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January 2026 has barely begun, yet the pace of global upheaval is already staggering. In just a few weeks, the United States has seized Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro, issued threats against allies, and signalled a willingness to reshape the world order. At the same time, international law and human rights are under unprecedented strain – from Ukraine to Sudan, from Gaza to Iran. Ceasefires fail to end the violence. Humanitarian organisations are expelled. Journalists and academics are silenced. As 2026 begins, a fundamental question looms: are we witnessing a temporary crisis of the international system – or its steady unravelling? In this episode, Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International and former UN Special Rapporteur, and Jørgen Jensehaugen, Research Professor at the Peace Research Institute Oslo and a leading expert on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, examine the erosion of global norms, accountability, and multilateral institutions – and ask what, if anything, can still hold the system together. PRIO’s Peace in a Pod is hosted by Arnaud Siad. Photo: Getty Images/Europa Press Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After nearly a decade as PRIO Director, Henrik Urdal has wrapped up his tenure. Taking over is Nina Græger, who returns to PRIO after leading the Department of Political Science at the University of Copenhagen. In this special episode of PRIO’s Peace in a Pod, host Arnaud Siad sits down with both leaders for a wide-ranging conversation about what it means to steer a peace research institute in a time of global turbulence. Henrik reflects on his years at the helm - the challenges, guiding values, and what makes PRIO unique. Nina shares her vision for the institute and the role of peace research in an era marked by resurging conflict, rising defense budgets, and shifting geopolitical alliances. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2024 marked one of the most violent years since the end of the Cold War, with 61 armed conflicts recorded across 36 countries. This sobering tally comes from PRIO’s latest Conflict Trends: A Global Overview report, drawing on data from the Uppsala Conflict Data Program. But behind the numbers lies a deeper human toll. From Gaza to Sudan, children are among the most vulnerable in today’s wars - facing displacement, trauma, and the collapse of education and health systems. In this episode, we speak to Inger Ashing, CEO of Save the Children, about what it means to protect childhood in the midst of war. And to Siri Aas Rustad, Research Director at PRIO and lead author of the report, who walks us through the data and its implications. PRIO's Peace in a Pod is hosted by Arnaud Siad. Photo: Getty Images. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The European Commission has unveiled a bold 800 billion euro plan to ramp up defense spending - marking what many are calling a historic shift in Europe’s security architecture. With the United States signaling a more distant role under the Trump administration, Europe is under growing pressure to stand on its own. Is this a turning point for NATO? Can Europe match the military and strategic weight of other global powers? And what might this shift mean for the values that have long underpinned the Western alliance? In this episode, host Arnaud Siad is joined by Kori Schake, Director of Foreign and Defense Policy at the American Enterprise Institute and former foreign policy adviser to President George W. Bush, and Bruno Oliveira Martins, Senior Researcher at PRIO, to unpack the changing transatlantic relationship and what lies ahead for Europe’s security future. Photo: Thierry Monasse/Getty Images Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Negotiations around a ceasefire in Ukraine have dominated headlines ever since Donald Trump returned to the White House. From bilateral talks in Saudi Arabia to direct talks between Trump and Vladimir Putin, discussions are intensifying over what a potential ceasefire could look like. But on the ground, the fighting continues. Ukraine’s energy infrastructure remains under attack, and civilians are still caught in the crossfire. Now, a breakthrough technology developed by the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) and NORSAR—using seismic and acoustic detection to automatically identify events—could transform how war crimes are documented and how ceasefires are monitored. Joining this episode are Sebastian Schutte, a Research Professor who leads the project at PRIO, and Oleksandra Matviichuk, head of the Center for Civil Liberties in Kyiv, who works tirelessly to document war crimes committed by Russian forces. PRIO’s Peace in a Pod is hosted by Arnaud Siad. Image: ChatGPT (DALL·E) / OpenAI Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Donald Trump’s call for the U.S. to take control of Gaza and displace its population marks a stark break from decades of American policy—one that could destabilize the entire Middle East. This comes at a critical moment, as the fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire hangs in the balance and families await the return of hostages from Gaza. For Palestinians, the threat of another forced displacement is not only terrifying but a clear violation of international law. So what happens next? And what are the broader consequences for the region? In this episode, UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese and PRIO Senior Researcher Jørgen Jensehaugen break down the stakes, the legal implications, and the realities on the ground. PRIO’s Peace in a Pod is hosted by Arnaud Siad. Photo: Chedly Ben Ibrahim/NurPhoto via Getty Images Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

December 8th. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is reported to have fled the country his family ruled for 50 years—a political earthquake that sends shockwaves across the globe. Miles away in Europe, thousands of Syrians in the diaspora gather spontaneously to mark this historic moment. Governments react swiftly—many freezing asylum claims, while some begin drafting plans for the return of refugees. In this two-part episode, we first hear from Alaa Same, a Syrian refugee now settled in Norway. He shares his extraordinary story of escaping Syria, finding his way to Oslo, and the moment he learned that the dictator who had ruled his country for decades was finally gone. Then, we turn to two leading experts on migration and refugees: Marta Bivand Erdal, Research Professor at PRIO, and Pål Nesse, Senior Adviser to the Norwegian Refugee Council. PRIO's Peace in a Pod is hosted by award-winning journalist Arnaud Siad. Photo: Getty Images/Omer Messinger Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The stakes are rising in Ukraine as Russian attacks on critical infrastructure intensify, plunging the country into darkness with rolling blackouts. Meanwhile, the Biden administration makes its final push to arm Kyiv before leaving office, and President-elect Donald Trump signals a potential shift in U.S. policy, raising critical questions about the future of the conflict. In this episode of PRIO’s Peace in a Pod, host Arnaud Siad is joined by Kristian Berg Harpviken, research professor at PRIO and the future Head of the Norwegian Nobel Institute, and Dr. Sabine Fischer, a Russia expert at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, to discuss Ukraine’s war at this pivotal moment and what lies ahead. Picture: Getty Images. