Worlds Apart

What’s the price of prejudice? Shawn Rochester, author of ‘The Black Tax: The Cost of Being Black in America’

When it comes to discussing racism, much of the debate focuses on how immoral and nonsensical it is, and while it is certainly both of those things, it can often be hard to quantify its material impact. Just what is the price of prejudice, and who exactly is responsible for perpetuating or ending it? To discuss this, Oksana is joined by Shawn Rochester, author of ‘The Black Tax: The Cost of Being Black in America’.

Freezing hot? Carey Cavanaugh, former co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group

People like to say that a bad peace is better than a good war, but it’s almost never lasting. As the latest flare-up of violence in the South Caucasus shows, freezing a conflict doesn’t make it easier to solve later, or even less deadly. As Armenia and Azerbaijan now pledge their readiness to fight until the last standing soldier, should international mediators once again try to put the war on ice? To discuss this, Oksana is joined by Carey Cavanaugh, former co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group.

Story behind a story? Ben Aris, editor-in-chief of bne IntelliNews

It’s been almost three decades since the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the aftershocks of that geopolitical earthquake keep jolting the post-Soviet space. First came the protests in Belarus, followed by the alleged poisoning of an opposition leader in Russia, and now the renewed conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia. And while the first two have spawned familiar accusatory narratives in Russia and the West, the third seems to have dumbfounded both. What’s the difference? To discuss this, Oksana is joined by Ben Aris, a veteran Moscow correspondent and editor-in-chief of bne IntelliNews.

Iron Iran? Javad Zarif, Iranian foreign minister

There’s an old Persian saying – “when there’s fire, dry and wet burn together.” It could be an apt description of the Covid-19 pandemic, which affected every country on the planet, but Iran and the United States more than others. Could this new invisible adversary, which upended so many things in our lives, shake up their sworn and tired enmity? To discuss this, Oksana is joined by Iran’s foreign minister, Javad Zarif.

Demo democracy? Nic Cheeseman, Professor of Democracy at the University of Birmingham

It’s hard to find a more loaded subject in governance and international relations than democracy. On the national level, it’s supposed to be a safe way of ensuring that governments are accessible and responsive to the people. Yet, internationally, it can be a major source of insecurity, and one that’s driven by the maneuverings of foreign powers. Is it possible to decouple domestic governance from geopolitical games? To discuss this, Oksana is joined by Nic Cheeseman, Professor of Democracy at the University of Birmingham, in the UK, and co-author of ‘How to Rig an Election’.

A vaccine against fear? Stuart Blume, Professor Emeritus of Science and Technology Studies at the University of Amsterdam

The global race to develop a vaccine against the novel coronavirus has already entered the final phase of large-scale human trials, with hopes for the spectacular finish arriving as early as this fall. But given that most developers are running in pretty much the same direction by targeting a single viral protein, how high is the risk of an eventual stampede? To discuss this, Oksana is joined by Stuart Blume, Professor Emeritus of Science and Technology Studies at the University of Amsterdam and author of ‘Immunization: Why Vaccines Became Controversial’.