What does it mean to “belong” in a world where citizenship can be denied, traded, multiplied – or simply not recognised at all? In this conversation, Professor Dimitry Kochenov unpacks the paradoxes at the heart of modern citizenship, from the lived reality of statelessness to the contested nature of “real” EU citizenship. We explore how legal status shapes human dignity, mobility and security – and what happens when people fall outside the protection of any state.

Drawing on his work on global citizenship, EU constitutionalism and the rule of law, Professor Kochenov examines how EU citizenship can both empower individuals and quietly undermine democratic accountability. We discuss “market citizenship”, the monetisation of legal status, and whether schemes that effectively sell access to the EU should be abolished. Finally, we turn to the multiple citizenship debate: is having more than one citizenship a step towards global justice, or a privilege reserved for the few?

Professor Dimitry Kochenov studies global citizenship and constitutionalism, focusing on the Rule of Law, EU federalism and external relations law. He leads the Rule of Law research group at Central European University Democracy Institute in Budapest and teaches Global Citizenship at CEU Legal Studies department in Vienna.

Content

00:00 - Introduction

02:02 - The Paradox: Can Institutions Grant Citizenship?

06:23 - Living Stateless: Can Humans Exist Without Citizenship?

16:56 - Does "Real" EU Citizenship Actually Exist?

36:06 - Democracy's Double Edge: How EU Citizenship Both Empowers and Undermines

50:26 - Market Citizenship: When Human Worth Becomes Economic Value

56:39 - Citizenship for Sale: Should the EU abolish those schemes?

01:08:06 - One Citizenship or Many? The Multiple Citizenship Debate

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Join us for a fascinating conversation with Dr. Stephen Herzog as we explore the intricate landscape of nuclear strategy, from the fundamentals of deterrence theory to the geopolitics of the Non-Proliferation Treaty. We dive deep into pressing questions about who should have access to nuclear weapons, how arms control agreements shape global security, and what emerging technologies mean for the future of nuclear governance.

Dr. Stephen Herzog is a leading expert in nuclear nonproliferation and arms control, serving as Professor of the Practice at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. He is also an Associate of the Project on Managing the Atom at Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Dr. Herzog brings a unique blend of academic expertise and practical policymaking experience, having previously served as a U.S. Department of Energy technical nuclear arms control official, where he worked directly on the implementation and verification of nuclear agreements.

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction

01:57 – Types and Categories of Nuclear Weapons

08:40 – Tactical Nuclear Weapons: Historical and Contemporary Contexts

10:32 – Understanding the Concept of Existential Deterrence

16:39 – Extended Deterrence and the Logic of Alliance Security

25:54 – The NPT and the Persistence of Great Power Monopoly

31:53 – Treaty Reform or Status Quo? The Politics of Nuclear Governance

33:12 – Aspirant States and the Quest for Nuclear Capability

34:47 – Escalation Control: Between Arms Agreements and Overconfidence

43:15 – The Dilemma of Quantity: Many vs. Few Nuclear Weapons

50:38 – Authority and Legitimacy: Who Decides Nuclear Access?

55:58 – Technological Challenges to Nuclear Security and Control

Official Website:

https://irthinker.com/

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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 Xu

Chenggang 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.

Content

00:00 - Introduction

01:45 - Why this book? The story behind 'Institutional Genes'

06:34 - Defining 'institution' in the institutional genes framework

10:45 - Opening the black box: How institutional genes explain political change

16:29 - The concept of 'stemness' explained

20:01 - Imperial China vs European monarchies: Why China was more autocratic

28:28 - The three Russian genes that created Bolshevism

33:43 - Mao's fusion: Marx plus Qin Shi Huang

38:58 - Soviet vs Chinese communism: Key institutional differences

42:23 - Totalitarian or authoritarian? Defining modern China

48:35 - Tyrannical incentive-compatibility: How totalitarian systems motivate

53:01 - Will China face Soviet-style economic stagnation?

58:52 - Applying institutional genes to foreign policy

01:03:16 - Beyond domestic politics: Where else can we apply this framework?

Official Website:

https://irthinker.com/

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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.

Content

00:00 – Introduction

02:05 – Does African IR Theory Exist? Epistemologies Beyond the West

06:27 – Ubuntu, Communalism, and Reimagining Sovereignty

10:45 – Applying African Concepts to Non-African Issues

15:01 – Authority Beyond the State: African Approaches to Power

19:48 – Africa's Exclusion from Multilateral Decision-Making

25:13 – Pan-Africanism in 2025: Dead or Evolving?

29:26 – South Africa's Power Politics Through a Realist Lens

34:24 – Liberal IR Theory's Historical Exclusion of Africa

37:46 – Constructivism: Opening or Limiting Space for African Voices?

41:22 – Postcolonialism and Decolonizing IR Theory

47:22 – 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 IR

56:54 – Distinct African School or Contribution to Global Pluralism?

Official Website:

https://irthinker.com/

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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 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. 

