Geopolitics & World
International affairs, defense, and regional topics
386 episodes · Page 8 of 17
#3032: The Karankawa Beyond the Cannibalism Myth
Who were the Karankawa? New genetic evidence and archaeology reveal a sophisticated maritime culture.
#3025: The EU's Foreign Policy Paradox: A Conductor Without an Orchestra
The EU has a foreign minister who can't command anyone. How does foreign policy actually get made in Brussels?
#3022: Who Actually Are Jerusalem's Haredim?
The Haredi community in Jerusalem isn't one bloc—it's a coalition of factions with opposing views on Zionism, military service, and work.
#3021: The Bus Routes Nobody Owns
East Jerusalem's Palestinian residents live under Israeli law but use Jordanian hospitals, unlicensed buses, and PA schools. How did this happen?
#3018: Designing a Trip to East Asia for Real Understanding
How to design an itinerary from Tel Aviv to Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan that produces genuine cultural understanding.
#3014: How a Palestinian Books a Flight to Istanbul
The step-by-step reality of travel from the West Bank and Gaza — permits, crossings, and documents most travelers never think about.
#3013: East Jerusalem's In-Between Status: Residency Without Citizenship
Permanent residency in Israel isn't a path to citizenship. For East Jerusalemites, it's a trap that can be revoked.
#3012: Where the Holy of Holies Really Was
The closest point to the Holy of Holies isn't the main Western Wall plaza—it's a quiet 15-meter section in the Muslim Quarter.
#3003: How Texas Became Texas: Empire, Republic, Statehood
From Spanish mission outpost to independent republic to US state — the unique path that shaped Texas governance.
#3002: The Secret Flags You’ll Never See
Most countries have official flags for offices and royals that almost nobody ever sees. Who designs them, and why do they exist?
#3000: The 94%: Canada's Empty North
94% of Canadian territory has zero permanent residents. How does a modern state govern the other 97%?
#2999: Svalbard's Visa-Free Trap: What You Need to Know
No visa needed on Svalbard — but you can't get there without one. Here's how the Arctic's strangest legal loophole actually works.
#2998: The Rat-Free Island: South Georgia's Wild Comeback
From industrial whaling to the largest rat eradication ever attempted — the incredible story of South Georgia's transformation.
#2992: The Three Lives of Za'atar: Plant, Spice, Identity
A wild herb became a global spice blend. Now overharvesting threatens the hillsides where it grew for millennia.
#2991: Italy Ends Israel Defense Pact: What's Lost
Italy let its defense cooperation agreement with Israel expire. Here's what that means for missile systems, intelligence, and European defense stra...
#2986: China and Russia's High-Speed Pipeline to Iran
How China and Russia resupplied Iran in weeks, not months — and what it means for US power.
#2983: The Night-Watchman State: Theory vs Reality
Which democracies come closest to the libertarian minimum state? And which lean hardest into state control?
#2980: Dual-Use Airfields: Civilian Jets and Military Cargo on the Same Runway
How Israel runs civilian and military flights on the same tarmac during an active war with Iran.
#2977: Why Bread Costs Triple in Richer Countries
Why do poorer countries like Portugal have cheaper bread than wealthier Israel? It's not price controls vs. free markets—it's market structure.
#2969: Who Controls Israel's Courts? The Judicial Reform Fight Explained
Why 600,000 Israelis protested a legal doctrine you've never heard of — and why the fight isn't over.
#2968: The Government That Existed Before the State
How the Yishuv built a fully functioning state within a state decades before 1948.
#2957: The Fourth Ring of Jerusalem
How a 1,700-year-old community in Jerusalem is fighting for survival — and what the Cow Garden land dispute reveals.
#2954: The 47 Lubricants of War: Inside Defense Supply Chains
How Israel’s military actually buys bullets, missiles, and tank grease — and why a single factory in Virginia matters.
#2951: Herzl's Unbuilt Utopia: The Man Behind the Dream
The secular dandy who founded modern Zionism — and the state he imagined vs. what got built.