Strange times

Power grids, panic and policy: breaking down the Spanish blackout with Nicoló Rosetto

What really caused the massive blackout that hit Spain, Portugal, and parts of France?Spoiler alert: it wasn’t woke windmills or socialist sabotage. In this episode, we dig into the truth with Nicolo Rossetto from the Florence School of Regulation (FSR) at the European University InstituteAs panic and conspiracy theories flooded the internet, this interview offers a rare thing: nuance, facts, and a clear breakdown of what actually went wrong and why Europe’s power grids are so hard to keep stable.⚡ We talk about:What causes blackouts (hint: it's not your solar panel)Why renewables aren’t to blame — but also aren’t perfectWhy nuclear can’t always save the dayWhat Europe is doing to prevent this from happening again🎙️ Whether you’re an energy nerd, a policy wonk, or just blackout-traumatised, this one’s for you.📚 Links to Nicolo’s article, and other FSR's publications:Nicoló Rosetto – Blackout hits Spain and Portugal: what happened and what’s next: https://fsr.eui.eu/blackout-hits-spain-and-portugal-what-happened-and-whats-next/Carlos Battle – Let the blackout enlighten the way: https://fsr.eui.eu/let-the-blackout-enlighten-the-way/And finally, Blackout, a novel by Marc Elsberg: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33369264-blackout

Are progressives getting migration wrong? Ft. Melissa Siegel

In this episode, migration expert Melissa Siegel joins Strange Times to dissect one of the most polarising issues of our era: migration policy.We explore:– The weaponisation of migration by populist leaders– Why so many voters feel their borders are out of control– Whether progressives have failed to acknowledge real challenges linked to migration– How well-managed migration actually works — and what we can learn from the Ukrainian and Syrian refugee responses– And we even imagine what Melissa would say if she were hired by a far-right party 👀📚 Melissa Siegel is Professor of Migration Studies at Maastricht University and United Nations University-MERIT in the Netherlands. She’s also a top voice on migration policy on YouTube — check out her channel here:    / @melissasiegelmigration   [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8KcWrj7AULBlhy_DM1lFpw] 👉 Like, comment, and share if you think migration deserves more nuance in political debate.#MigrationPolicy [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/migrationpolicy] #ImmigrationDebate [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/immigrationdebate] #ProgressivePolitics [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/progressivepolitics] #EU [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/eu] #BorderPolitics [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/borderpolitics]

Dutch Universities under siege: why campuses are mobilising in the Netherlands?

🚨 Dutch universities on high alert: Is the era of internationalisation ending? 🎓🇳🇱 In this podcast, I dive into the funding cuts, student limitations and language laws rocking the Netherlands’ higher-ed system. To do that, I joined a strike in Maastricht to get the real story from those who live it and understand what’s exactly at stake—for students, for research, and for one of Europe’s most important innovation engines. 💬 People I spoke with (in order of appearance):Carline van Breugel (AOb General Education Union) — Instagram: http://instagram.com/carlinevb Janousch Prinz (WOinActie Maastricht & Maastricht University) — Profesional profile https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/prinz– WOinActie: https://woinactie.blogspot.com/ Rianne Letschert (President, Maastricht University) — https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/about-um/organisation/executive-board/prof-dr-rianne-letschert Ilan Feron (MOSA student union) Melissa Siegel (Migration Expert, UNU/Maastricht) — YouTube channel:  @MelissaSiegelMigration  [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC8KcWrj7AULBlhy_DM1lFpw]