Best Foreign Policy Research Instit Podcasts (2025)

1
The British Royal Family, Western Elections, and the Death of an Editor 27:29

1y ago27:29

27:29

In this month’s episode of The 1st Draft, Robert Kaplan and Dominic Green discuss the royal photo scandal, the upcoming US election and the importance of a great editor at The Atlantic.By Foreign Policy Research Instit

1
Malthus, Drones, and the Transformation of War 25:48

1y ago25:48

25:48

In this month’s episode of The 1st Draft, Robert Kaplan and Dominic Green discuss how population theory is misunderstood, and how low-tech countries are fielding high-tech weapons.By Foreign Policy Research Instit

1
The New Bipolar Conflict and the Fate of Western Elites 31:10

1+ y ago31:10

31:10

In this month’s episode of the 1st Draft, Robert Kaplan and Dominic Green discuss what the war in the Middle East is showing about our world.By Foreign Policy Research Instit

1
Ukraine, Israel-Gaza, Populism, and all the Interlinkages 31:27

1+ y ago31:27

31:27

In this month's episode of the 1st Draft, Robert Kaplan and Dominic Green discuss the "polycrisis" afflicting our world.By Foreign Policy Research Instit

1
"The Loom of Time" in the Middle East 31:10

1+ y ago31:10

31:10

Robert Kaplan and Dominic Green offer historical and philosophical perspectives on the upheavals in the region. The Loom of Time: Between Empire and Anarchy from the Mediterranean to China (Random House, 2023)By Foreign Policy Research Instit

1
Africa, Russia, and Geopolitical Imagination 29:23

1+ y ago29:23

29:23

On this episode of the 1st Draft, Robert Kaplan and Dominic Green discuss the recent coups in Africa, the military stalemate in Ukraine, and predict big events on the horizon.By Foreign Policy Research Instit

1
Ukraine, the Wagner Group, and the Difficulty Journalists Have In Interpreting it All 27:24

2y ago27:24

27:24

By Foreign Policy Research Instit

1
The New Tragic Age, Henry Kissinger at 100, and the Birth of "Late Antiquity" 30:00

2y ago30:00

30:00

Kaplan and Green discuss the current age in which we live and the world of almost 2,000 years ago, bringing into the discussion such varied authors as Evan Thomas, Peter Brown, and Lawrence Durrell.By Foreign Policy Research Instit

1
A Secret Coronation, Malthusian Fears, and a Ukrainian Fork in the Road 29:38

2y ago29:38

29:38

This month's discussion ranges from the part of King Charles' coronation that the public did not see, to a discussion of environmental limits, and to the prospect of a Ukrainian military victory. We also squeeze in Orwell and a legendary Manhattan editorial team.By Foreign Policy Research Instit

1
Ukraine, China, and V.S. Naipaul 28:19

2y ago28:19

28:19

This month on The 1st Draft, Robert and Dominic cover the anniversaries of the Ukraine and Iraq wars, the change in international affairs wrought by the rise of China as a full-spectrum power. They also discuss books by V. S. Naipaul and Tom Holland, and much more.By Foreign Policy Research Instit

1
China's Global Vision 30:25

3+ y ago30:25

30:25

What is Xi Jinping's vision for China's Future? In this episode of the Global Demons Podcast, Robert D. Kaplan is joined by Elizabeth Economy to discuss how China plans to secure its future from reclaiming its territory to influencing international norms and values.By Foreign Policy Research Instit

1
The Next Frontier in Great Power Rivalry: Competing With Russia and China in Cyberspace 30:03

3+ y ago30:03

30:03

What will be the next frontier of great power rivalry? In this episode of the Global Demons Podcast, Robert D. Kaplan will be joined by FPRI Senior Fellow Clint Watts to discuss Chinese and Russian information warfare strategies from hacking to social media disinformation. The winner of our podcast giveaway who will receive a signed copy of The Goo…

1
A Return To Cold War Influence? Putin's Strategy from Ukraine to Central Asia 32:49

3+ y ago32:49

32:49

As Russia competes with China and the U.S. in Eurasia and elsewhere on the world stage, how is Vladimir Putin hoping to regain Russia's sphere of influence? In this episode of the Global Demons Podcast, Robert D. Kaplan will be joined by FPRI Eurasia Program Director Chris Miller to discuss Russia's actions in Ukraine, its hope of returning to grea…

1
Approaching Iran: Isolation or Normalization 29:48

3+ y ago29:48

29:48

As Iran enters its second generation of revolutionary leaders, how will it interact with the United States, Russia, and China? In this episode of The Global Demons Podcast, host Robert D. Kaplan is joined by Karim Sadjadpour to discuss the future of Iran, how it will approach its domestic issues, and how it will approach its enemies and allies.…

