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Centre for Geopolitics

Providing historically-grounded approaches to enduring geopolitical problems.
 
Read more at: On Geopolitics Episode 26: The State of Europe
On Geopolitics

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
RIGA, LATVIA. 24th February 2023. Support rally of Ukraine

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...


Read more at: On Geopolitics Episode 21: Protest in China

On Geopolitics Episode 21: Protest in China

Professor Bill Hurst and Suzanne Raine examine the significance of the recent outbreak of protests in many cities in China, and the CCP's response. The host: 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 podcast: China – taking stock
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On Geopolitics podcast: China – taking stock

What happened at the 20th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party and what does it mean for China's future direction? Ali and Suzanne are joined by Professor Bill Hurst , who talks us through personalities, drama, and the new Chinese focus on persistence and security. The hosts: Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at...


Read more at: On Geopolitics podcast: The single narrative

On Geopolitics podcast: The single narrative

Suzanne and Ali discuss how the anti-Western case is made by leaders from Putin to Bin Laden (and everyone in between) 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: The China-Israel trade deal

The China-Israel trade deal

By Bill Figueroa For the past five years, China and Israel have been attempting to hammer out the details of a free-trade agreement, which would be the first of its kind for China in the Middle East. As recently as last month, the two sides claimed they aimed to ink an agreement by the end of 2022. But now, the deal is...


Read more at: Women, peace and security in the Middle East

Women, peace and security in the Middle East

By Dr Anahita Arian. Throughout the twentieth and in the twenty-first century, the Middle East has experienced various interstate and intrastate wars, conflicts, coups, revolutions, and other forms of violence and political turmoil. Since 2016, the Centre for Geopolitics has, through its Westphalia in the Middle East...


Read more at: On Geopolitics podcast - What is going to happen next?

On Geopolitics podcast - What is going to happen next?

After an eventful summer, Suzanne and Ali discuss the role and limitations of predictions and forecasting in geopolitics. More 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 Commonwealth Office on foreign...


Read more at: Pregaming the Party Congress
China Communist Party Congress background

Pregaming the Party Congress

By Professor Bill Hurst , Deputy Director I am on record 20 years ago, in print, warning that scholars of Chinese politics, “confronting an increasingly opaque central decision-making apparatus should not succumb to baseless Kremlinological speculation, but rise to the challenge and make more resourceful and considered use...


Read more at: Welcome to the Baltic Summer School, by Rector Professor Rimvydas Petrauskas
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Welcome to the Baltic Summer School, by Rector Professor Rimvydas Petrauskas

The welcome to the Summer School from the Rector of Vilnius University, Professor Rimvydas Petrauskas, himself a historian, summed up the contemporary importance of the event, and the importance of university thinking, and gave a valuable outline of the historic relations between Lithuania and the UK:- I am delighted to...


Read more at: On Geopolitics Podcast - What next for Iran?
On Geopolitics Podcast

On Geopolitics Podcast - What next for Iran?

Ali Ansari updates us on the state of negotiations on the JCPOA, and we discuss Iran's relationship with Russia. Also available to listen and subscribe to on Apple , Spotify and the Centre's Youtube channel . More about the hosts Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at Cambridge University...


Read more at: On Geopolitics Podcast- The Norway-Russia Border
On Geopolitics Podcast

On Geopolitics Podcast- The Norway-Russia Border

Suzanne and Ali explore this short but significant border. Also available to listen and subscribe to on Apple , Spotify and the Centre's Youtube channel . More 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: On Geopolitics Podcast- Is Russia European At All?
On Geopolitics Podcast

On Geopolitics Podcast- Is Russia European At All?

Ali and Suzanne discuss Russia's vast Asian territory and ask what effect it has on the identity of the largest country in the world. Also available to listen and subscribe to on Apple , Spotify and the Centre's Youtube channel . More about the hosts Suzanne Raine is an Affiliate Lecturer at the Centre for Geopolitics at...


Read more at: The future of neutrality in Europe
Swiss Parlement

The future of neutrality in Europe

By Rt Hon Charles Clarke The very recent decisions of Finland and Sweden to apply for membership of NATO have put the current geopolitical spotlight on the nature of neutrality in modern Europe. The Turkish response to their applications, which challenged their right to be NATO members because of the applicants’ alleged...


Read more at: Stuck in a corner: China’s Zero-Covid strategy
Zero Covid in China

Stuck in a corner: China’s Zero-Covid strategy

By Professor Bill Hurst When vaccines began to be widely disseminated and a path back toward relative normality started to emerge in early 2021, it also became clear that China would not follow it. Relatively slow to roll out vaccines, the PRC did manage to inoculate a very high percentage of its population on nearly the...