In our annual Pride episode, comedian and TLU alumni Jana Levitina joins our host Terry McDonald to discuss the role humour plays in activism. Jana has co-founded a FLINTA (female, lesbian, intersex, non-binary, trans, agender) comedy club in Estonia, and in this episode enlightens Terry on the importance of political humour, how is feminism related to LGBTQ+ rights, and the ongoing importance of Pride in 2023. For more info on Baltic Pride: https://www.balticpride.ee/ Jana is also an...

The reconstruction of Ukraine is going to be one of the biggest international development projects in history. Many partners - governments, NGOs, and in the private sector - will have a role to play.  As in the war itself, the US government will have a leading role in these efforts. As the development arm of the US government, USAid will likely be at the helm. In this episode of the Tallinn University Podcast, Patrick J. Wilson - Senior Advisor on Ukraine Recovery and Reconstruction for...

In our annual Green Month episode, our host Terry McDonald speaks with Dr. Bianka Plüschke-Altof,  a Senior researcher in Environmental Sociology at Tallinn University. They discuss Green Cities, whether or not Tallinn deserves this award, and Bianka's book Whose Green City? Contested Urban Green Spaces and Environmental Justice in Northern Europe. You can purchase the book here, or check it out your local library. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-04636-0

This week Georgians and those sympathetic to them protested outside the Georgian embassy in Tallinn. They did so in solidarity with the massive protests in Tbilisi - Georgia's capital - as the parliament tried to pass a Foreign Agent law that the protesters dubbed the "Russian Law", as Putin passed the same law on his path to authoritarianism.  In this episode, our host Terry McDonald is joined by TLU Graduate and protest organizer Anano Iashvili, who tells us about the political situation...

In this special episode, Prime Minister of Estonia Kaja Kallas joins our Host Terry McDonald live at the Tallinn University Symposium of International Relations. In a wide-ranging session, topics from the War in Ukraine, Globalization, Migration, Estonia's Priorities in World Affairs,  and Small State Survival are discussed as the PM takes questions from Terry and the student audience.  The Symposium was supported by the MIRNet project, which has received funding from the European Union's...

More than 40 000 deaths, and 100 000 injured - the earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria this month is a humanitarian catastrophe. In its aftermath, there lays not only destruction, but legacies of war, corruption, and crises-within-crises. In this special episode, Tallinn University Podcast team member Jana Levitina speaks with TLU Politics and Governance student Selim Rahim, who is from Turkey, about how poor governance in the region magnifies the effects of natural disaster.  If you wish...

Christmas traditions in Estonia can be traced back many centuries ago, with the first ever documented Chrimstas tree being put on display in Europe found in Estonia over 600 years ago. However, modern Estonian winter holiday practices are recorded only from the 19th century due to the introduction of Christianity and the Baltic Germans. In this episode, TLU Alumni and Lecturer of Estonian culture and language Ele Arder, walks host Terry McDonald through the history of Christmas holiday...

According to the data of the Social Insurance Board, as of December 31, 2021, Estonia had a total of 133,007 disabled people. Disabled people make up nearly 11% of Estonia’s total population. However, struggles with the legacies of the previous system - in which people with disabilities were hidden from society - remain. In this episode, host Terry McDonald talks to Meelis Joost, Chairman, the Estonian Chamber of Disabled People, about the evolution of the rights of persons with disabilities...

The COP27 summit is grappling with how we can face the challenge of climate change in a way that is both effective and just. Tallinn University graduate Jyri Jäntti, a Climate Change Specialist for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) based at the Regional Collaboration Center (RCC) Kampala, is a delegate there. In this episode, he joins our host Terry McDonald to discuss the conference, its aims, shortfalls, and what it all means to the future of...

With Iran being rocked by protests, the world has taken notice. From record-breaking online support, to women cutting off their hair, to human chains and solidarity marches, people all over the world have expressed solidarity with this women-led movement for freedom, including activists here in Estonia. In our first episode of the new season, host Terry McDonald talks to Iranian poet and TLU student Maliheh Keshmiri about the origin of these protests, and TLU PhD Candidate in Middle East...

In our final episode of season two, host Terry McDonald is joined by Anette Mäletjärv, Cooperation Officer in the Estonian LGBT Association, to discuss the history of the LGBTQ+ movement in Estonia, where it started, and what it has achieved. Happy Pride Month! 

From claims like "Made with recycled products" to pictures of a rainforest on the label, the image of environmentalism is everywhere in advertising today. Similarly, more consumers are trying to make environmentally conscious purchasing decisions than ever. To do so, though, they need to be able to know which products are actually produced in an environmentally-sustainable manner. Many products and events are advertised using 'green' themes while not actually using 'green' practises - in a...

