Women Leaders

The full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022 was partly staged through the border between Belarus and Ukraine. This is not by chance: despite gaining independence in 1991, with the collapse of the Soviet Union, since 1994 Belarus has been controlled by Alexander Lukashenko, a Russia-aligned dictator. As a result, it has remained a relatively unknown entity, alienated from the West while occupying a crucial geo-strategic stretch of land, between the Baltic states, Poland, Ukraine and Russia.Prior to 1991, Belarus enjoyed a very brief year of independence between 1918-19. And yet, it had long been a group of people who knew they were distinct, with their own language and identity — much as is the case today. Yet the increasing connection between the state and its neighbour Russia, and more significantly the dependence of the authoritarian Lukashenko upon Putin for his political survival, means the danger of being consumed by Russia is very real. This is potentially Ukraine, but without a democratically elected head of state, a fiercely independent populace and a powerful military.The US has recently taken an interest in Belarus, partly to buy its potash reserves and partly to annoy Canada and the European Union — which has never paid enough attention to Belarus, though it poses a significant threat to the eastern states. Katia Glod, Deputy Head of Foreign Policy at NEST is not only a native Belarusian but also a true expert on the state and its positions. In a must-listen conversation, she explains the complexities of the state as well as its entanglement with Russia and the war in Ukraine. A fascinating set of insights!This episode was recorded on 8 October 2026ChaptersA short modern history of BelarusLukashenko and the stolen electionBelarus and the war in UkrainePlaying both sides: from Minsk to TrumpMentionsNew Eurasian Strategies centre websiteKatia Glod’s article - The limits of Russian control: The case of BelarusBelarus–European Union border crisisRyanair Flight 4978 (the forced landing in Minsk)EU sanctions on Belarus - Council of the EUMinsk agreementsBelarus tests a new path back to the West - Kyiv IndependentTrump promotes a “massive” Belarus potash deal - EuronewsFollowKatia Glod LinkedIn X/TwitterIlana Bet-ElInstagram @women_leaders_podcastListen to this episode on our YouTube channelOur partner European Leadership Network Twitter LinkedIn Facebook websiteCreditsProduction: Florence FerrandoMusic: Let Good Times Roll, RA from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/ra/let-good-times-rollLicense code: ZXIIIJUU2ISPZIJT

As the world seems to stumble from crisis to crisis, be it conflicts or economic woes or ethnic violence, it sometimes seems as if we are living through the 1930s again — but in a rogue AI version. Whilst specific crises can be analysed and rationalised, there is a constant sense of déjà vu, be it in the rise of fascism, the total disrespect for any kind of rules, and the adoration of power for itself.Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, may have led the field in all three categories, and at the same time it has long pursued the goal of demolishing democracy, everywhere. More worrying is the rise of these inclinations in the US, undoubtedly fuelled by Russian interference but also entirely self imposed.To understand the severity of the moment, as well as how we got here, there is no-one more qualified than Marci Shore, Chair in European Intellectual History at the University of Toronto. An expert in fascism, as well as a keen observer of reality, she helps put past and present in perspective in a conversation that covers a fascinating range, from Chekov through Sarah Palin and Ratko Mladic.This episode was recorded on 24 September 2026ChaptersDiplomatic language and the return of political bluntnessTrump and the rejection of rulesDoes history repeat? The 1930s, patterns, and what is newPost-truth politics and how the internet floods the zoneAmerican democracy and structural weaknesses with the rise of the new rightEurope’s far right and the danger of normalising the abnormalMentionsMarci Shore’s articles and essaysVictor Klemperer – The Language of the Third ReichSigmund Freud – Civilization and Its DiscontentsMikhail Bulgakov – The White GuardSlavenka Drakulić – They Would Never Hurt a FlyAdam LeBor – The Last Days of BudapestFollowMarci Shore Bluesky, X/TwitterHer course “European Intellectual History since Nietzsche” (Yale website & Youtube)Her curated selection of material in various languages about the war in UkraineHer book “The Ukrainian Night”Her essay “With Shestov in Ukraine”, Liberties Journal of Culture and PoliticsIlana Bet-ElInstagram @women_leaders_podcastListen to this episode on our YouTube channelOur partner European Leadership Network Twitter LinkedIn Facebook websiteCreditsProduction: Florence FerrandoMusic: Let Good Times Roll, RA from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/ra/let-good-times-rollLicense code: ZXIIIJUU2ISPZIJT

