Part 2: Military Spending and the US "Defense Industry"

There have long been inequalities in access to and control over land and natural resources. However, with factors such as the increased commodification of land, globalisation, and the power of transnational corporations, the phenomenon of land grabbing has been on the rise. Land issues can be a driver of armed conflict and also can be prevalent during contexts of armed conflict and heightened militarisation. Land grabbing has impacted communities’ ability to sustain their livelihoods and cultural practices and, in some cases, has also harmed the environment by contributing to pollution and carbon emissions. Communities who push back against these developments have often been met with severe repression and violence.   In this final episode of season 2, we speak with Juliana Nnoko-Mewanu from Human Rights Watch about what land grabbing is, why it’s happening, who is perpetrating it, and how it’s impacting communities. In our discussion we explore different case studies, including Colombia, Myanmar, and Papua, particularly focusing on the ways land grabbing relates to discussions on armed conflict.  For more about Juliana Nnoko’s research and work, you can visit: https://www.hrw.org/about/people/juliana-nnoko 

This episode is part 2 of a two-part set of episodes about the connections and parallels between the nuclear and fossil fuel industries. If you haven’t listened to part 1, we recommend doing so before starting this episode. In part 2, we continue the conversation with Dimity Hawkins, Kalani Reyes, and Mitzi Jonelle Tan. 

This episode is the first of two episodes which dive into the connections between the nuclear and fossil fuel industries. Fossil fuels have been the engine behind the growth of modern capitalism, and have driven economic expansion, colonial and imperial exploitation, and industrialisation. This has come at a profound cost, namely, the potential livability of the planet for current and future generations of humans and other species. Meanwhile, there are few developments that are more reflective of the inherent violence and inhumanity of the global geopolitical order than nuclear weapons. The same states that have fueled the slow burning of the planet also possess the ability to bring an end to the planet as we know it.    Recent WILPF research has brought together activists, organizers, academics, and members of impacted communities together to discuss the nexus between the nuclear and fossil fuel industries, as well as state repression of activism against them. The report Petrobromance, Nuclear Priesthood, and State Violence analyses, from a feminist and gender-transformative perspective, trends and parallels in how the nuclear and fossil fuel industries operate and entrench their power; their impacts on communities, including gendered impacts; and the ways in which resistance against these industries is suppressed by police, militaries, and private military and security companies (PMSCs).     Our guests for this episode are three of the experts who were interviewed for this report, who share more about their perspectives and work in Australia, the Mariana Islands, and the Philippines.    * The term “Petrobromance” was created by Joni Seager.  

This episode is part 2 of a two-part set of episodes on military spending. In the second part of this episode, we take a closer look at military expenditure by diving into the arms industry of the United States, the country with the highest military expenditure in the world. We continue the discussion on common arguments for military expenditure and talk with Taylor Barnes who is a journalist at Inkstick and based in Georgia, United States. She has covered the so-called “defense industry” in the US for years and she will tell us how investing in the arms industry often follows promises of “good jobs”, not least in areas of smaller towns lacking future prospects struggling with unemployment. But is that the reason why we should have a so-called defense industry, to create jobs? And how good are these jobs? Who are they for? And how has this industry changed over time? These are questions we will discuss in the second part of this episode where we take a closer look at the gendered aspect of the defense industry in the United States.   

Since its foundation WILPF has called for decreased military spending with an eventual abolishment. Over a hundred years later, the world’s military spending shows new record highs. In 2023 it increased for the ninth consecutive year, reaching a total of $2443 billion and we see new trends. For example, as a result of the war in Ukraine 39 of 43 countries in Europe increased their military expenditure in 2023 and states that traditionally have been prioritising social welfare are now joining the arms race allocating funds from social welfare to military activities. This episode consists of two parts. In this part one we look closer at what military spending is? How is it financed and where do governments get the money for it? Why is it increasing? How does this spending impact the economy and what are some of the gendered impacts of it?    With the help of our guests for this episode that have long experience working with military expenditure as researchers, policy makers and advocates, we will unpack the meaning of military expenditure, debunk myths and explore the drivers behind military spending.  

In this first episode to kick off Season 2 of Think and Resist, we talk about the weaponization of artificial intelligence. The recent hype on AI in mainstream media has brought to the attention of the public various human rights concerns related to these technologies. From decision support systems that have been used by Israel in Gaza, to autonomous weapons that are being developed by several companies, the use of these technologies has been deeply problematic, and there is a risk of it worsening. In this episode, we explore some problems associated with autonomy in weapons systems, including from a gendered perspective, and will discuss solutions, including possibilities around their regulation and prohibition. This episode is hosted by Laura Varella, Programme Coordinator of Reaching Critical Will, WILPF’s Disarmament Programme. 

Welcome to Think and Resist, the podcast by the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF). In this Season 2 kickoff, we highlight WILPF’s feminist peacebuilding mission and the programmes driving this podcast: Women, Peace, and Security and Reaching Critical Will . This season, we’ll explore pressing issues like the weaponisation of AI and the connections between fossil fuels and nuclear weapons. Expect inspiring conversations with experts and activists confronting systems of violence and inequality. Join us for feminist perspectives, bold ideas, and actionable discussions as we launch into Season 2!

In this last episode, co-hosts Zarin, Genevieve, and Allison take a moment to reflect on the podcast series. The speakers discuss the importance of moving away from the usual formal discussions and instead towards more candid conversations with people who are affected and those directly trying to make change happen. A huge thank you to everyone for listening to this podcast, we hope you were inspired and learned something new along the way. 

One of the pillars of the WPS agenda is participation – but what are the prospects for peace when it’s not safe for women leaders to participate in the first place? In our last episode of the season, we speak with Deanne Uyangoda, Inna Michaeli, and Samira Hamidi, who talk about the many risks, threats, and reprisals faced by women human rights defenders in response to their courageous work. They outline the many different actors  – governments, armed groups, and community members – who are violently seeking to block women from challenging repression, authoritarianism, and militarism. Why is defending women’s free expression so urgent? More in our episode.

As the effects of the climate emergency become more stark throughout the world, more attention is being paid to the important links between climate and security. But from a feminist perspective, are these climate and security discussions focusing on the right things? Our guests Doug Weir and Lina Hjärtström talk about how militarism is impacting the environment, the kind of action that’s needed to prevent conflict in the face of the climate emergency, and why gender needs to be part of the discussion.