Hopkins Podcast on Foreign Affairs

 Social media platforms, including Twitter, have made increasing efforts to moderate content. Elon Musk, the multi-billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a vocal public critic of Twitter’s content moderation efforts. This complaint was a driving force behind his decision to acquire the social media company this year. Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter has … Continue reading Globa...

On November 19th Malaysia held its parliamentary elections, resulting in a narrow victory for now-Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. In this episode, we discuss the issues most important in the election, the composition of the new governing coalition, and Anwar Ibrahim’s plans for Malaysia. Joining me to share his expertise on this transfer of power is … Continue reading The 2022 Malaysian E...

Two months ago, the prime minister of Haiti Ariel Henry requested the help of a foreign force to stabilize the country. In this episode, we discuss the crisis in Haiti and possible solutions. Can a foreign force help set Haiti back on its feet? Joining me to share his expertise on these issues is Diego … Continue reading Haiti in Crisis

Join us for a discussion on a new book, Beijing’s Global Media Offensive: China’s Uneven Campaign to Influence Asia and the World, written by Joshua Kurlantzick from the Council on Foreign Relations. He joins us to discuss how China has strived to become a global media and information powerhouse and whether this quest has been … Continue reading Book Talk: Beijing’s Global...

Thousands of people are joining protests across China focused on challenging the “zero-Covid” policy. The ongoing demonstrations display rare solidarity between class, region, and even ethnicity. Will Jiang Zemin’s death further galvanize protesters? What are the exit options for the party state? Dr. Sheena Chestnut Greitens, associate professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs … Continue...

The Biden administration released its National Defense Strategy in late October that laid out how the Department of Defense will implement the President’s National Security Strategy. The concept of “integrated deterrence” is at the core of the 2022 National Defense Strategy. What is integrated deterrence? Can it work to address increasingly complex security challenges faced … Continue readin...

The death of a 22-year-old Iranian woman sparked widespread youth and women-led protests in Iran. In this episode, we will discuss how protests have evolved and how governments around the world have responded. Vali Nasr, Professor of International Affairs and Middle East Studies at Johns Hopkins SAIS, joins us today to discuss the demonstrations in … Continue reading Young Iranians Go to the...

The 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party was held from October 16 to October 22, 2022. Xi Jinping officially secured his third term in office and cemented his power over the communist party state. Neil Thomas, senior analyst at the Eurasia Group, joins us today to discuss the party of General Secretary Xi. … Continue reading The Party of General Secretary Xi

Semiconductors, the “brain” of modern electronics, are essential to industrial, commercial, and military systems in an increasingly digitized global economy. Last month, the Biden administration announced sweeping new restrictions on semiconductor technology exports to China. Dr. James Lewis, Senior Vice President and Director of the Strategic Technologies Program at the Center for Strategic and I...

President Biden announced the “U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa” on August 8, 2022. In this episode, we examine the goals of this strategy and how it differs from how previous administrations have approached U.S. relations with Africa. What tangible actions will ensure the success of the administration’s strategy? What does the realization of this vision … Continue reading Biden&#8217...

South Korea is an emerging player in the global arms market at a time when the demand for military equipment is rising around the world. South Korean defense exports are expected to reach $10 billion in 2022, nearly tripling the figure from 2020. Will “k-defense” emerge as a major item in an already long list … Continue reading The Rise of the k-Defense Industry

In September of this year, Thailand’s Constitutional Court ruled that the country’s prime minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha, can remain in office despite the end of his eight-year term. In this episode, we discuss Thailand’s move toward authoritarianism, the role of the monarchy and other institutions in the country’s political network, and the recent protest movements which … Continue reading Pol...

On October 2, Brazil held its general elections, leading to a run-off between candidates Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Jair Bolsonaro scheduled for October 30. Brian Winter, the editor-in-chief of the publication Americas Quarterly, joins me today to discuss the two candidates, their individual approaches to their campaign, and how the election results reflect … Continue reading Brazil&#8217...

In August, Kenya held elections to determine who’d succeed long-time president Uhuru Kenyatta. William Ruto ultimately entered office on September 13th, as the country’s 5th president since its independence, amidst a national controversy over the election results. Saskia Brechenmacher joins me on the podcast to discuss the 2022 Kenyan general election, its implications for Kenya, … Continue...

In this foreign policy toolbox episode, we discuss soft power, its modern use, and its relevance in contemporary politics and conflict. Joining us today is Professor Joseph Nye, who coined the term “soft power.” FP Toolbox: Soft Power Episode Credits: Editor: Lidie Ataoguz Hosts: Jina Lim, Julia An

In this episode, we examine the United States’ relationship with Taiwan, the future of its strategic ambiguity policy, and the increasingly aggressive Chinese posture toward Taiwan. Joining us on the podcast is Dr. Zack Cooper, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Defending Taiwan Episode Credits: Editor: Leo Kamer Hosts: Julia An, Chris H. Park

Summer 2022 was one of the hottest summers on record, and intense heat waves have become a regular facet of the worsening global climate crisis. Alice Hill joins me on this episode to discuss a world overheating, its devastating impact on our health, infrastructure, and agriculture, and how we can best prepare for record-breaking temperatures. … Continue reading An Overheating World

The work of the government has transformed to accord with an increasingly digitized world. How has the change in technology transformed espionage?  On today’s episode, we explore modern espionage, its evolution since the Cold War, and its role in current foreign relations. We consider the future of espionage and international security as technology continues to … Continue reading Modern...

On August 12, 2022, novelist Salman Rushdie was almost fatally stabbed nearly thirty years after the Iranian Supreme leader issued a fatwa placing a several million dollar bounty on the novelist’s life. This attack has shined a spotlight onto the state of free speech worldwide. How have states cracked down on free speech? And in … Continue reading The Future of Censorship and Free Speec...

August 15 marks one year since the Taliban took over Kabul after the U.S. withdrawal. Afghanistan has since undergone dramatic changes. Outside monitors have raised human rights concerns, as the Taliban implemented changes to women’s rights, education systems, and activism. We explore the current political structure and economic state of the country under the Taliban’s … Continue reading Afg...

When Russia invaded Ukraine in February, the United States and its allies jumped to support Ukraine and cut off Russia from the international stage. The Russian invasion and subsequent military aid to Ukraine has placed one nuclear power in proxy war with another, a dangerous prospect. In today’s episode, we discuss the state of NATO-Russia … Continue reading Preventing a U.S.-Russia Wa...

Beginning in the late 20th century, American companies and companies from developed countries moved their manufacturing operations to developing countries, most notably China. On today’s podcast, we discuss the abandonment of this offshoring policy in favor of a “friendshoring” policy, wherein companies have begun to move production operations out of China and into countries with … Continue...

In this episode, we discuss the fall and legacy of Boris Johnson, as well as the key candidates in the current race to become prime minister. We discuss the central domestic and foreign policy issues of each candidate’s campaign and explore how each candidate will affect the U.K.’s relationship with the E.U. and the U.S. … Continue reading U.K. Elections and the Fall of Boris Johnson

In today’s episode, Ambassador of Sweden to the United States Karin Olofsdotter discusses Sweden’s decision to apply for NATO membership and depart from its historical policy of nonalignment. Sweden’s NATO Accession Episode Credits: Editor: Lidie Ataoguz Hosts: Julia An, Nicole Rivas Music: Zee Yuen

In today’s podcast, we discuss Italy’s policies and development under Mario Draghi as well as just how and why the current government coalition imploded. We will then examine the possible motivations behind President Mattarella’s decision to hold elections in just two months and what Italy’s economy and foreign policy could look like under a potential … Continue reading Mario Draghi and the...