The background to the disaster that was 9/11 has been researched exhaustively, while the security and geopolitical outcomes — notably in Afghanistan, Iraq, the whole Middle East and many other parts of the world — are evident, with many effects felt to this day. But the event itself has receded into the past, and for younger generations is but history. The reality of two planes flown maliciously into the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in Manhattan, and the attempt to fly one into the Pentagon in Washington DC, is unknown to many, undoubtedly outside the USA.Brenda Berkman, the first female firefighter in the New York Fire Department, or indeed in the US, was there: she was a first responder. In a narrative often harrowing she recounts the reality of the day, in what was left of the World Trade Centre — as indeed the many months afterwards when the debris was cleared. From devastating detail and trauma of the event to ensuring the place of women in remembering 9/11, Brenda Berkman offers a gripping testimony to a day that changed world history. An important conversation!This episode was recorded on 11 September 2026ChaptersBrenda's journey to becoming the first female firefighter in NYCBrenda recounts her experience on 9-11Health impacts and long-term effects on respondersLessons learned and the future of women in firefightingBrenda's life after retirement and advocacy for womenMentionsYouTube- documentary Taking the HeatYouTube series - Pioneering Change as NYC’s First Female FirefighterPrints - Thirty-six Views of One World Trade Center9/11 Memorial & Museum - Honouring Four Women of Ground ZeroFollowBrenda Berkman: website Instagram LinkedInIlana Bet-ElInstagram @women_leaders_podcastListen to this episode on our YouTube channelOur partner European Leadership Network Twitter LinkedIn Facebook websiteCreditsProduction: Florence FerrandoMusic: Let Good Times Roll, RA from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/ra/let-good-times-rollLicense code: ZXIIIJUU2ISPZIJT

Women Leaders concludes its summer season of women authorsThere is probably no more famous and pervasive female figure than Mary, mother of Christ. There are remarkably few known facts about this woman, but that has never stopped myths, ideas, imagery and music to evolve around her as a core element of the story of Christianity, and ultimately Western then global culture.In this last episode of our summer season of women authors, we discuss the evolution and significance of Mary, Mother of God: The History of the Virgin Mary with its author, Professor Miri Rubin. One of the most noted historians of the medieval and early modern periods, she helps us discover the many roads the idea of Mary has travelled, as well as a broader discussion on the Middle Ages and ideas of religion. A great conversation ranging from the first century AD to the late Dolly Parton!This episode was recorded on 27 August 2026ChaptersMiri Rubin's background and journey into medieval historyMary's centrality in Christian theology and practiceMary's role as a vessel in religious storiesMary in contemporary culture and popular mediaThe relevance of medieval history and Mary todayMentionsBook - Mother of God: A History of the Virgin Mary: Amazon UKBook - The Middle Ages: A Very Short Introduction: Amazon UKBook - Charity and Community in Medieval Cambridge: Amazon UKThe Annales ScholesPodcast - Our life in the classics with Mary Beard: SpotifyReadings - Oxford University Press - Very Short IntroductionsProject - The European Qur’anFollowMiri Rubin LinkedIn Queen Mary University of LondonIlana Bet-ElInstagram @women_leaders_podcastListen to this episode on our YouTube channelOur partner European Leadership Network Twitter LinkedIn Facebook websiteCreditsProduction: Florence FerrandoMusic: Let Good Times Roll, RA from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/ra/let-good-times-rollLicense code: ZXIIIJUU2ISPZIJT

Women Leaders continues its summer series with women authors.Much has been written about the current horrors of Lebanon, but they really started long ago, in the civil war that raged between 1975-1990.As part of our women authors summer season, we turn to a novel written about coming of age in that period — to the brutality of war alongside the attempts at keeping normality alive, of food and family and nostalgia, of young love and loss, of the harsh destruction of commonality amongst different ethnicities in the face of brutality.Katherine Saad Feghali is the author of Glass Cedars, a roman à clef in which she recounts her love for Lebanon while observing its disintegration. A lyrical book that in many ways tells far more about the reality of Lebanon than any factual reporting. A touching and interesting conversation about destruction, PTSD and Lebanon!This episode was recorded on 11 August 2026ChaptersThe origins of Glass CedarsTurning personal tragedy into a missionThe universal human experience of migration and conflictThe role of women in Lebanon and the USThe importance of human stories over political narrativesMentionsBook - Glass Cedars - Amazon US & Amazon UKPoem - Epic of Gilgamesh - BritannicaAssociation - Education and Opportunities for LebanonFollowKatherine Saad Feghali LinkedIn InstagramIlana Bet-ElInstagram @women_leaders_podcastListen to this episode on our YouTube channelOur partner European Leadership Network Twitter LinkedIn Facebook websiteCreditsProduction: Florence FerrandoMusic: Let Good Times Roll, RA from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/ra/let-good-times-roll License code: ZXIIIJUU2ISPZIJT

