Root of Conflict

Apr 10 2024 353

Root of Conflict Podcast artwork

Why are some places affected by violence and disorder while others enjoy peace and stability? From the University of Chicago Public Policy Podcasts, “Root of Conflict” analyzes violent conflict around the world, and the people, societies, and policy issues it affects. We meet with leading experts to discuss what can be done to create more peaceful societies.

This series is produced in partnership with the Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts at the Harris School of Public Policy. We're produced and hosted by Hannah Balikci and edited by Nishita Karun.

Learn more about Root of Conflict here.

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Polarization in a Region of Turmoil | Daniel Brumberg

Apr 10 2024 59 mins

What factors hindered Tunisia's democratic transition after the Arab Spring? In this episode, we speak with Professor Daniel Brumberg, a Professor in the Department of Government at Georgetown University and co-founder of its Democracy and Governance Master’s program. We discuss Tunisia’s political landscape and how polarization impacted its own democratic journey. We also disc

Colonizing Kashmir | Hafsa Kanjwal

Mar 07 2024 40 mins

What is the history of Kashmir’s path to self-determination? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Hafsa Kanjwal, an assistant professor of South Asian History at Lafayette College. We talk about Dr. Kanjwal’s new book Colonizing Kashmir: State-building Under Indian Occupation. The book interrogates how Kashmir was made "integral" to India through a study of the decade long rule o

Philosophies of Research | Austin Wright

Feb 09 2024 93 mins

What kind of ethical concerns should researchers think about when deciding to take on a project? In this episode, we speak with Professor Austin Wright, an Assistant Professor of Public Policy at The University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy and a faculty affiliate of the Pearson Institute and Empirical Studies of Conflict Project. We speak about his past and current

Gendered Dimensions of Conflict | Maliha Chishti

Jan 10 2024 55 mins

How do war and conflict give rise to gender-based violence? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Maliha Chishti, an assistant instructional professor at the Divinity School and an associate of The Pearson Institute. Her core research interests are international peacebuilding, security, and development, as well as gender and human rights in post-conflict contexts. We talk about gender

Mothers and Peacebuilding | Amal Hamada

Dec 07 2023 43 mins

What is the role of mothers in counterterrorism efforts? Within conflict, women have traditionally been viewed as victims that need protecting; however, their involvement is much more nuanced than that. In this episode, we speak with Professor Amal Hamada, a professor of political science and gender studies at Cairo University. We talk about the role of gender when discussing confl

After Authoritarianism | Monika Nalepa

Nov 03 2023 36 mins

How are authoritarian elites and their collaborators handled in the aftermath of democratic transitions? The modern discipline of documenting transitional justice began with the Nuremberg trials for Nazi perpetrators. The trials shifted the way the international community thinks about accountability for human rights violations committed by authoritarian regimes and are generally th

Kurdish Women and Resistance | Rez Gardi

Oct 05 2023 59 mins

What role did Kurdish women play in Iran's protests last year? The death of Jina Mahsa Amini at the hands of Iranian authorities sparked mass demonstrations for women’s rights under the rallying cry of "Women, Life, Freedom." But the Kurdish minorities behind this resistance have largely been erased—and their movements co-opted before the international community. In this episod

Lives Amid Violence | Mareike Schomerus

Sep 07 2023 57 mins

What mental models underpin international development? And how do they hold back actors working in conflict-affected countries? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Mareike Schomerus, author of Lives Amid Violence and Vice President of the Busara Center, one of the first behavioral science research labs in the Global South. Drawing from ten years of research by the Secure Livelihoods

Sudan’s Political Transition | Ibrahim Elbadawi

Aug 03 2023 74 mins

What does an interrupted democratic transition look like? In this episode, we speak to Dr. Ibrahim Elbadawi, managing director of the Economic Research Forum and former Minister of Finance and Economic Planning in the Republic of Sudan. In May of 2023, Dr. Elbadawi joined us in Chicago at the sixth annual Reverend Dr. Richard L. Pearson Lecture to discuss Sudan’s political transi

Precarious Protections | Chiara Galli

Jun 29 2023 74 mins

What is the human toll of the U.S. immigration bureaucracy? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Chiara Galli, a sociologist at the University of Chicago. Her latest book, “Precarious Protections,” chronicles the experiences and perspectives of Central American unaccompanied minors and their immigration attorneys as they navigate the asylum process and pursue refugee status in th