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Centre for Geopolitics

Providing historically grounded approaches to enduring geopolitical problems
 
Read more at: Episode 37: Realpolitik

Episode 37: Realpolitik

Suzanne and Ali discuss the origins of the term and ask how states navigate between pursuit of their interests and being true to their values and ideals. About the hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University. She served for 24 years in the British Foreign and...


Read more at: Episode 36: China and BRICS

Episode 36: China and BRICS

Professor Bill Hurst joins Suzanne to explore what — if anything — the expansion of the BRICS signifies for those countries joining and for China, and look at how to interpret indicators about the current state of the Chinese economy. About the hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at...


Read more at: Episode 35: Heroic Leadership

Episode 35: Heroic Leadership

Suzanne and Ali are joined by Air Marshal (Retd) Ed Stringer to look at what defines heroic leadership, whether it can be taught and whether the idea of the genius leader is fit for today's challenges. The hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University. She served for 24...


Read more at: Episode 34: The geopolitics of climate change

Episode 34: The geopolitics of climate change

Ali and Suzanne are joined by Professor Mike Hulme, a climate change specialist, and author of Climate Change Isn’t Everything, who argues that the current approach to climate change targets and deadlines oversimplifies a complex problem and makes it less likely that we will meet them. The hosts: Suzanne Raine is an...


Read more at: Episode 33: Rethinking authoritarian resilience

Episode 33: Rethinking authoritarian resilience

Ali and Suzanne discuss the idea of ‘authoritarian resilience’, the broader relationship between theory and practice, and how we should avoid becoming prisoners of paradigms. The hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University. She served for 24 years in the British...


Read more at: Authoritarian Resilience
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Authoritarian Resilience

By Suzanne Raine and Professor Brendan Simms Whatever his motives, the challenge to the Generals and to Putin by Yevgeny Prigozhin in Russia reminded us – if we needed reminding – how contingent political change can be. Analysts seek to predict when regimes might fall, but given that the firmness of state control is not an...


Read more at: On Geopolitics Episode 32: The battle for global resources

On Geopolitics Episode 32: The battle for global resources

Ali and Suzanne are joined by Richard Williams of Bunker Hill Mining Corporation to explore global competition for resource, and look at how and whether the US aim to 'de-risk' global supply will work in practice. The hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University. She...


Read more at: On Geopolitics Episode 31: Japan, South Korea and the US

On Geopolitics Episode 31: Japan, South Korea and the US

Ali and Suzanne are joined by Centre Affiliate Dr John Nilsson-Wright to consider this trilateral relationship in the run-up to the G7. The hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University. She served for 24 years in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office on foreign...


Read more at: Deepening trilateralism
Japan, South Korea and United States flags

Deepening trilateralism

By Dr John Nilsson-Wright , Centre Affiliate Ahead of the G7 summit meeting, hosted by Japan from May 19-21 in Hiroshima, there have been signs of strengthening trilateral coordination between the United States and its two principal Northeast Asian allies, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK). In part this reflects some...


Read more at: On Geopolitics Episode 30: The geopolitics of the UK Union
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On Geopolitics Episode 30: The geopolitics of the UK Union

Ali and Suzanne are joined by the Centre's Dr Hugo Bromley to consider the historical drivers behind the formation of the UK Union and their relevance today. The hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University. She served for 24 years in the British Foreign and...


Read more at: On Geopolitics Episode 29: What is the deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia?
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On Geopolitics Episode 29: What is the deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia?

The Centre's Iran-China expert Bill Figueroa joins Ali and Suzanne to look at the dynamics of the new triumvirate of Iran, Saudi Arabia and China. The hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University. She served for 24 years in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office...


Read more at: On Geopolitics Episode 28: Knowing your enemy (Part 2 of 2)
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On Geopolitics Episode 28: Knowing your enemy (Part 2 of 2)

The second part of Suzanne and Ali's discussion on the difference personal relationships between leaders can make at critical geopolitical moments. The hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University. She served for 24 years in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office...


Read more at: On Geopolitics Episode 27: Knowing your enemy
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On Geopolitics Episode 27: Knowing your enemy

Suzanne and Ali ask how much difference personal relationships between leaders make at critical geopolitical moments. The hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University. She served for 24 years in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office on foreign policy and national...


Read more at: On Geopolitics Episode 26: The State of Europe
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On Geopolitics Episode 26: The State of Europe

Professor Brendan Simms gives Ali and Suzanne his impressions of the key themes from this year's Munich Security Conference and what this means for European security and Russia's war in Ukraine. The hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University. She served for 24 years...


Read more at: The hopes that failed: the war in Ukraine one year on
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The hopes that failed: the war in Ukraine one year on

By Dr Donatas Kupciunas , Postdoctoral Research Associate A long year has passed since the all-out Russian invasion of Ukraine, and in a year from now, a decade will have passed since the beginning of hostilities in Donbas. The current war confirms the old adage that no war develops according to preconceived scenarios or...


Read more at: On Geopolitics Episode 25: Can we escape history? (Part 2 of 2)

On Geopolitics Episode 25: Can we escape history? (Part 2 of 2)

Does learning lessons from history do more harm than good? The hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University. She served for 24 years in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office on foreign policy and national security issues, including postings in Poland, Iraq and...


Read more at: On Geopolitics Episode 24: Can we escape history? (Part 1 of 2)

On Geopolitics Episode 24: Can we escape history? (Part 1 of 2)

Ali and Suzanne ask whether we are trapped by history — and how we might use it better to approach today's challenges. The hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University. She served for 24 years in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office on foreign policy and...


Read more at: Judgement on the Union

Judgement on the Union

By Professor Brendan Simms The UK Union, which has historically played an important part in sustaining Britain’s great power position, has been under attack for some time. In Scotland, the Scottish National Party (SNP) has made clear its desire to call another referendum on leaving the Union as soon as possible. Across the...


Read more at: On Geopolitic Episode 23: At the summit!
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On Geopolitic Episode 23: At the summit!

Expert on international summits Professor Tristen Naylor joins Ali and Suzanne to ask what summits are for, whether they are worth it, and what makes them successful (or not). The hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University. She served for 24 years in the British...


Read more at: On Geopolitics Episode 22: How 'revolutionary' are the protests in Iran?
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On Geopolitics Episode 22: How 'revolutionary' are the protests in Iran?

Suzanne and Ali discuss the current protests with Dr Anahita Arian, from the Centre for Geopolitics. The hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University. She served for 24 years in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office on foreign policy and national security issues...