CSIS Podcasts

On September 23rd, Israeli airstrikes killed more than 180 Lebanese in the country’s deadliest day of conflict since the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war. This is one of the most recent developments in the ongoing escalation between Israel and Hezbollah. Leah Hickert speaks with Jon Alterman, director of the CSIS Middle East Program, about why this escalation is occurring and possible off-ramps for the v...

Dr. Kathleen McInnis sat down with Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) for a conversation on her new memoir, where she reflects on her time in Congress. Additionally, the pair discusses the current and future U.S. landscape, including what the U.S. should be doing to counter China’s aggressive authoritarian expansionism and more. 

On this week's episode of the Trade Guys, we are lucky to be joined by Scott Kennedy, the Senior Adviser and Trustee Chair in Chinese Business and Economics at CSIS. Discussion topics include the origins of China's economic downturn, Taiwanese investment in China, and what the future may hold for the world's second-largest economy and its trade relationships.

A short, spoken-word summary from CSIS’s Ilaria Mazzocco and Rubi Bledsoe on their brief with Ryan C. Berg, “Driving Change: How EVs Are Reshaping China’s Economic Relationship with Latin America.”

In recent years, feminist foreign policy has emerged as a transformative approach to international relations, focusing on the promotion of gender equality, human rights, and inclusive governance on the global stage. One of the key drivers of feminist foreign policy is its ability to reshape the way states interact with one another. Unlike traditional policies that often prioritize military strengt...

Greg unpacks the latest updates from Myanmar with Jack Myint and Andreyka Natalegawa. Japhet and Lauren cover the latest from the region: from the Kanlaon volcano in the Philippines to mpox cases throughout Southeast Asia.  

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Kharis Templeman, Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution and the manager of the Project on Taiwan in the Indo-Pacific Region. He is also a Lecturer at the Center for East Asian Studies at Stanford University. They discuss Taiwan’s Lai Ching-te administration, and the strategy Beijing may adopt to govern...

Mvemba is joined by Kemi Okenyondo, the Founder/Executive Director of the Rule of Law and Empowerment Initiative also known as Partners West Africa Nigeria, to discuss accountability for Nigeria's military and police and security issues in the country.

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Hussein Ibish, a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, a columnist for The National, and a regular contributor to The Atlantic. Together, they discuss popular mobilization across the Middle East since October 7th and what it indicates about regional politics. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Natasha Hall and L...

This week Mike and Jude are joined by David Capie, Director of the Centre for Strategic Studies and Professor of International Relations at the Victoria University of Wellington. They discuss New Zealand’s transitioning approach to its regional relationships.

On this week's episode of the Trade Guys, we discuss the Commerce Department's recent export controls on quantum computing and other advanced technologies, a new report on European economic competitiveness from Mario Draghi, and reporting that the Biden Administration plans to block Nippon Steel's $14.9 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel.  Want to learn more about the intricacies of Washington? Sig...

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Dr. Michael Davidson joins us to discuss China’s energy security. Dr. Davidson gives an overview of China’s energy landscape and compares it to that of other countries, such as the United States. He explains how China’s energy priorities have evolved throughout the last decade, especially in response to factors such as climate change and the Russian invas...

A short, spoken-word summary from CSIS’s Joseph Majkut on his white paper with Jane Nakano, "Strategic Equilibrium: The United States’ Manufacturing Resurgence and the Role of Natural Gas in a Carbon-Competitive World."

Last week, the Israeli military recovered the bodies of six hostages from a tunnel in Gaza. According to Israeli authorities, more than 60 living hostages, and the bodies of approximately 35 others taken captive during the Hamas-led attack on October 7th, are still in Gaza. Leah Hickert speaks with Jon Alterman, director of the CSIS Middle East Program and executive director of the CSIS Commission...

A short, spoken-word summary from CSIS’s Scott Kennedy on his report with Andrea Leonard Palazzi, Diversifying, Not Decoupling: Taiwanese Industry Responds to Geostrategic Risks.

On this week's episode of the Trade Guys, we look at how diverse countries from around the world are managing their respective trade relationships with China. Topics include the recent Canadian tariffs on Chinese EVs, the EU's trade connections with China, and why de-risking in India may not mean a clean break from China.  Want to learn more about the intricacies of Washington? Sign up for Decodin...

In this episode of Building the Future, Romina Bandura is joined by Chris Burns, Chief Digital Development Officer for USAID and the Director of the Technology Division, to discuss USAID’s work on digital development and dive deeper into USAID’s 10-year Digital Strategy for 2024-2034.

Bound together by geography, commerce, and cultural ties, the Caribbean region is often referred to as the United States “third border.” For this reason, the security challenges that impact the Caribbean should also be front-of-mind for the United States, especially as Caribbean countries face rising levels of violence and instability, fueled by the drug trade. Growing criminal violence, endemic c...

Dr. Jerome Adams authored his 2023 memoire, Crisis and Chaos: Lessons from the Front Lines of the War Against COVID-19. In it, he reflects on his upbringing in southern Maryland and the acute “hurting” among many citizens, rural and poor, dissatisfied with the status quo. Profoundly impactful to his tenure as Indiana State Health Commissioner was managing the opioid, Hepatitis C, and HIV outbreaks...

Greg and Elina unpack the latest political developments in Thailand with Pongkwan “PK” Sawasdipakdi. Japhet and Lauren cover the latest: from Alice Guo’s arrest to Pope Francis’ region-wide visit.

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by David Hoffman, Senior Advisor with the China Center for Economics & Business at The Conference Board The Conference Board, and non-resident Senior Associate with the Freeman Chair in China Studies at CSIS. They discuss China’s economy, political economy, and evolving business environment.

Since its inception in 2014, the Mandela Washington Fellowship (MWF) brings together an annual cohort of established African youth leaders for an immersive six-week leadership program at U.S. colleges and universities. The fellowship culminates in a summit where participants network and engage in high-level workshops.  MWF is the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative, designed t...

An off-chance encounter as an intern transformed Funmi’s life several years later when someone she networked with early in her career thought of her down the line and offered her a job. Funmi Oludaiye, Managing Director (Global Head of Engineering) at Goldman Sachs, discusses how she advanced her career in STEM through hard work, mentorship, and relationship building.

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Dr. Isabelle Werenfels, a senior fellow in the Middle East and Africa Division of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs in Berlin. Together, they discuss how North African states are asserting their newly found leverage over European states, and how European states are changing the ways they approach North Africa. Then, Jon continu...

A short, spoken-word summary from CSIS’s Max Bergmann on his report with Cy McGeady, Otto Svendsen, Mathias Zacarias, and Ignacio Urbasos, Power Plays: Europe’s Response to the Energy Crisis.