Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The IR thinker
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azerbaijan's Energy Geopolitics — John M. Roberts | 17 Sep 2026 | 01:08:47 | |
In this episode, John Roberts examines Azerbaijan’s evolving role in regional energy security, from its traditional position as an oil and gas exporter to emerging opportunities in electricity and renewable energy. John explores the geopolitical significance of Azerbaijan’s energy partnerships with the European Union, Türkiye, Russia, Iran, Central Asia and China, and considers whether the country can successfully transform itself into a diversified regional energy hub. John M. Roberts is a leading European energy security specialist and researcher, with particular expertise in the Caucasus, Central Asia and the Caspian energy corridors. He is a nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center and a Senior Partner at Methinks Ltd, a consultancy specialising in the relationship between energy, economic development and politics. John has extensive experience analysing the intersection of energy, economic development and geopolitics. He has advised and testified on Turkish, Russian, Caspian, Middle Eastern and Kurdish energy security, and has particular expertise in the pipelines connecting, or intended to connect, the Caspian region with Europe, Russia, China and India. He previously served as Managing Editor at Platts and worked with Financial Times Energy, focusing on energy development and the impact of energy on economic development. His publications include Caspian Pipelines (1996), Visions & Mirages: The Middle East in a New Era (1995), and Pipeline Politics: The Caspian and Global Energy Security (2014). Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:54 Baku–Novorossiysk Pipeline [oil] 05:29 Baku–Supsa Pipeline [oil] 08:03 Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan (BTC) Pipeline [oil] 10:47 Baku–Kulevi Rail Corridor [oil] 12:22 Hajigabul–Astara Pipeline [gas] 14:21 Hajigabul–Gazakh–Saguramo Pipeline [gas] 15:08 Hajigabul–Shirvanovka–Mozdok Pipeline [gas] 16:13 South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP) [gas] 21:15 Iğdır–Nakhchivan Pipeline [gas] 23:50 Azerbaijan’s Oil and Gas: Significance for the European Union 35:09 Declining Oil Production in Azerbaijan: Challenges and Prospects 39:08 Black Sea Energy Cable 46:31 Azerbaijan and Central Asia: The Uzbek Energy Market 52:18 Could Azerbaijan Revive Its Nuclear Energy Ambitions? 55:23 Green Energy Development 59:40 Azerbaijan, Türkiye and Iran 01:05:25 An Underexplored Area of Energy Research Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Uncertainty, Intentions and Great Power Conflict — Sebastian Rosato | 18 Aug 2026 | 00:57:44 | |
How certain can great powers ever be about the intentions of their rivals, and what happens when that uncertainty becomes a permanent feature of international politics? In this episode, Professor Sebastian Rosato joins us to discuss 'intentions pessimism', the limits of information, and what uncertainty means for great-power conflict, diplomacy, and the study of international relations. Sebastian Rosato is Professor of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame, where he is also a fellow of the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, the Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies, and the Nanovic Institute for European Studies. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:10 Is 'intentions pessimism' a structural or epistemological argument—or are the two inseparable? 04:38 Endemic uncertainty in international relations 06:33 The role of first- and secondhand information 12:48 Waltzian neorealism vs. 'intentions pessimism' 15:27 Has 'intentions pessimism' changed Professor Rosato's stance on IR? 18:11 Is 'intentions pessimism' applicable to great powers only? 20:44 Truism and falsifiability questions 22:20 Which IR theory draws the most criticism of 'intentions pessimism'? 24:50 Liberal institutionalism and constructivism vs. 'intentions pessimism' 28:05 How 'intentions pessimism' works across different regime types 31:41 Case study selection and theory grounding 37:42 Material vs. ideational explanations 40:07 Is 'intentions pessimism' about states or leaders? 42:50 Signals intelligence, satellite surveillance, and AI: do new technologies change the information problem? 46:17 The role of diplomacy and statecraft 47:54 Uncertainty in foreign policy analysis 53:46 How do we make progress in IR theory? Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Who Controls Africa’s Food? Rethinking Food Security, Trade & Agriculture — David Luke | 11 Aug 2026 | 00:36:48 | |
Why is Africa still importing so much of the food it consumes? What is holding back trade in food and agricultural products between African countries? In this interview, we speak with Professor David Luke, editor of How Africa Eats: Trade, Food Security and Climate Risks, an open-access book published by LSE Press. We discuss the causes of food insecurity across Africa, the role of agricultural investment, and the barriers that make it difficult for African countries to trade food with one another. Professor Luke explains why non-tariff barriers matter, where intra-African food trade falls short, and what the AfCFTA could mean for African agriculture. The conversation also covers Africa’s approach to the WTO, the future of the Malabo Declaration, countries making progress in agricultural transformation, and China’s role in African agriculture. The interview concludes with a discussion of where research on African agriculture should go next. David Luke is Professor in Practice and Strategic Director at the Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa, LSE and Extraordinary Professor at North-West University, South Africa, specialising in African trade policy, trade negotiations, and development. Selected Publications Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:39 Rethinking Africa’s Hunger Narrative 06:51 The Root Causes of Food Insecurity in Africa 12:28 How the Research Was Conducted 15:13 Why Non-Tariff Barriers Matter for African Food Trade 17:43 The Missing Link in Intra-African Food Trade 20:12 Agricultural Investment: Africa’s Internal and External Drivers 24:49 Africa’s WTO Strategy: Practical Outcomes Over Ideology 29:11 Does the Malabo Declaration Need an Upgrade? 31:11 Countries Driving Africa’s Agricultural Transformation 32:23 China’s Role in African Agriculture 34:36 Future Research Priorities in African Agriculture Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The Future of Global Governance: BRICS, AI, Middle Powers & World Order — Miles Kahler | 04 Aug 2026 | 01:09:20 | |
In this episode, Professor Miles Kahler discusses the future of global governance in an era of intensifying geopolitical rivalry, shifting power balances, and growing challenges to the post-1945 international order. Drawing on his recent paper, Global Governance in the Twenty-First Century: Sustain, Reform, Transform, he examines whether existing international institutions can still adapt or whether new forms of cooperation will be required. Professor Miles Kahler is Research Professor-in-Residence and Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the School of International Service, American University. He is also a Non-resident Scholar in the Global Order and Institutions Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. His research focuses on international institutions, global governance, international political economy, regionalism, and the evolution of the international order. He has written extensively on global governance, international cooperation, and the political economy of globalisation, and is widely recognised as one of the leading scholars in the study of international institutions. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:58 When Are Institutional Reforms No Longer Enough? 05:16 Can Middle Powers Shape a New Global Order? 10:21 Consensus-Based Multilateralism vs. Plurilateral Cooperation 16:15 Why Is BRICS Less Coherent Than Expected in Global Governance? 22:20 Why Do Countries Join BRICS? Choice or Necessity? 29:19 How Technology and Supply Chains Are Redefining Spheres of Influence 34:30 The Future of Values and Interests in Global Governance 41:41 Does the Liberal International Order Need an Upgrade? 46:11 Strengthening Regional Governance: Rules, Norms, and Institutions 52:38 AI and the Future of Global Governance 59:59 Has International Relations Neglected Domestic Politics? 01:05:41 Underexplored Research Agendas in Global Governance A clarifying note at 13:18: "COP 30 reached agreement on several issues, such as a work program on climate finance, but it was not able to reach consensus on a roadmap transitioning from fossil fuels. That issue that led to the Santa Marta Conference, a coalition of the willing that aimed to phase out fossil fuels." Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Revista Brasileira de Política Internacional: Brazilian IR Journal — Haroldo Ramanzini Júnior | 21 Jul 2026 | 00:47:15 | |
Published by the Brazilian Institute of International Relations since 1958, the Revista Brasileira de Política Internacional (Brazilian Journal of International Politics, also known as RBPI) has spent nearly seven decades serving as a vital bridge between Latin American scholarship and global debates on international affairs. The journal has also reached several important milestones, including its transition to open access, the adoption of English as a publication language, and its integration into the SciELO digital publishing platform. These developments have significantly expanded its international reach and influence. Editor-in-Chief: Haroldo Ramanzini Júnior Impact Factor: 2025 (1.0) / 5-Year Impact Factor: 1.20 Indexed: Scopus / Web of Science First Decision: 90 days Acceptance Rate: 20% Haroldo Ramanzini Júnior is a Brazilian political scientist specialising in Brazilian foreign policy, regionalism, and Latin American international relations, and serves as Associate Professor at the Institute of International Relations at the University of Brasília. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:16 The Intellectual Identity of RBPI 04:46 What Makes RBPI Unique Among Latin American IR Journals? 10:31 Maintaining Thematic and Conceptual Coherence 12:49 Brazil's Foreign Policy, Latin America, and Global Perspectives 15:03 Emerging Intellectual Trends in Submissions 17:00 Which Research Topics Are Growing Most Rapidly? 19:08 Methodological Diversity in RBPI 21:35 The Most Common Mistakes in Submitted Manuscripts 24:33 Ensuring a High-Quality Editorial Process 27:29 Artificial Intelligence in Editorial Work and Peer Review 30:26 Editorial Innovations and Future Publishing Practices 35:49 Who Can Join the Editorial Board? 36:49 Should Authors Suggest Potential Reviewers? 39:25 Publishing in English and Internationalising the Journal 42:48 The Future Direction of RBPI 45:52 What Editorial Leadership Has Meant for Dr Ramanzini Junior's Career Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| America's Role in Post-Soviet Russia: The Untold Story — Daniel Satinsky | 07 Jul 2026 | 01:21:25 | |
In 1989, an American cultural institute helped arrange Boris Yeltsin's first trip to the United States — and a single visit to a supermarket may have changed the course of Soviet history. Thus, what is the untold story of America's involvement in the transformation of the Soviet Union? Daniel Satinsky is an independent scholar, retired attorney and retired business consultant. He began his career in the Soviet Union, then Russia, as part of a US-Russia telecom joint venture in 1991 and then continued with business and consulting projects in Russia up to 2014. Selected Publication Over those years he traveled extensively across the country from Moscow, St. Petersburg, the Central Russia Golden Ring cities, the Urals and Siberia. Subsequently, he has been researching and writing about the interaction between Americans and Russians in this unique historical period. After publishing his most recent book, Creating the Post Soviet Russian Market Economy: Through American Eyes, he has developed an oral history of interviews with foreigners active in Russia during the late 1980s through the early 2000s, available online as The Satinsky Archive, now including 55 in-depth interviews. He was Chairman of the Board of the US Russia Chamber of Commerce of New England from 2000 – 2014 and currently is a Local Affiliate of the Davis Center at Harvard. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 03:28 The Esalen Institute and Boris Yeltsin's Visit to the United States 21:02 SovAm Teleport: Establishing a Soviet–American Internet Connection 29:50 SP Dialog: American Technology and the Transformation of Soviet Banking 39:32 Project Harmony: Community Exchanges and American Police Officers in the Soviet Union 49:30 Russian Privatisation and the Role of American Companies 01:06:11 American Companies in Russia: Independent Ventures or Western Partnerships? 01:08:17 Investment Opportunities in the Post-Soviet Space 01:10:56 Radio Maximum, Cosmopolitan, and Western Cultural Influence in Russia 01:16:23 Sources, Evidence, and the Limits of Satinsky's Research Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Racism Without the Word — Somdeep Sen | 01 Jul 2026 | 01:01:11 | |
After 9/11, the word "terrorism" replaced older colonial vocabularies — but the racial logic underneath stayed intact. Dr Somdeep Sen of Roskilde University joins The IR thinker to show how concepts such as development, security, and the War on Terror continue to sort the world along racial lines, even when race itself goes unnamed. From NATO's global colour line to China's reproduction of Western hierarchies within the Global South, this conversation maps the hidden architecture of race in contemporary IR. Dr Sen is Associate Professor in International Development Studies at Roskilde University, whose research explores race and racism in international relations, settler colonialism, liberation movements, and postcolonial theory. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 02:34 - How IR Erased Race — Deliberately and Systematically 07:09 - Why "sanitised" Language Still Encodes Racial Hierarchy 10:11 - Race Beyond the North–South Divide 15:15 - How Racial Logic Travels Across Regions and Contexts 19:02 - Terrorism, Security, and the Racialisation of Threat 28:15 - Western Imagination of the Middle East Before and After 9/11 34:21 - Why Race Scholarship From the Middle East Gets Overlooked 40:00 - Brexit, English Nationalism, and the Return of Racial Politics 45:32 - What Decolonising IR Actually Requires 47:59 - China as a Non-Western Power Reproducing Racial Hierarchies 51:10 - Intra-Southern Hierarchies and Who Gets to Speak for the Global South 53:41 - How to Research Race When Race Goes Unspoken 58:21 - Underresearched Areas and Future Directions Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| When AI Fights, the War Never Ends — Myriam Dunn Cavelty | 23 Jun 2026 | 01:03:23 | |
