Best Institute for the Study of Diplomacy Podcasts (2024)

1
Chris Tuttle on Ukraine & TikTok; Maldivian Elections, Niger, and Blinken Visits China 28:34

1M ago28:34

28:34

13:10 - Interview with Chris Tuttle This week, Kelly and Freddie talk through Secretary of State Blinken's recent visit to China, U.S. troops leaving Niger, and an election in Maldives that saw the country move closer to China. Kelly then talks with Chris Tuttle, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, about recent Congressional action o…

1
Yuki Tatsumi on the US-Japan Summit; Iran's strike on Israel, Ecuador's Embassy Raid, and Turkish Municipal Elections 28:41

2M ago28:41

28:41

10:40 - Interview with Yuki Tatsumi. This week, Kelly and Freddie talk through Iran's Strike on Israel, Ecudaro's raid on the Mexican embassy in Quito, and the losses for President Erdogan's party in recent Turkish municipal elections. Kelly then talks with the Stimson Center's Yuki Tatsumi about the recent summit between the US, Japan, and the Phi…

1
Military Strategy & The War in Ukraine with Lt Gen Ben Hodges 31:41

2M ago31:41

31:41

Kelly speaks with Lt. Gen (ret.) Ben Hodges, former Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe, about the effect of the Ukraine War on military tactics and strategy. Prior to retiring from the armed forces in 2018, Lieutenant General (ret.) Ben Hodges served as Commanding General of the U.S. Army in Europe. He consults for several companies on Europe, …

1
Dr. Ken Opalo on Sudan's Civil War; Updates on Gaza and Haiti 31:27

3M ago31:27

31:27

10:25 - Interview with Dr. Ken Opalo This week, Kelly and Freddie provide updates on the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the evolving crisis in Haiti, and Kelly talks with Georgetown Professor Ken Opalo for a deep dive into Sudan's civil war. Dr. Opalo is an associate professor at the Georgetown University Walsh School of Foreign Service, where …

1
The Russo-Chinese Alliance and Great Power Competition with Dr. Tom Lynch 32:55

3M ago32:55

32:55

Season 6 Episode 6. This week, Kelly talks with retired army officer and National Defense University research fellow Dr. Tom Lynch about the impact of Ukraine's war on great power conflict and US-China competition. Dr. Thomas Lynch is an adjunct professor of Security Studies at Georgetown University and distinguished research fellow for South Asia …

1
Jacqueline Charles on the crisis in Haiti; EU's Net-Zero Industry Act, Russia's Space Nukes 33:28

3M ago33:28

33:28

10:40 - Interview with Jacqueline Charles In our seventh episode of Headlines and History, we discuss the recent political crisis in Haiti with Miami Herald report Jacqueline Charles, and Kelly covers the EU's Net-Zero Industry Act and reports of Russia's new space-based nuclear capabilities. Jacqueline Charles is the Haiti and Caribbean correspond…

1
Beverly Ochieng on Senegal's Constitutional Crisis; El Salvador Election, Sweden's NATO accession, World Cup Diplomacy 26:39

4M ago26:39

26:39

11:50 - Interview with Beverly Ocheing on Senegal In our sixth episode of Headlines and History, we discuss the recent crisis in Senegal and its implications for West Africa with Beverly Ochieng, and Kelly covers recent news out of El Salvador, Sweden & NATO, and the 2026 Soccer World Cup. Beverly Ochieng is a senior digital journalist and Africa s…

1
Christine Michienzi on The Ukraine War and the Defense-Industrial Base 28:22

4M ago28:22

28:22

Season 6, Episode 5. Today, we’ll be covering the effects of the War in Ukraine on supply chains, the defense-industrial base, and the private sector. Kelly McFarland talks to Christine Micheinzi, a former senior executive at the U.S. Department of Defense, about how the global economy and defense industry are trying to deal with the knock-on effec…

1
Joanna Lewis on COP28, Taiwan Election Fallout, Ukraine-Congress Update, Somaliland Deal 29:19

4M ago29:19

29:19

In our fifth episode of Headlines and History, we discuss the outcome of the COP28 conference in Dubai with Joanna Lewis, the fallout from Taiwan's Presidential election, the new deal between Ethiopia and Somaliland, and give an update on the status of military aid to Ukraine currently stalled in Congress. Joanna Lewis is a distinguished associate …

