News From the Castle - The Perspective

In November 2024, a railway station canopy collapsed in Novi Sad, killing 16 people. What began as student protests over accountability grew into nearly two years of blockades, mass demonstrations and diaspora mobilisation across Europe. On 25 October 2026, it reached the ballot box. According to preliminary results, the Student List won a parliamentary majority in Serbia's snap election.We recorded this conversation with international affairs analyst Mirko Dautović before Serbians went to the polls. We discuss how the protest movement took shape, the corruption allegations at its core, and what was at stake in the election. Listened to now, it's a look at how Serbia arrived at this moment, and the questions that remain: Who will form the government? How does a protest movement become a governing force? And what does this mean for Serbia's relations with the EU?Hosted by Maria Viktoria Matić.Produced by: Ismail Ali & Matilda BergströmLinks from the ep:The Student Movement https://studenti.org.rs/en/kontakt/The Faculty of Dramatic Arts (the most creative content) https://www.instagram.com/sviublokade.fduThe Documentary https://youtu.be/h3t4EiRYzHMLaboratory Palestine https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/62790909-the-palestine-laboratoryhttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt39000119/Stefan Hedlundhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2213858.Russian_Path_Dependencehttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18791029-invisible-hands-russian-experience-and-social-science Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How should we think about wealth, inequality and growth? In the new episode of News from the Castle, economist Andreas Bergh from Lund University joins us. We talk about the much debated Zucman tax, we talk about where large fortunes come from, how wealth relates to political influence, and the debate over economic growth and the environment. We finish with a round of predictions, including whether today's students will end up better off than their parents.https://drbergh.substack.com/p/relativ-absolut-och-social - Andreas blog post on relative, absolute and social poverty in sweden (In swedish) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to News From the Castle! This podcast series is dedicated to interviewing experts inside and outside Lund University, who share their expertise on topics related to foreign affairs.As part of UPF Lund's Project of the Year, we host this episode featuring Suriya Sundararajan, a PhD candidate at the World Maritime University, who took part in a collaborative workshop between WMU and UPF Lund. He discusses the background to and the importance of the question of liability in ocean observation in areas beyond national jurisdiction. Focusing on the South-West Indian Ocean, he explains the region's ecological significance, the role of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, and the conceptual liability framework he proposes in the article, co-authored with Anna-Lena Simon.Any opinions expressed in this episode are the speakers’ own and do not represent UPF Lund, which remains politically neutral and unaffiliated.Host: Hwikyung LeeGuest: Suriya Narayanan SundararajanProducers: Hwikyung Lee & Ismail Ali Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to News From the Castle! This podcast series is dedicated to interviewing experts inside and outside Lund University, who share their expertise on topics related to foreign affairs.As part of the Project of the Year at UPF Lund, project member Yelyzaveta hosts this episode featuring Kateryna Okhrimchuk, an International Relations Advisor at the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority. She discusses Ukraine’s maritime governance and the challenges facing the country’s ports and shipping sector during the Russia-Ukraine war. She explains how maritime security, mine clearance, port protection, and international diplomacy have become central to Ukraine’s resilience in the Black Sea region.Any opinions expressed in this episode are the speakers’ own and do not represent UPF Lund, which remains politically neutral and unaffiliated.Host: Yelyzaveta MaslovskaGuest: Kateryna OkhrimchukEditor: Finn SpicesProducers: Hwikyung Lee, Ismail Ali Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we sit down with Rouzbeh Parsi, author and affiliated Researcher at Lund University, for an in-depth conversation on Iran, one of the most complex and often misunderstood countries in today’s geopolitical landscape.We begin by exploring the foundations of the Islamic Republic of Iran: what defines it, how Iranian society functions in practice, and the intricate relationship between state power and everyday life. From there, we turn to the current conflict, unpacking what is happening on the ground and what the future might hold.Rouzbeh also discusses his new book, Mellan Gud och stat (Between God and State: Iran after a Long 20th Century), offering deeper historical context for understanding Iran today.While much has evolved since this conversation was