The IR thinker

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 KemmDr 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.Content00:00 – Introduction and Overview of the Discussion02:49 – Historical Development of Nuclear Reactor Technology in South Africa17:29 – Eskom’s Operational and Financial Challenges: Assessing the Crisis23:32 – Koeberg Nuclear Power Station: Operational Performance, Modernisation, and Life Extension27:12 – Nuclear Fuel Procurement and Supply Chains for Koeberg31:43 – Radioactive Waste Management at Koeberg Nuclear Power Station36:04 – Development Status of South Africa’s HTMR-100 Small Modular Reactor39:03 – HTMR-100 Reactor Concept: Design Principles, Mobility, and Scale43:32 – Advanced Fuel Architecture of the HTMR-100 Reactor47:58 – International Cooperation in Deploying HTMR-100 Nuclear Power Plants51:09 – Nuclear Science and Engineering Education in South Africa: Training the Next Generation55:09 – The Geopolitics of Nuclear Energy57:49 – Debates and Critiques of Renewable Energy Policy in South Africa01:03:10 – 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: 3.4Indexed: Scopus / Web of Science First Decision: 6 daysAcceptance 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.Content00:00 - Introduction02:24 - The Journal’s Intellectual DNA04:05 - Political Science vs International Relations: Balance in Published Research05:24 - From Political Studies Association Flagship to Global Journal: Institutional Influence08:31 - Political Studies Association09:47 - Editorial Limits: Is There a Maximum Number of Articles per Issue?11:36 - Maintaining Coherence in a Broad-Scope Journal12:48 - Editorial Board: Selection, Roles, and Responsibilities16:25 - University of Leeds: The Journal’s Institutional Connection18:08 - Methodological Pluralism: Supporting Underrepresented Scholars21:04 - Current Intellectual Trends in Submissions22:53 - Undersubmitted Topics: Areas the Journal Wants More Of24:13 - AI, Frameworks, and Consulting: Reality Behind Publishing Claims26:15 - Common Author Mistakes in Journal Submissions31:00 - Encouraging Junior Scholars to Submit33:51 - Global South Scholars and Barriers36:13 - Editorial Lessons: Decisions Seen Differently Today38:22 - 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 SnowPhilip 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.Content00:00 – Introduction01:10 – Archival Research and Interpreting Russian–Chinese Narratives06:21 – Nerchinsk and Kyakhta: Origins of Long-Term Stability10:46 – Manchuria, Mongolia, and Xinjiang as Strategic Pivot Zones14:18 – Mongolia’s Role in Sino-Russian Relations14:51 – Structural Constraints on Escalation and Major War18:51 – The Role of Distance and Technology in Military Encounters19:28 – Manchuria and the Historical Foundations of Chinese Strategic Mistrust24:17 – The Sino-Soviet Split and the Limits of Ideological Alliances27:05 – Energy Interdependence and Post-Soviet Asymmetry31:20 – Power of Siberia 2: Economic Logic and Geopolitical Stakes32:12 – Why Sino-Russian Decision-Making Is Often Slow32:40 – Surface Alignment vs Structural Frictions in the Russian Far East39:54 – Sino-Russian Alignment in Opposition to the West42:45 – Do Russia and China Share a Vision of Multipolar Order?45:44 – China’s Capacity to Lead Without Russia46:45 – Critiquing Philip Snow’s Interpretation48:21 – 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. KatzMark 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 BlogAmerican 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 OrderThe Soviet Roots of Putin’s Foreign Policy Toward the Middle EastThe Third World in Soviet Military ThoughtThe USSR and Marxist Revolutions in the Third WorldContent00:00 – Introduction02:03 – Is Multipolarity the Historical Norm?04:08 – The Liberal Order During the Cold War04:53 – What Makes a Country a Great Power?09:36 – Understanding the Unipolar Moment12:19 – When Did Unipolarity End?15:41 – 9/11, Terrorism and the Limits of Polarity Theory21:51 – The Sino–Soviet Split and a Brief Tripolar World25:26 – BRICS and the Rise of Multipolarity27:25 – Multipolar World vs Multipolar Order30:27 – Global South Views on Multipolarity33:15 – How Small States Play Great Powers Against Each Other38:00 – If China Dominates...41:25 – Do Alliances Limit a Country’s Power Ambitions?43:45 – Iran, Saudi Arabia and Israel in a Multipolar Middle East47:06 – What the Arab Spring Reveals About Multipolarity50:49 – 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.

