Episodes
-
01:01:35 Episode 17: Alastair Campbell on New Labour and Brexit, Alistair Darling on the Financial Crisis
Chatham House - Undercurrents addIn the latest volume of his diaries, out this week, Alastair Campbell (former Director of Communications for Tony Blair) looks back on Gordon Brown's time in office between 2007 and 2010. Ben met Alastair to discuss among other things the art of political leadership, Brexit, the state of the Labour Party and policies to combat mental illness. Listen from 5:17.
This month marked 10 years since the 2008 financial crisis, an event that still weighs heavily on political systems across the world. Agnes visited London's Guildhall to discuss the aftermath of the crash with Alistair Darling (former Chancellor of the Exchequer), who was speaking at an event organised by Chatham House's Global Economy and Finance Department. Listen from 35:47.
Read the book:
Alastair Campbell Diaries Volume 7: From Crash to Defeat 2007-2010
Find out more about the event:
A Decade on from the Financial Crisis: the Legacy and Lessons of 2008
We apologise for the sound quality at the start of this episode, please stick with it - it improves!
- 00:51:04
Episode 16: Cybercrime in the GCC states, and Fiction from Refugee Camps
Chatham House - Undercurrents addCybercrime is on the rise throughout the world, but the vast wealth of the GCC states (Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait) makes them especially vulnerable. In response increasingly stringent laws governing online activity have been enacted, but do these measures encroach too much on the rights of individuals? Agnes speaks to Joyce Hakmeh to find out.
Much is written about the experiences of refugees, but rarely do we hear from them directly. Shatila Stories, a new novel from Peirene Press, is the result of a groundbreaking project to teach creative writing in the Shatila refugee camp in Lebanon. Ben finds out more in conversation with Meike Ziervogel and Suhir Helal.
Read the research paper:
Cybercrime legislation in the GCC countries: fit for purpose?
Read the book:
-
Missing episodes?
- 01:01:51
Episode 15: Brexit Update, and Corruption in the World of the Global Super-Rich
Chatham House - Undercurrents addJust under 18 months have passed since the UK government triggered Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, formally beginning the UK's exit from the European Union. With only seven months left to sign a withdrawal agreement, Ben discusses the state of the negotiations with Georgina Wright, from Chatham House's Europe Programme. Among other issues they tackle the Irish border question, Michel Barnier's approach to the negotiations and how the EU member states are responding to the challenge of Brexit. Listen from 7:00.
The global financial system has long allowed wealthy individuals to escape the confines of their domestic tax systems and hide their money in foreign havens. Oliver Bullough is an investigative journalist whose new book Moneyland explores how the institutions of Europe and the United States have become money-laundering operations, undermining the foundations of Western stability and allowing dictators in the Global South to siphon away their country's resources for personal gain. Agnes meets Oliver to find out more. Listen from 27:37.
Read the Expert Comment:
An Orderly No-Deal Brexit Would Still Come With Costs
Read the book:
Moneyland: Why Thieves And Crooks Now Rule the World and How to Take it Back
- 00:44:01
Episode 14: Sustainable Energy for Refugees, and Australian Foreign Policy
Chatham House - Undercurrents addThe average refugee camp has a lifespan of 18 years, but in most cases the infrastructure in place is designed for temporary emergency responses. One area this particularly affects is energy provision, with the majority of refugees reliant on burning wood. On top of this, many humanitarian agencies are dependent upon costly and damaging diesel fuel to power their relief efforts.
The Moving Energy Initiative at Chatham House believes that renewable energy solutions can improve the health and quality of life of refugees while also saving money for the aid providers. Agnes speaks to Owen Grafham, who manages the initiative, to find out more.
Also in this episode, Ben meets Richard McGregor, a Senior Research Fellow at the Lowy Institute for International Affairs in Sydney, to discuss Australia's foreign policy in the midst of the Sino-US struggle for supremacy in Asia.
Read the Expert Comment:
Why Access to Energy Can Empower Refugees
Read more on Asian geopolitics:
- 00:50:23
Episode 13: India's Billionaires, and Sexual Exploitation in the UN
Chatham House - Undercurrents addIndia is the world’s largest democracy, with more than one billion people and an economy expanding faster than China’s. But the rewards of this growth have been far from evenly shared, and the country’s top 1% now own nearly 60% of its wealth. James Crabtree's new book The Billionaire Raj explores the dynamics behind the rise of a new class of Indian billionaires. Ben met up with James, and Champa Patel from the Asia-Pacific Programme, to discuss inequality, corruption and capitalism in modern India.
A series of scandals involving the sexual exploitation of vulnerable people by individuals working for, or with, the United Nations have shaken the organization in recent years. The issue is beginning to be addressed by an ambitious new strategy from Secretary-General Guterres. Ben and Agnes met Jane Connors, the first Victims’ Rights Advocate for the United Nations, to discuss the difficulties of changing the culture around sexual exploitation both inside the organisation and with its external partners.
Find the Book:
The Billionaire Raj: A Journey Through India's New Gilded Age
Watch the Chatham House Event:
- 01:04:56
Episode 12: Trump's Visit to the UK, and Japanese Foreign Policy in Asia
Chatham House - Undercurrents addPresident Trump is visiting the UK this week in between summits with NATO and Russian President Putin. Agnes discusses the UK-US special relationship and European responses to the current President with Leslie Vinjamuri (Head of the US & Americas Programme) and Hans Kundnani (Senior Research Fellow in the Europe Programme).
Another country adapting its foreign policy approach in light of an increasingly unpredictable US is Japan. A new special issue of International Affairs explores Japan's relations with its Asian neighbours. Ben speaks to Corey Wallace, one of the issue's guest-editor's, about Japan's response to the Singapore Summit, TPP and China's role in the region.
Read the Expert Comment:
To Engage America, Theresa May Should Recognize the Real Concerns that Trump Raises
Read the International Affairs special issue:
- 01:00:15
Episode 11: New Approaches to Peace Building, and Gender-Inclusive Growth at the G20
Chatham House - Undercurrents addAlistair Burt MP is Minister of State for the Middle East at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. In a recent speech at Chatham House he launched a new report from the government's Stabilisation Unit on new approaches to resolving armed conflicts. Drawing on examples from conflicts as diverse as Libya and Colombia, the report explores how deal making and peace building can reduce conflicts around the world. Agnes spoke with Alistair after the speech to find out more.
Despite the success and acclaim garnered by movements such as Time's Up and #MeToo, women's access to the global economy is still a major issue. From gender pay gaps to the lack of affordable childcare, in the majority of countries women are still greatly disadvantaged. The Gender and Growth Initiative at Chatham House seeks to develop policies for combatting these problems. In their first joint interview Agnes and Ben caught up with Stephane Dubois and Roxanne Bildan to discuss how the initiative is working with the G20 to drive change in this area.
Read the speech:
Deal Making and Peace Building: a New Approach to Reducing Conflict
Find out more:
Chatham House 2018 International Policy Forum on Gender-Inclusive Growth
- 00:57:00
BONUS Episode: How Can Political Elites Reconnect With Voters?
Chatham House - Undercurrents addIn this bonus episode we bring you a recording of a roundtable from the 2018 Chatham House London Conference. This annual event brings together policy-makers, academics and business figures from around the world to London to discuss key global issues.
Undercurrents hosted a breakfast roundtable as part of the conference, focusing on how elites can re-engage with their publics. A panel of experts from six different countries joined Ben and Agnes to share their views on questions including:
Is political participation in decline? Are traditional forms of politics outdated? What impact has the digital revolution had on the political sphere? How can politicians reconnect with their voters?Listen to more highlights from the London Conference 2018.
- 00:53:56
Episode 10: Artificial Intelligence in International Affairs, and Women Drivers in Saudi Arabia
Chatham House - Undercurrents addTechnology driven by artificial intelligence is developing rapidly, but the political spectrum is not responding fast enough. Agnes discusses machine learning, the profusion of cat photos online and public-private partnerships on AI regulation with Jacob Parakilas from the US and Americas Programme.
In 2017 the government of Saudi Arabia lifted the ban on women driving, to international acclaim. In the run-up to this policy becoming reality however Saudi women's rights activists have been threatened and imprisoned by the same administration. Ben meets Jane Kinninmont from the Middle East and North Africa Programme, who explains the significance of this and other Saudi social reforms.
Read the Chatham House Report:
Artificial Intelligence and International Affairs: Disruption Anticipated
Read the Expert Comment:
The Arrests of Saudi Women’s Driving Activists Underline the Limits of Reforms
- 00:43:50
Episode 9: Digital Subversion in Cyberspace, and Oleg Sentsov's Hunger Strike
Chatham House - Undercurrents addSince ancient times states have attempted campaigns of subversion against their rivals. Sir David Omand, former Head of GCHQ, argues that cyberspace provides a multitude of new possibilities for interfering abroad. Ben met Sir David to discuss Russian interventions, fake news, foreign policy frenemies and jihadist social media.
After the annexation of Crimea in 2014, Ukrainian activists have faced harsh penalties for criticizing Russian actions in the region. Agnes met Nikolay and Tatyana Shchur to discuss the case of Oleg Sentsov, a film-maker and activist currently serving 20 years in a Russian prison for charges which some have claimed are fabricated.
Read the Journal of Cyber Policy article:
The threats from modern digital subversion and sedition
Find out more about the case of Oleg Sentsov:
Ukrainian film-maker Oleg Sentsov goes on hunger strike in Russian prison
- 00:27:51
Episode 8: Ronan Farrow on Diplomacy
Chatham House - Undercurrents addRonan Farrow is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who was previously a foreign policy advisor to Hillary Clinton. In his new book, War on Peace, Farrow traces the decline of US diplomacy over the past 30 years, drawing on conversations with every surviving Secretary of State.