Artificial intelligence is redrawing the boundaries of cybersecurity — accelerating attacks, complicating attribution, and compressing the time humans have to make decisions that matter. In this episode, Myriam Dunn Cavelty of ETH Zurich examines AI-driven conflict, the politics behind critical infrastructure protection, the limits of European governance, and what it means when cyber war has no clear start and no clear finish. Myriam Dunn Cavelty is a Senior Scientist at the Centre for Security Studies at Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich. Her research examines the political and societal implications of digital technologies, with a particular focus on cyber security, cyber warfare, critical infrastructure protection, and technology governance. She also serves as co-editor-in-chief of Contemporary Security Policy. Selected Publications
Recommended article: Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 01:55 - What Actually Counts as Critical Infrastructure in the Age of AI? 07:58 - ENISA: Europe's Cybersecurity Watchdog — Triumphs, Failures, and Missed Opportunities 13:00 - Does the World Need a Global Cybersecurity Regulator? 14:43 - Hacked Nations: Geopolitical Coercion, Hybrid Warfare, and Strategic Signalling 25:48 - Is Cybersecurity a Political Problem Dressed Up as a Technical One? 32:31 - War Without End: Why AI-Driven Conflict Has No Clear Start, No Clear Finish 38:27 - Who Did It? The Dangerous Art of Attribution in Cyber Warfare 43:58 - The Speed Problem: When AI Makes Decisions Faster Than Humans Can Think 48:33 - Arming the Enemy: What Happens When Open-Source AI Falls Into the Wrong Hands? 52:00 - Measuring the Unmeasurable: How Do You Rank a Country's Cyber Power? 58:27 - The Blind Spots of AI Cybersecurity Research Topics Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| African Affairs Journal: History, Trends, and the Peer Review Process — Jonathan Fisher | 16 Jun 2026 | 00:45:03 | |
Today, it is a real pleasure to speak with Professor Jonathan Fisher, co-editor of African Affairs — one of the leading journals in the field of African Studies. African Affairs is a peer-reviewed academic journal published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the London-based Royal African Society. It was established as the Journal of the African Society in 1901, then it was published as the Journal of the Royal African Society from 1936 until it obtained its current name in 1944. The journal is broadly interdisciplinary, with a primary focus on the politics and international relations of sub-Saharan Africa, though it also draws on sociology, anthropology, economics, history, literature, and the arts where these illuminate debates on contemporary Africa. Co-Editors George M. Bob-Milliar Jonathan Fisher Amanda Lea Robinson Gabrielle Lynch Impact Factor: 2.2 / 5-Year Impact Factor: 2.7 Indexed: Scopus / Web of Science Jonathan Fisher is Professor of Global Security at the University of Birmingham where he also serves as Deputy Director of Research and Knowledge Transfer for the College of Social Sciences. His research centres on the role of ideas and legitimacy within authoritarian systems, with extensive fieldwork across eastern Africa, where his work has examined how guerrilla heritage shapes contemporary governance, conflict, and cooperation, as well as the growing phenomenon of digital authoritarianism. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:41 The Journal’s Evolving Mission and Research Identity 08:00 Balancing Intellectual Coherence with Disciplinary Diversity 11:19 The Place of Empirical and Theoretical Research in Submissions 13:03 Emerging Trends in Manuscripts and Desired Research Directions 16:27 Underexplored Regions and Research Gaps across Africa 18:40 Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed-Methods Approaches in Publication 24:04 The Most Frequent Mistakes in Article Submissions 25:49 Common Pitfalls for Early-Career Researchers 27:26 Structural and Technical Weaknesses in Academic Articles 29:00 The Impact of AI on Editorial and Peer-Review Processes 31:30 Editorial Reforms and the Journal’s Growing Academic Standing 33:46 The Role and Significance of the Editorial Board 37:14 Supporting Marginalised and Underrepresented Scholars 40:37 Contributions from Latin America, Asia, and China 41:57 Does the Journal Encourage Authors to Suggest Reviewers? 42:43 Future Vision, Priorities, and Strategic Goals of the Journal Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Publishing in Regional & Federal Studies Journal — Davide Vampa & Mariely Lopez-Santana | 09 Jun 2026 | 01:08:00 | |
Today, it is a real pleasure to speak with the editorial team of Regional & Federal Studies, one of the leading journals in the field of territorial politics, regionalism, and federalism. The journal was established in 1991 as Regional Politics and Policy: An International Journal focusing on regionalism in Western Europe. In 1995, the journal changed its name to Regional and Federal Studies, expanding its focus and scope. Impact Factor: 1.4 / 5-Year Impact Factor: 1.6 Indexed: Scopus / Web of Science First Decision: 40 days Acceptance Rate: 28% Davide Vampa, Lead Editor of the journal and Senior Lecturer in Territorial Politics at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, where he also serves as Co-Director of the Centre on Constitutional Change and Chair of the ECPR Standing Group on Federalism and Regionalism, as well as Mariely Lopez-Santana, Deputy Lead Editor and Associate Professor of Political Science at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University, USA. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:45 The Journal’s Intellectual Identity 06:01 How the Journal Adapted to a Changing Field 08:33 Managing Breadth and Coherence Across Federalism, Regionalism, and Multilevel Governance 10:43 Crossing Disciplinary Boundaries: Bridging Political Science and Beyond 14:02 Theory or Empirics? Balancing Conceptual Innovation and Case-Based Research 18:00 Major Intellectual Trends in Regional and Federal Politics 22:09 Underexplored Topics 25:32 Methodological Diversity: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Approaches 27:48 Methodological Shifts: Dominant Approaches and Emerging Techniques 29:53 The Data Challenge: Obstacles in Gathering Quantitative Evidence 32:44 Why Papers Get Rejected: Common Problems in Manuscript Submissions 37:25 Early Career Scholars: Frequent Mistakes and Professional Advice 44:34 The Journal’s Position on AI 48:59 Peer Review Process: Fairness, Transparency, and Editorial Efficiency 53:47 The Role and Strategic Importance of the Editorial Board 57:03 Supporting Underrepresented Scholars and Regions 01:03:33 Should Authors Recommend Reviewers? 01:03:49 Looking Ahead: Future Priorities Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Poland's New Strategic Culture and Geopolitical Ambitions — Piotr Pietrzak | 01 Jun 2026 | 01:06:39 | |
As American power recedes and European unity fractures, Poland finds itself at the centre of one of the most consequential geopolitical transformations of our time. Dr Piotr Pietrzak joins us to trace Poland's journey from historical insecurity to strategic confidence. Can Poland sustain great-power aspirations without overreaching? Piotr Pietrzak is co-founder of In Statu Nascendi Think Tank, a non-partisan and independent institution bringing together scholars from a wide range of disciplines. It is devoted to rigorous inquiry into contemporary conflict and political philosophy, and to generating actionable ideas on geoeconomic, political, and socio-economic matters. A scholar, ontologist, and author, Dr Pietrzak is particularly known for bringing a rigorous pragmatic perspective to international relations theory, conflict management, and geopolitics. His work consistently bridges theoretical inquiry and real-world application, making it relevant to both academic and policy audiences. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 01:20 - Reimagining International Relations: An Ontology “In Statu Nascendi” 04:09 - The Giedroyc-Mieroszewski Doctrine 07:17 - The Brzezinski Doctrine 11:02 - The Sikorski–Tusk Doctrine 18:13 - Regional Power or Strategic Frontline State? Poland’s Post-2022 Autonomy 24:43 - Between Brussels and Washington: Balancing Pro-European and Pro-American Orientations 29:35 - Ukraine as a Strategic Beneficiary of the War 32:18 - Beyond Solidarity: The Future of Polish-Ukrainian Relations 36:32 - China and the New Geometry of Polish Geopolitics 40:28 - What Would G7 Membership Mean for Poland? 46:04 - Democratic Values, Diaspora Networks, and Poland’s Emerging Leadership Role 50:24 - From Historical Insecurity to Strategic Confidence: The Evolution of Polish Strategic Culture 54:01 - Ambition versus Overstretch: Can Poland Sustain Great-Power Aspirations (American power declines, European unity weakens, and Ukraine remains unstable) 01:00:10 - Poland and Russia: Is Stable Coexistence Possible? 01:02:57 - The Most Underresearched Questions in Polish Geopolitics Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Africa's Agency in Global Climate Governance — Carl Death | 25 May 2026 | 01:11:58 | |
This episode explores African agency in global climate governance, moving beyond narratives that portray African states solely as vulnerable recipients of climate policy. Drawing on debates in International Relations, environmental politics, and African climate futures, Dr Carl Death examines how African actors negotiate, contest, and reimagine climate governance across local, continental, and global arenas. Carl Death is a Senior Lecturer in International Political Economy at the University of Manchester. His research focuses on environmental politics in Africa, with a particular interest in critical and postcolonial approaches. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:30 African agency in global climate governance: realities versus stereotypes 10:21 Writing climate transition differently: fiction as method 13:32 Universal models and African political economies 18:04 Pan-Africanism and coordination in climate governance 23:25 Key actors in Africa’s climate and energy transition 27:19 Climate fiction and African agency: insights from fifteen authors 32:49 Selection and context of African climate fiction 38:37 Postcolonial, feminist, and queer perspectives on African climate futures 43:47 Ecopolitical imaginaries explained 48:01 Beyond limited case studies in African climate scholarship 54:51 Challenges in writing the book 58:51 Local politics and environmental governance 01:02:25 Civil society and grassroots climate action 01:08:59 Under-researched areas in African climate politics Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Publishing in Contemporary Security Policy — Myriam Dunn Cavelty & Nicole Jenne | 19 May 2026 | 01:06:06 | |
Today, it is a real pleasure to speak with the editorial team of Contemporary Security Policy, one of the most influential journals in the field of international security studies. Previously, known as Arms Control (1980 - 1993). Since its founding in 1980, the journal has played a central role in shaping discussions on armed conflict, intervention, strategic change, and global security governance. Impact Factor: 5.0 / 5-Year Impact Factor: 4.6 Indexed: Scopus / Web of Science First Decision: 5 days Acceptance Rate: 11% Major fields of concern include: - War and armed conflict - Peacekeeping - Conflict resolution - Arms control and disarmament - Defense policy - Strategic culture - International institutions The journal is currently led by three co-editors: - Myriam Dunn Cavelty - Nicole Jenne - Yf Rejkers Two of them are with us today: Professor Myriam Dunn Cavelty is a leading scholar of cyber security, risk politics, and the governance of emerging technologies, based at ETH Zürich. Associate Professor Nicole Jenne is an expert on Latin American security, civil–military relations, and regional responses to transnational threats at Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, also a visiting scholar at David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies, Harvard University. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:52 The Journal’s Mission: Change and Continuity 04:24 The Intellectual DNA of CSP 06:22 Managing Breadth: Coherence Across Security Studies 09:49 Evaluating Innovative and Experimental Submissions 11:56 What Counts as ‘Policy’ in Contemporary Security Policy? 14:23 Borderline Cases: When Policy Relevance Is Unclear 19:54 Methodological Pluralism and Editorial Tensions 22:46 Qualitative or Quantitative? CSP’s Methodological Orientation 25:02 Major Intellectual Trends in Recent Submissions 26:41 Desired Growth Areas: Topics the Journal Wants More Of 28:20 Attracting Strong Manuscripts: Editorial Strategies and Outreach 33:03 The Role of AI in Academic Submissions 42:49 The Most Common Mistakes in Manuscript Submission 44:10 Fairness, Bias, and Delay: The Realities of Peer Review 47:49 Should Authors Recommend Potential Reviewers? 49:41 Supporting Junior Scholars and Academics Facing Structural Disadvantage 53:24 The Bernard Brodie Prize 56:54 Publication Strategy: Controlling Volume and Maintaining Quality 58:47 What an Editorial Board Actually Does 01:02:11 Editorial Priorities and a Final Message to Scholars Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Publishing in Problems of Post-Communism: An Editor's Perspective — Dmitry Gorenburg | 12 May 2026 | 01:03:57 | |
Problems of Post-Communism is a long-standing peer-reviewed academic journal that examines political, economic, security, and international developments in post-communist societies. First established in 1952 under the title Problems of Communism, the journal was originally published by the United States Information Agency and adopted its current name in 1992 to reflect the profound transformations following the end of the Cold War. Impact Factor: 2.0 / 5-Year Impact Factor: 2.2 Indexed: Scopus / Web of Science First Decision: 112 days Acceptance Rate: 28% The current editor-in-chief is Dmitry P. Gorenburg, a political scientist and senior researcher at CNA, who oversees the journal’s editorial direction and its engagement with contemporary debates on the politics and international relations of post-communist countries. Dr. Gorenburg is also a Harvard Davis Center associate and previously served as executive director of the American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies (now the Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies, or ASEEES). His scholarship focuses on Russian military reform, Russian foreign policy, and security dynamics in the former Soviet Union, as well as questions of ethnic politics and identity in Russia. BLOG: Russian Military Reform Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:53 Evolution of the Journal’s Mission After the Collapse of Communism 05:20 The Intellectual “DNA” of Problems of Post-Communism 06:43 Maintaining Intellectual Coherence Across a Broad Research Scope 09:19 The Role of International Relations in the Journal’s Scope: Thematic vs Territorial Focus 10:26 Disciplinary Balance: Comparative Politics, International Relations, and Area Studies 11:07 Major Intellectual Trends in Post-Communist Studies Over the Past Decade 14:22 Democratic Backsliding, Illiberalism, and the Impact of Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine on Research Agendas 18:21 Russian Scholars in Exile and Scholars Working Inside Russia 21:05 Underexplored Topics in Post-Communist Studies 22:22 Annual Publication Volume and the Pressure to Publish More 26:31 Preferred Research Methods and Methodological Approaches 29:30 The Most Common Mistakes in Manuscript Submissions 40:51 Ensuring Fairness and Efficiency in the Peer Review Process 43:32 Editorial Innovations that Improved Journal Quality and Consistency 44:45 The Role and Selection of the Editorial Board 46:19 Publishing Challenges for Scholars from Central Asia and the Post-Soviet Region 52:30 Growing Global Interest in Post-Communist Studies 53:13 Should Authors Suggest Potential Reviewers? 55:14 What Makes a Successful Article in Problems of Post-Communism 59:25 The Future Vision for the Journal Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Inside Myanmar’s Fragile Geopolitical Position — Wai Yan Phyo Naing | 05 May 2026 | 01:04:40 | |
