-Asian Beacon of Democracy?

What happens when large groups of retail investors are able to congregate through the internet to control the direction of a stock price? In this episode, we investigate the formation and purpose of online discussion forums and the ways they have been able to impact the stock market. Specifically, we dive into the subreddit r/wallstreetbets as it is known for its lively discussions about high-risk trading. For this episode, we had the opportunity to speak with special guest Jaime Rogozinski, the founder of r/wallstreetbets. Looking at the specific case study of GameStop, we discuss how it happened and what this might mean for the people’s power in the stock market moving forward.

Host: Emma Ross
Researcher: Hannah Malcom
Producers: Ella Anderson and Jessica Ji

The Global Inquirer is a production of the International Relations Organization at UVA, and affiliated with TEEJ, UVA’s podcasting network.

r/WallStreetBets

Germany’s upcoming federal election to determine the successor to Angela Merkel, chancellor of Germany, marks a critical juncture in German foreign policy. An increasingly important foreign policy flashpoint is Germany’s relationship with China – especially in the context of Germany’s 5G rollout. In this episode, we walk you through the impact of Merkel’s chancellorship on German-Chinese relations, the evolving role of the Chinese telecommunications company Huawei in Germany’s 5G rollout, and the challenges the next chancellor will face in dealing with China and building the country’s 5G network.

Special thanks to Sam Denney, Wiebke Siefer, and Andrew Small for appearing on this episode.

Hosts: Emma Ross
Researchers: Maggie Sparling and Alma Wolf
Producer: Jessica Ji 

The Global Inquirer is a production of the International Relations Organization at UVA, and affiliated with TEEJ, UVA’s podcasting network.

Germany After Angela Merkel

In recent years Right Wing Nationalism has resurfaced within many great world powers. As the waves of these movements shift the balance of power at the domestic level, they impact trends across the globe. This podcast delves into how Right Wing Nationalism appears in Europe, the outcomes it has produced historically, and current consequences due to its recent global rise. We analyze how certain trends in these movements have shaped the American political sphere and gain a deeper insight on European stances from local students.
Host:
Hannah Malcolm
Researchers:
Luke Somers
Riley Fay
Rea Zulfikar
Shrinidhi Kittur
Special Guest:
Simon in Münster, Germany
Max in Ulm, Germany
Editor:
Jessica Ji

The Rise of Right Wing Nationalism in the Western World

This podcast discusses the persistence of sexual exploitation and abuse and gender-based violence through the humanitarian sector. It examines power dynamics between humanitarian workers and local populations, systems of accountability, and successful, sustainable aid models. Tune in to hear about the nuances of aid and intervention from Global Consultant on GBV, Jeanne Ward, prospective global studies student, Livie Nute, and political science Major, Yijing Shen.

More Harm Than Good?

Glenn Allen Youngkin defeated Terry McAuliffe in the 2021 Virginia gubernatorial election. How did he do it? Listen here as we zoom in on Youngkin's education platform and the consequences it has moving forward.

Youngkin's Campaign: Education Policy and Gender Studies

In this episode, we explore current Chinese Foreign Policy initiatives and their ramifications for the international community.

Chinese Foreign Policy

In this episode, we look more closely at the War in Ukraine, focusing on the Russian public's perspective, historical factors driving the war, and the role of territory.
Host: AJ Laurienti
Researcher: Reece Kaplan
Consulted Expert: Kyrill Kunakhovich (UVA history professor)

Season 11

Ukraine War Review Part 1: Perspective, History, Territory

In this episode, we pick up our discussion on the War in Ukraine. We focus on the impact of Finland's ascension to NATO along with the importance--and possible future impacts--of the war.
Host: AJ Laurienti
Researcher: Reece Kaplan
Consulted Expert: Kyrill Kunakhovich (UVA history professor)

Ukraine War Review Part 2: Going Forward

In this episode, we discuss the arguments for and against one of the most intriguing rules in American government: the filibuster. Does it protect minority opinion, or does it result in the rule of the minority? Is the filibuster going anywhere? Find out in this episode, our season finale!
Host: AJ Laurienti
Researcher: Andrew Chand
Consulted Expert: Craig Volden

The Filibuster: Setback or Savior?

In this episode, we provide an overview of what ranked choice voting is and why it is being advocated for in American politics. Who does this system stand to benefit? Will it be implemented further? Find out in our Season 12 opener!

Host: AJ Laurienti
Researchers: Andrew Chand, Reece Kaplan, Leslie Lan
Consulted Experts: J. Miles Coleman, Nick Co

Ranked Choice Voting: Imagining a Different Election System

In this episode, we provide an introduction into the world of international cybercrime. Discover how it works, who's involved, and why it matters.
Host: AJ Laurienti
Researchers: Jack Cooper, Barbara Uzun
Executive Producer: Reece Kaplan

International Cybercrime

In this episode, we discuss the history and impact of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Placed under Azerbaijani authority since the dissolution of the USSR, the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its historically Armenian-majority population have long been in limbo. In September 2023, the vast majority of these ethnic Armenians were forced out of the region. How did this happen? Was this a sudden ethnic conflict or a longstanding nation-building effort? Join the Global Inquirer in looking through the lens of student research, the Armenian diaspora, and a scholar of Soviet history to uncover this often-overlooked tragedy.