In this interview, political scientist Marc Sanjaume‑Calvet examines the constitutional status of Catalonia, the distribution of powers within the Spanish state, and the evolving debates surrounding Catalan autonomy and identity. The discussion also explores Catalonia’s external action, from its relations with the European Union and international organisations to the constraints imposed by Spanish constitutional law, including the legacy of the 2017 referendum and Article 155.Marc Sanjaume-CalvetMarc Sanjaume-Calvet is Associate Professor of Political Science at Pompeu Fabra University. He has also served as an advisor at the Self-Government Studies Institute, a research centre linked to the Government of Catalonia. His work sits at the crossroads of federalism, self-determination, and territorial conflict, with broader interests in national and ethnic conflicts. Publications:Asymmetry as a Device for Equal Recognition and Reasonable Accommodation of Majority and Minority Nations. A Country Study on Constitutional Asymmetry in SpainThe Political Use of de facto Referendums of Independence The Case of CataloniaDefensive Federalism: Protecting Territorial Minorities from the "Tyranny of the Majority"The Exodus That Never Was? An Empirical Analysis on Territorial Conflict and Foot-VotingThe Politics of Independence Referendums: Never Mind the BallotsContent00:00 – Introduction01:50 – Constitutional Status of Catalonia05:21 – Identity and Demography in Catalonia08:15 – Distribution of Competences11:46 – The Future of Catalan Autonomy16:10 – “Unity of Foreign Action” in Spanish Constitutional Law and Its Constraints on Regional Diplomacy21:04 – Coordination and Tension between Catalonia’s External Action and Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs23:39 – Catalonia and the European Union29:40 – International Agreements and Catalonia’s Network of External Delegations33:53 – Catalonia’s Interaction with International Organisations and Multilateral Forums37:51 – The 2017 Independence Referendum and Article 15544:21 – Emerging Research Agendas in the Study of Catalonia’s Autonomy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Professor McCourt unpacks the foundations of New Constructivism: where it came from, what it demands of researchers, and where it's heading. From the theory/method distinction to the practice and relational turns, from C. Wright Mills to Multiple Correspondence Analysis, this is a wide-ranging conversation about how social science can move beyond positivist inheritances without losing analytical rigor. We also explore New Constructivism's blind spots, its uneven development across the US and Europe. David McCourtDavid McCourt is a Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of California, Davis, where he teaches sociological and international theory. His research sits at the intersection of political sociology and international relations, with a focus on the social foundations of state action in world politics. Empirically, his work centres on the foreign policies of the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union. Theoretically, he usually draws on constructivist, practice-based, and relational approaches to examine how states define and enact their roles on the international stage.Publications:Constructivism’s Contemporary Crisis and the Challenge of ReflexivityPractice Theory and Relationalism as the New ConstructivismDomestic Contestation Over Foreign Policy, Role-based and Otherwise: Three Cautionary CasesThe New Constructivism in International Relations TheoryThe End of Engagement: America’s China and Russia Experts and U.S. Strategy Since 1989The Dragon Defined: How Washington, Canberra, and London Reimagined ChinaContent00:00 - Introduction02:37 - Core Principles of New Constructivism19:24 - Is the Theory/Method Distinction Itself a Positivist Inheritance?24:00 - Methodology vs. Methods: The Root of Constructivist Misreadings33:33 - Constructivism as Classic Social Analysis: The C. Wright Mills Connection37:25 - Broadening the Methodological Repertoire Without Fetishising Technique41:27 - What Must Stay Constant as Constructivism Evolves?46:14 - Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) as a Constructivist Tool52:15 - The Practice Turn and Relational Turn in New Constructivism57:23 - Diverging Trajectories: New Constructivism in the US and Europe01:00:43 - New Constructivism, Global South Scholarship, and Postcolonialism01:05:11 - The Weakest Link: Where New Constructivism Falls Short01:07:54 - The Limits of New Constructivism: Where It Should Not Be Applied Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, together with Dr Reuben Steff, we explore how New Zealand’s geographic isolation, colonial legacies, and small-state status have shaped a distinctive strategic culture; one that combines alliance cooperation with a persistent commitment to autonomy, non-nuclear norms, and multilateralism.Reuben SteffReuben Steff is a Senior Lecturer at Mendel University in Brno whose scholarship engages some of the most pressing questions in contemporary international relations and security. His research spans the implications of artificial intelligence for the global balance of power, the interaction between nuclear deterrence theory and ballistic missile defence within the security dilemma, New Zealand and United States foreign policy, and the dynamics of great-power competition between the United States and China. Publications:New Zealand’s Geopolitics and the US-China Competition‘Our region is now a strategic theatre’: New Zealand’s balancing response to ChinaThe strategic case for New Zealand to join AUKUS Pillar 2US Foreign Policy in the Age of Trump: Drivers, Strategy and TacticsEmerging Technologies and International Security: Machines, the State, and WarExamining the immanent dilemma of small states in the Asia-Pacific: The strategic triangle between New Zealand, the US and ChinaHard Balancing in the Age of American Unipolarity: The Russian Response to US Ballistic Missile Defense during the Bush Administration (2001–2008)Content00:00 – Introduction: Conceptualising New Zealand’s Strategic Posture02:03 – Geographic Isolation and the Evolution of New Zealand’s Strategic Culture13:56 – From the South Pacific to the Indo-Pacific: Regional Order and Strategic Repositioning18:06 – The Treaty of Waitangi and Its Implications for External Partnerships21:47 – Strategic Autonomy, Nuclear-Free Norms, and the AUKUS Question30:44 – Domestic Debates on Nuclear Policy and National Identity34:21 – ANZUS (1951) in Contemporary Perspective: Alliance Politics and Strategic Recalibration36:25 – Trans-Tasman Relations: Convergence, Friction, and Structural Asymmetry40:38 – Economic Interdependence with China and Security Alignment with Western Partners45:22 – Engagement with India and ASEAN: Diversification and Indo-Pacific Strategy49:23 – The European Union and New Zealand: Trade, Norms, and Strategic Convergence53:54 – Hedging in Practice: Small-State Strategy Amid Great-Power Competition56:34 – The War in Ukraine and Its Implications for New Zealand’s Foreign Policy01:01:11 – Multilateralism, Liberal Order, and China’s Parallel Institutional Architecture Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Professor Charlotte Epstein reflects on how postcolonial perspectives reshape the study of norms in international relations, challenging conventional accounts of diffusion, compliance, and legitimacy. The conversation explores colonial inheritances embedded in contemporary normative orders, while examining positionality, experience, and the epistemological stakes of critical scholarship.Charlotte EpsteinCharlotte Epstein is Professor at Tokyo College, University of Tokyo, where her work examines how language and political power have jointly constituted the modern international order.Publications:The power of words in international relations: Birth of an anti-whaling discourseWho speaks? Discourse, the subject and the study of identity in international politicsConstructivism or the eternal return of universals in International Relations. Why returning to language is vital to prolonging the owl’s flightThe postcolonial perspective: an introductionAgainst international relations norms: Postcolonial perspectivesBirth of the state: The place of the body in crafting modern politicsContent00:00 – Introduction01:42 – Colonialism and Postcolonialism: Conceptual Clarifications04:08 – Rationale for Employing Postcolonial Perspectives07:22 – Postcoloniality as Positionality Beyond Historical Periodisation12:29 – Studying Norm Diffusion and Compliance Beyond Coercion22:50 – Why Norms Reveal Colonial Inheritances More Sharply than Concepts27:53 – From Norms as Practices to Norms as Epistemological Categories32:25 – Situated Perspectives, Critical Authority, and the Risk of Relativism35:42 – The Role of Experience in Postcolonial Norm Research39:26 – Key Sources on the Concept of Experience43:02 – ‘Norming’ and ‘Re-Norming’ in a Foucauldian Perspective47:54 – The Ambivalences of Research Success50:39 – Principal Challenges in Postcolonial Approaches to Norms Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we sit down with political analyst Marc Saxer to explore his theory of Transformative Realism and why he believes we’re living through a profound systemic crisis. From the erosion of international norms to the urgent need for reimagined statecraft, Marc offers a compelling framework for understanding the forces reshaping our world and what political leadership must look like in response.Marc SaxerMarc Saxer is a political analyst, strategist, and writer with two decades of experience in international relations. He heads the Asia Pacific office of the Friedrich-Ebert-Shtiftung and convenes the Asia Strategic Foresight Group.Publications:Transformative Realism: How to overcome the system crisisGeopolitical Conflict in the Wolf World: Great Power Competition and the Illiberal Revolt against the Liberal OrderContent00:00 - Introduction01:38 - Understanding Transformative Realism04:50 - Defining Systemic Crisis07:39 - Marc’s Most Compelling Crisis Case Study15:08 - The Erosion of International Norms and Rules18:24 - Recognizing the Signs of Systemic Crisis20:18 - The Role of Agency in Transformative Realism28:18 - Reimagining Statecraft and Political Leadership33:44 - The Crisis in Modern Statecraft Education Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Vineet Thakur unpacks the historical and intellectual foundations