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The Foreign Desk
Monocle’s global-affairs show with Andrew Mueller. Expert guests, in-depth analysis, and sharp commentary on major geopolitical issues.
Latest Episodes
When currencies collapse
Turkey, once an economic powerhouse, is experiencing a currency meltdown as inflation skyrockets against a backdrop of unorthodox policies. What can we learn from past currency crises? How do people get around hyperinflation woes? And how can governments address it? Andrew Mueller speaks to Hannah Lucinda Smith, Andrew Walker, Marija…
Is the doctrine of nuclear deterrence still relevant?
In a rare joint statement issued on Monday, five of the world’s most powerful nations pledged to avoid nuclear war. In this episode of ‘The Foreign Desk’, we examine the doctrine of nuclear deterrence. Does possessing a nuclear deterrent make the world safer? Is a world without atomic weapons even…
Looking back at 2021 and forward to 2022
We look back on the big events of the past 12 months and peer ahead to 2022. Andrew Mueller speaks to Quentin Peel, Latika Bourke and Lewis Lukens.
War and peas: the role of food in diplomacy
As millions of families tuck into their Christmas turkey and load up their plates with leftovers from the festive season, we examine the role of food in global politics. What is culinary diplomacy? Is the kitchen really the new venue for foreign policy? And what exactly goes into preparing the…
Pandas, pangolins, and koalas: can animals be diplomats?
Exotic animals have long been used as unlikely but effective furry ambassadors to further a country’s international influence. Whether it’s China strategically loaning giant pandas as a gesture of goodwill, Australia flaunting the kangaroo as part of its national brand or Taiwan dispatching pangolins to Prague, animals have been used…
Is Bosnia on the brink of breaking up?
Will Bosnia break apart? Andrew Mueller speaks to Guy De Launey and Irma Baralija, as well as ambassadors Vanja Filipovic and Bruce Berton.
Sportswashing: what is it and does it work?
As the inaugural Saudi Arabia Grand Prix kicks off in Jeddah, allegations of sportswashing have resurfaced relating to the country’s poor human rights record. What is sportswashing? What does it look like? And does it actually work? Andrew Mueller speaks to Paul Michael Brannagan, Areej Al Sadhan and Bruce Kidd.
El Salvador bets on Bitcoin; what could go wrong?
Wearing a backwards baseball cap, El Salvador’s president Nayib Bukele unveiled plans to build “Bitcoin City” at the base of a volcano and adopt cryptocurrency as legal tender. While supporters have hailed the president’s ambitions, not all Salvadorans “Feel the Bit”. Is Bukele’s big idea as mad as it sounds?…
Albin Kurti: prankster to politician
Andrew Mueller is joined by Albin Kurti, the prime minister of Kosovo, for an in-depth conversation. They discuss the unusual challenges the country faces, its tumultuous relationship with Serbia and how a prankster became a politician.
Confronting climate change: what actually works?
Climate change is not an issue that governments enjoy confronting. Nevertheless, the recent Cop26 summit and its predecessors have made it abundantly clear that the crisis is not going anywhere. In this episode of ‘The Foreign Desk’, Andrew Mueller speaks to people who know what it takes to keep politicians…
