The IR thinker

This episode of  The IR thinker  asks whether global hegemony is truly fading or simply changing shape, in conversation with Dr Christopher Mott. The discussion traces the historical roots of hegemony, examines debates about a “post-hegemonic” age, and considers China’s ambitions alongside the gradual transformation of United States power. It explores the implications of emerging multipo...

This episode of  The IR thinker  explores how eudaimonism, rooted in ancient Greek philosophy, can illuminate contemporary ethical and political dilemmas, in conversation with Professor Mark LeBar. The discussion considers how eudaimonism reframes what is good for human beings today, its relationship to rule based moral theories, and the distinction between rules and norms in guiding pra...

This episode of  The IR thinker  explores Japan’s current political uncertainty and its implications for international relations with Bill Emmott, former Editor-in-Chief of  The Economist  and long-standing analyst of Japanese politics and economics. The conversation examines the Liberal Democratic Party’s enduring dominance and the incomplete nature of societal consensus behin...

This episode of  The IR thinker  examines how corporations exercise economic power in foreign policy and trade negotiations with Professor Will Baber, focusing on the ways firms shape state preferences, exploit power asymmetries and act as de facto diplomatic actors. The conversation explores the role of state-owned enterprises, corporate engagement with international regulatory framewor...

This episode of  The IR thinker  examines how Germany is rethinking its foreign policy towards emerging powers, in conversation with Dr Tomasz Morozowski of the Institute for Western Affairs in Poznań. The discussion explores new analytical frameworks and methodologies, including the use and limits of neoclassical realism, and asks how Germany identifies and categorises states such as Br...

This episode of  The IR thinker  explores how outer space is becoming a key arena of international politics and law, in conversation with Dr Adam Bower. We discuss the difficulties of even defining where “outer space” begins, the limits and possibilities of existing treaties, and the growing challenge of regulating increasingly powerful private actors alongside states. The interview exam...

This episode of  The IR thinker  explores the intertwined histories of Russian and Ukrainian nationalism through Dr Fabian Baumann’s book  Dynasty Divided: A Family History of Russian and Ukrainian Nationalism , which traces how members of the Shul’gin/Shul’hyn family adopted divergent national identities. The conversation uses this family lens to examine generational divides, the r...

This episode of  The IR thinker  explores how energy functions as an instrument of geopolitical power with Narendra Taneja, examining the limitations of major organisations such as the IEA, OPEC and IRENA, and the growing divide between the Global North and Global South on energy and climate. The conversation considers energy poverty, competing visions for renewable energy, and what an e...

This episode of  The IR thinker  examines the European Union’s role in Afghanistan with Dr Oz Hassan, focusing on the adoption and limitations of the Bonn Model, the tension between ambitious democratisation goals and basic security needs, and the EU’s assumptions about Afghanistan as a post conflict state. The conversation also considers corruption and aid management, engagement with Af...

This episode of  The IR thinker  explores the evolving dynamics of inter-Korean relations with Professor Yangmo Ku, focusing on North Korea’s designation of South Korea as its “primary foe”, the implications of Pyongyang’s nuclear and conventional build-up, and Seoul’s strategic options in response. The discussion situates the Korean Peninsula within a wider regional context, examining N...

This episode of  The IR thinker  examines the evolving partnership between India and Japan in the Indo-Pacific with Dr Srabani Roy Choudhury, focusing on how India’s SAGAR vision and Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific concept complement one another in strategic and normative terms. The discussion explores defence cooperation, Taiwan’s growing salience, Japan’s changing defence posture, t...

This episode of  The IR thinker  explores the shifting contours of Australia–China relations with Philipp Ivanov, examining how Canberra navigates security concerns, economic interdependence and alliance commitments in an increasingly competitive Indo-Pacific. The conversation considers the impact of AUKUS and the Quad, China’s reaction to these partnerships, the role of the Belt and Roa...

