Policy People

Welcome to the Policy Pulse - a breakdown summary of some of the most compelling recent reports to come out of think tanks from around the world. This edition of the Policy Pulse will be recorded as an episode of the Policy People Podcast. You can find all the links to the reports mentioned here in the show notes or in the newsletter.

Thank you to Sasanka Kanuparthi for curating this edition of Policy Pulse.

Can the Biden administration keep US-Turkey tensions in check?

       What should the Biden administration do to maintain influence over Turkey without triggering a new crisis? Following tensions with Western powers, Turkey is now keen to stabilize relations while retaining controversial policies. Biden's rhetoric thus far has centered on the deterioration of human rights and democracy under Erdogan, his anti-LGBTQI+ stance, and crackdowns on demonstrations. However, the bilateral meeting in June reflected the optics of dialogue and was devoid of timelines on outcomes. Nicholas Danforth argues the U.S. approach must be conditional upon Turkey’s corrective actions in the future. Read more about the changing bilateral dynamics in this Brookings report.

Can US assistance encourage countries to transition away from fossil fuel subsidies?

Many countries are subsidizing fossil fuels to keep their local economies ticking, resulting in financial constraints and overconsumption. The Biden administration’s efforts to disincentivize domestic fuel subsidies is seen as a step towards decarbonization and meeting Paris Climate Agreement goals. Researchers believe that it could be replicated at the international level through US leadership on the issue. They analyze the impact of consumption subsidies on global fuel prices, the environment, the fiscal spending of developing economies etc. The Brookings report urges the U.S. to push for international cooperation with G20 countries, price transparency, and direct cash transfers to low-income countries. Learn more about the recommendations by reading the report. 

Can Australia’s economy withstand the fallout of a war over Taiwan?

China’s aggressive posturing in its neighborhood continues to raise tensions across the world, and forced annexation of Taiwan could lead to counteractions by Western allies. There are widespread fears over the impact on international trade from a potential conflict, and how a war might affect navigation in the Indo-Pacific. ASPI’s David Uren details Australia’s vulnerabilities, while suggesting risk mitigation measures. He critiques the Productivity Commission’s recommendations and provides insights about Australian industry’s adaptability in finding new markets for its goods and services. Discover more on Australia’s strategic and economic preparedness in this fascinating report.

Are cyber capabilities the next sphere of national power?

Geostrategic competition has moved into new realms, as great powers struggle to dominate cyberspace. A dearth of academic insight into cyber power, strategic intentions, and capacities of global powers has led researchers to decipher variance in cyber governance between countries. This comprehensive two-year study from IISS compares the command-and-control structures, cyber-intel capabilities, global leadership capacities, and cybersecurity doctrines of fifteen countries and establishes robust literature on the issue. The qualitative assessment hopes to guide national governments in decision-making and strategic investments for the future. Delve deeper into the current state of cyber affairs with this report. 

Can the Lebanese State ever escape the influence of Hezbollah?

Signaling intentions to reform while quietly manipulating Lebanon’s state functions is a classic Hezbollah strategy. This Chatham House report studies the outfit’s hybrid tactics, such as the use of state institutions, influence over the military and security forces, regulations, public contracts, financial transactions, control over illicit trade etc. Lina Khatib’s report also focuses on Hezbollah’s ability to deflect responsibilities during crises, and its control over border areas and ports. It tracks recent incidents involving corruption by port authorities vis-à-vis narcotics trade and the chemical explosion at the Port of Beirut that caused many casualties. Take a look at Lina’s report to understand the reasons behind the international scrutiny on Lebanon and Hezbollah’s influence.

Will denuclearization of the Korean peninsula ever see the light of day?

While the Korean peninsula has tottered on the brink of war on several occasions, it was the DPRK’s withdrawal from the non-proliferation treaty in 2003 which rang alarm bells in national capitals. Following rapid nuclear weapons development by the communist north, military escalations and mistrust has dominated the discourse. A joint US-Russian study by CENESS-Russia and IISS reviews the progress made thus far, giving an overview of Pyeongyang’s current capabilities, and its nuclear program on the whole. It cites confidence-building and reciprocal measures as a sustainable mechanism for future dialogue. To apprise yourself about the nuclear reality of Northeast Asia, take a look through this joint report. 

Do sub-Saharan Africans trust their governments on post-COVID recovery? 

As COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc across the world, its effect on African nations is relatively limited. Experts attribute several reasons for this including low infection rates, experience dealing with the Ebola epidemic, the young demography, lack of reporting etc. However, concerns over vaccine hesitancy and economic recovery post-pandemic remain unanswered, and scholars are researching the connection between trust in governments and crisis management. This GIGA report looks at the policy implications of post-COVID measures and how African nations are likely to deal with containment, mitigation, regulatory compliance, and economic revival, among others. Go through the report to gain insights into developments in sub-Saharan Africa.

How prepared are international organizations to tackle the challenges of climate change?

The risk assessments and strategic planning of international organizations take issues like corruption, terror financing and political instability into consideration for its ERM systems. However, responses to climate and environmental threats often feature as reactionary steps, leaving a lot of ground to be covered in shorter timespans. This Chatham House report by Oli Brown analyzes the preparedness of international organizations in initiating climate risk management measures. It assesses the climate risk approaches of 22 international organizations and offers recommendations about building effective frameworks to mitigate the impact of climate change. Oli’s report is valuable reading to those interested in climate governance and global institutions.

Is the strategy for creating an agroecological Europe the best bet for its future?

The European Green Deal and other biodiversity initiatives are facing roadblocks. In a bid to build sustainable food security mechanisms in production, consumption, and processing, the EU reformed agricultural policy. The paper explores the impact of overambitious agroecological policies on food imports, land use, domestic farmer issues, on account of global competition. It presents essential findings supporting the goals of the 2030 strategy, aimed, however, for 2050. This IDDRI report will pique the interest of those seeking to glimpse Europe’s transition to a plant-based diet and creation of organic produce supply chains, among other new trends.

Is the plan to regulate AI a prelude to the EU’s technology geopolitics and power projection?

While the EU might not be a first mover in the global technology race, it wields outsized influence over standards-setting. Its tech regulation goes far beyond its borders, the global implementation of the GDPR being a great example. What role does the EU see itself playing in disrupting power relations in the future? This ECFR report investigates the EU’s past positions on the issue, while suggesting concrete steps it can take towards building alliances and outreach mechanisms with like-minded nations, multilateral institutions, and technology players. Get a deeper understanding by reading the analysis by tech policy experts Ulrike Franke and Jose Ignacio Torreblanca.   

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

Thanks again to Sasanka Kanuparthi for his work on this edition of Policy Pulse.

