PRIO's Peace in a Pod

A Risky Evacuation in Sudan

On April 15th, explosions and gunfire began to rock the Sudanese capital of Khartoum, with the paramilitaries and army accusing each other of attacking their respective bases.

With two heavily armed groups squaring off in one of the most populated cities on the African continent, the United Nations has now issued a stark warning that the humanitarian situation on the ground is reaching a “breaking point."

Katarzyna Grabska—or Kasia as she's known by her colleagues—is one of thousands of people who were evacuated aboard a rescue flight just a few days ago, scrambling for safety amid rapidly escalating violence. She is a Senior Researcher at PRIO, an anthropologist who researches issues of artistic practice in the context of war, gender, youth, issues of displacement and refugees, with a focus on Sudan.

On this special episode of PRIO's Peace in a Pod, we catch up with Kasia about her witnessing of the war, and her telling of how she escaped Sudan, a place she calls home.

Israel Turns 75: Is its Democracy at Risk?

On April 25th, Israel marks 75 years of existence, commemorating the Declaration of Independence of 1948. But this year, amid the fireworks, military parades and flag-waving, the government of Benjamin Netanyahu will be on the lookout for disruptions and more protests.

Recent proposals by Netanyahu's government - the most far-right in the history of the country - to weaken the Supreme Court has sent hundreds of thousands of protestors to the streets. Meanwhile, illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank continue to spread, with the open support of members of the government, including controversial figures such as Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

So, is Israel's democracy at risk? And in this context, what future is there for Palestinians and Israeli Arabs?

Hilde Henriksen Waage, professor of History at the University of Oslo, and research professor at PRIO. She has worked extensively on the role of Norway in the Oslo Accords and is a published author on the topic. Jørgen Jensehaugen is Senior Researcher at PRIO, and author of the book “Arab-Israeli Diplomacy Under Carter."

73 - Taking Away the Guns: How Does Disarmament Influence Peace and Conflict Dynamics?

Disarmament, i.e. the collection of arms and ammunitions following civil wars, is aimed at preventing conflict recurrence and paving the way for peace. However, comprehensive disarmament of non-state actors is challenging and rare. In this episode, we look at the following questions: What is the relationship between disarmament of rebel groups and peace? What is 'criminalized peace' and how can we prevent it? What are the roles of women in arms control initiatives? The episode features the first female mediator who signed a peace agreement with a rebel group (Miriam Coronel-Ferrer), an expert on arms control and violence reduction (Guy Lamb) and a PRIO Senior Researcher who works on trade and trafficking of small arms and light weapons, homicide, and armed violence (Nicholas Marsh). The episode is hosted by PRIO Senior Researcher Júlia Palik.

72- Academic Fraud – How Much of a Problem Is It, and What Can Be Done To Stop It?

Research is only valid and useful so long as the people doing it are honest. However, there many incentives for researchers to lie. This discussion looks at the following questions: What is academic fraud? How prevalent is it? What can be done to prevent fraud?

It features a prominent investigator of academic fraud (Nick Brown), a researcher who has studied academic publishing (Lynn Parker Nygaard) and a deputy editor of a prominent journal (Sebastian Schutte).

This bonus episode is hosted by PRIO Senior Researcher Nicholas Marsh.

71- The New UN Climate Report: A Conversation with Lead Author Halvard Buhaug

On 28 February, the IPCC, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change,launched the second part of its Sixth Assessment Report. This part assesses the impacts ofclimate change, looking at ecosystems, biodiversity, and human communities at global andregional levels. It also reviews vulnerabilities and the capacities and limits of the naturalworld and human societies to adapt to climate change.

One of the main conclusions of the report is that climate adaptation is proceeding too slowlyand that measures are being implemented on too small a scale to address the major climatechallenges we face.

In this episode, we discuss the findings of the report, and the work behind it, with PRIOResearch Professor Halvard Buhaug, who is a lead author in the Sixth Assessment Report.

