"Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun" - Mao Zedong, 1927
"In the 21st century, culture is power" - Park Geun-hye (ex President of South Korea, home of Gangnam Style)
How do other countries win the political game without force? Why is language such a fantastic tool to project power across the world? What is Donald Trump doing for US interests o ... Show More
Jul 16
#622 | A Short History of Fire
A million years ago, in a cave in South Africa, our ancestors did something no other animal has ever done: they controlled fire. Fire cooked our food, shrank our guts, grew our brains, and gave us the deep sleep and fireside stories that made us human. This is the story of our sp ... Show More
24m 39s
Jul 2
#619 | Wyatt Earp | The Man Behind the Legend (English Listening Practice)
In 1881, a 30-second gunfight in Tombstone, Arizona made Wyatt Earp a legend of the Wild West. Earp was a gambler, a lawman, a fugitive, and later a showman who told his own legend for cash. So who fired first at the OK Corral, and how did Hollywood turn a frontier opportunist in ... Show More
23m 9s
Jun 18
#617 | Bob Denard: The Mercenary Who Ruled the Comoros (English Listening Practice)
In 1975, a French mercenary landed in the Comoros, a chain of small islands off East Africa, and decided he was going to run the place. Bob Denard staged four coups, converted to Islam, built a farm, and controlled the country from the shadows for over a decade. It was a story of ... Show More
25m 10s
Jun 2024
S5E10: Cultural Influence as a Form of Soft Power
In this episode, Kris and I discuss the concept of soft power and its influence on global relations. We explore how the United States, as a global power, exerts its soft power through cultural, economic, and military influence. We also touch on the impact of American pop culture, ... Show More
47m 37s
Feb 2025
Shaping perceptions: the global impact of soft power
In this episode of Our World, Connected, we explore the concept of soft power—what it is, how it differs from hard power, and why it’s crucial in today’s interconnected yet fractured world. From the staggering reach of K-pop to the global legacy of the Olympics, soft power shapes ... Show More
38m 56s
Apr 2024
ENCORE: Rise of the Rest: Who should lead in a multipolar world?
What does a shift in the balance of power mean for the world? For much of the last 100 years, Western countries have dominated the global order. But now, with many nations vying for power, new regional partnerships and middle powers are on the rise. Economically, strategic allian ... Show More
1h 22m
