Post Archives

This week, Kelly talks with International Crisis Group Analyst Elizabeth Dickinson about the surge in cartel-driven violence in Colombia and how USAID cuts have impacted the country. Elizabeth discusses how criminal groups have filled the vacuum left by FARC’s demobilization in 2016, leading to the highest coca cultivation levels in Colombia’s history and a surge in political instability that is testing the country’s democratic institutions. Guest speaker Elizabeth Dickinson has been Crisis Group’s Senior Analyst for Colombia since 2019, based in Bogotá. Her work centers around armed conflict dynamics in the country, organised crime, military strategy, and the implementation of…

This week, Kelly and Tristan look back on the United Nations as it marks its 80th anniversary, reflecting on its evolution from the failed League of Nations and assessing its future challenges, including Security Council reform. They also analyze the recent NATO summit, exploring how European allies have managed the alliance’s relationship with President Trump around defense spending commitments and Article 5 guarantees. Finally, they discuss recent U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and how the exposure of Iran’s vulnerabilities could impact future nuclear talks. The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not…

Kelly talks with Andrew Preston about his new book, Total Defense: The New Deal and the Invention of National Security. Preston explores how FDR revolutionized national security policy by connecting domestic New Deal programs to global defense strategies. Guest speaker Andrew Preston is a Professor of American History based at Clare College, Cambridge, where he focuses on the ideas and concepts that shape America’s behavior in the world at both the elite and popular levels. He will shortly take up the Lyons Brown Jr. Distinguished Professor in Diplomacy and Statecraft at the University of Virginia. Andrew won the 2013 Charles…

This week, Kelly and Tristen unpack key elections in Poland and South Korea, and examine the growing reach of an Al-Qaeda affiliate in West Africa. Kelly then sits down with David Mora to explore Mexico’s recent judicial elections and their implications for Mexican democracy and U.S.-Mexico relations. Guest speaker David Mora is the Senior Analyst for Mexico at the International Crisis Group. David researches organised crime, violence, corruption and conflict in the country, blending fieldwork and investigative reporting tools. He analyses and formulates policy strategies aimed at preventing, mitigating or resolving conflict. Originally an investigative reporter and documentary producer, David…

Kelly talks with Yvonnick Denoël about his new book, Vatican Spies: From the Second World War to Pope Francis,exploring the Vatican’s little-known intelligence operations. Yvonnick is a French historian, publisher and intelligence specialist who has written on the CIA, Mossad, and espionage in the twentieth century. His new book uncovers a little-known side of Vatican history that saw the Holy See develop its own extensive espionage capability that still exists today. Guest speaker The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by…

Kelly talks with Amitav Acharya about his new book The Once and Future World Orderand the deep roots of global civilization beyond the West. They explore why the recent decline of American dominance doesn’t mean collapse, but a chance to build a more just, inclusive global system. Guest speaker Amitav Acharya is the UNESCO Chair in Transnational Challenges and Governance and Distinguished Professor at the School of International Service, American University, Washington, DC. Previously he was a Professor at York University, Toronto and at the University of Bristol in the UK. His essays have appeared in International Organization, International Security,…

This week, Kelly and Tristen discuss President Trump’s meeting with the President of South Africa, give an update on the war in Ukraine, and unpack the UK’s new trade agreement with the European Union. Kelly then talks with Mona Yacoubian for a breakdown on Trump’s recent trip to the Middle East, and what the visit means for American foreign policy in the region. Guest speaker Mona Yacoubian is the Senior Adviser and Director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. She was previously the Vice President of the Middle East and North Africa center…

This week, Kelly and Tristen digest the recent elections in Australia and President Putin’s WWII victory day parade, and remember the life and legacy of legendary IR scholar Joseph Nye. Kelly then talks with to Sameer Lalwani for an update on recent tensions between India and Pakistan. Guest speaker Sameer Lalwani is a non-resident senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments. He was formerly a senior expert in the Asia Center at the United States Institute of Peace, director of the Stimson Center’s South Asia Program, an adjunct professor at George Washington University, and a Stanton nuclear…

In the first episode of our summer series, Kelly talks with Oxford University Professor Patricia Owens about her new book “Erased: A History of International Thought Without Men.” Kelly and Patricia discuss how women and minority voices were erased from the early cannon of interntional relations, what that means for the practice of IR, and how the field is fairing amid profound shifts in global order. Guest speaker Patricia Owens is a professor of international relations at the University of Oxford’s Somerville College. Her research interests include twentieth-century international history and theory, historical and contemporary practices of Anglo-American counterinsurgency and…

Kelly and Tristen delve into Pope Francis’s legacy, analyze the results of the Canadian election, and examine how India is navigating trade tensions between the U.S. and China. Later, Kelly sits down with political analyst Remus Ștefureac to discuss next week’s presidential election in Romania and its implications for the country’s political trajectory and foreign policy. Guest speaker Remus is CEO and founder of INSCOP Research, one of the most respected polling firms in Romania. Previously, he was involved in the foreign service as a Romanian diplomat in Washington DC and founded the Strategic Thinking Group in 2005, a consulting…