Who are the bad guys anyway? | What’s Unsaid

01/30/25 • 27 min

Since the early days of the American west, World War Two, the Cold War, or the war on terror, conflict has been presented in the movies as having two sides: good guys and bad guys. Host Ali Latifi and Idrees Ahmad, a journalism, film, and culture professor, dig into why we brand groups and people in such binary terms – and ask what role Hollywood and the media play in ignoring the complexity of conflict and crisis.

What’s Unsaid is a podcast by The New Humanitarian, where we explore open secrets and uncomfortable conversations around the world’s conflicts and disasters.

What’s Unsaid is a podcast by The New Humanitarian, where we explore open secrets and uncomfortable conversations around the world’s conflicts and disasters.

Previous Episode

If not aid, then what? | Event

Can power truly shift in a sector whose origins are rooted in colonialism? If not, what lies beyond the international aid system as we know it?

On the sidelines of UNGA 2024, The New Humanitarian, the Center for Transformational Change, and Refugees International convened a panel to examine the systemic limitations of the current global aid architecture, whether it can evolve for the better, and what comes next.

SPEAKERS

Lina Srivastava, founder of the Center for Transformational Change (moderator)
Hanin Ahmed, Emergency Response Room volunteer and Sudanese activist
Alex Gray, Director, International Funds at The Center for Disaster Philanthropy
Aarathi Krishnan, Founder of Raksha Intelligence Futures and former Head of Strategic Foresight at UNDP Asia-Pacific
Nadine Saba, Co-founder and director of Akkar Network for Development-AND; Grand Bargain Sherpa

* This panel was part of a doubleheader event on Navigating the Limits and Evolving Role of Humanitarian Aid held on 27 September, 2024.

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Got a question or feedback? Email [email protected] or have your say on Twitter using the hashtag #RethinkingHumanitarianism.

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SHOW NOTES

From Gaza to Sudan: The limits and future of humanitarian aid

Next Episode

Introducing ‘Power Shift’: An experiment in dialogue

The term 'decolonising aid' is everywhere. And yet, many decisions about aid are made behind closed doors in the West, and those most affected by aid policies have little power in shaping them.

But what if people who are rarely in the same room together sit down and talk? No talking points. No self-censorship. Just open, honest, and moderated one-on-one conversations.

Introducing Power Shift: A new podcast from The New Humanitarian and the Center for Transformational Change that presents moderated conversations between decision-makers in aid and philanthropy and those affected by their decisions.

Can they use honest and sustained dialogue to create shared visions for fairer humanitarian responses? Find out on Power Shift.

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Participants & Interviewees Nadine Saba: Grand Bargain Sherpa; Co-founder and Director of Akkar Network for Development Michael Köhler: Grand Bargain Ambassador Hafsar Tameesuddin: Co-Secretary General of the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN); Rohingya activist and refugee Raouf Mazou: Assistant High Commissioner for Operations at UNHCR Degan Ali: Executive Director of Adeso Lina Srivastava: Founder of the Center for Transformational Change

Production Team Host: Melissa Fundira Moderator: Lina Srivastava Producers: Lina Srivastava, Frederica Boswell, Melissa Fundira Editor: Irwin Loy Theme song: “Chill 2.0” by Barno Sound engineer: Tevin Sudi ___

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You can find transcripts of all podcasts on our website.

Are you or anyone you know interested in participating in future Power Shift conversations? Email us with the subject line ‘POWER SHIFT”.