of Indian diplomacy. We discuss classical strategic traditions, civilisational and colonial legacies, caste and elite networks in diplomatic culture, non-alignment and strategic autonomy, neighbourhood diplomacy, and India’s contemporary practice of multi-alignment amid shifting great-power rivalries.Vineet ThakurVineet Thakur is a University Lecturer in International Relations at the Institute for History, Leiden University. He received his doctorate from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, in 2014 and has held academic positions and fellowships across India, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. His professional experience includes teaching appointments at Ambedkar University Delhi, the University of Johannesburg, and the School of Oriental and African Studies, following which he joined Leiden University in 2017. He has been a fellow at the University of Cambridge, the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study, and Rhodes University.His research is situated in postcolonial international relations, with a particular focus on the politics of knowledge, disciplinary hierarchies, and the global intellectual history of International Relations, especially in the Indian context.Publications:V.S. Srinivasa Sastri: A Liberal LifeIndia’s First Diplomat: V.S. Srinivasa Sastri and the Making of Liberal InternationalismPostscripts on Independence: Foreign Policy Discourses in India and South AfricaContent00:00 – Introduction and Framing of India’s Diplomatic Trajectories02:03 – Mandala Theory and Kautilya’s Arthashastra as Lenses for Contemporary Regional Policy05:10 – Intellectual and Historical Inspirations Behind India’s Diplomatic Traditions06:32 – Civilisational State Narratives Versus Colonial Administrative Foundations of Indian Diplomacy10:53 – Social Stratification and the Influence of Caste Networks on Diplomatic Recruitment and Culture22:12 – Nehruvian Idealism and Non-Alignment as Strategy: Autonomy, Hedging, and Principled Neutrality27:55 – Overlooked and Marginalised Practices in India’s Cold War Diplomatic History30:30 – The Strategic Logic and Practical Outcomes of the “Neighbourhood First” Diplomatic Doctrine35:18 – Structural Constraints and Policy Stalemate in India–Pakistan Diplomatic Engagement37:34 – China’s Strategic Shadow and Its Effects on India’s Diplomatic Posture Towards Pakistan39:08 – India’s Diplomatic Approach to Tibet in Historical and Contemporary Perspective43:29 – Multi-Alignment as Strategy: Balancing Great Powers in India’s Contemporary Foreign Policy47:45 – The Absence of a Permanent United Nations Security Council Seat and Its Diplomatic Consequences51:15 – India–Africa Relations and the Underdeveloped Economic Dimension of South–South Diplomacy54:21 – Hindu Nationalism and Its Influence on the Ideational Foundations of Indian Diplomacy58:24 – Neglected Themes and Under-Researched Domains in the Study of Indian Foreign Policy*** at 10:29, there is a missing word ‘overstated’ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Martin Vladimirov unpacks Bulgaria’s evolving energy landscape in the aftermath of the war in Ukraine. We discuss shifts in the country’s energy mix, offshore wind prospects in the Black Sea, the strategic role of gas pipelines and interconnectors, and the future of key assets such as the Chiren gas storage facility, the Maritsa Iztok lignite complex, and potential new nuclear reactors.Martin VladimirovMartin Vladimirov is Director of the Energy and Climate Program at the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD), where his work focuses on European and Balkan energy security, energy transition pathways, and the geopolitical dimensions of Russian and Chinese economic influence. He has extensive experience as an energy analyst for The Oil and Gas Year, contributing in-depth reports on Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Saudi Arabia, and has consulted for international oil companies across the GCC and MENA regions. Martin is also an affiliated expert with the European Geopolitical Forum in Brussels and previously worked as an energy and economic analyst for CEE Market Watch, covering Iran and Central Asia.Publications: Managing Assets Under OFAC SanctionsEnergy and Climate Security in Europe: From Crisis Response to Structural TransformationThe Kremlin Playbook in Mexico: Asymmetric InfluenceThe Imperative to Weaken the Kremlin’s War Economy: What the West Can DoClosing the backdoor: The new TurkStream is here. Can the West stop it?Content00:00 – Introduction01:38 – Bulgaria’s Evolving Energy Mix after the War in Ukraine09:07 – Exploring Bulgaria’s Offshore Wind Potential12:45 – Strategic Energy Pipelines Crossing Bulgaria17:16 – Bulgaria’s Relationship with Gazprom and Gas Contracts24:14 – The Greece–Bulgaria Gas Interconnector (IGB)27:05 – Alexandroupolis LNG Terminal and Regional Gas Connectivity28:53 – The Role of Chiren Underground Gas Storage34:31 – The Future of the Maritsa Iztok Lignite Power Complex40:50 – Assessing the Feasibility of Two New Nuclear Reactors Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of The IR thinker features a wide-ranging conversation with Professor Dimitry Kochenov on what it really means to “belong” in a world where citizenship is conditional, unequal, and sometimes absent altogether. We unpack the paradox of citizenship as both a legal fiction and a lived necessity, probing whether institutions truly “grant” citizenship, what it means to live as stateless, and whether “real” EU citizenship exists beyond the rhetoric. The discussion traces how EU citizenship can simultaneously empower individuals, through mobility, rights, and protection, while also hollowing out democratic accountability in member states. We examine “market citizenship” and the monetisation of legal status, asking whether citizenship-by-investment schemes that effectively sell access to the EU should be abolished, and close with a critical look at multiple citizenship: is it an emerging path towards global justice or simply an additional layer of privilege for the already mobile?Dimitry KochenovProfessor Dimitry Kochenov is a leading scholar of global citizenship and constitutionalism, with a particular focus on the rule of law, EU federalism, and external relations law. He heads the Rule of Law research group at the Democracy Institute of Central European University in Budapest and teaches Global Citizenship at CEU’s Department of Legal Studies in Vienna. Through his work on statelessness, EU citizenship, and the political economy of “citizenship for sale”, he has become a key voice in contemporary debates on how legal status shapes human dignity, mobility, and the evolving architecture of international order.Publications:EU enlargement and the failure of conditionality: pre-accession conditionality in the fields of democracy and the rule of lawCitizenshipCitizenship and residence sales: rethinking the boundaries of belongingUkraine and the EU enlargement: what is the law and which is the way forward?Content00:00 - Introduction02:02 - 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 Undermines50:26 - Market Citizenship: When Human Worth Becomes Economic Value56:39 - Citizenship for Sale: Should the EU abolish those schemes?01:08:06 - One Citizenship or Many? The Multiple Citizenship Debate Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of The IR thinker offers a clear and structured tour of contemporary nuclear strategy with Dr Stephen Herzog, moving from the basic categories of nuclear weapons to the political struggles surrounding their control. We unpack the logic of existential and extended deterrence, alliance commitments and escalation management, and examine how arms control agreements and the Non-Proliferation Treaty sustain, yet also entrench, a great power nuclear monopoly. The conversation tackles aspirant nuclear states, debates over “how many is enough”, and the tension between confidence and overconfidence in crisis signalling, before turning to how emerging technologies are reshaping verification, command-and-control, and the broader governance of nuclear weapons.Stephen HerzogDr Stephen Herzog is Professor of the Practice at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey and an Associate of the Project on Managing the Atom at Harvard Kennedy School. A leading specialist in nuclear non-proliferation and arms control, he combines academic expertise with policy experience gained as a technical nuclear arms control official at the U.S. Department of Energy, where he worked directly on the implementation and verification of nuclear agreements. His work bridges theory and practice to illuminate how deterrence, treaty regimes and technological change interact in shaping global nuclear security.Publications:Atomic Backfires: When Nuclear Policies FailArtificial Intelligence and Nuclear Weapons Proliferation: The Technological Arms Race for (In)visibility‘What about China?’ and the threat to US–Russian nuclear arms controlAtomic responsiveness: How public opinion shapes elite beliefs and preferences on nuclear weapon useWinning Hearts and Minds? How the United States Reassured During the Russo-Ukrainian WarThe Trilateral Dilemma: Great Power Competition, Global Nuclear Order, and Russia’s War on UkraineContent00:00 – Introduction01:57 – Types and Categories of Nuclear Weapons08:40 – Tactical Nuclear Weapons: Historical and Contemporary Contexts10:32 – Understanding the Concept of Existential Deterrence16:39 – Extended Deterrence and the Logic of Alliance Security25:54 – The NPT and the Persistence of Great Power Monopoly31:53 – Treaty Reform or Status Quo? The Politics of Nuclear Governance33:12 – Aspirant States and the Quest for Nuclear Capability34:47 – Escalation Control: Between Arms Agreements and Overconfidence43:15 – The Dilemma of Quantity: Many vs. Few Nuclear Weapons50:38 – Authority and Legitimacy: Who Decides Nuclear Access?55:58 – Technological Challenges to Nuclear Security and