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• Trump's US Foreign Policy - Hussein Banai | 2025 Episode 12

  In this episode, we’re joined by Associate Professor Hussein Banai, a leading scholar of international relations, for an in-depth journey through the shifting landscape of American foreign policy under Donald Trump.Together, we travel across critical regions—from the Korean Peninsula and the Middle East to Europe, Russia, China, and Latin America—to scrutinise the core principles guiding U.S. actions on the global stage.We discuss the most recent and dramatic development: the 2025 Israel-Iran conflict, during which the U.S. carried out major strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.Dr Hussein Banai is an Associate Professor of International Studies at the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies, Indiana University, also a Research Affiliate at the Center for International Studies, MIT, and currently a visiting fellow at the Perry World House, University of Pennsylvania. In fall 2024, he was the Zahedi Family Fellow at the Program in Iranian Studies at Stanford University.Dr Banai is widely recognised for his interdisciplinary approach, international relations and political theory, with particular focus on topics in political ideologies, conflict, diplomatic history and practice, and modern Iran.Chapters:From Disruption to Consolidation: Trump’s Second Term StrategyTrump’s Confident Unilateralism in Foreign PolicyAmerican Political Culture and the Think Tank EcosystemAmerica First Policy: Domestic Appeal and ImplementationThe Strategic Use of “America First” Despite International ConcernsInside the National Security Council: Roles and FunctionsPersonnel Quality in US Foreign Policy Decision-MakingDecoding US Foreign Policy Statements: Research ChallengesNorth Korea Diplomacy: Prospects for a Second Trump-Kim SummitMiddle East Triangulation: US-Israel-Iran Relations and Trump-Netanyahu DynamicsSteve Witkoff’s Contrasting Negotiation MandatesTrump’s Scepticism Toward Multilateral Institutions and FrameworksNeighbours First – Trump’s Approach to Canada, Mexico, and Latin AmericaUnderstanding Trump’s Foreign Policy Through IR TheoriesEU vs. Member States: Trump’s Fragmented View of EuropeTrump’s Geopolitical Take on the EU: Weakness, Irrelevance, or Rival?China Policy: Strategic Rivalry Meets Economic InterdependenceTaiwan’s Role in Trump’s China StrategyTrump and Putin: Personal Chemistry and Strategic AmbiguityU.S. Sanctions on Russia: Tools of Pressure or Leverage for a Deal?Why Trump Believes Iran Must Never Go NuclearIran in Trump’s First Term: Maximum Pressure, Minimal Results?2025 Israel-Iran Conflict – U.S Strike on Iran’s Nuclear InfrastructureOfficial Websitehttps://irthinker.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• The Zones of Peace Concept - Arie M. Kacowicz | 2025 Episode 11

  Welcome to today's episode where we dive deep into one of the most compelling questions in international relations: Why do some regions achieve lasting peace while others remain trapped in cycles of conflict?Professor Arie M. Kacowicz, a leading expert on the Zone of Peace Concept, from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, elaborates in detail. Professor Kacowicz holds the distinguished Chaim Weizmann Chair in International Relations at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he has been a valued member of faculty since 1993. He previously served as Chair of the Department of International Relations from 2005 to 2008, and more recently as President of the Israeli Association of International Studies between 2017 and 2021.As a distinguished peace scholar, Professor Kacowicz’s scholarly interests encompass alternative pathways for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the relevance of international society, the international relations of Latin America, globalisation, and International Relations Theory more broadly.Content: (1) The Genesis of Zone of Peace Theory: From Regional Puzzles to Global Concepts; (2) Why Study Peace Over Conflict? A Scholar’s Perspective; (3) Theoretical Foundations: Which IR Schools Shaped Zone of Peace Theory?; (4) Beyond Security Communities: Distinguishing Zones of Peace from Deutsch’s Framework; (5) Decolonizing Peace Theory: Addressing Global South Perspectives in IR; (6) South America vs West Africa: Why Some Regions Achieve Lasting Peace; (7) ASEAN’s Peaceful Paradox: Non-Interference Despite Internal Tensions; (8) From Conflict to Peace: Can the Middle East Transform Its Security Dynamics?; (9) Practical Applications: Using Zone of Peace Theory in Today’s World; and (10) Authoritarian States and Peace: Navigating Democracy vs Stability.Official website:https://irthinker.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Rebuilding Syria - Joseph Daher | 2025 Episode 10