00:00 – Introduction

03:13 – Current Natural Gas Flows to Germany and Contract Structures

05:08 – The Logic Behind Short-Term Pipeline Contracts

07:27 – LNG Imports and the Expansion of German Infrastructure

09:47 – Gas Storage Developments Since the War in Ukraine

14:03 – Declining Gas Consumption in Germany: Causes and Implications

16:58 – New Gas-Fired Power Plants in Germany

19:32 – The Impact of the Nuclear Phase-Out on Energy Security

22:20 – Innovative Gas Procurement Strategies for the German Market

24:42 – Germany’s Role as a Gas Exporter

26:43 – Export Infrastructure and Capacity

28:23 – Competition Between Germany and Poland in Gas Trade

30:43 – Dependence on US and Norwegian Gas After the Russian Cut-Off

33:26 – Can the EU Operate Without Russian LNG?

35:24 – The Potential of African Gas for Germany

36:53 – Qatar’s Role in Germany’s Gas Supply

39:53 – Canada as an Emerging Gas Partner for Germany

41:52 – Future Challenges for Germany’s Natural Gas Security

Official Website

https://irthinker.com/

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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 Altanshagai

Telmen 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.

Content

00:00 – Introduction

01:31 – Overview of Mongolia’s Energy Mix and Security Landscape

04:13 – Pathways for Energy Diversification

07:08 – Can China Serve as a Source of Energy Diversification?

08:44 – Heating Infrastructure and Urban Electricity Challenges in Ulaanbaatar

11:05 – Persistent Dependence on Coal

14:02 – Energy Access and Infrastructure in Rural Mongolia

16:03 – Structure and Dynamics of Energy Governance

18:59 – Potential Benefits of the Power of Siberia 2 Pipeline for Mongolia

22:46 – Domestic Expertise and Policy Debate on Power of Siberia 2

24:32 – Assessing the Need for an Oil Pipeline from Russia

25:32 – India’s Investment in Mongolia’s First Oil Refinery

27:31 – Mongolia’s Broader Energy Investment Strategy

31:32 – Domestic Investment Climate and Incentives for the Energy Sector

34:30 – China’s Expanding Energy Investments in Mongolia

35:59 – The East Asian Power Grid Concept and Regional Connectivity

37:59 – Energy Poverty and Socioeconomic Inequality

41:22 – Climate Change Impacts on Mongolia’s Energy Security

43:48 – Building Human Capital for Energy Security

46:18 – National Debt and Its Implications for Energy Policy

49:12 – Comparing Africa and Mongolia: Mining Wealth and Public Benefit

51:47 – Policy Priorities: What Should a Mongolian Prime Minister Do to Strengthen Energy Security?

54:54 – Future Directions and Research Opportunities

Official Website

https://irthinker.com/

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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.

00:00 – Introduction

02:00 – Alliances with the US and Japan: Security Gains or Strategic Constraints?

04:16 – Multilateralism in Australia’s Security Strategy

07:02 – AUKUS and the Future of Australian Defence

15:50 – Submarine Procurement: Strategic Rationale and Implications

23:02 – The Quad and Australia’s Security Role

29:54 – Making the Quad More Effective and Productive

33:03 – Security Cooperation with ASEAN: Opportunities and Limits

41:52 – Managing the Dual Relationship with China: Economics vs Security

50:26 – Assessing the 2024 National Defence Strategy and Middle-Power Vulnerabilities

55:51 – Military Spending: Balancing Capability and Sustainability

01:01:06 – Diversifying Australia’s Defence Supply Chains

01:07:52 – Under-Researched Dimensions of Australia’s Security

Official Website

https://irthinker.com/

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Professor Murman Margvelashvili charts Georgia’s path from Soviet-era systems to a contested contemporary energy landscape, where hydropower dependence, emerging technologies, and grid vulnerabilities intersect with strategic autonomy.

Murman Margvelashvili

Professor Murman Margvelashvili is a Georgian energy policy expert with more than 30 years of experience, in energy sector. His broad interests include energy security, sustainability, and geopolitics of energy transition.

As Director of Energy Studies at World Experience for Georgia, Associate Professor at Ilia State University, and Director of the Energy and Sustainability Institute, he has helped shape key national energy strategies. Notably, Professor Margvelashvili played a key role in shaping the National Energy Policy and National Energy and Climate Plan, as well as conceptualizing the National Hydrogen Strategy.

He contributes as a country expert for the EU4Energy programme under the International Energy Agency and consults widely across Georgia and Central Asia, advancing renewable energy, efficiency, and regional energy security initiatives.

Content

00:00 – Introduction

01:58 – From Soviet system to 2025: evolution of Georgia’s energy mix

05:03 – Dependency and geopolitical risk across Georgia’s energy sources

09:17 – Ownership and control of Georgian hydropower

10:53 – Hydrogen in Georgia: prospects and pathways

15:16 – Have renewables peaked? Headroom for additional capacity

17:18 – Nuclear power in Georgia: options, debates, feasibility

19:52 – Abkhazia and South Ossetia: implications for Georgia’s power grid

22:48 – Balancing Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Russia, the EU and China: safeguarding strategic autonomy

32:53 – Expanding Caspian gas to Europe: do new Georgian transit pipelines need to be built?

