If Myanmar’s history has been a long march towards democracy, the Southeast Asian nation faced a major setback earlier this year. The military recently ousted the de facto leader of Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi, and has begun a crackdown on its own citizens. To make matters much worse, the nation had already been undergoing and executing what the United States calls a genocide. Joshua Kurlantzick is a Senior Fellow for Southeast Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations studying the collapse of demo...
Jul 02, 2021•32 min
Understanding and sparring with Russia has been a goal of American diplomacy since the 1950's. But Putin has brought his country to a new level of post-Soviet grandeur. The largest nation in the world is making its presence felt by the ex-KGB man turned politician. Understanding Putin is the main purpose of this episode. His desires, his weaknesses, his endgame. And there is no better a witness to each than Dr. Angela Stent . The Director of the Center for Eurasian, Russian, and Eastern European...
Jun 11, 2021•30 min
This is a vaccine you've never heard about. University of Cambridge Professor of Social Psychology Sander van Der Linden on inoculating the public against misinformation, and the battle for truth in climate change, the pandemic, and American politics. Plus, how Medicare's Hospital Trust Fund is depleting an alarming rate. And how the January 6th white supremacist mob was not the first time blood was spilt in the Capitol —how precedent can predict what happens next. The Cambridge Social Decision-...
Jan 22, 2021•1 hr 6 min
In America, regulation is often pitted as the enemy of economic growth. But Dr. Graciela Chichilnisky (that's two PhD's to be exact) disagrees. The author of over 300 publications and 15 books, the designer of the first ever global carbon market in the Kyoto Protocol, a lead author in the Nobel-winning 2007 IPCC, a professor at Columbia University, and the founder and CEO of Global Thermostat, a 1 trillion dollar market venture, Graciela Chichilnisky knows the power that 6th element of the perio...
Nov 19, 2020•31 min•Season 2Ep. 3
The final frontier has long fascinated humanity. Why humans are exploring, how emperor penguins breathe, how the Big Bang happened, and what a year in space feels like, on this installment of Extempore, featuring the 2006 Nobel Laureate in Physics and Senior Astrophysicist at NASA Goddard, Dr. John Mather, and Astronaut Jessica Meir, one of two women to partake in the first all-female spacewalk onboard a 204 day ISS stay earlier this year. It's good to be back, even if we aren't covering our hom...
Oct 19, 2020•46 min
Guess who didn't cause this climate change problem? The places with the highest population growth. They didn't do it- it was me. Dawn King is the Director of Undergraduate Studies and a Senior Lecturer in the Institute for Environment and Society at Brown University and joins us on this second installment of Season Two on Climate Change to discuss food deserts and insecurity, climate inequity and injustice, urban and indoor agriculture, and how your tomato plant is a cop out. This episode is bro...
Sep 15, 2020•47 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Is there such thing as a perfect climate? Will we ever solve climate change? What even is climate change? Oh, and how did it enable Donald Trump to get elected? Mike Hulme , Professor of Human Geography and Fellow of Pembroke College at Cambridge University, is one of the most cited climate scientists in the world. He joins us on this premiere installment of Season Two on Climate Change to discuss the culture and history of climate change, rebuke the immunity of science, and debate the purpose o...
Sep 06, 2020•45 min•Season 2Ep. 1
On August 20th, one of the largest and oldest public universities in the United States, the University of Georgia, opened its doors to 50,000 students and staff. Spotlighting student and faculty advocates, and featuring interviews from our in-house staff, this episode exposes the juxtaposition between student wellbeing and institutional profit and provides insight as to what we can expect in the weeks ahead. This episode is brought to you by the Ashley Wilson Piano Studio , offering private, in-...
Aug 25, 2020•48 min
As with every cycle, this is the most consequential election of our lifetime. But this time, it actually is. Mail-in voting during a pandemic, voter disenfranchisement, technology for waiting in line, and the census, are all on this episode of The Finch featuring: Juan Gilbert, the Banks Family Preeminence Endowed Professor and Chair of the Department of Computer and Information Science and Engineering at the University of Florida, and Charles Stewart III, the Kenan Sahin Distinguished Professor...
Aug 17, 2020•1 hr
Yemen is the world's worst humanitarian crisis. And the US is playing a major role. Gregory Aftandilian is a former Pentagon and State Department Middle East expert and currently serves as an Adjunct Professor at George Mason, Boston, and American Universities. Scott Paul is the Humanitarian Policy Lead of Oxfam America, a nonprofit dedicated to tackling the roots of poverty globally. On this episode, we explore the cultural, political and religious causes of the war in Yemen and analyze the soc...