Myanmar occupies a unique position in contemporary international affairs, where the legacies of post-independence neutralism, decades of military rule, and a fractured post-coup order converge to produce one of the most complex foreign policy environments in the Indo-Pacific. Dr Naing is a visiting scholar at the Institute of Modern History, Academia Sinica, under the Taiwan Fellowship Program. At the moment, he is focusing on modern Myanmar’s domestic politics, democratisation, and international relations, with particular attention to Myanmar–Russia and Myanmar–China relations and their implications for regional security, political development, and social change. In this role, he conducts independent and collaborative research drawing on archival materials, historical documents, and qualitative sources. His current project, “Insights from Taiwan’s Democratisation: Implications for Upcoming Reform Processes in Myanmar,” examines how Taiwan’s experience of democratisation can inform prospective political reforms in Myanmar. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:19 Neutralism, Military Isolation, and the Origins of Myanmar’s Strategic Hedging 09:16 Structural Drivers of the Contemporary Myanmar Political Crisis 16:53 The Influence of China and India on Myanmar’s Foreign Policy Orientation 26:00 The National Unity Government and the Fragmentation of Political Authority 33:12 Border Governance, Insurgency, and Security Dynamics in Myanmar’s Frontier Regions 48:43 Russia’s Role in Myanmar’s Strategic and Military Relations 01:00:35 ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus and the Limits of the Non-Interference Principle Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Foucault, Stalin and the Politics of Life and Death: What Is Biopolitics? — Sergei Prozorov | 28 Apr 2026 | 01:07:47 | |
In this episode, I speak with Professor Sergei Prozorov about biopolitics, one of the most provocative frameworks in contemporary political theory, and how it reshapes our understanding of power, life, and death across IR, philosophy, and Soviet studies. From Foucault to Mbembe to Stalin, this is a conversation that cuts to the heart of how modern states govern human existence. Sergei Prozorov is Professor of Political Science, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Finland. His research interests include contemporary political theory, continental philosophy, biopolitics, democracy and totalitarianism. Sergei’s work is positioned at the intersection of political philosophy, IR theory, and Soviet and post-Soviet studies, with sustained engagement with the thought of Michel Foucault, Giorgio Agamben, and Roberto Esposito. During 2010–2015, Prozorov held the Academy of Finland Research Fellowship with the project Biopolitics of Stalinism. During 2015–2019, he served as Principal Investigator of the Academy of Finland project Biopolitics and Democracy in Global Governance. Prozorov's work has accumulated over 2,800 citations on Google Scholar Google Scholar, reflecting his standing as one of the leading theorists of biopolitics in the international field. Peer assessments situate him among the most philosophically sophisticated scholars working at the intersection of IR and continental theory. His work represents one of the most ambitious re-articulations of the ontological and ethical foundations of universalism in contemporary political theory. Prozorov's latest book is Poses of the World, the third volume in his Void Universalism trilogy. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:55 Conceptualising Biopolitics 09:05 Actors and Agents in Biopolitics 12:39 Biopolitics and Mainstream Approaches in Political Science and IR 18:20 Biopolitics and Sovereignty: Engaging with Agamben 26:16 Biopolitics and Necropolitics: Mbembe’s Intervention 31:05 Studying Biopolitics Empirically: Approaches and Challenges 33:06 Researching Biopolitics: Professor Prozorov’s Preferred Methods 38:58 Common Pitfalls in Biopolitics Research: Advice for Early-Career Scholars 41:53 Biopolitics Beyond the West 45:21 The Motivation and Goals Behind Biopolitics of Stalinism (book) 50:30 Soviet Ideology Through the Lens of Biopolitics 01:00:59 Biopolitical Investment or Propaganda in the Soviet Project? 01:03:39 Professor Prozorov’s Upcoming Research and Future Directions Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| How Russia Projects Soft Power Across Three Continents — Vladimir Liparteliani | 21 Apr 2026 | 01:00:50 | |
How does a country under heavy sanctions continue to win influence across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia? In this episode, Vladimir Liparteliani unpacks the full machinery of Russian soft power — from RT and Sputnik to educational diplomacy, cultural outreach, and religious projection. Vladimir Liparteliani is an associate fellow at the School of Modern Languages and Cultures, Durham University. As a scholar of international relations, he focuses on soft power and international power competition in the post-Soviet space. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:37 Conceptualising Russian Soft Power: Beyond Nye’s Classical Framework 05:58 Russian Scholarly Perspectives on Soft Power 07:10 Soft Power, Strategic Communication, and Influence Operations in Russian Foreign Policy 08:42 Strategic Ambiguity: The ‘Blurriness’ of Russian Soft Power 09:23 Great Power Identity and the Logic of Russian Soft Power 11:53 Soviet Legacies and Their Influence on Contemporary Russian Soft Power 14:21 International Broadcasting as Soft Power: RT and Sputnik 18:22 Narratives and Messaging in RT and Sputnik Content 20:52 Global Accessibility and Restrictions on RT and Sputnik 23:02 Educational Diplomacy in Russian Foreign Policy 26:22 Education as a Soft Power Instrument 28:41 The Experience of International Students in Russia 30:22 Cultural Diplomacy and the Projection of Russian Culture 34:13 Global Reception and Participation in Russian Cultural Initiatives 36:54 The Russian Orthodox Church and Religious Soft Power 41:15 Narrative Effectiveness and Audience Reception in Russian Soft Power 43:52 The Interaction of Soft and Hard Power in Russian Strategy 46:49 Soft Power within Russia’s Military and Security Agenda 49:09 Adapting Russian Soft Power to New Political Realities 51:50 The Impact of Sanctions on Russian Soft Power Adaptation 54:31 Opportunities and Constraints for Russian Soft Power in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia 57:27 — Research Motivation: Studying Russian Soft Power Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| South Africa's Nuclear Energy and the HTMR-100 Reactor — Kelvin Kemm | 14 Apr 2026 | 01:08:46 | |
South Africa has been involved in nuclear development for more than 75 years. In 1948, the Atomic Energy Act established the Atomic Energy Board (AEB) — only two years after the United States created its own Atomic Energy Commission. South Africa's first nuclear research reactor, SAFARI-1, went critical in 1965, and the country's first large nuclear power station, Koeberg, came online in 1984. In February 2010, the South African government announced it would stop funding the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) programme. Over US$1.3 billion had been invested in the project since 1993, making its cancellation one of the most consequential decisions in South African energy history. But the technology did not disappear. A group of nuclear engineers and scientists pressed on independently, channelling the PBMR's intellectual legacy into a new design: the HTMR-100, an advanced Generation IV helium-cooled reactor. That effort eventually gave rise to Stratek Global, and it is an honour to speak with its Chairman and CEO, Dr Kelvin Kemm. Dr Kelvin Kemm is a nuclear physicist and Chairman of Stratek Global, based in Pretoria, South Africa. He is the former Chairman of the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) and has been involved in South Africa's small modular reactor programme since its inception — a journey spanning more than two decades. Dr Kemm has briefed the US Senate and Congress in Washington DC, and is a sought-after international speaker on nuclear energy, technology, and strategic development, having addressed audiences across Africa, Europe, Asia, and the United States. Above all, he brings over 25 years of hands-on experience building small modular reactor technology from the ground up — making him one of the most knowledgeable voices in the field today. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Overview of the Discussion 02:49 Historical Development of Nuclear Reactor Technology in South Africa 17:29 Eskom’s Operational and Financial Challenges: Assessing the Crisis 23:32 Koeberg Nuclear Power Station: Operational Performance, Modernisation, and Life Extension 27:12 Nuclear Fuel Procurement and Supply Chains for Koeberg 31:43 Radioactive Waste Management at Koeberg Nuclear Power Station 36:04 Development Status of South Africa’s HTMR-100 Small Modular Reactor 39:03 HTMR-100 Reactor Concept: Design Principles, Mobility, and Scale 43:32 Advanced Fuel Architecture of the HTMR-100 Reactor 47:58 International Cooperation in Deploying HTMR-100 Nuclear Power Plants 51:09 Nuclear Science and Engineering Education in South Africa: Training the Next Generation 55:09 The Geopolitics of Nuclear Energy 57:49 Debates and Critiques of Renewable Energy Policy in South Africa 01:03:10 Pan-African Institutional Support for Nuclear Energy Development in Africa Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| How to Publish in Top IR Journals: Insights from a BJPIR Editor — Jack Holland | 07 Apr 2026 | 00:42:48 | |
Today, we are hosting an episode that provides an opportunity to present a research journal together with its editor. The aim is not only to introduce the journal, but also to offer a critical assessment of suitable venues for publishing research articles. In this context, we turn our attention to the British Journal of Politics and International Relations (BJPIR). Impact Factor: 3.4 / 5-Year Impact Factor: 3.4 Indexed: Scopus / Web of Science First Decision: 6 days Acceptance Rate: 18.7% 14th out of 169 journals in the field of International Relations and 36th out of 322 in Political Science (Source: https://essl.leeds.ac.uk/education-social-sciences-law/news/article/2242/bjpir-celebrates-rise-in-impact-factor-and-25th-anniversary) The journal is a leading peer-reviewed academic journal in the fields of political science and international relations. Established in 1999 and published by SAGE Publications on behalf of the Political Studies Association, it has developed a strong international reputation for high-quality scholarship. The journal has six editors, all of whom are based at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom. Today, we are speaking with one of them, Professor of Global Security Challenges at the University of Leeds, Jack Holland. Jack Holland also serves as Pro-Dean for Research and Innovation in the Faculty of Social Sciences. His research focuses on United States, United Kingdom, and Australian foreign and security policy. He is an expert on AUKUS, for example, he has been invited as a witness to the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee, and he regularly provides media commentary for British and international news organisations. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:24 The Journal’s Intellectual DNA 04:05 Political Science vs International Relations: Balance in Published Research 05:24 From Political Studies Association Flagship to Global Journal: Institutional Influence 08:31 Political Studies Association 09:47 Editorial Limits: Is There a Maximum Number of Articles per Issue? 11:36 Maintaining Coherence in a Broad-Scope Journal 12:48 Editorial Board: Selection, Roles, and Responsibilities 16:25 University of Leeds: The Journal’s Institutional Connection 18:08 Methodological Pluralism: Supporting Underrepresented Scholars 21:04 Current Intellectual Trends in Submissions 22:53 Undersubmitted Topics: Areas the Journal Wants More Of 24:13 AI, Frameworks, and Consulting: Reality Behind Publishing Claims 26:15 Common Author Mistakes in Journal Submissions 31:00 Encouraging Junior Scholars to Submit 33:51 Global South Scholars and Barriers 36:13 Editorial Lessons: Decisions Seen Differently Today 38:22 Suggesting Reviewers: Should Authors Do It? 39:39 Future Vision for the Journal Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| China and Russia: Four Centuries of Conflict and Concord — Philip Snow | 30 Mar 2026 | 00:49:53 | |
This episode features a conversation with the historian Philip Snow on the evolution of relations between Russia and China. Drawing on archival research, the discussion traces the relationship from the early border settlements at Nerchinsk and Kyakhta to contemporary geopolitical and economic cooperation, highlighting how frontier regions such as Manchuria, Mongolia, and Xinjiang have shaped interaction between the two powers. The interview examines key turning points, including the Sino-Soviet split, as well as structural constraints (geography, distance, and technology) that have historically limited escalation along the border. It also explores post-Soviet asymmetries, energy interdependence, and projects such as Power of Siberia 2. Finally, the conversation considers the implications of contemporary Sino-Russian alignment, addressing their views on multipolar order, persistent frictions in the Russian Far East, and China’s potential capacity to lead globally without Russia. Philip Snow has been travelling in Russia and China since the 1960s, and has spent nearly two decades researching what is arguably the most consequential bailateral relationship of our era. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:10 Archival Research and Interpreting Russian–Chinese Narratives 06:21 Nerchinsk and Kyakhta: Origins of Long-Term Stability 10:46 Manchuria, Mongolia, and Xinjiang as Strategic Pivot Zones 14:18 Mongolia’s Role in Sino-Russian Relations 14:51 Structural Constraints on Escalation and Major War 18:51 The Role of Distance and Technology in Military Encounters 19:28 Manchuria and the Historical Foundations of Chinese Strategic Mistrust 24:17 The Sino-Soviet Split and the Limits of Ideological Alliances 27:05 Energy Interdependence and Post-Soviet Asymmetry 31:20 Power of Siberia 2: Economic Logic and Geopolitical Stakes 32:12 Why Sino-Russian Decision-Making Is Often Slow 32:40 Surface Alignment vs Structural Frictions in the Russian Far East 39:54 Sino-Russian Alignment in Opposition to the West 42:45 Do Russia and China Share a Vision of Multipolar Order? 45:44 China’s Capacity to Lead Without Russia 46:45 Critiquing Philip Snow’s Interpretation 48:21 How to Study China and Russia More Effectively Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| From Unipolarity to Multipolarity: The Changing World Order — Mark N. Katz | 24 Mar 2026 | 00:58:23 | |
