Hopkins Podcast On Foreign Affairs

In today’s podcast, we discuss the South China Sea with Greg Poling of CSIS. At the end of March, more than 200 Chinese fishing vessels were spotted anchored off of Whitsun Reef, a contested land feature in the South China Sea. These were no normal fishing vessels however, they were part of China’s maritime militia, … Continue reading Trouble in the South China Sea

Since our last podcast on the global search for a COVID-19 vaccine, featuring Dr. Chris Beyrer, multiple vaccine candidates representing countries and private corporations around the world have begun worldwide distribution in an effort to finally end the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this distribution has been heavily criticized for its unevenness, as higher-income countries have secured … Continue reading Vaccine Nationalism

 The US Department of Defense. One of, if not the largest bureaucracy in the world with a budget larger than the next ten countries combined. Where does its budget come? Why does it receive so much federal money? And, how should the US reform its military spending to meet the challenges of the 21st Century?To … Continue reading FP Toolbox: The U.S. Defense Budget

In 2011, Syrian protests against the Assad regime escalated into a long and complex conflict between the Syrian government backed by Russia and Iran and rebel groups backed by the United States, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia. Diplomatic efforts have been unsuccessful as the Syrian regime has been accused multiple times of using chemical weapons in … Continue reading The U.S. Failure in Syria

Today we will be discussing Germany after Merkel. Who is Angela Merkel?  How did she change Germany during her 15 years in office? How will Germany be different under the next Chancellor? Joining us today to answer these questions is Dr. Constanze Stelzenmuller.  A Post-Merkel Germany Constanze Stelzenmüller is an expert on German, European, and … Continue reading A Post-Merkel Germany

Today we will be discussing artificial intelligence. what is AI? Why it has increasingly been seen as a national security threat, and what are its effects on US-China competition? How does this “new oil” of the century affect us? Joining us today to parse through these complicated questions is Henry Farrell.  AI and National Security … Continue reading AI and National Security

The ongoing U.S. military presence in Afghanistan has become a sore point in American international and domestic affairs. At home, it was a major political promise for Donald Trump to pull the U.S. out of what have been called its “forever wars” in the Middle East. Four years, several peace talks, and large troop removals … Continue reading The Forever War in Afghanistan

Iran is a major force in world affairs. Since Ayatollah Khomeini and the clerical class established a theocratic regime in 1979, the Islamic Republic has behaved in opposition to US incursions in its backyard and plays a central role in conversations on regional stability and global security. With the Ayatollah’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and … Continue reading Iran and Biden: A New Chapter

What is the story of Hong Kong? In our first episode for our new NARRATIVE series, Up to Speed, POFA tells the story of Hong Kong’s rise, its earth-shaking protests, and its future under the newly imposed National Security Law.  Up to Speed: The Story of Hong Kong If you liked this narrative style, or … Continue reading Up to Speed: The Story of Hong Kong

On his first day in office, President Joe Biden revoked the Keystone Pipeline’s permit, all but shutting down construction. But, why did the Biden Administration decide to do this? What has made the Keystone Pipeline so controversial in the United States? And what does that mean for the future of US-Canada relations? Joining us today … Continue reading The Geopolitics of the Keystone Pipeline

Millions of people worldwide are affected by the human trafficking crisis, which has only been exacerbated by the COVD-19 pandemic. In this episode, we will cover what human trafficking or modern slavery is, and what makes people vulnerable. We will also discuss the international security risks posed by human trafficking, including how it can be … Continue reading The Human Trafficking Crisis

In the early hours of February 1st, 2021, Myanmar’s military staged a coup d’etat against its democratically elected government. Myanmar’s defacto civilian leader, Aung san suu kyi was arrested, alongside Myanmar’s president and dozens of other civilian officials. By the afternoon, the military had announced the imposition of a one-year state of emergency, in which … Continue reading Myanmar’s Uncertain Future

Does the new EU-China investment agreement signal a closer relationship between the two powers? The EU and China reached an important investment agreement – just as the US is seeking to strengthen its own relationships with its European allies. Why have the EU and China reached this deal, what does it contain, and how will … Continue reading Trade and Strategy: The EU-China Investment Deal

Is the Brexit saga coming to an end? On the last day of 2020, the United Kingdom and the European Union signed an important agreement that will define much of the post-Brexit relationship between the two powers. What does this Trade and Cooperation Agreement contain, and how will it impact the economies and politics between … Continue reading Post-Brexit Europe: What Now? with Professor Matthias Matthijs

In this episode of the foreign policy toolbox, we discuss the importance of nuclear arms control, its history and its future.  FP Toolbox: Nuclear Arms Control with Ms. Rebecca Hersman Rebecca Hersman is director of the Project on Nuclear Issues (PONI) and senior adviser with the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and … Continue reading FP Toolbox: Nuclear Arms Control with Ms. Rebecca Hersman

In this special episode of the podcast, we discuss the future of U.S.-Russia relations under the Biden Administration with former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War generated meteoric expectations for US-Russia relations. Just thirty years later, not only have these expectations not … Continue reading Russia: From Cold War to Hot Peace with Amb. Michael McFaul

Today on the podcast, we discuss Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish foreign policy, and Turkey’s increasing impact on the Middle East and the world. Who is President Erdogan? What are his domestic and foreign policy goals and motivations? What has President Erdoğan’s policies been towards neighboring Middle Eastern countries, specifically Syria, Iraq, Iran, and … Continue reading Erdogan and Turkish Foreign Policy with Dr. Henri Barkey

Today, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden was inaugurated into office as the 46th President of the United States. Throughout his campaign, Biden promised to conduct a drastically different foreign policy than his predecessor. We look at what this change could look like in Latin America on issues such as global action for climate change, … Continue reading Biden and Latin America with Brian Winter

Welcome back to the Hopkins Podcast on Foreign Affairs, the entirely student-run podcast out of Johns Hopkins University. In this episode, we dive into the topic of Hindu nationalism — how has it affected Indian politics, society, and foreign policy? To help us answer these questions, today on the podcast we are joined by Dr. … Continue reading The Rise of Hindu Nationalism with Dr. Milan Vaishnav

Welcome back to the Hopkins Podcast on Foreign Affairs, the entirely student-run podcast out of Johns Hopkins University. The U.S. – Russia relationship is at a near thirty year low. From the Russian annexation of Crimea, to covert poisonings authorized by the Kremlin abroad, interference in democratic elections, and most recently, a massive cyber espionage … Continue reading Recalculating Russia with Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman