Doha Debates Podcast

Most of us spend our lives thinking about money—how we’re earning it, how we’re spending it, how much we have and how to get more. But we rarely think about the bigger picture: What is money? How did we agree on the concept in the first place? How is it regulated, and who are those regulatory systems built to serve? This episode asks one of the most fundamental questions in economics and politics: Who controls your money? Is it the government? The ultra-rich? The free market? And should any of these organizations or individuals have that much power, or should our economic systems be totally democratic? 💬 Join the conversation in the comments.  Featuring:  Saifedean Ammous: Economist and author Jason Hickel: Professor of political economy, Autonomous University of Barcelona Pavlina R. Tcherneva: President, Levy Economics Institute Moderated by award-winning journalist and writer Mohamed Hassan

We usually think of language as a tool to express who we are and what we believe. But what if it’s the other way around? What if language actually shapes us? In this episode, we explore whether the language(s) we speak can influence our culture, our values and even our perceptions of the world. Two pivotal questions run through the conversation: Can language actually determine the way we think? And, as the English language becomes more and more global, is it spreading cultural influence along with it? 💬 Join the conversation in the comments.  Featuring:  Lera Boroditsky: Professor of cognitive science, University of California Safwan Masri: Author, “They Told Us We Were Arab” (forthcoming) Helen Pluckrose: Author; political and cultural commentator David Shariatmadari: Journalist and author Moderated by presenter, filmmaker and producer Nadir Nahdi

Work has long been tied to social value and identity. We are told it builds character and is essential to a functional society. But in an age of hustle culture, economic insecurity and burnout, many are asking whether work is meaningful or just a means of survival. This episode explores the meaning, value and future of work. Has its soul been lost to corporate profit and relentless productivity, or has social and economic innovation made it better? And as AI expands and evolves, will work need to be redefined altogether? 💬 Join the conversation in the comments.  Featuring:  Hoda Alkhzaimi: Professor of engineering, New York University Abu Dhabi Federico Campagna: Philosopher; lecturer, Royal College of Art Yanis Varoufakis: Professor of economics, University of Athens Robert C. Wolcott: Cofounder and chair, The World Innovation Network Moderated by award-winning journalist and writer Mohamed Hassan

Journalism was built on a promise: uncover the truth and hold the powerful to account. Today, media company ownership is in flux, news goes global—and viral—at the touch of a screen and everyone has a platform to tell their version of events. Is that promise becoming more or less possible to keep? In this episode, we ask: Is the journalism industry in a necessary evolution or is it in crisis? Has social media democratized the news, or made it harder to trust? How has the role and responsibilities of a journalist changed over the years, and how do they capture the respect (and attention) of the next generation? 💬 Join the conversation in the comments.  Featuring:  Dima Khatib: Managing director of digital projects, Al Jazeera Media Network Marc Owen Jones: Associate professor of media analytics, Northwestern University in Qatar Peter Oborne: Associate editor, Middle East Eye Richard Sambrook: Emeritus professor of journalism, Cardiff University Moderated by award-winning journalist and writer Mohamed Hassan

International law was built on a simple idea that even the most powerful nation-states should be bound by the same rules. But today, that idea is being challenged: Rulings go unenforced, institutions are unable or unwilling to act, and some are questioning whether the rules were truly globally applicable to begin with. This episode asks what's left of international law, and whether it still holds significance. Does it still matter when the rules are broken? Is there consensus on what the rules mean in the first place? And what sort of system do we want the next generation to inherit? 💬 Join the conversation in the comments.  Featuring:  - Charli Carpenter: Professor of political science, University of Massachusetts Amherst - Victor Gao: Vice president, Center for China and Globalization - Balakrishnan Rajagopal: Associate professor of law and development, Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Curtis Yarvin: Political philosopher Moderated by international presenter and host Dareen Abughaida