Despite its frequent usage in everyday discourse, the concept and application(s) of human rights can be quite elusive. It is typically assumed that human rights are a set of objective rights that are endowed to every person regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion and citizenship status. Human rights are also believed to be established and protected by the United Nations—another seemingly objective organization. In this podcast series, I sought to a) critique the imagined universality of human rights by contextualizing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and b) provide tangible applications of human rights by interviewing three significant contributors to this field. Each interview covers a wide range of topics including, but not limited to, international structures that keep Haiti poor (Ep: 1 Brian Concannon Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti), the importance of community based approaches in supporting survivors of sexual violence both domestically and internationally (Ep: 2 Payal Shah '03 Physicians for Human Rights) and a buddhist’s approach to international human rights advocacy (Ep: 3 Nicole Phillips Haitian Bridge Alliance), 

This episode was written and produced by Destiny Rosulmé

Despite its frequent usage in everyday discourse, the concept and application(s) of human rights can be quite elusive. It is typically assumed that human rights are a set of objective rights that are endowed to every person regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion and citizenship status. Human rights are also believed to be established and protected by the United Nations—another seemingly objective organization. In this podcast series, I sought to a) critique the imagined universality of human rights by contextualizing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and b) provide tangible applications of human rights by interviewing three significant contributors to this field. Each interview covers a wide range of topics including, but not limited to, international structures that keep Haiti poor (Ep: 1 Brian Concannon Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti), the importance of community based approaches in supporting survivors of sexual violence both domestically and internationally (Ep: 2 Payal Shah '03 Physicians for Human Rights) and a buddhist’s approach to international human rights advocacy (Ep: 3 Nicole Phillips Haitian Bridge Alliance), 

This episode was written and produced by Destiny Rosulmé

Despite its frequent usage in everyday discourse, the concept and application(s) of human rights can be quite elusive. It is typically assumed that human rights are a set of objective rights that are endowed to every person regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion and citizenship status. Human rights are also believed to be established and protected by the United Nations—another seemingly objective organization. In this podcast series, I sought to a) critique the imagined universality of human rights by contextualizing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and b) provide tangible applications of human rights by interviewing three significant contributors to this field. Each interview covers a wide range of topics including, but not limited to, international structures that keep Haiti poor (Ep: 1 Brian Concannon Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti), the importance of community based approaches in supporting survivors of sexual violence both domestically and internationally (Ep: 2 Payal Shah '03 Physicians for Human Rights) and a buddhist’s approach to international human rights advocacy (Ep: 3 Nicole Phillips Haitian Bridge Alliance), 

This episode was written and produced by Destiny Rosulmé

Despite its frequent usage in everyday discourse, the concept and application(s) of human rights can be quite elusive. It is typically assumed that human rights are a set of objective rights that are endowed to every person regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion and citizenship status. Human rights are also believed to be established and protected by the United Nations—another seemingly objective organization. In this podcast series, I sought to a) critique the imagined universality of human rights by contextualizing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and b) provide tangible applications of human rights by interviewing three significant contributors to this field. Each interview covers a wide range of topics including, but not limited to, international structures that keep Haiti poor (Ep: 1 Brian Concannon Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti), the importance of community based approaches in supporting survivors of sexual violence both domestically and internationally (Ep: 2 Payal Shah '03 Physicians for Human Rights) and a buddhist’s approach to international human rights advocacy (Ep: 3 Nicole Phillips Haitian Bridge Alliance), 

This episode was written and produced by Destiny Rosulmé

This episode of War News Radio is a two-part coverage of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The first part is a recount of the events leading up to this shocking conflict as told by Professor Weinberg, an expert in Russian and European history. The second part is the testimony of a Ukrainian citizen of the days leading up to the invasion and the first weeks of that conflict from his eyes. Together, they show the historical context and first-person perspective of a generation-defining war.

This episode was written and produced by Jace Flores, Benjamin Pauley, Ethan Pintar, Sadie Smart, Sophia Becker, and Max Winig.

