Worlds Apart

Abstract over real? Emanuel Pastreich, President of the Asia Institute

The relationship between the economy and politics has always been the central issue in any governance strategy. The two are supposed to work in unison to produce a healthy and generative society, but a conflict between the pair, or exploiting one for the sake of the other, inevitably throws a country into disarray. It happened to China in the 19th century and the Soviet Union at the end of the 20th century. Is it now the US’ turn? To discuss this, Oksana is joined by Emanuel Pastreich, President of the Asia Institute and a former Green Party candidate for US president.

Taking the bait? SB Asthana, Retired Indian Major General

For decades, Israel’s strategy of dealing with the Palestinian issue has been to bide its time, holding land and seeking regional support in the hope that the historical grievances would cease to matter along with the people who bore them. The response to Hamas’s raid made the attritional approach explicit, but did not make it more effective. Global sympathy for the Palestinian cause continues to grow as the Israeli offensive claims more lives and wreaks destruction. Has Israel become entrapped in the pursuit of its goals? To discuss this, Oksana is joined by SB Asthana, a retired Indian Major General.

Sick with values? Randy Thornhill, evolutionary biologist

Many philosophers claim we are what we eat but, as Oksana argues, we are also what’s eating us. Our parasites shape far more than our immune systems, and may well determine where we stand on major policy debates, as well as how we navigate our friendships or our love affairs. Can we know ourselves without accounting for our parasites first? To discuss this, Oksana is joined by Randy Thornhill, an evolutionary biologist and professor emeritus at the University of New Mexico.

Adversity in diversity? Richard Sakwa, Professor Emeritus of Russian & European Politics, University of Kent

One of the basic premises of modern psychology is that, while patterns of development may be universal, each psyche, each individual will have to find his or her own solutions to the problems posed by life. That seems natural and yet, when taken to the collective level, there still seem to be good and bad ways of being and development, regardless of a nation’s history, culture or collective trauma. With such a zeal for uniformity, can we ever put an end to inner and outer conflicts? To discuss this, Oksana is joined by Richard Sakwa, Professor Emeritus of Russian and European Politics at the University of Kent.

Free to harm? John Kiriakou, former CIA officer

An old Russian saying has it that there are no former intelligence officers. The work of spies requires levels of dexterity, loyalty, and discretion that usually go far beyond field assignments. But what if serving one’s country reveals something that negates its most foundational and cherished values? What then constitutes treason – keeping mum about the abuses or sharing the dirty secrets with the public and potential enemies? To discuss this, Oksana is joined by John Kiriakou, a former CIA officer and a former Senior Investigator for the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Respecting perspectives? John Bell, co-founder of the Conciliators Guild

Sir Henry Wotton, a 17th-century English diplomat, once described diplomacy as being about surviving until the next century, and politics about surviving until Friday afternoon. With wars and crises putting humanity’s future survival in doubt, is it still possible to find a place for diplomacy in geopolitics? To discuss this, Oksana is joined by John Bell, director and co-founder of the Conciliators Guild.