Hopkins Podcast on Foreign Affairs

Over the last decade or so in Europe, populism has been on the rise in many countries, from Greece to France to the Netherlands. Italy is no exception to this trend; populism has manifested in both left- and right-wing groups, and these parties have been able to garner enough support to, for extended periods of … Continue reading Italy’s Fight with Populism

The Ukraine crisis is a power struggle between Ukraine and Russia. As one of the founding states of the Soviet Union, Ukraine had historically been an important part of the Russian sphere of influence. However, Ukraine is now on a course towards closer ties with Europe, rather than Russia. Ukraine desires to open its markets … Continue reading Ukraine’s Frozen Conflict

During the first decade of the 21st century, the U.S. defense department prioritized counterterrorism and counterinsurgency measures the Middle East and across the globe. A major shift in strategy began slowly but surely in 2012, driven partly by China’s more aggressive behavior and new military capabilities, including cyber and electronic weapons and precision missiles developed … Continue...

Ethiopia, a landlocked country with dozens of unique ethnic groups, is nestled in the complex topography of the Horn of Africa and the East African Rift. Tigray, a small region of Ethiopia, borders Eritrea and is home to most of Ethiopia’s estimated 7 million ethnic Tigrayans. In November 2020, Tigray’s regional government launched a full-scale … Continue reading Ethiopia’s Tigray Conf...

Vladimir Putin has ruled Russia for over 20 years and in these two decades, Putin has seen Russia through its rise as a great power and its economic stagnation. He is explicitly rejected principles of liberalism and multilateralism, annexing foreign lands, jailing political opponents, and undermining Western democracies, so who really is Vladimir Putin? In … Continue reading Putin’s Russia

Saudi Arabia is one of the United States’ oldest and most reliable allies in a region known for its instability. From the 1973 oil embargo, to 9/11, to the Civil War in Yemen, the relationship between our two countries has survived several critical challenges. But, in the wake of the Jamal Kashoggi killing in 2018, … Continue reading The Future of US-Saudi Relations

The name Castro has defined Cuba for over sixty years when Fidel Castro and his brother, Raul, successfully led a communist revolution on the island. Since then, the island nation has been one of the United States major challenges in Latin America, allying with the Soviet Union during the Cold War and influencing politics in … Continue reading Cuba After The Castros

In our second edition of our Up to Speed narrative series, we tell the story of Japan’s economic miracle. What fueled Japan’s unprecedented economic boom, what led to its stagnation beginning in the 1990s, and what lessons can we learn from the story of Japan for the international economic challenges of today?  UTS: Japan’s Economic Miracle … Continue reading UTS: Japan&#82...

This Friday will mark President Joe Biden’s 100th day as the 46th President of the United States. This means 100 days of Biden Foreign Policy. What has he done thus far? Has he kept his campaign promises? What are some areas his administration could improve on? And, is there a semblance of a Biden Foreign … Continue reading 100 Days of Biden Foreign Policy

Today, Thursday April 22nd, is Earth Day, a global holiday celebrating environmental protection. In light of this holiday, on today’s episode we will be discussing how the global transition toward a less carbon intensive energy system is affecting global geopolitics as we know it. Over the past century, energy geopolitics have centered on struggles to … Continue reading Geopolitics of the En...

China today is undergoing tremendous domestic changes while it is adopting a bolder foreign policy giving rise to Sino-American competition. At the center of it all is Xi Jinping– the general secretary of the Chinese Community Party, the president of China, and the paramount leader for nearly 10 years. What changes to China have Xi … Continue reading Xi Jinping’s China

Israel’s parliamentary election this March– its fourth in two years– has provided no conclusion to the political deadlock the country continues to face. As of now, neither coalition has been able to achieve a majority in Israel’s parliament, continuing the electoral gridlock which may result   in a fifth election this summer. This constant cycle of … Continue reading Electoral Grid...

