Dr. Tarek Masoud - The Shifting Politics of the Middle East

Host Aroop Mukharji interviews Dr. John S. Park, Director of the Korea Project at the Belfer Center at the Harvard Kennedy School, about North Korea's surprising endurance in the face of harsh sanctions, the 2019 Trump-Kim Hanoi Summit, and local pizza.

Host Aroop Mukharji interviews Dr. Tarek Masoud, the Sultan of Oman Professor of International Relations at the Harvard Kennedy School, about the shifting political dynamics of the Middle East, the region's potential for democratization, and a triple snack of doughnuts, coffee, and Turkish delight.

Host Aroop Mukharji interviews Lisa Monaco, Assistant to President Obama for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism (2013-2017), about the greatest national security threats Americans face, misperception, fear, and Goldfish crackers.

Host Aroop Mukharji interviews Professor Bob Mnookin, Samuel Williston Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, about the art of negotiation, Kissinger the Negotiator (Harper 2018), the Jewish-American Paradox (PublicAffairs 2018), and apple pie.

Host Aroop Mukharji interviews Jill Abramson, former Executive Editor of the New York Times and Senior Lecturer in English at Harvard University, about the current challenges of news media, reasons for optimism, what makes a good story, and apples.

Host Aroop Mukharji interviews Dr. Steven Pinker, Johnstone Family Professor of Psychology at Harvard University, about his new book, "Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress" (Viking 2018) and beer and mixed nuts.

Host Aroop Mukharji interviews Dr. Chris Miller, Asst. Professor of International History at the Fletcher School, Tufts University, about his new book, "Putinomics: Money and Power in Resurgent Russia" (UNC Press 2018), and chocolate ice cream.

Host Aroop Mukharji interviews Dr. Mary Elise Sarotte, Kravis Professor of Historical Studies at Johns Hopkins SAIS, about the end of the Cold War, US-Europe relations, Putin's strategic calculus, and chocolate.

Host Aroop Mukharji interviews Dr. Kelly Greenhill, Tufts University Professor of Political Science, about extra-factual information (EFI), why people believe inaccurate information, what society can do about it, and spicy chickpeas.

Host Aroop Mukharji interviews Ambassador (ret.) Laura Holgate, President Obama's U.S. Representative to the Vienna Office of the United Nations and International Atomic Energy Agency (2016-2017), about how easy it is to get a nuke, who to worry about, the upcoming U.S.-North Korea summit meeting, and salted chocolate-covered caramels.