Independent Thinking cover image

Independent Thinking

Latest episodes

undefined
Feb 7, 2025 • 31min

How dangerous are Trump’s trade threats?

President Trump has threatened to put tariffs on Mexico and Canada and imposed them on China, fuelling fears of a looming global trade war. With the European Union likely next in his sights – what is the US president trying to achieve with these tactics? And what are the consequences? Bronwen Maddox is joined by Creon Butler, the director of our Global Economy and Finance programme, economist Linda Yueh and ambassador Julian Ventura, both associate fellows with our US and Americas programme. Read our latest: Trump’s tariffs are delayed but they have already done long-term damage to US–Canada relations Event | The rewriting of North America: How are Canada and Mexico adapting to Trump? Warming India–Indonesia rhetoric belies challenges of Global South leadership Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock with Indio Media. Read the Winter issue of The World Today  Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧  Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.
undefined
Jan 31, 2025 • 29min

Can Donald Trump end the war in Ukraine?

President Trump wants a peace deal in Ukraine and has signalled he’s willing to put pressure on Vladimir Putin to achieve it. Volodymyr Zelenskyy also appears more open to a deal – if there is a guarantee for Ukraine’s security. Bronwen Maddox is joined by Mark Landler, London Bureau Chief of the New York Times, The Telegraph’s Francis Dearnley who hosts the award-winning podcast Ukraine: The Latest and Orysia Lutsevych, the deputy director of our Russia and Eurasia programme. Read our latest: Can the international order survive Trump 2.0? The world should take the prospect of Chinese tech dominance seriously, and start preparing now South Africa’s G20 presidency is a chance for the West to engage with Global South priorities The Trump administration’s sanctions policy could matter more than its use of tariffs Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock with Indio Media. Read the Winter issue of The World Today  Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧  Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.
undefined
Jan 24, 2025 • 35min

What did we learn from Donald Trump's first days?

Donald Trump has signed a wave of executive orders in his first days as America’s 47th President. The panel discuss the president’s changes to US foreign policy and their potential impact on America and the world. Guest host Mike Higgins, editor of The World Today magazine, is joined by Leslie Vinjamuri, the director of our US and the Americas Programme, Samir Puri, the director of our Centre for Global Governance and Security, and Susan Glasser, a staff writer with The New Yorker. Read our latest: Amid soaring US debt, can Trump balance fiscal challenges with campaign promises? Trump’s energy policies ignore the urgent lessons of the California fires The Trump administration should build on Biden’s sanctions to disrupt the networks feeding the war in Sudan Presented by Mike Higgins. Produced by John Pollock. Read the Winter issue of The World Today  Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧  Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.
undefined
Jan 17, 2025 • 33min

Will the Israel-Hamas ceasefire hold?

A fragile ceasefire and hostage deal has been agreed between Israel and Hamas to end 15 months of war and suffering. Chatham House experts discuss the timing of the deal, whether it can hold and what comes next. Bronwen Maddox is joined by Sanam Vakil, the director of our Middle East and North Africa (MENA) programme, Leslie Vinjamuri, the director of our US and Americas programme, and Amjad Iraqi and Yossi Mekelberg, associate fellows with our MENA programme. Read our latest: The new Trump administration could herald a remaking of the international order. How should the world respond? Trump’s ambiguous stance on China raises the risk of accidental conflict in the Indo-Pacific The tough dilemma Trump 2.0 poses for Beijing Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Read the Winter issue of The World Today  Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧  Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.
undefined
Jan 10, 2025 • 35min

What will be the flashpoints of 2025?