This interview with Professor Mark N. Katz explores one of the central debates in contemporary international relations: the transition from unipolarity to a more complex multipolar world. Drawing on historical cases and current geopolitical developments, the discussion examines whether multipolarity is truly the global norm, how great powers are defined, and what the post-Cold War “unipolar moment” tells us about today’s shifting balance of power. The conversation also addresses the rise of emerging actors such as BRICS, the strategic behaviour of smaller states, and the evolving role of alliances, norms, and regional rivalries—from the Middle East to the Global South. Ultimately, it offers a nuanced assessment of whether a multipolar world necessarily produces a stable and coherent international order, and highlights key research questions shaping the future of global politics. Mark N. Katz is Professor Emeritus of Government and Politics at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government, where he taught from 1988 until his retirement in 2024. A specialist in Russian foreign policy, great-power competition, and the international politics of the Middle East, his research has long focused on Soviet and Russian engagement with the developing world and revolutionary movements in international politics. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:03 Is Multipolarity the Historical Norm? 04:08 The Liberal Order During the Cold War 04:53 What Makes a Country a Great Power? 09:36 Understanding the Unipolar Moment 12:19 When Did Unipolarity End? 15:41 9/11, Terrorism and the Limits of Polarity Theory 21:51 The Sino–Soviet Split and a Brief Tripolar World 25:26 BRICS and the Rise of Multipolarity 27:25 Multipolar World vs Multipolar Order 30:27 Global South Views on Multipolarity 33:15 How Small States Play Great Powers Against Each Other 38:00 If China Dominates... 41:25 Do Alliances Limit a Country’s Power Ambitions? 43:45 Iran, Saudi Arabia and Israel in a Multipolar Middle East 47:06 What the Arab Spring Reveals About Multipolarity 50:49 Do International Norms Still Matter? 53:12 Key Research Questions on the Future of Multipolarity Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Catalonia's Quest for Self-Government Explained — Marc Sanjaume-Calvet | 17 Mar 2026 | 00:50:54 | |
In this interview, political scientist Marc Sanjaume‑Calvet examines the constitutional status of Catalonia, the distribution of powers within the Spanish state, and the evolving debates surrounding Catalan autonomy and identity. The discussion also explores Catalonia’s external action, from its relations with the European Union and international organisations to the constraints imposed by Spanish constitutional law, including the legacy of the 2017 referendum and Article 155. Marc Sanjaume-Calvet is Associate Professor of Political Science at Pompeu Fabra University. He has also served as an advisor at the Self-Government Studies Institute, a research centre linked to the Government of Catalonia. His work sits at the crossroads of federalism, self-determination, and territorial conflict, with broader interests in national and ethnic conflicts. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:50 Constitutional Status of Catalonia 05:21 Identity and Demography in Catalonia 08:15 Distribution of Competences 11:46 The Future of Catalan Autonomy 16:10 “Unity of Foreign Action” in Spanish Constitutional Law and Its Constraints on Regional Diplomacy 21:04 Coordination and Tension between Catalonia’s External Action and Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs 23:39 Catalonia and the European Union 29:40 International Agreements and Catalonia’s Network of External Delegations 33:53 Catalonia’s Interaction with International Organisations and Multilateral Forums 37:51 The 2017 Independence Referendum and Article 155 44:21 Emerging Research Agendas in the Study of Catalonia’s Autonomy Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The New Constructivism in International Relations — David McCourt | 10 Mar 2026 | 01:10:24 | |
In this episode, Professor McCourt unpacks the foundations of New Constructivism: where it came from, what it demands of researchers, and where it's heading. From the theory/method distinction to the practice and relational turns, from C. Wright Mills to Multiple Correspondence Analysis, this is a wide-ranging conversation about how social science can move beyond positivist inheritances without losing analytical rigor. We also explore New Constructivism's blind spots, its uneven development across the US and Europe. David McCourt is a Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of California, Davis, where he teaches sociological and international theory. His research sits at the intersection of political sociology and international relations, with a focus on the social foundations of state action in world politics. Empirically, his work centres on the foreign policies of the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union. Theoretically, he usually draws on constructivist, practice-based, and relational approaches to examine how states define and enact their roles on the international stage. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:37 Core Principles of New Constructivism 19:24 Is the Theory/Method Distinction Itself a Positivist Inheritance? 24:00 Methodology vs. Methods: The Root of Constructivist Misreadings 33:33 Constructivism as Classic Social Analysis: The C. Wright Mills Connection 37:25 Broadening the Methodological Repertoire Without Fetishising Technique 41:27 What Must Stay Constant as Constructivism Evolves? 46:14 Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) as a Constructivist Tool 52:15 The Practice Turn and Relational Turn in New Constructivism 57:23 Diverging Trajectories: New Constructivism in the US and Europe 01:00:43 New Constructivism, Global South Scholarship, and Postcolonialism 01:05:11 The Weakest Link: Where New Constructivism Falls Short 01:07:54 The Limits of New Constructivism: Where It Should Not Be Applied Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| New Zealand's Geopolitics and Strategic Identity — Reuben Steff | 03 Mar 2026 | 01:06:08 | |
In this episode, together with Dr Reuben Steff, we explore how New Zealand’s geographic isolation, colonial legacies, and small-state status have shaped a distinctive strategic culture; one that combines alliance cooperation with a persistent commitment to autonomy, non-nuclear norms, and multilateralism. Reuben Steff is a Senior Lecturer at Mendel University in Brno whose scholarship engages some of the most pressing questions in contemporary international relations and security. His research spans the implications of artificial intelligence for the global balance of power, the interaction between nuclear deterrence theory and ballistic missile defence within the security dilemma, New Zealand and United States foreign policy, and the dynamics of great-power competition between the United States and China. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction: Conceptualising New Zealand’s Strategic Posture 02:03 Geographic Isolation and the Evolution of New Zealand’s Strategic Culture 13:56 From the South Pacific to the Indo-Pacific: Regional Order and Strategic Repositioning 18:06 The Treaty of Waitangi and Its Implications for External Partnerships 21:47 Strategic Autonomy, Nuclear-Free Norms, and the AUKUS Question 30:44 Domestic Debates on Nuclear Policy and National Identity 34:21 ANZUS (1951) in Contemporary Perspective: Alliance Politics and Strategic Recalibration 36:25 Trans-Tasman Relations: Convergence, Friction, and Structural Asymmetry 40:38 Economic Interdependence with China and Security Alignment with Western Partners 45:22 Engagement with India and ASEAN: Diversification and Indo-Pacific Strategy 49:23 The European Union and New Zealand: Trade, Norms, and Strategic Convergence 53:54 Hedging in Practice: Small-State Strategy Amid Great-Power Competition 56:34 The War in Ukraine and Its Implications for New Zealand’s Foreign Policy 01:01:11 Multilateralism, Liberal Order, and China’s Parallel Institutional Architecture Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Decolonising Norms in International Relations — Charlotte Epstein | 18 Feb 2026 | 00:53:10 | |
In this episode, Professor Charlotte Epstein reflects on how postcolonial perspectives reshape the study of norms in international relations, challenging conventional accounts of diffusion, compliance, and legitimacy. The conversation explores colonial inheritances embedded in contemporary normative orders, while examining positionality, experience, and the epistemological stakes of critical scholarship. Charlotte Epstein is Professor at Tokyo College, University of Tokyo, where her work examines how language and political power have jointly constituted the modern international order. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:42 Colonialism and Postcolonialism: Conceptual Clarifications 04:08 Rationale for Employing Postcolonial Perspectives 07:22 Postcoloniality as Positionality Beyond Historical Periodisation 12:29 Studying Norm Diffusion and Compliance Beyond Coercion 22:50 Why Norms Reveal Colonial Inheritances More Sharply than Concepts 27:53 From Norms as Practices to Norms as Epistemological Categories 32:25 Situated Perspectives, Critical Authority, and the Risk of Relativism 35:42 The Role of Experience in Postcolonial Norm Research 39:26 Key Sources on the Concept of Experience 43:02 ‘Norming’ and ‘Re-Norming’ in a Foucauldian Perspective 47:54 The Ambivalences of Research Success 50:39 Principal Challenges in Postcolonial Approaches to Norms Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| A New Realism for a World in Crisis — Marc Saxer | 17 Dec 2025 | 00:40:52 | |
In this episode, we sit down with political analyst Marc Saxer to explore his theory of Transformative Realism and why he believes we’re living through a profound systemic crisis. From the erosion of international norms to the urgent need for reimagined statecraft, Marc offers a compelling framework for understanding the forces reshaping our world and what political leadership must look like in response. Marc Saxer is a political analyst, strategist, and writer with two decades of experience in international relations. He heads the Asia Pacific office of the Friedrich-Ebert-Shtiftung and convenes the Asia Strategic Foresight Group. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:38 Understanding Transformative Realism 04:50 Defining Systemic Crisis 07:39 Marc’s Most Compelling Crisis Case Study 15:08 The Erosion of International Norms and Rules 18:24 Recognizing the Signs of Systemic Crisis 20:18 The Role of Agency in Transformative Realism 28:18 Reimagining Statecraft and Political Leadership 33:44 The Crisis in Modern Statecraft Education Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The History and Making of Indian Diplomacy — Vineet Thakur | 08 Dec 2025 | 01:00:38 | |
In this episode, Vineet Thakur unpacks the historical and intellectual foundations of Indian diplomacy. We discuss classical strategic traditions, civilisational and colonial legacies, caste and elite networks in diplomatic culture, non-alignment and strategic autonomy, neighbourhood diplomacy, and India’s contemporary practice of multi-alignment amid shifting great-power rivalries. Vineet Thakur is a University Lecturer in International Relations at the Institute for History, Leiden University. He received his doctorate from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, in 2014 and has held academic positions and fellowships across India, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. His professional experience includes teaching appointments at Ambedkar University Delhi, the University of Johannesburg, and the School of Oriental and African Studies, following which he joined Leiden University in 2017. He has been a fellow at the University of Cambridge, the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study, and Rhodes University. His research is situated in postcolonial international relations, with a particular focus on the politics of knowledge, disciplinary hierarchies, and the global intellectual history of International Relations, especially in the Indian context. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Framing of India’s Diplomatic Trajectories 02:03 Mandala Theory and Kautilya’s Arthashastra as Lenses for Contemporary Regional Policy 05:10 Intellectual and Historical Inspirations Behind India’s Diplomatic Traditions 06:32 Civilisational State Narratives Versus Colonial Administrative Foundations of Indian Diplomacy 10:53 Social Stratification and the Influence of Caste Networks on Diplomatic Recruitment and Culture 22:12 Nehruvian Idealism and Non-Alignment as Strategy: Autonomy, Hedging, and Principled Neutrality 27:55 Overlooked and Marginalised Practices in India’s Cold War Diplomatic History 30:30 The Strategic Logic and Practical Outcomes of the “Neighbourhood First” Diplomatic Doctrine 35:18 Structural Constraints and Policy Stalemate in India–Pakistan Diplomatic Engagement 37:34 China’s Strategic Shadow and Its Effects on India’s Diplomatic Posture Towards Pakistan 39:08 India’s Diplomatic Approach to Tibet in Historical and Contemporary Perspective 43:29 Multi-Alignment as Strategy: Balancing Great Powers in India’s Contemporary Foreign Policy 47:45 The Absence of a Permanent United Nations Security Council Seat and Its Diplomatic Consequences 51:15 India–Africa Relations and the Underdeveloped Economic Dimension of South–South Diplomacy 54:21 Hindu Nationalism and Its Influence on the Ideational Foundations of Indian Diplomacy 58:24 Neglected Themes and Under-Researched Domains in the Study of Indian Foreign Policy *** at 10:29, there is a missing word ‘overstated’ Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Bulgaria's Energy Security Explained — Martin Vladimirov | 01 Dec 2025 | 00:45:05 | |
