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Global Faultlines

Global Faultlines

By: The Hindu
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 Global Faultlines is a deep-dive international affairs podcast that goes beyond breaking news to uncover the roots of global conflicts. From shifting borders to power struggles, it explores the forces that shape international events. With expert voices and sharp analysis, the show offers depth and clarity on the stories shaping our world.The Hindu Political Science Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Syria after the war: How the civil war redrew power in the Country

    Syria after the war: How the civil war redrew power in the Country
    Dec 24 2025
    By 2015, Syria’s civil war had reached a turning point. Russian military intervention reversed the regime’s fortunes, Iran entrenched itself through militias and economic networks, and the armed opposition steadily lost ground. ISIS was eventually defeated territorially, but its presence — and the conditions that enabled it — did not disappear. As active frontlines stabilised, Syria entered a new and uneasy phase. Large parts of the country remained fragmented, millions of refugees were unable to return, and sanctions deepened an already collapsing economy. Regional powers that once backed rival sides began recalibrating, reopening diplomatic channels with Damascus and adjusting to a war that had no clear end. At the same time, Syria witnessed a dramatic political shift. The fall of the Ba’athist order and the rise of a new leadership — shaped by years of jihadist conflict and international isolation — raised urgent questions about legitimacy, governance, and the country’s future. Who holds power in Syria today? And what kind of state has emerged from more than a decade of war? In this second part of our Syria series, Global Faultlines examines the post-2015 phase of the conflict — from foreign intervention and the defeat of ISIS to economic collapse and a profound reordering of political power. Expert: Stanly Johny, International Affairs Editor, The HinduResearch, Script & Production: Sharmada VenkatasubramanianCamera: Shivaraj S Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    54 mins
  • Understanding the Syrian crisis: What led the country into civil war?

    Understanding the Syrian crisis: What led the country into civil war?
    Dec 10 2025
    On March 15, 2011, a small protest in Daraa ignited what would become one of the 21st century’s deadliest conflicts. But Syria’s crisis didn’t start overnight. Decades of authoritarian rule, sectarian tensions, and political repression had already set the stage. The Assad family’s iron grip on power, combined with economic stagnation and deep social divides, left the country fragile. When peaceful protests erupted during the Arab Spring, a brutal regime crackdown and a divided opposition quickly turned unrest into full-scale civil war. Regional powers, foreign fighters, and jihadist groups like Jabhat al-Nusra and ISIS exploited the chaos, further splintering the nation. By 2015, Syria was a patchwork of contested territories, millions were displaced, and entire cities lay in ruins. In this first part of our two-episode series on Syria, Global Faultlines traces the country’s path from the early 20th century to 2015, examining the political, social, and regional forces that transformed a once-peaceful nation into a global crisis zone. Expert: Stanly Johny, International Affairs Editor, The Hindu Research: Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Camera: Shivaraj S Edited and Produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    57 mins
  • Afghanistan Part 3: How the War on Terror Led to the Taliban’s Comeback in 2021

    Afghanistan Part 3: How the War on Terror Led to the Taliban’s Comeback in 2021
    Nov 26 2025
    After the 9/11 attacks, Afghanistan became the frontline of America’s “War on Terror.” The U.S. invasion in 2001 aimed to dismantle al-Qaeda and remove the Taliban, but the mission quickly expanded into a far more ambitious nation-building project. Over two decades, billions were spent and new institutions were created. Yet corruption, weak governance, and a resilient Taliban insurgency steadily undermined those goals. The Bonn Agreement sought to rebuild Afghanistan’s political system, but excluded key Afghan factions and helped entrench patronage networks. As international troops battled the Taliban across the countryside, the Afghan state struggled to gain public trust, even as elections and aid programs signaled progress on paper. By 2020, the Doha Agreement shifted the war’s trajectory again, setting the stage for a U.S. withdrawal without securing a sustainable peace. In August 2021, the Afghan government collapsed with unprecedented speed, leading to the Taliban’s return and raising urgent questions about the cost and outcome of America’s longest war. In this final part of the Afghanistan series at Global Faultlines, we trace the path from 9/11 to the fall of Kabul, examine why the U.S. mission failed, and explore what the Taliban’s comeback means for Afghanistan’s future. Expert: Stanly Johny, International Affairs Editor, The Hindu Research: Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Camera: Johan Sathyadas J Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 1 min
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