This week Agnes met up with Farrow to discuss the waning reputation of career diplomats, how foreign leaders should deal with the Trump administration, and how new technology is transforming the art of diplomacy.
A longer transcript of the interview will be published in the June/July issue of The World Today.
- 00:45:56
Episode 7: Libya's War Economy, and is the United Nations Still Relevant?
Chatham House - Undercurrents addThe United Nations has been going since 1945, and is the basis for most international cooperation. But in this disruptive political environment, is it still relevant? This week, Ben speaks to UN expert Thomas Weiss to find out.
Since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, the situation in Libya has disappeared from international headlines. Seven years on, a new report by Tim Eaton explores the chaotic war economy that has developed in the vacuum. He speaks to Agnes about smuggling, tribal factions and what must be done to resolve a growing crisis.
Read the virtual issue:
70 years of the United Nations in International Affairs
Read the Chatham House research paper:
Libya's war economy: predation, profiteering and state weakness
- 00:43:08
Episode 6: Tribes of Europe Update, and the International Women's Rights Agenda at the UN
Chatham House - Undercurrents addThis week Agnes meets Thomas Raines and Matthew Goodwin of the Europe Programme to revisit their research on the political Tribes of Europe in light of recent elections across the continent.
Then, recording in San Francisco, Ben speaks to Rebecca Sanders from Cincinnati University about her recent article in International Affairs, which sheds light on conservative efforts to disrupt the women's rights agenda at the United Nations.
Read the Chatham House reports:
Europe's Political Tribes: Exploring the Diversity of Views Across the EU
The Future of Europe: Comparing Public and Elite Attitudes
Take the online survey:
Read the International Affairs article:
Norm spoiling: Undermining the International Women's Rights Agenda
Sponsor the IA team's San Francisco Half Marathon:
- 00:35:00
Episode 5: Chokepoints in Global Food Trade, and How the Internet is Changing Language
Chatham House - Undercurrents addIn this week's episode Ben speaks to Laura Wellesley, a Research Fellow in the Energy, Environment and Resources Department at Chatham House, about her recent report assessing vulnerabilities in the global food trade. Then Agnes mediates a debate about how the internet is transforming the English language between journalist Marie Le Conte and The World Today editor Alan Philps.
Read the Chatham House report:
Chokepoints and Vulnerabilities in the Global Food Trade
Read The World Today articles:
- 00:35:40
Episode 4: Illegal Hospital Detentions in Africa, and LGBTQ+ Rights in Lebanon
Chatham House - Undercurrents addThis week, Ben speaks to Rob Yates, Head of the Universal Heath Coverage Policy Forum in the Centre on Global Health and Security at Chatham House. They discuss the widespread practice of detaining hospital patients in their wards if they cannot afford to pay their medical bills, an illegal policy affecting thousands in Africa and South Asia.
Then, Agnes learns about the growth in activism around LGBTQ+ rights in Lebanon from Nicole El Khawaja, a Programme Coordinator with the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House. They discuss recent developments in Lebanon and the wider region, including Beirut's inaugural Pride week in 2017, and assess whether progress can be maintained.
Read the Research Paper:
Hospital Detentions for Non-payment of Fees: A Denial of Rights and Dignity
Read The World Today Article:
Coming soon.
- 00:31:44
Episode 3: Duterte’s War on Drugs, and European Security
Chatham House - Undercurrents addIn this week’s episode, Ben speaks to Champa Patel about President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs in the Philippines, and the prospects for the preliminary examination launched recently by the International Criminal Court.
Agnes then discusses UK defence policy and wider European security with Andrew Dorman, who also gives an insight into publishing with International Affairs.
Read the Expert Comment
In Examining the Philippines’ Drug War, the ICC Takes a Positive but Challenging StepRead the International Affairs Blogpost
UK Defence Policy: Groundhog Day Re-visited - 00:37:07
Episode 2: The Calabrian Mafia, and Transatlantic Relations
Chatham House - Undercurrents addThis week, Agnes speaks to Helen Fitzwilliam about a new Italian judge-led project to relocate the wives and children of the Calabrian mafia family, the ‘Ndrangheta. Ben then interviews Xenia Wickett about her recent report on transatlantic relations.
Read the article
Escape from the Mafia: an Italian Judge’s Radical PlanRead the report
Department/project US and the Americas Programme, Transatlantic Rift: The State of US-Europe Relations
Transatlantic Relations: Converging or Diverging? - 00:33:42
Episode 1: Cybersecurity, and Liberal World Order
Chatham House - Undercurrents addIn this new podcast series, Agnes Frimston and Ben Horton interview Chatham House experts about the critical underlying issues which are shaping modern society.
The first episode features Patricia Lewis, Head of the International Security Department at Chatham House, on cybersecurity for nuclear weapons systems; and Inderjeet Parmar, Head of Politics and International Relations at City University, on the future of the US-led liberal world order.
Read the research paper:
Cybersecurity of Nuclear Weapons Systems: Threats, Vulnerabilities and Consequences
Read the International Affairs article: