Trending Globally: Politics and Policy

In May 2026, India’s chief justice sparked controversy when he referred to the country’s unemployed youth as “cockroaches.” One young activist responded by launching a satirical political party: the Cockroach Janta Party.While the party may have started as a joke, the movement that has grown around it is anything but.Over the past six months, the Cockroach movement has brought tens of thousands of people to the streets, upended Indian politics, and sparked perhaps the biggest challenge to date to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government.On this episode, guest host Patrick Heller, director of the Watson School’s Saxena Center for Contemporary South Asia, discusses the movement with Yamini Aiyar, former President of the Centre for Policy Research and visiting professor of the practice at the Saxena Center. They discuss the origins of the Cockroach Janta Party, why this youth-led movement has resonated with so many Indians, and what it all might mean for the future of Indian democracy.Learn more about the Watson School’s Saxena Center. Watching the full conversation on YouTube.Transcript coming soon to our website.

Technology and policy is one of the core research areas at the Watson School. We are committed to better understanding not only how to govern emerging technologies but also how these technologies will affect international and public affairs.On this episode, Watson School Dean John Friedman spoke with two leading experts about the emerging technology that’s on everyone’s mind today: artificial intelligence.Serena Booth and Suresh Venkatasubramanian are Watson faculty fellows and members of Brown’s Department of Computer Science, with Venkatasubramanian also holding an appointment in the Data Science Institute. Both are nationally recognized voices on the intersection of AI and public policy.They spoke with Dean Friedman about the opportunities and risks posed by AI today, what to make of the growing concern over the “existential risks” these technologies pose, and what steps we should take to govern such a powerful, fast-moving technology effectively.Learn more about Brown’s Data Science InstituteLearn more about Watson and Brown’s Center for Technological Responsibility, Reimagination and Redesign’s the AI Policy Summer SchoolWatch the conversation on our YouTube channel

Seven months in, the Iran War continues to hinge on two critical issues: maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz and the trajectory of Iran’s nuclear program. On this episode, host Dan Richards talks with two experts about why these flashpoints dominate the conflict, what they mean for global security and what it might take to set them on paths to long-term stability.Guests on this episode:Reid Pauly is the dean's assistant professor of nuclear security and policy at the Watson School, and author of the 2025 book “The Art of Coercion: Credible Threats and the Assurance Dilemma.”Lyle Goldstein is a visiting professor of International and Public Affairs at Watson, and author of the 2026 book “The New Cold War at Sea: Maritime Implications of the China-Russia Quasi-Alliance.”Watch these conversations on YouTube

On this episode, Watson School dean and economist John Friedman spoke with Todd Fisher, a 1987 graduate of Brown University, about the inner workings and long-term effects of the CHIPS and Science Act. Fisher served as Chief Investment Officer of the White House's CHIPS Program Office from January 2023 to March 2025, and currently serves on the Watson School’s Board of Governors.The Act, which was passed under President Biden, provided unprecedented government subsidies to the United States semiconductor manufacturing industry, reimagined how government can support private industry, and offered lessons for anyone interested in how to make government work more efficiently.John and Todd discuss the main opportunities and challenges the CHIPS Office faced, how the office’s approach differed from previous models of public-private partnership, and what it was like trying to, as Todd describes, build a “startup within government.” They also discuss his current role as Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives and Economic Opportunity in the office of New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill.Read more about the CHIPS Program and Fisher’s work at the “Factory Settings” Substack.Watch this conversation on our YouTube Channel.

Ten years ago this summer, voters in the United Kingdom chose to withdraw from the European Union. In other words, the long and winding process of Brexit began.On this episode, Dan Richards talks with Watson professor and political economist Mark Blyth about the role Brexit has played in Britain's economy, society and politics in the ten years since that vote, and what the Brexit movement can tell us about the evolution of nationalist populist politics around the world. They also explore what policymakers could do to bolster the British economy and stabilize its politics today.Watch this episode on YouTube