Feeling overwhelmed by the state of the world?
Does it seem like society is fraying at the edges?
Coping with Dystopia is here to help!
We speak with people who have experienced it all and come out the other side. These are thoughtful, real-world talks that offer practical and philosophical ways to deal with the chaos. And maybe there’s even the odd glimpse of humour and happiness. Coping with Dystopia is the podcast the world needs right now.
Ep.1: Coping with Trolling
In the first episode of this new podcast series we are coping with online trolling. Online trolling can be defined as malicious online behaviour actively put in action to provoke, upset, and harm people through hate speech, violent messages, and death threats. We were joined by Ginger Gorman, an Australian investigative journalist, and author of ‘Troll Hunting’. Ginger Gorman has experienced online hate first-hand as a victim of online trolling.
Ep.2: Coping with Right-Wing Extremism
In our second episode, we are coping with right-wing extremism. According to the 2019 Global Terrorism Index, far-right terrorism has surged by 320% over the last 5 years. To help us cope, we met with Fabian Wichmann, from EXIT Deutschland in Berlin. EXIT provides support to people who want to leave extreme far-right movements.
Ep.3: Coping with the Death of Press Freedom
In the third episode, we are coping with the death of press freedom. Press freedom can be defined as the right of newspapers and magazines to report the news without government control. In this episode, we are joined by Monica Baro Sanchez, an independent investigative Cuban journalist.
Ep.4: Coping with Falling Back to the ‘50s
In the fourth episode, we are coping with falling back to the ‘50s. Authoritarianism seems to be on the rise everywhere, and human rights are definitely under pressure. In this episode, we are joined by Dorottya Redai, a Hungarian academic at the Central European University Democracy Institute and LGTBQ+ activist part of the Labrisz Lesbian Association.
Ep.5: Coping with Fascist Dictatorships
In our fifth episode, we’re coping with fascist dictatorships. In this episode we’re joined by American-British financier Bill Browder, author of the Magnitsky act. Browder lobbied for the legislation after his lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky, was tortured for almost a year in a Russian prison, resulting in his death. As a result, Russian forces launched a disinformation and defamation campaign against Browder trying to convince the world he was a criminal, so he has had to watch his back every day since.
Ep.6: Coping with Climate Change
In our sixth episode, we are coping with climate change. As we all know, the data display a grim picture of the extent of the emergency. Grassroots, small-scale and local solutions like the one created by Peter van Wingerden, might prove to be the solution. Peter is Dutch and he got concerned about the sea level rise that will impact his country. That’s why he came up with the idea of the Floating farm, the first farm in the world built on the water, in the harbour of Rotterdam. The farm offers space for 40 cows and is a great example of a sustainable and circular economy.
Ep.7: Coping with Becoming a Refugee
In our seventh episode we are joined by Thaeer Muhreez, a Syrian filmmaker, and one of the countless individuals whose life took an unexpected turn in the wake of the Syrian civil war. His story is one of resilience and survival. Thaeer was on the brink of a major career breakthrough, securing funding for a new film project when the civil war erupted. He found himself in the eye of a storm, which forced him to abandon his dreams and confront the harsh reality of conflict. With rebel groups marking him for death, Thaeer realised that he was not just leaving Damascus; he was leaving Syria.
Ep.8: Coping with Cancel Culture
In the final episode of this podcast series, we cope with the topic of cancel culture. But what exactly is cancel culture? For some, it may signify holding others accountable for their action, while to others it may imply censorship of speech. To help us unpack this all we are joined by Loretta J. Ross, an activist, public intellectual, and professor at Smith Colledge in Massachusetts, who has an interesting take on this topic. In her work, Loretta came up with the concept of ‘calling in’ culture, which she believes is an antidote to people being called out, or canceled. Even for people you don't agree with.