#international-relations
109 episodes · Page 2 of 5
#3267: The 15 Million People Living in Overseas Territories
Why only ~15 countries hold nearly all overseas territory — and what those places reveal about colonial history.
#3210: How Montesquieu Got Britain Wrong
From Montesquieu’s mistake to Hungary’s crackdown—how checks and balances actually work.
#3188: How Policy Summer Schools Actually Work
Residential retreats that produce real policy outcomes at 3.2x the rate of conferences. Here's how they work.
#3138: Countries With No Army: The 23 That Chose Zero
23 UN-recognized countries have no standing army. Here's how they survive — and what happens when the protection fails.
#3136: 5000 Years of Prisons: From Debt to Mass Incarceration
From Mesopotamia to El Salvador — how prisons evolved from debt collection to the modern punishment system.
#3122: When Trust Collapses: Chile, Lebanon, South Korea
Three countries, three outcomes when citizens lost faith in their entire political class.
#3025: The EU's Foreign Policy Paradox: A Conductor Without an Orchestra
The EU has a foreign minister who can't command anyone. How does foreign policy actually get made in Brussels?
#3014: How a Palestinian Books a Flight to Istanbul
The step-by-step reality of travel from the West Bank and Gaza — permits, crossings, and documents most travelers never think about.
#2999: Svalbard's Visa-Free Trap: What You Need to Know
No visa needed on Svalbard — but you can't get there without one. Here's how the Arctic's strangest legal loophole actually works.
#2957: The Fourth Ring of Jerusalem
How a 1,700-year-old community in Jerusalem is fighting for survival — and what the Cow Garden land dispute reveals.
#2907: How Medieval Queens Shaped Jewish Policy Before 1306
How four French queens used dower lands and household budgets to protect—or restrict—Jewish communities before the 1306 expulsion.
#2880: Israel-Greece-Cyprus: The Alliance That Outlasted Its Pipeline
How three eastern Mediterranean countries built a durable partnership around gas, electricity, and a shared strategic interest.
#2879: Are Most Chinese People Actually Atheist?
Only 14% of Chinese adults identify as atheists. The reality of belief in China is far more complex.
#2869: China's Special Puzzle Pieces: Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan
How "one country, two systems" works differently for Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan — and what's changed.
#2852: How Desalination Made Israel a Water Superpower
How Israel turned a catastrophic drought into a water surplus and used it to reshape regional diplomacy.
#2847: How AI Could Transform Comparative Policy Analysis
Can AI agents do the work of a distributed think tank for cross-country policy learning?
#2819: Did China's Wildlife Wet Market Ban Actually Stick?
The COVID origin investigation stalled. But what about China's wildlife wet market ban — did it actually work?
#2809: What Enforcement Leaves Behind
How border enforcement fractures economies, families, and institutions in ways the headlines miss.
#2769: The Legal Limbo of Partially Recognized States
North Korea has 46 embassies. Palestine has 80. Neither is fully recognized. How does their diplomacy actually work?
#2723: Why No Country Has Ever Reached Communism
The real difference between socialism and communism — and whether either has ever produced a successful society.
#2637: How Russia Justified Invading Ukraine — and What Actually Happened
The real reasons Russia invaded Ukraine, the history erased by propaganda, and where the front lines stand today.
#2627: The Five Stans: What Makes Them Distinct
Five countries, millennia of history, and a surprising connection to Israel. A practical guide to Central Asia.
#2615: Dual Citizenship: Loyalty, Law & Living in Two Countries
Two hundred million people hold multiple passports. How did dual citizenship go from taboo to normal?
#2614: Who Gets to Vote from Abroad?
How the U.S. and Israel handle military and diplomatic ballots — and whether expats should vote at all.