Chatham House - Undercurrents

The last episode of Reflections at 100, marking the centenary of International Affairs, looks at women’s contributions to international thought, and how they have been erased from the discipline of International Relations. Isabel and Krisztina speak to Dr Katharina Rietzler about women’s contributions to the journal and international relations, especially in the UK. Then, Krisztina speaks to Professor Barbara Savage about Black women’s contributions to international relations in the US. To wrap up this episode, Leah de Haan sheds light on Chatham House's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) initiative and Jo Hills shares their thoughts about putting together the archive collections.    Reflections at 100 is a mini-series accompanying the journal’s centenary Archive Collections. The collections bring together articles from our archive which speak to the past, present and future of current affairs issues. In each podcast episode, we speak to contributors from a specific collection and explore what the rese

This episode of Reflections at 100, marking the centenary of International Affairs, the journal of Chatham House, looks at how empire and decolonization have been discussed in the journal. Isabel and Krisztina speak to Meera Sabaratnam about how thinkers and policy-makers from the 1920s to 1970s understood both empire and then decolonization. Meera highlights four tensions present within the discussions, and how these may impact the international order today. Inderjeet Parmar delves deeper into the influence of Chatham House at the time and situates these discussions in the broader thinktank and global context. Reflections at 100 is a mini-series accompanying the journal’s centenary Archive Collections. The collections bring together articles from our archive which speak to the past, present and future of current affairs issues. In each podcast episode we speak to editors and contributors to the collection and explore what the research tells us about policy-making today.  Explore the Archive Collection, free

What drives refugee movements and how should policies manage them? This episode of Reflections at 100, marking the centenary of International Affairs, the journal of Chatham House, looks at refugees and migration. Isabel speaks to Emily Venturi about the movement of refugees, the development of global humanitarian systems and the change in thinking on refugees over time. Then she interviews Ali Bilgic on how populism has impacted refugee policy in Britain, and women’s experiences of the detention system. Reflections at 100 is a mini-series accompanying the journal’s centenary Archive Collections. The collections bring together articles from our archive which speak to the past, present and future of current affairs issues. In each podcast episode we speak to contributors from the issue and explore what the research tells us about policy-making today.  International Affairs was started at Chatham House in 1922 to communicate research to members who could not attend in person. Over the last 100 years it has tran

In this final episode of our special series, we speak to Ambassador Vadym Prystaiko and Professor Georgiy Kassianov. How can Ukraine rebuild while coexisting with Russia? What is needed to rebuild a stronger country efficiently and effectively? Host: Ned Sedgwick Guests : Ambassador Vadym Prystaiko (Ukrainian diplomat currently serving as Ukraine's Ambassador to the UK), Professor Georgiy Kassianov (Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, Poland) This episode was produced by David Dargahi of Earshot Strategies on behalf of Chatham House.

How have western financial institutions created loopholes for the Russian elite? Are sanctions truly enforceable on oligarchs with a strong foothold in cities like London? What is Putin’s role in all of this? Host: Ned Sedgwick  Guests: Thomas Mayne (Chatham House Visiting Fellow, Russia and Eurasia Programme), Oliver Bullough (author of Butler to the World and Moneyland) This episode was produced by David Dargahi of Earshot Strategies on behalf of Chatham House.

In this episode we follow up on the food shortage crisis we looked at in the beginning weeks of the war on episode two. What long-term problems can we expect because of the disruption to agriculture in Ukraine? Is there any hope for a solution? Host: Ned Sedgwick  Guests :Marianne Schneider-Petsinger (Chatham House Senior Research Fellow, Global Economy and Finance Programme; Project Director, Global Trade Policy Forum), Laura Wellesley (Chatham House Senior Research Fellow, Environment and Society Programme) This episode was produced by David Dargahi of Earshot Strategies on behalf of Chatham House.

What can the UN do on the ground to help the people of Ukraine? Does the war bring the EU a greater sense of purpose or does it mask underlying issues? Host: Ned Sedgwick  Guests :Saviano Abreu (Head of Communications at The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) Pepijn Bergsen (Research Fellow, Europe Progamme) This episode was produced by David Dargahi of Earshot Strategies on behalf of Chatham House.

