The International Risk Podcast

In this week's episode, Dominic Bowen speaks with Dr. Bruce Jones about the shifting balance of power in the South China Sea and the future of maritime strategy. Dr. Jones, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and author of To Rule the Waves , joins the International Risk Podcast to discuss China’s escalating naval activity, gray zone tactics, and the growing risk of conflict in the Ind...

Dominic Bowen hosts Stefan Wolff back on the podcast to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war. They dive into the current state of the war, how Trump's ultimatum affects diplomatic tensions and whether this will actually change anything. Moreover they discuss Russia's hybrid warfare and the challenges these bring to peace talks. Find out more about Russia's long-term strategic objectives a...

This week on The International Risk Podcast , we’re joined by Dr. Joachim Schüz for a critical conversation on why cancer prevention must be treated as a global systems risk, not simply a medical challenge. Dominic and Joachim explore how exposure to toxins, industrial expansion, regulatory failure, and political inertia are reshaping the global cancer burden, particularly in low- and middle-incom...

The impact of the patriarchy on health care and climate change is one many of us might be aware of but do not know much about. Today Dominic hosts Petra Verdonk to discuss exactly what these consequences are and how they appear in our daily lives. Find out more about how climate change consequences are unequal, how gender-based violence is one that happens all around us, what solutions are to inte...

This week Dominic hosts Zac Staples and they dive into how AI-native defence systems are reshaping the battlefield—and why getting this wrong isn’t just bad for business, it’s catastrophic for global stability.  They discuss the challenges and opportunities AI brings What AI's role could be How AI can enhance security Predictive maintenance and it's strategic importance Global security T...

This week on the podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Abha Saxena for a timely and incisive look at the geopolitics of global health. Dominic and Abha explore how vaccines, health infrastructure, and disease surveillance data are no longer just instruments of public good, but strategic tools of influence. They discuss the myth of apolitical global health, the geopolitical stakes of pandemic treaties, and...

This week on the podcast we have Dr. Allysa Czerwinsky back to dive into the Manosphere and the ideologies that go with it, such as inceldom. Dominic and Allysa discuss the structures and dynamics of online extremist communities, what the differences are between the Red Pill and the Black Pill, and what those implications are. Moreover, they look at the different options for prevention and interve...

Today Dominic Bowen hosts Will Tear on the podcast to discuss the tightening of immigration rules and what impact these have on businesses. They discuss real world examples of immigration challenges, the difficult task of balancing immigration policies and business needs, global competitiveness, upskilling, future risks and more! Will Tear is the Director at Pattison Shepley Ruvolo . He has focuse...

Today Dominic hosts Rik Peels on the podcast to discuss religious extremism. They dive into the background of radicalisation; the differences between extremism, fundamentalism, and conspiracy theories; what the global patterns are; what role belief systems play in radicalisation; why radicalisation has such an impact on crises; and more! Dr. Rik Peels is a Professor in Philosophy and Theology of R...

In this week’s Monday episode, we explore the shifting dynamics of space governance with Chilean space policy expert Victoria Valdivia Cerda. Dominic and Victoria examine how the growing entanglement between state power and commercial space actors is reshaping global norms. They discuss the challenges posed by the monopolisation of low Earth orbit, the blurred boundaries between public infrastruct...

In today’s episode of The International Risk Podcast , we explore an overlooked yet vital aspects of national and international resilience and risk mitigation: youth work. With social unrest, economic inequality, and political extremism on the rise globally, the risks of neglecting young people are no longer abstract; they’re immediate, measurable, and increasingly destabilising.  Our guest, Abbee...

In this week's episode, we dive into the intensifying crisis in the Red Sea with Professor Jamie Shea. Dominic and Professor Shea unpack the surge of Houthi attacks on commercial shipping, the strategic responses of global powers including China, the United States, France, and Gulf states, and the regional and global ramifications of these disruptions. They explore the risks of unintended esc...

