Best United States Studies Centre Podcasts (2024)

1
AUKUS enablers? Assessing US and Australian defence export control reforms 1:00:11

5h ago1:00:11

1:00:11

The AUKUS countries are on the verge of an historic moment. Over the past twelve months, lawmakers and officials in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States have made notable progress in harmonising their respective defence trade control regimes in the service of accelerating AUKUS technology cooperation. These reforms, once implemented…

1
New Cold Wars with NYT’s David Sanger 26:38

5h ago26:38

26:38

Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times journalist David Sanger was one of the few journalists selected to ask President Biden a question in his press conference following the NATO Summit in Washington DC and has reported on Washington during the last seven US presidential administrations. His latest book, New Cold Wars: China’s Rise, Russia’s Invasi…

1
Election Watch 2024: New Cold Wars in a year like no other 1:23:50

2h ago1:23:50

1:23:50

As the United States heads towards one of the most consequential elections in its history, US allies and partners around the world are watching intense strategic competition play out between the United States and China. Against the background of the 2024 US presidential election, questions abound over the future of US leadership at home and abroad.…

1
Modi’s future after the Indian election 25:42

14d ago25:42

25:42

This year, India held the largest democratic exercise in the world as 643 million people voted in their election. Prime Minister Narendra Modi won his third election, however, his party, the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), could not secure a majority in the Parliament, leading to the formation of a coalition government. The opposition secured enough …

1
Debating America’s “Pivot” to Asia 36:39

19d ago36:39

36:39

This week Mike and Jude are joined by joined by Robert D. Blackwill, Henry A. Kissinger Senior Fellow for U.S. Foreign Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), and senior fellow at Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and Richard Fontaine, Chief Executive Officer of the Center for a New American Secu…

1
Election Watch 2024: Reflections on the Republican National Convention 1:27:56

12d ago1:27:56

1:27:56

The 2024 US presidential election campaign is reaching fever pitch. Former president Donald Trump’s coronation as the 2024 Republican presidential nominee at the Republican National Convention will make him the first major party candidate to be nominated for three consecutive elections in 80 years. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party is consumed with s…

1
The Harris 2024 campaign is official: DC insiders on what's next 35:18

14d ago35:18

35:18

Within a week of President Biden announcing he is ending his candidacy for a second term, Vice President Kamala Harris secured scores of endorsements, set fundraising records and secured enough delegates to become the presumptive nominee. How would a Harris administration be different from the Biden administration? Who’s on Harris’ VP short list? D…

1
The View from INDOPACOM 40:48

1M ago40:48

40:48

This week Mike and Jude are joined by join Lt. General Stephen Sklenka, USMC, Deputy Commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. They discuss deterrence and the current state of play in the Indo-Pacific region.By Center for Strategic and International Studies

1
From strongman to living martyr: How Trump’s assassination attempt changes his image 27:36

21d ago27:36

27:36

Former president Donald Trump narrowly avoided death when a bullet grazed his ear at a campaign rally on 13 July. The images of him rising, holding his fist high and chanting “Fight!” while blood streamed down his face instantly became iconic. Donald Trump has been called a ‘strongman’ throughout his political career, how does this assassination at…

1
The NATO Summit in the shadow of Trump, Biden and Vance 55:21

27d ago55:21

55:21

Last week, NATO leaders gathered in Washington DC for their annual summit, this year celebrating the 75th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. However, much of Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s final summit was overshadowed by scrutiny of President Biden and then quickly followed by the assassination attempt on former president…

1
Governing AI: How are governments engaging with generative AI? 56:26

1M ago56:26

56:26

Generative artificial intelligence has dominated headlines across the world for the past two years. Popular models include OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini and image generators like Midjourney. However, generative AI sits at the intersection of several cross-cutting issues – from data governance and privacy to innovative capacity – that impact bus…

1
AUKUS, allies and partners 59:36

1M ago59:36

59:36

AUKUS is making waves internationally as an ambitious program of industrial integration, economic development, and strategic alignment between the US and two of its strongest allies. As other likeminded states in the Indo-Pacific consider their strategic options in a period of rapid geostrategic change, there is increasing discussion of expanding p…

1
Trump’s immune. It is so ordered – featuring Chas Licciardello 56:28

1M ago56:28

56:28

The US Supreme Court handed down their ruling in former president Trump’s immunity case and it granted far broader immunity than most experts anticipated. Why was the ruling so expansive? What does this mean for Trump’s criminal trials? How will this change the presidency going forward? To discuss these issues, we welcomed Chas Licciardello from AB…

