Global Ethics Corner Podcast

The world's eyes are on Venezuela as Hugo Chavez's death leaves many questions. Will he be remembered as a champion of the poor or will his legacy be stained by Venezuela's high crime rates? Was he a repressive tyrant or a victim of American propaganda?

With the Syrian civil war about to turn two years old and the death toll approaching 70,000, some are saying it is time for the U.S. or the UN to intervene. Could arming the anti-Assad rebels bring an end to the war? Or would it bring greater instability to the region?

For years, large global organizations, like the G-20 or the UN, have failed to cooperate on major international challenges, like climate change. Is mini-lateralism, in which a few major world powers work together to tackle these problems, a viable and ethical alternative?

President Obama called al-Qaeda a shadow of its former self, but the organization is making inroads in Mali and Algeria and some say it is as dangerous as ever. How much of a threat is al-Qaeda? Has the terrorist group made a comeback?

When Iceland was hit hard in the 2008 financial crisis, it responded by doing everything Western economic theorists told it not to. It has made an impressive recovery, but problems remain. Should other countries follow Iceland's unorthodox model?

The hope that existed at the beginning Arab Spring has been marred by violence and conflict in Syria, Libya, Egypt, and elsewhere. Have we entered the Arab Winter? If so, how long will this phase last?

The European Union has faced criticism in recent years for not doing enough to promote democratic values abroad. With the formation of the European Endowment for Democracy, this could be changing. Will this initiative really work?

Facing prosecution for illegally downloading millions of academic articles, Internet activist Aaron Swartz recently committed suicide. Should Swartz have been facing jail time? Should scholarly research be available for free?

A brutal gang rape on a New Delhi bus has sparked global outrage and national soul-searching in India. Many are calling for the death penalty for the rapists, but is this the answer? What can India do to prevent rape in the short and long term?

Marine fish stocks are dangerously low, but this hasn't stopped China from sending its fishing fleets to distant waters, sometimes illegally. Could China's insatiable appetite for seafood be a threat to the world's fisheries? Is there more we should be worried about?

Despite making valuable contributions to the U.S. military since the Civil War, women are still technically excluded from direct ground combat roles. Is this policy outdated? Would troop morale and performance suffer if changes were made immediately?

Recent acquittals of Croat and Kosovo-Albanian officials in the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia have left some doubting the UN court's impartiality. What implications could this have when it comes to fostering reconciliation in the Balkans?

From Spain to Scotland to even the United States, separatist movements are making headlines. Do any of these have a chance to succeed? Or all they just for show?

After decades of violence, rebel group FARC is negotiating with the Colombian government. The group has unsuccessfully petitioned the American government, though, to release a FARC leader, incarcerated in the U.S., to take part in the talks. Should the U.S. release the prisoner in a gesture of good faith?

As Burma begins to reform its government, the U.S. has been quick to begin normalizing relations with the Asian state. Are geostrategic considerations overshadowing lingering questions about human rights as U.S. foreign policy pivots toward Asia?