Carnegie Council Audio Podcast

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?

Princeton's Gyan Prakash tells the tragic story of the Amritsar Massacre in 1919, in which a British general ordered his soldiers to shoot at thousands of unarmed civilians, and its galvanizing effect on the Indian independence movement. Was this violence an "exceptional" moment in Britain's colonial history? And how did it change Gandhi's thinking in relation to his strategies to resist colonialism?

Just weeks after an armistice halted the most devastating conflict in generations, the victors of the Great War set out to negotiate the terms of the peace--and to rewrite the rules of international relations. A century later, we live in a world shaped by the Treaty of Versailles. In this fascinating discussion, a panel of distinguished historians delve into the complex situation on the ground at the time and the Treaty's legacy today, from Europe and the U.S. to Asia and the Middle East.

Marcus Mietzner of Australian National University speaks with Senior Fellow Devin Stewart about the results of the general election last month in Indonesia, one that has been called "the most complicated single-day ballots in global history." Mietzner explains the various forces shaping Indonesian politics today and in the future, including demographics, Islam, identity, and societal polarization.

Senior Fellow Reed Bonadonna, a retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel, discusses the role of ethics in the transition to civilian life. With presidents Eisenhower and Grant as the ideal examples, he also details the attributes that veterans can bring to the political realm. Are the current group of veteran politicians better-positioned to work across the aisle? And what's changed in the White House now that three generals have left high-profile posts in the Trump administration?

The crucible of America's presidency has forged some of the very best and very worst leaders in our national history, along with many in between. From Abraham Lincoln's political savvy and rhetorical gifts to James Buchanan's indecisiveness, "The Presidents" teaches much about what makes a great leader--and what does not. What lessons can we learn from America's past presidents? Can these lessons help us choose the next one wisely? C-SPAN founder Brian Lamb shares his answers in this timely talk.

Senior Fellow Kavitha Rajagopalan discusses the ongoing Indian election through the complicated lens of citizenship and explains the vast power of political organizing and social media in the "world's largest democracy." What's at stake if Prime Minister Narendra Modi (the frontrunner) wins reelection? How have he and the BJP been able to push Hindu nationalism? What does voter disenfranchisement look like in India?

A lot of the talk about the Mueller Report has focused on its political and legal implications, but how will it affect U.S. foreign policy? Adelphi College's Jonathan Cristol discusses the reactions of allies and adversaries to Trump's passivity in the face of massive Russian interference in the U.S. election and congressional inaction and public apathy concerning presidential corruption. Plus, he details recent U.S. policy moves on Iran and the significance of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg's speech to U.S. Congress.

From the French Revolution to the Arab Spring to #MeToo, how does social change happen? In a book that was 25 years in the making, Cass Sunstein unpacks this puzzle by exploring the interplay of three decisive factors. Don't miss this insightful talk. It may change how you view the world.

Central European University's President Michael Ignatieff is a human rights scholar, an educator, a former politician, and, as he tells us, the son of a refugee. He discusses what he calls "the ordinary virtues," such as patience and tolerance; the status of human rights today and the dilemmas of migration; the essential critera for true democracy; and the ideal curriculum. His advice to students: Learn to think for yourself.

On the 44th anniversary of the Khmer Rouge entering Phnom Penh, the Brennan Center's Andrew Boyle discusses his work helping to prosecute the perpetrators the of genocide and other crimes against humanity in 1970s Cambodia. Boyle details the cases, the defendants, and the controversies surrounding the tribunal. Why did justice take so long? How did Cambodians react to the trials? And why is this genocide conviction so significant?

Criterion Institute's Christina Madden discusses her think tank's strategy of demystifying finance for non-profit and grassroots organizations and using these global systems to create transformative social change. Madden discusses specific examples, involving the Dakota Access pipeline and the rights of women in the workplace. How is the #MeToo Movement similar to the fight against climate change?

In this episode of the Crack-Up series on 1919, Andrew Roberts, author of "Churchill: Walking with Destiny," examines how Churchill dealt with the complicated problems facing Great Britain at the end of World War I, including how to treat the Germans in defeat, his changing views on Russia--but always in pursuit of British national interests--his stance on a homeland for the Jews, and his determination to hold on to British India.

We've been through information and technology revolutions before, going back to Gutenberg, says former chairman of the FCC Tom Wheeler. Now it's our turn to be at a terminus of history and the rules that worked for industrial capitalism are probably no longer adequate for Internet capitalism. So our task is not to flee but to stand up, recognize the challenge, and deal with it.

As part of Carnegie Council's Information Warfare podcast series, Devin Stewart interviews Joshua Kurlantzick about his recent project on Chinese media and influence campaigns and techniques in East Asia. Kurlantzick connects his project, which will become a book, to his previous books "Charm Offensive" and "Democracy in Retreat." He concludes by assessing China's overall impact on Asian politics and the fate of democracy worldwide.