70- War by Other Means: The Crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The last few months in Bosnia have been marked by moves towards secession and a flare-up ofethnic tensions emanating from Republika Srpska, the Serb-majority entity of Bosnia andHerzegovina established by the Dayton Peace Agreement which put an end to the 3 ½-year-longBosnian War. Commentators are describing the last few months as the worst political and securitycrisis since the war ended in 1995.

In this episode, we discuss the current crisis and ask if what we are seeing in Bosnia is new to thecountry or part of a longer trend. We also discuss what these past few months tell us about thesuccesses and shortcomings of formal peace agreements.

Political scientist and migration scholar Aida Ibričević and psychologist and peace scholar IngerSkjelsbæk join Teuta Kukleci, Communicator at PRIO, for a conversation on the topic.

Repost: 57- Energy and Power in the Eastern Mediterranean

Scrambles for natural resources and struggles for power when such resources come to light are a frequent cause of international conflict and tension around the world. In the Eastern Mediterranean, recent discovery of hydrocarbon has only exacerbated existing tensions. This is a region that includes Cyprus, Turkey, Greece, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, and Israel. Today we’re going to hear from PRIO Cyprus Centre researcher Zenonas Tziarras on this topic: he'll explain the key players, the recent history, and what kinds of issues he thinks are worth highlighting there.

64- The Taliban's Rise, Fall, and Rise Again

Before the Taliban regained control of the country this year, before they were the target and adversary of US military force, the Taliban were the governing force in Afghanistan. And before that, they were a transnational group of religious students.

To give context to modern-day Afghanistan and the political developments there, PRIO researcher Kristian Berg Harpviken provides a brief history of the Taliban on today’s episode.

62- A Nobel Peace Prize for Journalism: PRIO Researchers Comment

The Nobel Peace Prize for 2021 has been awarded to Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov, with the committee highlighting these journalists' efforts to safeguard freedom of expression. Maria Ressa is a Filipino-American journalist who has revealed abuse of power, violence, and authoritarianism in the Philippines. Dmitry Muratov is editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta, the most independent Russian newspaper.

To comment on this prize, PRIO researchers Maria Gabrielsen Jumbert and Pavel Baev join the podcast with their fresh reactions.

57- Energy and Power in the Eastern Mediterranean

Scrambles for natural resources and struggles for power when such resources come to light are a frequent cause of international conflict and tension around the world. In the Eastern Mediterranean, recent discovery of hydrocarbon has only exacerbated existing tensions. This is a region that includes Cyprus, Turkey, Greece, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, and Israel.

Today we’re going to hear from PRIO Cyprus Centre researcher Zenonas Tziarras on this topic: he'll explain the key players, the recent history, and what kinds of issues he thinks are worth highlighting there.

55- Technology's Power in Myanmar

In the last few years, technology has played a huge role in Myanmar’s politics and life in the last few years. Research Professor Stein Tønnesson explains how Facebook and Telenor in particular went wrong – and right – in the country, and what lasting effects those companies have had.

45- Ilwad Elman: PRIO Annual Peace Address

Every year, PRIO holds its Annual Peace Address, inviting distinguished guests to reflect on how to contribute to the creation of a world in which violence is the exception and peace is the norm. To bring these interesting, inspiring addresses to a wider audience we’ll be sharing some of them on the podcast as well. This week: Ilwad Elman, a Somali-Canadian activist who works at the Elman Peace and Human Rights Center in Mogadishu, and is an icon in advancing the youth, peace and security agenda.

43- Why Is Mali Experiencing Its Second Coup in Less Than a Year?

This week, for the second time in less than a year, Col Assimi Goïta seized power in Mali. To explain how and why, PRIO Marie Sandnes joins the podcast for this special extra episode.

38- Ramadan, Zakat and Muslim Charity

April 12 kicked off the month of Ramadan, an important time of year for Muslims. It’s a time for contemplation, prayer and community. It's also a time when many donate "zakat", a kind of charity or almsgiving. Zakat generates billions of US dollars in donations per year, although exact numbers are near-impossible to pinpoint.

PRIO's Kaja Borchgrevink talks about zakat and Muslim charity along with one of her project members Amelia Fauzia, a Professor of Islamic history at Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University, Jakarta.

