The IR thinker

This episode of  The IR thinker  examines the shifting dynamics of India–China relations with Dr Jagannath Panda, focusing on historical border tensions such as the Galwan Valley clashes, China’s naval expansion in the Indian Ocean and India’s military and diplomatic responses. The conversation also considers India’s alternatives to the Belt and Road Initiative, energy security, diaspora...

This episode of  The IR thinker  explores United States–China energy relations through the lens of the solar industry, examining how Chinese energy exports, tariffs and technological advances intersect with United States energy security and the global energy transition. The discussion with Quill Robinson considers environmental concerns around imported technologies, the role of internati...

This episode of  The IR thinker  examines the main contemporary schools of Chinese international relations theory with Dr Ferran Pérez Mena, focusing in particular on the Shanghai and Tsinghua schools, their theoretical foundations, key concepts such as moral realism and Chinese exceptionalism, and the ways in which they draw on traditional Chinese philosophy. The discussion explores how...

This episode of  The IR thinker  examines the geopolitics of the Pacific Islands with Dr Lorenz Gonschor, focusing on Australia’s security role, the strategic interests of major powers such as the United States, China and the European Union (especially France), and the growing presence of emerging actors including India and Indonesia. The conversation explores the history and challenges...

This episode of  The IR thinker  explores the circular economy as a subject of international politics, examining how it is defined, what goals it pursues and how it fits within global economic and trade frameworks. In conversation with Dr Patrick Schröder, we discuss international standards, bilateral agreements, corporate incentives, implementation failures, links to the energy transiti...

This episode of The IR thinker examines the emergence and evolution of Islamic State – Khurasan Province (IS-Khurasan), exploring its origins, territorial framing, strategic goals and relations with the Taliban and local communities. The discussion with Dr Giuliano Bifolchi looks at recruitment patterns, financing, cyber activities and the role of wider geopolitical tensions and great-power compet...

This episode of  The IR thinker  explores the history, present landscape and future risks of chemical and biological weapons with Dr Brett Edwards, tracing their evolution from early use to contemporary arsenals and dual-use technologies. The discussion examines verification and disarmament, how these weapons feature in national defence planning, the ethical and legal debates surrounding...

This episode of  The IR thinker  examines the European Union’s counterterrorism legal framework with Professor Christian Kaunert, exploring how terrorism is defined, how key instruments are implemented across member states, and how financial tracking and international cooperation shape EU practice. The discussion also considers human rights safeguards, the challenge of online radicalisat...

This episode of  The IR thinker  explores Qatar’s soft power with Ariel Admoni, examining its role as a mediator in the Middle East, the leverage derived from energy exports, and the use of culture, education, real estate and global media to project influence. The conversation also looks at Qatar’s foreign aid strategy, the legacy of hosting the World Cup, the significance of Al Jazeera,...

This episode of  The IR thinker  analyses the strategic role and evolving dynamics of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), examining its core objectives, how it compares with NATO, and the internal relations among member states. The discussion considers CSTO’s relevance for Russia’s security and economic interests, the organisation’s operational capabilities, the involveme...

This episode of  The IR thinker  examines the Afghan refugee crisis in Pakistan with Ido Gadi Raz, analysing the scale of Afghan displacement, associated security concerns and Islamabad’s evolving policy response. The conversation explores the Taliban’s role, the economic and geopolitical implications for both states, the colonial legacy of the border, and the risks of wider conflict in...

This episode of  The IR thinker  explores the geopolitics of the energy transition with Dr Daniel Scholten, examining how shifting energy systems reshape power relations, security risks and opportunities for international cooperation. The conversation considers the prospects for fossil fuel exporters and global renewable energy companies, the scramble for critical materials, the role of...

This episode of  The IR thinker  explores the role of identity and identification in international relations with Professor Richard Ned Lebow, examining how memory, self perception and corporate identity shape state behaviour and political order. The discussion engages with constructivist theory and its critics, considers non Western perspectives on identity, and reflects on the implicat...