1
How Intelligent Warfare Can Outsmart the China Threat 28:16

3+ y ago28:16

28:16

Is the U.S. ready to meet China technologically and militarily? In this episode of Global Demons, Robert D. Kaplan and Robert Work break down intelligent warfare, the pacing threat, and what war with China over Taiwan or the South China Sea might look like.By Foreign Policy Research Instit

1
Can the European Union Keep Up? 28:06

3+ y ago28:06

28:06

How will the European Union keep up in a world of great power rivalry? In this episode of Global Demons, Robert D. Kaplan is joined by Wes Mitchell to discuss Europe's past, present, and future as it deals with pandemics, migration, security threats, and other terrors of the 21st century.By Foreign Policy Research Instit

1
India's Status as a Great Power 30:41

3+ y ago30:41

30:41

How has India tried to secure its position as a great power? In this episode of Global Demons, Robert D. Kaplan and Ashley J. Tellis discuss India's status as an Asian great power, its future under Narendra Modi, and how it deals with the U.S.-China Rivalry.By Foreign Policy Research Instit

1
Great Power Rivalry and Regional Tensions in the Middle East 29:23

3+ y ago29:23

29:23

How does great power rivalry interact with regional tensions in the Middle East and across the globe? What role does social media play? In this episode of the Global Demons Podcast, Robert D. Kaplan is joined by Kim Ghattas to discuss regional tension in the Middle East from Iran to Lebanon and more.…

1
NATO's Role in Great Power Rivalries 29:26

3+ y ago29:26

29:26

NATO’s challenge today is to manage relations between a “Europe whole and free” and a resurgent Russia, encouraging stability without provoking tension. In this episode of the Global Demons Podcast, Host Robert D. Kaplan is joined by General Philip Breedlove to discuss how NATO should be adapting to the new age of great power rivalry.…

1
Domestic Challenges in the U.S.-China Competition 28:35

3+ y ago28:35

28:35

What are the internal challenges to effective competition with China? In this episode of the Global Demons Podcast, Host Robert D. Kaplan is joined by Ambassador J. Stapleton Roy to discuss the future of U.S. competition with China, including the domestic challenges both Chinese and American leadership currently face.…

1
Frenemies: The Russo-Chinese Relationship 30:57

3+ y ago30:57

30:57

How does the Chinese-Russian relationship affect the U.S. strategic position abroad? In this episode of the Global Demons Podcast, Host Robert D. Kaplan is joined by Nikolas Gvosdev to discuss how this relationship came about and how U.S. policy can be used to pull the two nations apart.By Foreign Policy Research Instit

1
The China Threat and U.S. Defense Strategies 29:03

4y ago29:03

29:03

Why should the average American care about the China Threat? In this episode of the Global Demons Podcast, Host Robert D. Kaplan is joined by Elbridge Colby to discuss Chinese military and defense strategies and how the U.S. and its allies should engage with China in the future.By Foreign Policy Research Instit

1
Belt and Road Meets the Pandemic 29:49

4y ago29:49

29:49

How did China's Belt and Road Initiative fare during the COVID-19 Pandemic? In this episode of the Global Demons Podcast, Host Robert D. Kaplan is joined by Bruno Maçães to discuss how China's marquis initiative continued to expand unabated - outward, from Eurasia and the Middle East and into Western-dominated Europe.…

1
Great Power Rivalry and the Evolving Relationships Within Asia 32:53

4y ago32:53

32:53

How do other Asian countries view the emerging great power competition between the United States and China? In this Episode of the Global Demons Podcast, Host Robert D. Kaplan is joined by Parag Khanna to discuss the Asian perspective on this simmering rivalry.By Foreign Policy Research Instit

1
First Look: The Global Demons Podcast 2:48

4y ago2:48

2:48

FPRI is pleased to introduce The Global Demons Podcast. Here is a special first look at upcoming episodes.By Foreign Policy Research Instit

1
The Hunt for Mobile Missiles 25:53

4+ y ago25:53

25:53

This week FPRI's Director of Research Aaron Stein and Senior Fellow Paul Bracken discuss Bracken's new report: The Hunt for Mobile Missiles: Nuclear Weapons, AI, and the New Arms Race.By Foreign Policy Research Instit

1
U.S. Troop Movements in Germany 27:12

4+ y ago27:12

27:12

This past week, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper announced that the United States would withdraw 11,800 troops from Germany, with 5.600 of those being repositioned at other locations in Europe, and the remainder being redeployed to the continental United States, but could be called to deploy to Europe on a rotational basis. To discuss these proposed…