Host: AJ Laurienti
Researchers: Danial Butt, Raffi Kanayan, Cristina Racanelli
Consulted Experts: Armik Mirzayan (UVA Anthropology); Jeffrey Rossman (UVA History)
Executive Producer: Reece Kaplan

Nagorno-Karabakh: Historical Erasure, Modern Exodus

In this episode, we interview two students with vastly differing opinions on the Israel-Palestine conflict. With little commentary from our staff, the podcast’s aim with this episode was simply to amplify student voices and address what is undoubtedly the most contentious ongoing conflict in geopolitics. 

Executive Producer: Andrew Chand 
Staff Correspondents: James Grayken, Indigo Samson 
Guests: Ella Kotok and Naima Tinsley 
Additional Researchers: Julio Barroso-Perez

Israel and Palestine: Students’ Views on the Most Contentious Conflict in Geopolitics

In this episode, we explore Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro’s blatant theft of his country’s 2024 presidential election, which evidence suggests he lost resoundingly to the most organized opposition in recent Venezuelan history. We discuss how we got here, what actually happened, and what this all means for Venezuela’s future. 

Executive Producer: Andrew Chand 
Staff Correspondents: Kelsey Holzman, Hannah Vinas, & Carolina Zanna-Stone

Venezuela’s 2024 Election Crisis: A Stolen Election in a Teetering Democracy

In this episode, we discuss the ongoing conflict and desperate humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We analyze how ethnic tensions, resource extraction, foreign intervention, and a variety of other factors have culminated in this devastating war, while also contemplating paths forward for the DRC. 

Executive Producer: Andrew Chand 
Staff Correspondents: Danial Butt & Tesher Baer 
Additional Researchers: Cristina Racanelli

The Democratic Republic of the Congo: Shedding Light on an Often Overlooked Conflict

In this episode, we dive into the fascinating political situation in El Salvador, where President Nayib Bukele—who has led the country’s transformation from the murder capital of the world to perhaps the safest country in the Americas—is implementing anti-democratic policies with seemingly broad public support. How sustainable is this, and is there a fundamental trade-off between security and democracy? The Global Inquirer discusses this and more. 

Executive Producer: Andrew Chand 
Staff Correspondents: Khyzeima Gonzalez, Kayla Kline-Polio, Maryam Ahmed, & Allison Fuentes 
Guest: Dr. Lean Sweeney

El Salvador: The “World’s Coolest Dictator” and the Trade-Off Between Security and Democracy

In this correspondent-led episode, we discuss the international labor trafficking scandal unfolding in, perhaps surprisingly, Canada. We analyze the systems that enable the exploitation of migrant workers, the experiences of the victims, and the various responses of global actors to the revelation of this story. 
—
Executive Producer: Andrew Chand 
Correspondents: Danial Butt and Tesher Baer

Labor Trafficking in Canada? When Migration Becomes Exploitation

In this episode with Professor Camellia Webb-Gannon, we discuss the often-overlooked fight for self-determination in West Papua. We analyze the history of West Papua’s independence movement and the current state of the struggle, while also exploring possible paths forward.  
—
Special Guest: Camellia Webb-Gannon 
Executive Producer: Andrew Chand
Correspondents: Hannah Vinas and Calvin Pan

Why Isn’t Anyone Talking About West Papua?

In this episode with Dr. Hikmat Nasr, we discuss the aftermath of Israel’s most recent conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon. We analyze the human cost of the war, Hezbollah’s position in Lebanese society, and recent progress for the country’s internationally recognized government. We also consider the different options for integration and reconciliation in the future.
—
Special Guest: Dr. Hikmat Nasr
Executive Producer: Andrew Chand 
Correspondents: Jason Kim and Tommy Williams 

Lebanon at a Crossroads: After the Bombs, What Comes Next?

In this episode with Professor Levi Vonk, we discuss the state of U.S. immigration under Donald Trump’s second administration. We analyze what is different about Trump’s repressive crackdown, but also explore what has remained the same under an immigration system that both parties have leveraged to exclude immigrants for decades.
—
Special Guest: Levi Vonk
Executive Producer: Andrew Chand 
Correspondents: Abby Larkin, Anika Shah, Carolina Zanna-Stone, and Kamina Mentore

U.S. Immigration: Trump’s Weaponization of an Already Broken System

As students return from programs abroad, they bring stories and perspectives that cannot be found anywhere else. Four students have traveled across the world and experienced different cultures, but also observed similar trends. What stories bind all of these journeys together? What trends transcend thousands of miles?

Host: Nick Mortensen
Researchers: Tyler Hinkle, Kara Kreiling, Derrick Wang, and Emi Lockwood
Guests: UVA Study Abroad students Brinsley Eriksen, Carmen Garcia, Sarah Rupert, and Katey Summers
Producer: Andy Carluccio

The Global Inquirer is a production of the International Relations Organization at UVA, and affiliated with TEEJ, UVA’s podcasting network.

