Beyond Borders Podcast

I Ask The Tough Question So You Don't Have To: HOSTWRITER PRIZE AWARD 2025 Beyond Borders Podcast is a global affairs and culture podcast hosted by Aakriti Dhawan — an Indian journalist based in Germany. Each week, we dive into thought-provoking conversations on politics, gender, media, identity, cross-cultural relations, and entertainment — through stories that challenge narratives and push beyond comfort zones. This podcast explores what it really means to go beyond borders — geographically, politically, and personally. I ask the tough questions so you don't have to. If you’re curious about the world and unafraid of tough questions, this is your space. Follow and subscribe to join a growing global community of listeners thinking outside the box. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyond_borderspod/ Youtube: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener norefer

Beyond Borders Podcast is a society podcast hosted by Aakriti Dhawan, with 41 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Aakriti Dhawan hosts Beyond Borders Podcast, a society show with 41 episodes published.

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  Episode #4

  "Sometimes What Puts You at Peace Puts Others at Risk" | Prof. Sondra Hausner, University of Oxford

  Sep 4, 202643 minS2

  Beyond Borders Podcast X Sondra Hausner, Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of Oxford Anthropologist Prof. Sondra Hausner joins us on Beyond Borders Podcast to explore religion, identity, and division in South Asia — from wandering ascetics and the secularism vs Hindu nationalism debate, to caste, gender, and the women renouncers who challenge the social order. A thoughtful conversation about faith, belonging, and shared humanity. 0:00 – Introduction 1:27 – From Nepal to Oxford: why study South Asia 2:22 – "Wandering with Sadhus" & the study of ascetics 5:54 – Religion as belief and practice 8:05 – When religion becomes identity 11:59 – Is India becoming religiously divided? 13:07 – Secularism vs Hindu nationalism 15:23 – How Hinduism has changed in 20 years 18:24 – Religion: perception or fixed rules? 20:08 – Women's renunciation in South Asia 21:54 – Walking the tightrope of gender 26:51 – Women in sacred spaces: "second-class citizens" 30:27 – Humanising religion 32:12 – Religion with a small 'r' vs capital 'R' 35:57 – Does religion just mean "peace"? 38:19 – The lesson: perspectives always change 40:15 – A question for the host, and closing Beyond Borders is a podcast about South Asia, told from a global lens — honest conversations that go beyond the headlines. What this channel stands for: press freedom, gender equality, and the idea that the people closest to a story deserve to tell it. If you want thoughtful, independent dialogue over noise and hot takes, you're in the right place. ️ Hosted by Aakriti Dhawan Award-winning journalist · Founder & Host of Beyond Borders · Hostwriter Prize 2025 Subscribe for new episodes every week Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3EdImNjwzf4NsLeVWDDAMy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyond_borderspod/ Business & media enquiries: beyondbordersbbpodcast@gmail.com ⚠️ Disclaimer: Views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the channel. This podcast exists to encourage informed discussion and respectful dialogue. #BeyondBordersPodcast #SouthAsia #Politics #HumanRights #Journalism #PressFreedom #WomenInMedia #GenderEquality #GlobalAffairs #India #Democracy #CurrentAffairs #Interviews #Podcast

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  Episode #3

  NOTHING IS APOLITICAL: Zahra Joya on Gender Apartheid, Malala & How the World Failed Afghan Women | Part 2

