WORLD: we got this

This episode looks at how colourism affects people and their life chances, plus how research is helping to fill the gaps in our knowledge around this pervasive, but perhaps not widely known form of discrimination.Featuring Dr Aisha Phoenix, a social justice lecturer from the School of Education, Communication & Society at King’s College London, the episode also explores what lies behind colourism and hears about her research that is helping improve understanding around the prevalence and effects of colourism.

How does a movement for social justice transform into a viable political party? How are the ideas of the movement reshaped in the process? In this episode, Dr Vignesh Rajahmani, who completed his PhD from the King's India Institute, speaks to Professor Christophe Jaffrelot, Professor of Indian Politics and Sociology, about his thesis on the Dravidian movement in Tamil Nadu in southern India. He shares his insights on the movement's journey from being a grassroots social mobilisation into a political party and its impact on Indian politics. He discusses why studying the Dravidian movement offers unique insights into the potential of identity politics to achieve social justice.

The international community imposed far-reaching sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in a bid to weaken its economic base and curtail its ability to wage war. However, the war continues. So, what has happened? Have the sanctions not worked as hoped? And if not, why not?In this episode, Dr Alexander Kupatadaze, Senior Lecturer at King’s Russia Institute, shares his new research which reveals how Russia is outmanoeuvring Western sanctions thanks to help from neighbouring countries and the “implicit approval” of producers in the West.

What life skills can one learn from doing a PhD?In this episode, Dr Maísa Edwards who recently completed a joint PhD from the King’s Brazil Institute and the University of São Paulo talks about her research on Brazil’s diplomatic and defence relations in the South Atlantic region. Speaking to Dr Andreza de Souza Santos, Maísa also shares the challenges she faced in completing her PhD during the Covid-19 pandemic and the research skills and life lessons she learnt from the experience.

Migration is a topic that preoccupies many countries around the world and this new episode looks at some of the current global challenges around migration including exploring what impact immigrants have on jobs and public services, whether politicians are in step with public attitudes towards migrants and refugees, plus what it is like for those trying to move in search of a better life. It features academics from the Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy at King’s College London: Dr Leonie Ansems de Vries, Reader in International Politics in the Department of War Studies and Director of King’s Sanctuary Programme; Professor Jonathan Portes, Professor of Economics and Public Policy in the School of Politics & Economics and the Policy Institute; and Dr Mollie Gerver, Lecturer in International Ethics of the School of Politics & Economics.

Why aren't mainland Chinese films box office hits in the UK? Do Chinese people watch films produced in the UK? PhD student, Giulia D'Aquila researches an agreement between China and the UK on film production and distribution.In this episode, she reflects on how films from mainland China are received in the UK, what is considered propaganda in each country and why other foreign-language exports are popular with Western audiences. She also shares more about her PhD journey with Professor Kerry Brown, Director of the Lau China Institute.

Is technology really helping people in India to receive their welfare entitlements? Or is digitalisation affecting their agency? And how does it affect local state actors? These are some of the questions PhD student, Vanita Leah Falcao is exploring in her thesis. In this episode, she speaks with Professor Louise Tillin about her time as a policy worker in India, her experiences doing research field work and how her thesis question has shifted over the course of her PhD studies.

As we recently marked a year since Russia invaded Ukraine, we are sharing an episode of The War Studies Podcast produced by our Department of War Studies looking back at what we have learned over the past year of fighting and what it might mean for the future.It features Dr Marina Miron, who uses her knowledge of Russian military strategy, information warfare, and technology to explore what has happened over the past year and why, as well looking at the implications for future global security.Find out more about the Department of War Studies, which sits within the Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy at King's College London. Find out more about the podcast here or search for "The War Studies Podcast" to listen to more episodes.

This new episode looks at recent large-scale public protests in Russia, China and Iran including what has sparked them and what they tell us about the balance of power of these regimes.The episode, featuring academics from the Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy, looks at the effects of the protests, the response of those in power to the public dissent, and asks whether they are a sign that authoritarian regimes are losing their grip or whether they could use them to justify increasing control.It features Ahou Koutchesfahani, a PhD candidate in our War Studies Department, Dr Jane Hayward, a lecturer in China and Global Affairs at King’s Lau China Institute, and Dr Maxim Alyukov, a postdoctoral fellow at King’s Russia Institute.