Since Policy Pulse is a new format we’re experimenting, we’d really appreciate any suggestions or feedback, so feel free to reply to this email, leave a comment or message me on my LinkedIn profile.

Stay well and stay safe,

- Liam

Founder of Policy People

I talk with Mohamed Zeeshan about the geopolitical power vacuum forming in the heart of Eurasia - Afghanistan - and speculate on who could try to fill it next. We look to the twin crises playing out in Haiti and Cuba and ponder how the US should respond. We also delve into why the IOC holds the upper hand over Japan in the politics of the Olympics.

If you have any suggestions or questions, feel free to reply to this email, leave a comment or message me at my LinkedIn profile.

Stay well and stay safe,

- Liam

Founder of Policy People

In this conversation, I discuss economic deglobalization with Badri Narayanan Gopalakrishnan. We delve into the dual disruption of populist and pandemic politics, Badri’s forecasts for full decoupling between China and the Five Eyes countries, the securitization of trade and the necessity of recalibrating neoliberal policy, the trifurcation of the post-pandemic economy, falling economic migration and remittance transfers, the fate of digital nomads and the business travellers, new taxation for the digital economy, the need to fix the WTO, how to persuade policymakers to make data-informed decisions and many more topics.

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Badri Narayanan Gopalakrishnan is an applied economist and Co-Founder of Infisum, a global economics advisory firm. He is also a Senior Fellow at European Centre for International Political Economy in Brussels and a Non-Resident Fellow at Centre for Social and Economic Progress in New Delhi. Badri has conducted research for the Asian Development Bank, Economist Intelligence Unit, the UN Conference on Trade and Development and has consulted the World Bank, UN, European Commission, the Governments of India and USA, WHO, PWC, KPMG as well as many academic institutions.  He has written Op-ed and columns have appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, The Financial Times, and others. You can check out Badri’s consultancy at infisum.com. You can also connect with Badri on LinkedIn, follow him on Twitter at the handle @badrinarayanang.

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In this episode, I go on a whirlwind tour of global geopolitics with author, academic, serial columnist, policy adviser and TV host, Richard Heydarian. We discuss…

* Why the Middle East is the best starting point for a geopolitics analyst (02:00)

* India’s place as a ‘pivot power’ in the Indo-Pacific (8:00)

* The real ‘Silk Roads’ and Eurasia’s new multicentric geopolitical order (10:00)

* Neo-Ottomanism and the resurgence of Turkish adventurism (12:00)

* Biden’s Indo-Pac strategy not as Obama 2.0 but as “Trump with more finesse” (18:00)

* The inverse dynamics of Xi Jinping’s and Shinzo Abe’s statecraft (22:00)

* ‘Strategic suasion’ best practices and why it works on China (25:00)

* The ‘Three Indo-Pacifics’ and where the Philippines fits (35:00)

* Whether or not China really needs allies (40:00)

* Network effects of US alliances and the power of deterrance (43:00)

* The “dual foreign policy” of the Philippines (44:00)

* Celebrity candidates in the Philippine’s election and the Duterte Dynasty (52:00)

* The “aborted nation” and the libertarian legacy in the Philippines (1:05:00)

* Whether Indonesia or the Philippines is “Southeast Asia’s Brasil” (1:14:00)

* The “invisible state’” Indonesia’s miracle and Southeast Asia’s new middle powers (1:20:00)

* Why ASEAN should abandon multilateralism for “minilateralism” (01:22:00)

* What event could trigger global conflict in South China Sea and historical parallels to WWI (01:30:00)

* Asia’s ‘cauldron of national humiliations’ and rising aggression across the region (01:40:00)

* Richard’s upcoming book on China’s new empire (01:50:00)

and many more topics threaded through!

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Richard Heydarian is the author of Rise of Duterte, The Indo-Pacific: Trump, China, and the New Struggle for Global Masteryand How Capitalism Failed the Arab World. He has written for or/and interviewed by Aljazeera, BBC, Bloomberg, CNN, CNBC, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, The Financial Times, The Economist, The Washington Post, The Australian, The Atlantic, Reuters, Time, Spiegel, NBC, The Nation, Sydney Morning Herald, Christian Science Monitor, among others. He is a widely sought consultant for government officials, presidential candidates, civil society groups, as well as investment groups, including Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley, and Goldman Sachs. He is also Professorial Chairholder on Geopolitics at Polytechnic University of the Philippines. You can also connect with Richard on LinkedIn, follow him on Facebook or on Twitter at the handle @Richeydarian.

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Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation, I discuss how to reform a country’s security sector with Chris Jagger. We discuss security sector reform from first principles, Gambian culture and society, how to rebuild social trust in a post-regime environment, civil-military relations, the importance of national ownership in international development projects, the psychology of security vetting, similarities between Kosovo and The Gambia, why Kosovars are wonderful security consultants, how to become confident among uncertainty, why mentors are important for those working in security and many more topics.

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, leaving us a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts is the easiest way to do so.

Thank you to Jimmybalz for leaving this review this week…

To give us a review, just go to Policy People on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘Write a Review’.

Chris Jagger is a special advisor to governments on security sector reform. He most recently headed an EU-backed project in The Gambia where he led a multi-agency team of senior officials and international consultants to develop new policies and practices for the country’s security. Chris has previously worked with NATO as Director of Maritime Security Reform at Joint Forces Command in Naples. He also headed NATO-led security vetting projects in Kosovo. He also teaches Hybrid Threats at the University of Rey Juan Carlos in Madrid. You can discover more about Project Trust on YouTube. You can also connect with Chris on LinkedIn or follow him on Twitter at the handle @2CEffects.

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation, I discuss the policy of decentralized finance and new blockchain technologies with Jason Hsu. We discuss the democratization of technology and finance, recent cryptocurrency market trends and the regulatory backlash, why tech and politics are becoming more tightly intertwined, how to bridge the gaps in thinking between tech entrepreneurs and policy people, Central Bank Digital Currencies and geopolitical competition, how think tanks can generate more public interest around their events, Taiwan’s approach to DeFi and the country’s new strategy for the 4th Industrial Revolution, why policy is a state of mind and how to keep cultivating it and many more topics.

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

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Thank you to IndianFPGeek for leaving this review this week…

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Jason Hsu is a visiting Research Fellow at Oxford University and a Legislator at-large for Taiwan’s Parliament where he is a member of the Advisory Committee on blockchain technology policy. He is also Head of Legislative Advocacy for the Blockchain and Climate Institute, Senior Advisor at CSCIS and Founding Chairman of FutureX, and a Venture Partner at Outliers Fund. He is the author of the blog The Third Thinking. You can connect with Jason on LinkedIn or follow him on Twitter at the handle @augama.