Why are some peace talks more fruitful than others? Why do negotiations break down? What role can mediators play in sensitive discussions? To answer these questions, Mariana is joined by Isabel Bramsen, who discusses her recent article in the International Affairs journal. In it, Isabel draws on her research and first-hand experiences as a neutral observer during the Philippines peace talks in 2017. They explore key learnings for policymakers and diplomats, including the transformative role of in-person interactions. Then, Isabel assesses the prospect of peace talks in the context of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Read the International Affairs article: Transformative diplomacy? Micro-sociological observations from the Philippine peace talks Credits: Speaker: Isabel Bramsen Host: Mariana Vieira Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House. 

What has the war revealed about both the Russian and Ukranian military capabilities? Was the Russian military surprisingly unprepared? What impact is the course of the war having on the global military industrial complex. Host: Ned Sedgwick  Guests :Andrew Dorman  (Chatham House Editor of International Affairs, Professor of International Security at Kings College), Bettina Renz (Professor at the School of Politics, University of Nottingham) This episode was produced by David Dargahi of Earshot Strategies on behalf of Chatham House.

How has the war impacted Ukranians' sense of identity? How has Ukrainian language, culture, and politics changed after fall of the Soviet Union. Are Putin’s views on Ukrainian identity shared by others in Russia? Host: Ned Sedgwick  Guests: Orysia Lutsevych (Head and Research Fellow, Ukraine Forum, Russia and Eurasia Programme); Professor Georgiy Kassianov (Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, Poland, author of “From 'the Ukraine' to Ukraine. In the search of the future, 1991-2021"). This episode was produced by David Dargahi of Earshot Strategies on behalf of Chatham House.

This episode of Reflections at 100, marking the centenary of International Affairs, the journal of Chatham House, looks at China’s role in the world over the past century. Isabel Muttreja and Krisztina Csortea speak to Evelyn Goh, who provides a whistle-stop tour of Chinese history. They also discuss how China has been understood in the journal over time.  Then Krisztina interviews Rosemary Foot about the impact of history on current affairs in China, before Isabel gets Xiangfeng Yang’s perspective on US–China relations from Donald Trump to current US president Joe Biden.  Reflections at 100 is a mini-series accompanying the journal’s centenary Archive Collections. The collections bring together articles from our archive which speak to the past, present and future of current affairs issues. In each podcast episode we speak to contributors from the issue and explore what the research tells us about policy-making today.   International Affairs was started at Chatham House in 1922 to communicate research to memb

How has the relationship with the United States and Putin changed from president to president? When did the relationship sour and what, if anything, could have been done to send warning signals to Putin? Host: Ned Sedgwick  Guests: Dr Leslie Vinjamuri (Director, US and the Americas Programme Chatham House), Dr Charles Kupchan (Professor of International Affairs at Georgetown University, former Senior Advisor to President Obama)  This episode was produced by David Dargahi of Earshot Strategies on behalf of Chatham House.

How have Brazil and Africa reacted to the war in Ukraine? With impending elections in Brazil, how is President Bolsonaro’s relationship with Putin received by the public?  How will food insecurity affect African nations' response to the war? Host: Ned Sedgwick  Guests: Oliver Stuenkel (Associate Professor at the Getulio Vargas Foundation), Samuel Ramani (University of Oxford & Assoc Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security Studies) This episode was produced by David Dargahi and Anouk Millet of Earshot Strategies on behalf of Chatham House.

The war in Ukraine and global cost-of-living crisis are exerting pressure on economies across the world. With ongoing COVID-19 lockdowns and food supply chain issues on top of this, China is facing a particularly severe challenge.  In this episode Ben speaks with Dr Yu Jie (Asia-Pacific Programme, Chatham House) about the economic 'perfect storm' presenting such an obstacle to President Xi Jinping's 'common prosperity' agenda. They discuss the domestic Chinese debate over the future of its economy, the implications of Russia's invasion and the likely longevity of the government's new 'comprehensive thrift strategy'.  Read The World Today article: Beijing briefing: China puts prosperity on hold Credits: Speaker: Yu Jie Host: Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House. 