Control Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of The IR thinker features Professor Chenggang Xu on the conceptual and empirical foundations of his book Institutional Genes: Origins of China’s Institutions and Totalitarianism. The conversation unpacks what he means by “institutions” and “institutional genes”, how this framework helps to open the black box of political change, and why certain systems prove remarkably resilient over time. We explore the notion of “stemness”, the contrasts between imperial China and European monarchies, and how specific “genes” in the Russian system shaped Bolshevism. Professor Xu then traces Mao’s fusion of Marxism with the legacy of Qin Shi Huang, the institutional differences between Soviet and Chinese communism, and whether contemporary China should be understood as totalitarian or authoritarian. The discussion closes by examining tyrannical incentive structures, the risks of Soviet-style stagnation, and how the institutional genes framework can be extended beyond domestic politics to foreign policy and other domains of global governance.Chenggang XuProfessor Chenggang Xu is a Senior Research Scholar at the Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions (SCCEI) and a Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution. A leading scholar of institutional economics, political economy and the Chinese political–economic system, he is widely known for developing the concept of regionally decentralised authoritarianism and, more recently, for his work on institutional genes and the historical roots of Chinese totalitarianism. His research is extensively cited in both academic and policy circles, and he has been awarded the China Economics Prize and the Sun Yefang Economics Prize in recognition of his contribution to the study of institutions, development and authoritarian governance.Publications:The fundamental institutions of China’s reforms and developmentIncentives, information, and organizational formIndustrial clustering, income and inequality in rural ChinaClustering, growth and inequality in ChinaContent00:00 - 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? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of The IR thinker features an incisive conversation with Dr Madalitso Zililo Phiri on what it means to think International Relations from Africa rather than merely about Africa. We interrogate whether an African IR theory exists, how concepts such as Ubuntu, communalism and non-statist authority can reframe sovereignty and power, and what this implies for applying African ideas beyond the continent. The discussion probes Africa’s marginalisation in multilateral decision-making, the contemporary mutations of Pan-Africanism, and South Africa’s foreign policy through a realist lens. We also explore how liberal and mainstream constructivist IR traditions have historically excluded African experiences, what a decolonial constructivism might look like in practice, and whether scholars should pursue a distinct “African school” or treat Africa as a generative site for pluralising the discipline as a whole.Madalitso Zililo PhiriDr Madalitso Zililo Phiri is a Post-Doctoral Fellow in the South Africa–United Kingdom Bilateral Research Chair in Political Theory at the University of the Witwatersrand. A former Visiting Fellow at the Centre of African Studies and Research Associate at Wolfson College, University of Cambridge, and a Carnegie Corporation Fellow via the SSRC’s Next Generation of Social Science in Africa programme, his research spans the political economy of racialised welfare in 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, bringing a decolonial and critical theoretical lens to the study of power, knowledge and global order.Publications:The Colour of Inequality in South Africa and Brazil: making sense of social policy as reparationsMonuments and Memory in Africa: reflections on coloniality and decolonialityAgainst Imperial Social Policy: Recasting Mkandawire’s Transformative Ideas for Africa’s LiberationHistory of Racial Capitalism in Africa: Violence, Ideology, and PracticeContent00:00 – 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? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This special 100th episode of IR thinker revisits Germany’s gas security with Andreas Schroeder, the very first expert to appear on the channel in January 2023. We trace how Germany has reshaped its gas architecture since the war in Ukraine, from the shift towards short-term pipeline contracts and the rapid expansion of LNG import capacity to changes in storage policy and declining domestic gas consumption. The discussion examines plans for new gas-fired power plants, the security implications of the nuclear phase-out, and Germany’s emerging role as a gas hub and exporter in competition with neighbours such as Poland. We also explore the country’s growing dependence on US and Norwegian supplies, the debate over Russian LNG, and the prospects of sourcing gas from Africa, Qatar and Canada, before assessing the key risks that will define Germany’s natural gas security in the years ahead.Andreas SchroederAndreas Schroeder is Head of Energy Analytics (Quantitative) at Independent Commodity Intelligence Services (ICIS), where he leads an international team analysing global energy market dynamics. His work combines quantitative modelling with market intelligence to assess gas flows, contract structures and price formation across Europe and beyond, and he regularly contributes to analytical reports and media commentary on European gas security and energy transition challenges.