In this episode, Martin Vladimirov unpacks Bulgaria’s evolving energy landscape in the aftermath of the war in Ukraine. We discuss shifts in the country’s energy mix, offshore wind prospects in the Black Sea, the strategic role of gas pipelines and interconnectors, and the future of key assets such as the Chiren gas storage facility, the Maritsa Iztok lignite complex, and potential new nuclear reactors. Martin Vladimirov is Director of the Energy and Climate Program at the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD), where his work focuses on European and Balkan energy security, energy transition pathways, and the geopolitical dimensions of Russian and Chinese economic influence. He has extensive experience as an energy analyst for The Oil and Gas Year, contributing in-depth reports on Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Saudi Arabia, and has consulted for international oil companies across the GCC and MENA regions. Martin is also an affiliated expert with the European Geopolitical Forum in Brussels and previously worked as an energy and economic analyst for CEE Market Watch, covering Iran and Central Asia. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:38 Bulgaria’s Evolving Energy Mix after the War in Ukraine 09:07 Exploring Bulgaria’s Offshore Wind Potential 12:45 Strategic Energy Pipelines Crossing Bulgaria 17:16 Bulgaria’s Relationship with Gazprom and Gas Contracts 24:14 The Greece–Bulgaria Gas Interconnector (IGB) 27:05 Alexandroupolis LNG Terminal and Regional Gas Connectivity 28:53 The Role of Chiren Underground Gas Storage 34:31 The Future of the Maritsa Iztok Lignite Power Complex 40:50 Assessing the Feasibility of Two New Nuclear Reactors Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| What EU Citizenship Really Means — Dimitry Kochenov | 24 Nov 2025 | 01:11:31 | |
This episode of The IR thinker features a wide-ranging conversation with Professor Dimitry Kochenov on what it really means to “belong” in a world where citizenship is conditional, unequal, and sometimes absent altogether. We unpack the paradox of citizenship as both a legal fiction and a lived necessity, probing whether institutions truly “grant” citizenship, what it means to live as stateless, and whether “real” EU citizenship exists beyond the rhetoric. The discussion traces how EU citizenship can simultaneously empower individuals, through mobility, rights, and protection, while also hollowing out democratic accountability in member states. We examine “market citizenship” and the monetisation of legal status, asking whether citizenship-by-investment schemes that effectively sell access to the EU should be abolished, and close with a critical look at multiple citizenship: is it an emerging path towards global justice or simply an additional layer of privilege for the already mobile? Professor Dimitry Kochenov is a leading scholar of global citizenship and constitutionalism, with a particular focus on the rule of law, EU federalism, and external relations law. He heads the Rule of Law research group at the Democracy Institute of Central European University in Budapest and teaches Global Citizenship at CEU’s Department of Legal Studies in Vienna. Through his work on statelessness, EU citizenship, and the political economy of “citizenship for sale”, he has become a key voice in contemporary debates on how legal status shapes human dignity, mobility, and the evolving architecture of international order. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:02 The Paradox: Can Institutions Grant Citizenship? 06:23 Living Stateless: Can Humans Exist Without Citizenship? 16:56 Does “Real” EU Citizenship Actually Exist? 36:06 Democracy’s Double Edge: How EU Citizenship Both Empowers and Undermines 50:26 Market Citizenship: When Human Worth Becomes Economic Value 56:39 Citizenship for Sale: Should the EU abolish those schemes? 01:08:06 One Citizenship or Many? The Multiple Citizenship Debate Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| How Nuclear Weapons Shape Today's World — Stephen Herzog | 16 Nov 2025 | 01:11:42 | |
This episode of The IR thinker offers a clear and structured tour of contemporary nuclear strategy with Dr Stephen Herzog, moving from the basic categories of nuclear weapons to the political struggles surrounding their control. We unpack the logic of existential and extended deterrence, alliance commitments and escalation management, and examine how arms control agreements and the Non-Proliferation Treaty sustain, yet also entrench, a great power nuclear monopoly. The conversation tackles aspirant nuclear states, debates over “how many is enough”, and the tension between confidence and overconfidence in crisis signalling, before turning to how emerging technologies are reshaping verification, command-and-control, and the broader governance of nuclear weapons. Dr Stephen Herzog is Professor of the Practice at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey and an Associate of the Project on Managing the Atom at Harvard Kennedy School. A leading specialist in nuclear non-proliferation and arms control, he combines academic expertise with policy experience gained as a technical nuclear arms control official at the U.S. Department of Energy, where he worked directly on the implementation and verification of nuclear agreements. His work bridges theory and practice to illuminate how deterrence, treaty regimes and technological change interact in shaping global nuclear security. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:57 Types and Categories of Nuclear Weapons 08:40 Tactical Nuclear Weapons: Historical and Contemporary Contexts 10:32 Understanding the Concept of Existential Deterrence 16:39 Extended Deterrence and the Logic of Alliance Security 25:54 The NPT and the Persistence of Great Power Monopoly 31:53 Treaty Reform or Status Quo? The Politics of Nuclear Governance 33:12 Aspirant States and the Quest for Nuclear Capability 34:47 Escalation Control: Between Arms Agreements and Overconfidence 43:15 The Dilemma of Quantity: Many vs. Few Nuclear Weapons 50:38 Authority and Legitimacy: Who Decides Nuclear Access? 55:58 Technological Challenges to Nuclear Security and Control Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Inside China's Institutional DNA — Chenggang Xu | 10 Nov 2025 | 01:04:41 | |
This episode of The IR thinker features Professor Chenggang Xu on the conceptual and empirical foundations of his book Institutional Genes: Origins of China’s Institutions and Totalitarianism. The conversation unpacks what he means by “institutions” and “institutional genes”, how this framework helps to open the black box of political change, and why certain systems prove remarkably resilient over time. We explore the notion of “stemness”, the contrasts between imperial China and European monarchies, and how specific “genes” in the Russian system shaped Bolshevism. Professor Xu then traces Mao’s fusion of Marxism with the legacy of Qin Shi Huang, the institutional differences between Soviet and Chinese communism, and whether contemporary China should be understood as totalitarian or authoritarian. The discussion closes by examining tyrannical incentive structures, the risks of Soviet-style stagnation, and how the institutional genes framework can be extended beyond domestic politics to foreign policy and other domains of global governance. Professor Chenggang Xu is a Senior Research Scholar at the Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions (SCCEI) and a Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution. A leading scholar of institutional economics, political economy and the Chinese political–economic system, he is widely known for developing the concept of regionally decentralised authoritarianism and, more recently, for his work on institutional genes and the historical roots of Chinese totalitarianism. His research is extensively cited in both academic and policy circles, and he has been awarded the China Economics Prize and the Sun Yefang Economics Prize in recognition of his contribution to the study of institutions, development and authoritarian governance. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:45 Why this book? The story behind ‘Institutional Genes’ 06:34 Defining ‘institution’ in the institutional genes framework 10:45 Opening the black box: How institutional genes explain political change 16:29 The concept of ‘stemness’ explained 20:01 Imperial China vs European monarchies: Why China was more autocratic 28:28 The three Russian genes that created Bolshevism 33:43 Mao’s fusion: Marx plus Qin Shi Huang 38:58 Soviet vs Chinese communism: Key institutional differences 42:23 Totalitarian or authoritarian? Defining modern China 48:35 Tyrannical incentive-compatibility: How totalitarian systems motivate 53:01 Will China face Soviet-style economic stagnation? 58:52 Applying institutional genes to foreign policy 01:03:16 Beyond domestic politics: Where else can we apply this framework? Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| African IR Theory: Does It Exist? — Madalitso Zililo Phiri | 05 Nov 2025 | 00:59:52 | |
This episode of The IR thinker features an incisive conversation with Dr Madalitso Zililo Phiri on what it means to think International Relations from Africa rather than merely about Africa. We interrogate whether an African IR theory exists, how concepts such as Ubuntu, communalism and non-statist authority can reframe sovereignty and power, and what this implies for applying African ideas beyond the continent. The discussion probes Africa’s marginalisation in multilateral decision-making, the contemporary mutations of Pan-Africanism, and South Africa’s foreign policy through a realist lens. We also explore how liberal and mainstream constructivist IR traditions have historically excluded African experiences, what a decolonial constructivism might look like in practice, and whether scholars should pursue a distinct “African school” or treat Africa as a generative site for pluralising the discipline as a whole. Dr Madalitso Zililo Phiri is a Post-Doctoral Fellow in the South Africa–United Kingdom Bilateral Research Chair in Political Theory at the University of the Witwatersrand. A former Visiting Fellow at the Centre of African Studies and Research Associate at Wolfson College, University of Cambridge, and a Carnegie Corporation Fellow via the SSRC’s Next Generation of Social Science in Africa programme, his research spans the political economy of racialised welfare in South Africa and Brazil, the sociology of race, and Black political thought. He has taught African Studies, Sociology, Politics and Research Methods at Cambridge, Wits, Pretoria and Rhodes universities, bringing a decolonial and critical theoretical lens to the study of power, knowledge and global order. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:05 Does African IR Theory Exist? Epistemologies Beyond the West 06:27 Ubuntu, Communalism, and Reimagining Sovereignty 10:45 Applying African Concepts to Non-African Issues 15:01 Authority Beyond the State: African Approaches to Power 19:48 Africa’s Exclusion from Multilateral Decision-Making 25:13 Pan-Africanism in 2025: Dead or Evolving? 29:26 South Africa’s Power Politics Through a Realist Lens 34:24 Liberal IR Theory’s Historical Exclusion of Africa 37:46 Constructivism: Opening or Limiting Space for African Voices? 41:22 Postcolonialism and Decolonizing IR Theory 47:22 Which IR Theory Dominates African Scholarship Today? 50:14 The Risks of Essentializing “African IR Theory” 52:57 Continental Focus vs. State-Centric Analysis in African IR 56:54 Distinct African School or Contribution to Global Pluralism? Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Germany's Natural Gas Security After Russia — Andreas Schroeder | 29 Oct 2025 | 00:45:00 | |
This special 100th episode of IR thinker revisits Germany’s gas security with Andreas Schroeder, the very first expert to appear on the channel in January 2023. We trace how Germany has reshaped its gas architecture since the war in Ukraine, from the shift towards short-term pipeline contracts and the rapid expansion of LNG import capacity to changes in storage policy and declining domestic gas consumption. The discussion examines plans for new gas-fired power plants, the security implications of the nuclear phase-out, and Germany’s emerging role as a gas hub and exporter in competition with neighbours such as Poland. We also explore the country’s growing dependence on US and Norwegian supplies, the debate over Russian LNG, and the prospects of sourcing gas from Africa, Qatar and Canada, before assessing the key risks that will define Germany’s natural gas security in the years ahead. Andreas Schroeder is Head of Energy Analytics (Quantitative) at Independent Commodity Intelligence Services (ICIS), where he leads an international team analysing global energy market dynamics. His work combines quantitative modelling with market intelligence to assess gas flows, contract structures and price formation across Europe and beyond, and he regularly contributes to analytical reports and media commentary on European gas security and energy transition challenges. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 03:13 Current Natural Gas Flows to Germany and Contract Structures 05:08 The Logic Behind Short-Term Pipeline Contracts 07:27 LNG Imports and the Expansion of German Infrastructure 09:47 Gas Storage Developments Since the War in Ukraine 14:03 Declining Gas Consumption in Germany: Causes and Implications 16:58 New Gas-Fired Power Plants in Germany 19:32 The Impact of the Nuclear Phase-Out on Energy Security 22:20 Innovative Gas Procurement Strategies for the German Market 24:42 Germany’s Role as a Gas Exporter 26:43 Export Infrastructure and Capacity 28:23 Competition Between Germany and Poland in Gas Trade 30:43 Dependence on US and Norwegian Gas After the Russian Cut-Off 33:26 Can the EU Operate Without Russian LNG? 35:24 The Potential of African Gas for Germany 36:53 Qatar’s Role in Germany’s Gas Supply 39:53 Canada as an Emerging Gas Partner for Germany 41:52 Future Challenges for Germany’s Natural Gas Security Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| How Mongolia Navigates Energy Dependence — Telmen Altanshagai | 22 Oct 2025 | 00:56:39 | |
This episode of The IR thinker explores Mongolia’s evolving energy landscape with policy analyst Telmen Altanshagai, focusing on how a landlocked state navigates dependence, diversification and development. The conversation maps Mongolia’s current energy mix and security challenges, from coal reliance, heating and grid issues in Ulaanbaatar to infrastructure gaps in rural areas, before turning to governance structures and policy coordination. We examine the strategic implications of projects such as the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline and India’s investment in Mongolia’s first oil refinery, alongside China’s expanding role and the prospects for regional connectivity through concepts like the East Asian Power Grid. The episode also considers energy poverty and inequality, the impact of climate change, constraints posed by national debt, and what policy priorities a Mongolian prime minister should pursue to strengthen energy security and harness the global energy transition for long-term, broad-based development. Telmen Altanshagai is a Washington, D.C.–based independent policy analyst and Energy and Climate Intern at Observer Research Foundation America, as well as a Fellow at the Global Policy Institute. Her work focuses on energy security and development economics across the Global South, with particular expertise on Mongolia, where she analyses how shifting global energy systems affect economic stability and long-term development trajectories. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:31 Overview of Mongolia’s Energy Mix and Security Landscape 04:13 Pathways for Energy Diversification 07:08 Can China Serve as a Source of Energy Diversification? 08:44 Heating Infrastructure and Urban Electricity Challenges in Ulaanbaatar 11:05 Persistent Dependence on Coal 14:02 Energy Access and Infrastructure in Rural Mongolia 16:03 Structure and Dynamics of Energy Governance 18:59 Potential Benefits of the Power of Siberia 2 Pipeline for Mongolia 22:46 Domestic Expertise and Policy Debate on Power of Siberia 2 24:32 Assessing the Need for an Oil Pipeline from Russia 25:32 India’s Investment in Mongolia’s First Oil Refinery 27:31 Mongolia’s Broader Energy Investment Strategy 31:32 Domestic Investment Climate and Incentives for the Energy Sector 34:30 China’s Expanding Energy Investments in Mongolia 35:59 The East Asian Power Grid Concept and Regional Connectivity 37:59 Energy Poverty and Socioeconomic Inequality 41:22 Climate Change Impacts on Mongolia’s Energy Security 43:48 Building Human Capital for Energy Security 46:18 National Debt and Its Implications for Energy Policy 49:12 Comparing Africa and Mongolia: Mining Wealth and Public Benefit 51:47 Policy Priorities: What Should a Mongolian Prime Minister Do to Strengthen Energy Security? 54:54 Future Directions and Research Opportunities Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Australia's Security Strategy Examined — Peter Layton | 14 Oct 2025 | 01:14:00 | |