1
NATO and the Indo-Pacific 40:15

2M ago40:15

40:15

This week Mike and Jude are joined by Benedetta Berti, Director of Policy Planning in the Office of the Secretary General at NATO, whose areas of expertise include human security, internal conflict, integration of armed groups, post-conflict stabilization, and peacebuilding among others. They discuss NATO’s developing perspectives on the Indo-Pacif…

1
Why Trump and Biden? How the US system led to their selection 32:43

1M ago32:43

32:43

President Biden’s approval rating is at an all-time low and the number of “double haters” who want neither candidate is at an all-time high. The US system is driving the selection of candidates further and further away from the mainstream. Campaign financing contributes to this. How did Trump and Biden become their party’s nominee with so little pu…

1
A DC insider on the post-debate pathway for Democrats 25:54

2M ago25:54

25:54

Joe Biden and Donald Trump’s debate in Atlanta was always going to be one for the history books. Never before had a general election debate occurred before the party conventions officially named them as their presidential nominees. But following a debate performance that even President Biden conceded was not his best, the most historical aspect of …

1
The push for ranked-choice voting in America 26:36

2M ago26:36

26:36

As American politics has become increasingly polarised, experts and analysts have explored avenues for electoral reform to shift voting to be more representative. One solution is ranked-choice voting (RCV), which is standard in Australia, but only appears in a fraction of jurisdictions in the United States. Why is ranked-choice voting so rare in th…

1
How Will Taiwan's New Leader Govern? 39:04

2M ago39:04

39:04

This week Mike and Jude are joined by Kathrin Hille to discuss Taiwan after the inauguration of Taiwanese President Lai, and what it means for the United States. Kathrine Hille is the Greater China Correspondent at the Financial Times, where she covers Taiwan, regional security, and hardware technology.…

1
What is Juneteenth and how does it differ from other holidays? 30:21

2M ago30:21

30:21

On 17 June 2021, President Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, making the day a federal public holiday. What did this new holiday celebrate? What role does Juneteenth play in American history? How is it different from Martin Luther King Jr Day? To discuss these questions Senior Lecturer in American Studies at the United State…

1
Sydney launch of Red book | Blue book 2024: A guide to the next US administration 1:29:18

2M ago1:29:18

1:29:18

In 2024 we are once again faced with the prospect of either Joe Biden or Donald Trump back in the Oval Office. However, this time we have presidential track records to draw from as we prepare for the next administration. At this event, the United States Studies Centre launched its latest report Red Book | Blue Book 2024, a guide for decision-makers…

1
Parliament House, Canberra launch of Red book | Blue book 2024: A guide to the next US administration 52:03

3M ago52:03

52:03

In 2024 we are once again faced with the prospect of either Joe Biden or Donald Trump back in the Oval Office. However, this time we have presidential track records to draw from as we prepare for the next administration. At this event, the United States Studies Centre launched its latest report Red Book | Blue Book 2024, a guide for decision-makers…

1
The future of democracy in the Pacific and Southeast Asia 1:26:26

3M ago1:26:26

1:26:26

The United States Studies Centre hosted a launch event for the USSC major report, Aligning values and interests: Japanese and Australian democracy support in the Pacific and Southeast Asia. No issues have aligned Japan and Australia more than the multi-faceted challenges China poses, particularly in the Pacific and Southeast Asia. Yet as Japan and …

1
Climate transition heating up: The race for the clean energy transition in the Indo-Pacific 1:29:51

3M ago1:29:51

1:29:51

The Albanese and Biden governments are united in positing that climate change poses an existential threat and are modernising their alliance relationship to tackle it. Major efforts are underway to boost renewable technology innovation, harness critical minerals and bolster domestic manufacturing to accelerate the clean energy transition. Yet signi…

1
Election Watch 2024: Trump v. Biden redux? 1:29:53

3M ago1:29:53

1:29:53

The Iowa caucuses on 15 January were the first test of whether any GOP challengers can make a dent on former president Trump’s dominating lead in the Republican race to be the presidential nominee. From February, the primary races will accelerate in the lead up to a climactic Super Tuesday set to occur around the same time as some of the pending Tr…

1
Taiwan's upcoming election: The implications for Australia 1:28:17

3M ago1:28:17

1:28:17

Although global attention is focused on the upcoming US presidential election in November 2024, a key regional election looms much sooner — the Taiwanese presidential election on 13 January. The contest to succeed the term-limited President Tsai Ing-Wen has already seen intrigue and drama, with four candidates vying for Taiwan’s highest office and,…