Going Abroad

Join UVA’s premier undergraduate research podcast, the Global Inquirer for a special discussion on housing development, inequality and activism to gain a better understanding of our community. The event featured community leaders and activists as well as Andrew Kahrl, professor of History and African American studies here at UVA.

Check out the broadcast on Facebook here:
https://www.facebook.com/GlobalInquireratUVA/videos/1045433865666988/

Live Episode: Houses To Homes - Equitable Solutions

It’s fair to assume that hummus has become a widely popular grocery staple in the US. Its murky origins, however, have rendered it a symbol of political tensions in the Middle East. The cultural dispute over hummus ownership has indeed been absorbed into the general framework of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Researcher Gabriella Soriano interviewed Professor Darren Zook to investigate the relevance of food in the cultural and social dynamics of nationalism. Tune in for a peculiar discussion on politics, food, identity, and 23,000-pound hummus bowls.

Host: Balthazar Merrin
Guest: Professor Darren Zook
Producer: Andy Carluccio

The Global Inquirer is a production of the International Relations Organization at UVA, and affiliated with TEEJ, UVA’s podcasting network.

The Hummus Wars

We’ve all heard and even experienced the impacts of social media: the distraction, the anxiety of checking likes. Today, our technical director Andy Carluccio steps up as the host to talk about social media with researcher Sarah Rocca. Social media is designed to be addicting, so how do users and governments alike tackle the addiction? Using case studies from the UK, France, and South Korea, Sarah and Andy illuminate different policy approaches that aim to influence human behavior.

Host and Producer: Andy Carluccio
Researcher:  Sarah Rocca

The Global Inquirer is a production of the International Relations Organization at UVA, and affiliated with TEEJ, UVA’s podcasting network.

Rewired - The Influence Of Social Media On Mental Health

This week on the Global Inquirer, we take a look at the modern implications of mandatory military service and how the service affects these countries as a whole. We look at the reasons for why countries chose to draft their own citizens and how their cultures are later impacted. Additionally, we discuss the distinctions between mandatory services in different countries, and then dive into what this has meant for Israel specifically.

Host: Balthazar Merrin
Researcher: Emma Ross
Special guest: Zvi Gilboa
Producer: Andy Carluccio

The Global Inquirer is a production of the International Relations Organization at UVA, and affiliated with TEEJ, UVA’s podcasting network.

Reporting For Duty

Protest movements are often branded as unified fronts against injustice— but what happens when we unpack that assumption? This week on the Global Inquirer, we compare the protests in Hong Kong and France’s Yellow Vest protests in order to draw important parallels. We compare the government response in these cases and explore what the reality of a protest movement entails.

Host: Emma Ross
Researcher: Nicholas Mortensen
Producer: Christian Jung

The Global Inquirer is a production of the International Relations Organization at UVA, and affiliated with TEEJ, UVA’s podcasting network.

How to Lose the Narrative

Facing discrimination, mass beatings, rape, and torture in their native country of Myanmar, the Rohingya people have fled to nearby Bangladesh, where the crisis has created the largest refugee camp in the world. In this week’s episode, we unpack the contrasting narratives of the Myanmar government and UN officials in regard to the treatment of the Rohingya. The multitude of actors, security issues, and international terminology complicates the crisis response and enables the international community to remain idle.

Host: Emma Ross
Researcher: Lyndsay Baker
Producer: Christian F. Jung

The Global Inquirer is a production of the International Relations Organization at UVA, and affiliated with TEEJ, UVA’s podcasting network.

The Truths of the Rohingya Crisis

"Yeh jo des tera" is Hindi for "This country of yours." One India caught between two choices; to support or reject a controversial piece of legislation. You may have heard of the Indian citizenship act, but what is it really? Does it discriminate against Muslims or provide a helpful path to citizenship for minorities? Tune into the Global Inquirer’s discussion with researchers Garrett Scocos and Ria Kharosekar to learn more.

Host: Emma Ross
Researchers: Ria Kharosekar and Garrett Scocos
Producer: Christian F. Jung

The Global Inquirer is a production of the International Relations Organization at UVA, and affiliated with TEEJ, UVA’s podcasting network.

Yeh Jo Des Tera

In short, our world is occupied with the coronavirus. New stories from experts come out every day talking about the ever-growing death toll, testing availability issues, and economic downturn. However, we have not heard much about the perspectives from college students around the world who have had to leave their campuses (or as UVA students call ours, "Grounds"). In our final episode of the season, we cover how we have adapted as a podcast, and UVA students share their stories and talk about how they have adjusted to our new reality.

Host: Emma Ross
Research: Sarah Rocca
Producer: Christian F. Jung

The Global Inquirer is a production of the International Relations Organization at UVA, and affiliated with TEEJ, UVA’s podcasting network.

We Left Grounds and Never Came Back

Using case studies that often go untouched in news media, we examine how global trends are impacting real lives and international politics.

Global Inquirer is a production of the International Relations Organization at the University of Virginia. We are also affiliated with TEEJ.fm, the podcast network of the University of Virginia and Charlottesville.

Music: Audissey
https://open.spotify.com/artist/27PasEOltfafDKVv1TPTQR

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