Carnegie Council Podcasts

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?

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?