Carnegie Council Podcasts

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, "...

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 Rosenthal 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...

How can the U.S. pursue a realist foreign policy without abandoning its core values? Alexander Vindman, retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel and former director for European Affairs on the White House's National Security Council, joins the "Values & Interests" podcast for a discussion on the critical interplay between morality and power in the practice of geopolitics. Together with host Kevin Malo...

Moral philosopher Travis Rieder joins "Values & Interests" to explore how we might pursue ethical lives in an era of global crisis. From climate change and violent conflict to the dilemmas of daily life, Rieder argues that we must radically overhaul our outdated moral toolkits to face the challenges of an increasingly contradictory and catastrophic world. Dr. Travis Rieder is an associate research...

For the latest episode of "Values & Interests," Dr. Simon Longstaff, executive director of The Ethics Centre, visits Carnegie Council for a wide-ranging conversation on the power of moral inquiry, performative vs. good-faith engagement with those you disagree with, and how ethics can help to address global challenges such as climate change. For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values...

In this "Ethical Article" Alex Woodson reviews HBO's "Mountainhead," discussing ethical issues around emerging tech and the power and influence of billionaires.  To read this review, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/ethics-on-film-mountainhead

What will it take to build an inclusive technological future? International lawyer and AI expert Jimena Viveros joins  Values & Interests to explore why bridging the digital divide between the Global South and North is both a moral and economic imperative. Viveros shares her vision for a grassroots movement in the Global South that empowers communities to address today's needs while building an in...

In this "Ethical Article" Alex Woodson reviews the 2024 Oscar-winning Braziilian film "I'm Still Here," discussing ethical issues surrounding Brazil's military dictatorship in the late 20th century and parallels to today. This film was directed by Walter Salles and based on a memoir by Marcelo Rubens Paiva.  To read the article, please go to: https://www.carnegiecouncil.org/media/series/ethics-on-...

In this "Ethical Article" Susie Han says that the time for a crisis-driven approach to migration has passed. A pragmatic global response is needed—and Carnegie Council's Model International Mobility Convention initiative (MIMC) is the mechanism to get us there. To read this article, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/migration-framework-han

We're living in a world where transactional leadership is being prioritized over transformational leadership. Dr. Edward Brooks, executive director of the  Oxford Character Project , joins the  Values & Interest podcast to discuss how embracing ethics can unlock better thinking, relationships, and outcomes in our personal and professional lives. For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/v...

Global health requires a multilateral approach for research, knowledge sharing, and the distribution of life-saving services. What lessons can we take from recent shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic? What ethical considerations are imperative as we enter a moment of fracturing global partnerships? For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/ethics-empowered-global-health

Today's shifting global order is increasingly restrictive, and even hostile, toward human mobility. Meanwhile, geopolitical volatility continues to drive more people to seek safety across borders. In response, Carnegie Council's  Model International Mobility Convention (MIMC)  project held a special multi-part convening at the Council's Global Ethics Hub in New York. The event began with a  presen...

University of Minnesota's Professor Tanisha Fazal joins the  Values & Interests podcast to discuss shifting geopolitical norms in a moment of global transition. For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-fazal

U.S. Army Lieutenant General (Ret.) Mark Hertling joins the  Values & Interests podcast to discuss lessons in leadership, the power of embracing your professional ethos, and the critical importance of staying true to personal values in times of crisis. For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-hertling

The world has entered a new space age. This moment presents a myriad of novel ethical questions and governance challenges that require collaboration across sectors and the creation of new pathways for multilateral cooperation. In response, Northeastern University's Ethics Institute partnered with Carnegie Council to host a special convening on the future of international space governance, diplomac...

In this "Ethical Article" Oxford's Corneliu Bjola reads his  essay examining five core breaches of diplomatic norms during the Trump–Zelenskyy Oval Office meeting. This article was written as an Online Exclusive for Carnegie Council's "Ethics & International Affairs" journal. To read this article, go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/bjola-trump-zelenskyy

Amid rising geopolitical tensions, large states are acting with increased hostility toward the principle of international cooperation, challenging the very foundations of the multilateral system. Ambassador Ali Naseer Mohamed, permanent representative of the Maldives to the United Nations, joins the  Values & Interests podcast to discuss the role that small states must play to ease geopolitical fr...

United Nations peacekeeping operations present unique ethical challenges for both multilateral actors and local communities. Today, these moral and political dilemmas are exacerbated by a deteriorating geopolitical environment. In this discussion, leading practitioners grapple with critical questions for UN peacekeeping, now and in the future. For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/eth...

The Trump administration's attempted dismantling of USAID has ignited a debate around whether humanitarian aid advances or stifles America's national interest. Andrew Natsios, former administrator of USAID under George W. Bush, joins the  Values & Interests podcast to discuss humanitarianism as a moral principle, the impact of aid programs both for U.S. citizens and millions globally, and the pote...

For the inaugural episode of the  Values & Interests podcast, scholar and Carnegie Council president Joel Rosenthal unpacks the complex and often challenging relationship between morality and power in our personal lives and across geopolitics. He highlights the need to reject zero-sum thinking and confront amoral political actors in a moment when the principles of democracy, international cooperat...

Values & Interests is a new podcast from Carnegie Council, which takes a deep dive into the ethical tensions and tradeoffs at the heart of decision-making in today's interconnected world. Together, we'll hear from leaders and experts who have spent their careers reckoning with ethical questions across geopolitics, tech, philosophy, and business.  For more, please go to https://www.carnegiecouncil....

Democracies faced significant headwinds in 2024 as illiberal leaders and autocrats increasingly collaborated to suppress dissent and undermine institutions, both domestically and transnationally. In 2025, how can democratic states enhance multilateral cooperation to more proactively counter authoritarian efforts to erode freedom? For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/unlocking-coopera...

On the heels of a new international order, Carnegie Council will continue to champion the vision of peace and cooperation that remains our mission, says Carnegie Council President Joel Rosenthal in this "Ethical Article."  To read this article, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/new-order-principles .

In this "Ethical Article" Alex Woodson explores ethical issues around nuclear weapons and non-proliferation, the military-industrial complex, and the role of political satire in his review of Stanley Kubrick's 1964 film "Dr. Strangelove." To read this article, please go to:  https://carnegiecouncil.co/ethics-on-film-strangelove