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In this episode, we share a recent panel at the Harris School of Public Policy on the what comes next for Venezuela with University of Chicago professors Chris Blattman, Ryan Kellogg, and Paul Poast. This discussion touches on plans for the transition in Venezuela, the impact energy markets, and what this means for U.S. policy more broadly.  Podcast Production Credits: Interviewing: Rebecca Wolfe Editing: Sabrina Beaver Production: Sabrina Beaver Music from #Uppbeat : https://uppbeat.io/t/tim-schaufert/it-doesnt-have-to-end

In this brief, we speak with Pegah Banihashemi about recent protests in Iran. We discuss how this wave of protests differs from those of prior years and what conditions detainees likely face.   Podcast Production Credits: Interviewing: Sabrina Beaver Editing: Sabrina Beaver Production: Sabrina Beaver Music from #Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/tim-schaufert/it-doesnt-have-to-end

In this episode, we speak with Foreign Policy staff writer John Haltiwanger about his experiences reporting on conflict and national security matters. We explore how current conflicts, such as those in Ukraine and Gaza, may conclude, as well as the obstacles to peace. This conversation touches on conflict resolution, the importance of expertise, and the role of the US in these discussions. Podcast Production Credits: Interviewing: Sabrina Beaver and Kerem Tasdan Editing: Sabrina Beaver Production: Sabrina Beaver Music from #Uppbeat : https://uppbeat.io/t/neozoic/cold-fire

In this episode, we speak with Professor Anjali Adukia from the University of Chicago about her research on restorative practices in schools and how they can reduce suspensions, arrests, and racial disparities without harming academic performance. We explore what restorative practices look like, why they matter, and how they may impact not only students but also teachers and families. The conversation also touches on the school-to-prison pipeline, the importance of representation in textbooks, and what schools and policymakers can do to give all children a fair chance to succeed.   Podcast Production Credits:  Interviewing: Isabella Nascimento, Alonso Gutiérrez Olivares  Editing: Helena Talerman Production: Isabella Nascimento 

In this episode, Professor Benjamin Lessing unpacks the dynamics of organized crime and informal governance in Brazil. He discusses how extra-legal organizations operate as alternative authority structures—stepping into the vacuum left by weak state presence. Traditional law enforcement often fails to dismantle them, requiring innovations in policymaking aimed at reducing violence in the country. Lessing highlights what works—and what doesn’t—when the state seeks to reassert its authority. Professor Benjamin Lessing is a political scientist at the University of Chicago, specializing in criminal governance, state capacity, and Brazilian politics.  This podcast is produced in partnership with the Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts. For more information, please visit their website at www.thepearsoninstitute.org.    Podcast Production Credits:  Interviewing: Isabella Nascimento, Fernanda Garcia, Gil do Vigor  Editing: Megha Viswanath  Production: Isabella Nascimento 

This episode explores the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo through the lens of historical legacies, regional dynamics, and international interests. Our guest, Professor Eduardo Montero, introduces the current crisis and its deep roots in colonial exploitation, institutional fragility, and unresolved tensions from past conflicts. By the end of the episode, you will also understand the role of external actors and the broader geopolitical and economic stakes shaping the conflict today.    This podcast is produced in partnership with the Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts. For more information, please visit their website at www.thepearsoninstitute.org.     Podcast Production Credits:  Interviewing: Isabella Nascimento, Júlia Mansur, Manda Bwerevu  Editing: Megha Viswanath  Production: Isabella Nascimento 

This episode features Professor Roger Myerson, Nobel Laureate (2007) and Professor at the University of Chicago. We discuss the war in Ukraine through his on-the-ground experience and academic expertise. Professor Myerson reflects on the political, social, and technological shifts he has witnessed since the war began. The conversation examines how Ukraine is adapting to the change in U.S. foreign policy under President Trump, the prospects for peace, the role of NATO and other security guarantees, and the gap between Europe’s economic power and military response.    This podcast is produced in partnership with the Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts. For more information, please visit their website at www.thepearsoninstitute.org.    Podcast Production Credits:  Interviewing: Isabella Nascimento, Viktoriia Shcherba  Editing: Megha Viswanath  Production: Isabella Nascimento 

This episode features Professor Rebecca J. Wolfe, senior lecturer and Executive Director of International Policy & Development at the Harris School of Public Policy. Drawing on her extensive experience designing conflict prevention and violence reduction programs worldwide, Dr. Wolfe explores how behavioral science can be leveraged to mitigate conflict. She discusses the role of trusted authorities in shifting norms, the effectiveness of contact-based interventions in fostering peace, and the challenges of applying these strategies across different contexts. Tune in for an insightful conversation on the intersection of behavioral science and peacebuilding.    This podcast is produced in partnership with the Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts. For more information, please visit their website at www.thepearsoninstitute.org.    Podcast Production Credits:  Interviewing: Isabella Nascimento, Clarice Tee  Editing: Megha Viswanath  Production: Isabella Nascimento 

