Terribly and Terrifyingly Normal?
by Nicola Quaedvlieg and Alette Smeulers
Latest episode
Snitches in Communist Prague
Snitches in Communist Prague
About this podcast
The attacks on 9/11, the invasion in Ukraine, the rise of the Islamic State, the genocides in Srebrenica, Rwanda, Cambodia and Nazi Germany are all incredible acts of human cruelty. They make us wonder: who are the perpetrators of these crimes and what drives them? These questions will be discussed with professor Alette Smeulers and other well known scholars within the field.
Episodes
The newest 20 of 34 episodes
- Snitches in Communist Prague · 54 minIn this episode of Terribly and Terrifyingly Normal, we speak with Barbora Hola, Professor at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. She conducted research on informers in communist…
- Undercover in Extremist Networks · 56 minIn this episode of Terribly and Terrifyingly Normal, we speak with Julia Ebner - an expert in online radicalization, conspiracy theories, and the threats they pose to democracy…
- Speaking Out: A Former Diplomat vs. Dutch Policy on Israel · 55 minIn this episode of Terribly and Terrifyingly Normal, we speak with Berber van de Woude. She is a former diplomat who worked for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the…
- Nuremberg: the Movie, the Book, and its Author · 52 min · Season 1In this episode of Terribly and Terrifyingly Normal, we speak with Jack El-Hai, author of The Nazi and the Psychiatrist, the book that inspired the movie Nuremberg. Together with…
- Mama Lambert: Surviving the Genocide in Rwanda · 1 h 6 minSurviving a genocide and then living on while your parents, husband and 5 of your 8 children have been killed. It seems impossible but this is the story of Mama Lambert. An…
- Masculinity and Femininity in Wartime · 49 minMost perpetrators of mass atrocities are men. Why? Is it biology or social pressure to fit into gender roles? Together with research professor Inger Skjelsbæk, we explore…
- Friendships Between World Leaders · 57 min · Season 3 Episode 6Are world leaders ever truly friends? In this episode of Terribly and Terrifyingly Normal?, we dive into the complex relationships between leaders like Trump, Netanyahu, Putin…
- The art of Teaching About Violence · 54 minTeaching is never easy, but it’s even more challenging when the subject is mass violence. With current conflicts like those in Ukraine and between Hamas and Israel, this topic is…
- Trump's inner circle · 53 minWith the U.S. election on the horizon, we take a closer look at four key figures in Donald Trump’s inner circle: Stephen Miller, Lindsey Graham, Bill Barr, and Mitch McConnell…
- How Perpetrators Perceive their Crimes · 45 minDo perpetrators feel remorse? In today’s episode, we try to find out by speaking with Mina Rauschenbach. She has interviewed many perpetrators from the Yugoslavia tribunal, from…
- The United Nations on a Mission · 1 h 5 min · Season 4 Episode 1Being part of a United Nations peacekeeping mission is an intense experience. And that's all the more true if you lead the mission. What is that experience like? How important is…
- But what if the war ends? · 56 minWe all hope that the wars all around the world end. But what happens when they do? How should perpetrators be punished? How should victims be compensated? And what should be done…
- The leaders we deserve · 47 min · Season 3 Episode 2There seems to be an abundance of them: bad leaders. That can be dangerous, especially when they have lots of power. But what makes a bad leader? And how can we understand them?…
- Biljana Plavšić: A Beloved War Criminal · 56 min · Season 3 Episode 1Biljana Plavšić: a respected biologist, high-ranking politician, and a convicted female war criminal. But despite her role in the war in former Yugoslavia, she says she is…
- Perpetrator Trauma · 49 min · Season 2 Episode 6Perpetrators of mass atrocities can be victims of trauma. What does this tell us about perpetrators specifically and human nature more generally? How does such trauma develop?…
- The crime of crimes · 51 min · Season 2 Episode 5Genocide is often referred to as the crime of crimes, but what is its legal definition? And how will the recent genocide cases against Israel and Russia at the International…
- Ervin Staub: 50 Years of Research · 55 min · Season 2 Episode 3Ervin Staub is one of the most important scholars in genocide and altruism studies throughout the past decades. Now that he is 85 years old, he looks back on his most important…
- Good women and evil men · 51 min · Season 2 Episode 3Males commit more mass atrocities than females. How come? Is this mostly down to biological factors or do social influences play a bigger role? And is the binary of good women…
- Populism · 53 min · Season 2 Episode 1Populism is on the rise worldwide and this carries some dangers. But which exactly and can they be extreme enough to incite mass atrocities? We discuss these questions with…
- Paramilitary Groups · 47 min · Season 2 Episode 1Paramilitary groups have played a huge role in the war in former Yugoslavia and are even currently active in the war between Russia and Ukraine. In fact, they will become…
