The Globalist – Episode Summary

Date: January 12, 2026
Host: Georgina Godwin (Monocle)
Featured Analysts/Guests:

• Nega Anger (Wilson Center, ex-US State Department)
• Alexis Self (Monocle Foreign Editor)
• Dr. Ronan Lee (Myanmar scholar)
• Dr. Marion Mesmer (Chatham House)
• Alexandre Kushner (Paris)
• Petri Bertzoff (Helsinki)
• Tyler Brûlé (Monocle founder)
• Gabe Bullard, Laura Kramer (Golden Globes coverage)

Overview:

This episode of The Globalist analyzes major issues shaping global politics and business, focusing primarily on:

• The escalating protests in Iran and potential for US intervention
• Myanmar’s disputed election and enduring instability
• US threats regarding Greenland and NATO’s precarious unity
• A historic luxury retail collapse (Saks bankruptcy)
• European political gridlock and far-right dynamics
• Nordic news, extreme weather, and a quirky ski scandal
• The latest Golden Globe Awards and their evolving cultural significance

1. Iran’s Protests: Momentum, Repression, and US Dilemmas

Segment starts: 03:00

Key Points & Expert Insights

• Largest uprising since 2022:

  • Protests, sparked by economic woes, have rapidly become a broad anti-regime movement.
  • “Some places like government buildings were set on fire…people are continuing to voice their frustration with the system.” — Nega Anger [04:10]
  • Security forces respond with lethal repression, including internet blackouts and televised confessions.
  • Over 500 reported killed, per rights groups.

• Protesters’ Aims:

  • “This is a kind of watershed moment…dissatisfaction with the government, about the social contract and that big nebulous thing, the future.” — Alexis Self [05:11]
  • Especially driven by youth, questioning the future under the Islamic Republic.

• US Options under “Ready to Help” Rhetoric:

  • Kinetic/Symbolic: Potential for symbolic strikes, possibly on regime infrastructure, with risk of being “one-off” or sparking escalatory violence.
  • Escalation Concerns: No carrier presence in Gulf. "A real sustained campaign seems unlikely." — Nega Anger [06:40–09:45]
  • Other Tools: Cyber operations (targeting IRGC systems, supporting protester communications), sanctions, enabling VPN/satellite internet, and evidence-gathering for accountability.

• Regional and Domestic Succession Questions:

  • Speculation about regime change (decapitation strikes) and the role of the Shah's son: “He has been a kind of comic figure, at least outside the country…lots of them [Iranians] don’t [see him as viable].” — Alexis Self [10:23]

• Consensus:

  • Iran’s regime seems more fragile than in decades, but collapse is not imminent, and Western intervention may worsen chaos.

Notable Quotes

• “Tehran has apparently reached out to the United States looking to potentially open up nuclear talks again…classic backchannel mediation.” — Nega Anger [06:46]
• “The Islamic Republic is in a more tenuous position than it has been perhaps since the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s.” — Alexis Self [05:27]

2. Myanmar’s Sham Election and Growing Instability

Segment starts: 13:10

Key Points & Insights

• Controlled, Fragmented Elections:

  • Only half the country voting; opposition groups control rest.
  • “This election's taking place in only about half the country. Half the country is controlled by opposition groups. So this is an election held by a weak military junta. It’s an unpopular election.” — Dr. Ronan Lee [13:10]

• Public Fear and Apathy:

  • Unlike previous free elections, turnout is driven by fear of consequences, not hope or enthusiasm.
  • Electronic voting raises fears of retribution.

• Significant Challenge from Resistance:

  • Junta’s aim: “Change the international attitude towards Myanmar,” not win hearts and minds at home.
  • “If you went overland from any of Myanmar’s neighbors, I think 9 out of 10 border crossings into Myanmar are not controlled by the military junta.” — Dr. Ronan Lee [15:11]

• Regional Fallout:

  • Bangladesh: Border zones controlled by opposition, ongoing refugee crisis with 1 million+ Rohingya. “Instability in Myanmar means they’re not going home.” [16:37]
  • India: Publicly skeptical, fearing more violence and instability; contrasts with China and ASEAN, who support the junta’s narrative.

• No Outside Intervention Likely:

  • West, ASEAN, and China all uninterested in involvement unless refugee flows escalate.
  • “China...is not concerned about instability within Myanmar, or the state of the country so long as it avoids collapse.” — Dr. Ronan Lee [19:39]

3. French Political Gridlock, Far-Right Turmoil & “The Merch Show”

Segment starts: 22:08

Key Points & Insights

• Budget Crisis:

  • France faces another year without a new budget; government relies on constitutional tricks.
  • Three Prime Ministers in three years; possible snap elections loom.

• Far-Right Legal Drama:

  • Marine Le Pen faces appeal in embezzlement case; conviction could bar her from office, and hand power to younger, untested Jordan Bardella.
  • “For the first time in over half a century, a Le Pen might not decide the fate of the far right in France.” — Alexandre Kushner [27:14]

• Public Fatigue:

  • Multiple years of elections, a “severe strain on democratic institutions.”

Memorable Quote

• “The budgetary impasse is one symptom of a deeper malady — a severe case of political collective uselessness.” — The Economist, cited by Alexandre Kushner [22:22]

4. NATO in Crisis: Trump, Greenland, and a Potential Alliance Schism

Segment starts: 32:06

Key Points & Analysis

• Trump Threatens Greenland:

  • Claims US must control Greenland to block Russia/China.
  • European leaders “united and rapid” in opposition.
  • Denmark warns any US attack would be “the end of NATO.”