This episode explores strategies for finding consensus between the government and rebel insurgencies. We spoke with Sergio Jaramillo Caro, former High Commissioner for Peace in Colombia, who led the secret negotiations between the Colombian government and the FARC guerrillas, culminating in the Final Agreement in 2016. He discusses strategies for peace negotiations, potential challenges, and how to overcome obstacles in the long term.    This podcast is produced in partnership with the Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts. For more information, please visit their website at www.thepearsoninstitute.org.    Podcast Production Credits:  Interviewing: Isabella Nascimento, Sol Rivas Lopes, Lina Gonzalez  Editing: Nishita Karun  Production: Isabella Nascimento 

How can social entrepreneurship help end violent conflict? In this episode, John Marks, founder of “Search for Common Ground”, an international NGO dedicated to resolving global conflicts, shares insights from over 40 years of experience in peacebuilding. Marks discusses key lessons from his extensive career, highlights core concepts from his latest book, “From Vision to Action”, and offers practical advice for young policymakers striving to implement effective conflict-resolution strategies.    This podcast is produced in partnership with the Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts. For more information, please visit their website at www.thepearsoninstitute.org.    Podcast Production Credits:  Interviewing: Isabella Nascimento, Sol Rivas Lopes, Mithila Iyer  Editing: Nishita Karun  Production: Isabella Nascimento 

Karl Popper once said, “Open societies are their own worst enemies.” In this episode, Michèle Duvivier Pierre-Louis, former prime minister of Haiti and president of the Knowledge and Freedom Foundation, reflects on this idea. She shares her perspective on Haiti’s development challenges and paths to peace. Michèle emphasizes the importance of negotiating with opponents to advance the public good and building institutions through compromise. Tune in for her insights on fostering collaboration and creating a brighter future for Haiti.    This podcast is produced in partnership with the Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts. For more information, please visit their website at www.thepearsoninstitute.org.    Podcast Production Credits:  Interviewing: Isabella Nascimento and Ralph Valiere  Editing: Nishita Karun  Production: Isabella Nascimento 

Defining successful antiterrorism strategies is challenging. With groundbreaking research in the history of political violence, terrorism, and nationalism, Professor Richard English guides us through the main concepts and structures to understand valid approaches for countering terror. Richard English is a Professor of Politics at Queen's University Belfast, where he is also Director of the Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice.  This podcast is produced in partnership with the Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts. For more information, please visit their website a www.thepearsoninstitute.org.  Podcast Production Credits: Interviewing: Isabella Nascimento, Raul Leon, and Natalia Zorilla Editing: Nishita Karun Production: Isabella Nascimento

How can the West learn from Africa? Professor James Robinson, director of The Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts, highlights the richness of development in the African region. Robinson has conducted extensive fieldwork in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, and is a Fellow at the Institute for African Studies at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. In today’s episode, he discusses what inspires his work in the region, common misconceptions about development, the complexities of working on the ground, and the concept of "Wealth in People."    This podcast is produced in partnership with the Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts. For more information, please visit their website at www.thepearsoninstitute.org.    Podcast Production Credits:  Interviewing: Isabella Nascimento and Mario Venegas  Editing: Nishita Karun  Production: Isabella Nascimento 

What are the key legal principles that govern the conduct of war and protect human rights? In this episode, we speak with Professor Kathleen Cavanaugh, the Executive Director of the Pozen Family Center for Human Rights, and Senior Instructional Professor in the College at UChicago. Professor Cavanaugh’s scholarship, like her academic training, is interdisciplinary and seeks to interrogate questions of law in its social context. She has published on international human rights and humanitarian law; theoretical as well as applied research on the use of political violence; ethno-nationalism; and more recently, militant democracy and the politics of memory. As a consultant, she has undertaken numerous missions on behalf of Amnesty International including to Northern Ireland, Israel/Palestine, and Iraq and she will be speaking at the 2024 Pearson Global Forum in October. We discuss, among other topics, the framework of international humanitarian law, storytelling in meta conflicts, and the difficulties of accountability for human rights violations within the international system. This podcast is produced in partnership with the Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts. For more information, please visit their website at ThePearsonInstitute.org You can access the transcript here.  Podcast Production Credits: Editing: Nishita Karun Production: Hannah Balikci

How is law understood and used by different actors during political transitions to achieve peace? In this episode, we speak with Professor Louise Mallinder, a Professor in the School of Law at Queen's University Belfast and Faculty Affiliate of the Pearson Institute. She has a longstanding and internationally recognized expertise in amnesty laws through extensive writing and the creation of the Amnesties, Conflict and Peace Database. She works as part of the Peace and Conflict Resolution Evidence Platform, led by the University of Edinburgh, and funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Professor Mallinder's teaching focuses on international human rights law, human rights practice, constitutional law, and transitional justice. We discuss how amnesties can be granted without compromising justice, the intersection of law with other disciplines in academia, and Professor Mallinder’s perspectives at large on the field of transitional justice. This podcast is produced in partnership with the Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts. For more information, please visit their website at ThePearsonInstitute.org Should you encounter any challenges with the audio quality, we invite you to follow along with the transcript provided for a seamless experience. You can access the transcript here.  Podcast Production Credits: Interviewing: Isabella Pestana de Andrade do Nascimento, Natalia Zorrilla Ramos, and Hannah Balikci Editing: Nishita Karun Production: Hannah Balikci