This episode of  The IR thinker  explores the structure and practice of power in contemporary Russia with Associate Professor Chris Monday, from the hierarchy between Moscow and the regions to the role of Putin’s family, organised crime networks and the energy sector. The discussion examines who actually makes foreign policy decisions, how much influence ordinary Russians wield, and how...

This episode of  The IR thinker  examines how social media shapes contemporary radicalisation, from recruitment strategies and message design to the spread of counternarratives, algorithmic amplification and the use of encrypted platforms. The discussion with Dr Gordon Alley-Young explores practical and ethical challenges in detecting and limiting extremist content, international coopera...

This episode of  The IR thinker  explores the intersection of international relations theory and energy policy with Dr Marco Siddi, addressing realist, liberal and constructivist approaches to energy, the idea of energy as a “weapon”, and the evolving geopolitics of the EU’s green transition. The conversation examines efforts to harmonise EU energy policies, instruments such as RePowerEU...

This episode of  The IR thinker  examines radicalisation in the United States through the story of Jeff Schoep, a former leader of the country’s largest neo-Nazi organisation. The conversation explores the personal, social and political factors that sustained his twenty five years in the movement, the process that led him to disengage, and broader lessons for countering hate and violent...

This episode of  The IR thinker  explores contemporary terrorism and its study with Dr Tim Wilson, Director of the Handa Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence at the University of St Andrews. The conversation examines the evolution of terrorist tactics since 9/11, the role of finance and recruitment, the challenges facing intelligence agencies and the media, as well as...

This episode of  The IR thinker  explores Norway’s energy security and geopolitics with Professor Ole Gunnar Austvik, tracing the evolution of Norwegian oil exports, the role of private companies and diversification strategies, and the impact of the war in Ukraine on gas supplies to the European Union. The discussion also addresses LNG expansion, pipeline infrastructure, electricity and...

This episode of  The IR thinker  examines the war in Yemen with Dr Tom Walsh, tracing the conflict’s historical roots, the social mosaic of Yemeni society and the role of regional and international actors. The discussion considers Saudi Arabia’s intervention, the humanitarian crisis and blockades, the interplay of religion and politics, the use of propaganda and social media, and what a...

This episode of  The IR thinker  explores the field of foreign policy analysis with Dr Eldad Ben-Aharon, from core concepts and theories to contemporary methodological debates, including questions of Western-centrism, the role of non-state actors and the impact of technology and climate change on research agendas. The conversation then turns to two detailed case studies that illuminate t...

This episode of  The IR thinker  examines Russia’s evolving role in the Middle East with Daniel Rakov, focusing in particular on Moscow’s strategic objectives in Syria, its military partnership with the Assad regime and the significance of bases such as Latakia and Tartus. The discussion then turns to Russia’s relations with Iran and China, its energy and nuclear diplomacy in the region,...

This episode of  The IR thinker  explores the evolving military relationship between Russia and Iran, from the strategic logic behind their partnership to the economics of Iranian drone exports and what Moscow may be offering in return. The discussion considers Russia’s surprising weakness in drone technology, prospects for joint production, scenario analyses of the war in Ukraine and it...

In the current geopolitical landscape, more than 50,000 Russian students are studying abroad, and many choose to hide their identity. Additionally, there are many Russian university lecturers; for those who have left Russia, finding suitable job opportunities can be particularly challenging. Inspired by Ekaterina Schulmann and her efforts to provide relevant information in Russian, I’ve decided to...

This episode of  The IR thinker  explores the changing landscape of Russian energy with Dr Tatiana Mitrova, from the evolution of the nuclear sector and Rosatom’s global ambitions to the structure of the Russian oil market and Moscow’s search for new gas export routes after losing Europe. The discussion addresses questions of energy security, price caps on Russian oil, the relationship b...