Local journalists in Afghanistan have the power to expose the reality of life under Taliban rule. Seeking control over the media’s narrative, the Taliban poses a major threat to these journalists, whose jobs and safety are at risk.

On this episode of War News Radio, we interviewed Faisal Karimi, a professor of journalism and communication and the founder and director of Afghanistan Institute for Research and Media Studies, as well as Mohammad Asef Ghafoory, a journalist and professor in Afghanistan with experience in radio, television, and international media. They explain the history of journalism in Afghanistan and how it has changed dramatically with Taliban rule. They also discuss the safety implications that this shift has on their lives and those of other journalists. 

This episode was written and produced by Max Winig, Anya Slepyan, Long Tran-Bui, Lucas Meyer-Lee, Nicole Kim, Sasha Casada, and Sophia Becker.

This episode of War News Radio investigates the Tigray war in Ethiopia. The civil war has been ongoing since 2020 and has had huge human costs, despite very little press coverage of the conflict. 

We interviewed Professor Emily Paddon Rhoads, a political science professor at Swarthmore College who specializes in international relations, civilian agency, and international responses to conflict. We also spoke to David Shinn, a professor at George Washington University who served in the US Foreign Service, where he was an ambassador to Ethiopia. They discuss the roots of the conflict, the human impact of the war, and the misconceptions and implications of the war. 

This episode was written and produced by Jace Flores, Ethan Pintar, Max Winig, and Sophia Becker.

This episode of War News Radio features Taufiq Azamy, an Afghan refugee-turned-doctor who discusses his personal experience of being a refugee, including fleeing Afghanistan in 1982, contending with the identity of being a refugee, the emotional impact, visits back to his homeland, and the current need to help refugees across the world.

This episode of War News radio was written and produced by Zane Irwin, Max Winig, Narimen Zorgui, Samantha Tanapat-Hastings, and Zamir Ticknor.

With the Taliban’s recent takeover of Afghanistan, musicians have been fearful of their safety. During the Taliban’s previous rule, music was completely banned, and musician’s lives were in danger, and now citizens are concerned again that music poses a risk. 

In this episode of War News Radio, we spoke with Afghan pianist Arson Fahim, who has come to the United States to continue his studies, and Ariana Delawari, an Afghan American singer, filmmaker, and activist. They share their perspectives on the current state of music and musicians in Afghanistan, as well as how music and other modes of art are being used in resistance to Taliban rule.

This episode of War News Radio was written and produced by Sadie Smart, Jonė Bagdanskytė, and Sophia Becker. 

With the end of American involvement in the War in Afghanistan, it is time to reflect on how this war came to be, a conflict spanning half a century and countless different phases. This episode of War New Radio will be looking at the history of one of the longest wars in world history, starting from the Saar Revolution and going all the way to the present day. We are joined by esteemed professors Amy Kapit and Tom Barfield, interviewed by our Ethan Pintar, in the first edition of War News Radio’s coverage of the War in Afghanistan.

This episode was written and produced by Max Winig, Jace Flores, Ethan Pintar, and Erin Kaye.

Earlier this year, the Saudi female rights activist Loujain Al-Hathloul was released from prison. While certainly a cause for celebration, to many it was also a reminder of the persistent lack of political freedom in Saudi Arabia. Loujain Al-Hathloul was originally arrested for protesting the ban on women driving, and although this ban was lifted in 2018, she still remained in prison. Even after her release, she won’t be allowed to travel for the next five years. 

To understand women’s inequality in Saudi Arabia beyond the headlines, we need to have a conversation about the male guardianship system--a term that refers to a variety of formal and informal barriers women in Saudi Arabia face when attempting to make decisions or take action without the presence or consent of a male relative. Human Rights Watch has released a comprehensive report on the male guardianship system, which you can find here.

Today, we have a conversation with the author of this report, Kristine Beckerle. We talk about the dynamics of being a Western reporter covering the Middle East, Loujain Al-Hathloul’s story, feminist solidarity, and the complexities of the male guardianship system.

Image by Carlos Latuff, 2011