Die Kulturmittler:innen – Der ifa-Podcast zu Außenkulturpolitik

In the wake of the Russian invasion in Ukraine, a fascinating migration pattern has emerged. Armenia and Georgia, nestled in the heart of the South Caucasus, have become havens for Russian and Ukrainian migrants. The influx of these new players in the cultural scene has set off a seismic ripple across the region.

Who are these cultural actors? What stories do they bring with them? How have their artistic foot-prints transformed the local cultural canvas? Tigran Amiryan, founder and president of the Cultural and Social Narratives Laboratory, joins us today. As a semiologist and contemporary culture researcher, he unravels the threads of transformational processes in Armenia and Georgia.

More studies on the topic of ‘Relocation’ can be found under https://culturalrelations.ifa.de/forschen/forschungsergebnisse/.

Two years ago, Russia invaded Ukraine. At 5 a.m., sirens were wailing across the country and explosions were heard everywhere. Since then, a group of over 30 NGOs has come together to document and collect the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during this war to bring them to court. In this episode „Die Kulturmittler:innen“ we talked to Nadia Volkova. The lawyer is the director of the Ukrainian Legal Advisory Group and part of the Ukraine 5 AM Coalition. She explained the work of the coalition, the support from the civilian population and Germany’s responsibility towards Ukraine. The Ukraine 5 AM Coalition is honoured with the ifa Award this year. ifa – Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen recognises the contribution of individuals and institutions to foster transcultural relations through their social, socio-political or artistic work.

All previous episodes of „Die Kulturmittler:innen“ and more information about the ifa Award can be found on the website of ifa – Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen ifa.de.

Do you have any topic requests, praise or criticism? You are welcome to send them to podcast@ifa.de.

The ifa is also on Instagram and LinkedIn.

Verständnis und Vertrauen – diese Werte prägen den globalen Kulturaustausch und erscheinen in Zeiten von Krisen und Kriegen wichtiger denn je. Gitte Zschoch, Generalsekretärin des ifa – Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen spricht mit Host Amira El Ahl über aktuelle Chancen und Herausforderungen von internationaler Kulturarbeit, wie Gesprächsräume in zunehmend illiberalen Gesellschaften geschaffen werden können und wie “die Welt ein sichererer Ort wird”.

Alle bisherigen Episoden von “Die Kulturmittler:innen” sind auf der Webseite des ifa – Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen zu finden.

Themenwünsche, Lob und Kritik? Diese können gerne an podcast@ifa.de geschickt werden.

Das ifa ist auch auf Instagram und LinkedIn.

In dieser Folge richten wir unseren Blick auf die Situation der Medien und die Pressefreiheit im Nahen Osten. Mit Host Amira El Ahl blickt Christopher Resch, Pressereferent für Reporter ohne Grenzen und ehemaliger freier Journalist auf die Lage in Westasien und Nordafrika, die Presse- und Medienfreiheit in der Region und auf die Rolle, die Medienhäuser und soziale Netzwerke dort einnehmen. Diese Folge wurde Ende November 2023 aufgezeichnet. Hintergrundinformationen und Beiträge aus der Region bietet das Portal www.qantara.de in arabischer, englischer und deutscher Sprache, das vom ifa in Kooperation mit der Deutschen Welle herausgegeben wird.

Alle bisherigen Episoden von “Die Kulturmittler:innen” finden Sie auf der Webseite des ifa, dem Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen.

Sie haben Themenwünsche, Lob und Kritik? Diese können gerne an podcast@ifa.de oder auf Instagram und LinkedIn geschickt werden.

China’s Rise as a global economic powerhouse is one of the most consequential events of our time. This meteoric ascent challenges the existing world order, and in response, China has strategically harnessed its cultural diplomacy to bolster its influence worldwide. In this episode of „Die Kulturmitter:innen – Deep Dive“ we speak with Ximena Zapata, a specialist in China-Latin America relations and international cooperation in Latin America. She just published a study about China’s cultural diplomacy and its way to achieve its ambitious objective of consensual hegemony.