1
The insider's guide to the 2024 US presidential election 1:29:56

3M ago1:29:56

1:29:56

One year out from the presidential election, and less than three months until the first of the Republican primary contests, the coming year is set to be a whirlwind of political drama — primaries, debates, conventions, the unprecedented legal trials of a former president and the US Constitution being tested as never before. With Joe Biden looking t…

1
State of play: Australia’s munitions stockpiles and the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Enterprise 32:49

3M ago32:49

32:49

The war in Ukraine was a wake-up call for nations around the world as they saw how quickly one crisis could consume the national supply of certain munitions. The Australian Government addressed this in both its 2023 Defence Strategic Review and 2024 National Defence Strategy through the prioritisation of the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (G…

1
How Demographics Impact Security in the Indo-Pacific 37:05

3M ago37:05

37:05

This week, Mike and Jude meet with Andrew Oros to discuss demographic shifts in Asia and how those shifts affect the geostrategic balance in the region. Andrew Oros is Professor of Political Science and International Studies, and the Director of the International Studies Program at Washington College.…

1
What the 2024 election means for America’s Asian alliances 29:59

3M ago29:59

29:59

In November, Americans will head to the polls to cast their vote for who will hold the most powerful office in the world – Joe Biden or Donald Trump. But it isn’t only Americans who are impacted. What would a Trump administration vs Biden administration 2.0 mean for allies and partners around the world? What will stay the same regardless of who win…

1
How Sri Lanka Navigates Great Power Competition 34:17

3M ago34:17

34:17

This week, Mike and Jude meet with Amb. Julie Chung to discuss geopolitical competition in Sri Lanka and how it has developed in recent years. Ambassador Chung is the current U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka and is a career member of the foreign service, having previously held senior positions throughout the Indo-Pacific and Western Hemisphere.…

1
The “Third pillar of the alliance” one year later 30:25

3M ago30:25

30:25

On 20 May 2023, on the sidelines of the Quad Leaders’ Summit, President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a third pillar of the Australia-US alliance: the climate, critical minerals and clean energy transformation compact. What does this compact involve? How much progress has been made in the past year? What will happen to thi…

1
The Scan-Share-Shape approach to economic security 47:20

4M ago47:20

47:20

Economic security is on the minds of leaders everywhere. From trade barriers to industrial policy to crackdowns on foreign investments, growing strategic competition is shaping the global economy. What is economic security? What are the trade-offs involved? And how can Australia adapt to this changing world? Director of Economic Security Hayley Cha…

1
Deep dive into Trump’s Supreme Court immunity hearing with Chas Licciardello 1:30:43

4M ago1:30:43

1:30:43

In January, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that there is no presidential immunity that would shield former president Trump from prosecution in the case against him regarding his actions to overturn the results of the 2020 election. But the US Supreme Court said they would take up the question, hearing the oral arguments on their last day of …

1
What can jazz teach us about democracy? 47:13

4M ago47:13

47:13

In honour of International Jazz Day, we’re releasing a special episode of the USSC Briefing Room with the Founder and Director of The Jazz and Democracy Project® (J&D) Dr Wesley Watkins. His program integrates jazz into the study of US history, government, civics and culture, specifically, but also into the humanities more broadly, making J&D a cap…

1
JAUKUS and Washington’s view of Canberra, one year later 34:21

4M ago34:21

34:21

When a delegation from the United States Studies Centre (USSC) travelled to Washington DC in 2023, AUKUS came up in every conversation and Australia eagerly awaited a visit from President Biden to Australia that didn’t eventuate. Now we are discussing potentially expanding AUKUS to include Japan and significant legislative reforms are making US-Aus…

1
How Japan and Australia can counter coercion in the Indo-Pacific 43:40

5M ago43:40

43:40

The rules-based order is under stress in the Indo-Pacific and, according to the latest report from Freedom House, democracy has declined for an 18th consecutive year globally. Both Japan and Australia have strong commitments to development assistance in the region, but a new report from the United States Studies Centre (USSC) argues that this is no…

1
Taiwan Decides: Assessing Taiwan’s Presidential Election 34:49

5M ago34:49

34:49

This week, Mike and Jude discuss the recent presidential legislative elections in Taiwan with Richard Bush, Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and the former chairman and managing director of the American Institute in Taiwan.By Center for Strategic and International Studies

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