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
The climate culture war
For those Democrats hoping to run against Donald Trump in the 2020 election, the question of what to do about the accelerating climate emergency has become a key campaign issue. But with much of…
Islamophobia: a 21st-century hatred
Last year in the UK the Home Office recorded a 40 per cent increase in religious hate crimes – of which more than half were directed at Muslims. What does Islamophobia mean now for…
Somalia: could the world be doing more?
It might feel as though the rest of the world has given up on Somalia. This is not, however, something the rest of the world can afford to do: the country’s perch on the…
China’s surveillance state
Everybody is subject to a certain amount of surveillance, whether it’s CCTV cameras in our streets or websites monitoring our online movements to better sell advertising. But what happens when governments use this information…
Democracy: the Middle East and north Africa
At the start of this decade, thousands of protesters took to the streets across the Arab world seeking to bring down oppressive regimes. But filling the subsequent power vacuums didn’t prove easy and many…
The war on fake news
Since the term “fake news” exploded into the common lexicon in 2016 it has been at the forefront of many political agendas. But thanks to resistance to internet regulation, and a lack of basic…
What does the Freedom party scandal mean for Austria?
Just days before the European parliament elections, seen by many as a referendum on populist parties across the continent, a video of Austria’s vice-chancellor – and leader of the far right FPO – was…
The US vs Iran: why now?
The US and Iran have never really been close. But over the past few weeks tensions have flared, leading to fears of open confrontation between the two. But where did the animosity begin and…
Are South Africans losing patience with the ANC?
South Africa is gripped by political-corruption scandals, soaring unemployment and a continuation of the racial inequalities that the ANC fought so hard to overcome. Is the ruling party running out of ideas?
Coups d’etat: do they ever really work?
Coups d’etat have been enjoying something of a renaissance. But who really gains when they go right? What happens when they go wrong? And can it ever be guaranteed that the grass is greener…
