The Un-Diplomatic Podcast
Van Jackson
Global power politics, for the people. Hosted by Van Jackson, Julia Gledhill, and Matt Duss. The views expressed are theirs alone (not those of any institution or employer).
Episodes
Mentioned books
May 12, 2021 • 1h 5min
The War on Critical Race, Socialists Aren't "Very Liberal," New Zealand Bashing, Coming Clean on Quincy, Taiwan Debate | Ep. 91
Why socialists aren't "very liberal." The far right's war on critical race theory is a bigger deal than you think. Why everyone loves to throw shade at New Zealand. The histrionics of the Taiwan debate. The truth about Van's interview on the Quincy Institute. North Korea policy is going nowhere. Ken Schultz Tweet: https://twitter.com/KSchultz3580/status/1387963382452477954David Roberts Tweet: https://twitter.com/drvolts/status/1386766470831493120?s=19John Carl Baker Tweet: https://twitter.com/johncarlbaker/status/1387113498933596162Richard McGregor Tweet: https://twitter.com/mcgregorrichard/status/1384981240810328064?s=19Contributors: Gaby Magnuson, Hunter Marston, Ciara Mitchell, Alex Auty
Apr 27, 2021 • 46min
The Global Pundit Problem, De-Sexyfying UFOs, War-Avoidance Theories, Progressive Talent Pipeline | Ep. 90
Why the Biden administration is performing its rivalry with China. What the Afghanistan withdrawal decision says about global punditry. Why UFOs might not be as sexy as Van hopes they are. Theories for avoiding war. Winners may write history, but that doesn't make it right. Creating a talent pool for progressive technocrats. How to think about the UK/EU jumping into the China-competition game. Also this episode: Why "Foreign policy for the middle class" is the right goal with the wrong implementation. Kelsey Atherton Tweet: https://twitter.com/AthertonKD/status/1382858221329608706?s=20John Lee Tweet: https://twitter.com/koreanforeigner/status/1382360593374449673?s=19Rita Konaev Tweet: https://twitter.com/RitaKonaev/status/1382305484233916426?s=19Andrew Carr Tweet: https://twitter.com/AOCarr/status/1381744190682361857Contributors: Gaby Magnuson, Alex Auty, Jake Dellow, Hunter Marston
Apr 17, 2021 • 51min
Who's the DMX of International Relations, Neoliberal Hip-Hop, Xi Jinping's Hype Man | Ep. 89
P. Diddy is an oligarch who was bad for hip-hop...and now he's exploiting BLM. How Washington pundits became Xi Jinping's hype man. Why FONOPs are a silly way to send a message. Favorite feminist movies. Also this episode: Why is there no DMZ in international relations? Tanvi Madan Tweet: https://twitter.com/tanvi_madan/status/1380552263589113858?s=19Ben Young Tweet: https://twitter.com/DubstepInDPRK/status/1380965755743694849?s=19Daniel Denvir Tweet: https://twitter.com/DanielDenvir/status/1381318974969946117James Millward Tweet: https://twitter.com/JimMillward/status/1381071869760188420Richard Bush, Bonnie Glaser, and Ryan Hass on Taiwan: https://www.npr.org/2021/04/08/984524521/opinion-dont-help-china-by-hyping-risk-of-war-over-taiwan
Apr 9, 2021 • 54min
Don't Call Yourself a Realist! Progressive Economic Statecraft, The Farce of Offset Strategies, Why NATO Can't Deter Russia | Ep. 88
The Global North owes the Global South progressive economic policies, not aid. The essential (?) fascism of security clearances. Why it's wrong to make international-relations paradigms into ideologies. The tragic history and propagandizing about the third offset strategy--or, the origins of American militarism today. The China Cold War question.Jason Hickel Tweet: https://twitter.com/jasonhickel/status/1377545871223586817?s=19Gerald Brown Tweet: https://twitter.com/GeraldC_Brown/status/1378542935038394377?s=19Graham Webster Tweet: https://twitter.com/gwbstr/status/1376975047605153793Contributors: Hunter Marston, Gaby Magnuson, Ciara Mitchell, Jake Dellow
Apr 2, 2021 • 43min
The Zombie Promise of Cold War Liberalism, Myanmar's Syria Risk, Japan's Taiwan Alliance | Ep. 87
If an "Indo-Pacific strategy" can't cope with the Syria risk in Myanmar, then what good is it? Why the history of Cold War liberalism tells us not to pin domestic renewal on the China threat. Why Chinese air incursions against Taiwan DO NOT signal invasion. What's going on in Asian studies at Georgetown. Japan's role in a Taiwan conflict. The lost history of the WTO anti-globalization protests.Matt Duss Tweet: https://twitter.com/mattduss/status/1375934723701243908?s=20Blake Herzinger Tweet: https://twitter.com/BDHerzinger/status/1373478997267410951?s=19Seva Gunitsky Tweet: https://twitter.com/SevaUT/status/1374455266008207366John Delury Tweet: https://twitter.com/JohnDelury/status/1375998841548238851Michael Brenes and Daniel Steinmetz-Jenkins in Dissent: https://www.dissentmagazine.org/article/legacies-of-cold-war-liberalism?utm_source=Disse[…]m_medium=email&utm_term=0_a1e9be80de-1ddb8e704d-102061977Contributors: Alex Auty, Gaby Magnuson, Pete McKenzie, Jake Dellow