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump’s return to the White House raises urgent questions about the state of American democracy. His contentious victory—despite ongoing legal battles and investigations into his role in efforts to overturn the 2020 election—marks one of the most polarizing comebacks in U.S. political history. What does Trump’s presidency mean for the future of American democracy, civil resistance, and global governance? In this episode, Harvard professor Erica Chenoweth, who delivered PRIO’s Annual Peace Address, joins PRIO Research Professor Scott Gates and Research Director Marianne Dahl to unpack the implications of this historic moment. PRIO's Peace in a Pod is hosted by Arnaud Siad. Photo credit: Getty Images/Chip Somodevilla Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the world’s most prestigious honors. Each year, the Director of the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) presents his own independent list of individuals and organizations he believes are deserving of the Prize. This list, separate from the official selection by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, highlights those who have worked tirelessly for peace and merit special recognition. In this episode, PRIO Director Henrik Urdal discusses the people and organizations who made it onto his list this year. He is joined by Berit Reiss-Andersen, Special Adviser to the Norwegian Red Cross and former member of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, where she served for over a decade. Also featured is Maria Ressa, the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, honored for her courageous work alongside Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov in defending freedom of expression. PRIO's Peace in a Pod is hosted by Arnaud Siad. Photo credit: © Nobel Prize Outreach. Photo: Geir Anders Rybakken Ørslien  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On April 29th at the World Economic Forum, Norway’s Foreign Minister, Espen Barth Eide, delivered a striking critique of the so-called “West,” accusing his allies of a double standard in their handling of the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.  His remarks echoed growing criticism from the Global South, and highlighted the risk of eroding multilateral institutions and international law.   But is there truly a double standard? And what new global alliances could emerge as the United Nations struggles with paralysis?   In this episode, Stein Tønnesson, Research Professor Emeritus and former Director of PRIO, and Gérard Araud, former French Ambassador to the UN and the United States, explore what “the West” means today and how global governance might evolve in the future. This episode is hosted by Arnaud Siad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More armed conflicts took place in 2023 than in any other year since the end of World War II. That is the shocking finding in this year’s Conflict Trends Report – a yearly paper by the Peace Research Institute Oslo, using data from the Uppsala Conflict Data Program and examining global conflict trends since 1946.   In total, 59 armed conflicts raged around the world last year.   So is our world becoming more violent? What were the most violent conflicts in 2023? And are these figures a coincidence of overlapping conflicts, some extraordinarily lethal, from artillery warfare in Ukraine to the razing of Gaza?   Siri Aas Rustad is a Research Director at PRIO and the author of the Conflict Trends Report. In this episode, she is joined by Richard Gowan, the United Nations Director for the International Crisis Group, and an Associate Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.   PRIO's Peace in a Pod is hosted by award-winning journalist Arnaud Siad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For decades, Norway has played a major role as a peacemaker. From the Nobel Peace Prize to the Oslo Accords, promoting peace has been a central aspect of Norwegian foreign policy. But this is only part of the story. Few outside the country are aware of the thriving, lucrative, and government-owned weapons industry in this Scandinavian nation. This creates a dilemma for Norway, as it walks a tightrope between economic interests and its commitments to international law. In this episode, Nic Marsh, a Senior Researcher at PRIO and a specialist in arms trade, discusses the scope and significance of Norway's weapons industry and arms trade. He is joined by General Kristin Lund, a retired senior officer of the Norwegian Army and the first woman to command a UN peacekeeping operation. The episode is hosted by award-winning journalist Arnaud Siad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As tensions continue to rise in the Middle East, two women's organizations are pushing for a return to negotiation and a permanent resolution to the conflict. “Women Wage Peace” is the largest grassroots peace movement in Israel, while its Palestinian counterpart, “Women of the Sun,” is a Palestinian women's organization based in Bethlehem. They are part of a global movement to ensure women are not just represented, but also at the leadership table in peace negotiations. Their work is supported by research showing that involving women significantly increases the chances of achieving enduring peace agreements. In this episode, Xanthe Scharff, a gender expert, writer, and co-founder of The Fuller Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to groundbreaking reporting on women, tells us about her reporting on these two women’s organizations. She is followed by Torunn L. Tryggestad, PRIO’s Deputy Director who heads its Centre on Gender, Peace, and Security, and Professor Azza Karam, a specialist in religion and development, and the keynote speaker at this year’s UN High-Level Seminar on Gender and Inclusive Mediation Processes, held in Oslo. PRIO’s "Peace in a Pod" is hosted by award-winning journalist Arnaud Siad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Russians headed to the polls this month, the reelection of Russian President Vladimir Putin was not in doubt. On March 17th, with over 87% of the votes in his favor, Putin secured a fifth term, becoming the longest-serving leader of the Federation since Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. With most opposition candidates either dead, jailed, exiled, or barred from running, the path was clear, with no credible challenger to his rule. Echoing this landslide victory, polls in Russia seem to indicate Putin enjoys real domestic support, with 86% approving of the President, according to the Levada Centre, a respected Russian pollster. So beyond these official figures, what do Russians really make of their leader? And is support for the war in Ukraine as strong as the Kremlin claims? In this episode, we talk to Aleksei Miniailo, a political activist in Moscow, who started a project with social scientists and analysts to find out how the war with Ukraine is really being perceived in Russia. Pavel Baev, a Research professor at PRIO and an expert on Russian foreign policy, also joins the conversation. PRIO's Peace in a Pod is hosted by award-winning journalist Arnaud Siad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.