Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen
de

ifa's Podcast: Die Kulturmittler:innen

Making Foreign Cultural Policy Audible.

What part does culture play in foreign policy? How do intermediary organisations such as ifa – Institut für Auslandsbeziehunge work? And what challenges does Germany's and Europe's foreign cultural and educational policy face today?

ifa's podcast 'Die Kulturmittler:innen' (which can be roughly translated to 'The Cultural Conciliators') provides facts and explores the various topics of international cultural relations. In the 20 to 40 minute long interviews, experts talk about Ukraine, digital rights and power imbalances, queer rights in Egypt, and the Afghan civil society.

Every month, our interviewees and experts provide a new perspective – politically and culturally, from the outside and the inside, in German and English. Some of the guests have been philosopher and journalist Volodymyr Yermolenko, expert for feminist foreign policy Kristina Lunz, the artist and photographer Wolfgang Tillmans or former Nigerian Minister of Education Oby Ezekwesili.

The Deep Dive episodes provide a closer scientific perspective on topics of international cultural policy. In these special episodes, scientists and experts will talk about their current research projects and results.  

 

Listen and subscribe for free to the podcast on all popular streaming services.

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The podcast is being hosted by:

[Translate to english:] Ein Foto zeigt eine Frau mit dunklen Haaren. Es handelt sich um die Journalistin Amira el Ahl, die den ifa-Podcast "Die Kulturmittler:innen" zu Außenkulturpolitik moderiert.

Amira el Ahl

Amira El Ahl is a journalist and moderator. She studied Arabic and History at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. Between 2006 and 2008 she was the Middle East correspondent for Der Spiegel Magazin in Cairo, Egypt. Until 2016 she worked as an independent journalist and moderator in Cairo. In 2016 she was the editorial coordinator for documenta 14 in Kassel. Between 2017 and 2022 she was an editor at the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine in Kassel.

She moderates panel discussions and events in German and English.

All English episodes at a glance

English Edition

Cover of the ifa podcast "Die Kulturmittler:innen" with the author, surgeon and MRI fellow Ma Thida on the revolution and demoracy in Myanmar. Illustration by Lea Dohle.

Myanmar: 900 Days of the Spring Revolution. With Ma Thida

Interview with Ma Thida

#Myanmar
#Revolution
#MartinRothInitiative

Englische Folge

An illustration shows a person wearing an afro and glasses. It is the Angolan curator and architect Paula Nascimento. Her name is written on a purple belly band below her. Above her, in white lettering, is written: Die Kulturmittler:innen, next to her in an orange circle #53. It is the cover of an episode of ifa's podcast on cultural foreign policy.

Curating Art: Transnational, Collaborative, and Interdisciplinary

Interview with Paula Nascimento

#Contemporaryart
#Curating
#InternationalExhibitions

Deep Dive

Decolonial Perspectives in Climate Policy

Interview with Marina Caetano und Pedro Affonso Ivo Franco

#ClimatePolicy
#Brazil
#Research

Deep Dive

An illustration can be seen. On a purple background, it reads in white letters: Die Kulturmittler:innen, in yellow Deep Dive, on a green square in white letters Yuqing Yang. In the centre, one can see a yellow magnifying glass, focusing on the world, held by a hand. This is the cover of the academic extension of the ifa podcast Die Kulturmittler:innen on foreign cultural policy.

Taiwan's External Cultural Policy

Interview with Yuqing Yang

#Taiwan
#External Cultural Policy
#Research

English Edition

An illustration shows a woman with short wavy hair. It is the Taiwanese journalist Emily Y. Wu on the cover of the ifa podcast on foreign cultural policy "Die Kulturmittler:innen". The background is turquoise blue, with the title of the podcast in white at the top centre and the ifa logo in white at the bottom right, and the name of the interview partner Emily Y. Wu on a purple banner, also in white. Illustrated by Lea Dohle

Taiwan: Democratic Role Model and Cultural Plurality

By Emily Y. Wu

#Taiwan
#Democracy
#EthnicGroups

Ukraine Special

A graphic can be seen. A white circle in the centre surrounded by a blue stripe across the top half and a yellow stripe across the bottom half. Inside the circle is an illustration of a man with short hair and a thick beard. Below him it says Alim Aliev, above him Die Kulturmittler, in the right corner of the illustration you can see the logo of ifa - Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen in black on the yellow background. This is the cover of one of the six special episodes on Ukraine of the ifa podcast "die Kulturmittler". In this episode, the deputy director of the Ukraine Institute, Alim Aliev, talks about Ukrainian culture, Russian propaganda and the Crimean Tatar minority. Illustration by Lea Dohle.