How has India and Southeast Asia reacted to the war in Ukraine? Are they aligning with western sanctions or strengthening ties to Russia? What do they have to gain or lose in involving themselves in the war. Host: Ned Sedgwick  Guests: Dr. Shruti Kapila (University of Cambridge), Ben Bland (Chatham House Director, Asia-Pacific Programme), Hunter Marston (Associate 9dashline) This episode was produced by David Dargahi and Anouk Millet of Earshot Strategies on behalf of Chatham House.

What was NATO’s original purpose and what is its role in the war in Ukraine? Will Finland and Sweden join NATO and what significance does this have? What is Russia’s historical relationship with NATO and how did it sour? Host: Ned Sedgwick  Clips used: BBC News Guests: Jamie Shea (Former NATO official, Chatham House associate fellow), Dan Sabbagh (The Guardian’s Defense and Security Editor), Renata Dwan (Chatham House Deputy Director) This episode was produced by David Dargahi and Anouk Millet of Earshot Strategies on behalf of Chatham House.

Six years after the EU-Turkey Joint Statement, domestic changes in Turkey and international developments such as the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan have ensured the border between Greece and Turkey remains a hotspot for migration flows. Today, Turkey is one of the world’s biggest refugee-receiving countries and hosts four million refugees. In this episode, Ayşen Üstübici, assistant professor at Koç University in Istanbul, speaks to Mariana about EU-Turkey migration diplomacy and the Turkish role in international migration governance. Looking back, Ayşen outlines the implications of the 2016 statement and the evolving attitudes of Turkish cities towards migrants and asylum-seekers in the intervening years. Then Stefanos Levidis from Forensic Architecture explores the other side of the border with Danai, looking at the Greek case as the external border of the EU. Stefanos explains why the EU-Turkey border is important and how the natural environment can be weaponized to enforce border controls. Read Chatham Ho

How does Russia use disinformation and who are they targeting? How are social networks shaping the war in Ukraine? What can be done to stop the spread of disinformation? Host: Ned Sedgwick  Clips used: BBC News Guests: Emily Taylor, Keir Giles, Damian Collins MP This episode was produced by David Dargahi and Anouk Millet of Earshot Strategies on behalf of Chatham House.

Power for refugees is a new two-part podcast on the Undercurrents podcast feed. Over two episodes Ben explores an often-overlooked aspect of humanitarian assistance: access to energy. From Afghanistan to Ukraine to Sudan - the world is grappling with the consequences that emerge when people are forced to flee from their homes. One factor that does not usually make the headlines is that many people displaced by conflict or natural disasters lack access to the energy services that are necessary for forging dignified lives and livelihoods.  This second episode examines efforts to provide alternative fuel for cooking in displaced settings in Kenya, Niger and Rwanda, shedding light on what has worked and what has not. Approximately 81% of refugees rely on basic fuels like wood for cooking. This brings about major difficulties for refugees and the environment, such as illness-inducing fumes from burning wood, the threat of violence to the women and girls who travel often long distances to collect wood, and deforest

Power for refugees is a new two-part podcast on the Undercurrents podcast feed. Over two episodes Ben explores an often-overlooked aspect of humanitarian assistance: access to energy. From Afghanistan to Ukraine to Sudan - the world is grappling with the consequences that emerge when people are forced to flee from their homes. One factor that does not usually make the headlines is that many people displaced by conflict or natural disasters lack access to the energy services that are necessary for forging dignified lives and livelihoods.  Approximately 94% of refugees do not have access to electricity to heat or cool hospitals, schools and dwellings, or to light streets. This first part examines efforts to electrify refugee settlements in Ethiopia, Kenya and Rwanda, shedding light on what has worked and what has not. Since 2015, Chatham House has been researching this issue and convening dialogues to spur action by humanitarians, energy companies and others. Our seminal Heat, Light and Power report provided t