The Round Room

2026 Winter Olympics Recap

In this episode of The Round Room, we examine how politics have overshadowed the 2026 Winter Olympics—from protests in Milan over the reported presence of U.S. ICE agents, to American athletes speaking out against immigration policies, and the disqualification of a Ukrainian athlete over a war memorial helmet. The episode explores the growing tension between athletic competition and political expression on the global stage. We would love to thank our writing team, who put together the script for this episode: Audrey Collison, Valeria Guerrero, and Nathan Igoe. And, of course, we'd love to thank our sound editor Colten Gottlob. To keep up with podcast updates, please follow @theroundroompod on Instagram. Sources: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y29xzjdzvo https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/6/anti-ice-protesters-rally-in-milan-ahead-of-olympics-opening https://www.nbcnews.com/world/italy/ice-role-winter-olympics-prompts-fury-italy-rcna256087 https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/olympics/winter-olympics-2026-athletes-protest-ice-trump-minneapolis-shooting-rcna256219 https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-criticizes-olympic-skier-hunter-hess-rcna258083 https://www.npr.org/2026/02/09/nx-s1-5706017/as-us-olympians-call-for-tolerance-and-lgbtq-rights-some-face-trump-attacks-and-online-hate https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/olympics/live-blog/2026-winter-olympics-live-updates-rcna256602 https://www.axios.com/2026/02/06/olympics-2026-winter-games-trump-ice-protest https://www.npr.org/2026/02/19/nx-s1-5719335/alysa-liu-figure-skating-gold-olympics https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/olympics/ukraine-vladyslav-heraskevych-disqualified-winter-olympics-helmet-war-rcna258696 https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2026/2/12/ukraines-heraskevych-disqualified-from-olympics-skeleton-over-helmet https://www.nbcnews.com/world/ukraine/ukraine-boycott-winter-paralympics-russians-competing-flag-belarus-rcna259525

States Without Borders - Part 2

What makes a nation — and what happens when a nation doesn’t have a state of its own? In this episode of The Round Room, we explore communities like the Basques, Kashmiris, and Kurds who share a common identity, language, and history but lack full sovereignty. We break down nationalism, autonomy, and self-determination to understand how history, borders, and power shape global politics today, all in a clear, bite-sized format. We would love to thank our writing team, who put together the script for this episode: Audrey Collison, Valeria Guerrero, and Nathan Igoe. And, of course, we'd love to thank our sound editor Colten Gottlob. To keep up with podcast updates, please follow @theroundroompod on Instagram. Sources: Basque Country https://aboutbasquecountry.eus/en/2021/09/08/the-anticolonialism-of-sabino-arana-the-founder-of-basque-nationalism-video/ [https://aboutbasquecountry.eus/en/2021/09/08/the-anticolonialism-of-sabino-arana-the-founder-of-basque-nationalism-video/]  https://www.buber.net/Basque/History/arana.php [https://www.buber.net/Basque/History/arana.php]  https://pantheon.world/profile/person/Sabino_Arana [https://pantheon.world/profile/person/Sabino_Arana]  https://www.euronews.com/culture/2022/12/08/european-minority-languages-is-basque-the-most-unique-language-in-europe [https://www.euronews.com/culture/2022/12/08/european-minority-languages-is-basque-the-most-unique-language-in-europe]  https://www.britannica.com/topic/Basque [https://www.britannica.com/topic/Basque]  https://aboutbasquecountry.eus/en/2021/09/08/the-anticolonialism-of-sabino-arana-the-founder-of-basque-nationalism-video/ [https://aboutbasquecountry.eus/en/2021/09/08/the-anticolonialism-of-sabino-arana-the-founder-of-basque-nationalism-video/]  https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20170719-the-mysterious-origins-of-europes-oldest-language [https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20170719-the-mysterious-origins-of-europes-oldest-language]  https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/bombing-of-guernica/ [https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/bombing-of-guernica/]  https://english.elpais.com/elpais/2012/04/25/inenglish/1335366383_825388.html [https://english.elpais.com/elpais/2012/04/25/inenglish/1335366383_825388.html]  Kurdistan https://www.britannica.com/place/Kurdistan [https://www.britannica.com/place/Kurdistan] https://www.britannica.com/topic/Kurd [http://www.britannica.com/topic/Kurd] https://www.britannica.com/place/Turkey/The-Kurdish-conflict [https://www.britannica.com/place/Turkey/The-Kurdish-conflict] https://www.britannica.com/summary/Kurdistan [https://www.britannica.com/summary/Kurdistan] https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east [https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east] https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/kurdish-pkk-dissolves-after-decades-struggle-with-turkey-news-agency-close-2025-05-12/ [https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/kurdish-pkk-dissolves-after-decades-struggle-with-turkey-news-agency-close-2025-05-12/] https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/kurds/ [https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/kurds/] https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/11/06/advancing-human-rights-justice-and-democracy-for-kurds-and-all-other-communities-in [https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/11/06/advancing-human-rights-justice-and-democracy-for-kurds-and-all-other-communities-in] Kashmir https://internationalviewpoint.org/Kashmir-India-Pakistan-on-the-history-and-internationalist-stakes-of-a-state-of [https://internationalviewpoint.org/Kashmir-India-Pakistan-on-the-history-and-internationalist-stakes-of-a-state-of] https://beltwaygrid.org/the-kashmir-conflict-historical-roots-and-current-challenges/? [https://beltwaygrid.org/the-kashmir-conflict-historical-roots-and-current-challenges/?utm_] https://www.britannica.com/place/Kashmir-region-Indian-subcontinent? [https://www.britannica.com/place/Kashmir-region-Indian-subcontinent?utm_source=copilot.com] https://newsofkashmir.com/index.php/2026/01/31/kashmir/? [https://newsofkashmir.com/index.php/2026/01/31/kashmir/?utm_source=copilot.com] Kashmir-geography-people-and-heritage [https://kashmirvision.in/2025/08/21/kashmir-geography-people-and-heritage/?utm_source=copilot.com] https://theindosphere.com/history/kashmir-origins-history-invasion/? [https://theindosphere.com/history/kashmir-origins-history-invasion/?utm_source=copilot.com]