From the devastating wars in Ukraine, Sudan and Gaza to Donald Trump’s threats over Greenland and the Panama Canal, what are the places to watch this year? Bronwen Maddox is joined by Gideon Rachman, the FT’s chief foreign affairs commentator, Leslie Vinjamuri, the director of our US and America’s programme and Renad Mansour, a senior fellow for our Middle East and North Africa programme. Read our latest: As the UK government seeks greater engagement with China, a clearer strategy is crucial – and long overdue A rapid ceasefire in Ukraine could lead Donald Trump into a Russian trap With Trump’s inauguration, the EU and Turkey must finally get serious about security cooperation Russia’s economic dilemmas give Trump important leverage in negotiations on Ukraine. But will he use it? Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Cross-border conflict, evidence, policy and trends (XCEPT) Read the Winter issue of The World Today  Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧  Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.
undefined
Dec 13, 2024 • 36min

What next for Syria and the Middle East after Assad?

Does Bashar al-Assad’s removal offer a renewed chance for peace in Syria, or is his fall the start of a new phase of conflict in the Middle East? Bronwen Maddox is joined by Gideon Rachman, the FT’s chief foreign affairs commentator, former BBC Persia journalist Rana Rahimpour and Haid Haid, a senior consulting fellow for our Middle East and North Africa programme. Read our latest: The fall of Assad has exposed the extent of the damage to Iran’s axis of resistance While international support is crucial, Syrians must lead their country’s political transition How South Korea’s turmoil will reverberate beyond its borders  Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Read the Winter issue of The World Today  Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧  Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.
undefined
Dec 6, 2024 • 39min

Europe, Trump and Chagos: What will UK foreign policy look like in 2025?

Join James Landale, BBC’s diplomatic editor, Anand Menon, an expert on UK-Europe relations, and Olivia O’Sullivan, director at Chatham House, as they dissect UK foreign policy under Keir Starmer. They tackle the challenges of the UK's relationship with Europe, the implications of the Chagos Islands sovereignty debate, and how these factors could shape Britain's global standing by 2025. With rising geopolitical tensions, they discuss the necessity for strategic leadership to redefine the UK's role on the world stage.
undefined
Nov 29, 2024 • 33min

Is Europe falling apart?

Europe is contending with a stagnating economy, political dysfunction in Germany and France, and Russia's relentless attacks on Ukraine, all while it looks to the return of Donald Trump. Will the continent's democracies hold together in the face of such challenges? Bronwen Maddox is joined by journalist and historian Timothy Garton Ash, Mujtaba Rahman, Europe Managing Director at the Eurasia Group and Armida van Rij, senior research fellow and the Head of our Europe programme. Read our latest: The break-up of Scholz’s coalition government signals the end of Germany’s old economic model The ceasefire in Lebanon has dealt a huge blow to Iran’s regional strategy Why cyber doomsday warnings do more harm than good Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Read the latest issue of The World Today  Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧  Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.
undefined
Nov 22, 2024 • 36min

Has COP29 made a difference on climate change?

The panel discuss whether the COP29 climate summit delivered anything meaningful and what Donald Trump's election means for combating climate change. As the world moves closer to crossing the 1.5 degree threshold, Bronwen Maddox is joined by former BBC journalist Roger Harrabin and Maria Netto, executive director of the Institute for Climate and Society in Brazil. Also with them from COP29 in Baku is Ruth Townend, senior research fellow with our Environment and Society Centre.  More from Roger Harrabin: BBC Radio 4 - The Year We Lost the Climate Read our latest: Closing the climate finance gap Azerbaijan’s climate leadership challenge What is COP29 and why is it important? Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Read the latest issue of The World Today  Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧  Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.
undefined
Nov 15, 2024 • 33min

How will China respond to Donald Trump 2.0?

The re-election of Donald Trump has major consequences for America’s relations with China. The panel discuss how the US-China relationship might change under the next president. Guest host Ben Bland is joined by historian and political scientist Professor Rana Mitter, the FT’s US-China correspondent, Demetri Sevastopulo and Dr Yu Jie, a senior research fellow with our Asia-Pacific programme.  Read our latest: Trump’s ‘America First’ foreign policy will accelerate China’s push for global leadership The Gulf will seek to manage Trump through self-reliance and pragmatism Donald Trump’s policies risk making the US dollar a source of global instability Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Read the latest issue of The World Today  Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧  Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode