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The world is in turmoil — from wars in Europe and the Middle East, to political crises, violent protests, and rising global unrest.
Conflicts of Interest goes beyond the headlines to explain the forces shaping today’s conflicts. Hosted by conflict experts Professor Clionadh Raleigh and Dr Caitriona Dowd, this fortnightly podcast unpacks wars, protests, political violence, and international power struggles with clarity and context.
No drama, no sensationalism — just what happened, why it matters, and how it fits into the bigger picture. For listeners who want to understand war, politics, and global conflict without the noise, Conflicts of Interest makes sense of a world on edge.
Brought to you by ACLED (Armed Conflict Location and Event Data)
10 Episodes
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Send a text What happens when the death of a cartel leader reshapes violence across an entire country? In this special episode of Conflicts of Interest, Professor Clionadh Raleigh and Dr Caitriona Dowd are joined by ACLED Senior analyst for Latin America, Sandra Pellegrini to unpack the killing of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes — “El Mencho” — and the power vacuum already fuelling violence in Mexico. What comes next for cartel control, security forces, and Mexico’s wider conflict landscape? Watch...
Send a text Ukraine: Frozen frontlines. Frozen homes. Four years into the war, territorial change is minimal, but renewed strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have left civilians freezing. Ranked the deadliest country in the world by ACLED’s Conflict Index, the conflict is increasingly shaped by drones and attacks far from the battlefield. Clionadh Raleigh and Dr Caitriona Dowd break down what people still don’t understand about Ukraine today. #UkraineWar #RussiaUkraineWar #Ukraine4Year...
Send a text What happens when Gulf rivalries travel far beyond the Middle East — and into Africa’s most fragile regions? In this episode of Conflicts of Interest, Professor Clionadh Raleigh and Dr Caitriona Dowd unpack how Saudi Arabia and the UAE are shaping conflicts across the Horn of Africa, from Yemen to Sudan, often through non-state actors, proxy forces, and economic leverage. The conversation explores why Saudi Arabia is frequently framed as a stabilising power, how the UAE’s interven...
Send a text Who decides war and peace in Gaza, and how much power does political leadership hold? In this episode of Conflicts of Interest, Professor Clionadh Raleigh and Dr Caitriona Dowd examine the rise of the Board of Peace and ask whether global decision-making over conflict is being centralised, with Donald Trump taking the lead. Using Gaza as a reference point, the conversation explores how current peace efforts are shaped by political leadership choices, imposed timelines, economic fi...
Send a text President Trump said his New Years Resolution was "peace on earth" ... others suggest it's "world domination" The US president told the New York Times that there is only one thing that can limit his global power: his own morality, adding that he does not need international law. In this episode of Conflicts of Interest, Professor Clionadh Raleigh and Dr Caitriona Dowd unpack what it means when global power is framed as a personal choice rather than a political or legal constraint. ...
Send a text 2025 marked a turning point in global conflict — not because violence suddenly appeared, but because it reached a scale, spread, and persistence that now feels like a new normal. In this year-end episode of Conflicts of Interest, Prof. Clionadh Raleigh and Dr Caitriona Dowd look back at what 2025 revealed about political violence around the world. Drawing on data and analysis from ACLED, they unpack where violence was most concentrated, how it evolved across regions, and why...
Send a text With help from President Trump and Nicki Minaj, recent headlines have raised alarm about the safety of Christian communities in Nigeria, with claims that Christians are being deliberately targeted amid worsening insecurity. These narratives have travelled quickly … shaping political debate, international responses, and public understanding. But do they reflect the full picture of violence in the country? In this episode of Conflicts of Interest, Prof. Clionadh Raleig...
Send a text Comedian Simon Brodkin once asked, ‘If I had a phone, am I more or less likely to make a call than someone without one?’ In this episode of Conflicts of Interest, Professor Clionadh Raleigh and Dr Caitriona Dowd unpack the narratives around gun violence and political violence in the United States, and interrogate where they come from. Drawing on data and analysis from ACLED, the hosts explore the distinction between political violence and criminal gun violence, and why th...
Send a text Across the world, Gen Z are showing up in the streets. From mass demonstrations to sudden protest waves, young people are repeatedly mobilizing against governments they see as unresponsive, corrupt, or simply irrelevant to their lives. But a harder question lingers beneath the headlines: do these protests actually achieve anything? In this episode, Prof. Caitriona Raleigh and Dr Caitriona Dowd discuss the political impact of contemporary Gen Z protest. Pushing back against both ro...
Send a text Get a front-row seat as two friends attempt to put the world to rights — and just happen to be world-leading experts on political violence. Conflicts of Interest, the podcast by ACLED, is coming soon. Be sure to follow so you never miss an episode. For more conversations like this, subscribe to Conflicts of Interest and watch the full episode on YouTube. Conflicts of Interest: https://www.youtube.com/@ConflictsOfInterestACLED
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