Shows
Hudson Institute Events PodcastThe Iranian Regime Under Pressure: What’s Next?Operation Midnight Hammer, the United States’ recent strike against Iranian nuclear infrastructure, and Israel’s Operation Rising Lion, which dismantled Iran’s covert infrastructure and paved the way for the US attack, have forced the Islamic Republic into a new phase of strategic decision-making.Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei now faces difficult choices. He needs to weigh Iran’s long-term ambitions for regional power against the risks of deeper military escalation and the threat of growing unrest inside the country. His regime is under pressure to project strength abroad while containing dissent at home.What is Khamenei...2025-07-1554 minHudson Institute Events PodcastIran on the Brink: Resistance, Repression, and Global Power ShiftsAs Iran’s regime tightens its grip at home, it is also strengthening its anti-Western alliance with China and Russia. But with President Donald Trump back in the White House, Tehran will likely face maximum pressure sanctions and increased strikes on its proxies. With simmering domestic unrest and escalating regional tensions, where does Iran go from here?Join Zineb Riboua, research fellow and program manager at Hudson’s Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East, for a conversation with Mariam Memarsadeghi, a senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, and Dr. Ladan Boroumand, cofounder of the Abdo...2025-03-1258 min
The Learning CurveHoover at Stanford’s Stephen Kotkin on Stalin’s Tyranny, WWII, & the Cold WarThis week on The Learning Curve, guest co-hosts University of Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Mariam Memarsadeghi interview Stanford University senior fellow and biographer of Joseph Stalin, Dr. Stephen Kotkin. He explores Stalin's origins, consolidation of power, and his Communist despotism. Kotkin delves into Stalin's cunning political maneuvers, his complex relationships with other Soviet leaders like Lenin and Trotsky, and the devastating consequences of his regime, including the forced collectivization and mass starvation of millions. Additionally, Dr. Kotkin examines Stalin's role as a wartime leader, his alliances with Western powers, and the far-reaching i...2024-04-241h 07The Learning CurveHillsdale’s Dr. Kathleen O’Toole on K-12 Classical EducationThis week on The Learning Curve, guest co-hosts Prof. Albert Cheng of the University of Arkansas and Mariam Memarsadeghi, interview Hillsdale College's assistant provost for K-12 Education, Dr. Kathleen O’Toole. Dr. O'Toole explores Hillsdale's mission and its impact on K-12 education, delving into classical education, Greco-Roman ideals, Enlightenment principles, and the college’s efforts to enhance education. She discusses the challenges faced in exporting Hillsdale's model to K-12 public schooling, critiques of American education, and the role of the liberal arts in fostering academic unity amidst societal divisions.2023-11-2933 minThe Learning CurveHarvard Prof. Leo Damrosch on Jonathan Swift & Gulliver’s TravelsThis week on The Learning Curve, guest co-hosts Prof. Albert Cheng of the University of Arkansas and Mariam Memarsadeghi, interview Harvard Prof. Leo Damrosch. Delving into the life of Jonathan Swift, Prof. Damrosch explores Swift's satirical brilliance in works like Gulliver's Travels and A Modest Proposal. Analyzing his sharp critiques of politics and society, Dr. Damrosch emphasizes Swift's enduring literary legacy, showcasing his wit, keen insights into human nature, and commitment to liberty. In closing, Prof. Damrosch reads from his book, Jonathan Swift: His Life and His World.2023-11-1537 min
The Learning CurveProf. Jeff Broadwater on George Mason, Federalism, & the Bill of RightsThis week on The Learning Curve, guest co-hosts Mariam Memarsadeghi and MN Supreme Court Justice Barry Anderson interview Prof. Jeff Broadwater author of the biography George Mason: Forgotten Founder. Prof. Broadwater explores George Mason's pivotal role in opposing British policies during the American Revolution, his authorship of the Virginia Declaration of Rights and Constitution and his stance against slavery. Prof. Broadwater discusses George Mason's views on constitutionalism and federalism, leadership among the Anti-Federalists, and concerns about the emergence of commercial interests. He also highlights George Mason's emphasis on civic virtue as the...2023-10-1838 min
The Learning CurveUK’s Laura Thompson on Agatha Christie, Queen of Crime MysteryThis week on The Learning Curve, guest co-hosts Mariam Memarsadeghi and Mary Connaughton interview Laura Thompson, a New York Times bestseller and the award-winning author of Agatha Christie: A Mysterious Life. Ms. Thompson provides an overview of Agatha Christie's life and career, gaining insights into her literary contributions and the enduring popularity of her detective novels. She explores the timeless appeal of Dame Agatha's iconic characters, such as Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, and discusses the influence of her writing on the mystery genre as a whole. They weigh in on the...2023-09-2743 min
