Politics in the Rearview Mirror
News

Politics in the Rearview Mirror

by School of Government and International Affairs (SGIA), Durham University

The podcast of the School of Government and International Affairs (SGIA) at Durham University. Drawing on the wide range of expertise of our academics and students, this podcast sets current affairs into context and explores the politics behind the news.

52 episodes
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1
The Cost of Conscience: Why Effective Boycotts Must Hurt
40:35 Mar 13, 2026
2
Peeking Through the Fog of War: Your Watchlist for the War in Iran
17:20 Mar 5, 2026
3
Midnight Hammer, Protests and The Geneva Talks: US-Iranian Diplomacy Under the Shadow of War
22:33 Feb 27, 2026
4
Partner, Competitor, Rival: Managing Permanent Tension in EU-China Relations
25:35 Feb 20, 2026
5
Ground Control: The Secret Geography of US Military Might
24:26 Feb 13, 2026
6
Sex, Money, and Power: The Anatomy of Political Scandals
16:14 Feb 6, 2026
7
The Constitutional Paradox: Can Democracy Survive Emergency Powers?
22:02 Jan 30, 2026
8
The Collapse of the Post-1945 International Order: What’s Next?
26:19 Jan 23, 2026
9
Thinking Without a Banister: Hannah Arendt and the Politics of Our Time
27:20 Jan 16, 2026
10
From the Bazaar to the Barricades: What Makes the Current Protest in Iran Different
16:17 Jan 9, 2026
11
The White House Handshake: How Al-Sharaa Went from Al-Qaeda Insurgent to Global Diplomat
21:10 Dec 5, 2025
12
Bullies, Follies, and Decadent Orders: Nigeria's CPC Designation and the Practice of International Bullying
25:39 Nov 28, 2025
13
Stealth Taxes & Political Suicide: The Politics Behind the Run-Up to the UK's Budget 2025
23:40 Nov 21, 2025
14
UK Migration Policies 2025: Public Opinion, Politics, and Policy Alternatives
22:45 Nov 14, 2025
15
Assassination as Policy: The Militarization of US Law Enforcement
27:23 Nov 7, 2025
16
Anti-Semitism, Israel, and the Problem of Proxy Representation
25:05 Oct 31, 2025
17
The Israel-Gaza Conflict, Palestinian Protests in the UK, and the Use of (Counter-) Terrorism
19:01 Oct 24, 2025
18
Peaceful by Design? The Return of Political Violence in Democracies
20:24 Oct 17, 2025
19
The US Shuts Down (Again): The Politics Behind the 2025 Government Shutdown
20:26 Oct 10, 2025
20
European Security in Crisis: Rearmament Challenges and the New Drone Threat
19:48 Oct 3, 2025
21
Make America Elect Trump Again: Unpacking the 2024 Presidential Election
18:49 Jul 4, 2025
22
Your Questions: US Bombs on Iran and the Gender Gap in Party Support
20:09 Jun 28, 2025
23
Israel Strikes Iran: Why Now, What Comes Next, and Consequences
26:21 Jun 19, 2025
24
The UK's Military Makeover: Assessing the Strategic Defence Review
25:17 Jun 12, 2025
25
Drones, Bridges, and Bargains: Ukraine and the International Politics of War
12:48 Jun 6, 2025
26
Aid as Weapon: Why and How States Obstruct Access to Humanitarian Aid (Reposted)
19:41 May 30, 2025
27
Mad or Method? A Closer Look at the Madman Theory
18:39 May 23, 2025
28
Musk's DOGE at Six Months: Achievements, Justifications, and Alternative Approaches
23:15 May 16, 2025
29
Crushed and Scattered or Polls Apart? What Recent English Local Elections Can and Cannot Tell Us about Shifts in British Politics
19:41 May 9, 2025
30
Silencing the Opposition: Jordan’s Islamist Ban in Regional Context
15:33 May 5, 2025
31
Why are the UK and US Governments bombing the Houthis in Yemen?
13:26 May 2, 2025
32
Breaking the Cycle? The PKK, Erdo?an, and Öcalan's Call for a Ceasefire
25:04 Mar 21, 2025
33
International (Dis)Order: Trump, Ukraine, and the Shift in Global Order
17:51 Mar 13, 2025
34
No Citizenship for Refugees? The Politics Behind Labour's Immigration Policy Announcement
19:10 Mar 7, 2025
35
Coal, Myths, and Legacy: The UK's 1984-85 Miner's Strike 40 Years On
20:39 Feb 28, 2025
36
Germany is Heading to the Polls: A Look Back at the Campaign and a Look Ahead at Potential Outcomes
16:47 Feb 21, 2025
37
White ‘Victims' & ‘Woke’ Villains: The Real and Imagined Targets of Trump’s South Africa Executive Order
16:34 Feb 14, 2025
38
Tariffs, Trump, and Trade Wars: How tariffs work, who actually pays them, and how Trump currently uses them
18:01 Feb 7, 2025
39
Breaching the Firewall: Will the German Christian Democratic Union's Accommodation of the Radical Right's Immigration Plan Payoff Electorally?
19:04 Feb 2, 2025
40
The Undoing of Israel: The Impact of the War in Gaza on Israeli Politics and Society
16:16 Jan 24, 2025
41
The State of Brazilian and US Democracy: A Comparative View of Post-Electoral Riots in January 2021 and 2023
17:50 Jan 20, 2025
42
It's a Wrap! We'll Be Back with New Episodes in Mid-January 2025
3:08 Dec 17, 2024
43
Aid as Weapon: Why and How States Obstruct Access to Humanitarian Aid
18:00 Dec 6, 2024
44
DOGE for Dosh: The Opportunities and Challenges of Government Efficiency Reforms
20:37 Nov 29, 2024
45
COP Out: Why Is Tackling Climate Change so Hard and Is the COP Process Fit for Purpose?
19:07 Nov 22, 2024
46
Behind the Silence: The Human Cost of Sudan’s Ongoing Conflict
17:55 Nov 16, 2024
47
Commonwealth Calls for Reparations: A Philosophical Perspective
17:48 Nov 8, 2024
48
Craziest Election Ever or Just Another US Presidential Race? Contextualising the 2024 Race for the White House
19:51 Nov 1, 2024
49
The Politics of Obesity: Labour's Jabs for Jobs Announcement
10:40 Oct 26, 2024
50
Disaster Politics: The Impact of Helene and Milton on the US Presidential Election
12:46 Oct 18, 2024
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