The arts have been essential to the survival of Estonian culture, through various occupations, up through the Singing Revolution, and in the revitalization of independence. Now, on Tallinn Music Week, our host Terry McDonald is joined by Shiftworks CEO and TMW Founder Helen Sildna to discuss the festival's history, and the meaning of the arts in times of repression and war. Then, Monika Tomingas - Project Manager at the Estonian Folklore Council and Lecturer at the Baltic Film, Media, and...

Social Media and the rights and responsibilities that come with it shape so much of our world - politics, relationships, war and peace.  How can we have democracy in a world where people are living in different information realities? Who gets to choose what is acceptable discourse? In a wide-ranging discussion, Dr. Mart Susi - founder of the Digital Human Rights Network and Professor of Human Rights Law at TLU - joins Terry to discuss how we shape the conversation that shapes so much of our...

Hacking. Cybercrime. Cyberwarfare. It cuts to the heart of modern life, and the essential functions of modern society. Now, as one of the major players in cyberwarfare engages in total war, we need to understand the vulnerabilities we have to cyberattack, and how we can deal with them without sacrificing the connectivity we depend on as a global society. Catlyn Kirna, Lecturer of International Relations at TLU and Cyber Security Consultant with CGI Estonia, join our host Terry McDonald to...

Pandemics. Climate change. Refugee crises. The problems we face in the era of globalization run deep. Despite layers of governance and a plethora of expertise, there are modern problems that simply do not have simple solutions. These are known as Wicked Problems - and how we learn to adapt to and deal with them will shape the future of human society. Dr. Benjamin Klasche is an expert in Wicked Problems, and in this episode joins our host Terry McDonald to discuss how we survive the era of...

With the invasion of Ukraine underway, we invited Dr. Matthew Crandall and Dr. Benjamin Klasche back on the podcast to speak with Terry about why Russia would do this, and what it means for the future of Europe, International Relations, and the world. We also discuss the events from each of an American, German, and Canadian perspective.  This episode was done live on Twitter Spaces - and we are releasing it here for those who may have missed it. 

Half a world apart geographically, close partners in culture, economy, and security - in this episode we discuss the relationship between Canada and Estonia.  Estonian Ambassador to Canada Toomas Lukk joins our host Terry McDonald to talk about the history of Estonians in Canada, how the Estonian diaspora maintains their identity, what NATO security partnerships mean to Estonia, and tells us his favourite Canadian band. O Canada!  In the episode we reference a visa-free work arrangement for...

The year 2021 saw an unprecedented surge in energy prices in Europe, with the retail price of electricity almost tripling in Estonia within a year. Why has this happened, and what does it say about the future of energy? Host Terry McDonald is joined by Dr. Mihkel Kangur, an Associate Professor of Sustainable Development at the School of Natural Sciences and Health here at Tallinn University, to discuss Estonia's energy situation, the geo-politics of the issue, nuclear power, and if your...

Russian troops are amassed near the Ukrainian border, in an escalation of the crisis that has been building since the invasion of 2014. Just yesterday, Putin and Biden exchanged ultimatums regarding the consequences of any potential Russian military invasion of Ukraine, with the potential of a "complete breakdown" of the relationship between the US and Russia in the air. How did Ukraine become a flashpoint in international affairs? What does Russia seek to gain? Why is the US so concerned?...

A border crisis by design on the edge of the European Union. Migrating people's desire for a better life being used as weapon to destabilize a political rival. Who are these people arriving on Europe's doorstep - who sent them, and why? Dr. Mari-Liis Jakobson, Associate Professor of Political Sociology at TLU's School of Governance, Law and Society joins our host Terry McDonald to explain.  If you want to know more about the issues in Belarus, check out episode 3 from last season, where we...

Estonia is a world-leader in education. For example, in 2018 Estonian 15 year-olds had the highest scores in Europe in the OECD's PISA tests - the best standardized measurement of educational success available today. What is it about the Estonian education system that works so well? Are there lessons that other countries and educators should take from Estonia's experience? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Mati Heidmets from Tallinn University's Centre of Excellence in Educational Innovation...

Major powers have been using Covid vaccines - and the desire other states have for access to them - to buy allies and enhance their global reputations. Russia, China, the USA, and the EU have all had different approaches and agendas when it comes to this vaccine diplomacy - and this has been a force in international relations and the global Covid response. In this episode, we discuss this phenomenon and its implications with Dr. Mika Aaltola.  Dr. Aaltola is the Director of FIIA, a tenured...

Do you know what bees mean to society, and what you can do to help them thrive? Dr. Liisa Puusepp of the Tallinn University Institute of Ecology joins us to talk about how bees made your breakfast, pollination corridors, and why she has 100 000 bees on the roof of Tallinn University.  This episode is our contribution to TLU's Green Month initiative - you can find other events here https://linktr.ee/GreenMonthTLU .