This episode of The IR thinker offers a sharp, policy-focused tour of how Australia is recalibrating its security posture in an era of intensifying regional competition, with strategist and defence analyst Dr Peter Layton. The conversation examines the evolving logic of alliances with the United States and Japan, the growing reliance on multilateral formats, and the strategic stakes of AUKUS and submarine procurement for Australia’s long-term force structure. We also explore the potential and limits of the Quad and security cooperation with ASEAN, the dilemmas created by deep economic ties with China alongside mounting security concerns, and the vulnerabilities and trade-offs highlighted in the 2024 National Defence Strategy. The episode closes by assessing defence spending priorities, the challenge of diversifying supply chains, and under-researched aspects of Australia’s middle-power role in a more contested Indo-Pacific. Dr Peter Layton is a Visiting Fellow at the Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University, an Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), and a Fellow of the Australian Security Leaders Climate Group. A former RAAF officer with extensive experience in aviation and defence planning, he received the US Secretary of Defense’s Exceptional Public Service Medal for his work on force structure at the Pentagon and has held a research fellowship at the European University Institute. His research focuses on grand strategy, national security policy with a particular emphasis on middle powers, defence force structure concepts and the implications of emerging technologies, bringing together practitioner insight and academic analysis on Australia’s strategic choices. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:00 Alliances with the US and Japan: Security Gains or Strategic Constraints? 04:16 Multilateralism in Australia’s Security Strategy 07:02 AUKUS and the Future of Australian Defence 15:50 Submarine Procurement: Strategic Rationale and Implications 23:02 The Quad and Australia’s Security Role 29:54 Making the Quad More Effective and Productive 33:03 Security Cooperation with ASEAN: Opportunities and Limits 41:52 Managing the Dual Relationship with China: Economics vs Security 50:26 Assessing the 2024 National Defence Strategy and Middle-Power Vulnerabilities 55:51 Military Spending: Balancing Capability and Sustainability 01:01:06 Diversifying Australia’s Defence Supply Chains 01:07:52 Under-Researched Dimensions of Australia’s Security Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Georgia's Energy Geopolitics Explained — Murman Margvelashvili | 07 Oct 2025 | 01:06:59 | |
This episode of The IR thinker traces Georgia’s journey from Soviet-era infrastructure to today’s contested energy landscape with Professor Murman Margvelashvili. The conversation examines how Georgia’s energy mix has evolved up to 2025, the geopolitical risks attached to different sources, and the ownership and control of key hydropower assets. We explore prospects for hydrogen, the remaining headroom for renewables, and the political, technical and feasibility debates around nuclear power. The discussion also unpacks how conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia affect the grid, how Tbilisi balances Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Russia, the EU, China and the United States to preserve strategic autonomy, and whether additional transit pipelines from the Caspian to Europe are really needed. Finally, we look at untapped domestic potential, the reinvestment of transit revenues, resilience to blackouts and supply shocks, and the governance gaps and under-researched areas that will shape Georgia’s next energy chapter. Professor Murman Margvelashvili is a leading Georgian energy policy expert with more than thirty years of experience in the sector, specialising in energy security, sustainability and the geopolitics of the energy transition. He is Director of Energy Studies at World Experience for Georgia, Associate Professor at Ilia State University, and Director of the Energy and Sustainability Institute, and has been closely involved in drafting the National Energy Policy, the National Energy and Climate Plan and the conceptual foundations of Georgia’s National Hydrogen Strategy. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:58 From Soviet system to 2025: evolution of Georgia’s energy mix 05:03 Dependency and geopolitical risk across Georgia’s energy sources 09:17 Ownership and control of Georgian hydropower 10:53 Hydrogen in Georgia: prospects and pathways 15:16 Have renewables peaked? Headroom for additional capacity 17:18 Nuclear power in Georgia: options, debates, feasibility 19:52 Abkhazia and South Ossetia: implications for Georgia’s power grid 22:48 Balancing Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Russia, the EU and China: safeguarding strategic autonomy 32:53 Expanding Caspian gas to Europe: do new Georgian transit pipelines need to be built? 34:51 Armenia’s role in Georgia’s energy geopolitics 36:50 United States interests in Georgia’s energy sector 38:51 Türkiye–Azerbaijan energy cooperation: impacts on Georgia 43:03 Untapped and hidden energy potential in Georgia 45:40 Reinvesting transit revenues into energy modernisation 50:20 Supply shocks and blackouts: resilience and response 53:21 Assessing the effectiveness of Georgia’s energy strategy 56:35 Governance gaps and failures: lessons for reform 01:02:14 Under-researched energy topics in Georgia Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Ireland's Evolving National Security Strategy — Kenneth McDonagh | 30 Sep 2025 | 01:04:52 | |
This episode of The IR thinker explores Ireland’s historic shift from a long-standing tradition of military neutrality towards a more structured national security strategy, with Dr Kenneth McDonagh. We discuss why a neutral state is now formalising its approach to security, the key domestic and external drivers behind this move, and whether neutrality will remain central or gradually erode. The conversation examines Ireland’s defence capabilities and investment choices, the protection of critical infrastructure, coordination between the Defence Forces, Gardaí and intelligence services, Ireland’s deeper integration into EU security structures, its relationship with the United States, cybersecurity posture, UN peacekeeping role, and how developments in Northern Ireland and the lingering threat of terrorism shape the new strategic debate. Kenneth McDonagh is Associate Professor of International Relations at the School of Law and Government, Dublin City University. His research focuses on EU foreign policy, the Common Security and Defence Policy, and the intersections of gender and international security, bringing a nuanced understanding of how small European states such as Ireland navigate evolving security architectures at both regional and global levels. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:53 Reinterpreting Ireland’s Policy of Military Neutrality 05:43 Why Develop a National Security Strategy in a Neutral Country? 08:14 Key Drivers Behind Ireland’s Security Strategy 10:23 Will Military Neutrality Remain Central? 11:58 Is This a Step Towards NATO Membership? 14:07 Understanding the Capacity of Ireland’s Defence Forces 19:00 Is There Willingness to Invest in the Army? 21:12 Private Initiatives for Defence Development 23:34 Protecting Critical Infrastructure: Cables, Energy, Ports, Airports 26:18 Coordination of Defence, Gardaí, and Intelligence Without a Strategy 28:11 Ireland’s Integration into EU Security Structures 31:37 Could EU Forces Be Deployed on Irish Soil? 33:38 Is Ireland Viewed as a Strategic Territory by the EU? 36:10 US–Ireland Relations on Security 39:25 Expanding Security Cooperation with the US 41:29 Ireland’s Cybersecurity Posture 45:17 Presenting the Cyber Sector as a Deterrent 48:02 Ireland’s Role in UN Peacekeeping and Security 54:05 Northern Ireland and the New Security Strategy 59:01 Terrorism in Northern Ireland and Its Security Impact 01:02:17 Under-researched Areas in Ireland’s National Security Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Georgia's Road to the EU — David Bujiashvili | 23 Sep 2025 | 00:57:45 | |
This episode of The IR thinker asks what Georgia’s EU integration really means for democracy, regional security and great power competition, in conversation with David Bujiashvili. The discussion traces the historical and normative drivers behind Georgia’s European choice, the EU’s response to Tbilisi’s membership application, and how narratives around democracy, the rule of law and human rights are communicated – or distorted – at home, including via Russian disinformation. We look at early reform challenges, the current stage of the accession process and why it has stalled, as well as the practical impact of the Association Agreement, the DCFTA and visa liberalisation. The episode also examines the future of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the lessons Georgia has drawn from Central European accessions, the effects of the war in Ukraine, and how shifting roles of Russia and China in the South Caucasus feed back into EU–Georgia relations and the Union’s own enlargement strategy. David Bujiashvili is a distinguished expert on European affairs with more than 25 years of experience in EU integration and assistance coordination. He holds a PhD in Economics and a Master’s in International Economic Relations, combining academic depth with extensive diplomatic and policy practice. At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, he served as Director of the EU Assistance Coordination and Sectoral Integration Department, where he played a pivotal role in overseeing the implementation of the EU–Georgia Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA). His work focused on aligning Georgian legislation with the EU acquis, ensuring inter-institutional coordination through sectoral working groups, and drafting key EU-related strategies and action plans. Dr Bujiashvili has chaired Association Committees and Sub-Committees in negotiations with the European Commission, coordinated Georgia’s EU Accession Questionnaire (2021–2022), and organised strategic communication and public outreach campaigns on EU integration. He has also worked extensively with civil society and the business community on sectoral reforms, while serving as focal point for major EU assistance tools such as Twinning, TAIEX, SIGMA, INTERREG, and anti-fraud mechanisms in cooperation with OLAF. Selected Publication Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:37 Historical and Normative Drivers of Georgia’s EU Integration 14:10 EU Response to Georgia’s Membership Application 17:01 Democracy, Rule of Law, and Human Rights Narratives 18:26 Public Access to EU Information During Accession 21:22 Example of Russian Disinformation Campaigns 23:31 Early Challenges of Reform and Implementation 26:19 Current Stage of Georgia–EU Accession 29:37 Why Has the Accession Process Stalled? 32:32 Georgian Representation in the EU Today 34:56 The Future of Abkhazia and South Ossetia 37:03 Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) 39:34 EU Visa Liberalisation and Georgia 43:17 Learning from Central European EU Accession Experiences 45:26 Forms and Practice of Regional Cooperation 48:03 Impact of the War in Ukraine 50:37 Russia’s Changing Role in the South Caucasus 52:32 China’s Influence on EU–Georgia Relations 54:02 Lessons for the EU from Georgia’s Accession Experience Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Brexit, EU Power and the Question of Hegemony — Patrick Holden | 14 Sep 2025 | 01:00:16 | |
This episode of The IR thinker explores how the European Union exercised power throughout the Brexit process, in conversation with Dr Patrick Holden. Working from a neo-Gramscian perspective, the discussion examines how communication, institutional design and rhetorical strategy combined to generate structural power in the EU–UK negotiations. We unpack surprising findings about how EU institutions shaped the options available to London, how norms and “EU values” functioned as tools of influence, and who better understood the vulnerabilities of European integration. Particular attention is given to the negotiation and communication styles of Michel Barnier and Stefaan De Rynck, what their rhetoric reveals about EU hegemony, and what reforms to the EU’s external action machinery may be needed if Brussels is to preserve its leverage and credibility beyond 2025. Dr Patrick Holden is Associate Professor in International Relations at the University of Plymouth, where he leads the online Master’s programme in International Relations: Security and Development. His research focuses on the European Union’s external relations, international political economy and development policy, and he is widely published on Europe’s role in the international system. Combining theoretical depth with engagement in contemporary policy debates, he offers a nuanced perspective on how the EU projects power, manages relations with non-members and navigates a changing global order. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:54 Why link the EU with hegemony? A Neo-Gramscian view 04:56 EU power during Brexit: communication and political actions 07:28 Structural power: how EU institutions shaped Brexit 11:43 Surprising findings on EU structural power 13:42 EU values vs. interests: norms as a tool of influence 16:10 UK rejection of EU principles and vulnerabilities of integration 20:04 Who understood vulnerabilities better: the EU or the UK? 21:25 Researching vulnerabilities as a scholar 23:18 Barnier, De Rynck, and rhetorical strategies in Brexit talks 26:56 Power balance in EU–UK negotiations 28:47 Barnier and De Rynck: communication styles and strategy 31:39 Lessons from Barnier and De Rynck’s negotiation styles 33:05 Why rhetoric matters: qualitative insights on EU hegemony 34:49 Have scholars studied Brexit enough? 37:30 Brexit’s impact on EU relations with non-members 43:18 Should the EU’s External Action Service gain more power? 45:15 Brexit as a test of EU hegemonic resilience 49:31 EU hegemony in the shadow of US hegemony 56:20 What EU hegemony needs in 2025 Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Radicalisation in the West: Causes and Patterns — Tahir Abbas | 09 Sep 2025 | 01:00:16 | |
