On Geopolitics

Ali and Suzanne are joined by Professor Bill Hurst to look at the implications of Trump's election win on US policy positions towards China and Iran. How might China navigate what America does next? Why are some in Iran secretly pleased Trump has won? And will the next US President have the expertise on China and Iran he needs?

Ali and Suzanne take stock on the contest between Iran and Israel, especially considering the impact in Iran of recent setbacks.  What might be the consequences domestically and in terms of the conflict?

Suzanne Raine is joined by Dr John Nilssen-Wright and Alexandra Leonzini to learn more about the story behind a recent North Korean viral TikTok hit. Alexandra and John explore the role of music in the creation and strengthening of North Korean identity, explaining on the way how the society functions, the change in attitude since the meeting of Kim Jong Un and President Trump, and signs to watch...

What happens next in Iran? Ali Ansari and Suzanne Raine look at the consequences of the death of President Raisi, and discuss the forthcoming Iranian elections on 28 June.  Who will stand, and how will the process play out?  Who decides and how much does it matter anyway?

Suzanne and Ali look back over the events of April -May 2024, including the first direct military exchange between Israel and Iran, and ask where this leaves us. How are we to judge the failure of the Iranian firing of missiles and projectiles towards Israel? What does this mean for the state of Iran itself, and for its reputation and control of its proxies? Where might Iran go from...

Suzanne and Ali talk with Ciaran Martin, the former head of the National Cyber Security Centre on the threats – real and imagined – posed by the rapid transformation of our digital world, the role of state and non-state actors, and how we need to rise to the challenge of revolutionary change in telecommunications technology.

Ali and Suzanne are joined by Renad Mansour and Zmkan Ali of Chatham House to discuss their new report on cross-border conflict. Why is Sinjar, stuck between Iraq and Syria, enmired in other ongoing conflicts?  And can anything be done to improve the situation in Sinjar while those conflicts are unresolved? Renad and Zmkan argue that unless the non-state armed groups active in Sinjar are invo...

Professor Ali Ansari and Suzanne Raine are joined by Professor Bill Hurst, Director of the Centre for Geopolitics, to ask what we should conclude from the results of the Taiwanese elections on 13 January. Does the election of a President from the Democratic People's Party make tensions with China more likely, or is the lack of a clear winner in the legislature a counter-balance?  And how will...

Suzanne Raine and Ali Ansari start with Baluchistan, and then widen the lens to look at what is driving Iranian aggression in the Middle East. They examine how the threat of force becomes the use of force, and the extent to which apparent co-ordinated Iranian activity might not be quite as simple as it seems.

Professor Phillips O'Brien joins Suzanne and Ali to discuss why enabling Ukraine to win is in the US's strategic interest, and why limited assistance not only protracts the conflict but raises the risk of wider long-term instability in Europe.  

Recent events in Israel and Gaza have highlighted how hard it is to orientate in the absence of clear facts. At these times of crisis, how do political leaders decide what to do? Ali Ansari and Suzanne Raine are joined by the Rt Hon Charles Clarke, who was British Home Secretary at the time of the 7/7 bombings in London, and talks about having to take the decision whether or not to close...

Dr Charlie Laderman joins Ali and Suzanne to explore the origins of the dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the current situation, and the real and increasing risk of renewed violence in the Caucasus. About the hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University. She served for 24 years in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office on foreign po...

In 2024, approximately four billion people will be involved in national elections, which in turn will shape how states take geopolitical positions and decisions. Suzanne and Ali consider key themes such as misinformation, manipulation and division which are likely to feature heavily in this major global electoral year. About the hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopo...

Suzanne and Ali discuss the origins of the term and ask how states navigate between pursuit of their interests and being true to their values and ideals. About the hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University. She served for 24 years in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office on foreign policy and national security issues, including postin...

Professor Bill Hurst joins Suzanne to explore what — if anything — the expansion of the BRICS signifies for those countries joining and for China, and look at how to interpret indicators about the current state of the Chinese economy. About the hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University. She served for 24 years in the British Foreign and Com...

Suzanne and Ali are joined by Air Marshal (Retd) Ed Stringer to look at what defines heroic leadership, whether it can be taught and whether the idea of the genius leader is fit for today's challenges. About the hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University. She served for 24 years in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office on foreign polic...

Ali and Suzanne are joined by Professor Mike Hulme, a climate change specialist, and author of Climate Change Isn’t Everything , who argues that the current approach to climate change targets and deadlines oversimplifies a complex problem and makes it less likely that we will meet them. About the hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University. S...

Ali and Suzanne discuss the idea of ‘authoritarian resilience’, the broader relationship between theory and practice, and how we should avoid becoming prisoners of paradigms.   About the hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University. She served for 24 years in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office on foreign policy and national secur...

Ali and Suzanne are joined by Richard Williams of Bunker Hill Mining Corporation to explore global competition for resource, and look at how and whether the US aim to 'de-risk' global supply will work in practice. About the hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University. She served for 24 years in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office on f...

Ali and Suzanne are joined by Centre Affiliate Dr John Nilsson-Wright to consider this trilateral relationship in the run-up to the G7. About the hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University. She served for 24 years in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office on foreign policy and national security issues, including postings in Poland, Iraq...

Ali and Suzanne are joined by the Centre's Dr Hugo Bromley to consider the historical drivers behind the formation of the UK Union and their relevance today. About the hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University. She served for 24 years in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office on foreign policy and national security issues, including po...

Iran-China expert Bill Figueroa joins Ali and Suzanne to look at the dynamics of the new triumvirate of Iran, Saudi Arabia and China. About the hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University. She served for 24 years in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office on foreign policy and national security issues, including postings in Poland, Iraq a...

The second part of Suzanne and Ali's discussion on the difference personal relationships between leaders can make at critical geopolitical moments. About the hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University. She served for 24 years in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office on foreign policy and national security issues, including postings in...

Suzanne and Ali ask how much difference personal relationships between leaders make at critical geopolitical moments. About the hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University. She served for 24 years in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office on foreign policy and national security issues, including postings in Poland, Iraq and Pakistan. She...

Professor Brendan Simms gives Ali and Suzanne his impressions of the key themes from this year's Munich Security Conference and what this means for European security and Russia's war in Ukraine. About the hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University. She served for 24 years in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office on foreign policy and n...