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 Security Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of The IR thinker explores Mongolia’s evolving energy landscape with policy analyst Telmen Altanshagai, focusing on how a landlocked state navigates dependence, diversification and development. The conversation maps Mongolia’s current energy mix and security challenges, from coal reliance, heating and grid issues in Ulaanbaatar to infrastructure gaps in rural areas, before turning to governance structures and policy coordination. We examine the strategic implications of projects such as the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline and India’s investment in Mongolia’s first oil refinery, alongside China’s expanding role and the prospects for regional connectivity through concepts like the East Asian Power Grid. The episode also considers energy poverty and inequality, the impact of climate change, constraints posed by national debt, and what policy priorities a Mongolian prime minister should pursue to strengthen energy security and harness the global energy transition for long-term, broad-based development.Telmen AltanshagaiTelmen Altanshagai is a Washington, D.C.–based independent policy analyst and Energy and Climate Intern at Observer Research Foundation America, as well as a Fellow at the Global Policy Institute. Her work focuses on energy security and development economics across the Global South, with particular expertise on Mongolia, where she analyses how shifting global energy systems affect economic stability and long-term development trajectories. Publications:Mongolia’s Gas Pipeline Diversification Comes With RiskMongolia seeks new markets in EurasiaMongolia’s Precarious Energy SecurityContent00:00 – 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 Opportunities Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of The IR thinker offers a sharp, policy-focused tour of how Australia is recalibrating its security posture in an era of intensifying regional competition, with strategist and defence analyst Dr Peter Layton. The conversation examines the evolving logic of alliances with the United States and Japan, the growing reliance on multilateral formats, and the strategic stakes of AUKUS and submarine procurement for Australia’s long-term force structure. We also explore the potential and limits of the Quad and security cooperation with ASEAN, the dilemmas created by deep economic ties with China alongside mounting security concerns, and the vulnerabilities and trade-offs highlighted in the 2024 National Defence Strategy. The episode closes by assessing defence spending priorities, the challenge of diversifying supply chains, and under-researched aspects of Australia’s middle-power role in a more contested Indo-Pacific.Peter LaytonDr 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. A former RAAF officer with extensive experience in aviation and defence planning, he received the US Secretary of Defense’s Exceptional Public Service Medal for his work on force structure at the Pentagon and has held a research fellowship at the European University Institute. His research focuses on grand strategy, national security policy with a particular emphasis on middle powers, defence force structure concepts and the implications of emerging technologies, bringing together practitioner insight and academic analysis on Australia’s strategic choices.Publications:Non-Western Airpower: Diverse, Dissimilar and DisruptiveWarfare in the robotics age: Studies in technology and security: innovation, impact, and governanceGrand StrategyThe Idea of Grand StrategyContent00:00 – 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 Security Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of The IR thinker traces Georgia’s journey from Soviet-era infrastructure to today’s contested energy landscape with Professor Murman Margvelashvili. The conversation examines how Georgia’s energy mix has evolved up to 2025, the geopolitical risks attached to different sources, and the ownership and control of key hydropower assets. We explore prospects for hydrogen, the remaining headroom for renewables, and the political, technical and feasibility debates around nuclear power. The discussion also unpacks how conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia affect the grid, how Tbilisi balances Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Russia, the EU, China and the United States to preserve strategic autonomy, and whether additional transit pipelines from the Caspian to Europe are really needed. Finally, we look at untapped domestic potential, the reinvestment of transit revenues, resilience to blackouts and supply shocks, and the governance gaps and under-researched areas that will shape Georgia’s next energy chapter.Murman MargvelashviliProfessor Murman Margvelashvili is a leading Georgian energy policy expert with more than thirty years of experience in the sector, specialising in energy security, sustainability and the geopolitics of the energy transition. He is Director of Energy Studies at World Experience for Georgia, Associate Professor at Ilia State University, and Director of the Energy and Sustainability Institute, and has been closely involved in drafting the National Energy Policy, the National Energy and Climate Plan and the conceptual foundations of Georgia’s National Hydrogen Strategy.Publications:The Role of Black Sea Security in Shaping the Green Energy CorridorEnergy Ties in Occupied Abkhazia as a Potential Threat to Georgia’s Western AspirationsSystemic Approach to Energy SecurityContent00:00 – Introduction01:58 – From Soviet system to 2025: evolution of Georgia’s energy mix05:03 – Dependency and geopolitical risk across Georgia’s energy sources09:17 – Ownership and control of Georgian hydropower10:53 – Hydrogen in Georgia: prospects and pathways15:16 – Have renewables peaked? Headroom for additional capacity17:18 – Nuclear power in Georgia: options, debates, feasibility19:52 – Abkhazia and South Ossetia: implications for Georgia’s power grid22:48 – Balancing Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Russia, the EU and China: safeguarding strategic autonomy32:53 – Expanding Caspian gas to Europe: do new Georgian transit pipelines need to be built?34:51 – Armenia’s role in Georgia’s energy geopolitics36:50 – United States interests in Georgia’s energy sector38:51 – Türkiye–Azerbaijan energy cooperation: impacts on Georgia43:03 – Untapped and hidden energy potential in Georgia45:40 – Reinvesting transit revenues into energy modernisation50:20 – Supply shocks and blackouts: resilience and response53:21 – Assessing the effectiveness of Georgia’s energy strategy56:35 – Governance gaps and failures: lessons for reform01:02:14 – Under-researched energy topics in Georgia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of The IR thinker explores Ireland’s historic shift from a long-standing tradition of military neutrality towards a more structured national security strategy, with Dr Kenneth McDonagh. We discuss why a neutral state is now formalising its approach to security, the key domestic and external drivers behind this move, and whether neutrality will remain central or gradually erode. The conversation examines Ireland’s defence capabilities and investment choices, the protection of critical infrastructure, coordination between the Defence Forces, Gardaí and intelligence services, Ireland’s deeper integration into EU security structures, its relationship with the United States, cybersecurity posture, UN peacekeeping role, and how developments in Northern Ireland and the lingering threat of terrorism shape the new strategic debate.Kenneth McDonaghKenneth 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, bringing a nuanced understanding of how small European states such as Ireland navigate evolving security architectures at both regional and global levels.Publications:Ireland’s Foreign Relations in 2023Translating the Women, Peace and Security Agenda into EU Common Security and Defence Policy: Reflections from EU PeacebuildingThe Next European Century?‘Talking the Talk or Walking the Walk’: Understanding the EU ’s Security IdentityRisk, Global Governance and SecurityContent00:00 – Introduction01:53 – Reinterpreting Ireland’s Policy of Military Neutrality05:43 – Why Develop a National Security Strategy in a Neutral Country?08:14 – Key Drivers Behind Ireland’s Security Strategy10:23 – Will Military Neutrality Remain Central?11:58 – Is This a Step Towards NATO Membership?14:07 – Understanding the Capacity of Ireland’s Defence Forces19:00 – Is There Willingness to Invest in the Army?21:12 – Private Initiatives for Defence Development23:34 – Protecting Critical Infrastructure: Cables, Energy, Ports, Airports26:18 – Coordination of Defence, Gardaí, and Intelligence Without a Strategy28:11 – Ireland’s Integration into EU Security Structures31:37 – 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 Security39:25 – Expanding Security Cooperation with the US41:29 – Ireland’s Cybersecurity Posture45:17 – Presenting the Cyber Sector as a Deterrent48:02 – Ireland’s Role in UN Peacekeeping and Security54:05 – Northern Ireland and the New Security Strategy59:01 – Terrorism in Northern Ireland and Its Security Impact01:02:17 – Under-researched Areas in Ireland’s National Security Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.