The IR thinker

How does a country under heavy sanctions continue to win influence across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia? In this episode, Vladimir Liparteliani unpacks the full machinery of Russian soft power — from RT and Sputnik to educational diplomacy, cultural outreach, and religious projection.

Vladimir Liparteliani is an associate fellow at the School of Modern Languages and Cultures, Durham University. As a scholar of international relations, he focuses on soft power and international power competition in the post-Soviet space.

Selected Publications:
Soft Power Competition Between Russia and the West: Contesting Georgian National Identity, 1991–2024
The Art of Subtle Influence: Russian Soft Power and Georgia’s Conservative Turn

Content
00:00 — Introduction
01:37 — Conceptualising Russian Soft Power: Beyond Nye’s Classical Framework
05:58 — Russian Scholarly Perspectives on Soft Power
07:10 — Soft Power, Strategic Communication, and Influence Operations in Russian Foreign Policy
08:42 — Strategic Ambiguity: The ‘Blurriness’ of Russian Soft Power
09:23 — Great Power Identity and the Logic of Russian Soft Power
11:53 — Soviet Legacies and Their Influence on Contemporary Russian Soft Power
14:21 — International Broadcasting as Soft Power: RT and Sputnik
18:22 — Narratives and Messaging in RT and Sputnik Content
20:52 — Global Accessibility and Restrictions on RT and Sputnik
23:02 — Educational Diplomacy in Russian Foreign Policy
26:22 — Education as a Soft Power Instrument
28:41 — The Experience of International Students in Russia
30:22 — Cultural Diplomacy and the Projection of Russian Culture
34:13 — Global Reception and Participation in Russian Cultural Initiatives
36:54 — The Russian Orthodox Church and Religious Soft Power
41:15 — Narrative Effectiveness and Audience Reception in Russian Soft Power
43:52 — The Interaction of Soft and Hard Power in Russian Strategy
46:49 — Soft Power within Russia’s Military and Security Agenda
49:09 — Adapting Russian Soft Power to New Political Realities
51:50 — The Impact of Sanctions on Russian Soft Power Adaptation
54:31 — Opportunities and Constraints for Russian Soft Power in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia
57:27 — Research Motivation: Studying Russian Soft Power
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

South Africa has been involved in nuclear development for more than 75 years. In 1948, the Atomic Energy Act established the Atomic Energy Board (AEB) — only two years after the United States created its own Atomic Energy Commission. South Africa's first nuclear research reactor, SAFARI-1, went critical in 1965, and the country's first large nuclear power station, Koeberg, came online in 1984.

In February 2010, the South African government announced it would stop funding the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) programme. Over US$1.3 billion had been invested in the project since 1993, making its cancellation one of the most consequential decisions in South African energy history.
But the technology did not disappear.

A group of nuclear engineers and scientists pressed on independently, channelling the PBMR's intellectual legacy into a new design: the HTMR-100, an advanced Generation IV helium-cooled reactor. That effort eventually gave rise to Stratek Global, and it is an honour to speak with its Chairman and CEO, Dr Kelvin Kemm.

Kelvin Kemm
Dr Kelvin Kemm is a nuclear physicist and Chairman of Stratek Global, based in Pretoria, South Africa. He is the former Chairman of the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) and has been involved in South Africa's small modular reactor programme since its inception — a journey spanning more than two decades.

Dr Kemm has briefed the US Senate and Congress in Washington DC, and is a sought-after international speaker on nuclear energy, technology, and strategic development, having addressed audiences across Africa, Europe, Asia, and the United States.

Above all, he brings over 25 years of hands-on experience building small modular reactor technology from the ground up — making him one of the most knowledgeable voices in the field today.

