One of the best parts of working in public media is getting to talk to really smart people about really smart stuff.
Case in point is the show “Talking Foreign Policy,” which I’ve been helping to produce for more than 5 years.
In case you haven’t heard it (I highly recommend you check out some past episodes here), it’s an hour-long radio program that Ideastream Public Media airs in place of the “Sound of Ideas” once per quarter, and it's produced in conjunction with Case Western Reserve University.
Michael Scharf, the former Dean of CWRU's School of Law and president of the American branch of the International Law Association, serves as the show’s host and assembles some world-class talent for each episode.
The most recent installment, which aired Monday, was centered on the war in Ukraine and how a team of international prosecutors are looking into how Russia has been targeting Ukraine’s environmental resources.
The experts said Russia has committed “environmental war crimes,” including the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam, the burning of farmlands and forests,and the targeted killing of thousands of dolphins in the Black Sea.
The discussion wasn't experts talking about what these prosecutors were doing. The panelists were the actual prosecutors, who had traveled to Europe to look into war crimes. They spoke directly about the experience of navigating international law and working in war zones. One guest noted that he's been to Ukraine seven times in the last three years.
"Talking Foreign Policy" often features experts who join us from around the globe. It’s a joy to be able to connect with someone in London, Washington D.C., and even Ukraine — sometimes all in the same hourlong broadcast.
That combination of expertise, international voices and the connection to Northeast Ohio makes “Talking Foreign Policy” one of the highlights of my duties here at Ideastream. Spending so much of my time producing segments for "The Sound of Ideas" that focus closely on Northeast Ohio, it allows me to expand my horizons and understand more about the world.
It's really smart people discussing really smart stuff. I hope really smart people, like you, will tune in. There are a handful of links to past episodes at the bottom of this page. Clicking on them is great place to start.
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