This episode of The IR thinker examines how radicalisation is evolving across Western democracies, in conversation with Professor Tahir Abbas. Moving from the storming of the US Capitol and far-right online mobilisation in the United States, through post-Brexit identity politics and the Prevent strategy in the United Kingdom, to intergenerational tensions and social unrest in Western Europe, the discussion unpacks how online ecosystems, crises of capitalism, migration debates and gendered vulnerabilities interact to produce diverse pathways into extremism. The episode explores the blurred boundaries between extremism and terrorism, the rise of the incel subculture, transnational networks behind riots and protests, and the “Gaza effect” on British Muslim politics. Professor Tahir Abbas is Professor of Criminology and Global Justice at Aston University in Birmingham, and formerly Professor of Radicalisation Studies at the Institute of Security and Global Affairs at Leiden University. His interdisciplinary work spans criminology, sociology, politics, Islamic studies and critical terrorism studies, with a particular focus on radicalisation, extremism and political violence in Western contexts. He has authored and edited around twenty books, delivered lectures in over one hundred cities worldwide, and led the EU H2020 DRIVE project, which investigated how social exclusion, disenchantment and marginalisation shape polarising ideas, values and beliefs in north-western Europe. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:07 Online platforms, far-right mobilisation, and the January 6 attack (USA) 05:30 Online communication patterns preceding offline violence (USA) 08:33 Framing extremist groups as terrorist organisations: unintended consequences (USA) 10:46 Drawing the line between extremism and terrorism (USA) 14:32 The rise of the incel subculture and gendered vulnerabilities (USA) 19:13 Summary of US radicalisation 22:32 Post-Brexit identity politics and the Prevent strategy (UK) 31:11 Transnational networks and the 2023 riots (UK) 34:57 The Gaza effect, British Muslim identity, and electoral mobilisation (UK) 39:31 Summary of UK radicalisation 42:51 Intergenerational differences within migrant and minority communities (Western Europe) 48:44 Youth, information exposure, and latent radicalisation risks (Western Europe) 51:33 Crises of capitalism, migration debates, and social unrest (Western Europe) 54:02 Summary of Western European radicalisation 56:06 Researching Radicalisation: Challenges and Reflections Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| China's Engagement with Africa Unpacked — Emmanuel Matambo | 02 Sep 2025 | 00:57:45 | |
This episode of The IR thinker looks beyond the clichés about “debt-trap diplomacy” to examine how Africa–China relations actually function in practice, in conversation with Dr Emmanuel Matambo. The discussion contrasts Western narratives with the pragmatism of African elites, explores China’s media portrayal of Africa, and examines persistent trade imbalances, industrialisation prospects and value addition on the continent. We consider whether African negotiation styles offer advantages, how technology transfer and the energy crisis shape Beijing’s role in Africa, and whether it matters if digital and energy infrastructure is sourced from Western or Chinese firms. The conversation also addresses non-interference versus conditional aid and their implications for governance in fragile states, China’s influence in and around the African Union, the quality of Chinese diplomatic engagement, and the impact of Confucius Institutes, cultural outreach and labour practices. Dr Emmanuel Matambo is Research Director at the Centre for Africa–China Studies (CACS) at the University of Johannesburg, specialising in Africa’s evolving relationship with China. Working within a broadly constructivist framework with a particular focus on people-to-people relations, he investigates how ideas, identities and everyday interactions shape what are often portrayed as purely strategic or material partnerships. He holds a PhD in political science from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, where he later served as a postdoctoral fellow, and has been a fellow of the Wilson Center’s Africa Program and the Atlantic Council’s Millennium Leadership Program. From 2026 he will be an Iso Lomso Fellow at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS), conducting research on Zambia’s shifting perceptions of China at both state and subnational levels. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:55 Pragmatism vs. “Debt-Trap Diplomacy”: How African Elites and Western Narratives Differ 07:29 Africa’s Image in Chinese Media 10:17 Trade Imbalances, Industrialisation, and Value Addition in Africa–China Relations 15:06 Negotiating with China: Is African Directness an Advantage? 18:51 Technology Transfer, the Energy Crisis, and China’s Role in Africa 24:54 Western vs. Chinese Technology: Does the Source Matter for Africa? 29:07 Non-Interference vs. Conditional Aid: Implications for Governance in Fragile States 34:20 China’s Geopolitical Influence on the African Union 36:37 The Calibre of Chinese Diplomats and Officials in Africa 39:14 Confucius Institutes and Their Impact in Africa 43:05 Is There a South African Equivalent of the Confucius Institute in China? 46:16 Chinese Cultural and Media Outreach: Shaping African Youth Perceptions 49:07 Labour Rights and Chinese Companies in Africa: Current Trends and Improvements 51:05 The African Diaspora, China Research, and New Avenues of Cooperation 53:55 Research Priorities of the Centre for Africa-China Studies, University of Johannesburg Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Global Maritime Security Explained — Timothy Edmunds | 26 Aug 2025 | 01:11:45 | |
This episode of The IR thinker explores the changing landscape of maritime piracy and security with Professor Tim Edmunds, tracing how piracy has evolved from traditional coastal raiding to more organised, networked forms of criminality at sea. The conversation examines the structure and scale of pirate groups, the onshore political and economic conditions that sustain them, and the mixed record of international anti-piracy measures. It then turns to wider challenges for the global maritime order, including “grey-zone” tactics at sea, strategic competition around chokepoints and artificial islands, debates over updating UNCLOS, and growing vulnerabilities linked to critical undersea infrastructure, highlighting some of the most pressing and under-researched questions in contemporary maritime security. Professor Timothy Edmunds is Professor of International Security and Head of the School of Sociology, Politics, and International Studies at the University of Bristol. A leading specialist in security policy, capacity building and security sector reform with a particular focus on the maritime domain, he is co-director of the SafeSeas Network and has played an advisory role in UK policy processes, including work on the 2022 UK National Strategy for Maritime Security. His research on maritime security has been supported by the UK Economic and Social Research Council, the British Academy and the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme, and he previously served as founding Editor-in-Chief of the European Journal of International Security for Cambridge University Press and BISA. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:10 Evolution of Maritime Piracy 10:11 Organization of Pirate Groups 13:27 Structural Conditions Fuelling Piracy 20:16 Size and Scale of Piracy Groups 24:08 Effectiveness of Anti-Piracy Measures 31:04 Defining Assertiveness in Maritime Spaces 36:33 Grey-Zone Tactics at Sea 43:50 Innovating UNCLOS for Maritime Order 53:05 Maritime Chokepoints: Ownership and Control 59:25 Artificial Islands and Maritime Security 01:01:43 Threats to Undersea Infrastructure 01:07:02 Most Challenging Areas in Maritime Security Research Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Universities as EU Diplomatic Actors — Marina Cino Pagliarello | 18 Aug 2025 | 01:06:59 | |
This episode of The IR thinker examines how universities and academics operate as informal diplomatic actors in the European Union’s foreign policy, in conversation with Dr Marina Cino Pagliarello. The discussion explores the growing role of “academic diplomacy” in contexts such as the war in Ukraine and EU–Africa relations, highlighting how higher education partnerships, mobility schemes and research collaborations can project EU norms on human rights, sustainability and rule of law, while also advancing strategic interests. We look at the tensions between academic autonomy and foreign policy objectives, the specific challenges of engagement in authoritarian or contested environments, and the ways programmes such as Erasmus+, Horizon Europe and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions might be reformed to respond more effectively to geopolitical pressures, reduce elitism and address underexplored dimensions of inclusivity and hierarchy in EU academic outreach. Dr Marina Cino Pagliarello is a strategic adviser and consultant specialising in academic diplomacy, university positioning and international partnerships. She is currently a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research Fellow at the European University Institute and a Senior Research Associate at LSE Consulting, working at the intersection of EU politics, public policy and transnational higher education. Drawing on extensive experience in European university alliances and high-level institutional engagement, she helps universities and public bodies design and implement international strategies that make effective use of education and research as tools of soft power in an increasingly competitive global landscape. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:43 Universities as Informal Diplomatic Actors in EU Foreign Policy 07:43 Academic Diplomacy During the War in Ukraine 13:32 Balancing Academic Autonomy and EU Foreign Policy Goals 19:37 Challenges in Authoritarian or Contested Environments 25:00 EU–Africa University Cooperation Frameworks 28:31 Promoting EU Norms: Human Rights, Sustainability, and More 33:04 EU Funding Mechanisms: Erasmus+, Horizon, MSCA 40:50 Reforming and Strengthening EU Academic Programmes 44:54 Institutional Hierarchies in Academic Diplomacy 48:15 Geopolitical Pressures on Academic Engagement 53:36 Inclusivity vs. Elitism in EU Academic Deployment 01:00:12 Gaps and Underresearched Areas in Academic Diplomacy Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The Japan-Philippines Partnership: Why It Matters — Satoru Nagao | 06 Aug 2025 | 00:55:25 | |
This episode of The IR thinker explores the deepening strategic partnership between Japan and the Philippines with Dr Satoru Nagao, tracing the evolution from post-war reparations to a mature security and economic relationship in today’s Indo-Pacific. The conversation examines how Tokyo’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific vision is understood in Manila, why the Philippines is not part of the Quad, and whether Japan is doing enough on defence cooperation in the face of shared challenges such as North Korean missiles and Chinese assertiveness. We unpack the significance of the Reciprocal Access Agreement, Japan’s economic role and “new capitalism” in the Philippine context, the security implications of Japanese radar grants, and the dynamics of Japan–US–Philippines trilateral ties, before turning to what is often overlooked in this relationship and where future research on Japan–Philippines cooperation should be heading. Dr Satoru Nagao is a non-resident fellow at the Hudson Institute and a leading expert on Indo-Pacific security. He holds a PhD from Gakushuin University and has advised Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defence, as well as holding research positions at prominent strategic institutes in Japan, the United States, India and Sri Lanka. His work focuses on defence cooperation, maritime security and emerging strategic partnerships across the Indo-Pacific, with particular attention to how regional actors such as Japan and the Philippines respond to shifting great-power competition. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:59 From War to Partnership: The Legacy of Reparations 05:30 Japan’s Indo-Pacific Vision: What It Means for Manila 17:41 Why Isn’t the Philippines in the QUAD? 20:21 Defence Ties: Is Japan Doing Enough? 25:59 North Korea’s Missiles: A Shared Security Challenge 30:56 What the Reciprocal Access Agreement Really Means 36:00 Japan’s Economic Power in the Philippines 38:32 New Capitalism vs. Inclusive Growth 42:18 Radar Grants and Regional Security 45:26 Trilateral Ties: Japan, US & the Philippines under Trump 48:45 What Everyone Overlooks in Japan–Philippines Cooperation 51:58 Underresearched: Future Directions for Scholars Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Trump's Foreign Policy Decoded — Hussein Banai | 24 Jun 2025 | 02:11:00 | |
This episode of The IR thinker offers an in-depth tour of American foreign policy under Donald Trump’s second term with Associate Professor Hussein Banai, tracing the shift from disruption to a more confident, unilateral consolidation of “America First” abroad. Moving across key regions – from the Korean Peninsula and the Middle East to Europe, Russia, China and Latin America – the conversation unpacks how presidential style, US political culture, and the think-tank ecosystem shape decision-making inside institutions such as the National Security Council. The episode culminates in an extended discussion of the 2025 Israel–Iran conflict, including the recent US strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and what they reveal about Trump’s approach to coercion, alliance management and strategic risk in a more fragmented international order. Dr Hussein Banai is Associate Professor of International Studies at the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies, Indiana University, a Research Affiliate at the Center for International Studies at MIT, and currently a visiting fellow at the Perry World House, University of Pennsylvania. In autumn 2024 he was the Zahedi Family Fellow at the Program in Iranian Studies at Stanford University. His work bridges international relations and political theory, with a particular focus on political ideologies, conflict, diplomatic history and practice, and the politics of modern Iran. Selected Publications Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:17 From Disruption to Consolidation: Trump’s Second Term Strategy 07:45 Trump’s Confident Unilateralism in Foreign Policy 10:54 American Political Culture and the Think Tank Ecosystem 15:18 America First Policy: Domestic Appeal and Implementation 22:16 The Strategic Use of “America First” Despite International Concerns 24:29 Inside the National Security Council: Roles and Functions 30:23 Personnel Quality in US Foreign Policy Decision-Making 35:01 Decoding US Foreign Policy Statements: Research Challenges 38:56 North Korea Diplomacy: Prospects for a Second Trump-Kim Summit 41:38 Middle East Triangulation: US-Israel-Iran Relations and Trump-Netanyahu Dynamics 50:11 Steve Witkoff’s Contrasting Negotiation Mandates 53:16 Trump’s Scepticism Toward Multilateral Institutions and Frameworks 57:27 Neighbours First - Trump’s Approach to Canada, Mexico, and Latin America 01:04:03 Understanding Trump’s Foreign Policy Through IR Theories 01:09:12 EU vs. Member States: Trump’s Fragmented View of Europe 01:14:37 Trump’s Geopolitical Take on the EU: Weakness, Irrelevance, or Rival? 01:20:28 China Policy: Strategic Rivalry Meets Economic Interdependence 01:25:33 Taiwan’s Role in Trump’s China Strategy 01:29:23 Trump and Putin: Personal Chemistry and Strategic Ambiguity 01:37:20 U.S. Sanctions on Russia: Tools of Pressure or Leverage for a Deal? 01:42:25 Why Trump Believes Iran Must Never Go Nuclear 01:47:32 Iran in Trump’s First Term: Maximum Pressure, Minimal Results? 01:57:58 2025 Israel-Iran Conflict - U.S Strike on Iran’s Nuclear Infrastructure Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Why Some Regions Achieve Lasting Peace — Arie M. Kacowicz | 17 Jun 2025 | 01:02:18 | |