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation, I delve into the major socio-economic headwinds that are threatening to derail Asia’s rise with Vasuki Shastry. We discuss the incentives for global elites to hype Asia’s rise, the ‘thought leadership mafia’, the threat of deglobalization to Asia’s growth, Asia’s ‘Eight Hells’ and some ways to escape them, generation and gender divides across the mega-region, the differences between policy programs that promote social mobility vis-a-vis poverty alleviation, the surprising similarities between socio-economic issues in Asia and the West, the problem of ‘Asia’ as a monolithic geo-cultural abstraction, the case for a new set of Asian values, the impact of COVID on Asia’s development and many more topics.

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, leaving us a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts is the easiest way to do so.

Thank you to Manoj Kumar Panigrahi for leaving this review this week…

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Vasuki Shastry is an Associate Fellow at Chatham House and the author of “Has Asia Lost It? Dynamic Past, Turbulent Future”. In addition to his think tank work, Vasuki is ESG and Strategic Communications Advisor at Gateway Partners, a venture capital firm. His experience spans two decades in multilateral institutions and international banking, including time spent as Head of Public Affairs at both Standard Charter Bank and the IMF. Vasuki specializes in global government relations, crisis communications, digital governance, and international trade. He is also the author of Resurgent Indonesia — From Crisis to Confidence. You can find his book here on Amazon or read his articles at chathamhouse.org. You can also connect with Vasuki on LinkedIn or follow him on Twitter at the handle @vshastry.

Dear listeners,

Today I chat with Mohamed Zeeshan about the latest summitry in Europe and the direction of global alliances. I am trialing a new program format for the Policy People Podcast with recurring co-hosts and episodes that are more conversational in tone.

Please let me know what you think about our ‘Me and Zee’ format and whether or not you’d like to hear more episodes like this one.

If you have any suggestions or questions, feel free to reply to this email, leave a comment or message me at my LinkedIn profile.

Stay well and stay safe,

- Liam

Founder of Policy People

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation, I discuss NATO and the future of transatlanticism with Lauren Speranza. We discuss Biden’s Europe tour means for transatlanticism, the generational divide in NATO leadership, how Gen Z and Millenials view the organization, the three levels of hybrid threat, the nuances between Russian and Chinese threats to Europe, whether an EU-wide military could replace NATO, if cyberattacks can trigger the NATO Treaty’s Article 5 for collective defense action, the alliance’s expansion in the Indo-Pacific, the role of NATO in upholding ‘the West’ as a socio-political entity and many more topics.

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, leaving us a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts is the easiest way to do so.

Thank you to Vaishnavee Bakshi for leaving this review this week…

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Lauren Speranza is Director of the Transatlantic Defense and Security program at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), where she works with the U.S. government and NATO ally and partner governments to inform transatlantic security policy. Her areas of expertise include defense and deterrence in Europe, hybrid warfare, defense technology, and NATO-EU relations. Prior to joining CEPA, Lauren was the deputy director of the Transatlantic Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council. Her recent projects and publications have focused on Russian and Chinese hybrid threats, Chinese investment in European technology, and NATO adaptation for the future. You can discover her tank’s work at cepa.org. You can also connect with Lauren on LinkedIn or follow her on Twitter at the handle @LaurenSperanza.

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation, I discuss AI policy in the post-pandemic paradigm with Sacha Alanoca. We discuss how the pandemic has accelerated AI adoption, the key players of the AI policy space, whole-of-society approaches to AI policy, the importance of human agency, emerging AI governance mechanisms and the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence, how national data laws impede AI solutions for global health, the social acceptability of anti-vaccine sentiment analysis tools, how national data laws impede AI solutions for global health, why AI is the perfect field for inter-disciplinary thinkers, learning to code as a policy researcher and many more topics.

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, leaving us a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts is the easiest way to do so.

Thank you to Jaime Christiansen for leaving this review this week…

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Sacha Alanoca is Senior AI Policy Researcher & Head of Community Development at The Future Society. Before joining The Future Society, Sacha worked across several think tanks in South America as well as at the OECD in Paris. Her work revolves around international initiatives for trustworthy AI adoption, AI ethical guidelines, the development of independent AI audits and civic empowerment platforms. Her most recent work a report titled “Responsible AI in Pandemic Response” is the most comprehensive study of COVID-era AI initiatives to date and was done in partnership with the Global Partnership on AI, the world’s leading multilateral forum on AI governance. You can discover The Future Society and its’ work at thefuturesociety.org or follow the think tank on Twitter at the handle @thefuturesoc. You can also connect with Sacha on LinkedIn or follow her on Twitter at the handle @SachaAlanoca.

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation, I explore the transformation that is placing Africans at the heart of Africa policy with Jean Claude Abeck. We discuss African identity and the victim narrative, accountability as a means of achieving self-determination, the African diaspora as the continent’s ‘Fifth Region’, pan-Africanism and the vision of the Africa Union, the challenges in promoting Afrocentrism in Washington DC, renewed great power competition on the continent, Africa’s pandemic response and the danger foreign COVID aid poses to sovereignty, conflicts in Cameroon and Ethiopia, how African think tanks interface with their Western counterparts, the scholar-practitioner divide in policy and many more topics.

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, leaving us a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts is the easiest way to do so.

Thank you to Grok the Greeks for leaving a review this week.

To give us a review, just go to Policy People on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘Write a Review’.

Jean Claude Abeck is the President and CEO of the Africa Center for Strategic Progress. Jean Claude previously was a researcher at Africa Center for Strategic Studies and the National Nuclear Security Administration in Washington DC. Originally from Cameroon, Jean Claude graduated with a Masters in Terrorism and Security from American University and is now completing his Ph.D. thesis on US-Africa relations at Howard University. He also serves as a Sargeant in the United States Air Force where he is a transportation specialist. You can connect with Jean Claude on LinkedIn or discover his think tank’s work at acstrap.org or follow their official account on Twitter at the handle @AFRICACENTERFO1.

Show notes:

* Dan Dunham’s report for Africa Center for Strategic Progress: Principles for Independence: Maintaining African Autonomy in the Age of COVID-19

The views and opinions expressed or implied in this interview are those Jean Claude Abeck and should not be construed as carrying the official sanction of the Department of Defense, Air Force, Space Force, Air Education and Training Command, Air University, or other agencies or departments of the US government or their international equivalents.