If you want to read the whole study of Ximena Zapata, click here: https://culturalrelations.ifa.de/forschung-detail/chinas-cultural-diplomacy-multilateralism/

Artists and cultural institutions often cross borders by challenging conventional, religious, social, and political norms. As a result, they are under intense scrutiny, subjects to repression and even attacked by other parts of civil society. What measures are in place to ensure the protection of these artists? And how can international cultural relations contribute to safeguarding artistic freedom? This is the subject of the research project by Sara Whyatt and Ole Reitov, both experts for the UNESCO on this topic and today’s guests in this episode of Die Kulturmitter:innen - Deep Dive.

Their study will be published next year. To explore other recent research studies on artistic freedom and temporary relocation programmes for artists at risk, visit: https://bit.ly/mri-studien

To learn more about the Martin Roth-Initiative and its programmes for artists at risk, click here: https://bit.ly/martin-roth-initiative

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email us at podcast@ifa.de.

Myanmar seemed to be on a well-paved road to democracy, after political reforms had been initiated in 2011 and the first free elections had been held after 25 years in 2015. The military coup in 2021 ended it abruptly. Ever since, a civil war has been simmering, in which thousands have been arrested and killed. Among those arrested was the democratically elected leader of the country, Aung San Suu Kyi. She started out as one of the revolutionary icons in the democratic protests in 1988, known as the 8888 protests. In 1991, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, but was later on heavily criticized for her stance on the Rohingya genocide in 2017.

Our guest, Ma Thida – surgeon, author, and human rights activist – joined the prodemocratic movement behind Suu Kyi. In 1993, she was arrested and sentenced to 20 years in prison for her political engagement and support of Suu Kyis party. After six years, she was released due to her health conditions and international pressure. In this episode of ‘Die Kulturmittler:innen’, Ma Thida talks about the role of icons in revolutions and literature as a tool for freedom and protest while giving us an insight on recent developments in her country.

All previous episodes of ‘Die Kulturmittler:innen’, e.g. on Taiwan as a democratic role model, can be found here: https://www.ifa.de/ifa-podcast/

Do you have topic requests or feedback? Feel free to send them to podcast@ifa.de.

More information on ifa – Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen at https://www.ifa.de.

While the art of curating was once led by museums, its role has been transformed over the years. A curator nowadays wears many hats: They are curators, producers, mediators – working across fields and disciplines, across borders and mediums, and across physical and virtual spaces. The freelance curator and architect Paula Nascimento is part of this ever-changing process. Having participated in interdisciplinary and collaborative projects, the Angolan curator has a unique perspective on her profession that she shares with us in this episode.

Nascimento explains the many layers of curating and how she herself has experienced it in collaborative and interdisciplinary projects. In this episode, we also take a look at the role of international exhibitions, such as the Venice Biennial, where Nascimento co-curated the Angolan pavilion in 2013. It was the first and only time, an African country received the golden lion for its national representation. And finally, she gives us an insight into virtual art spaces, with ifa’s digital exhibition “ARE YOU FOR REAL – Phase 1” that she curated together with various artists and curators.

If you want to learn more about the digital exhibition, ARE YOU FOR REAL, click here: https://www.ifa.de/tournee/are-you-for-real/

For more information on the potential of transnational cooperations in curating, you should read our study “What does ‘curating’ mean today?” by the art historian Annette Tietenberg. You can find the full study here: https://culturalrelations.ifa.de/en/research/details/what-does-curating-mean-today/

All previous episodes of “Die Kulturmittler:innen”, e.g. on feminist foreign policy or our special episodes on Ukraine, can be found here: https://www.ifa.de/ifa-podcast/

Do you have topic requests or feedback? Feel free to send them to podcast@ifa.de.

More information on the Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen at https://www.ifa.de.

Colonial legacies continue to shape international cooperation and climate policy. While actors in the climate debates seem to be aware of that, the question remains: what is specifically being done about it? In this episode researchers Marina Caetano and Pedro Affonso Ivo Franco talk about their study “Analysing Decolonial Climate Perspectives: The Case of the Brazilian Legal Amazon Region” and explain their position that a decolonial perspective needs to be central to the global response to climate change.

Read the full study here: Analysing Decolonial Climate Perspectives https://culturalrelations.ifa.de/en/research/details/analysing-decolonial-climate-perspectives/ You will find more research on topics of international cultural relations supported by ifa here: https://culturalrelations.ifa.de/en/research/

For all other information visit our website: https://culturalrelations.ifa.de/en/ To learn more about ifa: https://www.ifa.de/en/

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email us at podcast@ifa.de.

