Carnegie Council Audio Podcast

"Eyes in the Sky" provides an authoritative account of how the Pentagon developed Gorgon Stare, a god-like surveillance system that is already patrolling American skies. When fused with big-data analysis techniques, this network can be used to watch everything simultaneously, and perhaps even predict attacks before they happen. Does Gorgon Stare have the potential to become the most nightmarishly powerful surveillance system every built?

Larry Diamond's core argument is stark: the defense and advancement of democratic ideals relies on U.S. global leadership. If the U.S. does not reclaim its traditional place as the keystone of democracy, today's authoritarian trend could become a tsunami that could provide an opening for Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, and their admirers to turn the 21st century into a dark time of surging authoritarianism.

Will Joe Biden's "restorationist" foreign policy resonate with voters? What would a "progressive" approach to international relations look like for Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders? What role will foreign policy play in the 2020 Election? Senior Fellow Nikolas Gvosdev looks at these questions and more as he and host Alex Woodson discuss a crowded 2020 Democratic primary field. 

In the latest "Crack-Up" podcast, China expert Jeffrey Wasserstrom discusses the rich history of Chinese student protests. From the May Fourth movement in 1919 to Tiananmen Square in 1989 to today's mass demonstrations in Hong Kong, what are the threads that tie these moments together? Don't miss this fascinating talk, which also touches on Woodrow Wilson, the Russian Revolution, and a young Mao Zedong.

The original idea of the Internet was for it to be a "free speech nirvana," but in 2019, the reality is quite different. Authoritarians spread disinformation and extremists incite hatred, often on the huge, U.S.-based platforms, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. David Kaye, UN special rapporteur on freedom of opinion & expression, details the different approaches to these issues in Europe and the United States and looks for solutions in this informed and important talk.

Following up on his talk with RAND analyst Ali Wyne on great-power competition, Senior Fellow Nikolas Gvosdev gives an update on U.S.-Russian relations, touching on the war in Eastern Ukraine, the crisis in Venezuela, and election interference. He also previews the upcoming G-20 Summit in Japan, with Trump possibly hampered by his domestic controversies and talk of impeachment. 

Looking ahead to the 2020 election and the role that foreign policy will play on the campaign trail, Senior Fellow Nikolas Gvosdev talks with RAND Corporation's Ali Wyne about the dominant international relations narrative in Trump-era Washington: "great-power competition." With Russia and China as the main competitors, how should we differentiate between the two nations? What is the U.S. actually competing for? And what would "victory" look like?

Christina Madden, now a director at Criterion Institute, discusses her work on Myanmar's massive electrification project in 2013-2014. With less than one-third of the population connected to the grid after a decades-long military dictatorship, what were the complications in getting millions in Myanmar connected? What were the political and cross-border issues, specifically when it came to cooperating with China?

Just back from China, Sinologist (and fluent Mandarin speaker) Joshua Eisenman discusses the pervasive camera surveillance and facial recognition systems there; the omnipresent power of "the security state;" the effect of the U.S.-China trade war on everyday life and future business; and the expansion of the original Belt and Road project, a term than is now applied to almost any project anywhere in the world.

What is the current state of the academic-policy gap and why should we care? What progress has been made in bridging this gap? What more can be done? Notre Dame's Michael Desch, founding director of the Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs, and George Washington's Henry Farrell, an editor and writer at the "Washington Post"-affiliated "Monkey Cage" blog, engage in a thoughtful debate on the relevance of political science. 

Don't miss this podcast! Turkish novelist and journalist Ece Temelkuran details how a country goes from "democracy to dictatorship." She touches on humor, shame, "post-truth," women's rights, and much more, as she talks Erdoğan, Trump, & populism throughout Europe.

Washington DC-based journalist Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian speaks with Senior Fellow Devin Stewart about a new article she authored in "The Atlantic" with Senior Fellow Zach Dorfman that traces China's influence campaigns today back to techniques used during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. They discuss that article's origins, its findings, and what they mean for public opinion on China.

National security expert and U.S. Army veteran Asha Castleberry breaks down the rising tensions with Iran and John Bolton's influence at the White House. She and host Alex Woodson also discuss the pluses and minuses of having former Boeing executive Patrick Shanahan in charge at the Department of Defense and she gives advice on how to figure out who or what to believe in this chaotic political environment.

China is radically expanding its strategy to wield influence in the domestic politics of other countries. This information campaign is designed partly to bolster China's power but also to undermine the space for rights and democracy in other states, and to potentially support pro-China authoritarian leaders. Don't miss this in-depth discussion that details how this is happening worldwide, what it means for the future, and what we can do about it.

There is skepticism about the core values of American policy from both sides of the aisle, says Ash Jain of the Atlantic Council, and the international order is under siege as never before. With so much at stake, the Atlantic Council has launched an initiative aimed at adapting and revitalizing the rules-based democratic order and rebuilding bipartisan support among policymakers and the broader public, starting with a Declaration of Principles. In this important discussion Jain explains the initiative's objectives and grapples with the audience's questions on how to move forward.

Senior Fellow Nikolas Gvosdev discusses the generational divide in U.S. politics in the context of foreign policy and the environment. What are the international implications of initiatives like the Green New Deal? What would an "America First" environmental policy look like? And what happens if the U.S. continues to take a backseat on this issue?

In his eloquent defense of liberalism, Adam Gopnik goes back to its origins and argues that rather than emphasizing the role of the individual, "two principles, the principle of community and the principle of compromise," are at the core of the liberal project. Indeed, these are the essential elements of humane, pluralist societies; and in an age of autocracy, our very lives may depend on their continued existence.

Nava Nuraniyah, an analyst at the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC) in Jakarta, Indonesia, speaks with Carnegie Council Senior Fellow Devin Stewart about the recent general election in Indonesia, social media and religious extremism in Southeast Asia, and the future direction of the region's politics.

Historian Ted Widmer and Michael Posner, an NYU Stern professor and former U.S. State Department official, discuss local politics, journalism, and money in elections in the age of ubiquitous Internet connectivity. How can high school students get involved in democracy? What are some ideas to save the media industry? How can--or should--the government regulate the social media giants? Don't miss this wide-ranging talk.

Christian Barry, professor of philosophy at Australian National University, shares his perspective on the political climate, journalism, and polarization in the United States. What responsibility do citizens and elected officials have in the face of a corrupt administration? How can you speak to people on the other side of charged and emotional issues?