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation, I discuss how to rebuild the EU as a citizen-lead federated democracy with Valerie Sternberg and Reinier van Lanschot. We discuss how their party Volt is leading the Pro-Europe movement for a new generation, the EU’s coming transition from a technocratic to a people-centered institution, climate change and other core issues for Europe’s voters, strategies for pro-EU groups to beat right-wing populist parties at the ballot box, the EU’s performance in the pandemic, the importance of listening tours in campaigning, best practice sharing and Amsterdam’s donut economy, how to unlock individual’s leadership potential and many more topics.

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, leaving us a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts is the easiest way to do so.

Thank you to Yawen W for leaving this review this week…

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Valerie Sternberg is the Co-President of Volt Europa and the party’s Lead Candidate for the Bundestag Elections in 2021. Reinier van Lanschot is the Co-President of Volt Europa and has been the party’s lead candidate for elections in the Netherlands. Both Valerie and Reinier are graduates of Harvard Kennedy School and have years of experience in organizing grass-roots communities across Europe to push for a fair, just, green and digital Europe. Volt Europa is the first pan-European party and is working to create a federal European republic with a genuine European parliamentary democracy that is directly elected by the citizenry. You can discover more about volteuropa.org, or follow their official accounts on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, Facebook or Discord. You can also connect with Valerie on LinkedIn or on Twitter at the handle @valeriestern_ and on Instagram @valerie_sternberg. You can connect with Reinier on LinkedIn or follow him on Twitter at the handle @RLanschot.

Show notes:

* For the ‘Donut Economy’ see Kate Raworth’s blog post here: https://www.kateraworth.com/doughnut/

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation, I explore policy recommendations for India’s global security agenda with Devesh Arora. We discuss Sino-Indian ties and his tank’s calls for a ‘decoupling’ with China, India’s expanding role in global security, New Delhi’s mission to win a permanent seat at the UN Security Council, obstacles to the country’s rise as a maritime power, why Greece and India are natural allies in the Mediterranean and many more topics.

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, sharing this episode’s LinkedIn post is the easiest way to do so. I will personally thank you for sharing at the start of the next episode.

Thank you to the Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs for sharing our last episode.

Devesh Arora is an Associate Researcher at Red Lantern Analytica, where he has been an outspoken critic of the Uyghur Genocide in China and has campaigned for UN reforms. He is also the Co-founder of ECON C&R, a pro bono research and consultancy initiative to boost economic research in India amid the pandemic. He specializes in Developmental and Macroeconomics and has worked on several economics research projects for different organizations, including aided Members of Legislative Assembly in researching government schemes in remote parts of India’s north east for Members of Legislative Assembly. Devesh is also a guest columnist for Rajneeti Plus. You can check out his team’s work at redlanternanalytica.com or follow it’s account on Twitter @RLAnalytica. You can also connect with Devesh on LinkedIn or follow him on Twitter at the handle @devesharoraa.

In this mini update, I share my thoughts on the process of podcasting, provide a sneak peak of upcoming episodes and invite listeners to share their opinions on future guests and growth methods for the show.

Once again, thank you for listening. Your support means the world to me.

- Liam

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation, I explore think tank innovation and the Taiwan Model with Kuan-Ting Chen. We discuss how his tank is innovating Taiwan's policy ecosystem, the country's current COVID outbreak and its pandemic response model, the threat of China and how it is perceived locally and globally, Taiwan's role in promoting democracy across the Indo-Pacific, the role of think tanks in Track 2 diplomacy, the importance of values and Taiwan's relations with the EU, burgeoning Taiwan-India ties and many more topics.

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, sharing this episode’s LinkedIn post is the easiest way to do so. I will personally thank you for sharing at the start of the next episode.

Thank you to Merissa Khurma, Nikola Ilic, Dr. Ernest Gunasekara-Rockwell, Dr. Matthias Wochinz, Lalit Mohan Joshi and ChangeLab Global for sharing our last episode.

Kuan-Ting Chen is the CEO and Founder of Taiwan NextGen Foundation, a think tank working to make Taiwan more sustainable, diverse, and inclusive. He is also host of Radio Taiwan International’s program “Vision on China”. Previously, Kuan-Ting was the Chief Research Officer and Deputy Spokesperson of the Taipei City Government, where he launched a global internship program, aimed at bringing emerging foreign and public policy leaders from all over the world to Taiwan’s capital. Kuan-Ting has also worked as a researcher with Taiwan’s National Security Council, specializing in Taiwan-Japan affairs and co-founded the Formosan Enterprise Institute, a security-focused think tank based in Washington, D.C. You can discover Kuan-Ting’s think tank at en.taiwannextgenfoundation.org or follow the tank on Instagram or Twitter at the handle @nextgentaiwan. You can also connect with Kuan-Ting on LinkedIn or follow him on Twitter at the handle @kuantingvision.

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation, I explore the changing dynamics of the Middle East and the role of US policy in the region with Merissa Khurma. We discuss US leadership amid the recent conflict between Israel and Palestine, whether the US should withdraw from the region, the Four Arab Worlds theory, the role of Program Director within a DC think tank, the economic causes of extremism in the MENA region, obstacles to women’s participation in the region and imbalances in the labor market, the relative importance between asset inheritance and education levels for political participation, the ongoing waves of change that have followed the Arab Spring, the importance of diverse leadership in area studies programs and many more topics.

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, sharing this episode’s LinkedIn post is the easiest way to do so. I will personally thank you for sharing at the start of the next episode.

Thank you to Hosoon Choi,  Manuel Zehr and Formosan Business Support for sharing our last episode.

Merissa Khurma is the Director of the Wilson Center’s Middle East Program and Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service. Merissa is a expert on Middle East affairs and has also worked on projects in the MENA region relating to workforce development, youth and women empowerment, fiscal reform, governance and the Syrian refugee crisis. Originally from Jordan, Merissa previously served as both Director of the Office of HRH Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein and Director of the Information Bureau at the Embassy of Jordan in Washington DC and was also a non-resident fellow at New America think tank where she developed a digital storytelling platform for Middle Eastern communities in America. You can discover the work of the Wilson Center’s Middle East Program at wilsoncenter.org/program/middle-east-program. You can also connect with Merissa on LinkedIn or follow her Program’s account on Twitter at the handle @WilsonCenterMEP.

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation, I explore East Asia’s green energy revolution and its implications for the wider world with Manuel Zehr. We discuss how sustainable energy is rewriting the geopolitical contours of the globe, the differences between European and East Asian approaches to renewable energy, the biggest culture shocks for international entrepreneurs in the region, what to do about Taiwan’s energy trilemma, public-private sphere dynamics in East Asian economies, how to navigate legal grey zones in Asia’s infrastructure projects, why Japan is building a pan-Asia energy grid sourced from deep within the Pacific Ocean, the importance of Indigenous leadership to sustainable projects, innovative energy policy models from Scotland and Wales, how to form winning transnational coalitions for energy policy reform and many more topics.