Content
00:00 – Introduction and Overview of the Discussion
02:49 – Historical Development of Nuclear Reactor Technology in South Africa
17:29 – Eskom’s Operational and Financial Challenges: Assessing the Crisis
23:32 – Koeberg Nuclear Power Station: Operational Performance, Modernisation, and Life Extension
27:12 – Nuclear Fuel Procurement and Supply Chains for Koeberg
31:43 – Radioactive Waste Management at Koeberg Nuclear Power Station
36:04 – Development Status of South Africa’s HTMR-100 Small Modular Reactor
39:03 – HTMR-100 Reactor Concept: Design Principles, Mobility, and Scale
43:32 – Advanced Fuel Architecture of the HTMR-100 Reactor
47:58 – International Cooperation in Deploying HTMR-100 Nuclear Power Plants
51:09 – Nuclear Science and Engineering Education in South Africa: Training the Next Generation
55:09 – The Geopolitics of Nuclear Energy
57:49 – Debates and Critiques of Renewable Energy Policy in South Africa
01:03:10 – Pan-African Institutional Support for Nuclear Energy Development in Africa
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we are hosting an episode that provides an opportunity to present a research journal together with its editor. The aim is not only to introduce the journal, but also to offer a critical assessment of suitable venues for publishing research articles. In this context, we turn our attention to the British Journal of Politics and International Relations (BJPIR).

Impact Factor: 3.4 / 5-Year Impact Factor: 3.4
Indexed: Scopus / Web of Science
First Decision: 6 days
Acceptance Rate: 18.7%

14th out of 169 journals in the field of International Relations and 36th out of 322 in Political Science
(Source: https://essl.leeds.ac.uk/education-social-sciences-law/news/article/2242/bjpir-celebrates-rise-in-impact-factor-and-25th-anniversary)

The journal is a leading peer-reviewed academic journal in the fields of political science and international relations. Established in 1999 and published by SAGE Publications on behalf of the Political Studies Association, it has developed a strong international reputation for high-quality scholarship.

The journal has six editors, all of whom are based at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom. Today, we are speaking with one of them, Professor of Global Security Challenges at the University of Leeds, Jack Holland.

Jack Holland also serves as Pro-Dean for Research and Innovation in the Faculty of Social Sciences. His research focuses on United States, United Kingdom, and Australian foreign and security policy. He is an expert on AUKUS, for example, he has been invited as a witness to the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee, and he regularly provides media commentary for British and international news organisations.

Content
00:00 - Introduction
02:24 - The Journal’s Intellectual DNA
04:05 - Political Science vs International Relations: Balance in Published Research
05:24 - From Political Studies Association Flagship to Global Journal: Institutional Influence
08:31 - Political Studies Association
09:47 - Editorial Limits: Is There a Maximum Number of Articles per Issue?
11:36 - Maintaining Coherence in a Broad-Scope Journal
12:48 - Editorial Board: Selection, Roles, and Responsibilities
16:25 - University of Leeds: The Journal’s Institutional Connection
18:08 - Methodological Pluralism: Supporting Underrepresented Scholars
21:04 - Current Intellectual Trends in Submissions
22:53 - Undersubmitted Topics: Areas the Journal Wants More Of
24:13 - AI, Frameworks, and Consulting: Reality Behind Publishing Claims
26:15 - Common Author Mistakes in Journal Submissions
31:00 - Encouraging Junior Scholars to Submit
33:51 - Global South Scholars and Barriers
36:13 - Editorial Lessons: Decisions Seen Differently Today
38:22 - Suggesting Reviewers: Should Authors Do It?
39:39 - Future Vision for the Journal
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode features a conversation with the historian Philip Snow on the evolution of relations between Russia and China. Drawing on archival research, the discussion traces the relationship from the early border settlements at Nerchinsk and Kyakhta to contemporary geopolitical and economic cooperation, highlighting how frontier regions such as Manchuria, Mongolia, and Xinjiang have shaped interaction between the two powers.

The interview examines key turning points, including the Sino-Soviet split, as well as structural constraints (geography, distance, and technology) that have historically limited escalation along the border. It also explores post-Soviet asymmetries, energy interdependence, and projects such as Power of Siberia 2.

Finally, the conversation considers the implications of contemporary Sino-Russian alignment, addressing their views on multipolar order, persistent frictions in the Russian Far East, and China’s potential capacity to lead globally without Russia.

