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Chaos Theory

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Chaos Theory unpicks the complexity of a fragmenting world. It is hosted by Hassan Damluji and Mike Martin. 


Reaching behind the events that shape the news, the duo discuss the real calculus for political leaders as they navigate the shifting plates of our international order.  


Hassan, a former executive at the Gates Foundation, now advises governments and international organizations on global challenges like pandemics and climate change; Mike, a former British Army officer and writer on conflict, was elected in 2024 as a British Member of Parliament and sits on the Defence Select Committee.


Whether it be war or peace, crisis or development, Hassan and Mike expose the true currents shaping global events.


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Mike Martin MP has authored several major books on conflict, most recently ‘How to Fight A War’ (Hurst, 2023). As a Pashto-speaking British officer in Afghanistan, he reinvented the role of political officer for the modern age and has since advised militaries all over the world on this approach. In 2024 he was elected Liberal Democrat MP for Tunbridge Wells, a seat that had been held by the Conservative Party for 114 years. As an MP and a member of the UK Defence Select Committee, Mike sits at the interface of international geopolitical challenges, government, and the day-to-day concerns of voters.


Hassan Damluji is the founder and Executive Director of Global Nation, a think tank focused on strengthening international cooperation. He is also Senior Fellow in International Relations at the London School of Economics. Hassan is a senior advisor to many of the largest global philanthropies, UN agencies and governments, helping them to build concrete initiatives to tackle global challenges. His book, The Responsible Globalist (Allan Lane, 2019) set out a bold theory for how to strengthen international cooperation, which he now works to implement through his think tank, Global Nation.  

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4 Episodes
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Battle for the Red Sea: 3 Wars You've Never Heard Of

Battle for the Red Sea: 3 Wars You've Never Heard Of

2026-10-2755:20

Hassan and Mike offer an insider perspective on the connected wars for control of the Bab El-Mandeb strait and access to the Red Sea. Following Houthi attacks on Riyadh and America's reluctance to ensure Saudi Arabia's security, can Europe fill the defence vacuum in the Gulf? If this is a cataclysmic moment for the Middle East's strategic geopolitics, what does that mean for China in its ascendancy?With both hosts having lived in Yemen and Somaliland respectively, what do their experiences reveal about the fundamental dynamics driving conflict in the Horn of Africa and the Gulf?Could there in fact be a case for optimism regarding the well-documented rivalry between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, manifesting in conflicts across the Horn of Africa?00:00 Intro03:44 Saudi Arabia's Annus Horibilis07:04 America and Saudi's Alliance Breakdown11:52 Can Europe Fill the Security Vacuum?17:57 What About China? 23:21 True Nature of Saudi/UAE Competition 27:05 The Fall of Yemen to Drug Addiction 33:40 Conflicts Across the Horn of Africa37:41 Living in Somaliland40:01 The Geopolitics of Khat43:32 Ethiopia's Push for Domination48:58 Who Can Resolve These Conflicts?52:08 Is Economic Development the Answer? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Will Russia and America Break Europe Apart?

Will Russia and America Break Europe Apart?

2026-10-1348:28

Hassan draws on his expertise in pandemic preparedness and prevention to assess the headlines about the plague in Russia. Mike, back from Parliamentary recess, considers the latest phase of Russia’s war on Ukraine and how Europe is being squeezed between the pincers of Putin and Trump.They discuss why we should not expect Russia to be open about what really happened, but why there is no need to panic just yet. They also examine the impact of Trump’s new deal to buy diesel from Russia, the tenacious differences between political cultures and why deeper European integration appears unlikely.00:00 Intro01:47 Pandemic Risk: Ebola04:49 Plague Outbreak in Siberia10:29 The Challenges of Data Sharing13:58 Russia’s Political Culture of Secrecy20:48 Is War in Europe Escalating?24:42 Putin’s Tactics Explained29:58 Will Europe Rally Together?34:02 Building A European Political Culture37:54 Europe’s Security Integration42:23 How Nations Are Made45:25 Who Can Lead Europe? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Can Democracy Survive AI Imperialism?

Can Democracy Survive AI Imperialism?

2026-09-2956:39

Welcome back to Chaos Theory! Hassan has just returned from the UN General Assembly, where winning the AI race was top of the agenda. Mike's party has just won a council by-election against a Reform campaign that was heavily backed by crypto billionaire money. AI is new, but we’ve seen this movie before. The last time a few countries pulled ahead in a technological race, the result was colonialism, deep inequality and exploitation. Most countries, Europe included, are not doing enough to prevent history repeating itself. And this time they'll be the losers. The worst impacts are still to come, but Hassan and Mike talk about the disruption that is already visible, including billionaires using the AI era to serve their own interests and politics, and weakening democracy as a result.Chapters00:00 Intro02:58 Are We Racing to AI Imperialism?09:45 Replicating China's Strategy16:06 AI as Offensive Weapon19:21 Can Middle Powers Achieve 'Non-Dependence'24:47 Return To The Law of The Jungle27:55 Will The US Invade its Allies?32:45 Whoever Wins AI, Wins?34:57 Mike's Council By-Election vs. Reform38:30 Campaigning Against Reform's Crypto Millions43:54 Farage Says You Can't Change Electoral Law49:10 Is US-Led Tech Imperialism Dividing the UK?54:01 Can Democracy Survive? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How Iran and Ukraine Became One War

How Iran and Ukraine Became One War

2026-09-1554:57

Why has Iran's regime survived a war with Israel and the US - two of the world's most advanced militaries? Why can't Russia, with one of the most powerful armed forces, defeat Ukraine? And what do these two conflicts, thousands of miles apart, have to do with each other? In the first episode of Chaos Theory, Hassan Damluji and Mike Martin MP argue that Ukraine and Iran are merging into a single war, fought on two fronts, and together they reveal the fault lines of our fracturing world order. Hassan and Mike unpack why raw military power keeps failing to deliver victory, what the war in Ukraine and the conflict with Iran reveal about the limits of US and Russian strength, and why the outcomes of both will shape the global balance of power for a generation. Join Hassan and Mike for the first episode of Chaos Theory, a new podcast about the geopolitics of war, power, and our fracturing international order.Chapters00:00 Intro03:52 The Iran War is Expanding09:06 Never Fight Mountain Folk12:58 Why Are Arab Armed Forces So Ineffective?16:05 Has American Security Collapsed In The Gulf?18:28 Ukraine’s Alliance with The Gulf21:27 Developments in Drone Warfare25:03 Can Ukraine Survive?27:38 How Ukraine and Iran Became One Conflict30:18 Cold War 233:54 The Pathway to World War Escalation37:39 An Optimistic Case40:53 25th Anniversary of 9/1144:20 Trump’s Diesel Price Nonsense46:47 Are China Long-Term Winners50:01 Did US Allow Saudi To Fail?52:15 Will China Ever Expand Into The Gulf? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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