The Learning CurveDr. Ramachandra Guha on Gandhi's Enduring LegacyThis week on The Learning Curve, guest co-hosts Charlie Chieppo and Mariam Memarsadeghi interview writer and biographer Dr. Ramachandra Guha. The author of a definitive two-volume biography of Mohandas K. Gandhi, Guha discusses Gandhi’s formative educational experiences, spirituality, political leadership, and philosophy of non-violent resistance, as well as his emphasis on moral self-reliance, interfaith dialogue, and social justice. He reviews Gandhi’s career, including how his experiences in the U.K. and South Africa prepared him to become a national leader in India, his role in the 1930 Salt March, and the push for Indi...2023-09-1347 min
The Learning CurveJay Parini on Thirteen Books That Changed AmericaThis week on The Learning Curve, guest co-hosts Alisha Searcy and Mariam Memarsadeghi interview Jay Parini, Professor of English and Creative Writing at Middlebury College. A poet, professor, and author of literary biographies, Parini discusses how he came to write Promised Land: Thirteen Books That Changed America. From William Bradford’s Of Plymouth Plantation through The Federalist Papers, Thoreau’s Walden, and works by Harriet Beecher Stowe, Mark Twain, and W.E.B. Du Bois, Parini explores how key works of fiction and nonfiction have shaped the American mind and character and guided our understanding of ourselves as a people and...2023-08-2334 min
The Learning CurveNAS's Dr. Peter Wood on Diversity and Anger in AmericaThis week on The Learning Curve, guest co-hosts Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Barry Anderson and Mariam Memarsadeghi interview Dr. Peter Wood, president of the National Association of Scholars. Dr. Wood discusses the invention of the modern concept of diversity and how it has replaced earlier understandings of human unity, liberty, and equality as exemplified by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King's civil rights message of “a single garment of destiny." He traces the history of U.S. Supreme Court rulings on the use of diversity in college admissions while also addressing how a culture of anger seems to pervade American li...2023-08-0247 min
The Learning CurvePulitzer Winner Tamara Payne on the Life and Legacy of Malcolm XThis week on The Learning Curve, guest cohosts Alisha Searcy and Mariam Memarsadeghi interview award-winning biographer Tamara Payne about the life and legacy of Malcolm X. She discussed how her father, Les Payne, embarked on the biography, and offers insight into Malcolm Little’s early life and education, the influences of racism and Pan-Africanism on the Little family, and how Malcolm Little became Malcolm X and rose within the ranks of the Nation of Islam. Tamara traces Malcolm X’s experiences during the civil rights movement, his break with the Nation of Islam, pilgrimage to Mecca, his autobiography, the dynamics lead...2023-07-1949 min
The Re-Education with Eli LakeEp. 61: New Year's RevolutionsIn this episode, I examine how unrest in Iran, the Russian army and Chinese cities exposes the fragility of regimes that appear so imposing and unyielding from the outside. My guest is Mariam Memarsadeghi, the founder and director of the Cyrus Forum. We discuss the revolution in Iran and our hope for a free Iran in 2023.Time Stamps:00:48 Monologue13:10 Interview with Mariam MemarsadeghiQuestions? Comments? Email us at eli@nebulouspodasts.com2023-01-1650 min
Princeton Tory PodcastEyes on Iran: Protest and Liberty under the AyatollahOn December 1, 2022, the Tory hosted a panel called "Eyes on Iran: Protest and Liberty Under the Ayatollah. The discussion focused on the status of human rights in Iran, U.S.–Tehran relations, and Princeton University's relationship with the Iranian regime. Members of the panel included Len Khodorkovsky, Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and Senior Advisor to the US Representative for Iran; Ahmad Batebi, former political prisoner of Iran, journalist, and human rights activist; and Mariam Memarsadeghi, a leading advocate for a democratic Iran and Founder and Director of the Cyrus Forum. The panel was moderated by Bernard Haykel, pr...2022-12-071h 07
Talkin' in the Free WorldTalkin’ in the Free World with Hillel NeuerHillel Neuer has made a career out of giving a voice to the voiceless; his leadership in fighting for human rights, justice, and peace has been internationally lauded. Now, as the Executive Director of UN Watch, Neuer is focused on keeping the United Nations honest and ensuring that the international body is held accountable to its founding principles. Neuer joins MLI Senior Fellow and Cyrus Forum Founder and Director, Mariam Memarsadeghi, to discuss these issues and more.2022-11-2251 min
FDD's Foreign PodicyIran’s 2022 RevolutionRefusing to be silenced, even by brutal crackdowns, the freedom-seeking people of Iran have now surpassed six weeks of nationwide protests following the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman murdered by the so-called "morality" police.