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, sharing this episode’s LinkedIn post is the easiest way to do so. I will personally thank you for sharing at the start of the next episode.

Thank you to Dr Ernest Gunasekara-Rockwell for sharing our last episode.

Manuel Zehr is a renewable energy expert, marine power entrepreneur, government advisor and industry consultant. He is the Co-Founder of Formosan Business Support, which supports international investment in the Taiwanese and broader Asia-Pacific energy markets. Originally from Germany, Manuel has lived in the East Asia for over two decades and is fluent in Chinese, Korean and Japanese. Manuel has a wealth of experience mediating between government and industry and bridging the culture gaps between Western and Asian energy sector players. You can check out his consultancy at formosanbs.com. You can also connect with Manuel on LinkedIn or follow his consultancy’s account on Twitter at the handle @Formosanbs.

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation, I lay out the geopolitical chessboard of the Indo-Pacific with Dr. Ernest Gunasekara-Rockwell. We discuss the potential of a Second Cold War with China, how domestic politics distracts the US from a focused foreign policy, the physical limits of the Indo-Pacific, the dynamics of the QUAD, the US grand strategy, the centrality of Taiwan, the role of Australia and Japan, the mysteries surrounding US-India relations and many more topics.

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, sharing this episode’s LinkedIn post is the easiest way to do so. I will personally thank you for sharing at the start of the next episode.

Thank you to Dimitrios Kantemnidis, Muhammad (Mehmed) Md Rosli, Tahrima Ferdous, Claire Luzia Leifert, Denis Pennel and the World Employment Confederation for sharing our last episode.

Dr. Ernest Gunasekara-Rockwell serves as the editor in chief of the Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs and Director of the Consortium of Indo-Pacific Researchers. Prior to standing up the journal, he was the acting director and managing editor of Air University Press and the acting dean of the Air Force Research Institute. Earlier, he served as a human intelligence collector and Korean linguist for the US Army. He has taught at various institutions of higher learning in the United States and was an assistant professor in the Technology Integration Division at the Defense Language Institute–Foreign Language Center. You can discover the Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs at www.airuniversity.af.edu/JIPA/ or listen to the Indo-Pacific Affairs Podcast on Spotify or on Apple Podcasts. You can connect with Doc on LinkedIn or follow his Journal’s official Twitter account at the handle @Journal_INDOPAC.

The views and opinions expressed or implied in this interview are those Dr. Gunasekara-Rockwell and should not be construed as carrying the official sanction of the Department of Defense, Air Force, Space Force, Air Education and Training Command, Air University, or other agencies or departments of the US government or their international equivalents.

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation, I explore the remote work revolution with Denis Pennel. We discuss the pandemic and the acceleration toward remote work, the three sources of meaning individuals derive from work, new metrics for measuring output, the breakdown and rebirth of collective action, the risks of exploitation and dystopian micro-management tools, reskilling and lifelong learning, ageism in the workplace, think tanks and labor policymaking, universal basic income and many more topics.

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, sharing this episode’s LinkedIn post is the easiest way to do so. I will personally thank you for sharing at the start of the next episode.

Thank you to Sabrina Medeiros, Adriana Abdenur, Verônica Pires, Muhammad Md Rosli and Chris Kremidas Courtney as well as the page InterAgency Institute for sharing our last episode.

Denis Pennel is a work futurist, author, keynote speaker and labor policy influencer. He currently serves as the Managing Director of the World Employment Confederation, representing the employment industry vis-à-vis international institutions, such as the EU, the World Bank and the OECD. He is the author of several books, including the “The Ego Revolution At Work”. Denis is also an active member of several thinks tanks including Generation Libre, European Policy Center and Center of European Political Studies and regularly publishes articles on the work revolution. You can connect with Denis on LinkedIn or follow him on Twitter @PennelDenis.

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation, I get into the gamification of policy processes with Sabrina Medeiros. We discuss the use of simulation technology to trial potential policy solutions, how to create cloud-based research communities, methods for transcending institutional identities, how women can overcome new COVID-era barriers to policy participation, the evolving nature of maritime cyber attacks, alternative funding models for new tanks, which kinds of career mentoring actually work, the applications of gamification in defense and diplomacy training, and many more topics.

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, sharing this episode’s LinkedIn post is the easiest way to do so. I will personally thank you for sharing at the start of the next episode.

Thank you to Chitresh Shrivastva and Anurag Shukla as well as the page Transport Review Forum for sharing our last episode.

Sabrina Medeiros is Research Lead at the all-women research platform InterAgency Institute, and Associate Researcher at the National Defense Institute in Lisbon, Portugal. She was formerly a faculty member at the Brazilian Naval War College in Rio de Janeiro and at the Inter-American Defense College in Washington DC where she taught defense economics. Sabrina is an expert in the applications of digital simulations, VR solutions and gamification processes within both defense and diplomatic training. She is an interdisciplinary researcher whose interests include international cooperation, defense economics, qualitative and multi-method research; decision-making processes and simulations. You can discover her platform and it’s research at interagency.institute. You can also connect with Sabrina on LinkedIn or follow her on Twitter at the handle @sabrinamed.

In this conversation, I discuss the rise of railway diplomacy with Chitresh Shrivastva. We discuss the implications of railway diplomacy, compare China and Japanese railway competition, consider at India’s rail interests, look at how rail facilitates socio-economic integration, consider the global challenges to railway diplomacy and the impact of the pandemic, among many more topics.

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, sharing this episode’s LinkedIn post is the easiest way to do so. I will personally thank you for sharing at the start of the next episode.

Thank you to Thalia Spartali, Chris Kremidas-Courtney and Dimitrios Kantemnidis for sharing our last episode.

Chitresh Shrivastva is the Founder of the Transport Review Forum, an emerging think-and-do-tank that provides interdisciplinary solutions to policymakers and stakeholders on public transport policy. He is also Head of Railway Policy at Youth Policy Review and an Adjunct Professor at Christ Deemed to be University in Delhi. Chitresh is a independent railway policy analyst and a prolific writer who has published analysis on the topic for Harvard Economics Review, Oxford India Forum, Global Railway Review and many other publications. You can find out more about his work at chitreshontrack.weebly.com. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn.

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation, I explore the world of environmental security with Dimitrios Kantemnidis. We explore emerging maritime threats in the Mediterranean sea, how naval officers may deescalate standoffs at sea, the implications and real world scope of environmental security, how climate change amplifies conflicts, the difference between nature and the environment, the culture gap between the environmental and security policy communities, Dimitrios’ vision for an integrated European environmental security policy, and many more topics.

