Global Ethics Corner Podcast

Turkey's democracy has been extolled as a model in the Middle East, but has also been belittled for its creeping authoritarianism. Does Turkey offer hope to those states making a democratic transformation in the Arab world? Or is its system under threat?

In March 2011, there were over 50 vessels and 800 people held hostage by Somali pirates. What should be the response to these captures? Should a third party attack, negotiate, seek legal remedies, or continue to make the best of a terrible situation?

Could the slow job growth rate of the Great Recession be attributed to new technologies replacing human labor and intelligence? Is artificial intelligence likely or desirable in a post-industrial society?

Two waves are overwhelming Egypt and possibly the Middle East: democracy and demography. Can a youthful imperative for rapid change amplify or diminish the growth of democracy? Can a populist revolution contain the seeds of an authoritarian regime?

In Tunisia, the Jasmine Revolution showed the vulnerability of unpopular and anti-democratic regimes. Should the West support authoritarian regimes to contain political Islam? Or should it watch popular passions erect potentially anti-democratic governments?

The annual announcement from the Eurasia Group of top global risks is here. Do you agree with their choice of fundamental issues for this year?

Chinese policies tilt the field and undermine free trade, according to journalist David Leonhardt. Should the U.S. use sanctions more aggressively to enforce free trade principles and to protect domestic production? Or are the negative economic consequences too risky?

Wikileaks cables reveal that U.S. diplomats are a big part of the sales force. Is diplomacy diminished or conflicts harder to resolve if diplomats are aggressive commercial partisans? Or are diplomats promoting products a crucial part of 21st century international affairs?

Should non-state armed groups be excluded from the formal realm of international humanitarian law? Should they be held to the same standards as states during warfare? What is the proper mechanism for enforcing the rules of war without lending non-state actors legitimacy?

U.S. diplomatic cables exposed through WikiLeaks raise several questions about transparency and trust. Should governments employ secrecy in diplomacy? Without transparency, are democracy and diplomacy compatible?

Western support of Israel demonstrates a clash of interests and values. Israel is a key U.S. ally, yet its policies towards Gaza and the West Bank are repeatedly marked with human rights violations. Can there be a middle ground in foreign policy where interests and values meet?

The UN Charter states that human rights is the responsibility of international society. It also prohibits forceful interference against the territorial integrity and political independence of any state. Which takes precedence in humanitarian crises, sovereignty or human rights?

With the rise in power of emerging markets and developing economies should the architecture of global economics change to reflect their market approaches? Should the U.S. direct reforms, or should China and other developing markets take leadership?

Brazil's President Lula da Silva handpicked Dilma Rousseff as his successor, even though she has never held political office. How important is continuity in governments? Is handpicking a successor acceptable in order to win an election or to direct a government? What do you think?

Would Serbian admission to the EU prevent another Balkan War? Is promoting Serbian democracy more important than securing justice for 1990s genocides? In pursuing war criminals, is the carrot of EU admission more effective than the stick of EU exclusion?