1
Holiday Bonus: UN World Basketball Day & Sports Diplomacy with Lindsay Krasnoff 27:46

6M ago27:46

27:46

Season 6 Bonus Episode. Today, we’ll be talking about basketball and the power of sports diplomacy as we celebrate World Basketball Day – the first sport ever to receive the honor from the United Nations – which now takes place every year on December 21st. Today, Kelly talks with Lindsay Krasnoff about basketball and the history of sports diplomacy…

1
Professor Erica Marat on Russia's Sphere of Influence 39:10

6M ago39:10

39:10

Season 6, Episode 4. For this season’s theme, we’ll be covering the litany of unintended consequences and strategic surprises emanating from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. From energy to technology to intelligence to geopolitical alignment, Russia’s invasion marks a sea change in numerous areas of diplomacy and foreign policy. We’ll be getting toget…

1
Headlines and History 4: Jeremi Suri on Henry Kissinger's legacy, COP28, Sikh Separatist Assassinations 26:03

6M ago26:03

26:03

In Diplomatic Immunity's new format, Headlines and History, we take listeners through a roundup of the most important headlines you may have missed in foreign policy and diplomacy, and take a deep dive into our most pressing topic with an expert conversation. Each week, we will alternate between Headlines and History and our regular Diplomatic Immu…

1
Former Ambassadors John Heffern and Alper Coşkun - The Resurgence & Unity of NATO 31:45

6M ago31:45

31:45

Season 6, Episode 3. For this season’s theme, we’ll be covering the litany of unintended consequences and strategic surprises emanating from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. From energy to technology to intelligence to geopolitical alignment, Russia’s invasion marks a sea change in numerous areas of diplomacy and foreign policy. We’ll be getting toget…

1
Headlines and History 3: Rita Konaev on Ukraine's Counteroffensive, Biden-Xi Summit, Liberia, Argentina, and Sudan 30:58

7M ago30:58

30:58

In Diplomatic Immunity's new format, Headlines and History, we take listeners through a roundup of the most important headlines you may have missed in foreign policy and diplomacy, and take a deep dive into our most pressing topic with an expert conversation. Each week, we will alternate between Headlines and History and our regular Diplomatic Immu…

1
Eurasia Group's Gregory Brew - The War in Ukraine and Global Energy Markets 32:36

7M ago32:36

32:36

Season 6, Episode 2. For this season’s theme, we’ll be covering the litany of unintended consequences and strategic surprises emanating from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. From energy to technology to intelligence to geopolitical alignment, Russia’s invasion marks a sea change in numerous areas of diplomacy and foreign policy. We’ll be getting toget…

1
Headlines and History 2: Andrew Imbrie on AI, Subnational Diplomacy, US-China Nuclear Talks, and Pacific Island Diplomacy 31:19

7M ago31:19

31:19

In Diplomatic Immunity's new format, Headlines and History, we take listeners through a roundup of the most important headlines you may have missed in foreign policy and diplomacy, and take a deep dive into our most pressing topic with an expert conversation. Each week, we will alternate between Headlines and History and our regular Diplomatic Immu…

1
Former Deputy CIA Director Mike Morell - The Role of Intelligence in War and Diplomacy 33:04

7M ago33:04

33:04

Season 6, Episode 1. For this season’s theme, we’ll be covering the litany of unintended consequences and strategic surprises emanating from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. From energy to technology to intelligence to geopolitical alignment, Russia’s invasion marks a sea change in numerous areas of diplomacy and foreign policy. We’ll be getting toget…

1
Headlines and History 1: Liberia, Poland, Russia, and Dan Byman on Hamas 26:20

8M ago26:20

26:20

In Diplomatic Immunity's new format, Headlines and History, we take listeners through a roundup of the most important headlines you may have missed in foreign policy and diplomacy, and take a deep dive into our most pressing topic with an expert conversation. Each week, we will alternate between Headlines and History and our regular Diplomatic Immu…

1
Season 5 Wrap-Up with Ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis and Tressa Finerty 29:21

12M ago29:21

29:21

Season 5, Episode 8: Our tour through the many fora of multilateral diplomacy is coming to an end. To help us wrap up season five, ISD's own Ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis and Tressa Finerty join Dr. Kelly McFarland to explore key themes, re-examine the tough questions, and look forward to the future of consensus-driven multilateral diplomacy. Amba…

