In this episode of Entitled, we speak with Leopoldo López about authoritarianism, resistance, and the future of Venezuela. Recorded before the U.S. intervention, the conversation centers on López’s long opposition to the Maduro regime—through political organizing, imprisonment, exile, and international advocacy.

Following the interview, Tom and Claudia reflect on developments since the conversation was recorded, turning to the U.S. intervention and its implications for sovereignty, legitimacy, and democratic change in Venezuela.

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We speak to Mansoor Ali Shah, who served as the Senior Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan until just last month. Shah is one of two judges who resigned after parliament passed a constitutional amendment that curbed its remit and will no longer allow the Supreme Court to hear constitutional cases. The judges say the reform “stands as a grave assault on the constitution”.

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Why has gender—once a term of analysis and identity—become one of the most explosive political flashpoints of our time? From the halls of the United Nations to state legislatures across the United States, debates over gender and sexuality now shape elections, social movements, and international alliances.

In this live episode of the "Entitled" podcast, hosts Claudia Flores and Tom Ginsburg sit down with Graeme Reid, U.N. Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, and Emily Bazelon, staff writer for The New York Times Magazine and senior research fellow at Yale Law School, to explore how gender has become a global battleground. Together, they’ll unpack the forces driving the backlash — from the rise of nationalist and religious movements to the politics of fear and control — and examine why gender has become a defining priority of the Trump administration and its international allies. Join us for a timely, provocative conversation about the past, present, and future of the global gender wars — and what’s really at stake when societies decide who gets to define gender itself.

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This year, the US government has issued sanctions on a number of experts from the UN to the International Criminal Court for speaking out about human rights in Gaza. President Donald Trump authorized sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan with the goal of stopping the ICC from undertaking its independent mandate. UN experts strongly condemned the move, calling it “an attack on global rule of law."

In this episode of Entitled, we discuss how sanctions are being used and abused by the Trump administration, and how other UN members are responding to the sanctioning of their colleagues for speaking out.

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When South African runner Caster Semenya dominated international competitions, sports authorities demanded she prove she was “really” a woman. The rules they created—targeting women with intersex traits or naturally higher testosterone—have since reshaped the future of women’s sports.

In this episode of Entitled, we unpack the controversial regulations of World Athletics, the recent European Court of Human Rights ruling, and the wider human rights questions at stake. Are these policies about fairness—or about enforcing outdated ideas of gender?

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What does it mean when people start calling Donald Trump a king? And why are some political theorists — on both the right and left — exploring the possibility of leaving democracy behind? All this debate got co-host Tom Ginsburg thinking about an argument he’s been turning over in his head for years: could constitutional monarchy actually be the best form of government?

Is it possible that constitutional monarchy actuallystrengthensdemocracy? Do monarchs serve as symbols of national unity that modern republics are missing? And is America’s obsession with political dynasties — the Obamas, the Bushes, the Kennedys — actually more monarchical than we’d like to admit?

This wide-ranging conversation takes us from Thailand to the United Kingdom, from the founding ideals of the U.S. Constitution to the rise of populist leaders. Along the way, Tom and Claudia debate whether democracy is still holding strong — or if we’re inching toward something more authoritarian.

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As student protests over Gaza sweep college campuses, one case is testing the limits of free speech and immigration law in America. Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia student and lawful permanent resident, was arrested by ICE without a warrant and sent to a remote detention center in Louisiana—allegedly for his political advocacy.

In this episode, we sit down with Khalil's lawyer Baher Azmy, who is also the Legal Director of the Center of Constitutional Rights, to unpack the disturbing legal maneuver behind Khalil’s detention: a rarely used immigration clause that gives the Secretary of State near-total discretion to deport individuals deemed a “foreign policy risk.” What does this case reveal about the future of dissent and academic freedom?

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What happens when the country that helped design the international human rights system starts to dismantle it?

In this episode, we speak with the former president of the U.N. General Assembly, Ambassador Dennis Francis, about the growing threats to global cooperation and human rights—from authoritarian drift, to shrinking U.S. commitments, to rising fears inside the U.N. system itself. 

Is this the end of the liberal international order? And if so, what comes next?

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What happens when the government turns the law into a weapon? In these first few months of the second Trump administration human rights advocates, legal scholars, and university leaders are warning of a political landscape where funding is slashed, free speech is chilled, and legal institutions are bent to serve those in power. From defunding human rights initiatives to threatening universities and using the justice system for political retribution, many say the future of democracy is on the line.

In this episode, we explore the growing fear—and defiance—among those on the frontlines. Can universities withstand political pressure? Will the rule of law hold against efforts to consolidate power? What does the future of human rights look like in this new environment, and can it adapt, change and survive?

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This week, our co-hosts Professors Tom Ginsburg and Claudia Flores discuss bitcoin, the cryptocurrency soaring in both popularity and value. In the last month, the price of a single bitcoin has risen from around $70,000 to almost $100,000. Its cultural impact is immense, yet confusing and controversial. Those who associate bitcoin with MAGA conservatives and get-rich-quick day traders might be surprised to learn that some see it as a tool to protect human rights. 
 

Alex Gladstein, Chief Strategy Officer at the Human Rights Foundation, is optimistic about the revolutionary power of bitcoin to enable resistance and challenge global structures of economic inequality. In this episode, we hear from him on how bitcoin is uniquely positioned to support global human rights efforts. 

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United Nations special experts have a crucial role in upholding international human rights law. These independent specialists hold mandates to report and advise on different areas within human rights as special rapporteurs, independent experts, or members of working groups. But how exactly do these appointments work, and what are the responsibilities, capabilities, and on-the-ground impacts of these experts? 

In this episode, we hear from our very own co-host, Professor Claudia Flores, member of the UN Working Group on Discrimination against Women and Girls and Professor Fionnuala ni Aolain, former UN special rapporteur on counter-terrorism. Professors Flores and ni Aolain describe their work as UN mandate holders and how they address the most pressing issues in their areas of expertise. 

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