September 30, 2020 | By Brian Hanson

Five Deep Dish Episodes to Explain the World Right Now

As the host of Deep Dish, the Chicago Council on Global Affairs’ foreign policy podcast, I talk to experts around the world about what’s happening in the news and how to understand the issues driving the headlines. We cover a large range of topics – from national security to urban affairs – and have great conversations on how these issues influence US foreign policy and the United States’ place in the world. In honor of world podcast day, September 30, I’m sharing my recommendations for five of our recent episodes that explain what’s happening in our world and why these issues are so important.  

  1. Making Cyberspace Safe for Democracy  


    As the US Presidential election moves closer, public concern about the election’s integrity has increased. The Alliance for Security Democracy’s Laura Rosenberger and Stanford University’s Jacob Helberg join Deep Dish to discuss digital interference, misinformation, and data privacy within the lens of geopolitics. 
     

  2. How Racial Injustice Shapes US Foreign Policy  


    The murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other Black people — as well as the US government’s reaction to national protests on racial injustice — have added to concerns over the demise of US global leadership. University of Wisconsin-Madison historian Brenda Gayle Plummer joins Deep Dish to examine what the United States must learn from our past in order to fix our foreign policy. 
     

  3. How Putin Holds Power Over Russia  


    After a constitutional referendum this summer, Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to hold power until 2036. Investigative reporter Catherine Belton joins Deep Dish to examine the people that surround the enigmatic leader – and the financial ties to the West that makes the Kremlin’s dominance possible. 
     

  4. Who’s Winning the US-China Tech War?  


    While the United States still allows American users to download the Chinese app TikTok (for now), the outcome of legal proceedings against the app’s parent company ByteDance will set the precedent for future tech companies. The Council on Foreign Relations’ Adam Segal joins Deep Dish to explain the battles between China and the US over products like Huawei and TikTok, their role in US foreign policy, and why US allies are choosing sides. 
     

  5. Why Allies are Key for US Security Today 


    The spread of COVID-19 and the United States’ mismanagement of the pandemic may have a long-term effect on the relationships the country has relied on for decades. The Council on Foreign Relations’ Mira Rapp-Hooper joins Deep Dish to explain why the alliance system is still essential for America’s global leadership – but must be remade to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
     

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About

The Chicago Council on Global Affairs is an independent, nonpartisan organization that provides insight – and influences the public discourse – on critical global issues. We convene leading global voices and conduct independent research to bring clarity and offer solutions to challenges and opportunities across the globe. The Council is committed to engaging the public and raising global awareness of issues that transcend borders and transform how people, business, and governments engage the world.

The Chicago Council on Global Affairs is an independent, nonpartisan organization. All statements of fact and expressions of opinion in blog posts are the sole responsibility of the individual author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Council.

Archive

| By Brian Hanson

Deep Dish: Global Trade Update - China, Europe, and NAFTA

The United States has gone from threats to action on a number of trade fronts. China and Europe are both retaliating, while NAFTA negotiations continue to slog on. To help see the big picture, global economy fellow Phil Levy joins Brian Hanson on the latest Deep Dish podcast.

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The Mexican presidential election already has a presumed winner. Who is he, and what does it mean for him to campaign against corruption and violence? NPR’s International Correspondent in Mexico City, Carrie Kahn, explains how this election is Mexico’s anti-establishment statement and why President Trump may not be relevant to the campaign.

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How did the United States arrive at its current immigration situation, with family separations happening until Wednesday, and what inspires migration flows as large as the one to the US-Mexico border? 

Wait Just a Minute: Senior Fellow Phil Levy on Trade

Our new web series, Wait Just a Minute, asks experts to answer complex questions about global affairs in 60 seconds. In this episode, former White House economic adviser under George W. Bush and the Council's former senior global economy fellow, answers questions in just 60 seconds about China’s trade practices, who wins in a trade war, and the likelihood of NAFTA surviving.

Ivo Daalder and Yascha Mounk on Technology and Populism

Council President Ivo Daalder sits down with author and political theorist Yascha Mounk to answer this question posed on Twitter. See how Mounk responded, covering topics including "March for Our Lives," Facebook, Brexit, and the rise of illiberal democracy.

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Workforce Development and Immigrants: The View from Minneapolis

Metro Minneapolis-St. Paul is home to one of the highest percentages of foreign-born residents in the Midwest. Following the Chicago Council’s recent roundtable in Detroit, key stakeholders convened in Minneapolis to discuss the Council’s Ready to Work report and how the foreign-born are incorporated into workforce development plans in Minnesota. 

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This Week's Reads - The Battle for Liberal Democracy Will Be Waged in Cities

The battle between authoritarianism and liberal democracy will be waged in cities. While the stakes remain national, urban areas, where the majority of people live and work, have become the main arenas in which our governance will be decided. The United States and others would do well to start prioritising urban policy as central to their foreign policies.

Issues Illustrated: Global Cities

Wondering what is all this hype about global cities? There are several things you need to know about global cities, starting with the fact that you’re probably living in one.

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