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Root of Conflict

Root of Conflict

UC3P 68 episodes Jun 4, 2026

Root of Conflict is a podcast from the University of Chicago Public Policy Podcasts that examines why some places are affected by violence and disorder while others enjoy peace and stability. It explores violent conflict around the world and the people, societies, and policy issues it affects. Host Sabrina Beaver meets with leading experts to discuss what can be done to create more peaceful societies.

Episodes

Militarism in Africa | Samuel Fury Childs Daly
Militarism in Africa | Samuel Fury Childs Daly Jun 4, 2026 46:05 In the final episode of the season, we sat down with UChicago's Samuel Fury Childs Daily, who studies militarism and military rule in Africa. We discuss how conflict and military rule shaped post-colonial Nigeria, and the factors that have contributed to more recent coups in West Africa. Podcast Production Credits:Interviewing: Sabrina Beaver Editing: Sabrina BeaverProduction: Sabrina BeaverMusic
Migration Flows and US Policy Tools | Katie Tobin
Migration Flows and US Policy Tools | Katie Tobin May 18, 2026 42:26 In this episode, we speak with Katie Tobin, who worked in the NSC in the Biden Administration and the UNHCR before that on a range of migration, refugee and cross-border security issues. We discuss how conflict impacts migration flows to the US and the different tools the US has to address migration resulting from conflict, natural disasters, and violence. Podcast Production Credits:Interviewing:
Bringing Culture into Development and Security Work in Africa | Chidi Blyden
Bringing Culture into Development and Security Work in Africa | Chidi Blyden Apr 22, 2026 45:15 In this episode, we speak with Chidi Blyden, a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for African Affairs and former Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Challenge Corporation on security and development in Africa. We discuss the importance of understanding culture in development and security work on the continent and how natural resources can complicate both conflict and develop
Event Recap: Iran and the Logic of Military Intervention: Jake Braun, Paul Poast, and Ryan Kellogg
Event Recap: Iran and the Logic of Military Intervention: Jake Braun, Paul Poast, and Ryan Kellogg Apr 6, 2026 39:14 In this episode, we share a recent panel at the Harris School of Public Policy on the U.S. intervention in Iran with former White house official and current Cyber Policy Initiative Executive Director, Jake Braun, and University of Chicago professors Ryan Kellogg and Paul Poast. This discussion touches on U.S. policy goals in Iran and the impact energy markets. Podcast Production Credits:Interviewi
The New Nuclear Age | Kennette Benedict
The New Nuclear Age | Kennette Benedict Mar 26, 2026 34:33 In this episode, we speak with Kennette Benedict, a senior advisor to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and lecturer at the Harris School of Public Policy on nuclear policy and threats after the expiration of the New START Treaty in February. We explore what how changes in global politics could incentivize countries to proliferate and discuss other existential threats that inform the Bulletin'
Thinking about Foreign Policy and Alliances | Emma Ashford
Thinking about Foreign Policy and Alliances | Emma Ashford Mar 2, 2026 39:10 In this episode, we speak with activist and journalist Emma Ashford from the Stimson Center on international security and US foreign policy. We explore what a realist internationalist view of foreign policy might look like, and how Trump's foreign policy may be perceived by allies and adversaries.Podcast Production Credits:Interviewing: Sabrina Beaver and Wyatt HartwigEditing: Sabrina BeaverProduc
Peacebuilding in Northern Ireland | Emma DeSouza
Peacebuilding in Northern Ireland | Emma DeSouza Feb 10, 2026 51:05 In this episode, we speak with activist and journalist Emma DeSouza on peacebuilding in Northern Ireland 28 years after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. We explore what work remains to be done in implementing the agreement, and how to make the process an inclusive one that brings in the voices of the youth and women.Podcast Production Credits:Interviewing: Sabrina Beaver and Erik Tiersten
Event Recap: What's Next for Venezuela? | Chris Blattman, Ryan Kellogg, and Paul Poast
Event Recap: What's Next for Venezuela? | Chris Blattman, Ryan Kellogg, and Paul Poast Jan 27, 2026 41:39 In this episode, we share a recent panel at the Harris School of Public Policy on the what comes next for Venezuela with University of Chicago professors Chris Blattman, Ryan Kellogg, and Paul Poast. This discussion touches on plans for the transition in Venezuela, the impact energy markets, and what this means for U.S. policy more broadly. Podcast Production Credits:Interviewing: Rebecca WolfeEdi
Brief: Protests in Iran | Pegah Banihashemi
Brief: Protests in Iran | Pegah Banihashemi Jan 20, 2026 13:42 In this brief, we speak with Pegah Banihashemi about recent protests in Iran. We discuss how this wave of protests differs from those of prior years and what conditions detainees likely face.  Podcast Production Credits:Interviewing: Sabrina BeaverEditing: Sabrina BeaverProduction: Sabrina BeaverMusic from #Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/tim-schaufert/it-doesnt-have-to-end
Reporting on Conflict | John Haltiwanger
Reporting on Conflict | John Haltiwanger Jan 14, 2026 46:21 In this episode, we speak with Foreign Policy staff writer John Haltiwanger about his experiences reporting on conflict and national security matters. We explore how current conflicts, such as those in Ukraine and Gaza, may conclude, as well as the obstacles to peace. This conversation touches on conflict resolution, the importance of expertise, and the role of the US in these discussions.Podcast
The Role of Schools in Diminishing Conflict | Anjali Adukia
The Role of Schools in Diminishing Conflict | Anjali Adukia Sep 18, 2025 45:48 In this episode, we speak with Professor Anjali Adukia from the University of Chicago about her research on restorative practices in schools and how they can reduce suspensions, arrests, and racial disparities without harming academic performance. We explore what restorative practices look like, why they matter, and how they may impact not only students but also teachers and families. The conversa
Criminal Governance in Brazil | Benjamin Lessing
Criminal Governance in Brazil | Benjamin Lessing Jun 12, 2025 1:00:53 In this episode, Professor Benjamin Lessing unpacks the dynamics of organized crime and informal governance in Brazil. He discusses how extra-legal organizations operate as alternative authority structures—stepping into the vacuum left by weak state presence. Traditional law enforcement often fails to dismantle them, requiring innovations in policymaking aimed at reducing violence in the country.

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