The World Unpacked
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
The World Unpacked is a weekly podcast where insiders, intellectuals, and iconoclasts dive deep into the most pressing global issues. In a time of violent convulsions and heady new possibilities, host Jon Bateman mixes it up with the thinkers making sense of what’s happening and the power brokers building what comes next. Tune in for lively, free-wheeling conversations with some of the world’s most interesting and informed people.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 8, 2018 • 27min
What do the U.S. midterm elections mean for foreign policy?
Jen Psaki and the New Yorker’s Evan Osnos discuss the U.S. midterm elections, how the new Congress will affect U.S. policy abroad, and what the results suggest about the 2020 presidential contest. We want to hear from you! Write to us at diplopod@ceip.org, or call us at 202-939-2247. Leave us a voicemail and we might use your question on a future episode. You can also talk to us on Twitter using #DiploPod. And follow Jen on Twitter: twitter.com/JRPsaki Go Deeper: More about Evan Osnos: https://www.newyorker.com/contributors/evan-osnos

Nov 1, 2018 • 24min
John Kerry on Diplomacy, Russia, and the Middle East
Jen’s former boss John Kerry joins her to talk about his time as Secretary of State, and his new memoir, Every Day is Extra. They discuss the future of an Israel-Palestine peace deal, his disagreement with President Obama over Syria, and the U.S.-Russia relationship. John Kerry is a visiting distinguished statesman at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. We want to hear from you! Write to us at diplopod@ceip.org, or call us at 202-939-2247. Leave us a voicemail and we might use your question on a future episode. You can also talk to us on Twitter using #DiploPod. And follow Jen on Twitter: twitter.com/JRPsaki Go Deeper: More about John Kerry: http://carnegieendowment.org/experts/1364 More about Every Day is Extra: http://carnegieendowment.org/2018/09/04/every-day-is-extra-pub-77124

Oct 30, 2018 • 27min
Arms Race Redux
President Trump surprised foreign policy experts when he pulled out of the INF Treaty last week, raising the prospect of a new nuclear arms race. Jen talks to Russian nuclear policy expert Alexey Arbatov and Carnegie’s Eugene Rumer to explain what’s at stake. Eugene Rumer is a senior fellow and the director of Carnegie’s Russia and Eurasia Program. Alexey Arbatov is the head of the Center for International Security at the Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations. We want to hear from you! Write to us at diplopod@ceip.org, or call us at 202-939-2247. Leave us a voicemail and we might use your question on a future episode. You can also talk to us on Twitter using #DiploPod. And follow Jen on Twitter: twitter.com/JRPsaki Go Deeper: Read Alexey’s take on the danger of withdrawing from the INF Treaty: https://carnegie.ru/commentary/77589 Read Carnegie experts on the prospect of an arms race: https://carnegieeurope.eu/strategiceurope/77575 Read Carnegie expert Dmitri Trenin on INF withdrawal: https://carnegie.ru/commentary/77568 More about Eugene Rumer: http://carnegieendowment.org/experts/917 More about Alexei Arbatov: https://carnegie.ru/commentary/experts/367

Oct 25, 2018 • 24min
Jamal Khashoggi, Human Rights, and the Future of the Middle East
Former UN high commissioner for human rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein has been an outspoken critic of human rights abusers, including of those in power. He sat down with guest host Jarrett Blanc to talk about the death of Jamal Khashoggi, the war in Yemen, the future of the Middle East, and the false promise that undemocratic leaders will bring about lasting freedom for their people. Jarrett Blanc is a senior fellow in the Geoeconomics and Strategy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein served as United Nations high commissioner for human rights from 2014 to 2018. He is the sixth high commissioner to lead the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the first Asian, Muslim, and Arab to do so. We want to hear from you! Write to us at diplopod@ceip.org, or call us at 202-939-2247. Leave us a voicemail and we might use your question on a future episode. You can also talk to us on Twitter using #DiploPod. And follow Jen on Twitter: twitter.com/JRPsaki Go Deeper: More about Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/AboutUs/Pages/Zeid.aspx Follow him on Twitter: twitter.com/Raad_Zeid More about Jarrett Blanc: http://carnegieendowment.org/experts/1343 Follow Jarrett on Twitter: twitter.com/JarrettBlanc