34:51 – Armenia’s role in Georgia’s energy geopolitics

36:50 – United States interests in Georgia’s energy sector

38:51 – Türkiye–Azerbaijan energy cooperation: impacts on Georgia

43:03 – Untapped and hidden energy potential in Georgia

45:40 – Reinvesting transit revenues into energy modernisation

50:20 – Supply shocks and blackouts: resilience and response

53:21 – Assessing the effectiveness of Georgia’s energy strategy

56:35 – Governance gaps and failures: lessons for reform

01:02:14 – Under-researched energy topics in Georgia

Official Website:

https://irthinker.com/

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Ireland is in the midst of a historic shift, moving from its long-standing tradition of neutrality towards a more structured national security strategy. In this interview, Dr. Kenneth McDonagh unpacks the drivers, dilemmas, and implications of Ireland’s evolving security posture at home, in Europe, and on the global stage.

Kenneth McDonagh

Ken McDonagh is Associate Professor of International Relations at the School of Law and Government, Dublin City University. His research focuses on EU foreign policy, the Common Security and Defence Policy, and the intersections of gender and international security.

Content

00:00 – Introduction

01:53 – Reinterpreting Ireland’s Policy of Military Neutrality

05:43 – Why Develop a National Security Strategy in a Neutral Country?

08:14 – Key Drivers Behind Ireland’s Security Strategy

10:23 – Will Military Neutrality Remain Central?

11:58 – Is This a Step Towards NATO Membership?

14:07 – Understanding the Capacity of Ireland’s Defence Forces

19:00 – Is There Willingness to Invest in the Army?

21:12 – Private Initiatives for Defence Development

23:34 – Protecting Critical Infrastructure: Cables, Energy, Ports, Airports

26:18 – Coordination of Defence, Gardaí, and Intelligence Without a Strategy

28:11 – Ireland’s Integration into EU Security Structures

31:37 – Could EU Forces Be Deployed on Irish Soil?

33:38 – Is Ireland Viewed as a Strategic Territory by the EU?

36:10 – US–Ireland Relations on Security

39:25 – Expanding Security Cooperation with the US

41:29 – Ireland’s Cybersecurity Posture

45:17 – Presenting the Cyber Sector as a Deterrent

48:02 – Ireland’s Role in UN Peacekeeping and Security

54:05 – Northern Ireland and the New Security Strategy

59:01 – Terrorism in Northern Ireland and Its Security Impact

01:02:17 – Under-researched Areas in Ireland’s National Security

Official Website:

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What does Georgia’s EU integration really mean for democracy, regional security, and great power competition? David Bujiashvili unpacks the past, present, and future of this pivotal process.

Content

00:00 – Introduction

02:37 – Historical and Normative Drivers of Georgia’s EU Integration

14:10 – EU Response to Georgia’s Membership Application

17:01 – Democracy, Rule of Law, and Human Rights Narratives

18:26 – Public Access to EU Information During Accession

21:22 – Example of Russian Disinformation Campaigns

23:31 – Early Challenges of Reform and Implementation

26:19 – Current Stage of Georgia–EU Accession

29:37 – Why Has the Accession Process Stalled?

32:32 – Georgian Representation in the EU Today

34:56 – The Future of Abkhazia and South Ossetia

37:03 – Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA)

39:34 – EU Visa Liberalisation and Georgia

43:17 – Learning from Central European EU Accession Experiences

45:26 – Forms and Practice of Regional Cooperation

48:03 – Impact of the War in Ukraine

50:37 – Russia’s Changing Role in the South Caucasus

52:32 – China’s Influence on EU–Georgia Relations

54:02 – Lessons for the EU from Georgia’s Accession Experience

David Bujiashvili is a distinguished expert on European affairs with more than 25 years of experience in EU integration and assistance coordination. He holds a PhD in Economics and a Master’s in International Economic Relations, combining academic depth with extensive diplomatic and policy practice.

At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, he served as Director of the EU Assistance Coordination and Sectoral Integration Department, where he played a pivotal role in overseeing the implementation of the EU–Georgia Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA). His work focused on aligning Georgian legislation with the EU acquis, ensuring inter-institutional coordination through sectoral working groups, and drafting key EU-related strategies and action plans.

Dr Bujiashvili has chaired Association Committees and Sub-Committees in negotiations with the European Commission, coordinated Georgia’s EU Accession Questionnaire (2021–2022), and organised strategic communication and public outreach campaigns on EU integration. He has also worked extensively with civil society and the business community on sectoral reforms, while serving as focal point for major EU assistance tools such as Twinning, TAIEX, SIGMA, INTERREG, and anti-fraud mechanisms in cooperation with OLAF.

With wide-ranging experience in capacity building, training, and institutional reforms, he continues to contribute to advancing Georgia’s European integration and sharing his expertise in the broader field of European affairs.

Official Website:

https://irthinker.com/

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