Dürre, Überflutungen und Flächenbrände. Wir sehen die Auswirkungen der Klimakrise fast täglich in den Nachrichten. Worüber bisher aber kaum berichtet wird: wie diese Katastrophen unser materielles und immaterielles Kulturerbe beschädigen oder sogar gänzlich zerstören. Deshalb sprechen wir in dieser Folge von „Die Kulturmittler:innen“ mit Johanna Leissner. Sie arbeitet für das Fraunhofer-EU-Büro in Brüssel und forscht seit über 20 Jahren zum Erhalt des kulturellen Erbes, wobei ihr Schwerpunkt auf den Auswirkungen des Klimawandels liegt. Im Interview erzählt sie, wie sehr die Klimakrise weltweit Kulturstätten bedroht, inwiefern auch immaterielle Kulturgüter davon betroffen sind, und welche Lösungsansätze und Strategien existieren, um Kulturerbe zu schützen.

Weitere Informationen und Beiträge zum Thema Kultur und Klima finden Sie hier: https://www.ifa.de/kulturbeziehungen-und-klimaschutz

https://www.ifa.de//insel-der-uebriggebliebenen https://www.ifa.de/podcast/klima-krisen-und-kultur-mit-r-andreas-kraemer

Taiwan is still not recognised as a state by the international community. What role does its external cultural policy play for the country? In this episode, we talk to Yuqing Yang about the topic. The historian and research associate at Hertie School in Berlin furthermore gives a brief insight into the “External Cultural Policy Monitor – Taiwan”. In this country report on Taiwan, she presents insightful data and information on Taiwan’s external cultural policy.

Read the full Taiwan Country Report here: https://culturalrelations.ifa.de/en/research/details/taiwan-country-report/

For more information on the External Cultural Policy Monitor, click here: https://culturalrelations.ifa.de/en/research/#c12686

You will find more research on topics of International Cultural Relations supported by ifa here: https://culturalrelations.ifa.de/en/research/

To learn more about ifa: https://www.ifa.de/en/

Do you have topic requests or feedback? Feel free to send them to podcast@ifa.de

Taiwan usually appears in Western media because of the simmering conflict with mainland China or its global dominance in the semiconductor industry. The entrepreneur and podcaster Emily Y. Wu lets us in on other issues that are moving the Taiwanese people today beyond these two topics. In this episode, she gives an insight into her work and her country – one of only three “full democracies” in Asia.

Wu explains how metal music and politics fit together, what tensions still remain between the various ethnic groups in Taiwan and how she lives with the constant threat of a Chinese invasion.

Furthermore, the ifa magazine KULTURAUSTAUSCH has dedicated its current issue II/2023 to Taiwan. In doing so, it also sheds light on topics beyond the current news situation and offers other perspectives on the island state in the West Pacific.

For English articles from the current edition of KULTURAUSTAUSCH, you can visit the website at kulturaustausch.de or order the German print issue of the magazine here: https://www.kulturaustausch.de/de/bestellen/bestellung

To listen to Freddy Lim’s personal playlist, click here: https://www.kulturaustausch.de/de/archiv/dossiers/taiwan/playlist

If you want to learn more about Taiwan’s approach on cultural diplomacy, you can download our country report on Taiwan: https://culturalrelations.ifa.de/forschung-detail/taiwan-country-report/

If you would like to find out more about Emily Wu’s work, listen to her podcast „Metalhead Politics“.

All previous episodes of “Die Kulturmittler:innen”, e.g. on feminist foreign policy or our special episodes on Ukraine, can be found here: https://www.ifa.de/ifa-podcast/

Do you have topic requests or feedback? Feel free to send them to podcast@ifa.de.

More information on the Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen at https://www.ifa.de.

Although Ukraine is one of the largest countries in the centre of Europe, the country has been in the shadow of international attention for over 30 years since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The Russian invasion has changed that. The Ukraine Institute tries to bring Ukrainian culture and history closer to foreign countries.