• NATO Principles at Stake:

  • “It’s unthinkable that an alliance member would threaten another alliance member with use of force.” — Dr. Marion Mesmer [33:01]

• Possible European Responses:

  • UK, France, Sweden (possible Nordic-led force) considering deployments to Greenland as deterrence.
  • “It would work as a signaling function...if NATO is reinforcing Greenland...the US can’t say that [its] security is threatened.” [34:37]
  • But: “NATO only works because all states decide...every single day that they want to support each other.” [34:42]

• Risks of Disintegration:

  • “I’ve been incredibly concerned over the last week because the rhetoric has been so bullish from the United States and it’s also been so unclear.” — Dr. Marion Mesmer [35:34]
  • The standoff risks sidelining support for Ukraine and emboldening Russia.

• Discussion of Possible Deals:

  • Speculation over Denmark trading Greenland for continued US support for Ukraine, but faith in Trump’s reliability is low.

Notable Moment

• “Denmark and the US have a really long standing bilateral agreement…that allows the US really wide-ranging access to Greenland.” — Dr. Marion Mesmer [32:07]

5. Nordic Roundup: Security, Weather Disasters & Ski-Scandal

Segment starts: 38:43

Key Points

• Nordics on Greenland:

  • Swedish and Finnish opposition leaders express openness to sending troops to Greenland; governments more cautious.
  • “Nordic leaders issued a statement...rejecting Trump’s claim of Chinese and Russian ships around Greenland.” — Petri Bertzoff [41:28]

• Weather Crisis:

  • Temperatures drop below –40°C in Lapland; flights cancelled, tourists stranded.

• Ski Jumping Scandal:

  • Norwegian team caught modifying uniforms with metal strings to increase lift, just before the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Memorable Exchange

• “Metal strips in the crutch. That doesn’t sound at all comfortable.” — Georgina Godwin
• “No, but, you know, if it gives you that extra 10 meters...” — Petri Bertzoff [44:44]

6. Golden Globes 2026: Wins, Diversity, and New Metrics

Segment starts: 45:30

Key Points

• Major Winners:

  • “Battle” sweeps most nominations; Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” wins box office award; surprise win for “Hamnet.”

• International Cinema Moment:

  • “We’re seeing a really big moment right now for international cinema...Brazil really had a moment...” — Laura Kramer [47:15]
  • Brazil’s “The Secret Agent” wins best non-English language film and best actor.

• Evolution of Awards:

  • New categories for podcasts, box office, signaling changing definitions of success.
  • Balancing commercial hits with artistic achievements seen as vital.

• Cultural Relevance:

  • Viewership challenges remain; calls for more fun and celebration in televised awards.

Notable Quotes

• “Awards shows, I don’t think should really feel like a lecture. It should feel like an event again.” — Laura Kramer [49:19]

7. The Fall of Saks: What It Means for Luxury Retail

Segment starts: 51:08

Key Points & Analysis

• Saks Files for Bankruptcy:

  • Root causes: decades of rationalization, cost-saving mergers, and dilution of the holistic department store experience.

• Underlying Causes:

  • Over-emphasis on fashion/beauty at expense of variety and local flavor.
  • “One of the principal things that happened was that the word ‘department’ really started to disappear. And these just became specialty stores.” — Tyler Brûlé [57:27]
  • Japanese department stores like Isetan held up as successful counterexample — focusing on variety and customer experience.

• Retail Nostalgia:

  • “You get those people through your front door and you could almost sell them anything.”
  • The collapse of Saks and others seen as part of a broader crisis in US/Western retail identity.

Timestamps of Major Segments

• Iran Protests & US Intervention: 03:00–11:53
• Myanmar's Election: 13:10–20:46
• French Politics & Far-Right: 22:08–29:58
• NATO, Trump & Greenland: 32:06–38:18
• Nordics Roundup: 38:43–44:52
• Golden Globes: 45:30–50:28
• Saks Bankruptcy & Retail: 51:08–58:50

Select Memorable Quotes & Their Timestamps

• On Iran:
  -"This is the largest nationwide uprising since 2022...the people are tired and continue to voice their frustration..." – Nega Anger [04:10]
• On Myanmar:
  -"If you went overland from any of Myanmar's neighbors...9 out of 10 border crossings...are not controlled by the military junta." – Dr. Ronan Lee [15:11]
• On NATO's Crisis:
  -"It’s unthinkable that an alliance member would threaten another alliance member with use of force." – Dr. Marion Mesmer [33:01]
• On Saks & Department Store Decline:
  -"One of the principal things that happened was that the word 'department' really started to disappear..." – Tyler Brûlé [57:27]
• On Golden Globes/Cultural Relevance:
  -"Awards shows...should feel like an event again, something that reminds audiences why movies and TVs are exciting in the first place." – Laura Kramer [49:19]

Conclusion

This episode offers acute perspectives on pivotal global stories: mounting unrest in Iran, Myanmar's sham democratic transition, a transatlantic crisis over Greenland's sovereignty and NATO’s future, and seismic shifts in European politics and the luxury retail world. Lighter segments from the Nordics and the Golden Globes round out an episode packed with insight and sharp analysis, true to The Globalist’s internationalist, intelligent tone.