Dive into the current crisis in Iran with Joseph Daher! Dominic and Joseph discuss the US and Israel's strategic operations, Iran's response and regional implications these might have, the global consequences and international reactions, the potential for an outright regional war, the nuclear ambitions of Iran, regional security and the growing insecurity, the role of global powers and m...

Today host Dominic Bowen is joined by Mauro Lubrano. Mauro is a Lecturer in International Relations and Politics at University of Bath and earned his PhD from the University of St Andrews with his research revolving primarily around terrorism and political violence.  The rise of AI coinciding with the rise and intensification of global crises shows a surgence of groups who want to dismantle the te...

This week on The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen is joined by Almudena Azcárate Ortega to explore the rising role of commercial entities like Starlink in space security. Many commercially operated systems are dual-use, intermingling civilian and military services in manners that are often ambiguous and can heighten tensions, raising questions about targetability and the responsibilities...

This week on The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen is joined by Dr. William Potter to explore the escalating risks and eroding norms surrounding nuclear weapons in today’s fractured global order. As traditional arms control mechanisms falter and new technologies complicate deterrence, Dr. Potter outlines the mounting dangers of miscalculation, norm erosion, and geopolitical mistrust in nuc...

Today Dominic Bowen hosts Dr. Olivia Mason . They dive into the intricacies of post-colonial states, environmental collapse and how the colonial era has influenced this collapse, post-colonial neglect, the re-shaping of colonial control in a post-colonial era through for example international conservation efforts, green colonialism as a form of resource control, environmental degradation and its i...

This week on The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen is joined by Nils Duquet to explore the complex threat of conventional weapons diversion. As firearms and ammunition move from legal manufacture to illicit possession, they fuel global violence, empower organized crime, and destabilize post-conflict regions. In this episode, Nils breaks down how weapons are diverted through fraud, theft, n...

This week on The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen is joined by Julien Haye to explore how psychological safety shapes effective risk management and strategic decision-making. In today’s complex, fast-moving environment, fear and silence can be hidden risk factors that undermine resilience, innovation, and performance. Julien explains how cultures of fear derail traditional risk programs,...

This week on The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen is joined by Dr. Sarah Case Lackner to explore the emerging risks and evolving opportunities at the intersection of artificial intelligence and nuclear security. With increasing attention on the resilience of global infrastructure, Dr. Case Lackner unpacks how AI is reshaping nuclear supply chains, the hidden dangers of counterfeit compone...

This week we hope to gain an insight on Grassroot Communities and the challenges faced by underserved communities and the wider voluntary sector. In an era of rising inequality, political polarisation, and climate instability, grassroots organisations are becoming critical pillars of resilience, not just locally, but globally.  Today we explore how hyper-local community action intersects with glob...

Today we have Alison Phipps on the podcast to discuss Sexual Violence in Racial Capitalism. Dominic and Alison discuss: What sexual violence means in terms of racial capitalism; What racial capitalism is; How framing sexual violence as a tool of racial capitalism changes the way we think about its causes and solutions; The ways in which the narrative of 'sexual threat' serves modern colo...

Today we are cutting through the noise to tackle one of the most urgent and uncomfortable realities of our time: how hate has gone mainstream. From anonymous forums to prime-time politics, far-right extremism is no longer a fringe threat — it’s a digital, cultural, and political force shaping our democracies. Dominic and Aaron discuss:  How certain radical ideas are now echoed in parliaments and p...

Today we are discussing Pagan Extremism, and especially Norse Paganism. Dominic and Ross Downing dive into how Norse paganism is being hijacked by white separatists and radical influencers, how the pagan extremism evolves, and how communities fight back to reclaim meaning and identity from the clutches of hate. Ross Downing is an affiliate researcher of UK non-profit organisation Inform , and a re...

This week on The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen speaks with Dr. Kai-Uwe Schrogl, one of the world’s leading experts on international space policy and the former Chair of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space Legal Subcommittee. In this critical episode, they explore the growing risks in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), where satellites are increasingly exposed to hostil...