1
Food Security and the FAO with Beth Bechdol 46:12

1y ago46:12

46:12

Season 5, episode 7. The United Nations Security Council tends to capture the headlines, but throughout the United Nations system are dozens of organizations and agencies that make a substantial difference in our everyday lives. From standardizing rules around flight to providing data that shape global policy, these institutions are often the unsun…

1
The Surprising Power of Peacekeeping with Dr. Lise Howard 29:45

1y ago29:45

29:45

Season 5, episode 6: Blue helmets have become one of the most visible signs of the UN in the world. These peacekeepers are sent where often nobody else wants to go and asked to accomplish what nobody else often will. After 70 years of service, UN peacekeeping has seen its successes and its well-publicized failures. So in this episode, we took a mor…

1
BONUS: The New Fire: War, Peace, and Democracy in the Age of AI 35:55

1y ago35:55

35:55

Bonus: What, exactly, is AI? What are its applications? Why does it matter for national security and geopolitics? Will machines rise up and destroy us all?! Fellow Hoya Andrew Imbrie discussed these questions and more in a fascinating conversation on his new book, co-authored with Ben Buchannon, titled The New Fire: War, Peace, and Democracy in the…

1
Cooperating on European Security with Allison Hart 32:41

1y ago32:41

32:41

Season 5, episode 5. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has posed an existential crisis for numerous multilateral institutions, worsening several ongoing global issues such as food insecurity while also upending the architecture of European Security. Few organizations understand that or deal with that more than the Organization for Security and Cooper…

1
Telling the Story of the UN with Stéphane Dujarric 24:30

1+ y ago24:30

24:30

Season 5, Episode 4: How does one tell the story of multilateralism in times rife with conflict, misinformation, and mistrust? How does one communicate with a world as vast and diverse as our own? What's it like to advocate for the United Nations on the global stage? We here at Diplomatic Immunity don't have the answers to those important questions…

1
Observing Democracy at the Organization of America States with Gerardo de Icaza 32:31

1+ y ago32:31

32:31

Season 5, Episode 3: Multilateralism is so often thought of as a means and method for groups of states to tackle common issues or resolve disputes. But what happens when a multilateral institution is called on to help support sub-national issues within states? That's precisely what we wanted to know when we chatted with Gerardo de Icaza, the direct…

1
Understanding the African Union with Ambassador Jessica Lapenn 24:34

1+ y ago24:34

24:34

Season 5, Episode 2: This season we are talking about multilateralism. What it is, what it's good for, and also what it's not. After looking at the big picture through the lens of the United Nations in episode one, this episode takes us to the regional level. U.S. Ambassador to the African Union Jessica Lapenn joined Dr. Kelly McFarland to explain …

1
Bonus: A Year in Review with Amy Mackinnon 27:05

1+ y ago27:05

27:05

Bonus Episode: 2022 has proven to be a year of incredible foreign policy stories. To help us look back at the year of surprises, joy, and disappointment in international affairs, Kelly sat down with Amy Mackinnon of Foreign Policy Magazine. They discussed the war in Ukraine, U.S. competition with China, the long-awaited National Security Strategy, …

1
Unpacking the United Nations with Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman and Alistair Somerville 42:12

1+ y ago42:12

42:12

Season 5, Episode 1: This season, Diplomatic Immunity is exploring the depths of multilateralism to learn how consensus-driven diplomacy survives in an era of renewed great power competition. For the first episode, ISD Director of Research and Programs Kelly McFarland talked to two experts with experience at the United Nations. First, Kelly chatted…

1
Bonus: Iran Protests with Kelly Shannon 21:39

1+ y ago21:39

21:39

Bonus Episode: Kelly Shannon, associate professor of history and executive director of the Center for Peace, Justice, and Human Rights at Florida Atlantic University, joins Kelly McFarland to discuss the ongoing protests in Iran. They discuss the catalyst for these regime-shaking protests, the response from ruling elites and international actors, a…

1
Looking Back, Looking Forward: Lessons from the Edge with Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch 34:53

2y ago34:53

34:53

Season 4, Episode 8: In the current series of Diplomatic Immunity, ISD Director of Programs and Research Dr. Kelly McFarland looks back at the first year of the Biden administration's foreign policy and looks forward to the next. In the final episode of the season, Kelly is joined by Ambassador Maria L. Yovanovitch, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukrain…