Philip Snow
Philip Snow has been travelling in Russia and China since the 1960s, and has spent nearly two decades researching what is arguably the most consequential bailateral relationship of our era.

Selected Publications:
Snow, P. (1989). The star raft: China’s encounter with Africa. Cornell University Press.
Snow, P. (2003). The Fall of Hong Kong: Britain, China, and the Japanese occupation. Yale University Press.
Snow, P. (2023). China and Russia: Four Centuries of conflict and Concord. Yale University Press.

Content
00:00 – Introduction
01:10 – Archival Research and Interpreting Russian–Chinese Narratives
06:21 – Nerchinsk and Kyakhta: Origins of Long-Term Stability
10:46 – Manchuria, Mongolia, and Xinjiang as Strategic Pivot Zones
14:18 – Mongolia’s Role in Sino-Russian Relations
14:51 – Structural Constraints on Escalation and Major War
18:51 – The Role of Distance and Technology in Military Encounters
19:28 – Manchuria and the Historical Foundations of Chinese Strategic Mistrust
24:17 – The Sino-Soviet Split and the Limits of Ideological Alliances
27:05 – Energy Interdependence and Post-Soviet Asymmetry
31:20 – Power of Siberia 2: Economic Logic and Geopolitical Stakes
32:12 – Why Sino-Russian Decision-Making Is Often Slow
32:40 – Surface Alignment vs Structural Frictions in the Russian Far East
39:54 – Sino-Russian Alignment in Opposition to the West
42:45 – Do Russia and China Share a Vision of Multipolar Order?
45:44 – China’s Capacity to Lead Without Russia
46:45 – Critiquing Philip Snow’s Interpretation
48:21 – How to Study China and Russia More Effectively
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This interview with Professor Mark N. Katz explores one of the central debates in contemporary international relations: the transition from unipolarity to a more complex multipolar world. Drawing on historical cases and current geopolitical developments, the discussion examines whether multipolarity is truly the global norm, how great powers are defined, and what the post-Cold War “unipolar moment” tells us about today’s shifting balance of power.

The conversation also addresses the rise of emerging actors such as BRICS, the strategic behaviour of smaller states, and the evolving role of alliances, norms, and regional rivalries—from the Middle East to the Global South. Ultimately, it offers a nuanced assessment of whether a multipolar world necessarily produces a stable and coherent international order, and highlights key research questions shaping the future of global politics.

Mark N. Katz
Mark N. Katz is Professor Emeritus of Government and Politics at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government, where he taught from 1988 until his retirement in 2024. A specialist in Russian foreign policy, great-power competition, and the international politics of the Middle East, his research has long focused on Soviet and Russian engagement with the developing world and revolutionary movements in international politics.

Publications:
Personal Blog
American Foreign Policy: Can the U.S. Get Out of a Difficult Situation?
The Multipolar World Is Nothing New: Why the Return of Many Powers Does Not Mean the Birth of a New Order
The Soviet Roots of Putin’s Foreign Policy Toward the Middle East
The Third World in Soviet Military Thought
The USSR and Marxist Revolutions in the Third World

Content
00:00 – Introduction
02:03 – Is Multipolarity the Historical Norm?
04:08 – The Liberal Order During the Cold War
04:53 – What Makes a Country a Great Power?
09:36 – Understanding the Unipolar Moment
12:19 – When Did Unipolarity End?
15:41 – 9/11, Terrorism and the Limits of Polarity Theory
21:51 – The Sino–Soviet Split and a Brief Tripolar World
25:26 – BRICS and the Rise of Multipolarity
27:25 – Multipolar World vs Multipolar Order
30:27 – Global South Views on Multipolarity
33:15 – How Small States Play Great Powers Against Each Other
38:00 – If China Dominates...
41:25 – Do Alliances Limit a Country’s Power Ambitions?
43:45 – Iran, Saudi Arabia and Israel in a Multipolar Middle East
47:06 – What the Arab Spring Reveals About Multipolarity
50:49 – Do International Norms Still Matter?
53:12 – Key Research Questions on the Future of Multipolarity
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.