34- Hajer Sharief: PRIO Annual Peace Address

Every year, PRIO holds its Annual Peace Address, inviting distinguished guests to reflect on how to contribute to the creation of a world in which violence is the exception and peace is the norm. To bring these interesting, inspiring addresses to a wider audience we’ll be sharing some of them on the podcast as well. This week: activist Hajer Sharief, who works for peacebuilding in Libya, as well as advancing the youth, peace and security agenda.

33- Steven Pinker: PRIO Annual Peace Address

Every year, PRIO holds its Annual Peace Address, inviting distinguished guests to reflect on how to contribute to the creation of a world in which violence is the exception and peace is the norm. To bring these interesting, inspiring addresses to a wider audience we’ll be sharing some of them on the podcast as well. On the occasion of PRIO's 60th anniversary, Steven Pinker held the PRIO Annual Peace Address in June, 2019, which we present here.

32- Migrant Smuggling's Human and Political Effects

The term "migrant smuggling" might call to mind boats of refugees in the Mediterranean or trucks driving over the US-Mexican border. But migrant smuggling is complicated, and can take many forms. PRIO Research Professor Jørgen Carling has recently looked at how migrant smuggling is experienced by the migrants themselves, and how politicians and nation states use migrant smuggling as an example when making points about their immigration policy.

31- Why Are Senegalese Youth Protesting?

Sexual assault allegations and the arrest of Senegal's most prominent opposition leader, Ousmane Sonko, have led to weeks of protests in the country. At least eight people have died. Mobilization is especially strong among young people, who are captivated by Sonko's critique of the political system and call for transparency in the management of resources. PRIO's Bintu Zahara Sakor and Aji Ceesay from Peace Direct break down why these protests are significant, and how they have developed.

29- Malian Women's Fight for Peace

In honor of International Women's Day, we're highlighting the research of Jenny Lorentzen. Jenny is a Senior Researcher at PRIO and a Post-Doc at Lund University. Her PhD work focused partly on women’s participation in Malian peace processes, so today she's talking about what women in Mali had to do to get a seat at the table, and what can be learned from their efforts, and the work of female negotiators around the world.

26- Afghan Peace Talks on Life Support

The Afghan Peace Talks started in September 2020, and with a second round having started in January it’s an interesting time to get an update on the process. PRIO Research Professor Kristian Berg Harpviken analyzes how the talks have gone thus far, and what can be expected moving forward.

25- Coup in Myanmar: Protest, Art, Technology

On the morning of February 1, Myanmar awoke to a shock: the military had deposed the democratically elected party, the National League for Democracy. Leader Aung San Su Kyii is under arrest, and as citizens have taken to the streets and social media to express their emphatic dissent, police have begun ramping up the force used against protestors.

The country has a long and complicated history of protests, coups, and fights for control. To understand this latest development, three PRIO researchers. Marte Nilsen, Trude Stapnes, and Stein Tønnesson, share a multi-faceted look at the situation.

Listen to the full protest song "Kabar Ma Kyay Bu" by Naing Myanmar here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dsrm2DpoJwo

24- Hong Kong's Uncertain Future

How did Hong Kong citizens wake up to the news of mass arrests on January 6, after such a long and engaging mass movement? Why wasn't that overwhelming support for democracy enough, and what will happen now? Marianne Dahl and Haakon Gjerløw have researched mass movements, autocracies, and democratization; they break down how the Hong Kong protests started, why it culminated in January 6, and what may be next.

To read more about mass movements around the world visit: https://blogs.prio.org/2020/01/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-twitter-revolution/ 

23- Coronavirus in the Nordic Countries: Where Things Went Right, and Wrong

The Nordic countries, and especially Scandinavia – Norway, Sweden, and Denmark – are often viewed as relatively similar, with robust welfare states, high standards of living, gender equality, and of course beautiful nature. But the coronavirus pandemic has revealed how different they really are. Therese Sefton from PRIO and Amy Clotworthy from the Center for Healthy Aging at the University of Copenhagen have started to analyze what has happened over the last year, and share some of their impressions of how and why the countries' approaches have differed.

