Carnegie Council Podcasts

The international system of the past 80 years was constructed around the principles of sovereignty and self-determination. These pillars of geopolitics now must contend with and adapt to the accelerating adoption and use of AI, both by international actors and the public. This disruption will only increase as researchers and states race to develop artificial general intelligence (AGI). In this Values & Interests event, an expert panel interrogates significant questions regarding the impact of these technologies on actors operating within the international system. For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/geopolitics-agi

What are the political and human risks of a world increasingly defined by transactional politics and national interests? Björn Holmberg, executive director of the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation, joins the "Values & Interests" podcast to discuss the power of pragmatic idealism across international relations, the need to inject morality into the practice of geopolitics without moralizing, and how we can create realistic conditions for greater global cooperation. For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-holmberg

Rising global temperatures and a shift in climate patterns have rapidly increased the number of climate migrants. As the world faces these new geopolitical challenges, how can nations collaborate to ensure the rights of people moving due to climate change? This panel discussion, part of the "Ethics Empowered: Leadership in Practice" series, examines this distinct global-scale challenge that goes to the heart of the moral case for both sovereignty and human rights. For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/ethics-empowered-climate-migration

How is the information landscape contributing to democratic backsliding around the world? Kenyan journalist and researcher Odanga Madung joins the "Values & Interests" podcast to discuss the corrosive effects of misinformation and disinformation on open societies, the rise of manosphere influencers in Kenya and the U.S., and the power of narrative in shaping our collective future. Madung is a fellow at Harvard Kennedy School and serves as managing director of Odipo Dev, a Nairobi-based impact and media advisory firm. He regularly contributes to publications such as "Wired," "The Guardian," and CNN. For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-madung

In this "Ethical Article" Kathleen Egan reviews the new Netflix film "A House of Dynamite." She discusses the many ethical decisions facing leaders when a nuclear missile is launched at the United States. To read this article, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/ethics-on-film-dynamite

For those dedicated to humanitarianism, 2025 marks an inflection point, one that requires us to grapple with the question: How might we re-envision humanitarian aid? In the keynote event of Global Ethics Day 2025, a panel of experts explored vital questions around power, accountability, and the need for greater inclusivity in the design, funding, and delivery of humanitarian aid, both today and into the future. For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/ged-reenvisioning-humanitarianism

What is the cost of America pursuing a strategy of military primacy post-WWII? Peter Harris, associate professor at Colorado State University, joins the "Values & Interests" podcast to discuss what a less militarized future might look like for the U.S. and the impact of the Trump administration on American foreign policy. Harris' latest book is "Why America Can't Retrench (And How it Might)." For more, please go to: https://www.carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-peter-harris

The defunding of U.S. soft power institutions, significant cuts to foreign aid, and the embrace of an aggressive transactional style of diplomacy have shattered long-held assumptions about American values and its interests on the world stage. This begs the question: Has Trump 2.0 ushered in an era of post-liberal American power? In the first panel in Carnegie Council's new keynote event series, "Values & Interests," an expert panel interrogates the relationship between morality and power in a rapidly changing geopolitical environment. For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-post-liberal-american-power

Seven months into Trump's second term, liberal principles hang in the balance. Bringing these norms back to life will require courage and the power of states, businesses, institutions, and the people, says Carnegie Council President Joel Rosnenthal in this "Ethical Article." To read this article, pleae go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/post-liberal-ethics-rosenthal

The race to develop the latest AI-enabled military technology is often justified as essential to preserving democracy. Yet, this "virtuous" messaging deployed by tech CEOs and venture capitalists is driving the creation of a new highly militarized tech ecosystem—one which relies on perpetual conflict to test, iterate, and improve weapons systems. Elke Schwarz, professor at Queen Mary University of London, joins the "Values & Interests" podcast to unpack the virtue signaling of today's techno-military-industrial-complex, society's failure to cultivate ethical thought in an increasingly computational world, and the resulting dehumanization of civilians in conflicts in places such as Gaza and Ukraine. For more, please go to https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-schwarz