In this episode, Chenggang Xu discusses the ideas behind Institutional Genes and how they explain the evolution of political systems from imperial China to modern authoritarian regimes. Join us for a deep dive into the hidden structures that shape power, governance, and global politics.Chenggang XuChenggang Xu is a Senior Research Scholar, Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions (SCCEI), and Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution.His research spans institutional economics, political economy, and the Chinese political-economic system. He is known for the concept of regionally decentralised authoritarianism and, in his recent book Institutional Genes: Origins of China’s Institutions and Totalitarianism, explores why China’s institutions developed differently from other systems.Chenggang Xu’s work is widely cited in both academic and policy circles, and he has been awarded the China Economics Prize and the Sun Yefang Economics Prize for his contributions.Content00:00 - Introduction01:45 - Why this book? The story behind 'Institutional Genes'06:34 - Defining 'institution' in the institutional genes framework10:45 - Opening the black box: How institutional genes explain political change16:29 - The concept of 'stemness' explained20:01 - Imperial China vs European monarchies: Why China was more autocratic28:28 - The three Russian genes that created Bolshevism33:43 - Mao's fusion: Marx plus Qin Shi Huang38:58 - Soviet vs Chinese communism: Key institutional differences42:23 - Totalitarian or authoritarian? Defining modern China48:35 - Tyrannical incentive-compatibility: How totalitarian systems motivate53:01 - Will China face Soviet-style economic stagnation?58:52 - Applying institutional genes to foreign policy01:03:16 - Beyond domestic politics: Where else can we apply this framework?Official Website:https://irthinker.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Does African IR Theory Exist? - Madalitso Zililo Phiri | 2025 Episode 25
In this incisive interview, Dr Madalitso Zililo Phiri dismantles the epistemic hegemony of Eurocentric International Relations theory and maps an emergent African IR scholarship that centres Ubuntu, reimagines sovereignty through communal ontologies, and interrogates the racialised exclusions baked into global multilateralism. Spanning Pan-Africanism’s contemporary mutations, South Africa’s realist power plays, and the perils of essentialising an “African school,” Phiri advances a decolonial constructivism that insists Africa is not a peripheral case but a generative site for pluralising the discipline itself.Madalitso Zililo Phiri is Post-Doctoral Fellow in the South Africa–United Kingdom Bilateral Research Chair in Political Theory, University of the Witwatersrand. A former Visiting Fellow at Cambridge’s Centre of African Studies and Wolfson College Research Associate (2023–2024), he was Carnegie Corporation Fellow (2014–2017) via the Social Science Research Council’s Next Generation of Social Science in Africa programme.Current research examines the political economy of racialised welfare (South Africa and Brazil), the sociology of race, and Black political thought. He has taught African Studies, Sociology, Politics, and Research Methods at Cambridge, Wits, Pretoria, and Rhodes universities. Content00:00 – Introduction02:05 – Does African IR Theory Exist? Epistemologies Beyond the West06:27 – Ubuntu, Communalism, and Reimagining Sovereignty10:45 – Applying African Concepts to Non-African Issues15:01 – Authority Beyond the State: African Approaches to Power19:48 – Africa's Exclusion from Multilateral Decision-Making25:13 – Pan-Africanism in 2025: Dead or Evolving?29:26 – South Africa's Power Politics Through a Realist Lens34:24 – Liberal IR Theory's Historical Exclusion of Africa37:46 – Constructivism: Opening or Limiting Space for African Voices?41:22 – Postcolonialism and Decolonizing IR Theory47:22 – Which IR Theory Dominates African Scholarship Today?50:14 – The Risks of Essentializing "African IR Theory"52:57 – Continental Focus vs. State-Centric Analysis in African IR56:54 – Distinct African School or Contribution to Global Pluralism?Official Website:https://irthinker.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Natural Gas in Germany: Security, Supply, Transition - Andreas Schroeder | 2025 Episode 24
In this interview, Andreas Schroeder maps Germany’s gas security from short-term contracts to new gas-fired plants and LNG infrastructure. He weighs the nuclear phase-out, EU dependence on non-Russian suppliers, and the risks ahead.Before we begin, I would like to highlight two milestones. First, this is the 100th episode of IR thinker. Second, our very first episode, published on 5 January 2023, also featured Andreas Schroeder. Andreas was the first expert who accepted my invitation and, in doing so, believed in this project when it was only an idea. This interview marks the 100th episode of IR thinker. Thank you for your support, and for watching and listening to IR thinker. Andreas SchroederAndreas is Head of Energy Analytics (Quantitative) at ICIS (Independent Commodity Intelligence Services), where he leads an international team analysing the dynamics of global energy markets. Content00:00 – Introduction03:13 – Current Natural Gas Flows to Germany and Contract Structures05:08 – The Logic Behind Short-Term Pipeline Contracts07:27 – LNG Imports and the Expansion of German Infrastructure09:47 – Gas Storage Developments Since the War in Ukraine14:03 – Declining Gas Consumption in Germany: Causes and Implications16:58 – New Gas-Fired Power Plants in Germany19:32 – The Impact of the Nuclear Phase-Out on Energy Security22:20 – Innovative Gas Procurement Strategies for the German Market24:42 – Germany’s Role as a Gas Exporter26:43 – Export Infrastructure and Capacity28:23 – Competition Between Germany and Poland in Gas Trade30:43 – Dependence on US and Norwegian Gas After the Russian Cut-Off33:26 – Can the EU Operate Without Russian LNG?35:24 – The Potential of African Gas for Germany36:53 – Qatar’s Role in Germany’s Gas Supply39:53 – Canada as an Emerging Gas Partner for Germany41:52 – Future Challenges for Germany’s Natural Gas SecurityOfficial Websitehttps://irthinker.