Carnegie Council Audio Podcast

The international system of the past 80 years was constructed around the principles of sovereignty and self-determination. These pillars of geopolitics now must contend with and adapt to the accelerating adoption and use of AI, both by international actors and the public. This disruption will only increase as researchers and states race to develop artificial general intelligence (AGI). In this Values & Interests event, an expert panel interrogates significant questions regarding the impact of these technologies on actors operating within the international system.   For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/geopolitics-agi

What are the political and human risks of a world increasingly defined by transactional politics and national interests? Björn Holmberg, executive director of the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation, joins the "Values & Interests" podcast to discuss the power of pragmatic idealism across international relations, the need to inject morality into the practice of geopolitics without moralizing, and how we can create realistic conditions for greater global cooperation. For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-holmberg

Rising global temperatures and a shift in climate patterns have rapidly increased the number of climate migrants. As the world faces these new geopolitical challenges, how can nations collaborate to ensure the rights of people moving due to climate change? This panel discussion, part of the "Ethics Empowered: Leadership in Practice" series, examines this distinct global-scale challenge that goes to the heart of the moral case for both sovereignty and human rights. For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/ethics-empowered-climate-migration

How is the information landscape contributing to democratic backsliding around the world? Kenyan journalist and researcher Odanga Madung joins the "Values & Interests" podcast to discuss the corrosive effects of misinformation and disinformation on open societies, the rise of manosphere influencers in Kenya and the U.S., and the power of narrative in shaping our collective future. Madung is a fellow at Harvard Kennedy School and serves as managing director of Odipo Dev, a Nairobi-based impact and media advisory firm. He regularly contributes to publications such as "Wired," "The Guardian," and CNN. For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-madung

In this "Ethical Article" Kathleen Egan reviews the new Netflix film "A House of Dynamite." She discusses the many ethical decisions facing leaders when a nuclear missile is launched at the United States.  To read this article, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/ethics-on-film-dynamite

For those dedicated to humanitarianism, 2025 marks an inflection point, one that requires us to grapple with the question: How might we re-envision humanitarian aid? In the keynote event of Global Ethics Day 2025, a panel of experts explored vital questions around power, accountability, and the need for greater inclusivity in the design, funding, and delivery of humanitarian aid, both today and into the future.  For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/ged-reenvisioning-humanitarianism

What is the cost of America pursuing a strategy of military primacy post-WWII? Peter Harris, associate professor at Colorado State University, joins the "Values & Interests" podcast to discuss what a less militarized future might look like for the U.S. and the impact of the Trump administration on American foreign policy. Harris' latest book is "Why America Can't Retrench (And How it Might)." For more, please go to: https://www.carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-peter-harris

The defunding of U.S. soft power institutions, significant cuts to foreign aid, and the embrace of an aggressive transactional style of diplomacy have shattered long-held assumptions about American values and its interests on the world stage. This begs the question: Has Trump 2.0 ushered in an era of post-liberal American power? In the first panel in Carnegie Council's new keynote event series, "Values & Interests," an expert panel interrogates the relationship between morality and power in a rapidly changing geopolitical environment.  For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-post-liberal-american-power

Seven months into Trump's second term, liberal principles hang in the balance. Bringing these norms back to life will require courage and the power of states, businesses, institutions, and the people, says Carnegie Council President Joel Rosnenthal in this "Ethical Article." To read this article, pleae go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/post-liberal-ethics-rosenthal

The race to develop the latest AI-enabled military technology is often justified as essential to preserving democracy. Yet, this “virtuous” messaging deployed by tech CEOs and venture capitalists is driving the creation of a new highly militarized tech ecosystem—one which relies on perpetual conflict to test, iterate, and improve weapons systems. Elke Schwarz, professor at Queen Mary University of London, joins the "Values & Interests" podcast to unpack the virtue signaling of today’s techno-military-industrial-complex, society’s failure to cultivate ethical thought in an increasingly computational world, and the resulting dehumanization of civilians in conflicts in places such as Gaza and Ukraine. For more, please go to https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-schwarz

