Departures Podcast featuring Bronwen Everill, author of “Africonomics: A History of Western Ignorance and African Economics”
Throughtout the post-colonial period in Africa, there has been no shortage of economists, non-governmental organizations, diplomats, and aid organizations flying in from the United States and Western Europe with an astonishing array of prescriptions and reform plans to dramatically transform the economies and governance structures of these young nations. With few exceptions, these interventions failed […]
Departures Podcast featuring Oriana Skylar Mastro, author of “Upstart: How China Became a Great Power”
A popular meme in Kenya goes something like this: everytime China visits, we get a hospital. When the US visits, we get a lecture. That’s of course not an accurate picture of the competition between the West and China in the global South, but it does highlight a certain disconnect that can be perceived widely […]
Departures Podcast featuring William Egginton, author of “The Rigors of Angels”
What does it mean to perceive reality? How do art, science, and philosophy converge in shaping our understanding of the world? In this episode of Departures with Robert Amsterdam, we sit down with William Egginton, acclaimed author and professor, to dive into his latest book, “The Rigor of Angels: Borges, Heisenberg, Kant, and the Ultimate […]
Departures Podcast featuring Michael Kimmage, author of “Collisions: The Origins of the War in Ukraine and the New Global Instability”
As this coming February will mark the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion and occupation of Eastern Ukraine, there is already a clear and tangible impact upon the geopolitical challenges faced by the United States and her allies in Europe in terms of their roles in the international system. This week Departures with Robert Amsterdam is […]
Departures Podcast featuring Tobias Harris, founder of Japan Foresight
In a week in which most eyes are on the US election, there are other meaningful elections which also merit close examination. On October 27 Japanese voters expressed their pent-up frustration with the growing list of scandals associated with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and ended the party’s near 70-year long rule. LDP and […]
Departures Podcast featuring Jonathan Haslam, author of “Hubris: The American Origins of Russia’s War against Ukraine”
As the war in Ukraine grinds into yet another brutal winter, narratives are shifting in Western capitals regarding the nature of the conflict, its goals, and the longer term meaning of the war in terms of the balance of power on the European continent. Looking back to the war’s origins, it is important not only […]
Departures Podcast featuring Samir Puri, author of “Westlessness: The Great Global Rebalancing”
Perhaps one of the most meaningful facts that illustrates the sweeping changes taking place in global affairs is the following: In 1950, nearly one in three people in the world lived in a Western country. By 2050, that number will dwindle to one in ten, bringing with it a wide variety of recalculations by companies, […]
Departures Podcast featuring James Smith, author of “The Eyes of the World: Mining the Digital Age in the Eastern DR Congo”
Our podcast, Departures with Robert Amsterdam, is back for Season 3 following a short break. We’re very excited to introduce a new series of author interviews, new formats for segments, special surprise guests and more. Thank you as always for listening, subscribing, sharing, rating, and reviewing – it all helps us grow the reach of […]
Departures Podcast featuring Sergey Radchenko, author of “To Run the World: The Kremlin’s Cold War Bid for Global Power”
Following the end of World War II, Josef Stalin and Russia’s leadership had a certain vision of the postwar order, one which ended up being quite different from reality. They had expected to maintain control over the whole of Europe, and have these gains of war legitimized and recognized by the United States – with […]
Departures Podcast featuring Eugene Rogan, author of “The Damascus Events: The 1860 Massacre and the Making of the Modern Middle East”
In the early 19th century, the Ottoman empire was facing rebellion, decline, and increasing competition for influence with Europe. The leadership in Istanbul implemented desperate plans to preserve the empire through modernizing reforms, known as Tanzimat, which among other measures declared Muslims, Christians, and Jews to be equal under the law. But things did not […]
Russia News Blast
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RA’s Daily Russia News Blast – February 24, 2022
Today in Russia: Invasion. Will the world respond?
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RA’s Daily Russia News Blast – February 23, 2022
Today in Russia/CIS: Ukraine calls up reservists; Levada Center Director Volkov on public opinion in Russia; Erdogan says Turkey won’t accept Russian moves in Ukraine; EU and US latest sanctions; Russia-Ukraine crisis as viewed Uzbekistan; Israel walks a tightrope on its Ukraine position
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RA’s Daily Russia News Blast – February 22, 2022
but which borders?;’ History professor (and President) Putin delivers fiery speech; Lavrov re-writes the rules of international sovereignty; UK and EU roll out initial sanctions, and Washington plans big moves; Nord Stream 2 finally meets its end after a slow, painful death; Zelensky’s speech; White House: On second thought, that’s an invasion; How will China respond?; Russia to evacuate all diplomatic staff from Ukraine
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