Chatham House

This week we're celebrating International Women's Day with a special episode looking at the role of women in the early days of Chatham House. Katharina Rietzler is a historian at the University of Sussex, and co-leads a Leverhulme-funded project titled 'Women and the History of International Thought.'  Ben met up with Katharina to find out more about how women experienced work at the institute from its founding to the end of the Second World War.  Find out more: 'Women and the History of International Thought' project

This week we're celebrating International Women's Day with a special episode looking at the role of women in the early days of Chatham House. Katharina Rietzler is a historian at the University of Sussex, and co-leads a Leverhulme-funded project titled 'Women and the History of International Thought.'  Ben met up with Katharina to find out more about how women experienced work at the institute from its founding to the end of the Second World War.  Find out more: 'Women and the History of International Thought' project

This week Agnes and Ben discuss how to the global financial system is experienced by developing countries, and hear about the perilous situation for investigative journalists in Ghana.  David Lubin is head of emerging markets economics at Citi, and an associate fellow in the Global Economy & Finance department at Chatham House. His latest book, Dance of the Trillions, tells the story of what makes money flow from high-income countries to lower-income countries. Ben met up with David to find out more.  The February/March issue of The World Today features Agnes's interview with Ghanian investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas. Hear the extended conversation, on how media can fight crime and corruption in Africa, as the second segment of this episode.   Find the book: Dance of the Trillions: Developing Countries and Global Finance Read the interview: Anas Aremayew Anas Credits: Hosts: Ben Horton and Agnes Frimston Editors: Ben Horton and Agnes Frimston Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Record and produced at Chatham House, London

This week Agnes and Ben meet with experts on China's economy and the history of UK relations with the gulf states.  Yu Jie joins Ben to explain what's happening to the Chinese economy in 2019, and what's really driving the US-China trade war.  Then Agnes discusses UK foreign policy in the Middle East with David Wearing, drawing on his new book, Anglo Arabia.  Read The World Today article: Marx and spenders Find the book: Anglo Arabia: Why Gulf Wealth Matters to Britain

Undercurrents is back for a second season!  This week Agnes and Ben interview two leading academics from the worlds of International Relations and History. John Mearsheimer (University of Chicago) discusses his new book, The Great Delusion, on the rise and fall of liberal foreign policy. With China's rise and Russia's resurgence the world has returned to a zero-sum balance of power political system. John explains why he's glad to see the back of an era of western interventions, and how the US should respond to the new geopolitical reality.  Margaret MacMillan (University of Toronto) is a renowned historian of the First World War, who gave the BBC Reith Lectures in 2018. A new special issue of International Affairs, guest-edited by Margaret, looks at the state of world politics today in comparison to the aftermath of the First World War and the Treaty of Versailles. Ben and Agnes met with her to discuss why these comparisons can be useful, and how history is used and abused by politicians in the present.  Find the book: The Great Delusion: Liberal Dreams and International Realities Read the International Affairs special issue: World Politics 100 Years After the Paris Peace Conference Listen to the 2018 Reith Lectures: The Mark of Cain: War and Humanity   Credits: Hosts: Ben Horton and Agnes Frimston Editors: Ben Horton and Agnes Frimston Sound Editor: Jamie Reed Record and produced at Chatham House, London

The Undercurrents team are back for a bonus episode! If you are looking for a fiendishly difficult politically-minded quiz of the year to test out your relatives on Christmas Day then give this a listen.  Beside much more you will find out: How Rodrigo Duterte offended the faith of millions in the Philippines; How Donald Trump sacked his Secretary of State; Which team England beat in the first match of the 2018 Football World Cup.  Happy holidays and happy listening!   Undercurrents is presented by Ben Horton and Agnes Frimston, with technical support from Robin Gardner. It is edited and produced at Chatham House.  Subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher and most major podcast apps.  Follow Chatham House on Twitter @ChathamHouse.

It's the SEASON FINALE!! Join Ben and Agnes for the final episode of Undercurrents in 2018. This week they speak to Robin Niblett, Director of Chatham House, about his recent work on the future of think tanks in the new uncertain political landscape. Up for discussion: How think tanks should respond to the rise of populist politics Whether think tanks have spent too long defending globalisation How think tanks can re-engage the public in a time of declining trust in experts  All this and more - we hope you enjoy the episode.  Read the International Affairs article: 'Re-discovering a sense of purpose: the challenge for western think-tanks' Watch the speech: Do think tanks have a future?

In 2013 China launched its flagship economic project, the 'Belt and Road Initiative' (BRI). In the five years since the initiative has rapidly expanded trade and infrastructure relationships between China and 88 countries in Eurasia and Africa, covering over 60% of global GDP. Ben speaks to the Asia-Pacific Programme's Yu Jie to find out more. The rise of populism is a phenomenon affecting political systems across the West. From the 2016 electoral shocks of Brexit and Trump through to the victories of Salvini and Bolsonaro in 2018, conventional ideological divisions between left and right are being dismantled and replaced by a politics of polarization and identity-fuelled tribalism. Agnes speaks to the Europe Programme's Matthew Goodwin about his new book on 'national populism'.  Read the Chatham House Expert Comment: Money, Might and Mindset: China's Self-centred Global Ambition Listen to the interview: Yu Jie on China's halloumi craze [from 27:00] Find the book: National Populism: the Revolt Against Liberal Democracy

The day after the US Midterm elections, Agnes and Ben meet Anthony Gardner (former US Ambassador to the EU) to discuss the state of US relations with Europe, the importance of the special relationship and the likelihood of a post-Brexit US-UK trade deal. Will the Midterm results influence the Trump administration's stance on Europe? And likewise will European observers take any comfort from events across the pond? The illegal wildlife trade is a serious organized crime found in most of the countries in southern Africa. In a new report Chris Vandome and Alex Vines from the Africa Programme at Chatham House explore new strategies being trialled to combat this trade in the communities it affects. Ben and Agnes speak with Chris to find out more. Read the Chatham House Expert Comment: US Midterm Elections: What the Results Mean Read the Chatham House Report: Tackling Illegal Wildlife Trade in Africa: Economic Incentives and Approaches  

Soraya Chemaly is a writer and activist whose work focuses on the role of gender in culture, politics, religion and media. Her latest book, Rage Becomes Her, explores how women can embrace the anger generated by modern gender relations for positive change.  Agnes and Ben met with Soraya to discuss among other things the #MeToo campaign, sexual politics and the impact of the scandal over Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination. Find the Book: Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women's Anger Watch the Chatham House Event Video: #MeToo, A Year On