22- Are We Sleepwalking Into New Technological Futures?

In his essay "Technologies as Forms of Life", Langdon Winner writes about "technological sonambulism", the idea that people's ability to consider technology's effects is much slower than the pace of technological development and implementation. Researcher Bruno Oliveira Martins and Research Assistant Neven Ahmad say the COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating that problem — but there's still time to fix it.

Repost: 13- The Secret History of the Iranian Hostage Crisis and the PLO

November 4 marks the anniversary of the start of the Iranian hostage crisis. You might have learned about it as a major breakdown in the Iran-US relationship that persists today, or maybe you just watched Argo. Jørgen Jensehaugen highlights a different angle though in his article "A Palestinian window of opportunity? The PLO, the US and the Iranian hostage crisis". This aspect of the crisis has rarely been discussed, but can tell us a lot about the political dynamics at the time, and how those ripple effects are still being felt.

Repost: 8- What's Tiktok Got to Do With It? US-China Relations and Security

If you’re over 18, it’s possible you’ve never touched TikTok. But this innocuous-seeming repository of amusing video has increasingly helped shape popular culture, as well as Chinese international relations. Senior Researcher Ilaria Carozza walks us through why it's important, and what else Chinese companies have been in hot water for lately.

Repost: 2- Black Lives Matter and the Hope for a Positive Peace

The USA-based Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests which gained new momentum this spring and summer have sparked fervent discussions and mass demonstrations around the world. In this episode, researchers Christian Davenport (PRIO, University of Michigan) and Scott Gates (PRIO, University of Oslo) talk about their perspectives on state violence related to BLM, personal experiences as Americans, and the research that can shed some light on what is happening. Christian's book talked about in the beginning of this episode is "Media Bias, Perspective, and State Repression: The Black Panther Party". He will release a new book on state repression this fall. This episode was also informed by the Washington Post article "It’s hard to hear ‘Minnesota Nice’ without undertones of irony and despair" by Michele L. Norris. Visit prio.org to find more related research.

Repost: 9- Food Insecurity and Conflict: Why This Year's Nobel Peace Prize Matters

On the occasion of the Nobel Peace Prize being awarded on December 10th, we're reposting our episode from the day it was announced.

This year's Nobel Peace Prize went to the World Food Programme, recognizing a basic human need and its role in war and peace. But what exactly is the link between food and conflict, and is this prize as uncontroversial as it may seem? Three PRIO experts on food insecurity, humanitarian aid, and international cooperation weigh in.

16- Women, Peace and Security in the UN Security Council

When Sweden was on the UN Security Council, it managed to push forward a women, peace and security agenda. That's a big part of what PRIO Senior Researcher and Gender Research Group Coordinator Louise Olsson has spent the last few years looking at. Now, Norway is poised to start its turn on the UNSC. What can small states like these accomplish, especially when it comes to women's rights?

If you haven't yet listened to episodes 10 and 11, you might want to check out those first before coming back to this one, since they give a good background to the UN and Resolution 1325.

14- America First? Hilde Restad and Scott Gates talk about what Biden brings to foreign policy

US foreign policy expert Hilde Restad joins Scott Gates to discuss the Biden administration. Will he follow in Obama's footsteps? Will we see a flurry of executive orders? And what does "America First" really mean? All this and more on our post-election episode.

13- The Secret History of the Iranian Hostage Crisis and the PLO

November 4 marks the anniversary of the start of the Iranian hostage crisis. You might have learned about it as a major breakdown in the Iran-US relationship that persists today, or maybe you just watched Argo. Jørgen Jensehaugen highlights a different angle though in his article "A Palestinian window of opportunity? The PLO, the US and the Iranian hostage crisis". This aspect of the crisis has rarely been discussed, but can tell us a lot about the political dynamics at the time, and how those ripple effects are still being felt.