How can the U.S. pursue a realist foreign policy without abandoning its core values? Alexander Vindman, retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel and former director for European Affairs on the White House’s National Security Council, joins the "Values & Interests" podcast for a discussion on the critical interplay between morality and power in the practice of geopolitics. Together with host Kevin Maloney, Vindman discusses the shifting U.S. foreign policy landscape, President Trump's increasingly transactional approach to international relations, and what a just end to the war in Ukraine might look like. Alexander Vindman's latest book is "The Folly of Realism: How the West Deceived Itself About Russia and Betrayed Ukraine." For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-vindman

Moral philosopher Travis Rieder joins "Values & Interests" to explore how we might pursue ethical lives in an era of global crisis. From climate change and violent conflict to the dilemmas of daily life, Rieder argues that we must radically overhaul our outdated moral toolkits to face the challenges of an increasingly contradictory and catastrophic world. Dr. Travis Rieder is an associate research professor at the Berman Institute of Bioethics at Johns Hopkins University. His latest book is "Catastrophe Ethics: How to Choose Well in a World of Tough Choices." For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-rieder

For the latest episode of "Values & Interests," Dr. Simon Longstaff, executive director of The Ethics Centre, visits Carnegie Council for a wide-ranging conversation on the power of moral inquiry, performative vs. good-faith engagement with those you disagree with, and how ethics can help to address global challenges such as climate change. For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-longstaff

In this "Ethical Article" Alex Woodson reviews HBO's "Mountainhead," discussing ethical issues around emerging tech and the power and influence of billionaires.  To read this review, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/ethics-on-film-mountainhead

What will it take to build an inclusive technological future? International lawyer and AI expert Jimena Viveros joins Values & Interests to explore why bridging the digital divide between the Global South and North is both a moral and economic imperative. Viveros shares her vision for a grassroots movement in the Global South that empowers communities to address today’s needs while building an innovation ecosystem for the future. For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-viveros

In this "Ethical Article" Alex Woodson reviews the 2024 Oscar-winning Braziilian film "I'm Still Here," discussing ethical issues surrounding Brazil's military dictatorship in the late 20th century and parallels to today. This film was directed by Walter Salles and based on a memoir by Marcelo Rubens Paiva.  To read the article, please go to: https://www.carnegiecouncil.org/media/series/ethics-on-film/im-still-here

In this "Ethical Article" Susie Han says that the time for a crisis-driven approach to migration has passed. A pragmatic global response is needed—and Carnegie Council's Model International Mobility Convention initiative (MIMC) is the mechanism to get us there. To read this article, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/migration-framework-han

We’re living in a world where transactional leadership is being prioritized over transformational leadership. Dr. Edward Brooks, executive director of the Oxford Character Project, joins the Values & Interest podcast to discuss how embracing ethics can unlock better thinking, relationships, and outcomes in our personal and professional lives. For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-brooks

Global health requires a multilateral approach for research, knowledge sharing, and the distribution of life-saving services. What lessons can we take from recent shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic? What ethical considerations are imperative as we enter a moment of fracturing global partnerships? For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/ethics-empowered-global-health

Today’s shifting global order is increasingly restrictive, and even hostile, toward human mobility. Meanwhile, geopolitical volatility continues to drive more people to seek safety across borders. In response, Carnegie Council’s Model International Mobility Convention (MIMC) project held a special multi-part convening at the Council’s Global Ethics Hub in New York. The event began with a presentation and fireside chat on the state of international migration featuring Carnegie Council Senior Fellow Michael Doyle and Greg Maniatis, director, refugees & migration at Open Society Foundations. Following the fireside chat, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Molly O'Toole moderated a panel discussion on key challenges facing migrants within the U.S. and at the Southern border. For full video and transcript, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/state-of-migration-2025