Filling in for host Cliff May, FDD Senior Fellow Reuel Marc Gerecht is joined by Mariam Memarsadeghi — founder of Tavaana and the Cyrus Forum — to discuss why this round of protests is different and how "what we're watching this time around is a revolution."
2022-11-0146 minFDD's Foreign PodicyIran’s 2022 RevolutionRefusing to be silenced, even by brutal crackdowns, the freedom-seeking people of Iran have now surpassed six weeks of nationwide protests following the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman murdered by the so-called "morality" police.
Filling in for host Cliff May, FDD Senior Fellow Reuel Marc Gerecht is joined by Mariam Memarsadeghi — founder of Tavaana and the Cyrus Forum — to discuss why this round of protests is different and how "what we're watching this time around is a revolution."
2022-11-0146 min
RoqeRoqe - Ep#207 - The Uprising: Over a Month and GrowingAnother special edition of Roqe as part of the ongoing Uprising series. Featured guests include:
Cyrus Forum founder and director, Mariam Memarsadeghi;
British-Iranian artist, Afshin Naghouni; and,
YouTuber and former champion gymnast: Shahrzad Pezhman.
Plus Jian does an opening essay entitled, “Never Forget the Massacre of Zahedan,” and convenes a Roqe Roundtable with Pegah, Shaya, and special guests, Roqe graphic artist and dancer, Anahita Nayebi and media performer and business consultant, Darya Emami.2022-10-181h 44
Talkin' in the Free WorldAzar Nafisi on Freedom vs. Totalitarian InstinctsAzar Nafisi, who is the critically acclaimed author of Reading Lolita in Tehran, a New York Times bestseller that is published in thirty-two languages. Nafisi reflects on the effect of education, ideology, and the corporate mentality on the preservation of democracy, focusing particularly on political divides in the US. Mariam and Azar dive into the philosophical underpinnings of freedom, democracy preservation in the US, and the fight for democracy in Iran. Nafisi is also known for her other works including, Things I’ve Been Silent About, Republic of Imagination, That Other World: Nabokov and the Puzzle of Exile, and mo...2022-07-2044 min
Pod Bless CanadaTalkin’ in the Free World: Olga Tokariuk with Updates on the War in UkraineIndependent Ukrainian journalist Olga Tokariuk joins us today to discuss her wartime journalism, stories coming from the frontline, the greater meaning of Ukraine’s fight for freedom and democracy, and to debunk Russia’s narratives about Ukraine.
Olga Tokariuk is a Non-resident Fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) and an independent journalist and researcher based in Ukraine. Olga has vast experience working with Ukrainian and international media, such as EFE news agency, RAI, ANSA, BuzzFeed News, NPR, ABC, and RSI. She is a former head of the foreign news desk at the independent Ukrainian Hromadske TV.
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Talkin’ in the F...2022-06-0730 min
Talkin' in the Free WorldOlga Tokariuk with Updates on the War in UkraineIndependent Ukrainian journalist Olga Tokariuk joins us today to discuss her wartime journalism, stories coming from the frontline, the greater meaning of Ukraine’s fight for freedom and democracy, and to debunk Russia’s narratives about Ukraine.2022-06-0730 min
Talkin' in the Free WorldNury Turkel on the Uyghur GenocideNury Turkel, author of No Escape: The True Story of China’s Genocide of the Uyghurs, speaks to us today about China’s use of technology in the Uyghur genocide and the threat of such technologies to global democracy and freedom. Turkel highlights what the international community needs to do to support the Uyghur people and hold authoritarians to account.Turkel is a Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute and is Vice Chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. He is the first U.S.-educated Uyghur-American lawyer, foreign policy expert, and human rights advo...2022-05-1749 min
Talkin' in the Free WorldDanielle Pletka on Pro-Democracy Foreign PolicyThis program was originally recorded as Democracy Matters on April 22, 2022. Danielle Pletka joins us today to discuss how the US can institute a Pro-Democracy foreign policy, which she argues has been lacking. Danielle Pletka is a distinguished senior fellow in foreign and defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where she focuses on US foreign policy generally and the Middle East specifically. Until January 2020, Ms. Pletka was the senior vice president of foreign and defense policy studies at AEI. Concurrently, she also teaches US Middle East policy at Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service. Before jo...2022-04-2029 min
Talkin' in the Free WorldJamie Kirchik on the Risk of a Dark Age for DemocracyThis program was originally recorded as Democracy Matters on March 25, 2022."The End of Europe" author Jamie Kirchick on rising threats to freedom in democracies.2022-03-2247 minTalkin' in the Free WorldEli Lake on Tactics for Countering RussiaThis program was originally recorded as Democracy Matters on February 24, 2022.Eli Lake joins Mariam Memarsadeghi to discuss how the West can stand up to Russian aggression and stand up for its core values on the international stage. Eli Lake is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering national security and foreign policy. He was the senior national security correspondent for the Daily Beast and covered national security and intelligence for the Washington Times, the New York Sun and UPI. Lake has reported from Iraq, Iran, North Korea, China, India, Egypt and Israel.2022-02-2241 minPod Bless CanadaTalkin' in the Free World EP. 4 – Eli Lake on Tactics for Countering RussiaThis program was originally recorded as Democracy Matters on February 24, 2022.
