Episode Description: The Wagner Group's Presence in Africa and the Future of Affirmative Action in Universities

In this episode, we delve into two important topics: the Wagner Group's activities in Africa and the potential impact of the recent Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action in university admissions.

The Wagner Group's Presence in Africa

We start by exploring the exiled leader of the Wagner group, Yevgeny Prigozhin's, failed attempt to march on Moscow and his statement that his fighters would soon be back on the battlefield in Ukraine. This raises questions about the future of the Wagner group. However, our focus shifts to the group's significant presence in Africa and its ties to Russian foreign policy.

We discuss how the Wagner group operates differently in various African countries, fulfilling the needs of African politicians while furthering the Kremlin's agenda. With a military, economic, and political presence, the group is involved in extractive industries like gold and diamond mining. We analyze the uncertain future of the Wagner group in Africa, which depends on the interests of the group itself and African governments.

The Future of Affirmative Action in Universities

Shifting gears, we then turn our attention to the recent Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action in university admissions. We explore how this ruling may lead to more progressive policies that prioritize diversity.

We delve into potential strategies that universities may adopt to promote diversity, such as top percent schemes, income-based affirmative action, and the elimination of legacy preferences. We discuss the motivations behind universities' desire to maintain diversity, highlighting its positive impact on the learning environment and its appeal to top students.

Join us as we delve into these two fascinating topics and explore their implications for global affairs and education.

Its leader is in exile and its future is uncertain. But the Wagner Group will be loth to abandon the influence and the cashflow that its murky African operations bring. The striking down of affirmative-action university-admissions policies in America may counterintuitively spur more-progressive and more-efficient alternatives (9:56). And the reinvention (again) of a beloved Chinese sweet treat (17:08).

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