Oct 17, 2018 • 19min
Sanctions 101: How are Sanctions Implemented?
Jen and Jarrett talk to lawyer Greta Lichtenbaum about how sanctions policy translates into the real world, and how she helps her clients navigate them. This is the third episode of a three-part special series—a 101 on how sanctions work and how policymakers should use them. Don’t miss the first two episodes! You can find them in your feed wherever you listen to podcasts. Greta Lichtenbaum is attorney focused on compliance with U.S. laws that govern international business transactions and trade. She represents and advises clients in matters related to U.S. economic sanctions, export controls, anti-corruption, money laundering, anti-boycott, foreign investment, and customs laws. Jarrett Blanc is a senior fellow in the Geoeconomics and Strategy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He was previously the deputy lead coordinator and State Department coordinator for Iran nuclear implementation at the U.S. Department of State under President Obama, responsible for the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran’s nuclear program, including Iranian and U.S. commitments on sanctions. We want to hear from you! Write to us at diplopod@ceip.org, or call us at 202-939-2247. Leave us a voicemail and we might use your question on a future episode. You can also talk to us on Twitter using #DiploPod. And follow Jen! She’s on Twitter at twitter.com/jrpsaki. Go Deeper: Read Greta’s Q&A on renewed Iran sanctions: More about Greta Lichtenbaum: https://www.omm.com/professionals/greta-h-lichtenbaum/ More about Jarrett Blanc: https://carnegieendowment.org/experts/1343 Follow Jarrett on Twitter at twitter.com/jarrettblanc

Oct 16, 2018 • 32min
Sanctions 101: How Powerful are Sanctions, Really?
How powerful are sanctions, really? In this episode, Jen and Jarrett talk to former U.S. treasury secretary Jack Lew about how policymakers ought to approach sanctions, and the dangers of using sanctions unwisely. This is the second episode of a three-part special series on sanctions—a 101 on how sanctions work and how policymakers should use them. Don’t miss part one of our series on what sanctions are and how they work. Listen here: https://soundcloud.com/diplopod/sanctions-101-how-sanctions-work And come back tomorrow for part three of our series, when Jen and Jarrett talk to sanctions lawyer Greta Lichtenbaum about how she helps her clients navigate sanctions policies. To make sure you don’t miss anything, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Jacob Lew served as U.S. secretary of the treasury from 2013 to 2017. He previously served as White House chief of staff. Jarrett Blanc is a senior fellow in the Geoeconomics and Strategy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He was previously the State Department coordinator for the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA). We want to hear from you! Write to us at diplopod@ceip.org, or call us at 202-939-2247. Leave us a voicemail and we might use your question on a future episode. You can also talk to us on Twitter using #DiploPod. And follow Jen! She’s on Twitter at https://twitter.com/jrpsaki. Go Deeper: Read Jack’s new Foreign Affairs article on economic statecraft: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/world/use-and-misuse-economic-statecraft?gpp=6Kgbv%2BDmD6cFKWHq7SX4uzozL2Fad2ZDR1NuUFRHcUkvK3F2TndueEtGRWpxSUFvZG1sbGV6V3BITGNrWDVHOHoxaThIdnB6Y291ODZWUS9POjViMDg1N2FjN2ZiZmEzYTdmYzEzYjA4NDkzM2I2MTFjZTMzZjI1NTJhMjAyOGNiMzM2MDVjYmMyOGI1MTU2YzU%3D&cid=%3Fcid%3Dlew_nephew_paywall_free_10152018 Watch Jack’s 2016 speech on U.S. sanctions policy: https://ceip.org/e-5191 More about Jack Lew: https://sipa.columbia.edu/faculty-research/faculty-directory/jacob-j-lew More about Jarrett Blanc: http://carnegieendowment.org/experts/1343 Follow Jarrett on Twitter at https://twitter.com/jarrettblanc

