While citizenship is often celebrated as a cornerstone of democracy and equality, constitutional scholar Dimitry Kochenov argues it functions as something far more troubling: a global caste system.

In this episode, we speak with Kochenov, who is also a professor of legal studies at the Central European University, about how citizenship acts as a tool of exclusion—a "passport apartheid" assigned almost entirely by the luck of where or to whom you were born. We explore the deep tension between human rights and nationality, examining how the abstract machinery of passports erases individual humanity in favor of arbitrary borders. From the illusion of international reciprocity to practical alternatives grounded in individualized assessment, Kochenov challenges us to rethink how we grant dignity, mobility, and rights in a modern world.

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When the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021, they didn't just alter the country's political landscape—they systematically dismantled the legal and social reality for all women and girls. Through a continuous rollout of oppressive edicts, women and girls have been banned from universities, barred from working for NGOs, and forbidden from even speaking aloud in public spaces. International legal experts and activists are increasingly calling this reality gender apartheid.

In this episode, we sit down with Rina Amiri, top diplomat and former U.S. Special Envoy for Afghan Women, Girls, and Human Rights. Having spent decades navigating the complex world of conflict resolution and international peacebuilding at the UN and the State Department, Amiri brings an unparalleled level of insight to one of the most critical human rights crises of our time.

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The collapse of the Afghan government has raised grave concerns for the future of the country, particularly for women. Exit is not a generally available option, but should it be? This week, we wanted to re-release our conversation about the rights of women in Afghanistan as we prepare to release a special conversation with Rina Amiri who was the US Special Envoy for Afghan Women, Girls, and Human Rights.

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In this episode of Entitled, we examine how caste discrimination doesn’t end at the borders of India. As Dalit workers migrate to the US in search of better wages, many encounter familiar patterns of exclusion and abuse right here in the United States.

We speak with Qayam Masumi and Roja Singh, members of the Dalit Solidarity Forum, an advocacy organization dedicated to raising awareness about caste discrimination. They are advocating on behalf of Dalit workers who they say were trafficked from India to come to New Jersey to build a new temple connected to BAPS, a major Hindu religious organization with a global presence. Many workers reported extremely long hours and wages as low as about $1.20 per hour, and have suffered from severe health and safety violations.

Resources:

https://www.iswaa.com/

https://dalitsolidarityforumusa.com/justice-for-baps-workers/

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSepVVrJLD0_OJn6wxn2HU4PMDocReBh0V8qMTwAFgRbcf2Lcw/viewform

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In this episode of Entitled, we sit down with Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, who has served as the Representative of Myanmar to the United Nations since October 2020. Despite the February 2021 military coup, he remains in his position, representing the interests of the democratic government and opposing the military junta at the UN. He has survived threats and has been challenged by the junta, but the UN has continued to recognize him as the representative.

As Myanmar continues to face political upheaval and widespread displacement following the coup, Ambassador Tun offers a firsthand perspective on the country’s ongoing crisis and its implications for the global human rights landscape. We explore the challenges of representing a nation in turmoil, the role of international institutions in responding to democratic backsliding, and what accountability can—and should—look like on the world stage.

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On this episode of Entitled, we sit down with Kenneth Roth, the longtime former executive director of Human Rights Watch and one of the world’s most prominent advocates for international human rights. Over nearly three decades leading Human Rights Watch, Roth helped shape the global human rights movement, documenting abuses, pressuring governments, and elevating the role of international law in holding leaders accountable.

In this conversation, he reflects on how the human rights landscape has evolved—from the optimism of the post–Cold War era to today’s more complex environment marked by rising authoritarianism, democratic backsliding, and geopolitical competition. Flores and Ginsburg ask Roth how human rights advocates can remain effective when powerful states challenge international norms and institutions. They discuss the role of documentation and public pressure in exposing abuses, the growing influence of authoritarian governments on the global stage, and the ways civil society can still drive accountability even in hostile political climates.

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On this episode of Entitled, Tom and Claudia talk with human rights advocate Rafia Khondoker  about the state of women’s rights and democratic freedoms in Bangladesh. Last week, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party secured a landslide victory in the first national election since the 2024 uprising, approving a referendum on major constitutional reforms—the "July Charter"—seeking to strengthen judiciary independence, safeguard democracy and increase women's participation in politics.

Drawing on her legal training and on-the-ground experience, Khondoker unpacks the gap between constitutional promises and lived realities. She explains how formal legal protections can coexist with systemic barriers—political pressure, social norms, and institutional weaknesses—that limit meaningful access to justice for women and marginalized communities.

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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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