Carnegie Council Podcasts

Are there ever justifiable reasons for issuing threats to achieve foreign policy objectives? In particular, are President Trump's threats against Iran justified? Don't miss this rare opportunity to get the Iranian perspective with this stimulating discussion between Drs. Reichberg and Syse of the Peace Research Insitute Oslo (PRIO) and H.E. Gholamali Khoshroo, permanent representative of Iran to the United Nations.

From the world's largest meth trade in Myanmar to "Pyongyang's dancing queens," "neon jihad," and much more, Bangkok-based author Patrick Winn takes us on a tour of the underbelly of Southeast Asia. The region's criminal underworld is valued at $100 billion and in the next decade it's going to hit $375 billion, bigger than many of these country's GDPs, he says. These stories need to be told.

Cosmologist and astrophysicist Martin Rees discusses the future of humanity on Earth and beyond, foreseeing a time when space pioneers may use gene splicing and AI to adapt to living on Mars, thus becoming "post-human." What concerns him most? "My worry, particularly about bio and cyber, is that whatever can be done will be done somewhere by someone. That is a scary prospect and is going to be a big challenge to governance, in my opinion."

As the Trump administration cuts refugee resettlement in the U.S. to its lowest number in decades, this population in other nations has exploded in recent years. Carnegie Council Senior Fellow Kavitha Rajagopalan details what this looks like for one refugee in Utica, New York and the challenges that countries like Uganda and Turkey are facing.

Has a gap opened up between the U.S. national security community and the general public over foreign policy? If so, why? How can we close it? Moderated by Nikolas Gvosdev, this panel with foreign policy experts Asha Castleberry and Ali Wyne is part of a larger effort by Carnegie Council's U.S. Global Engagement Program to examine drivers in U.S. politics pushing the United States to disengage from international affairs.

This fascinating conversation begins with a discussion of the critical importance of Southeast Asia, including the rise of China and its ambitions in the region. Then Professor Weiss focuses on Malaysia and the return of the formidable 93-year old Mahathir as prime minister. Next, Professor Menchik discusses the complex situation in Indonesia--a country with 17,000 islands and 300-plus ethnic groups--and the upcoming elections there.

Carnegie Council Senior Fellow Nikolas Gvosdev and host Alex Woodson discuss what U.S. foreign policy could look like if Democrats take Congress in November and/or the White House in 2020. What do Bernie Sanders' views on international affairs have in common with "America First"? Is there space for a more centrist policy? And after the 2016 election, is the U.S. still able to effectively promote democracy abroad?

Korea expert Geoffrey Cain talks about his forthcoming book, "The Republic of Samsung," which reveals how the Samsung dynasty (father and son) are beyond the law and are treated as cult figures by their employees--rather like the leaders of North Korea. He also discusses the prospects for peace on the Korean peninsula--is Trump helping or hurting?--and the strange and sensational story behind the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye.

The rise of global populism is the greatest threat to global democracy, and it's mainly driven not by economics, but by people's demand for public recognition of their identities, says political scientist Francis Fukuyama. "We want other people to affirm our worth, and that has to be a political act." How is this playing out in the U.S., Europe, and Asia? What practical steps can we take to counteract it?

There are three major technological developments that are transforming the way we live, says Jamie Susskind: increasingly capable systems, increasingly integrated technology, and increasingly quantified society. With these we are moving into the "digital lifeworld," which is basically a different stage of human existence. What will these momentous changes mean for the future of politics and society--i.e. how we order our collective lives?