States Without Borders

In this episode of The Round Room, we examine stateless nations and what independence movements reveal about identity, sovereignty, and power in global politics. Through case studies on Catalonia, Scotland, and Quebec, we explore how history, culture, and political conflict shape demands for self-determination, from Catalonia’s independence push and Scotland’s post-Brexit debates to Quebec’s language-based movement and Indigenous perspectives. We would love to thank our writing team who put together the script for this episode: Audrey Collison, Valeria Guerrero, and Nathan Igoe. And, of course, we'd love to thank our sound editor Colten Gottlob. To keep up with podcast updates, please follow @theroundroompod on Instagram. Sources: Catalonia: https://www.britannica.com/place/Catalonia [https://www.britannica.com/place/Catalonia] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41584864 [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41584864] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-29478415 [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-29478415] Scotland https://www.thoughtco.com/scotland-is-not-an-independent-country-1435433 [https://www.thoughtco.com/scotland-is-not-an-independent-country-1435433]   https://www.open.edu/openlearn/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=68996§ion=1 [https://www.open.edu/openlearn/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=68996§ion=1]  https://www.nowscotland.scot/why_independence [https://www.nowscotland.scot/why_independence]  https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/rp14-50/ [https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/rp14-50/]  Quebec https://www.believeinscotland.org/why-quebecs-independence-dream-went-wrong-lessons-for-scotland [https://www.believeinscotland.org/why-quebecs-independence-dream-went-wrong-lessons-for-scotland]

Sudan Conflict

In this episode of The Round Room, we unpack the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Sudan. What began as a local conflict has escalated into a global one, with countries supplying troops and weapons to both sides. Caught in the middle are the people of Sudan, who are facing dwindling support as international actors scale back critical aid programs. We would love to thank our writing team who put together the script for this episode: Iselin Bratz, Audrey Collison, and Briana Cordon . And, of course, we'd love to thank our sound editor Colten Gottlob. To keep up with podcast updates, please follow @theroundroompod on Instagram. Sources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wB4UHYZPTScbMox4xEDs-SPwmxmeLRKmMR_iERBVaug/edit?usp=sharing [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wB4UHYZPTScbMox4xEDs-SPwmxmeLRKmMR_iERBVaug/edit?usp=sharing]