  Aug 21, 202636 minS2

  MINI SERIES: NOTHING IS APOLITICAL The conclusion of our conversation with Zahra Joya — Afghan journalist, TIME Woman of the Year, and founder of Rukhshana Media — recorded for Beyond Borders Podcast in collaboration with Asia Democracy Chronicles, an online publication of the Asia Democracy Network that focuses on human rights and democracy across the region. In Part 2, the conversation moves from Zahra's personal story to the harder political questions. She explains what real solidarity looks like versus performative attention, why she insists the Taliban's rule is gender apartheid, and why she believes the world — including Afghanistan's own neighbours — has looked away. She speaks about Malala, about how the Taliban distort Islam to justify their rule, and about the international community's reluctance to hold them accountable. It's also where she opens up most personally: living in the Taliban's shadow, losing everything, and her message to the women of Afghanistan — please don't give up. She closes by discussing her memoir, The Vanishing Girl of Kabul (co-written with Amie Ferris-Rotman), out now in hardback, eBook, and audio. Missed Part 1? Watch it here: https://youtu.be/GaST0wqWwt4?si=_uAx8sXQi2s04PYS ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 – What real solidarity looks like 04:55 – On Malala, and who goes silent 08:05 – Does engagement legitimise the Taliban? 10:10 – Why only Russia recognises the regime 12:40 – "Does Islam mean what the Taliban is doing?" 20:10 – Betrayed by the world — and by neighbours 21:30 – "It's none of my business" 27:25 – A life lived in the Taliban's shadow 29:45 – "Please don't give up": a message to Afghan women 31:05 – The Vanishing Girl of Kabul The Vanishing Girl of Kabul by Zahra Joya (with Amie Ferris-Rotman) — available now in hardback, eBook, and audiobook. Asia Democracy Chronicles: https://adnchronicles.org/ Asia Democracy Network: https://adnasia.org/ #ZahraJoya #TheVanishingGirlOfKabul #RukhshanaMedia #Afghanistan #Taliban #AfghanWomen #GenderApartheid #WomensRights #AsiaDemocracyChronicles #Democracy #HumanRights #PressFreedom #Malala #BeyondBordersPodcast #AakritiDhawan Beyond Borders Podcast is a show about South Asia, told from a global lens — honest conversations that go beyond the headlines. Hosted by award-winning journalist Aakriti Dhawan, each episode brings together journalists, activists, policymakers, academics, and changemakers to talk politics, human rights, gender, migration, media, and culture — the conversations mainstream coverage too often skips. What this channel stands for: press freedom, gender equality, and the idea that the people closest to a story deserve to tell it. If you want thoughtful, independent dialogue over noise and hot takes, you're in the right place. Subscribe for new episodes every week Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyond_borderspod/ Business & media inquiries: beyondbordersbbpodcast@gmail.com ⚠️ Disclaimer: Views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the channel. This podcast exists to encourage informed discussion and respectful dialogue.

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  Episode #1

  NOTHING IS APOLITICAL: Zahra Joya on Reporting Under the Taliban, Rukhshana Media & the Fight for Afghan Women | Part 1

  Aug 14, 202632 minS2

  MINI SERIES: NOTHING IS APOLITICAL Afghan journalist Zahra Joya — founder of Rukhshana Media, TIME Woman of the Year, and author of the new memoir The Vanishing Girl of Kabul — on what it really takes to report the truth under Taliban rule, and the price of fighting for the most basic human rights. In Part 1 of this episode of Beyond Borders Podcast , host Aakriti Dhawan sits down with Zahra to trace her journey from a tiny Hazara village to running one of Afghanistan's most important newsrooms in exile. Growing up in her Hazara community, Zahra had to pretend to be a boy named Mohammed just to go to school. She shares the weight of carrying that secret, her journey from dreaming of becoming a lawyer to becoming a journalist, and the discrimination that pushed her to start Rukhshana Media — named after a young woman stoned to death by the Taliban in 2015. Zahra opens up about running a hidden newsroom, documenting sexual violence against women in prison, and why the Taliban's rule is nothing less than gender apartheid. She also speaks candidly about feeling betrayed by Western governments negotiating with the Taliban, and why international promises so often fall short for women on the ground. Stay tuned for Part 2, coming next week. ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 – Cold open 00:45 – Growing up Hazara: becoming a boy named Mohammed 03:36 – Dreaming of law, becoming a journalist 10:45 – Founding Rukhshana Media & the girl stoned to death in 2015 12:37 – Inside a hidden newsroom under the Taliban 18:30 – Documenting sexual violence against women in prison 19:47 – "I lost everything": the cost of the work 21:05 – The worst place in the world to be a woman 26:00 – Betrayed by the West 29:50 – What has to change (to be continued…) The Book: The Vanishing Girl of Kabul by Zahra Joya (with Amie Ferris-Rotman), published by Robinson on 23 July 2026 — available in hardback, eBook, and audiobook. Get your copy: https://www.amazon.in/Vanishing-Girl-Kabul-Betrayal-Extraordinary-ebook/dp/B0FTVHM39R Subscribe to Beyond Borders Podcast for Part 2 and new episodes every week. If this moved you, like, comment, and share it — it genuinely helps these stories reach more people. Tags: #ZahraJoya #TheVanishingGirlOfKabul #RukhshanaMedia #Afghanistan #Taliban #AfghanWomen #GenderApartheid #WomensRights #Journalism #BeyondBordersPodcast #Aakriti Dhawan #HumanRights #Hazara #WomenInJournalism #Podcast Listen on Spotify & all audio platforms Beyond Borders is a podcast about South Asia, told from a global lens, with honest conversations that go beyond the headlines. Hosted by award-winning journalist Aakriti Dhawan What this channel stands for: press freedom, gender equality, and the idea that the people closest to a story deserve to tell it. If you want thoughtful, independent dialogue over noise and hot takes, you're in the right place. Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.c ... Instagram: / beyond_borderspod Business & media enquiries: beyondbordersbbpodcast@gmail.com ⚠️ Disclaimer: Views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the channel. This podcast exists to encourage informed discussion and respectful dialogue.

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  Beyond Borders Podcast

  Nothing Is Apolitical: Najib Faizi, Afghanistan's First Drag Queen | Exile & Defiance

  Jul 31, 202641 minS2

  MINI SERIES: NOTHING IS APOLITICAL In this episode of Beyond Borders Podcast, host Aakriti Dhawan is joined by Najib Faizi, a nurse, teacher, activist, and the first-ever Afghan drag queen living in Germany. Together, they dive into a deeply moving conversation about identity, survival, and what it truly means to fight for the freedom to be yourself. Fleeing Kandahar at just eleven years old, Najib survived childhood abuse, bullying, and the heavy weight of family expectations. He opens up about finding his voice, balancing his dual life as Najib and his drag persona, Najiba, and navigating the realities of being a queer Afghan on the global stage. From debunking painful misconceptions about the drag community to sharing his dream of one day making India his home, Najib reflects on the struggle of being silenced, the constant search for safety, and how society’s fear of the unknown so often gets in the way of basic human empathy. This is a conversation about resilience, the courage to speak when you've been silenced, and the universal search for belonging. 00:00 - 01:20 Introduction 01:21 - 02:05 Najib Faizi, Afghanistan’s First Drag Queen 02:06 - 03:41 Growing Up in Kandahar: Early Life & Childhood Memories 03:42 - 05:20 Fleeing Afghanistan at 11 Years Old: The Turning Point 05:21 - 10:37 Becoming 'Najiba': Finding the Drag Queen Within 10:38 - 12:12 Religion, Islam, and Homophobia: Addressing Misconceptions 12:13 - 13:37 Expectation vs. Reality: Seeking Freedom in Western Countries 13:38 - 16:37 Rising Extremism & Safety: Comparing the Taliban and Germany's AfD 16:38 - 18:08 Beyond Drag: Balancing Life as a Nurse, Teacher, and Activist 18:09 - 20:43 Najib vs. Najiba: Understanding Dual Identity 20:44 - 23:47 Debunking Common Myths About the Drag & LGBTQ+ Community 23:48 - 25:57 Dreams & Future Goals: What Lies Ahead in the Next 5 Years 25:58 - 31:20 Personal Struggles: Facing Discrimination and Brutal Realities 31:21 - 33:51 Communication Gap with Parents: Social Stigma and Family Dynamics 33:52 - 35:29 The Role of South Asian Nations: How Regional Neighbors Can Support Afghanistan 35:30 - 38:02 Geopolitics & Unity: Why South Asia Needs Local Solutions, Not Western Intervention 38:03 - 40:29 Beyond Borders: Najib's Final Message and Advice for the World Listen on Spotify & all audio platforms Follow Beyond Borders for weekly conversations that challenge comfort zones. #BeyondBordersPodcast #NajibFaizi #Najiba #AfghanDragQueen #Afghanistan #SouthAsia #India #QueerVoices #LGBTQ #RefugeeStories #Resilience #IndoGerman #PodcastForChange #AakritiDhawan #GlobalPerspectives #HumanRights #IdentityAndBelonging #QueerStories #DragQueen #FreedomToBeYou #CulturalExchange Disclaimer: This content is created for educational and conversational purposes only. We do not intend to hurt, offend, or target any individual or group. All views expressed are respectful and aim to promote empathy, understanding, and open discourse. Aakriti Dhawan is a journalist and storyteller bridging India and Germany. Her podcast brings raw, thoughtful conversations on politics, gender, culture, human rights, and the world we live in. Subscribe for more Listen on Spotify: [ https://open.spotify.com/show/3EdImNjwzf4NsLeVWDDAMy?si=mCMqKgv9SaWHh3SlEm2b7w&utm_source=copy-link ] Follow us on Instagram: @beyond_borderspod

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  Episode #36

  Is India On The Brink Of Its First Gen Z Revolution? | Cockroach Janta Party's Vijeta Dahiya speaks

  Jun 15, 202648 minS1

  What happens when a political researcher, filmmaker, and activist decides to stop waiting for change — and becomes the voice of a movement? In this episode of Beyond Borders, host Aakriti Dhawan sits down with Vijeta Dahiya — political researcher, author, filmmaker, and spokesperson for the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) — for one of the most unfiltered conversations on Indian politics you'll hear this year. This isn't a conversation about party lines or political optics. This is about the ground realities that mainstream media won't touch — caste discrimination, exam paper leaks, unemployment, farmer abandonment, and a generation of young Indians who are done being silent. Vijeta and Aakriti go deep on the ideology behind the CJP movement, the uncomfortable relationship between religion and politics, why the caste system continues to rob millions of basic dignity, and what "so-called liberals" are getting dangerously wrong. They also address the allegations head-on — transphobia, sexism, female representation — with honesty and nuance rarely seen in public discourse. If you believe that real change starts with uncomfortable conversations, this one is for you. 📌 WHAT WE COVER: 00:00 - 01:20 Introduction 01:20 - 02:07 From Engineering to Creative Arts: The Early Jump 02:07 - 02:55 Political Advocacy, Research, and a Five-Year Vision 02:55 - 04:48 Making Haryanvi Films and the Pivot to Activism 04:48 - 05:50 Sudden Rise and Becoming the CJP Spokesperson 05:50 - 07:03 The Ideology Behind the Cockroach Janata Party Movement 07:03 - 08:22 Sonam Wangchuk's Alliance with the CJP Mission 08:22 - 09:15 The Silence of Social Media Influencers and Public Voices 09:15 - 10:18 Navigating the Association and Bond with Dhruv Rathee 10:18 - 11:39 Can You Only Question Indian Politics From Abroad? 11:39 - 17:12 Addressing the Transphobia Allegations and LGBTQ+ Rights 17:12 - 19:44 Clearing the Air: Addressing Allegations of Sexism 19:44 - 21:32 Confronting the Lack of Female Representation in the CJP 21:32 - 23:31 Religion, Caste, and the State of Modern Indian Politics 23:31 - 24:58 The Road Map to Eradicating Casteism and Jaatiwaad 24:58 - 28:20 Questioning the Narrative: Are You Anti-Liberal? 28:20 - 30:35 Debating Classism and the Modern Liberal Stance 30:35 - 35:40 Views on Reservation Quotas and the 2016 Jat Andolan 35:40 - 38:09 Clarifying the Viral Statement on Brahmanwaad 38:09 - 39:52 The Core Difference Between Hinduism and Hindu Nationalism 39:52 - 41:52 Has 'Jai Shri Ram' Shifted From a Religious to a Political Slogan? 41:52 - 46:32 Three Direct Pieces of Advice for Every Indian 46:32 - 47:52 The Final Verdict: Will Vijeta Dahiya Ever Enter Active Politics? 🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations that challenge comfort zones 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3EdImNjwzf4NsLeVWDDAMy?si=Jh_-5qONReSmIQf4w9ad_Q 📲 Follow us on Instagram: @beyond_borderspod #BeyondBorders #VijetaDahiya #DharmendraPradhan #NEETPaperLeak #NarendraModi #BJP #Congress #AAP #DhruvRathee #SupriyaShrinate #AbhijeetDipke #CockroachJanataParty #BhagatSingh #Gandhi #Brahmanvaad #IndianPolitics #EducationReform #CasteSystem #ReservationQuota #Reservation #Religion #EqualityForAll #IndianFarmers #GroundRealities #SecularIndia #Democracy #PodcastIndia #RealStories #IndoGerman #GlobalPerspectives #ConversationForChange Disclaimer: This content is created for entertainment and conversational purposes only. We do not intend to hurt, offend, or target any individual or group. All views expressed are respectful and considerate.

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