recorded, Rouzbeh’s analysis remains sharp and highly relevant. His insights combined with a clear and engaging style, make this episode just as valuable now as when it was first recorded.Any opinions expressed in this episode are the speakers’ own and do not represent UPF Lund, which remains politically neutral and unaffiliated.Host: Ismail Ali, Lisa BarutGuest: Rouzbeh ParsiProducer: Ismail Ali, Hwikyung Lee Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to News From the Castle! This podcast series is dedicated to interviewing experts inside and outside Lund University, who share their expertise on topics related to foreign affairs.In this episode of News From the Castle, we spoke to Lars Peter Fredén, ambassador of Sweden to China between 2010 and 2016, about the importance of the humanities to navigating diplomatic, industry, and research partnerships with Chinese actors. As the first in his role to speak Mandarin prior to his appointment, he emphasizes the need for expanding education of the Chinese language, philosophy, and related fields in the European Union, and gives advice to students interested in China about how to prepare for a role in diplomacy.Any opinions expressed in this episode are the speakers’ own and do not represent UPF Lund, which remains politically neutral and unaffiliated.Host: Sabina RamekeGuest: Lars Peter FredénProducers: Hwikyung Lee, Ismail Ali Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to News From the Castle! This podcast series is dedicated to interviewing experts inside and outside Lund University, who share their expertise on topics related to foreign affairs.In this episode, Hanna Sahlberg, senior China reporter at Swedish Radio and former Beijing correspondent, joins us to discuss China’s evolving role in global science and innovation, the opportunities and risks of cooperation with China, and how European perspectives on China have shifted over the past decade. The conversation also explores questions surrounding state influence, academic freedom, global trade, and the future of international collaboration in an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape.Any opinions expressed in this episode are the speakers’ own and do not represent UPF Lund, which remains politically neutral and unaffiliated.Host: Dipline PurbuarGuest: Hanna SahlbergProducers: Hwikyung Lee, Ismail Ali Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to News From the Castle! This podcast series is dedicated to interviewing experts inside and outside Lund University, who share their expertise on topics related to foreign affairs.[This is a special feature featuring interviews from abroad]In this episode, John Langton, an independent documentary filmmaker and a fundraiser for a school, talks about the importance of valuing human lives and stories around the world. He shares stories about career changes, a bike trip, documentary filmmaking, and fundraising for a school in Kibera.Any opinions expressed in this episode are the speakers’ own and do not represent UPF Lund, which remains politically neutral and unaffiliated.Host: Hwikyung LeeGuest: John LangtonProducers: Hwikyung Lee, Ismail Ali Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to News From the Castle! This podcast series is dedicated to interviewing experts inside and outside Lund University, who share their expertise on topics related to foreign affairs.In this episode, Dr. Marju Himma, an associate professor of Journalism Studies at the University of Tartu, sits down with us to talk about the political consequences of an evolving media landscape, navigating the use of AI in content-making as a producer and a consumer, and the benefits of reading to become a better podcaster.This interview was recorded during UPF Lund's visit with RSR at the University of Tartu in Estonia, within the Erasmus+ Small-scale Partnership in Youth Programme and under the banner of Nordic/Baltic Youth Knowledge Exchange.Any opinions expressed in this episode are the speakers’ own and do not represent UPF Lund, which remains politically neutral and unaffiliated.Host: Paula Grandas Perales, Sabina RamekeGuest: Marju HimmaProducers: Hwikyung Lee, Ismail AliEditor: Sabina Rameke Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to News From the Castle! This podcast series is dedicated to interviewing experts inside and outside Lund University, who share their expertise on topics related to foreign affairs.This episode features Dr. Yi Hyun Kang, a postdoctoral researcher at Lund University and a member of the Strategic Research Area BECC. She discusses the characteristics of young activists in environmental politics and the dynamics within youth activist organisations. Dr. Kang also shares insights into how their voices influence climate change discourse, as well as the growing role of digital spaces in environmental politics.Any opinions expressed in this episode are the speakers’ own and do not represent UPF Lund, which remains politically neutral and unaffiliated.Hosts: Hwikyung LeeGuest: Yihyun KangProducers & Editors: Hwikyung Lee, Ismail Ali Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.