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, sharing this episode’s LinkedIn post is the easiest way to do so. I will personally thank you for sharing at the start of the next episode.

Thank you to Rasheed Griffith, Jordan Schneider, Ernest Doc Gunasekara-Rockwell, Ana Sofia Cabral and the Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs for sharing our last episode.

Dimitrios Kantemnidis currently serves as lieutenant commander in the Greek navy and is an expert on environmental security. He is also a Fellow at the European Security and Defense College where he is concluding his research for his PhD thesis on how environmental security relates the EU’s Common Security and Defense and Security Policy. Dimitrios has produced numerous academic publications and has a forthcoming article to be published by the Brussels-based think tank Friends of Europe titled, “Environmental security and the EU’s Strategic Compass: Realizing Solana’s Vision”. You can connect with Dimitrios on LinkedIn or follow him on Twitter at the handle @dkantemnidis.

In this conversation, I discuss the power of podcasting and the challenges of China watching with Jordan Schneider. We discuss what has made his ‘pod-letter’ a success, the personal and career benefits of podcasting, why think tanks struggle to build great podcasts, common blind spots in the China watcher community, tech competition between the US and China, Biden’s China strategy and many more topics.

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, sharing this episode’s LinkedIn post is the easiest way to do so. I will personally thank you for sharing at the start of the next episode.

Thank you to Nizar Farsakh, Merissa Khurma, Nikola Ilic, ChangeLab Global, Talking with the Experts and Neha Singh for sharing our last episode.

Jordan Schneider is a China tech policy analyst and editor of the newsletter and host of the podcast China Talk. Jordan is currently a senior analyst at the independent research firm, Rhodium Group, and an adjunct fellow at the Center for New American Security. Jordan was previously a research analyst at Bridgewater Associates and a research intern at the Brookings Institution. You can subscribe to his newsletter at chinatalk.substack.com, connect with him on LinkedIn or follow him on Twitter at the handle @jordschneider1.

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation, I dive into the digital disruption of leadership training with Nikola Ilic. We discuss how he got addicted to activism as a young rebel in Yugoslavia, his vision to make leadership training universally accessible, how power changes people, the moral risks of public persuasion training, the tensions between chosen identities and tribalism, tribalism as a political tool, and many more topics.

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, sharing this episode’s LinkedIn post is the easiest way to do so. I will personally thank you for sharing at the start of the next episode.

Thank you to Neha Singh, Arpit Chaturvedi and Km Sulekha for sharing our last episode.

Nikola Ilic is the Co-Founder and CEO of Change Lab, a consultancy that plans to deliver leadership development and coaching at scale to millions around the world. He is also a Co-Founder of Serbia on the Move - a grassroots, citizen engagement NGO based in Serbia. Formerly, Nikola was an International Development Consultant and the World Bank Group and a teaching fellow at Harvard Kennedy School, where he taught the course ‘Organizing: People, Power, Change’. You can discover his consultancy and its work at changelab.global. You can also connect with Nikola on LinkedIn, follow him on Twitter at the handle @NikolaIlic7 or on Clubhouse at @nikolailic7.

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation, I talk about policy entrepreneurship with Arpit Chaturvedi. We discuss post-grad degree choices for policy entrepreneurs, how entrepreneurship works in the policy sector, the importance of mentorship for policy innovation, how to use systems thinking to identify new opportunities, the shortcomings of traditional policy schools, how to design research programs that address the global commons, the fate of developing countries within superpower competition, India’s coming demographic crisis and it’s aged care policy, as well as many more topics.

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, consider sharing this episode with a friend. Getting the word out about the show really helps us to grow and keep new episodes coming your way.

Arpit Chaturvedi is the Founder of Global Policy Insights, a multi-national think tank, and Co-Founder of Envipol, an environmental policy consultancy. After completing an MBA at the Symbiosis Centre for Management & Human Resource Development, Arpit went on to complete a Masters of Public Administration at Cornell University, where he was the Editor-in-Chief of the Cornell Policy Review. He is now a lecturer at San Francisco State University, where he teaches Comparative Perspectives in Public Administration. He also heads the GPODS Fellowship Program as an educational extension of his Global Policy Insights tank. You can find out more about the fellowship program at gpods.org or discover his tank’s research at globalpolicyinsights.org. You can connect also with Arpit on LinkedIn or follow him on Twitter, where his handle is @arpitchtr.

This episode was produced in partnership with Peace for Asia, a non-profit think tank researching security issues and documenting human rights violations taking place across Asia. To find out more about their work, head to peaceforasia.org

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation, I discuss the current political crisis in Myanmar with Azeem Ibrahim. We discuss what the likely conclusion of the current standoff would be, how the Rohingya are faring amid the chaos, the international context of the crisis, the Biden administration’s response, China's Myanmar policy and its geopolitical interests in the country, and many more topics.

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, consider sharing this episode with a friend. Getting the word out about the show really helps us to grow and keep new episodes coming your way.

Dr. Azeem Ibrahim is a Research Professor at the Strategic Studies Institute, U.S. Army War College, and the Director of Special Initiatives at the Newlines Institute in Washington, D.C. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge after which he completed fellowships at the universities of Oxford, Harvard and Yale. He has advised over half a dozen world leaders on strategy and policy development, his most recent role being the Strategic Policy Advisor to the Chairman of Pakistan’s PTI party, Prime Minister Imran Khan. Azeem is an expert in genocide studies and in 2019, received the International Association of Genocide Scholars Engaged Scholar Award for his research on the Rohingya genocide. He is the author of several books, including “The Rohingyas: Inside Myanmar’s Genocide”, in which Azeem chronicles the events leading up to the current, final cleansing of the Rohingya population, and issues a clarion call to protect Myanmar’s vulnerable, little known Muslim minority. You can discover his work at newlinesinstitute.org, follow him on Twitter @AzeemIbrahim or follow his tank’s handle @NewlinesInst.

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation I learn about the process of starting a digital think tank when in lockdown with Adriana Abdenur. We discuss her personal encounter with COVID, the drama of setting up a tank virtually, the benefits of remote hiring, the importance of institutional networks for new tanks, how tank funding is secured in the global South , the causes behind the lack of female leadership in tanks, the plight of NGOs in Bolsonaro’s Brazil, how climate change is reconfiguring security policy, and many more topics.   

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, consider sharing this episode with a friend. Getting the word out about the show really helps us to grow and keep new episodes coming your way.