Eli Lake joins Mariam Memarsadeghi to discuss how the West can stand up to Russian aggression and stand up for its core values on the international stage. Eli Lake is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering national security and foreign policy. He was the senior national security correspondent for the Daily Beast and covered national security and intelligence for the Washington Times, the New York Sun and UPI. Lake has reported from Iraq, Iran, North Korea, China, India, Egypt and Israel.2022-02-2241 minPod Bless CanadaTalkin’ in the Free World EP. 3 – Bill Browder on Holding Oligarchs to AccountThis program was originally recorded as Democracy Matters on February 8, 2022.
Mariam Memarsadeghi interviews Bill Browder, author of Red Notice, investor, and anti-corruption activist, to discuss the role of sanctions in influencing oligarchs. Mr. Browder was the largest foreign investor in Russia until 2005, when he was denied entry to the country and declared “a threat to national security” for exposing corruption in Russian state-owned companies.
In 2008, Mr. Browder’s lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky, uncovered a massive fraud committed by Russian government officials that involved the theft of US $230 million of state taxes. Sergei testified against state officials and was subsequently arrested, imprisoned withou...2022-02-0630 minTalkin' in the Free WorldBill Browder on Holding Oligarchs to AccountThis program was originally recorded as Democracy Matters on February 8, 2022.Mariam Memarsadeghi interviews Bill Browder, author of Red Notice, investor, and anti-corruption activist, to discuss the role of sanctions in influencing oligarchs. Mr. Browder was the largest foreign investor in Russia until 2005, when he was denied entry to the country and declared “a threat to national security” for exposing corruption in Russian state-owned companies. In 2008, Mr. Browder’s lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky, uncovered a massive fraud committed by Russian government officials that involved the theft of US $230 million of state taxes. Sergei testified against state officials and was...2022-02-0530 min
Disinformation WarsEPISODE 10: The Islamic Republic's social media strategyIn this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with Iran democracy activist Mariam Memarsadeghi about the message that Iranian opposition forces are trying to send to the world in their struggle for freedom... and how the country's clerical regime is working overtime on the World Wide Web in order to stop them. 2021-12-1419 minTalkin' in the Free WorldKaveh Shahrooz on the Nefarious Influence of Iran’s RegimeThis program was originally recorded as Democracy Matters on November 1, 2021.Macdonald-Laurier Institute Senior Fellow Kaveh Shahrooz on how a prison massacre was formative to his worldview and his career in pursuit of human rights, about the nefarious influence of Iran's regime in the free world, the downing of flight PS752, Oberlin College's employment of a former Iran regime official responsible for covering up rights abuses, and more.2021-10-3037 minPod Bless CanadaTalkin' in the Free World EP. 1 – Alireza Nader on Holding Iran Accountable for Human Rights AbusesThis program was originally recorded as Democracy Matters on October 28, 2021.