1
Looking Back, Looking Forward: Trade, Technology, and China with Wendy Cutler, Carolyn Brehm, and Francine Lamoriello--Part 3 26:02

2y ago26:02

26:02

Season 4, Episode 7–Part 3: In the current series of Diplomatic Immunity, ISD Director of Programs and Research Dr. Kelly McFarland looks back at the first year of the Biden administration's foreign policy and looks forward to the next. In the final episode of this three-part series, Kelly continues his conversation with Carolyn Brehm and Francine …

1
Looking Back, Looking Forward: Trade, Technology, and China with Wendy Cutler, Carolyn Brehm, and Francine Lamoriello--Part 2 21:01

2y ago21:01

21:01

Season 4, Episode 7--Part 2: In the current series of Diplomatic Immunity, ISD Director of Programs and Research Dr. Kelly McFarland looks back at the first year of the Biden administration's foreign policy and looks forward to the next. In the second episode of a three-part series, Kelly continues his conversation with Wendy Cutler, Carolyn Brehm,…

1
Looking Back, Looking Forward: Trade, Technology, and China with Wendy Cutler, Carolyn Brehm, and Francine Lamoriello--Part 1 26:47

2y ago26:47

26:47

Season 4, Episode 7--Part 1: In the current series of Diplomatic Immunity, ISD Director of Programs and Research Dr. Kelly McFarland looks back at the first year of the Biden administration's foreign policy and looks forward to the next. In the first episode of a three-part series, Kelly is joined by Wendy Cutler, Carolyn Brehm, and Francine Lamori…

1
Looking Back, Looking Forward: Development with Joel Hellman 20:10

2y ago20:10

20:10

Season 4, Episode 6: In the current series of Diplomatic Immunity, ISD Director of Programs and Research Dr. Kelly McFarland looks back at the first year of the Biden administration's foreign policy and looks forward to the next. He is joined by Joel Hellman to discuss the Biden administration's approach to the world of development and humanitarian…

1
Looking Back, Looking Forward: Corruption with Jodi Vittori 19:52

2y ago19:52

19:52

Season 4, Episode 5: In the current series of Diplomatic Immunity, ISD Director of Programs and Research Dr. Kelly McFarland looks back at the first year of the Biden administration's foreign policy and looks forward to the next. He is joined by Jodi Vittori to discuss corruption and democratic erosion around the world, and the Biden Administration…

1
Looking Back, Looking Forward: Afghanistan with Ambassador Roya Rahmani 27:25

2+ y ago27:25

27:25

Season 4, Episode 4: In the current series of Diplomatic Immunity, ISD Director of Programs and Research Dr. Kelly McFarland looks back at the first year of the Biden administration's foreign policy and looks forward to the next. He is joined by Ambassador Roya Rahmani to discuss America and the West's military withdrawal from Afghanistan in August…

1
Looking Back, Looking Forward: Africa with Ambassador Eunice Reddick 26:53

2+ y ago26:53

26:53

Season 4, Episode 3: In the current series of Diplomatic Immunity, ISD Director of Programs and Research Dr. Kelly McFarland looks back at the first year of the Biden administration's foreign policy and looks forward to the next. He is joined by Ambassador Eunice Reddick to talk about U.S. policy towards Africa. They discuss the important role the …

1
Looking Back, Looking Forward: Europe with Ambassador John Heffern 17:18

2+ y ago17:18

17:18

Season 4, Episode 2: In the second episode of a new series, ISD Director of Programs and Research Dr. Kelly McFarland looks back at the first year of the Biden administration's foreign policy and looks forward to the next. He is joined by Ambassador (ret.) John Heffern to discuss U.S. policy toward Europe, including the Ukraine-Russia crisis. Ambas…

1
Looking Back, Looking Forward: Latin America with Ambassador Lino Gutierrez 17:34

2+ y ago17:34

17:34

Season 4, Episode 1: In the first episode of a new series, ISD Director of Programs and Research Dr. Kelly McFarland looks back at the first year of the Biden administration's foreign policy and looks forward to the next. He is joined by Ambassador Lino Gutierrez to discuss U.S. policy toward Latin America. Ambassador Gutierrez is a former senior F…