Adriana Abdenur is Co-Founder of Plataforma CIPO, a Brazil-based, women-led think tank focusing on the intersection of climate, peace-building and conflict policy. Before starting her own tank, Adriana worked at other tanks in Brazil, where she headed climate and safety projects as well as peace-building operations in Latin America and elsewhere in the Global South. She is now also a Senior Fellow at the UN’s University Center for Policy Research, where she works on climate governance and innovation. In addition to her professional commitments, Adriana is also a proud mother of two. You can reach Adriana on LinkedInand on Twitter. Her Twitter handle is @aabdenur.

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation I learn about the process of starting a digital think tank when in lockdown with Adriana Abdenur. We discuss her personal encounter with COVID, the drama of setting up a tank virtually, the benefits of remote hiring, the importance of institutional networks for new tanks, how tank funding is secured in the global South , the causes behind the lack of female leadership in tanks, the plight of NGOs in Bolsonaro’s Brazil, how climate change is reconfiguring security policy, and many more topics.   

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, consider sharing this episode with a friend. Getting the word out about the show really helps us to grow and keep new episodes coming your way.

Adriana Abdenur is Co-Founder of Plataforma CIPO, a Brazil-based, women-led think tank focusing on the intersection of climate, peace-building and conflict policy. Before starting her own tank, Adriana worked at other tanks in Brazil, where she lead climate and safety projects as well as peace-building operations in Latin America and elsewhere in the Global South. She is now also a Senior Fellow at the UN’s University Center for Policy Research, where she works on climate governance and innovation. In addition to her professional commitments, Adriana is also a proud mother of two. You can reach Adriana on LinkedIn and on Twitter. Her Twitter handle is @aabdenur.

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation I take a deep dive into disinformation with Chris Kremidas-Courtney. We discuss how to anticipate emerging hybrid threats, new digital vulnerabilities born from the pandemic, disinformation across human history, 5G and COVID conspiracies, the psychological appeal of disinformation, group identity and conspiracy communities, how disinformation erodes economic competitiveness, and many more topics.

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, consider sharing this episode with a friend. Getting the word out about the show really helps us to grow and keep new episodes coming your way.

Chris Kremidas-Courtney is a Senior Fellow for Peace, Security and Defence at Friends of Europe in Brussels. He’s also lecturer at the Geneva Center for Security Policy, the Institute for Security Governance in Monterey, California and the StratCom Hybrid Program at Rey Juan Carlos University in Madrid. Chris has worked for over three decades advising various parts of the US government on security threats. He has been posted as a policy and political advisor at the Commander of NATO’s Training Mission in Iraq, NATO’s Joint Force Headquarters in Naples and at the US Mission to the European Union. Most recently, he served as the Multilateral Engagement Coordinator for the US European Command and as the first Director of Training and Exercises for the Hybrid Center of Excellence in Helsinki. You can find out more about Chris and his work at the Friends of Europe website or connect with him on LinkedIn.

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation I take a deep dive into disinformation with Chris Kremidas-Courtney. We discuss how to anticipate emerging hybrid threats, new digital vulnerabilities born from the pandemic, disinformation across human history, 5G and COVID conspiracies, the psychological appeal of disinformation, group identity and conspiracy communities, how disinformation erodes economic competitiveness, and many more topics.

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, consider sharing this episode with a friend. Getting the word out about the show really helps us to grow and keep new episodes coming your way.

Chris Kremidas-Courtney is a Senior Fellow for Peace, Security and Defence at Friends of Europe in Brussels. He’s also lecturer at the Geneva Center for Security Policy, the Institute for Security Governance in Monterey, California and the StratCom Hybrid Program at Rey Juan Carlos University in Madrid. Chris has worked for over three decades advising various parts of the US government on security threats. He has been posted as a policy and political advisor at the Commander of NATO’s Training Mission in Iraq, NATO’s Joint Force Headquarters in Naples and at the US Mission to the European Union. Most recently, he served as the Multilateral Engagement Coordinator for the US European Command and as the first Director of Training and Exercises for the Hybrid Center of Excellence in Helsinki. You can find out more about Chris and his work at the Friends of Europe website or connect with him on LinkedIn.

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation I explore how new education solutions are transforming India’s policy ecosystem with Prateek Kanwal. We discuss the hype around policy careers in India, the merits of MPPs over MBAs, the gaps in the country’s think tank ecosystem, the barriers to girl’s schooling and women’s education, solutions to India’s policy brain drain, how to scale the social impact of policy and many more topics.   

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, consider sharing this episode with a friend. Getting the word out about the show really helps us to grow and keep new episodes coming your way.

Prateek Kanwal is the Co-Founder of the Kautilya School of Public Policy. He is a World Bank Scholar and did his Master in Public Policy (MPP) at Harvard Kennedy School. He is currently the Head of Strategic Partnerships at Educate Girls – a non-profit organization that aims at tackling issues at the root cause of gender inequality in India’s education system. He is also the Founder of Citizens for Public Leadership – a non-profit working towards engaging Indian Youth with matters related to public policy. Prateek is an international speaker and is invited frequently to deliver keynotes and join panel discussions on social sector reforms. You can find out more about the policy school by visiting kautilya.org.in or by following the school’s Twitter account at the handle @Kautilyaspp. You can also reach out to Prateek on LinkedIn or on Twitter, where his handle is @prateekkanwal

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation I explore how new education solutions are transforming India’s policy ecosystem with Prateek Kanwal. We discuss the hype around policy careers in India, the merits of MPPs over MBAs, the gaps in the country’s think tank ecosystem, the barriers to girl’s schooling and women’s education, solutions to India’s policy brain drain, how to scale the social impact of policy and many more topics.   

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, consider sharing this episode with a friend. Getting the word out about the show really helps us to grow and keep new episodes coming your way.

Prateek Kanwal is the Co-Founder of the Kautilya School of Public Policy. He is a World Bank Scholar and did his Master in Public Policy (MPP) at Harvard Kennedy School. He is currently the Head of Strategic Partnerships at Educate Girls – a non-profit organization that aims at tackling issues at the root cause of gender inequality in India’s education system. He is also the Founder of Citizens for Public Leadership – a non-profit working towards engaging Indian Youth with matters related to public policy. Prateek is an international speaker and is invited frequently to deliver keynotes and join panel discussions on social sector reforms. You can find out more about the policy school by visiting kautilya.org.in or by following the school’s Twitter account at the handle @Kautilyaspp. You can also reach out to Prateek on LinkedIn or on Twitter, where his handle is @prateekkanwal

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation I uncover the power of emotion and storytelling in policymaking with Nizar Farsakh. We discuss how think tanks attract the attention of decisionmakers, the building blocks of powerful public narratives, the problem of confirmation bias in research, why triggering counter emotions drives engagement with social causes, the strategies of successful protest movements, the incentive structures within democratic systems and many more topics.

