Hopkins Podcast on Foreign Affairs

In January 2022, Kazakhstan faced the biggest protests the country has ever seen, resulting in mass casualties and spurring efforts for democratic reform. In this episode, we discuss the past civic conflicts in Kazakhstan and why the protests in 2022 became violent. How did President Tokayev and his government respond to these protests? How likely … Continue reading Democracy in Kazakhstan

People around the world have seen the effects of climate change – such as droughts, rising ocean levels, and changing weather patterns – that have exacerbated ongoing food and health crises. These are all alarming reminders that the existential deadlines for international climate goals are fast-approaching. A global energy crisis prompted by Russia’s invasion of … Continue reading Climate Po...

In February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine in clear violation of the UN charter, which prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. Since the invasion, there have been real-time reports of war crimes being committed by the Russian military in Ukraine, including the targeting and killing of civilians. … Continue reading Russia in the Inter...

With Article II treaties decreasing drastically over the past administrations, there has been a trend of presidents using executive agreements to handle international affairs. This increasingly liberal use of executive agreements along with unilateral withdrawal and re-entering of recent treaties has been the causes for conflict. Can presidents withdraw from treaties without Congressional consent?...

Today we will be discussing the ongoing violence and civil conflict in Colombia, a country that has been marked by growing tensions between guerilla groups and the national government. Since the 2016 peace plan to ease such tensions and punish the extremist groups, there has been a rise in street protests, violence, and internally displaced … Continue reading Civil Conflict in Colombia

With the increase in the 2023 defense budget predicted to be in the 100 billions, there has been much controversy over the announcement. In this episode, we will discuss the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act and Biden’s and the Senate’s controversial increases in defense budget. We will explore the various responses from both political parties … Continue reading Biden’s 2023 Defe...

After months of harsh and relentless Covid-19 lockdowns, China’s major cities have begun opening up again. In this episode, we will examine the current state of China’s zero covid policy. We will discuss the lockdowns in Shanghai and Beijing and explore the effects of the zero covid policy on China’s economy and political stability. Finally, … Continue reading China’s Zero Covid P...

As Russia’s war on Ukraine worsens, the issue of rising food prices and accessibility has come to the forefront.  In this episode, we will examine the key causes of the current global food shortage and its effects on countries such as Africa, Egypt, and Sri Lanka. We will discuss the effects that increases in food … Continue reading Global Food Crisis

The Summit of the Americas brings together leaders from North, South, and Central America and the Caribbean every three years to discuss challenges and opportunities for regional cooperation. The summit this year will take place in Los Angeles from June 6 to 10, making it the first time the U.S. will host since the inaugural … Continue reading Summit of the Americas 2022

Recent years have seen the long-standing model of cooperation within Europe repeatedly challenged in response to factors, including the Syrian refugee crisis, Brexit, and, most recently, the coronavirus pandemic. At the same time, populist parties have gained momentum everywhere in Europe from Hungary and Poland to Italy and France. So, what exactly is populism? What … Continue reading Popul...

Extreme inflation, fuel shortages, protests on such a scale that they removed a prime minister from office. These events and more have developed into a significant threat to Sri Lanka’s political and economic stability. In this episode, we will explore the causes of this crisis, like economic mismanagement; the story behind the Rajapaksa political dynasty, … Continue reading Crisis in Sri&#1...

In recent years, growing tensions between the US and China have spurred increasing interest and action to “decouple” US and China’s economic and technological ecosystems. This is evident in the increased use of technology restrictions, from export controls to sanctions and visa bans. And while there appears to be bipartisan support for technological decoupling in … Continue reading US-China...

The Australian election is scheduled for Saturday, May 21, and is expected to be a tight race between the current Liberal-National coalition and the opposition Labor party. This election occurs in the 70th year of the US-Australia alliance and in a moment in which headlines are inundated by the war in Ukraine, news of China’s … Continue reading Foreign Policy in the Australian Elections

Today on the podcast we will be covering the ongoing negotiations between Iran and the United States on a new Iran nuclear deal. What did the original Iran deal entail, why did the Trump Admninstration withdrew the United States from the agreement, and what would a new nuclear deal with Iran look like after all … Continue reading Will There Be a New Iran Nuclear Deal?

Today on the podcast we will be discussing the long history of the Arab-Conflict as well as recent normalization agreemnts between Israel and some of its Arab neighbors. What has traditionally driven the complicated relationship, what role has the United States played in attempting to resolve the conflict, and how can the region built on … Continue reading The Arab-Israeli Detente with Ambas...

French President Emmanuel Macron has faced numerous foreign and domestic challenges since assuming office in 2017. Today, he is addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, the invasion of Ukraine, and the concern over rising cost of living among other issues. In this highly turbulent time in French politics, several candidates challenged Macron both from the political left … Continue reading Macron vs...

Congress has played different roles in the formation and conduct of U.S. foreign policy since the nation’s founding. The powers of Congress and the President are laid out in the Constitution, but the precise limits of their powers have been contested. What powers does Congress have over foreign policy? How does this relate to the … Continue reading Congress and Foreign Policy

As conversation abounds regarding the increasing power of large technology companies, or “Big Tech,” Europe may be the first to take action. In late March, the governing bodies of the European Union came to an agreement on the Digital Markets Act, which, from what we can tell, would force large tech companies to undergo changes … Continue reading Big Tech vs. The EU

For many, the name Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not mean much until the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Yet, his face and voice have become well known to many via social media and powerful international addresses. In this episode, we take a step back and look at his political journey from TV character to … Continue reading Zelensky’s Ukraine

In Xi Jinping’s 10 years of power, he has turned away from former chairman Hu Jintao’s China’s peaceful rise policy towards a more aggressive foreign policy approach as demonstrated by China’s previous responses towards the EU and more recent actions towards Taiwan. With the ongoing Ukraine Crisis and China’s seeming alignment towards Russia, it calls … Continue reading Xi Jinping&#821...

Today on the podcast we will discuss Western sanctions on the Russian Federation, following the country’s invasion of Ukraine.  We will go over the new sanctions, how Russia has attempted to evade them, and what else could the United States and its allies do to squeeze the Russian economy. To help answer these questions, we … Continue reading Will Sanctions on Russia Work?

In today’s episode, we’ll discuss the current Ukrainian refugee crisis that resulted in light of the Russia-Ukraine conflict . We will dive into role of the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees, or UNHCR in the Ukrainian crisis. What are some of the key methods that are currently being implemented for Ukrainian refugees, particularly across … Continue reading The Ukrainian Refugee Cr...

Since its founding in 1949, the importance of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has waxed and waned as different member states pursued their own foriegn policy and security priorities. In recent years, the future of NATO was very much under threat as former President Trump criticized the organization and, according to former officials, even came … Continue reading A NATO Renewal after&#...

Three weeks ago, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, starting a cataclysmic war in Europe not seen since 1945. The war has already devastated a countless number of lives, led to a swift and international response against Russia, and prompted a rethink of European security and the international order. To cover this tragedy which … Continue reading The State of War in Ukrain...

As the 2022 electoral supercycle in Latin America continues, with key elections in Brazil and Colombia happening soon, much is at stake for democracy in the region. Despite the robust electoral systems throughout most of the region, only a handful of countries qualify as full democracies. What accounts for some of these flaws? What should … Continue reading Challenges for Democracy in Latin&...