Dr. Olivia Mason

Dr. Olivia Mason

Dr Olivia Mason is a Lecturer in Political Geography at Newcastle University. Her research explores mobility politics and resource colonialism, with a focus on Jordan and the South West Asia and North Africa (SWANA) region. She is particularly interested in how colonial legacies continue to shape environmental governance, nature, and cultural heritage. Olivia is committed to environmental and social justice and has worked extensively with…

the international risk podcast- AI, nuclear security

Securing the Nuclear Future: AI’s Role in Nuclear Security and Supply Chains

Author: Camila Mateos Betancourt Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming industries across the globe, and the nuclear sector is no exception. While AI brings promising tools to improve safety, efficiency, and predictive capabilities, it also introduces significant vulnerabilities, particularly in the nuclear supply chain. From the risk of counterfeit components to new opportunities for cyberattacks, malicious actors…

Episode 236: AI, Nuclear Security, and Nuclear Supply Chain Risk with Dr. Sarah Case Lackner

Coordinated and produced by: Camila Mateos Betancourt This week on The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen is joined by Dr. Sarah Case Lackner to explore the emerging risks and evolving opportunities at the intersection of artificial intelligence and nuclear security. With increasing attention to the resilience of global infrastructure, Dr. Case Lackner unpacks how AI is…

Dr. Sarah Case Lackner

Dr. Sarah Case Lackner

Dr. Case Lackner joined the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP) as a Senior Fellow in September 2023.  She was previously a Senior Nuclear Security Officer in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)’s Division of Nuclear Security, where she served as the Scientific Secretary for the Nuclear Security Guidance Committee and the Director General’s…

Ben Carpenter

Ben Carpenter

Ben is the Founder & CEO of Grassroot Communities, a Youth and Community worker, Educator, Environmentalist, and City Fellow. He’s passionate about supporting individuals, communities and organisations to be the changes they want to see. Grassroot Communities is an organisation that tailors and delivers school, youth and community work projects based on the wants and…

Episode 235: Grassroot Communities and Their Importance with Ben Carpenter

Coordinated and Produced by Elisa Garbil This week we hope to gain an insight on Grassroot Communities and the challenges faced by underserved communities and the wider voluntary sector. In an era of rising inequality, political polarisation, and climate instability, grassroots organisations are becoming critical pillars of resilience, not just locally, but globally.  Today we explore…

Grassroot Communities

The Power and Challenge of Grassroots Organisations in Community Development

Written by Elisa Garbil – 29.05.2025 Grassroots organisations have emerged as vital engines of change in communities around the world. These entities, often volunteer-led and deeply embedded in local contexts, deliver a broad array of services that formal institutions struggle to reach, from youth empowerment and mental health to housing, public health, and civic participation….

online, extremism, apps, instagram, Facebook, google, linkedin, x, twitter

Mainstreaming Hate: How Right-Wing Extremism Became a Digital and Political Force

Written by Elisa Garbil – 22.05.2025 In recent years, right-wing extremism has evolved from fringe ideology into a persistent force that influences public discourse, political behaviour, and even policy. The transition from the margins to the mainstream hasn’t happened by accident. It’s the result of a complex interplay between online radicalisation, conspiracy thinking, and the…

Dr. Aaron Winter

Aaron Winter

Dr. Aaron Winter (BA Hons. York; MA Warwick, DPhil Sussex) is Senior Lecturer in Sociology (Race and Anti-Racism), Deputy Doctoral Director and Director of the Centre for Alternatives to Social and Economic Inequalities (CASEI) at Lancaster University. He previously taught at the Universities of Brighton, Sussex, Abertay and East London. His research is on the…

Episode 233: What Can Sociology Say about Right-Wing Extremism and the Mainstreaming of Racism and the Far-Right with Aaron Winter

Coordinated and Produced by Elisa Garbil Today we are cutting through the noise to tackle one of the most urgent and uncomfortable realities of our time: how hate has gone mainstream. From anonymous forums to prime-time politics, far-right extremism is no longer a fringe threat — it’s a digital, cultural, and political force shaping our democracies. Dominic…