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Mongolia's Energy Security - Telmen Altanshagai | 2025 Episode 23
In this episode, Telmen Altanshagai discusses Mongolia’s evolving energy landscape, from diversification strategies and regional connectivity to the governance challenges shaping the country’s path toward greater energy security.Telmen AltanshagaiTelmen is a Washington, D.C.-based independent policy analyst, Energy and Climate Intern at Observer Research Foundation America, Global Policy Institute Fellow, specializing in energy security and development economics across the Global South, with particular expertise on Mongolia, where her research examines how the global energy transition shapes the country's economic stability and long-term development trajectory.Content00:00 – Introduction01:31 – Overview of Mongolia’s Energy Mix and Security Landscape04:13 – Pathways for Energy Diversification07:08 – Can China Serve as a Source of Energy Diversification?08:44 – Heating Infrastructure and Urban Electricity Challenges in Ulaanbaatar11:05 – Persistent Dependence on Coal14:02 – Energy Access and Infrastructure in Rural Mongolia16:03 – Structure and Dynamics of Energy Governance18:59 – Potential Benefits of the Power of Siberia 2 Pipeline for Mongolia22:46 – Domestic Expertise and Policy Debate on Power of Siberia 224:32 – Assessing the Need for an Oil Pipeline from Russia25:32 – India’s Investment in Mongolia’s First Oil Refinery27:31 – Mongolia’s Broader Energy Investment Strategy31:32 – Domestic Investment Climate and Incentives for the Energy Sector34:30 – China’s Expanding Energy Investments in Mongolia35:59 – The East Asian Power Grid Concept and Regional Connectivity37:59 – Energy Poverty and Socioeconomic Inequality41:22 – Climate Change Impacts on Mongolia’s Energy Security43:48 – Building Human Capital for Energy Security46:18 – National Debt and Its Implications for Energy Policy49:12 – Comparing Africa and Mongolia: Mining Wealth and Public Benefit51:47 – Policy Priorities: What Should a Mongolian Prime Minister Do to Strengthen Energy Security?54:54 – Future Directions and Research OpportunitiesOfficial Websitehttps://irthinker.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this interview, strategist and defence analyst Dr. Peter Layton offers a clear-sighted assessment of how Australia is recalibrating strategy, capability, and partnerships amid intensifying regional competition. Drawing on policy and academic expertise, he probes alliance choices with the United States and Japan, AUKUS and submarine procurement, the Quad and ASEAN engagement, and the trade-offs between economic dependence on China and national security.Dr. Peter Layton is a Visiting Fellow at the Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University; an Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI); and a Fellow of the Australian Security Leaders Climate Group. With extensive experience in aviation and defence, he received the US Secretary of Defense’s Exceptional Public Service Medal for his work on force structure at the Pentagon. For his academic research, he was awarded a Fellowship at the European University Institute.Peter's research interests include grand strategy, national security policies particularly relating to middle powers, defence force structure concepts and the impacts of emerging technology.Content00:00 – Introduction02:00 – Alliances with the US and Japan: Security Gains or Strategic Constraints?04:16 – Multilateralism in Australia’s Security Strategy07:02 – AUKUS and the Future of Australian Defence15:50 – Submarine Procurement: Strategic Rationale and Implications23:02 – The Quad and Australia’s Security Role29:54 – Making the Quad More Effective and Productive33:03 – Security Cooperation with ASEAN: Opportunities and Limits41:52 – Managing the Dual Relationship with China: Economics vs Security50:26 – Assessing the 2024 National Defence Strategy and Middle-Power Vulnerabilities55:51 – Military Spending: Balancing Capability and Sustainability01:01:06 – Diversifying Australia’s Defence Supply Chains01:07:52 – Under-Researched Dimensions of Australia’s SecurityOfficial Websitehttps://irthinker.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
IR thinker podcast features expert interviews on international relations, foreign policy, and global affairs. Founded and produced by Martin Zubko, an international relations lecturer. Available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music.Official website: https://irthinker.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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