Our guest today, Alim Aliev, is Deputy Director of the Ukraine Institute. In this episode of die Kulturmittler, he tells us about the strategies Russia is using to try to bind Crimea closer to itself and what this means for the Crimean Tatars. He himself belongs to the Crimean Tatar minority and does research on this ethnic group.

We also learn how the Ukraine Institute works against Russian propaganda and how it tries to preserve and spread Ukrainian culture and history.

You can find all previous Kulturmittler episodes, including the one on Ukraine, at https://www.ifa.de/digitale-formate/podcast/. If you like to learn more about the Ukraine Institute you can visit their website: https://ui.org.ua/en/

Do you have topic requests, praise or criticism? Feel free to send them to podcast@ifa.de.

More information on the Institute für Auslandsbeziehungen at https://www.ifa.de.

Derzeit sind über 13.000 Sanktionen gegen Russland in Kraft, einige davon seit der Krimannexion 2014. Die ukrainische Journalistin Emiliia Dieniezhna ist für die Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (NAKO), eine zivilgesellschaftliche NGO, tätig. Dort untersucht sie, wie die Sanktionen der EU, der USA und anderer westlicher Staaten von der russischen Rüstungsindustrie umgangen werden und erläutert im Podcast, was Haushaltsgeräte wie Kühlschränke und Waschmaschinen damit zu tun haben.

Neben den Schwächen der Sanktionspakete gegen Russland, spricht die Ukrainerin in dieser Kulturmittler-Episode auch über die Korruptionsbekämpfung innerhalb der Ukraine und erklärt, weshalb es neben vier Anti-Korruptionsämtern noch eine zivilgesellschaftliche NGO dafür benötigt.

Alle bisherigen Episoden von “Die Kulturmittler” finden Sie hier: https://www.ifa.de/digitale-formate/podcast/

Sie haben Themenwünsche, Lob und Kritik? Diese können gerne an podcast@ifa.de geschickt werden.

Mehr Informationen zu Projekten und Initiativen des ifa rund um die Ukraine finden Sie unter https://www.ifa.de/ukraine-projekte/

In 2014, the artist and human rights activist Diana Berg fled from Donetsk to Mariupol to escape pro-Russian separatists. Eight years later, she had to leave her home a second time when Russia invaded Ukraine.

In this episode of ‘Die Kulturmittler’, Diana Berg talks about the meaning and potential of art and art spaces in times of war. In 2016, she founded the art platform TU in Mariupol, which she now continues to run in exile. We also learn about her on-going commitment to amplify Ukrainian voices and their needs at international art events, such as the Documenta or the Berlinale.

You can find all previous ‘Die Kulturmittler’ episodes, including the special episodes on Ukraine, at https://www.ifa.de/digitale-formate/podcast/.

Do you have topic requests or feedback you want us to know? Feel free to send them to podcast@ifa.de.

For more information on ifa’s Ukraine projects and initiatives visit: https://www.ifa.de/en/ukraine-projects/

Als Russland vor einem Jahr die Ukraine überfiel, war es möglich in Echtzeit das Vorrücken der russischen Truppen, Raketenangriffe oder ukrainische Proteste in den sozialen Medien zu verfolgen. Die New York Times sprach vom „ersten TikTok Krieg“.

In dieser Folge „Die Kulturmittler“ erklärt der Autor und Psychologe Christian Stöcker, inwiefern sich die Kriegsberichterstattung durch die sozialen Medien verändert hat. Jeder Mensch kann mit einem Smartphone unmittelbar Nachrichten in die Welt senden und durch TikTok, Twitter und Co. die klassischen Gatekeeper wie Nachrichtenredaktionen und deren Filter umgehen. Außerdem analysiert Christian Stöcker, die Kommunikationsstrategie des ukrainischen Präsidenten Wolodymyr Selenskyj in den sozialen Netzwerken.

