Until last week, the continent of Europe had not seen major armed conflict since the Balkan Wars in the 1990s. All that changed at the end of February, when Russian troops invaded the democratic republic of Ukraine. In light of current circumstances, for this month's playlist we are taking a philosophical look at issues relating to borders and conflict.
We kick off the playlist with an episode featuring Sarah Song that asks whether borders are essential for nationhood, or historically arbitrary boundaries that maintain global inequalities. Next up is an episode with Martha Nussbaum that considers the relationship between justice, immigration, and invasion. Former co-host Debra Satz originally joined us as a guest on an episode that asks which is more important—loyalty to one's nation, or loyalty to all of humanity? Next on the playlist, Michael Lynch joins us to consider why humans are so susceptible to totalitarian propaganda, and what we can do to guard against the appeal of authoritarian rulers. Finally, Judith Butler is featured as the guest on an episode that examines why media representations of war and conflict are so often santized and one-sided.
We stand with the citizens of Ukraine who are couragously defending their country, and to the brave citizens of Russia who dare to speak out against Putin's war.
Borders and Conflict
| Episode Title | Guest | Related Content | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Nations and Borders | Sarah Song, Professor of Law and Associate Professor of Political Science, UC Berkeley | Nations and Borders | |
 | Justice Across Boundaries | Martha Nussbaum, Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics, University of Chicago | Immigration and Citizenship Global Justice and Human Rights What are Human Rights? | |
 | Patriotism versus Cosmopolitanism | Debra Satz, Marta Sutton Weeks Professor of Ethics in Society, Stanford University | The Ethics of Identity Global Poverty and International Aid Justice Across Boundaries Immigration and Citizenship Loyalty | |
 | The Allure of Authoritarianism | Michael Lynch, Professor of Philosophy, University of Connecticut | The Appeal of Authoritarianism | |
 | War, Sacrifice, and the Media | Judith Butler, Maxine Elliot Professor in the Departments of Rhetoric and Comparative Literature, UC Berkeley | War, Sacrifice, and the Media |