Iran expert Alireza Nader joins Mariam Memarsadeghi to discuss what democracies must do to hold the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps accountable for its global terror and crimes against humanity. Mr. Nader was an International Policy Analyst at the Rand Corporation and author of a number of reports for the Rand Corporation on Iran. He subsequently worked as an advisor to the Anti-Defamation League. He currently serves on the ADL's Task Force to Protect Minority Communities of the Middle East.2021-10-2633 minTalkin' in the Free WorldAlireza Nader on Holding Iran Accountable for Human Rights AbusesThis program was originally recorded as Democracy Matters on October 28, 2021.Iran expert Alireza Nader joins Mariam Memarsadeghi to discuss what democracies must do to hold the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps accountable for its global terror and crimes against humanity. Mr. Nader was an International Policy Analyst at the Rand Corporation and author of a number of reports for the Rand Corporation on Iran. He subsequently worked as an advisor to the Anti-Defamation League. He currently serves on the ADL's Task Force to Protect Minority Communities of the Middle East.2021-10-2533 min
The Learning CurveMariam Memarsadeghi on Freeing Iran, Civic Ed, & Immigrant PortraitsThis week on “The Learning Curve,” co-host Cara Candal and guest co-host Derrell Bradford talk with Mariam Memarsadeghi, senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute. Mariam shares remembrances from her early years spent in the Shah’s Iran, and emigration to the U.S. shortly after Ayatollah Khomeini’s revolution in 1979. They discuss the massive cultural and civic differences between the... Source2021-07-2153 min
The Richard Syrett ShowThe Richard Syrett Show - June 24, 2021 - Alberta Declaration of Independence, Men Transferred To Women’s Prisons, Bill C-6 & Much More!Catch up on what you missed on an episode of The Richard Syrett Show. Professor of Political Philosophy at the University of Calgary, Barry Cooper discusses Alberta’s Coming Declaration of Independence? Founding member of caWsbar (Canadian Women’s Sex-Based Rights,) & former federal prisoner, Heather Mason on men who identify themselves as a woman in order so that they can be transferred to Canadian women’s prisons. Lou Schizas returns once again for News Not In The News. Senior Fellow of MacDonald Laurier Institute, & leading proponent of a democratic Iran, Mariam Memarsadeghi talks about “The Butcher,” Iran’s new presiden...2021-06-251h 21
Middle East CentreWomen's Rights Research Seminar: Women and the Struggle for Democracy in IranMariam Memarsadeghi (Tavaana) gives a talk for the Middle East Centre seminar series. Mariam Memarsadeghi is co-founder and co-director of Tavaana: E-Learning Institute for Iranian Civil Society. Launched in 2010, the virtual institute offers secure democracy and human rights educational opportunities, from graduate level seminars to animated PSAs, short tutorials, case studies of democratic transitions, panel discussions, translated ebooks, comedy skits and more. Now a household brand, Tavaana regularly reaches over 15 million Iranians via live e-classrooms, correspondence learning, satellite TV, robust social media networks and a mobile app. TavaanaTech provides the Iranian people with digital literacy training, digital safety alerts and...2018-04-0318 min
History & PolicyPromoting democracy: past and present lessons for Iran, Egypt and beyondAlex Loktionov of Robinson College, Cambridge.
22 February 2018 - 16:00 pm - 18:00 pm
Room 1.03, Bush House (North East Wing), 30 Aldwych, London WC2B 4BG
How can the past - even the ancient past - help democracy advocates understand the societies they are working in?
Mariam Memarsadeghi, Iranian-American human rights and democracy advocate and co-founder of Tavaana: E-learning Institute for Iranian Civil Society, will talk about the contemporary position in Iran and the work of her organisation in promoting democracy there.
Alex Loktionov of Robinson College, Cambridge will discuss the ancient history of...2018-02-2216 minHistory & PolicyPromoting democracy: past and present lessons for Iran, Egypt and beyondMariam Memarsadeghi - Tavaana: E-learning Institute for Iranian Civil Society
22 February 2018 - 16:00 pm - 18:00 pm
Room 1.03, Bush House (North East Wing), 30 Aldwych, London WC2B 4BG
How can the past - even the ancient past - help democracy advocates understand the societies they are working in?
Mariam Memarsadeghi, Iranian-American human rights and democracy advocate and co-founder of Tavaana: E-learning Institute for Iranian Civil Society, will talk about the contemporary position in Iran and the work of her organisation in promoting democracy there.
Alex Loktionov of Robinson College, Cambridge will discuss...2018-02-2216 min
Voices - Conversations on Business and Human Rights from Around the WorldS02E22 Mariam Memarsadesghi on Access to the InternetMariam Memarsadeghi is co-founder and co-director of the E-Collaborative for Civic Education, running the Tavaana and TavaanaTech projects.
2015-11-0909 min
Your Weekly ConstitutionalBuilding Democracy in IranTavaana is an organization devoted to cracking open one of the most repressive regimes in the world: the theocracy that controls Iran.One of Tavaana's founders, Mariam Memarsadeghi, will tell us how she's doing it - using a transformative tool called the Internet.Join us!2015-06-1254 minYour Weekly ConstitutionalBuilding Democracy in IranTavaana is an organization devoted to cracking open one of the most repressive regimes in the world: the theocracy that controls Iran.One of Tavaana's founders, Mariam Memarsadeghi, will tell us how she's doing it - using a transformative tool called the Internet.Join us!2015-06-1254 min