Big World

This September marks 25 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks that killed thousands of Americans and launched the United States into the 20-year War on Terror. SIS professor and foreign policy expert Greg Aftandilian joins Big World to reflect on how 9/11 changed the U.S.’s approach to foreign policy and assess what America has learned from the War on Terror.Topics Covered: The legacy of 9/11 on U.S. foreign policySuccesses and failures from the War on TerrorThe impact of increased Islamophobia and xenophobia post-9/11How terrorism and extremism changed after 9/11What the U.S. learned from the War on Terror-----Big World is an international affairs podcast produced by the School of International Service at American University in Washington, DC.Episode CreditsHost: Madi MingesProducer: Morgan DesfossesArt: Amy ZawadaConnect with us:📲 Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn✉️ Subscribe to our newsletter🔗 Check out our website

What does a career as a conflict resolution professional look like? School of International Service professor Anthony Wanis-St. John joins Big World to reflect on his career journey as a conflict resolution professional, break down what makes ceasefire agreements succeed or fail, and provide insight on how students can build careers in peacebuilding through mediation, diplomacy, and conflict resolution skills.Topics covered:Wanis-St. John’s non-linear career path as a peace and conflict resolution professional and the most challenging part of his work The main steps of negotiating a ceasefire, especially in regions with decades of conflict Why recent peace talks between the U.S. and Iran as well as Israel and Lebanon appear fragile The telltale signs of a strong negotiation versus a more tenuous negotiation The jobs and pathways available for people seeking careers in conflict resolutionWanis-St. John’s biggest piece of advice for aspiring conflict resolution professionalsBig World is an international affairs podcast produced by the School of International Service at American University in Washington, DC.

When the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, the founders envisioned that the United States would become a powerful country committed to liberty and democracy. As America marks its 250th anniversary, what would the founders think of the U.S.’s role on the world stage today? SIS professor and author of Bipartisanship and US Foreign Policy Jordan Tama joins Big World to analyze key moments in the 250-year arc of U.S. foreign policy and examine what is genuinely unprecedented about this present moment.What role in the world did the founders envision for America 250 years ago and what would they think today?How is domestic political polarization impacting the U.S.’s standing on the world stage?Does bipartisanship on U.S. foreign policy still exist?How has the balance of power between Congress and the President shifted over time?What are the impacts of this administration’s retreat from soft power, including the shuttering of USAID and withdrawal from international organizations?Learn more about Jordan Tama’s expertise in his book, Bipartisanship and US Foreign Policy-----Big World is an international affairs podcast produced by the School of International Service at American University in Washington, DC.Episode CreditsHost: Madi MingesProducer: Morgan DesfossesArt: Amy ZawadaConnect with us:📲 Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn✉️ Subscribe to our newsletter🔗 Check out our website

In this episode of Big World, SIS alumnus and tech accountability advocate Zamaan Qureshi joins us to discuss the impact of AI and social media on teen mental health, the push for stronger regulation, and how U.S. tech policy compares to other countries.Qureshi shares what drew him into tech advocacy (2:47) and how he came to co-found Design It For Us—a youth-led grassroots coalition pushing for safer online spaces (4:35). He breaks down the specific harms young people are experiencing from social media and explains how platform design features like infinite scroll, like counts, and beauty filters feed into this and are deliberately built to maximize time spent on these products (8:11).What does taking on Big Tech look like in practice (11:12)? What can the United States learn from international approaches like the UK's Age Appropriate Design Code or Australia's social media ban for users under 16 (15:08)? What risks does the rapid mainstreaming of AI chatbots like ChatGPT pose to young people (22:53)? And what does the recent landmark jury verdict against Meta and YouTube mean for the future of the tech accountability movement (27:20)? Qureshi answers these questions, and more.--Big World is a production of the School of International Service at American University.-----Big World is an international affairs podcast produced by the School of International Service at American University in Washington, DC.Episode CreditsHost: Madi MingesProducer: Morgan DesfossesArt: Amy ZawadaConnect with us:📲 Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn✉️ Subscribe to our newsletter🔗 Check out our website

In this new episode of Big World, SIS professor emeritus Philip Brenner joins us to discuss the politics behind the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and how it connects to the growing crisis in Cuba.Brenner kicks off our episode by contextualizing the close alliance between Venezuela and Cuba (1:54) and the history of U.S. relations with both nations (4:31). Brenner also explains what was happening in the months leading up to the United States’ capture of Maduro and why the Trump administration was pressuring Venezuela to cut off oil to Cuba (9:23).Does the capture of Maduro fall within the bounds of international law? (11:02) How has the ongoing oil embargo fueled a humanitarian crisis in Cuba? (12:43) Brenner answers these questions and considers the Trump administration’s current approach to U.S.-Cuba relations (16:47) and where Cuba’s political future stands (19:54).--Big World is a production of the School of International Service at American University. This episode was produced by Madison Minges with assistance from Morgan Desfosses.