Oct 15, 2018 • 16min
Sanctions 101: How Do Sanctions Work?
This is the first episode of a three-part special series on sanctions—a 101 course on how sanctions work and how policymakers should use them. This episode, Jen talks with her special cohost for this series, Jarrett Blanc, about what sanctions are and how they work. Over the next two days, we’ll release two more episodes—tomorrow Jen and Jarrett talk to former U.S. treasury secretary Jack Lew about how policymakers think about sanctions, and on Wednesday they’ll talk to sanctions lawyer Greta Lichtenbaum about how she helps her clients navigate sanctions policies. To make sure you don’t miss anything, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Jarrett Blanc is a senior fellow in the Geoeconomics and Strategy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He was previously the deputy lead coordinator and State Department coordinator for Iran nuclear implementation at the U.S. Department of State under President Obama, responsible for the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran’s nuclear program, including Iranian and U.S. commitments on sanctions. We want to hear from you! Write to us at diplopod@ceip.org, or call us at 202-939-2247. Leave us a voicemail and we might use your question on a future episode. You can also talk to us on Twitter using #DiploPod. And follow Jen on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JRPsaki Go Deeper: More about Jarrett Blanc: http://carnegieendowment.org/experts/1343 Read Jarrett’s op-ed on Russia sanctions: http://ceip.org/p-77414 Listen to Jarrett talk about Iran sanctions: http://ceip.org/p-77016 Follow Jarrett on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JarrettBlanc

Oct 11, 2018 • 32min
A Peace Deal in the Balkans?
Kosovo and Serbia are trying to negotiate the end of their old and frequently bloody conflict. A solution could pave the way for both countries to join the EU. Jen Psaki talks to Bekim Çollaku, chief of staff to Kosovar President Hashim Thaçi, who explains Kosovo’s goals and parameters in the negotiations. Carnegie’s Judy Dempsey, who has covered the Balkans for years, shares her view on what comes next for the region. Bekim Çollaku is chief of staff to President of the Republic of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi Judy Dempsey is a nonresident senior fellow at Carnegie Europe and editor in chief of the Strategic Europe blog. She is also the author of the book The Merkel Phenomenon. We want to hear from you! Write to us at diplopod@ceip.org, or call us at 202-939-2247. Leave us a voicemail and we might use your question on a future episode. You can also talk to us on twitter using #DiploPod. And follow Jen! She’s @jrpsaki. Go Deeper: More about Judy Dempsey: https://carnegieeurope.eu/experts/693 Read Judy’s op-ed on the proposed Kosovo-Serbia land swap: https://carnegieeurope.eu/2018/09/19/kosovo-and-serbia-are-talking-about-redrawing-their-borders.-it-s-terrible-idea-pub-77291 Read Judy’s blog post on the failed Macedonian name referendum: https://carnegieeurope.eu/strategiceurope/77393 Follow Judy on Twitter: @Judy_Dempsey

Sep 27, 2018 • 17min
Francis Fukuyama on Identity Politics
Jen Psaki sat down with Stanford professor Francis Fukuyama to talk about his new book, "Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment." They discussed Fukuyama’s views on the current trajectory of identity politics in the United States and around the world, and what he sees as a new essential American identity. Go deeper: More about Francis Fukuyama: https://fukuyama.stanford.edu/ Watch Fukuyama in discussion with Thomas Carothers: http://carnegieendowment.org/2018/09/18/global-rise-of-identity-politics-event-6951

Sep 20, 2018 • 19min
Israel and Palestine: Is a Two-State Solution Still Possible?
Jen Psaki kicks off a new season of Carnegie's flagship podcast, DiploPod, one-on-one with Carnegie scholar Marwan Muasher, who is the former foreign minister of Jordan and has been through many rounds of Middle East peace talks. They discussed the fading prospects of the two-state solution for the Israel-Palestine conflict, the problematic prospect of integrating both communities in a one-state option, and the impact of the Trump administration’s move to sideline Palestinian interests by moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, cutting off funding for aid for Palestinian refugees, and closing the PLO office in Washington. Marwan Muasher is vice president for studies at Carnegie, where he oversees research in Washington and Beirut on the Middle East. Mauasher served as foreign minister (2002–2004) and deputy prime minister (2004–2005) of Jordan, and his career has spanned the areas of diplomacy, development, civil society, and communications. Go deeper: + About Marwan Muasher - https://carnegieendowment.org/experts/563 + Read Marwan’s Op-Ed on Trump’s Israel-Palestine plan: https://ceip.org/p-77282 + Read Marwan’s Report - https://ceip.org/p-77269