12- Protests, Elections, and Ethnic Tensions in West Africa

Nigeria has dominated headlines recently for the #endSARS campaign led by young people protesting years of state violence. But West African countries like Guinea and Ivory Coast, amongst others, are also experiencing turmoil, not least related to elections. Where might all of this lead in the long term, and how could it destabilize or shift the region? Plus, where does coronavirus fit in?

11- A Career of Firsts: a conversation with Major General Kristin Lund

Major General Kristin Lund was the first female force commander in a United Nations peacekeeping operation. She says at that point though, she was used to being the sole female perspective in military settings. As PRIO's Practitioner in Residence, Kristin brings her on-the-ground expertise and applies it to policy and practice. Join us for the second podcast in our 1325 series, celebrating 20 years of women, peace and security, as we discuss her career and the roles of women in conflict zones.

10- "Women are actors, not victims": Torunn Tryggestad talks gender, peace and security

In 2000, the UN Security Council adopted resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. Never heard of it? This resolution paved the way for women to participate in peace processes, for countries to adopt "feminist" foreign policy, and for academia to take more seriously issues like sexual violence in conflict. PRIO Deputy Director Torunn Tryggestad explains how far we've come, and how far we still have to go.

9- Food Insecurity and Conflict: Why This Year's Nobel Peace Prize Matters

This year's Nobel Peace Prize went to the World Food Programme, recognizing a basic human need and its role in war and peace. But what exactly is the link between food and conflict, and is this prize as uncontroversial as it may seem? Three PRIO experts on food insecurity, humanitarian aid, and international cooperation weigh in.

Tune in Tomorrow: Nobel Peace Prize Announcement Special

We'll be back tomorrow with immediate reactions from experts on the Nobel Peace Prize winner.

8- What's Tiktok Got to Do With It? US-China Relations and Security

If you’re over 18, it’s possible you’ve never touched TikTok. But this innocuous-seeming repository of amusing video has increasingly helped shape popular culture, as well as Chinese international relations. Senior Researcher Ilaria Carozza walks us through why it's important, and what else Chinese companies have been in hot water for lately.

7- Nobel Peace Prize Shortlist 2020: Henrik Urdal's Picks

Who is worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize? Every year the PRIO Director chooses a shortlist of candidates they think are deserving, and this year Director Henrik Urdal is highlighting his picks. Plus, he explains why there's no way Trump is winning, and why Black Lives Matter-related organizations could be up for it — next year.

6- Gendered Aspects of Fieldwork in Conflict Contexts

Marie Sandnes is a doctoral researcher at PRIO researching the G5 Sahel joint force and counterinsurgency in Mali. Her research requires interviewing relevant actors, often members of the military, and because she focuses on Mali, her fieldwork is heavily based there. In this episode she talks about the pros and cons of being a woman in a male-dominated military research area, the first aid training she went through, and what she loves about being in the field.

5- Russian Poisonings and Regional Protest Movements

Politician and activist Alexei Navalny was poisoned with Novichok in August. Now that incident is having regional ripple effects. Pavel Baev is a research professor at PRIO; His work focuses on Russian military reform, energy interests in Russia’s foreign and security policy, and Russia’s relations with Europe and NATO. Given his professional and personal relationship to the country, I asked him to walk us through what this latest poisoning could do to Russia's relations with its allies and neighbors.

3- "It's an internal yoga process": Finishing a PhD

PRIO researcher Júlia Palik recently defended her PhD "Interstate rivals’ intervention in third-party civil wars: The comparative case of Saudi Arabia and Iran in Yemen (2004-2018)" from Corvinus University of Budapest. While writing it, she was also working at PRIO. We spoke about some of the challenges she faced with her research, her reflections on being an expert from outside a region, and what tips she has for current and future PhD candidates.

1- Israel and Annexation: The Future of the West Bank

Summer 2020 has shown that Israel is serious about annexing the West Bank. It's a choice that would have major implications for Palestinians, but also for the relationship between Israel and its allies. Jørgen Jensehaugen talks about the historical context of those recent developments, and what the future might hold. Jørgen's book is "Arab-Israeli Diplomacy under Carter: The U.S., Israel and the Palestinians".