The Global Politics Podcast Project

Part 1: Assignment Prompt

Background: Global Policy on the Ground

For this project, you will step into the shoes of a policy journalist. You will identify a practitioner working at an international non-governmental organization (NGO), intergovernmental organization (IGO), or global policy think tank, research their recent work, and conduct a 45-minute interview with them. This interview will be recorded and submitted as a podcast episode.

Your Task

For this project, you will step into the shoes of a policy journalist. You will identify a practitioner working at a policy advocacy organization, think tank, or community group at a global level, research their recent work, and conduct a 45-minute interview with them. This interview will be recorded and submitted as a podcast episode.

Steps to Complete the Project:

1. Select a Global Organization: Identify an international organization (e.g., Amnesty International, World Bank, UN Environment Programme, global think tanks) that aligns with your policy interests (e.g., human rights, climate change, international trade).
2. Identify a Target Practitioner: Find a researcher, policy analyst, community organizer, or director at that organization to interview.
3. Secure the Interview: Use the provided email template to invite your practitioner to a 45-minute Friday Zoom session.
4. Record the Podcast: Conduct the interview. You must investigate the real-world tensions of their work by asking how international frameworks and global mandates confront on-the-ground implementation challenges and institutional hurdles.

Part 2: Research & Interview Preparation

A good podcast interview is built on great research. Practitioners are much more likely to agree to an interview—and give you robust, interesting answers—if they know you have actually engaged with their work.

Research Requirements:

Before you reach out to your target practitioner, you must:

1. Navigate to your chosen organization's website.
2. Locate their "Publications," "Reports," or "Research" section.
3. Identify one recent policy report, brief, or white paper (published within the last 2-3 years) that is relevant to the practitioner you want to interview.
4. Read the executive summary and key findings.

Developing Your Questions:

Based on your research, draft 5-7 interview questions.

• The Hook: Start with a question specifically referencing the report you read (e.g., "In your recent 2024 report on global climate financing, you noted [X]... how have governments and civil society responded to that finding?").
• The Career Path: Ask about their role and how they navigate the political landscape of their international domain.
• Global Implementation & Governance Tension (Required): You must include at least one question that investigates how international treaties, global norms, or advocacy goals confront real-world national sovereignty, institutional resistance, or localized implementation challenges.

Part 3: Outreach Email Template

Use this template as a starting point. Personalize the bracketed [ ] sections before sending.

Part 4: Grading Rubric