In this episode, Office Hours host Stefanella Julius joins Professor Tito Cordella and current SAIS student Parth Patel to discuss recent worrisome developments in global financial markets and what the repercussions are.  Recent bank failures from Silicon Valley Bank to First Republic Bank have led many to believe that the world could be facing a widespread financial crisis. But how likely is this, really? And how could the deposit scheme in the United States be reformed to discourage risky lending by banks? The conversation touches on these points, as well as the role of China and the ramifications that these bank failures could have on emerging market economies. Professor Cordella has extensive policy experience in various Bretton Woods institutions and has published widely in banking, international finance/development, and trade. Parth has previous experience in management consulting and a strong interest in economic development, central banking, and financial markets.  

This week, Office Hours host Audrey Lodes sits down with Professor Sanam Vakil and SAIS student Rana Nejad to discuss the normalization of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran and its implications for the two countries and the international community.  In addition to teaching at SAIS, Professor Vakil is also the director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House. Currently serving as the Editor-in-Chief of the SAIS Europe Journal of Global Affairs (SEJGA), Rana was drawn to Professor Vakil’s work through her own research and publications on Iran and the Middle East.  Saudi Arabia and Iran recently brokered a deal to restore diplomatic relations after years of significant tension. But what are the implications of this, and why does it matter to the international community? Professor Vakil, Rana, and Audrey tackle these questions, touching on economic effects, the significance of this deal for China and the U.S., and much more.   

In this week's episode, Office Hours host Audrey Lodes sits down with Sir Michael Leigh and current SAIS student Priya Swyden to discuss possible future scenarios of Europe, the issue of enlargement, and foreign security policy in light of the war in Ukraine.  Having previously worked at NATO and the Atlantic Council, Priya was drawn to Professor Leigh’s work on enlargement and the future of the EU. She currently takes his class, “Scenarios for the Future of Europe,” in which students are asked to develop potential scenarios for what may happen in Europe going forward and think critically about which are the most plausible. Given current geopolitical circumstances, what are some of the challenges currently facing the European Union enlargement process? What does the future of Europe look like? The conversation touches upon these points, as well as the renewed importance of NATO and what the global community should be on the lookout for in the coming years.   

In this episode, Office Hours host Audrey Lodes sits down with Professor Justin O. Frosini and current SAIS student Nick Kalams to discuss post-conflict political challenges in Bosnia and Herzegovina and reflect on the recent study trip to Sarajevo, led by Nick and facilitated by the Center for Constitutional Studies and Democratic Development (CCSDD).   The CCSDD, directed by Professor Frosini, is a research partnership between the School of Law of the University of Bologna and SAIS Europe. CCSDD fellows conduct research and training in the field of comparative constitutional law, focusing on countries undergoing a process of democratic transition. Each year, a select delegation of SAIS Europe and University of Bologna students participate in a CCSDD-facilitated study trip to Sarajevo, where they meet with representatives of organizations currently engaged in post-conflict reconciliation, human rights issues and democratic development. Nick and Professor Frosini discuss the insights provided by the trip and the relevance of this history to today’s political landscape in Bosnia.   Almost 28 years have passed since the Dayton Accords were signed, ending the violent ethnic conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina. But what are the implications of basing a country’s entire political system on a peace agreement? Nick and Professor Frosini delve into this, citing the recent Bosnian elections and reflecting on observations made on the 2023 Sarajevo Study Trip. 

Office Hours is back. In this episode, our host, Stefanella Julius sits down with current SAIS student Evan Ward and Professor Mark Gilbert to chat about the rise of populism amid increasingly widespread feelings of Euroscepticism within the EU.Mark Gilbert introduces us to his upcoming book, “Italy Reborn: From fascism to democracy,” which delves into Italy’s political transformation and democratic transition following World War II.But, in the wake of dramatic leadership changes in the global theater over the last ten years, how can we define populism as it exists in Europe today? From Brexit to Clinton, Gilbert expounds on the modern populist identity and how well this identity reflects the growing disconnect between experts and public opinion.

In our first episode, Office Hours' host Audrey Lodes sits down with current SAIS student Daniel Lubin and Professor Nina Hall to discuss what transnational advocacy means and the ever-important role of domestic actors within international movements. The conversation touches upon Nina Hall's new book called "Transnational Advocacy in the Digital Era" which is a product of five years of research exploring how international groups and activists utilize technology to mobilize around global issues. Organizations like MoveOn, GetUp, and Campact are able to organize and reach large audiences about issues like climate change, trade, and humanitarian crises. But how do these movements spread internationally from the United States to Hungary, New Zealand, Brazil, Sweden, and beyond and what is the role of media and technology? Daniel Lubin was drawn to Hall's work from his own experience as one of the founders of Na'amod, a British protest group mobilizing the Jewish community in the United Kingdom against the Israeli occupation of East Jerusalem, Gaza and the West Bank.