The Monkey Dance

42 | Who deserves human rights?

Every human has the same fundamental rights. That might sound trivial, but the universal access to human rights is being actively debated in courts around the world as well as in public and political discourse.   Lena Riemer [https://legal.ceu.edu/people/lena-riemer] joins the podcast to talk about the legal basis for granting every human being the same fundamental rights, how this applies to cases of migration, and her experiences both as a lawyer and as a legal scholar.   We chat about how human rights are being eroded and circumvented by policies, how some governments are actively working to obfuscate violations of human rights law, and the dehumanization of individuals who are forced to migrate from their homes due to some combination of conflict and climate change.   As a heads up, this conversation gets emotionally trying at times given the subject matter.     You can also watch the episode on our youtube channel [https://www.youtube.com/@themonkeydance/videos]   If you want to read more of Lena's work and on the topic in general:   1. Lena's blog post on recent jurisprudence on climate change and human mobility and advancements in front of the Inter-American Court of human Rights: Leading the Way: The IACtHR's Advisory Opinion on Human Rights and Climate Change [https://verfassungsblog.de/leading-the-way/]   2. Lena's blog post on the US expulsion policy: Beyond Borders, Beyond Rights? The U.S. “Staging Expulsion” Policy and the Future of Externalization - Opinio Juris [https://opiniojuris.org/2025/06/05/beyond-borders-beyond-rights-the-u-s-staging-expulsion-policy-and-the-future-of-externalization/]   3. Lena's blog post on Germany's attempts to undermine Asylum protections: Undermining Asylum Protection Through Administrative Shortcuts: Germany’s Proposal to Designate Safe Countries of Origin by Executive Decree [https://verfassungsblog.de/safe-countries-of-origin-by-executive-decree-germany-asylum/].    4. An article from the ACLU on the state of the US border: The Border Patrol Was Monstrous Under Obama. Imagine How Bad It Is Under Trump. | ACLU [https://www.aclu.org/news/immigrants-rights/border-patrol-was-monstrous-under-obama-imagine]   5. The referenced American Convention on Human Rights [https://www.oas.org/dil/treaties_b-32_american_convention_on_human_rights.pdf]

41 | Gangs providing services

What happens when gangs step in to provide services for communities that governments aren't able or willing to provide? David Cerero Guerra joins the podcast to talk about his ethnographic work chronicling the equilibrium local gangs have reached with the government of Colombia in the city of Medellin.  While the primary activity of the gangs is selling illicit drugs which harm the community, they also have managed to ensure the reduction of physical violence and facilitate government services like water and electricity to under served communities.  We chat about the historical and political contexts which allowed for the emergence of such a unique unspoken agreement, and how the government communicates with the gangs without any official channels.  Guest: David Cerero Guerra [https://sites.google.com/view/davidcereroguerra] You can also watch the episode on youtube [https://www.youtube.com/@themonkeydance]

40 | Where does morality come from?

We refer to morality a lot when judging behavior, but what exactly are we referring to?   Emese Havadtői [https://hu.linkedin.com/in/emese-havadt%C5%91i-86526223a] joins us to talk about the structure and emergence of moral frameworks. We chat about whether morality can be understood in terms of behavior, without a universalist understanding of morality, and how evolution plays a role in our drive to behave morally. The debate also brushes up against what it means to be "good" and whether it is understood by looking at individual behavior or if it exists as a truth in the universe.   Guest: Emese Havadtői [https://hu.linkedin.com/in/emese-havadt%C5%91i-86526223a] Cohost: Maria Federova [https://mariiafedorova.com/]   You can also watch the conversation on youtube [https://www.youtube.com/@themonkeydance]

39 | How to make a curious mind

What is the brain's relationship to information?   Francesco Poli [https://francescpoli.github.io/] joins to talk about the brain, the mind, and the individual differences that amount to human curiosity. We talk about adaptivity, how our experiences shape our relationship to information, and what this means for our behavior. We also cover the value of information, dealing with uncertainty as a concept, and the importance of a good learning environment.   Guest: Francesco Poli [https://francescpoli.github.io/]   You can also watch the conversation on youtube [https://www.youtube.com/@themonkeydance]

38 | How do we change norms?

How do we choose which norms to follow? And how do we change them for a more equitable society?   Camilo Martinez [https://www.camilomartinez.net/] joins to talk about how we learn, communicate, and enforce social norms. We also chat about the historical trajectory of norms, how norms have evolved as society has, and when we can overthrow prejudiced norms which seek to marginalize groups.   Guest: Camilo Martinez [https://www.camilomartinez.net/] Cohost: Pelin Kasar [https://philpeople.org/profiles/pelin-kasar-1] To catch more of Pelin, check out Episode 6, Episode 28, Episode 32.   You can also watch the podcast on youtube. [https://www.youtube.com/@themonkeydance/videos]