  Tune in for an engaging discussion with Dr. Joseph Daher as we explore the future of post-Assad Syria. We’ll cover the war economy’s impact, the whereabouts of Assad’s inner circle, and the current state of Syria’s economy.Dr. Joseph Daher is a distinguished academic and expert on the Middle East, specialising in political economy, political Islam, and contemporary regional history, with a particular focus on Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, and Palestine.He is an associate researcher at the Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies.Between November 2018 and August 2024, he was a visiting professor at the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence. At the EUI, he first participated in the research project entitled “Wartime and Post-Conflict in Syria.” He was responsible for one of the four research axes of the project, focusing on political economy: “The war economy and its impact on (potential) future reconstruction efforts.”Then he co-managed the “Syrian Trajectories: Challenges and Opportunities for Peacebuilding” project at the EUI. His extensive publications appear in academic journals, research centres, and outlets in English, French, and Arabic. Dr. Daher also founded and manages the blog Syria Freedom Forever, a platform dedicated to analysing Syrian politics and society.Content: (1) Post-Assad Order: Continuity or Break from Syria’s War Economy?; (2) Fate of Assad’s Inner Circle: Where Are They Now?; (3) Current State of Syria’s Economy; (4) Technocrats and Expatriates in Syria’s Government: Redistribution of Resources; (5) Role of Syrian Diaspora and Leaders in Exile; (6) Religion’s Influence in Syria’s Reconstruction and Post-Assad Era; (7) Main Potential Income Sources for Syria in Reconstruction; (8) Approaches of Middle Eastern States vs. Western Economies towards Syria: Solidarity or Profit-Driven?; (9) Role of Russia and China in Syria’s Reconstruction; (10) Geopolitical Triangle: Turkey, Syria, and the Kurds; and (11) Strengthening Syria’s International Diplomacy.Official Website:https://irthinker.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Good Governance in Africa - Gilbert A. Ang'ana | 2025 Episode 9

  In this insightful interview with Dr. Gilbert A. Ang’ana, we explore the multifaceted challenges and opportunities surrounding governance in Africa, touching on everything from institutional weaknesses to the impact of digitalisation. Ang’ana’s expertise sheds light on crucial topics such as intra-governmental collaboration, decentralisation, and the evolving role of technology in shaping the continent’s future.Dr. Gilbert A. Ang’ana is a researcher and practitioner in leadership and governance, focusing on Africa. He is the CEO of Accent Leadership Group and the Executive Director of Accent Global Initiative, a think tank that advocates for good governance and policy innovation. He is a Policy Leader Fellow at the European University Institute in Florence.Content: (1) Defining “Good Governance” in the African Context; (2) Reception of Good Governance Models Across African States; (3) Intra-Government Collaboration: An Overlooked Pillar of Governance; (4) Case Studies: Successes and Failures in Intra-Governmental Collaboration; (5) Institutional and Political Barriers to Effective Collaboration; (6) Roots of Institutional Weakness and the Role of the African Union; (7) Centralisation vs. Decentralisation of Power in Africa; (8) Challenges in Decentralising Key Governance Elements; (9) Intra-Governmental Collaboration as Mediator or Moderator of Governance Outcomes?; (10) Governance Education and Capacity-Building Initiatives in Africa; (11) “Responsible Negotiation” vs. Traditional Conflict Resolution Methods; (12) Role of Tribes and Minorities in Shaping Good Governance; (13) Navigating Donor Influence and Corporate Pressure: Striving for Epistemic Autonomy; (14) Digitalisation’s Role in Advancing Governance in Africa; (15) Competing Interests: International vs. Local Tech Enterprises; (16) The Power Challenge: Electricity Access as a Prerequisite for Digital Progress; and (17) Key Governance Reforms Needed for Africa’s Future.Official website:https://irthinker.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Kazakhstan's First Nuclear Plant - Eldaniz Gusseinov | 2025 Episode 8

  Is nuclear power the future of Kazakhstan’s energy strategy? In this expert interview, Eldaniz Gusseinov explores public opinion, uranium production, civil society’s role, and the geopolitical stakes of potential contracts with Russia, China, France, and South Korea.Eldaniz Gusseinov is a Non-Resident Research Fellow at the Heydar Aliyev Centre for Eurasian Studies at Ibn Khaldun University (Istanbul), and co-founder of Nightingale Intelligence International, a political forecasting consultancy. He specialises in European and international studies, with a focus on the European Union’s foreign policy and its engagement with Central Asian countries, as well as the analysis of foreign policy processes within Central Asia.Content: (1) Is Nuclear Power Essential for Kazakhstan?; (2) Public Opinion on Renewable versus Traditional Energy in Kazakhstan; (3) Who Makes the Decisions on Nuclear Power Plants in Kazakhstan?; (4) The History of Kazakhstan’s Nuclear Power Plans: Why Wasn’t a Soviet Plant Built?; (5) The Current State of Kazakhstan’s Former Nuclear Test Sites; (6) The Role of Civil Society in Nuclear Power Decision-Making; (7) Will Kazakhstan Engage a Third-Party Consultant for Its Nuclear Plans?; (8) Kazakhstan’s Uranium Production and Its Role in Nuclear Strategy; (9) Implications if Russia Wins the Nuclear Power Contract; (10) Implications if China Wins the Nuclear Power Contract; (11) Implications if France Wins the Nuclear Power Contract; (12) Implications if South Korea Wins the Nuclear Power Contract; (13) Could a Multinational Consortium Build Kazakhstan’s Nuclear Plant?; (14) Timeline for Kazakhstan’s Final Decision on the Nuclear Plant; (15) Security Concerns Related to Kazakhstan’s Nuclear Power Project; (16) Public Perceptions of the Nuclear Power Development Process; and (17) Overlooked Dimensions of Kazakhstan’s Energy Security.Official Website:https://irthinker.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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