Women Leaders is having a relaxing summer with women authors.The Odyssey is a big summer hit, but it has been a hit for 3000 years: it is both a classic, and part of the classics, a broad field of study that Western culture has long been obsessed with. From legalities to laughter and from battles to bread, the ancient Greeks and Romans seem to have lived our lives then, while we seek out their lives now.Mary Beard is undoubtedly the most prominent classicist of our times, and her new book, Talking Classics: The Shock of the Old reflects most clearly on our longstanding relationship with the classical period and its ongoing relevance. A strong woman leader, she has authored many books, including the important Women & Power: A Manifesto.In a fun and fabulous conversation, Mary Beard discusses the significance of many issues past and present — and what she really thinks of The Odyssey, the film. Don’t miss it!This episode was recorded on 4 August 2026Chapters:What is a classicist?Use and abuse of classical culture in politicsOrigins of the silencing of women's voicesNolan’s Odyssey impact on female charactersMentionsThe Booker PrizesPodcast - Instant Classics with Charlotte Higgins: YouTube Spotify Apple Podcasts  InstagramInstant Classics - Podcast Book Club on the OdysseyBook - Women in Power, a Manifesto (2017), AudibleBook - SPQR, a history of Ancient Rome (2015)Book - Talking Classics, The Shock of the Old (2026), AudibleBook - Samuel Butler The Authoress of the Odyssey (1922)Book - H.R Trevor-Roper History & imagination (1981)The Odyssey movieFollowMary Beard Cambridge University, InstagramIlana Bet-ElInstagram @women_leaders_podcastListen to this episode on our YouTube channelOur partner European Leadership Network Twitter LinkedIn Facebook websiteCreditsProduction: Florence FerrandoMusic: Let Good Times Roll, RA from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/ra/let-good-times-rollLicense code: ZXIIIJUU2ISPZIJT

We are living in a world of open conflicts existing alongside peaceful life: while life in many parts of Europe and the US are focused upon summer holidays, Ukrainian cities are being pounded by Russian missiles and their soldiers are fighting Russian ones in the Donbas, while missiles are flying across the Middle East and Iran. It is a contradictory and jarring reality, which the various instigators of the violence claim to be necessary, and inevitable — notably Vladimir Putin, President of Russia.In first illegally annexing Crimea in 2014, then mounting a full-scale invasion in 2022, Putin claimed not only that Ukraine was not a legitimate state but rather a part of Russia — but also that it was necessary as part of Russia’s defence against an ever-expanding and threatening NATO. This narrative is rooted in a malignant Russian reading of the end of the Cold War, US and NATO intentions, and Russian dreams of world significance. It is also the subject of a new book by Rose Gottemoeller, former NATO Deputy Secretary General, and the guest of this episode.From the current situation in Russia and Ukraine, to the intricacies that led to it, this is a great conversation on one of the most important periods of recent history.This episode was recorded on 22 July 2026Chapters:What is the START Treaty?Nuclear forces & deterrence rationaleThe impact of Ukraine conflict on Russia and global securityPutin's leadership, decision-making, and strategic mindsetThe future of Russia-US relations and cooperationThe importance of international cooperation and stabilityMentionsBook - Security Through Cooperation: Space, Nuclear Weapons, and US-Russia Relations After the Cold WarUK website with a 20% discount code: RGOT20US websiteRose’s previous Women Leaders episodes:“A historic 2022 International Women’s Day” 8 March 2022“Back and big – Geopolitics with Rose Gottemoeller, an IWD special” 8 March 2024Putin’s options: an oligarch speaks outs - The EconomistFollowRose Gottemoeller LinkedInIlana Bet-ElInstagram @women_leaders_podcastListen to this episode on our YouTube channelOur partner European Leadership Network Twitter LinkedIn Facebook websiteCreditsProduction:Florence FerrandoMusic: Let Good Times Roll, RA from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/ra/let-good-times-rollLicense code: ZXIIIJUU2ISPZIJT

The United States is celebrating the 250th anniversary of its founding on July 4th. Whilst the country is living through deep changes in its global perception, it is well to remember that as an entity it has always been different: the first declared republic, rejecting monarchy or any form of inherited rule in favour of government by the people and for the people. A nation created by a Declaration of Independence, governed by a balance of power between the legislative, executive and judicial branches. These have now become the obvious markings of democratic rule, but at the time they were a startling innovation. Or, as the US likes to think of itself, an exception.The past two years have definitely seen many global examples of US exceptionalism, be it in Greenland, Venezuela or Iran, as well as internal radical changes related to immigrants, the structure of government and the role of religion. But it may be that many of these were foretold, not least in the last lines of the US national anthem:“Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,And this be our motto - “In God is our trust”And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall waveO’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.”Laurel Rapp, Director of the US and North America Programme at Chatham House, is an excellent guide to the US experiment and exceptionalism. In a conversation that takes her back to her work in the State Department and her school days, the foundations and meaning of US identity and uniqueness are beautifully revealed - and explain a lot of today’s realities!This episode was recorded on 1 July 2026ChaptersThe US 250th Anniversary significanceUnderstanding American exceptionalismThe legacy of Manifest DestinyContradictions and cultural wars over US historyIs the American dream dead?What is it to be a US diplomat?MentionsUS Declaration of IndependenceUS ConstitutionChatman House US and North America programmeEvent (17 September 2026) US at 250: Separation vs. concentration of power – America’s enduring constitutional debateFollowLaurel Rapp LinkedIn, Chatman House pageIlana Bet-ElInstagram @women_leaders_podcastListen to this episode on our YouTube channelOur partner European Leadership Network Twitter LinkedIn Facebook websiteCreditsProduction: Florence FerrandoMusic: Let Good Times Roll, RA from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/ra/let-good-times-rollLicense code: ZXIIIJUU2ISPZIJT