Money can distort politics. And the lack of transparency where this money comes from can further distort politics and invite corruption. Since much of the money in campaign finance is not subject to transparency laws, it has taken the name dark money. This specifically references spending by nonprofit organizations created for political spending. H…

Tuesday December 10 , 2024 was a Human Rights Day. When human rights are denied, we explore genocide with two specific questions: Who internationally makes a determination that violence and atrocities are in fact genocide? And what if anything changes when there is a finding that atrocities are genocide? We explore whether a legal approach is the b…

History of Meskhetian Turks who are stateless and struggling to exist as people among nations like Turkey, Georgia, Romania and Armenia. We will discuss this population and its unique challenges in Russia and its population also has a unique and important position within the United States. [ dur: 32mins. ] Steve Swerdlow, Esq. is Associate Professo…

COP 29 in Azerbaijan has just ended. These annual meetings are intended to advance the cause of combating climate change. And while the meetings did result in an agreement, there has been intense criticism both within the attendees and critics from outside the halls of the meetings about this agreement. And of course the United States just elected …

The small Southeastern European nation of Moldova sits at a crossroads. Once a part of the former Soviet Union, the nation has long ties to Central Europe (and in particular Romania). And recent political developments expose this tension. In October, the nation -reelected President Maia Sandu, despite allegations of Russian interference to aid her …

In the 2024 election, voters reaffirmed the right to abortion in many states while the nation still elected an anti-abortion president, and anti-abortion majority in both the senate and the house of representatives. What does this mean for abortion rights in the US. Aziza Ahmed is Professor of Law at Boston University School of Law. She is the auth…

Election Day 2024 has come and gone. And the US elected Donald Trump and a huge red wave that turns every branch of government and every lever of power to the Trump-dominated Republican Party. What does this mean for the nation and the world? We look forward today at the US and the world in 2025 and beyond. Jeremi Suri is Professor in the Departmen…

LGBTQ communities are marginalized in so many places around the world. While their presence in international politics is growing, they still face quite a lot of threats and challenges. We explore LGBTQ communities and their impact on global politics. S. N. Nyeck is Associate Professor of Africana Studies in the Department of Ethnic Studies at the U…

First, we discuss gerrymandering and redistricting and what it means for the upcoming elections on First Tuesday of November 2024. Christian Gross He’s professor of political science and public policy at the University of Southern California. He’s the academic director of the USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy. He’s the author…

“the most beautiful word in the English language is tariff.” That is a direct quote from former President and current Republican candidate for President Donald Trump. On most issues that involve funding, when the former President is asked how he intends to pay for a proposal, his response is to increase tariffs. In 2018 the US initiated a round a t…