What Comes After the War?

Interview with Alim Aliev

#UkrainianCulture
#CrimeanTatar
#History

Ukraine Special

A graphic can be seen. A white circle in the centre surrounded by a blue stripe across the top half and a yellow stripe across the bottom half. Inside the circle is an illustration of a woman with curly hair. Below her it says Diana Berg, above her Die Kulturmittler, in the right corner of the illustration you can see the logo of the ifa - Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen in black on the yellow background. This is the cover of one of the six special episodes on Ukraine of the ifa podcast "die Kulturmittler". In this episode, Ukrainian artist and activist Diana Berg talks about the value of art and art spaces in times of war. Illustration by Lea Dohle.

Ukraine War: Channeling Emotions into Art.

Interview with Diana Berg

#StandwithUkraine
#ArtsandCulture
#SafeSpace

Ukraine Special

A graphic can be seen. A white circle in the centre surrounded by a blue stripe across the top half and a yellow stripe across the bottom half. Inside the circle is an illustration of a man. He wears glasses, is bald and has a three-day beard. Below him, it says Volodymyr Yermolenko, above him, Die Kulturmittler, in the right corner of the illustration you can see the logo of ifa – Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen in black on the yellow background. This is the cover of one of the six special episodes on Ukraine of the ifa podcast "die Kulturmittler". In this episode, journalist and philosopher Volodymyr Yermolenko talks about the Ukrainian art and culture scene under the pressure of the Ukrainian war. Illustration by Lea Dohle.

Ukraine's Cultural Scene After a Year of War.

Interview with Volodymyr Yermolenko

#Ukraine
#Arts
#Culture

English Edition

[Translate to english:] Es ist eine Grafik zu sehen. Ein weißer Kreis ist umgeben von schwarzen, pinken und blauen Streifen, die vom Kreis nach außen gehen. Im Kreis ist eine Illustration einer Frau zu sehen mit dickem lockigen Haar. Um sie herum steht Joana Varon, Die Kulturmittler, #44, im rechten Eck der Illustration sieht man das Logo des ifa – Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen. Es handelt sich um das Cover der 44. Episode des ifa-Podcasts "die Kulturmittler" mit Joana Varon aus Brasilien zum Thema Digitale Rechte und Menschenrechte. Illustration von Lea Dohle.

Digital Technology and Human Rights. With Joana Varon

Interview with Joana Varon

#DigitalRights
#Diversity
#WomeninTech

Deep Dive

Cultural Policy and the FIFA Worldcup Qatar

Interview with Claus Leggewie

#Qatar
#CulturalPolicy
#Football

English Edition

Afghanistan: Of Values, Human Rights and Freedom.

Interview with Negina Yari

#WomenRights
#Afghanistan
#CivilSociety

Podcast

(Dis)functional democracy? Western values and global realities.

#Democracy
#ForeignPolicy
#InternationalRelations

Podcast

Illustration: Lea Dohle

Time to rethink politics.

Interview with Oby Ezekwesili

#Africa
#InternationalRelations
#Globalisation

English Edition

Illustration: Lea Dohle

Queer Rights Under Pressure.

Interview with 'Bonobo'

#QueerRights
#Egypt
#Postcolonialsm

Podcast

Illustration: Lea Dohle

Why Election Observation Matters.

#Voting
#Democracy
#Digitalisation

Podcast

Illustration: Lea Dohle

Is America back?

#USA
#TransatlanticRelations
#Economics

Podcast

Illustration: Lea Dohle

Overestimated Brexit?

#Brexit
#EuropeanIdentity
#NationBranding

Contact

Feel free to contact us for topic requests or feedback.

Podcast-Team

Charlottenplatz 17
D-70173 Stuttgart

Email: podcast@ifa.de