1
Bonus: History, Disrupted with Jason Steinhauer 34:58

2+ y ago34:58

34:58

Bonus epsiode: Jason Steinhauer, global fellow at the Wilson Center and senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, joins Kelly McFarland, ISD Director of Programs and Research, to discuss his new book, History, Disrupted: How Social Media and the World Wide Web Have Changed the Past. The book takes a deep dive into how the Web has chan…

1
Bonus: Watching Darkness Fall with Ambassador David McKean 34:00

2+ y ago34:00

34:00

Bonus episode: David McKean, senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, joins Kelly McFarland, ISD Director of Programs and Research, to discuss his recent book, Watching Darkness Fall: FDR, His Ambassadors, and the Rise of Adolf Hitler. The book tells the story of U.S. diplomacy in the 1930s through a historical examination of…

1
Building Trust from the White House Podium with Jen Psaki 28:27

2+ y ago28:27

28:27

Season 3, Episode 7: Jen Psaki, the White House Press Secretary, joins ISD Director of Programs and Research Kelly McFarland and Council of Foreign Relations Fellow Jennifer Davis for the final episode of season 3. They discuss a specific problem that the press secretary faces every day: disinformation from foreign adversaries who seek to undermine…

1
Global Health and Global Cities with Rebecca Katz and Matt Boyce 36:31

2+ y ago36:31

36:31

Season 3, Episode 6: ISD Director of Programs and Research Kelly McFarland talks to Rebecca Katz, professor and director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security, who holds joint appointments in Georgetown University Medical Center and the School of Foreign Service, and Matt Boyce, PhD student in the Global Infectious Diseases program a…

1
COP26, Climate Change, and Migration with Beth Ferris 32:07

2+ y ago32:07

32:07

Season 3, Episode 5: For our next installment on global commons issues, ISD Director of Programs and Research Kelly McFarland talks to Beth Ferris, research professor in the Institute for the Study of International Migration at Georgetown and non-resident senior fellow in Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution, about the impact of environmenta…

1
Peace Through Food with Bibi La Luz Gonzalez and Johanna Mendelson Forman 31:27

2+ y ago31:27

31:27

Season 3, Episode 4: ISD Director of Programs and Research Kelly McFarland talks to Bibi La Luz Gonzalez of Eat Better Wa'ik—an anti-hunger NGO in Guatemala—and Johanna Mendelson Forman of the Stimson Center, a think tank based in Washington, DC. They discuss food security and hunger in the context of worsening conflict, climate change, and the eff…

1
It's Raining at Summit Greenland: The Geopolitics of the Arctic with Sherri Goodman and Jeremy Mathis 31:47

2+ y ago31:47

31:47

Season 3, Episode 3: ISD Director of Programs and Research Kelly McFarland talks about the Arctic with Sherri Goodman of the Wilson Center and Jeremy Mathis of the Science, Technology, and International Affairs program in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown. Sherri and Jeremy discuss the deteriorating climate situation in the Arctic, securi…

1
Strategies of Competition and Restraint with Emma Ashford and Charles Edel 37:31

3y ago37:31

37:31

Season 3, Episode 2: ISD Director of Programs and Research Kelly McFarland talks to scholars of U.S. foreign policy Emma Ashford from the Atlantic Council and Charles Edel from the Wilson Center. Emma and Charlie debate some of the key questions in U.S. foreign policy on relations with China, Russia, and climate change, and the role of historical a…

1
Window Seat on the World Today with Glen Johnson 39:15

3y ago39:15

39:15

Season 3, Episode 1: For the first episode of season 3, ISD Director of Programs and Research Kelly McFarland talks to Axios politics editor Glen Johnson. Glen guides listeners through the main challenges facing the Biden administration and global leaders today, from climate change to China, and helps set up our new season looking at challenges in …

1
Diplomatic Immunity - Season 3 - Trailer 1:38

3y ago1:38

1:38

Season 3 of Diplomatic Immunity begins September 1. Learn more about ISD's New Global Commons research. Read ISD's latest working group report. Diplomatic Immunity: Frank and candid conversations about diplomacy and foreign affairs Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you fran…

1
Bonus: Back-channel Diplomacy with Happymon Jacob and Rick Moss 38:57

3y ago38:57

38:57

For our final summer bonus episode, Kelly McFarland spoke to Happymon Jacob and Rick Moss, authors of two new cases on back-channel diplomacy for ISD's case studies library. Happymon is an associate professor in the Centre for International Politics, Organisation & Disarmament in the School of International Studies at Nehru University in New Delhi.…

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