Since our last podcast on the global search for a COVID-19 vaccine, featuring Dr. Chris Beyrer, multiple vaccine candidates representing countries and private corporations around the world have begun worldwide distribution in an effort to finally end the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this distribution has been heavily criticized for its unevenness, as higher-income countries have secured … Con...

 The US Department of Defense. One of, if not the largest bureaucracy in the world with a budget larger than the next ten countries combined. Where does its budget come? Why does it receive so much federal money? And, how should the US reform its military spending to meet the challenges of the 21st Century? To … Continue reading FP Toolbox: The U.S. Defense Budget

In 2011, Syrian protests against the Assad regime escalated into a long and complex conflict between the Syrian government backed by Russia and Iran and rebel groups backed by the United States, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia. Diplomatic efforts have been unsuccessful as the Syrian regime has been accused multiple times of using chemical weapons in … Continue reading The U.S. Failure in Syria

Today we will be discussing Germany after Merkel. Who is Angela Merkel?  How did she change Germany during her 15 years in office? How will Germany be different under the next Chancellor? Joining us today to answer these questions is Dr. Constanze Stelzenmuller.  A Post-Merkel Germany Constanze Stelzenmüller is an expert on German, European, and … Continue reading A Post-Merkel Ger...

Today we will be discussing artificial intelligence. what is AI? Why it has increasingly been seen as a national security threat, and what are its effects on US-China competition? How does this “new oil” of the century affect us? Joining us today to parse through these complicated questions is Henry Farrell.  AI and National Security … Continue reading AI and National Securi...

The ongoing U.S. military presence in Afghanistan has become a sore point in American international and domestic affairs. At home, it was a major political promise for Donald Trump to pull the U.S. out of what have been called its “forever wars” in the Middle East. Four years, several peace talks, and large troop removals … Continue reading The Forever War in Afghanistan

Iran is a major force in world affairs. Since Ayatollah Khomeini and the clerical class established a theocratic regime in 1979, the Islamic Republic has behaved in opposition to US incursions in its backyard and plays a central role in conversations on regional stability and global security. With the Ayatollah’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and … Continue reading Iran and Biden: A New&...

On his first day in office, President Joe Biden revoked the Keystone Pipeline’s permit, all but shutting down construction. But, why did the Biden Administration decide to do this? What has made the Keystone Pipeline so controversial in the United States? And what does that mean for the future of US-Canada relations? Joining us today … Continue reading The Geopolitics of the Keystone Pi...

Millions of people worldwide are affected by the human trafficking crisis, which has only been exacerbated by the COVD-19 pandemic. In this episode, we will cover what human trafficking or modern slavery is, and what makes people vulnerable. We will also discuss the international security risks posed by human trafficking, including how it can be … Continue reading The Human Trafficking ...

In the early hours of February 1st, 2021, Myanmar’s military staged a coup d’etat against its democratically elected government. Myanmar’s defacto civilian leader, Aung san suu kyi was arrested, alongside Myanmar’s president and dozens of other civilian officials. By the afternoon, the military had announced the imposition of a one-year state of emergency, in which … Continue reading M...

Does the new EU-China investment agreement signal a closer relationship between the two powers? The EU and China reached an important investment agreement – just as the US is seeking to strengthen its own relationships with its European allies. Why have the EU and China reached this deal, what does it contain, and how will … Continue reading Trade and Strategy: The EU-China Investment&...

Is the Brexit saga coming to an end? On the last day of 2020, the United Kingdom and the European Union signed an important agreement that will define much of the post-Brexit relationship between the two powers. What does this Trade and Cooperation Agreement contain, and how will it impact the economies and politics between … Continue reading Post-Brexit Europe: What Now? with Professor Matt...

In this episode of the foreign policy toolbox, we discuss the importance of nuclear arms control, its history and its future.  FP Toolbox: Nuclear Arms Control with Ms. Rebecca Hersman Rebecca Hersman is director of the Project on Nuclear Issues (PONI) and senior adviser with the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and … Continue reading FP Toolbox: Nuclear Arms Contro...