Im Angriffskrieg Russlands zeigt sich die ukrainische Zivilgesellschaft resilient, stark und handlungsfähig. Vor einem Jahr sprachen wir bereits mit der Sozialwissenschaftlerin Susann Worschech über die Rolle der ukrainischen Zivilgesellschaft im Krieg und die Tragfähigkeit der internationalen Solidarität. In dieser Folge “Der Kulturmittler” erfahren wir, wie sich die Gesellschaft unter dem Druck des Krieges entwickelt hat. Anders als die russische Regierung vielleicht erwartet hatte, erklärt Worschech, sei die ukrainische Zivilgesellschaft kein passives Objekt der Politik. Stattdessen sei sie geleitet von einer starken kollektiven Idee des Widerstandes und der Solidarität - auch im Exil. Im Interview blickt sie zudem kritisch auf die zögerliche westeuropäische Haltung und plädiert dafür, die Stimmen der Ost- und Mitteleuropäer:innen stärker in das politische Handeln Europas zu integrieren.

Die Kulturmittler Folge #37 mit Volodymyr Yermolenko und Susann Worschech: https://www.ifa.de/37-standwithukraine-bedroht-aber-stark-mit-susann-worschech-und-volodymyr-yermolenko-1/

Sie haben Themenwünsche, Lob und Kritik? Diese können gerne an podcast@ifa.de geschickt werden.

Mehr Informationen zu Projekten und Initiativen des ifa rund um die Ukraine finden Sie unter www.ifa.de/ukraine-projekte/

Vor einem Jahr hat Russland mit einer groß angelegten Offensive die Ukraine überfallen und damit den seit der Annexion der Krim 2014 schwelenden Konflikt eskalieren lassen. Wenige Woche nach Beginn der Invasion luden wir Volodymyr Yermolenko zu den “Kulturmittlern” ein. Damals sprach der ukrainische Schriftsteller und Philosoph über die ukrainische Gesellschaft und darüber, welche Rolle die Kultur für das Wohlbefinden in Kriegszeiten spielt. Nun, ein Jahr später, ist Volodymyr Yermolenko wieder zu Gast im ifa-Podcast. Gemeinsam blicken wir auf das vergangene Jahr zurück und erfahren wie sich die ukrainische Zivilgesellschaft und Kulturszene unter dem Druck des Krieges entwickelt hat.

A year ago, Russia invaded Ukraine with a large-scale offensive, escalating the conflict that had been simmering since the annexation of the Crimea in 2014. A few weeks after the invasion had begun, we invited Volodymyr Yermolenko to ‘Die Kulturmittler’. At the time, the Ukrainian writer and philosopher spoke about Ukrainian society and the role culture plays in well-being in times of war. Now, one year later, Volodymyr Yermolenko is once again a guest on the ifa podcast. Together, we look at the past year and how Ukrainian civil society and the cultural scene have developed during the war in Ukraine.

Die Kulturmittler Folge #37 mit Volodymyr Yermolenko und Susann Worschech: https://www.ifa.de/37-standwithukraine-bedroht-aber-stark-mit-susann-worschech-und-volodymyr-yermolenko-1/

Sie haben Themenwünsche, Lob und Kritik? Diese können gerne an podcast@ifa.de geschickt werden.

Mehr Informationen zu Projekten und Initiativen des ifa rund um die Ukraine finden Sie unter https://www.ifa.de/ukraine-projekte/

Originally seen as a tool for revolution and access to knowledge for all people, the internet and digital technologies have become monopolized by big tech companies and individual stakeholders. Where once issues of creative commons and changing power structures were discussed, digital space has now been clouded by hate speech, misinformation, and power imbalances. In this episode, we talk to Joana Varon, a technology and human rights fellow at Harvard Kennedy School, about digital rights, the Internet’s potential for empowerment and discriminating artificial intelligence. To protect democracies and minorities online, Varon believes that we need to diversify technology and depart from the idea of universal software solutions.

Transcript of the episode: https://bit.ly/ifaPodcast44Transkript

More input on digital technology: KULTURAUSTAUSCH article ‘Light is the enemy’: http://bit.ly/3WkYuJN.

Interview with Manouchehr Shamsrizi ‘Upgrade to the Metaverse?’: http://bit.ly/3YHwAJo

In 2016 Claus Leggewie published an article on “Sports, culture, development and foreign policy” in ifa’s magazine “Culture Report Progress Europe” in which he described sports as an amplifier of globalisation. He argued that spectators of major sporting events formed a transnational community, albeit a volatile one. What does Claus Leggewie have to say on this topic in view of the politically heavily charged Soccer World Cup in Qatar?

Find more information on our website: https://culturalrelations.ifa.de/en/