Why does nationalism look less like a mistake and more like a structural feature of modern capitalism? In this provocative and deeply researched episode, Professor Zlatko Hadžidedić explains why nationalism often functions as the social glue that stabilizes capitalism’s contradictions and why the current phase of hyper-capitalism risks producing more authoritarian nationalisms over the next decades. Using Bosnia (the Lisbon maps and Dayton aftermath), the Balkans, and contemporary flashpoints as case studies, Zlatko connects theory to concrete history: how imperial legacies, external power strategies, and the logic of the military-industrial complex help produce recurring conflict. He also shows how consumer tech, information flows, and media narratives help pacify populations while power consolidates.

He explains:

⬛ Why nationalism can be a structural necessity for capitalism

⬛ How “hyper-capitalism” creates conditions for authoritarian nationalism

⬛ The Lisbon maps & Bosnia case study — why partition was engineered and what it means today

⬛ How information, phones and consumer culture shape political consent

⬛ Why great-power strategies sometimes manufacture zones of instability

⬛ What citizens and leaders can do to cultivate nuance, media literacy, and democratic resilience

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction: Capitalism, Nationhood & the Big Question

03:10 - Thesis: “No Capitalism Without Nationalism” — the argument explained

08:45 - The Lisbon maps & Bosnia: how partition was made possible

13:30 - From Yugoslavia to the Balkans: external influence and local politics

18:20 - Imperial legacies, Mackinder & geopolitical strategy

22:45 - Hyper-capitalism defined: inequality, pacification, and authoritarian pressures

27:50 - Phones, streaming & control: the tech-consumer pact

32:40 - Gaza, Ukraine & manufactured instability — strategic utility of conflict

37:55 - Predictions: the next 20–30 years of nationalism and power

42:10 - Practical takeaways: media literacy, nuance, and democratic repair

46:00 - Closing reflections & recommended reading

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in political economy, history, geopolitics, and media, especially listeners who want frameworks that connect the dots between capitalism, nationalism, and contemporary conflict.

🎧 Listen now to understand the hidden structures shaping modern conflict, from imperial maps to smartphone screens, from Bosnia to the broader global order.

🔗 Resources & Links

🎧 Listen to more from The Voices of War Website: https://thevoicesofwar.com Full episodes + extras: https://thevoicesofwar.com Newsletter: https://thevoicesofwar.substack.com Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@UCLS_kSQmxMAZIByOr9DTS5Q Twitter/X: https://x.com/thevoicesofwar Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevoicesofwar/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-voices-of-war/ 📘

About Zlatko Hadžidedić Professor, author and analyst focused on nationalism, political economy and Balkan history. (Check episode for recommended reading and sources.)

🎙️ Related Episodes & Reading Look for prior episodes and sources on Bosnia, the Lisbon conference, and imperial legacies in our archives at thevoicesofwar.com.

🔖 Hashtags #ZlatkoHadzidedić #Nationalism #HyperCapitalism #Bosnia #LisbonMaps #Balkans #Geopolitics #InformationWarfare #EmpireLegacy #MultipolarWorld #AuthoritarianNationalism #PoliticalEconomy #MediaManipulation #HistoryOfEmpires #GlobalPolitics

In this landmark episode, Professor William Schabas — one of the world’s foremost experts on international criminal law and the legal architect behind much of our modern understanding of genocide — joins The Voices of War to unpack the explosive legal and political debates surrounding Israel’s war in Gaza.

🔥 With over 20 books and 400 articles to his name, Schabas walks us through:

• What legally constitutes genocide under the 1948 Convention

• How intent is proven in international courts

• Why the ICJ is now handling four major genocide cases

• Why Gaza meets the threshold for genocide, in his legal opinion

• The unprecedented global response — and 50+ states intervening

• Western double standards: Ukraine vs Gaza

• Whether states like the US and Germany could be complicit

• The future of the Genocide Convention in a multipolar world

📚 This is the definitive episode on the politics of accountability and the contested meaning of genocide in a rapidly shifting global order.

🎥 Full video episode: https://youtu.be/OhHavUpazyc 🌐 More: https://www.thevoicesofwar.com 📬 Substack: https://thevoicesofwar.substack.com

As the world fractures into competing blocs and narratives, the so-called "rules-based international order" is under growing strain. From Gaza to Ukraine, accusations of hypocrisy, selective enforcement, and double standards are eroding trust in the West’s claim to moral and legal authority.

In this episode of The Voices of War, I’m joined by Dr. Trita Parsi, Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft and one of the most prominent voices calling for a shift in U.S. foreign policy toward restraint and diplomacy.

Together, we unpack the contradictions at the heart of the West’s global strategy, the shifting balance of power in the Middle East, and why the next war between Israel and Iran may be closer than many realise.

🔍 What We Discuss:

• 🌍 Why the “rules-based order” is breaking down

• ⚖️ How Western double standards weaken international law

• 🛑 What “snapback sanctions” reveal about Europe’s strategy

• 🇮🇷 Why Iran missed its chance to become a regional middle power

• 🇮🇱 The real objectives behind Israel’s war with Iran—and why they failed

• ⚔️ The risks of escalation and U.S. involvement in a wider conflict

• 🧠 Whether external pressure will liberalise or harden Iran’s regime

• 🧭 How China and Russia are shaping a multi-order world

• 🤯 Why Europe is sacrificing its own principles—for Israel

📚 About the Guest:

Dr. Trita Parsi is Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute, founder of the National Iranian American Council, and author of several acclaimed books on U.S.–Iran relations and Middle East geopolitics. He has advised diplomats, policymakers, and civil society leaders on diplomacy, multilateralism, and regional conflict resolution.

📎 Resources Mentioned:

• 📖 Trita's Books

• 🔗 Better Order Project

• 🔗 Quincy Institute

• 🔗 Trita Parsi on Twitter/X

🎧 Listen & Subscribe: 🌐 Website: https://thevoicesofwar.com 📬 Newsletter: https://thevoicesofwar.substack.com