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, consider sharing this episode with a friend. Getting the word out about the show really helps us to grow and keep new episodes coming your way.

Nizar Farsakh is Co-Founder of the online leadership training platform ‘Inspire Leadership School’ which teaches people in policy, NGOs and government how to unlock the power of storytelling to make positive changes in the world. He is also a Lecturer at George Washington University’s Elliot School of International Affairs, where he teaches course on Negotiations Skills. He was formerly worked as an advisor to the Palestinian Authority for 10 years. Apart from his professional training and consulting work, Nizar often appears in the media where he comments on Middle Eastern affairs. You can find out more about his training school at inspireleadershipschool.com or connect with him on LinkedIn @Nizar Farsakh

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this episode I explore the geopolitical process of Philippinedization with Mark Payumo. We discuss the Philippines’ evolving geopolitical strategy within the Indo-Pacific, the military culture of the Philippines, the country’s internal and external security threats, the first island chain, the differences between sea and land powers, President Duterte and his diplomacy, the future of Manila’s relations with Beijing and Washington, among many other topics.  

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, consider sharing this episode with a friend. Getting the word out about the show really helps us to grow and keep new episodes coming your way.

Mark Payumo is the editor and publisher of Analyzing War, a digital magazine focused on Indo-Pacific security. He formerly served with the Philippine Army Special Forces and is also a US Navy veteran. He is a Young Leader with the Pacific Forum in Honolulu, Hawaii, a New Leader and Pacific Delegate of the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, and a member of the Military Veterans in Journalism, a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit. He graduated from the Philippine Military Academy in 2006. You can connect with him on Linkedin @Mark Payumo or visit analyzingwar.org.

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this episode I explore India’s quest to become a superpower with Mohamed Zeeshan, author of ‘Flying Blind: India’s Quest for Global Leadership’. We discuss what drives India to become a superpower and what the world stands to gain from India’s rise, we also go into India’s unique place within South Asia, it’s complex relations with China and the US, New Delhi’s influence at the UN, the county’s model of development, the state of Indian democracy today and other topics. 

You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, consider sharing this episode with a friend. Getting the word out about the show really helps us to grow and keep new episodes coming your way.

Mohamed Zeeshan is a foreign affairs columnist and author of ‘Flying Blind: India’s Quest for Global Leadership’. He is a staff writer for The Diplomat and Editor-in-Chief of Freedom Gazette, an acclaimed policy advocacy site based in India. He has also worked with global consulting firms, advised governments in the Middle East on economic reform and served with the Indian delegation to the United Nations in New York. You can follow him on Twitter @ZeeMohamed_ or connect with him on LinkedIn.

Check out Mohamed’s book on Amazon: https://linktr.ee/FlyingBlind

This episode was produced in partnership with Peace for Asia, a non-profit think tank researching security issues and documenting human rights violations taking place across Asia. To find out more about their work, head to peaceforasia.org

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this episode I explore the dynamics of Hong Kong in 2021 and what lessons people in policy can draw from the protest movement with Professor Victoria Tin-bor Hui. We discuss Hong Kong’s National Security Law, dissident arrests, the role of NGOs and the international community, the rule of law and press freedoms, the clash of political systems, what Hong Kong's crisis portends for human rights in Asia going forward and other topics.

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Victoria Tin-bor Hui is an Associate Professor at the University of Notre Dame's Department of Political Science. She is the author of War and State Formation in Ancient China and Early Modern Europe and has published many academic articles and book chapters on topics such as Ancient China, Hong Kong, state sovereignty and conflict studies, among others. She is part of the Hong Kong Democracy Council, which lobbies the US government and she has testified before congress on Hong Kong matters. She also has a blog about Hong Kong politics, https://victoriatbhui.wordpress.com. You can find her on Twitter @victoriatinbor

Tracy Li explains how the pandemic is accelerating Vietnam’s ambitious digitization strategy to achieve self-reliance in the tech sphere before. She then delves into the pitfalls that persist in Hanoi’s digital governance - censorship and a legal environment.

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Read the full article here: https://www.asiapacific.ca/publication/vietnam-post-covid-era-realizing-digital-country

Tracy Li is a Post-Graduate Research Scholar at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, focusing on tech and innovation in Southeast Asia.

To find out more about Tracy and her work, connect with her on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/to-trieu-hai-tracy-ly/…

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Kritika Roy uses Australia as a case in point to reveal the hidden complexities of cyber attacks, spanning from the technical to the diplomatic. As the number of attacks increases, policy makers need to be more strategic about their responses and make contingency plans for all potential scenarios.

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Read the full article here: https://idsa.in/idsacomments/decoding-cyberattack-on-australia-kroy-140720

Kritika Roy is Research Analyst at Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses.

Get a 20% discount on Roy’s new book “COVID-19: Analyzing the threat” : https://www.amazon.in/dp/9390095077

To find out more about Kritika and her work, connect with her on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kritika-roy-6139a633/

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Abhijit Singh outlines what the new China-Iran deal means for the western Indian ocean and explains why the loss of Chabahar is symptomatic of India’s deeper predicament in the region.

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.Read the full article here: https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/the-maritime-implications-of-growing-china-iran-strategic-ties/

Abhjit Singh is a former naval officer and maritime policy specialist who has been involved in crafting India's maritime strategy. He is currently head of the Maritime Policy Initiative at Observer Research Foundation.

To find out more about Abhijit and his work, connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhijit-singh-0555b535/

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Tridivesh Singh Maini breaks down what either a Trump or Biden presidency would mean for Indian foreign policy and sheds light on what is at the heart of US-India ties.

Read the full article here: http://www.futuredirections.org.au/publication/trump-or-biden-the-potential-impact-of-the-us-election-on-india/

Mr Maini is a New Delhi based Policy Analyst associated with OP Jindal Global University, Sonipat, India. His research interests include the India-Pakistan-China triangle, India’s “Act East” Policy, the Indo-Pacific Region and Indian federalism.

To find out more about Tridivesh and his work, connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/tridivesh-singh-maini-699482140/.

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Tridivesh Singh Maini knows how to transition. He has not only made multiple leaps across industries spanning journalism, think tanks and academia, he has also moved in policy circles in Washington, Singapore and New Delhi. This trajectory has given Tridivesh a unique vantage point from which to view the policy world. In this episode, he shows us the lay of the policy land from this unique perspective and shares advice on how to best position yourself to make the greatest impact in policy.

To find out more about Tridivesh and his work, connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/tridivesh-singh-maini-699482140/.