This episode of The IR thinker asks why some regions become durable zones of peace while others remain mired in recurrent conflict, in conversation with Professor Arie M. Kacowicz. Drawing on his work on the Zone of Peace concept, the discussion traces its theoretical origins, engages with and moves beyond notions such as security communities, and asks how perspectives from the Global South can help to decolonise peace theory. Comparing cases such as South America, West Africa, ASEAN and the Middle East, the episode explores the conditions under which regional orders transition from conflict to stable peace, how norms of non-interference and regional solidarity operate in practice, and what the framework can offer to contemporary policy debates, including the tension between democracy, authoritarian stability and the preservation of peace. Professor Arie M. Kacowicz holds the Chaim Weizmann Chair in International Relations at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he has taught since 1993. A leading peace scholar, he has served as Chair of the Department of International Relations and as President of the Israeli Association of International Studies. His research spans alternative pathways for resolving the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, the role of international society, the international relations of Latin America, globalisation and International Relations theory. His current programme focuses on the normative dimensions of international relations, peace research and regional orders, with particular attention to how zones of peace emerge, endure and may be replicated in other parts of the world. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:28 The Genesis of Zone of Peace Theory: From Regional Puzzles to Global Concepts 06:21 Why Study Peace Over Conflict? A Scholar’s Perspective 07:58 Theoretical Foundations: Which IR Schools Shaped Zone of Peace Theory? 12:25 Beyond Security Communities: Distinguishing Zones of Peace from Deutsch’s Framework 19:28 Decolonizing Peace Theory: Addressing Global South Perspectives in IR 23:36 South America vs West Africa: Why Some Regions Achieve Lasting Peace 29:01 ASEAN’s Peaceful Paradox: Non-Interference Despite Internal Tensions 35:48 From Conflict to Peace: Can the Middle East Transform Its Security Dynamics? 48:01 Practical Applications: Using Zone of Peace Theory in Today’s World 58:49 Authoritarian States and Peace: Navigating Democracy vs Stability Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Rebuilding Syria: Economy, Power and Geopolitics — Joseph Daher | 10 Jun 2025 | 01:03:27 | |
This episode of The IR thinker looks ahead to the political and economic future of Syria in a post-Assad scenario, in conversation with Dr Joseph Daher. The discussion explores whether a new order would genuinely break with Syria’s entrenched war economy or merely reconfigure existing networks of power and patronage, and what might happen to Assad’s inner circle. It examines the current state of Syria’s economy, the role of technocrats, expatriates and the wider diaspora in any reconstruction process, and how religion may shape post-conflict politics and social life. The episode also considers potential income sources for reconstruction, contrasts the likely approaches of Middle Eastern and Western states, and assesses the roles of Russia, China and regional dynamics involving Turkey and the Kurds in reshaping Syria’s diplomacy and external relations. Dr Joseph Daher is a scholar of the contemporary Middle East specialising in political economy, political Islam and modern regional history, with a particular focus on Syria, Lebanon, Egypt and Palestine. He is an associate researcher at the Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies and, between 2018 and 2024, was a visiting professor at the European University Institute in Florence, where he contributed to and co-led major research projects on the Syrian war economy and post-conflict trajectories. He has published widely in English, French and Arabic in academic journals and research outlets, and is the founder of the blog Syria Freedom Forever, a platform dedicated to critical analysis of Syrian politics and society. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:50 Post-Assad Order: Continuity or Break from Syria’s War Economy? 07:34 Fate of Assad’s Inner Circle: Where Are They Now? 12:02 Current State of Syria’s Economy 21:47 Technocrats and Expatriates in Syria’s Government: Redistribution of Resources 28:17 Role of Syrian Diaspora and Leaders in Exile 31:38 Religion’s Influence in Syria’s Reconstruction and Post-Assad Era 36:52 Main Potential Income Sources for Syria in Reconstruction 43:34 Approaches of Middle Eastern States vs. Western Economies towards Syria: Solidarity or Profit-Driven? 47:00 Role of Russia and China in Syria’s Reconstruction 52:48 Geopolitical Triangle: Turkey, Syria, and the Kurds 58:04 Strengthening Syria’s International Diplomacy Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| What Good Governance Means for Africa — Gilbert A. Ang'ana | 03 Jun 2025 | 01:03:41 | |
This episode of The IR thinker explores the evolving landscape of governance in Africa with Dr Gilbert A. Ang’ana, focusing on how institutional weaknesses, intra-governmental collaboration and decentralisation shape political and developmental outcomes across the continent. The conversation examines how “good governance” is defined and received in different African contexts, the often-neglected importance of coordination within and between state institutions, and the role of the African Union in addressing structural constraints. It also considers responsible negotiation as an alternative to traditional conflict resolution, the influence of tribes, minorities, donors and corporations on policy choices, and how digitalisation, tech competition and basic infrastructure – especially electricity access – will condition the success of future governance reforms. Dr Gilbert A. Ang’ana is a leadership and governance researcher and practitioner specialising in African contexts. He is CEO of Accent Leadership Group and Executive Director of the Accent Global Initiative, a think tank promoting good governance and policy innovation, and currently a Policy Leader Fellow at the European University Institute in Florence. In addition, he serves as Chair of Learning Facilitation for Rotary International District 9212 and is an adjunct lecturer in Strategic Leadership and Management at ACT University in Kigali, Rwanda, combining academic insight with practical experience in capacity-building and institutional development. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:56 Defining “Good Governance” in the African Context 05:44 Reception of Good Governance Models Across African States 07:53 Intra-Government Collaboration: An Overlooked Pillar of Governance 11:13 Case Studies: Successes and Failures in Intra-Governmental Collaboration 12:56 Institutional and Political Barriers to Effective Collaboration 16:42 Roots of Institutional Weakness and the Role of the African Union 20:24 Centralisation vs. Decentralisation of Power in Africa 22:27 Challenges in Decentralising Key Governance Elements 25:58 Intra-Governmental Collaboration as Mediator or Moderator of Governance Outcomes? 30:21 Governance Education and Capacity-Building Initiatives in Africa 34:45 “Responsible Negotiation” vs. Traditional Conflict Resolution Methods 39:44 Role of Tribes and Minorities in Shaping Good Governance 43:31 Navigating Donor Influence and Corporate Pressure: Striving for Epistemic Autonomy 47:26 Digitalisation’s Role in Advancing Governance in Africa 51:26 Competing Interests: International vs. Local Tech Enterprises 55:28 The Power Challenge: Electricity Access as a Prerequisite for Digital Progress 58:50 Key Governance Reforms Needed for Africa’s Future Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Kazakhstan's Nuclear Power Debate — Eldaniz Gusseinov | 26 May 2025 | 01:00:30 | |
This episode of The IR thinker asks whether nuclear power is set to become a cornerstone of Kazakhstan’s energy strategy, in conversation with political analyst Eldaniz Gusseinov. The discussion examines the country’s position as a major uranium producer, domestic debates over renewables versus traditional energy sources, and how decisions on nuclear power are actually made within Kazakhstan’s political system. It explores the legacy of Soviet-era nuclear plans and former test sites, the role of civil society and external consultants in shaping public consent, and the broader geopolitical stakes as Russia, China, France and South Korea compete for the anticipated reactor contract. The episode also considers security concerns, the possibility of a multinational consortium, and the often-overlooked dimensions of Kazakhstan’s energy security in a shifting regional and global context. Eldaniz Gusseinov is a Non-Resident Fellow at the Heydar Aliyev Centre for Eurasian Studies at Ibn Khaldun University and co-founder of Nightingale Intelligence International. His work focuses on EU–Central Asia relations, foreign policy analysis and Eurasian geopolitics, with particular attention to how external powers engage with the region’s energy and infrastructure choices. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:38 Is Nuclear Power Essential for Kazakhstan? 04:06 Public Opinion on Renewable versus Traditional Energy in Kazakhstan 07:38 Who Makes the Decisions on Nuclear Power Plants in Kazakhstan? 12:01 The History of Kazakhstan’s Nuclear Power Plans: Why Wasn’t a Soviet Plant Built? 17:28 The Current State of Kazakhstan’s Former Nuclear Test Sites 19:20 The Role of Civil Society in Nuclear Power Decision-Making 23:52 Will Kazakhstan Engage a Third-Party Consultant for Its Nuclear Plans? 25:01 Kazakhstan’s Uranium Production and Its Role in Nuclear Strategy 31:43 Implications if Russia Wins the Nuclear Power Contract 41:49 Implications if China Wins the Nuclear Power Contract 43:36 Implications if France Wins the Nuclear Power Contract 44:51 Implications if South Korea Wins the Nuclear Power Contract 46:37 Could a Multinational Consortium Build Kazakhstan’s Nuclear Plant? 48:07 Timeline for Kazakhstan’s Final Decision on the Nuclear Plant 49:03 Security Concerns Related to Kazakhstan’s Nuclear Power Project 55:39 Public Perceptions of the Nuclear Power Development Process 58:22 Overlooked Dimensions of Kazakhstan’s Energy Security Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Russia in Africa: What It Really Brings — Steven Gruzd | 14 May 2025 | 01:02:21 | |
Critical Update: In Memory of Steven Gruzd Steven Gruzd was abducted and murdered in Johannesburg, South Africa, in what authorities described as an 'express kidnapping'. He disappeared on 27 March 2026 and was found dead two days later by the police. Steven was a great supporter of this channel and often promoted new potential experts to be interviewed. More importantly, he was one of the brightest foreign policy experts, frequently connecting people and project ideas. Steven will always be with us through an episode we recorded together. Rest in peace. This episode of The IR thinker examines why Russia is deepening its engagement with Africa and what it can realistically offer, in conversation with Steven Gruzd. The discussion traces how Soviet-era ties shape contemporary relations, unpacks Russia’s security footprint through actors such as the Wagner Group, and assesses the significance of arms sales, stalled energy projects and limited trade compared with China and other partners. We also explore the diplomatic symbolism and substance of the Russia–Africa summits, the interaction with BRICS diplomacy, Moscow’s use of soft power, media and foreign aid, and the under-researched dimensions of Russia’s evolving role across the continent. Steven Gruzd is Head of the African Governance and Diplomacy Programme and the Africa–Russia Project at the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA). He has written widely on Russia–Africa summits, BRICS cooperation and the resurgence of Russian influence in African foreign policy, and brings long-standing expertise on governance and diplomacy in the region. In addition to his policy work, he contributes to the South African Jewish Report, where he writes on international affairs, governance and Jewish community issues, combining analytical depth with a clear, journalistic eye on complex geopolitical developments. Selected Publications
Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:47 The Soviet Legacy: Shaping Russia’s Modern Foreign Policy Towards Africa 05:40 Post-Soviet Space and Africa: How Africa Views Former Soviet Republics 08:44 Russia’s Security Presence in Africa: The Role of the Wagner Group 14:13 Arms Deals and Military Influence: Russia’s Weapon Sales to Africa 16:23 Russia vs. China: Economic Influence in Africa 19:40 Why is Russia’s Trade in Africa Still Lagging Behind? 23:23 Russian Energy Companies in Africa: Opportunities and Challenges 26:18 Do African Countries Seek Energy Partnerships with Russia? 28:56 The Russia-Africa Summit: A Diplomatic Platform for Russia’s Interests 35:26 Russia-Africa Summit vs. BRICS: Diverging Approaches to Russian Interests in Africa 40:59 Russia’s Soft Power in Africa: Academic and Cultural Initiatives 44:48 Peacekeeping and Counterterrorism: Russia’s Role in African Stability 49:30 Russian Foreign Aid to Africa: Aid or Influence? 55:19 Russian Media’s Influence in Africa: Shaping Public Opinion 59:23 Under-Explored Research Areas in Russia-Africa Relations Follow & Further Resources Substack: https://theirthinker.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theirthinker/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theirthinker/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theirthinker.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirthinker/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||