Mar 20, 2021 • 32min
Think Tank Infighting, Guam for Dummies, Asia's Not the Indo-Pacific, Ep. 86
Which QAnon congresswoman thinks Guam is a foreign country? Why Asia is not the Indo-Pacific. Think tank infighting. Wasting time before writing. Rachel Rizzo: https://mobile.twitter.com/RachelRizzo/status/1370776048183435264Spencer Ackerman: https://twitter.com/attackerman/status/1371127805296189446?s=19JD Vance: https://mobile.twitter.com/JDVance1/status/1370873282824667136Laicie Heeley: https://mobile.twitter.com/laicie/status/1370075526262632462Van Jackson on America's Indo-Pacific Folly: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/asia/2021-03-12/americas-indo-pacific-follyContributors: Jake Dellow, Ciara Mitchell
Mar 14, 2021 • 52min
Deterrence by Capable Dildos, the Hawaiian Land Grab, China Hawkery, North Korean Defectors | Ep. 85
Why American strategic culture is so obsessed with "capable dildos." Why native Hawaiians don't want federal recognition to whitewash an illegal land grab. What it means to declare oneself a "China hawk" and why it matters. Why North Korean defectors want to go back to North Korea. Also this episode: Is the US-China rivalry an ideological conflict?Branco Milanovic Tweet: https://twitter.com/BrankoMilan/status/1368219420645093379Vipin Narang Tweet: https://twitter.com/NarangVipin/status/1367656750032302081?s=20Happymon Jacob Tweet: https://twitter.com/HappymonJacob/status/1367091311338135556?s=19Daily NK Story: https://www.dailynk.com/english/not-all-defectors-want-the-same-thing/Contributors: Jake Dellow, Gaby Magnuson, Ciara Mitchell, and Pete McKenzie
Mar 5, 2021 • 39min
Taiwan Domino Theory Silliness, Think Tank Disinformation, Japan's Liberal International Order | Ep. 84
What happens when think tankers become tankies. Alliance domino theory nonsense--why Taiwan is not like the others. Why Japan's the real leader of Asia's liberal order. The US doesn't need Saudi Arabia. James Palmer Tweet: https://twitter.com/BeijingPalmer/status/1365381504629669891Mike McFaul Tweet: https://twitter.com/McFaul/status/1365424739196362752?s=19Michael Kofman Tweet: https://twitter.com/KofmanMichael/status/1364021794513047552?s=19Cheng Che on Japan's Liberal Foreign Policy Realism: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/united-states/2021-02-24/japan-new-leader-asias-liberal-orderContributors: Alex Auty, Jake Dellow, Gaby Magnuson, Pete McKenzie
Feb 27, 2021 • 50min
Does Foreign Policy Have a Career Ceiling? Defense Strategy Dilemma, DC's Patt Mottinger Problem, New Zealand's Australia Problem | Ep. 83
Why Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "white moderate" threat dominates Washington today. The dilemma of militarist thinking about strategy. New Zealand's beef with Australia. Southeast Asia wants a more progressive US foreign policy. Foreign policy's career ceiling problem.Caroline Baxter Tweet: https://twitter.com/CarolineCBaxter/status/1362163234426544128?s=19John Lee Tweet: https://twitter.com/koreanforeigner/status/1360752886322327553?s=19Zachary Keck Tweet: https://twitter.com/zacharykeck/status/1362087538408771585?s=11Evan Montgomery on defense strategy: https://warontherocks.com/2021/02/defense-strategy-and-the-empire-state-of-mind-how-preparing-for-the-best-can-leave-washington-vulnerable-to-the-rest/Contributors: Ciara Mitchell, Gaby Magnuson, Pete McKenzie, Jake Dellow
Feb 17, 2021 • 37min
A Liberal's Anti-China Game, Emily in D.C., Asia's Democracy Divide | Ep. 82
A rope-a-dope strategy for China. How a liberal plays the anti-China card (for better or worse). The truth about Asia's Democracy divide. Why Micronesia gave up on the Pacific Islands Forum. Also this episode: What would it be like if Netflix's Emily in Paris took place in Washington, D.C.? Alex McCoy Tweet: https://twitter.com/AlexanderMcCoy4/status/1358206091964915714?s=19Michael Mazza Tweet: https://twitter.com/mike_mazza/status/1357335849004916743?s=19Rachel Rizzo Tweet: https://twitter.com/RachelRizzo/status/1357714976597831680James Crabtree on Asia's Democracy Divide: https://asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/Myanmar-coup-reveals-Asia-s-new-democratic-divideContributors: Alex Auty, Ciara Mitchell, Gaby Magnuson