1
Thinking About Iran 58:04

5+ y ago58:04

58:04

As tensions between the US and Iran ratchet up, and the 2015 nuclear deal increasingly looks like a dead letter, the prospect of war – whether by intention or by accident – is a growing concern. Is there a diplomatic way out of this impasse, or not? Is Iran on its way to becoming a nuclear power, or not? To explore these questions and others, we ar…

1
From Freedom Fighters to Jihadists 22:00

5+ y ago22:00

22:00

In this edition of FPRI Radio Michael Noonan, the director of FPRI's Program on National Security, sits down and speaks with Harvard University's Vera Mironova on her new book From Freedom Fighters to Jihadists. This book, based upon Mironova's extensive field research, deals with how armed groups manage their human resources. They discussed the ro…

1
A Conversation with Lt. Gen. Jonathon Riley: Afghanistan, the US-UK Relationship, and Brexit 26:52

5+ y ago26:52

26:52

In this episode of FPRI Radio Michael Noonan, director of FPRI’s Program on National Security, sits down with retired British Army Lt. General Jonathon Riley to discuss the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the military cultures of the United States and the UK, the state of the Special Relationship, and Brexit and the UK’s defense policy. Lt. Gen. Rile…

1
From Counterterrorism to Conventional Threats: The Future of War 33:59

6y ago33:59

33:59

For the inaugural session of our new Main Line Briefings, hosted and cosponsored by The Haverford School, we are pleased to feature an in-depth conversation between Drs. Marisa Porges (Head of The Baldwin School) and John Nagl (Headmaster of The Haverford School). By coincidence, the two heads of these prestigious private schools on the Main Line a…

1
Israel's Election: An Update 24:26

6y ago24:26

24:26

Israelis head to the polls on April 9th. To get a sense of the state of the race, the political maneuvering by elements of the Israeli center, the viability of Prime Minister Netanyahu's coalition, and what this may mean for the United States, FPRI Middle East Director Aaron Stein speaks with Robert A. Fox Fellow Ronen Hoffman, a former member of t…

1
Taxing Wars: The American Way of War Finance and the Decline of Democracy 24:46

6+ y ago24:46

24:46

In this episode of FPRI Radio Michael Noonan sits down with Sarah Kreps from Cornell University to discuss her Pennsylvania roots and her latest book Taxing Wars: The American Way of War Finance and the Decline of Democracy. (Editor's note: This interview was conducted prior to Veterans Day.)By Foreign Policy Research Instit

1
Oceans Ventured: The Cold War at Sea 1:15:39

6+ y ago1:15:39

1:15:39

Drawing on recently declassified documents, John Lehman tells the untold story of the Cold War at sea -- and why it matters today. John's story is also an FPRI story as he got his start here when he was a grad student at UPENN. When he left FPRI, he went on to serve in many high-ranking positions, including Deputy Director of the Arms Control and D…

1
What Does the "Day After" look like for Syria? 18:50

6+ y ago18:50

18:50

While the conflict in Syria shows no sign of abating, scholars and policymakers alike are trying to make projections for the “day after,” when the fighting stops and reconstruction begins. In this podcast, Dr. Benedetta Berti tackles this thorny issue as well as the necessity of disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) of former combata…

1
Is Israel Losing Its Soul? 33:56

7y ago33:56

33:56

On July 19, Israel’s parliament passed a controversial nation-state law. Designed by its proponents to promote Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people, it is seen by its critics there and abroad as fundamentally anti-democratic. In this conversation with Barak Mendelsohn, we will explore the precise meaning of the law, the impetus for it, a…

1
The BackChannel: Friends into Foes, Foes into Friends? The Trump Putin Summit in Geopolitical Perspective 56:31

7y ago56:31

56:31

In the latest episode of FPRI’s Back Channel, Host Ron Granieri welcomes Templeton Fellows Dominic Tierney and Nada Bakos along with special guests Trudy Rubin of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Chris Miller, Professor of Tufts University and the Director of FPRI’s Eurasia Program, to discuss the Helsinki summit and its impact on contemporary geopoli…

1
The BackChannel: Artificial Intelligence, Genuine Transformations: The Tech Revolution and the future of National Security 40:01

7y ago40:01

40:01

In the latest episode of FPRI’s new podcast, The BackChannel, host Ron Granieri welcomes Templeton Fellows Dominic Tierney and Nada Bakos along with special guest, Professor Michael Horowitz of the University of Pennsylvania to discuss the latest developments in artificial intelligence and their impact on contemporary geopolitics. The global techno…

1
The BackChannel: Israel, Palestine, and the USA: How Many States, How Many Partners? 53:49

7y ago53:49

53:49

In the latest episode of FPRI’s new podcast series, The BackChannel, host Ron Granieri welcomes Templeton Fellow Dominic Tierney, Director of FPRI’s Program on the Middle East Tally Helfont, and special guest FPRI Fox Fellow Joshua Krasna to discuss the complex relationship between the United States, Israel, and the Palestinian Authority. Continuin…

1
The BackChannel: North Korea and the United States: Fire and Fury, or Friends for Now? 36:11

7y ago36:11

36:11

In this premiere episode of FPRI’s new podcast series, BackChannel, Host Ron Granieri welcomes Templeton Fellows Nada Bakos and Dominic Tierney and special guest Benjamin Silberstein to discuss US-North Korean relations. Following the FPRI tradition of analyzing contemporary geopolitics through the lens of history, geography, and culture, Granieri …

1
Ending the Great War 1:01:03

7y ago1:01:03

1:01:03

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War. Why did Germany lose the war? What role did the US play in winning the war? How did the war’s ending lead to an even greater conflict a generation later? To answer these questions and more, we are pleased to feature a lecture by FPRI Senior Fellow John Maurer, the Alfred Thaye…

1
Syria between Russia and the US: Is There a Path to Peace? 42:25

7y ago42:25

42:25

The war in Syria is reaching a decisive point. As the campaign against ISIL winds down, the battle for influence over the final settlement in Syria is heating up. This larger war—geopolitically more consequential than the campaign against ISIL—is characterized by shifting and sometimes surprising coalitions of states and non-state actors. Despite s…

1
Navigating the Global Financial System amid Terrorist Networks, Arms Smugglers, Sanctions, and Money Laundering 28:05

7y ago28:05

28:05

Juan Zarate served as the Deputy National Security Advisor for Combating Terrorism from 2005 to 2009, and was the first ever Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes. Zarate sits on several boards, including the Vatican’s Financial Information Authority, the Board of Advisors to the Director of the National C…

1
Russia, the EU, and the Lands in Between 34:18

7y ago34:18

34:18

As tensions between the West and East mount, FPRI Senior Fellow Mitchell Orenstein will home in on the geopolitical competition between the European Union and Russia over the lands in between. A specialist in European studies and international political economy, Orenstein has consulted for the World Bank, USAID, and other organizations. He has live…

1
China's Emerging Role in the Asia-Pacific and Beyond 35:36

7y ago35:36

35:36

Toshi Yoshihara, Senior Fellow, Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments Before joining CSBA, Toshi Yoshihara held the John A. van Beuren Chair of Asia-Pacific Studies at the U.S. Naval War College where he taught strategy for over a decade. Yoshihara has testified before the Defense Policy Board, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the …

1
The Return of Marco Polo's World 35:50

7y ago35:50

35:50

Robert Kaplan, Senior Fellow, Center for New American Security FPRI is excited to present Robert Kaplan and his newest collection of essays, "The Return of Marco Polo's World," described by General David Petraeus as "a truly pathbreaking, brilliant synthesis and analysis of geographic, political, technological, and economic trends with far-reaching…

1
Life After the Caliphate 32:57

7y ago32:57

32:57

This episode, hosted by Tally Helfont, Director of FPRI's Program on the Middle East, is the first in a four part series exploring topics related to FPRI's latest project: After the Caliphate: Reassessing the Jihadi Threat and Restoring Stability in the Fertile Crescent. Today we explore how ISIS and others are able to utilize online platforms to c…

1
Strait and Narrower?: Beijing’s Flight Paths, Taiwan’s International Space, and Regional Security 1:00:26

7y ago1:00:26

1:00:26

Jacques deLisle, Director, Asia Program, FPRI Scott Kastner, University of Maryland, College Park Wojtek Wolfe, Rutgers-Camden University Thomas J. Shattuck, Research Associate, FPRI (Moderator) Last month, China adopted new civilian aircraft flight paths over the Taiwan Strait, near Taiwan-controlled islands, without consulting Taiwan’s government…

1
North Korea: What is to be Done? 1:10:50

7y ago1:10:50

1:10:50

To comment on the volatile situation on the Korean Peninsula, we are pleased to feature one of the world’s foremost authorities on North Korea. Sue Terry served as a Senior Analyst on Korean issues at the CIA from 2001 to 2008. From 2008 to 2009 she served as director for Korea, Japan and Oceanic Affairs at the National Security Council under both …

1
The Vietnam War: Beyond Ken Burns and Lynn Novick's Documentary 41:57

7+ y ago41:57

41:57

We are pleased to present a panel of Vietnam veterans to discuss the significance of the Vietnam War, both personally and for America's place in the world. The panelists reflected on their own experience in the war and how it shaped their post-war understandings of American politics and foreign policy. They also added insights on Burns and Novick's…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Foreign Policy Research Instit Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen