SoftPower/FulStories

Epic weekly tales from every corner of the globe. Forget politics, academia, or the office, these are "soft, powerful stories" told by those who lived them. Is what happens in Kinshasa really important in Kansas? Should an Idahoan care about the problems of an Indonesian? (The answer is yes, but...) SP/FS gives the human story center stage. People can debate the virtues of global soft power, but no one--from Osaka to Omaha to Ouagadougou--can deny the magic of these encounters. Each episode begins and ends in the United States—with a foreign adventure in between.

SoftPower/FulStories is a society podcast hosted by Christopher Wurst, with 83 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Christopher Wurst hosts SoftPower/FulStories, a society show with 83 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #55

  #55 - Jason Carter

  Sep 3, 202636 minS1

  There's no doubt that Jason Carter is following in some big footsteps. His great-grandmother, for instance, joined the Peace Corps at age 66 and believed passionately in the importance of service. Or his grandfather, who wasn't content with merely being the President of the United States--he too built a decades-long legacy of service after he left the Oval Office. But there's also no doubt that Jason has answered the call, and then some. As a Peace Corps volunteer, as a lawmaker, as an attorney, and with the Carter Center. He is readily building a legacy of his own. 'SoftPower/FulStories' uses first-person stories to explore why U.S. engagement in the world matters. Through conversations with diplomats, aid workers, Peace Corps volunteers, authors and artists, influencers, businesspeople, and more, SP/FS highlights how soft power and foreign aid and assistance strengthen America's security, prosperity, and global standing. But forget politics, policy, or punditry; this is all about the stories.

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  Episode #54

  #54 - Jennifer Erie

  Aug 27, 202635 minS1

  "When you learn, teach. When you get, give." - Maya Angelou Growing up in a Haitian-American family in Queens, NY, Jennifer Erie hoped the Peace Corps might send her to West Africa to learn more about her ancestors' origins. Instead, she ended up in South Africa, the first of many places — along with her time at USAID — where she found countless new people to champion, collaborate with, and befriend. Far from her original expat community, she became a part of countless others. Flash forward and "the world is in her bones." SoftPower/FulStories uses first-person stories to explore why U.S. engagement in the world matters. Through conversations with diplomats, aid workers, Peace Corps volunteers, authors and artists, influencers, businesspeople, and more, SP/FS highlights how soft power and foreign aid and assistance strengthen America's security, prosperity, and global standing.

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  Episode #53

  #53 - Paul Strasburg

  Aug 20, 202631 minS1

  “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples.” – Mother Teresa A routine trip to northern Thailand changed the course of Peace Corps volunteer Paul Strasburg’s life, even if he didn’t know it at the time. A simple request to help build a school became a successful challenge that, years later, would bloom into an NGO now called Thousand Currents, promoting interdependence and having a positive impact on tens of thousands of lives around the world. 'SoftPower/FulStories' uses first-person stories to explore why U.S. engagement in the world matters. Through conversations with diplomats, aid workers, Peace Corps volunteers, authors and artists, influencers, businesspeople, and more, SP/FS highlights how soft power and foreign aid and assistance strengthen America's security, prosperity, and global standing. But forget politics, policy, or punditry; this is all about the stories.

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #52

  #52 - Keisha Effiom

  Aug 13, 202636 minS1

  "Do not get lost in a sea of despair." - John Lewis During her 18 years with USAID--mostly in Africa--Keisha Effiom worked in environments that most people will never fully understand, but was always deeply committed to the mission. And then it was gone. Not gradually. Not on her terms. Just gone. Yet, when USAID was immediately halted, the teams around the world were still in place. And the team that Keisha led needed answers. They needed reassurance. They needed leadership. This is that story. 'SoftPower/FulStories' uses first-person stories to explore why U.S. engagement in the world matters. Through conversations with diplomats, aid workers, Peace Corps volunteers, authors and artists, influencers, businesspeople, and more, SP/FS highlights how soft power and foreign aid and assistance strengthen America's security, prosperity, and global standing. But forget politics, policy, or punditry; this is all about the stories.

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #51

  #51 - Matt Brown

  Aug 6, 202632 minS1

  "A ship in harbor is safe. But that's not what ships are for." - John A. Shedd When George Clooney decides to embark on a humanitarian mission to the frontlines of a deadly war in Sudan, it would normally take months of meticulous coordination to keep an A-list celebrity safe in a conflict zone. Matt Brown--our storyteller this week--had three days. Which is crazy. Thankfully, as a returned Peace Corps volunteer and seasoned journalist, he knew his way around Africa. But still--three days?! 'SoftPower/FulStories' uses first-person stories to explore why U.S. engagement in the world matters. Through conversations with diplomats, aid workers, Peace Corps volunteers, authors and artists, influencers, businesspeople, and more, SP/FS highlights how soft power and foreign aid and assistance strengthen America's security, prosperity, and global standing. But forget politics, policy, or punditry; this is all about the stories.

  ListenShow Notes

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