Aug 12, 2020•36 min
These next few months are going to decide the future of America for generations. Former State Representative and current Democratic candidate for Georgia House Seat 119, Jonathan Wallace, is on this installment of Heritage. In Part 2, we have conversations about firearm regulation, LGBTQ and women's rights, policing and militarization, immigration, and the upcoming general election. In Part 1, we discuss environmental regulation, education reform, transportation, and the pandemic response. Learn...
Jul 30, 2020•55 min
Courage is on the ballot this year. It's also on this episode of The Finch. Former State Representative and current Democratic candidate for Georgia House Seat 119, Jonathan Wallace, is on this installment of Heritage. In Part 1, we discuss environmental regulation, education reform, transportation, and the pandemic response. In Part 2, we have conversations about firearm regulation, LGBTQ and women's rights, policing and militarization, immigration, and the upcoming general election. Learn more...
Jul 25, 2020•46 min
Two interviews. Three months apart. On this special episode, the last of the COVID-19 series (for now), Alex and Will talk with Dr. Neal Priest, Chief of Emergency Medicine at St. Mary's in Athens, Georgia about this pandemic- what has and hasn't changed. Listen to "The Virus 1" with Dr. Neal Priest to get a comparison of how this virus has progressed over this summer. Our next season will be on global warming. Learn more about what we do at www.thefinchpodcast.com The views of Dr. Neal Priest d...
Jul 22, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Her race is back on . Deborah Gonzalez, a former state representative for Georgia House District 117, took on the Governor- and won. This is the story of how she got back on the ballot, her platform, and the seat she is seeking. The ACLU calls the district attorney the most powerful elected official you've never heard of. On this fifth installment of our Heritage series, Alex and Will talk with Deborah, a Democratic candidate for DA in Athens and Oconee, about ending mass incarceration, increasi...
Jul 17, 2020•48 min
Dr. Biao He is an internationally-acclaimed expert in parainfluenza viruses leading an effort at the University of Georgia to create a Trojan horse vaccine: using part of an old MERS vaccine and equipping it with COVID-19 components. On this Season Finale of The Virus, Alex and Will sit down with Dr. He, a GRA Eminent Scholar and the Davidson Distinguished University Chair in Veterinary Medicine, to talk about what may be our only way out of this pandemic. The views of Dr. Biao He do not reflect...
Jul 14, 2020•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 16
It's a long road to getting a vaccine on the market. Kim Fowler, Director of the Human Research Protection Program at the University of Georgia, is our guide. On this episode we talk about human challenge trials, discuss the ethics behind expediting research, and make predictions about when we can expect a COVID-19 vaccine. The views of Kim Fowler do not reflect the views of her employer, the University of Georgia, or any affiliated organization. Learn more about The Finch = www.thefinchpodcast....
Jul 11, 2020•25 min•Season 1Ep. 15
We are entering an unprecedented time in economic history. Unemployment rate is at an all time high, the most progressive stimulus bills in modern history are on the table, and standards of industry and competition are being dismantled in a frenzy to provide necessary equipment and salvage the supply chain. Dr. Laura Phillips Sawyer knows business, history, and business history. She talks with Alex and Will on this COVID-19 episode for the books. The views of Dr. Laura Phillips Sawyer do not ref...
Jul 08, 2020•46 min•Season 1Ep. 14
John Q. Williams has served as a dispatcher, instructor, resource officer, police officer, and investigator. Now he's running for sheriff. On this fourth installment of our Heritage series, Alex and Will talk with John about his platform to reform the Athens police department and the disputes at the intersection of law enforcing and racial bias. Campaign Site: http://johnqforsheriff.com Register to Vote: https://vote.gov --------------------------------------------- Follow us on Instagram and Tw...
Jul 03, 2020•48 min
Society will forever be changed. Just how much is the question we asked Dr. Diana Graizbord, Assistant Professor of Sociology and Latin American and Caribbean Studies at the University of Georgia. On this episode of The Finch, we draw parallels with the AIDS epidemic, discuss the emergence of the field of economics, theorize the motivations behind the antivaxxers' movement, and discuss what makes a society. The views of Dr. Diana Graizbord do not reflect the views of her employer, the University...
Jun 29, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Chicago, John Rappaport, talks about qualified immunity, unions, and police liability insurance. Associate Professor of Public Policy at the University of Virginia, Dr. Brian Williams, discusses police-community relations, the Black Lives Matter movement, and equal justice through understanding. Both are on this Extempore on Police Brutality in America. Ways You Can Help: Professor Williams is conducting a nationwide documentation survey on reactio...
