In this interview, Becky Montes speaks with Lupe Herrera about her work as an activist part of the Deportation Defense Line in Providence, Rhode Island. This highlight is an excerpt of an upcoming episode. Listen to the full episode wherever you listen to podcasts.

In this episode, co-hosts Chris Donnelly and Romi Bathia explore hard power and the qualities that can make it an effective diplomatic tool, from decisiveness to secrecy. Caroline Cordts discusses hard power’s connection to North Korea’s military support of Russian armed forces in the Russo-Ukrainian War. Romilly Thompson also presents the Russ-Ukrainian war through the lens of Europe’s larger remilitarization, highlighting the growing tensions between the executive branch and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

In this episode, BPR producer Erin Ozyurek explores the concept of soft power and its relevance in today’s shifting global political landscape, particularly as it relates to the role of the United States on the world stage. Chris Donnelly examines the Trump administration’s tariff policies and how they may be impacting U.S. soft power. In the Passport segment, Romi M. Bhatia takes a closer look at Saudi Arabia’s growing influence and its strategic use of sportswashing in recent years. Chicha Nimitpornsuko unpacks how the sex work industry may also play an unexpected role in soft power dynamics around the world.