Student Protest In Asia

In this episode of the Round Room we go over seas and explore several student protests occurring in Asia. Join us as we explore fights against corruption and political elitism, while also seeing the powerful role social media plays in protest and revolution in the 21st century. From Nepal to the Philippines there is something we can all learn from the efforts of these protesters. We would love to thank our writing team who put together the script for this episode: Iselin Bratz, Audrey Collison, Nathan Igoe and Briana Cordon . And, of course, we'd love to thank our sound editor Colten Gottlob. To keep up with podcast updates, please follow @theroundroompod on Instagram. Sources: https://www.boston25news.com/news/local/massachusetts-lawmakers-base-pay-just-tip-legislative-salary-iceberg/ZWVID6NMWFEKXAT3XSZYZV74OM/ [https://www.boston25news.com/news/local/massachusetts-lawmakers-base-pay-just-tip-legislative-salary-iceberg/ZWVID6NMWFEKXAT3XSZYZV74OM/] https://www.senate.gov/senators/SenateSalariesSince1789.htm [https://www.senate.gov/senators/SenateSalariesSince1789.htm] https://www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/AWI.html [https://www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/AWI.html] https://www.crisisgroup.org/asia-pacific/nepal/nepal-picks-pieces-after-protests-topple-government [https://www.crisisgroup.org/asia-pacific/nepal/nepal-picks-pieces-after-protests-topple-government] https://thediplomat.com/2025/09/nepals-gen-z-force-prime-minister-oli-to-resign/ [https://thediplomat.com/2025/09/nepals-gen-z-force-prime-minister-oli-to-resign/] https://time.com/7315492/nepal-gen-z-protests-social-media-nepo-kids-corruption-explainer/ [https://time.com/7315492/nepal-gen-z-protests-social-media-nepo-kids-corruption-explainer/] https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/podcasts/in-solidarity-podcast/sri-lanka-bangladesh-nepal-south-asia-spring-in-solidarity-podcast-roman-gautam/ [https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/podcasts/in-solidarity-podcast/sri-lanka-bangladesh-nepal-south-asia-spring-in-solidarity-podcast-roman-gautam/] https://www.himalmag.com/politics/nepal-gen-z-uprising-oli-resignation [https://www.himalmag.com/politics/nepal-gen-z-uprising-oli-resignation] https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/south-asia/nepal-bangladesh-sri-lanka-protests-corruption-gen-z-b2831771.html [https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/south-asia/nepal-bangladesh-sri-lanka-protests-corruption-gen-z-b2831771.html] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/16/colombo-kathmandu-youth-movements-nepal-toppling-entrenched-elites [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/16/colombo-kathmandu-youth-movements-nepal-toppling-entrenched-elites] https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn4ljv39em7o [https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn4ljv39em7o] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/21/protests-philippines-corruption-state-flood [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/21/protests-philippines-corruption-state-flood] https://time.com/7319164/philippines-flood-control-projects-corruption/ [https://time.com/7319164/philippines-flood-control-projects-corruption/] https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/09/23/timor-leste-gen-z-protests-regional-trend/ [https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/09/23/timor-leste-gen-z-protests-regional-trend/] https://edition.cnn.com/2025/09/01/asia/indonesia-protests-explainer-intl-hnk [https://edition.cnn.com/2025/09/01/asia/indonesia-protests-explainer-intl-hnk] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/02/indonesia-protests-explained-start-how-has-the-government-responded [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/02/indonesia-protests-explained-start-how-has-the-government-responded] https://thediplomat.com/2025/09/seablings-the-new-southeast-asian-transnational-solidarity-campaign/ [https://thediplomat.com/2025/09/seablings-the-new-southeast-asian-transnational-solidarity-campaign/] https://www.facebook.com/groups/unitegroupnepal/posts/4340678822835790/ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/unitegroupnepal/posts/4340678822835790/] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG_dg3cLAD0 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG_dg3cLAD0] https://www.realinstitutoelcano.org/en/analyses/nepal-elects-its-first-female-prime-minister-on-discord-what-it-reveals-about-social-media-and-democracy/ [https://www.realinstitutoelcano.org/en/analyses/nepal-elects-its-first-female-prime-minister-on-discord-what-it-reveals-about-social-media-and-democracy/] https://www.aljazeera.com/where/nepal/ [https://www.aljazeera.com/where/nepal/] https://openthemagazine.com/feature/tanuja-pandey-poster-girl-of-nepals-gen-z-protests-seeks-justice-for-fallen-comrades [https://openthemagazine.com/feature/tanuja-pandey-poster-girl-of-nepals-gen-z-protests-seeks-justice-for-fallen-comrades]