Jun 27, 2020•44 min
Dr. David Bradford discusses the flaws within America’s healthcare system, the future of minimum wage, the likeliness of inflation, the length of the recession, and the economic and public health ramifications of reopening prematurely. The views of Dr. David Bradford do not reflect the views of his employer, the University of Georgia, or any affiliated organization. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter = @thefinchpodcast Follow us on Spotify = https://sptfy.com/thefinchpodcast Available on Spotify...
Jun 24, 2020•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 12
Peter Dale is an Athens-native half-Greek Ecuadorian award-winning chef and owner of The National, Seabear, Condor, and Maepole. Alex, Will, and Peter talk about the farm-to-table movement, Gambas al Ajillo, the future of pandemic dining, and the making of some of the finest restaurants in the area in this third installment of Heritage. The National: http://www.thenationalrestaurant.com Seabear Oyster Bar: https://seabearoysterbar.com Condor Chocolates: https://www.condorchocolates.com Maepole: ...
Jun 21, 2020•35 min
Will and Alex talk with Dr. Richard Slatcher , the Gail M. Williamson Distinguished Professor in Behavior and Brain Sciences in the University of Georgia's Department of Psychology, about the impact of COVID-19 on romantic and platonic relationships, communications and human interaction, and coping with stress and anxiety in these trying times. Love in the Time of Covid: https://loveinthetimeofcovid.me The views of Dr. Richard Slatcher do not reflect the views of his employer, the University of ...
Jun 18, 2020•48 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Dr. Eric Zeemering , MPA Director and Associate Professor of Public Administration and Policy at UGA, discusses the interaction between different levels of government, as well as the factors that influenced local responses to COVID-19. Complete your Census here: https://www.census.gov Find out how to vote : https://vote.gov The views of Dr. Eric Zeemering do not reflect the views of his employer, the University of Georgia, or any affiliated organization. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter = @the...
Jun 12, 2020•50 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Director of Research at the Economic Evaluation Research Group and Professor of Public Health at the University of Georgia, Dr. Justin Ingels, discusses preventative measures and their costs, the impact of bereavement, pandemic jurisdiction, as well as long-term healthcare reforms. The views of Dr. Justin Ingels do not reflect the views of his employer, the University of Georgia, or any affiliated organization. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter = @thefinchpodcast Follow us on Spotify = https://...
Jun 10, 2020•32 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Alongside Sandra Mayson , Assistant Professor at the UGA School of Law and former public defendant, and Susan Haire , Professor of Political Science and Director of the Criminal Justice Studies Program, Alex and Will discuss the failures of the judicial proceedings for Ahmaud Arbery’s case. Ways You Can Help: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co this is extremely comprehensive and entails all the ways you can donate, text or call, protest, etc. with templates. -------------------------------------...
Jun 07, 2020•39 min
Hugh Acheson is an award-winning author, former Top Chef judge, participant on Iron Chef Canada, and owner of several restaurants, including 5 & 10 in Athens. But his interests do not simply reside in the kitchen- Hugh talks politics and policy in our second installment of Heritage. Five & Ten: https://www.fiveandten.com Empire State South: https://www.empirestatesouth.com By George: https://curiocollection3.hilton.com/en/hotels/georgia/the-candler-hotel-atlanta-curio-collection-by-hilto...
May 29, 2020•34 min
The Heritage Series of The Finch premiers an interview with Michael Ripps, President and Co-Owner of Jittery Joe's Coffee. How a musician's late-night coffee fix next to the 40 Watt Club 26 years ago became the multinational coffee company we love and call Joe's. Jittery Joe's: https://jitteryjoes.com --------------------------------------------- On Friday, we speak with Hugh Acheson, owner of several restaurants, including 5 & 10. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter = @thefinchpodcast Follow...
May 25, 2020•27 min
The Finch (Will & Alex) is submitting this summary of some of our most insightful interview clips related to social distancing to the New York Times' Third Annual Student Podcast Contest. Will and Alex talk with a psychologist, a sociologist, a government economist, a health economist, a business historian and lawyer, a trade historian, a public health expert, a drug discovery researcher, and the mayor, in order to convince the small Southern city of Athens, GA to follow social distancing an...
May 20, 2020•5 min
Alex and Will talk about The Finch, its beginnings, and its future directions. The Finch has just wrapped up part one of its coverage on COVID-19. For the next three weeks we will be releasing two new types of episodes. Heritage episodes will feature short interviews with local businesses, restaurants, and icons. Extempores will cover issues that emerge in the news, and will be a mix of expert interview snippets and narration. Part two of our COVID-19 coverage will be back on June 8th, with eigh...
May 13, 2020•7 min
