Geopolitics & World
International affairs, defense, and regional topics
386 episodes · Page 9 of 17
#2946: How a Kahanist Teen Became Israel's Police Chief
The story of Itamar Ben-Gvir's rise from Kach activist to National Security Minister.
#2933: How 400 Yeshiva Students Became 66,000 Exemptions
How a 1947 letter to 400 students grew into the political backbone of Israel's governing coalitions.
#2931: David Ben-Gurion: The Man Behind the Myth
The neurotic insomniac who read Plato at dawn, built a state, and shaped Israel's DNA.
#2930: How the Rabbis Saved the Bible's Most Dangerous Book
The book that says "everything is pointless" was almost cut from the Bible. Here's how the rabbis reinvented it.
#2929: The Radical Economics of the Sabbatical Year
How an ancient biblical debt reset is playing out in real time in Israel today.
#2926: Barley to Wheat: The Original Shavuot Grain Cycle
Before cheesecake and all-night study, Shavuot was a wheat harvest festival built on a barley-counting calendar.
#2921: The Man Behind the Politics: Netanyahu's Personality
What drives Benjamin Netanyahu? Former aides reveal the man behind the political force.
#2907: How Medieval Queens Shaped Jewish Policy Before 1306
How four French queens used dower lands and household budgets to protect—or restrict—Jewish communities before the 1306 expulsion.
#2898: The Bean That Built the Ancient Levant
How the fava bean went from ancient staple to menu afterthought — and why its revival is failing.
#2880: Israel-Greece-Cyprus: The Alliance That Outlasted Its Pipeline
How three eastern Mediterranean countries built a durable partnership around gas, electricity, and a shared strategic interest.
#2879: Are Most Chinese People Actually Atheist?
Only 14% of Chinese adults identify as atheists. The reality of belief in China is far more complex.
#2878: How China Controls Foreign Critics and Domestic Media
China blocks foreign critics at the border while running a sophisticated domestic media control system. Here's how both work.
#2877: How China Cut Air Pollution 65% in a Decade
China's air quality has improved dramatically since 2013, but gains are uneven across cities and seasons.
#2869: China's Special Puzzle Pieces: Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan
How "one country, two systems" works differently for Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan — and what's changed.
#2863: Why Fintechs Leave Israel After Launching There
Why Israeli fintechs scale in Europe instead of serving their home market — and what the EU figured out that Israel hasn't.
#2862: How a $3 Paint Marker Reveals Israel's Import Maze
Why does a $3 German marker cost $6 in Tel Aviv? The answer reveals how Israel's import system really works.
#2856: How Paleo-Hebrew Evolved Over Six Centuries
The Paleo-Hebrew script evolved through distinct phases over 600 years—here’s how scholars trace its development.
#2853: What the Nordics Actually Struggle With
Beyond bike lanes and pastries—what Sweden, Denmark, and Norway have genuinely figured out, and where their model cracks.
#2849: Fixing Israel's Broken Link Between Voters and Government
How Israel's party-list voting crowds out local issues — and what Ireland, Germany, and Switzerland do differently.
#2838: Can Random Citizens Fix Broken Democracies?
What if the best way to fix democracy isn't voting, but picking lawmakers by lottery? Real experiments from Ireland to Belgium.
#2833: What Police Actually Do All Day
Most officers make one arrest every two weeks. Here's what fills the other 90% of their time.
#2813: How Jerusalem Day Went From Thanksgiving to Sovereignty Display
The holiday began as a rabbinic day of thanks. Now 70,000 people march through the Muslim Quarter. How did it shift?
#2809: What Enforcement Leaves Behind
How border enforcement fractures economies, families, and institutions in ways the headlines miss.
#2807: Private Armies as State Proxies: Wagner, Blackwater, and the Deniability Playbook
How states use private military companies to deny involvement while achieving foreign policy goals.