This episode of  The IR thinker  explores political meritocracy and meritocratic democracy with Assistant Professor Elena Ziliotti, examining how ideas drawn from Confucian and Western political theories can inform debates on leadership selection, voter competence and democratic equality. The conversation considers the claimed epistemic advantages of meritocratic arrangements, their vuln...

This episode of  The IR thinker  examines the evolving politics of the Kurds with Dr Marianna Charountaki, from the impact of the 2003 US invasion on the Kurdistan Regional Government and the fallout of the 2017 independence referendum to relations with Türkiye, Baghdad and external powers such as Russia. The conversation explores global perceptions of the Kurds, their role in counter-te...

This episode of  The IR thinker  examines Romania’s energy security and its strategic role in the Black Sea region with Roxana Caliminte, focusing on how offshore resources, regional tensions and EU climate goals intersect. The discussion explores Romania’s Black Sea energy strategy, relations with neighbours such as Bulgaria and Turkey, investment and infrastructure challenges, and the...

This episode of  The IR thinker  traces the evolution of arms control from its Cold War origins to today’s challenges of governing rapidly advancing weapons technologies, in conversation with Dr Andrew Reddie. The discussion examines what makes arms control treaties work in practice, how non state actors and rising powers shape regimes, the implications of cases such as New START and the...

This episode of  The IR thinker  revisits the making and unmaking of the 2004 EU Constitutional Treaty with Professor Paul Craig, tracing the work of the Convention on the Future of Europe, the politics of drafting and ratification, and the reasons why the project ultimately failed. The discussion also addresses whether the European Union needs a constitution at all, what form such a doc...

This episode of  The IR thinker  explores the evolving practice of European diplomacy with Professor Iver B. Neumann, focusing on how the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, as well as internal EU divisions, reshape diplomatic resources, priorities and strategies. The conversation examines the role and competences of the European External Action Service, debates over strengthening EU diplomacy, th...

This episode of  The IR thinker  examines the evolving landscape of cybersecurity and its implications for the United Kingdom’s national security with Dr Gareth Mott. The conversation explores borders and sovereignty in cyberspace, key threats facing the UK, the role of public and private actors in defence, international cooperation, and the tension between effective security and the pro...

This episode of  The IR thinker  explores Professor Timo Kivimäki’s notion of a “Long Peace” in East Asia, examining its historical roots, the role of non-interference, developmentalism and economic interdependence, and the distinct diplomatic practices that underpin regional stability. The conversation also addresses key criticisms, current security threats, and what Western policy-make...

This episode of  The IR thinker  explores Professor Chandran Kukathas’s Theory of Diversity and Freedom and its implications for state sovereignty, multiculturalism and democratic governance. The conversation examines how his liberal–pluralist approach reframes debates on citizenship, tolerance, migration and state intervention, offering an alternative vision of how diverse societies mig...

This episode of  The IR thinker  examines why some individuals in Central Asia become vulnerable to terrorist recruitment, as Noah Tucker unpacks the role of grievance, identity, social networks and opportunity structures in shaping susceptibility. The conversation explores recruiters’ tactics and communication channels, what happens after recruitment, and how effective awareness campaig...

This episode of  The IR thinker  examines the European Union’s foreign policy through the lens of international relations theory with Professor Knud Erik Jørgensen, exploring the theoretical bases of EU multilateralism, the effects of reduced globalisation and how crises in multilateralism can be understood and managed conceptually. The conversation discusses the role of the European Ext...

This episode of  The IR thinker  explores Critical Terrorism Studies with Professor Lee Jarvis, examining how the field interrogates power relations, knowledge production and ethical responsibility in research on political violence. The conversation contrasts CTS with more traditional approaches, looks at media representations, state practices and technological change, and highlights how...

This episode of  The IR thinker  examines the United States’ dependence on fossil fuels and its contested path towards a green energy transition with Paul Saunders, focusing on the role of subsidies, regulatory frameworks and partisan politics in shaping policy choices. The discussion explores trends in renewable energy investment, the modernisation of the electricity grid, energy storag...