Diplomatic Immunity
Diplomatic Immunity: Frank and candid conversations about diplomacy and foreign affairs Diplomatic Immunity is a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University. We bring you "frank and candid" conversations on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision makers globally. We talk to current and former diplomatic officials, scholars, and analysts and seek to understand how best to foster international cooperation in an age of global crises. Hosted by Dr. Kelly McFarland Produced by Freddie Mallinson and Abdalla Nasef Design by Rebecca McFarland and Alistair Somerville Music by Gabe Swarts This podcast is supported by funding from the Carnegie Corporation of New York's Bridging the Gap Initiative.
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Declan Walsh: What's next for Sudan's civil war?
11/15/2025
Declan Walsh: What's next for Sudan's civil war?
Interview with Decland Walsh on Sudan: 31:30 This week, Kelly and Truisten talk through Hungary's new attempt to start up an anti-Ukraine bloc in the EU as well as Victor Orban's meeting with President Trump. They then turn to recent elections in the Netherlands and to President Trum's trip to Asia and the APEC summit. Chief NYT Africa Correspondent Declan Walsh then joins Kelly for a deep-dive into recent developments in the Sudanese civil war. Watch Declan's lecture on Sudan here: See more of his reporting here: The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Abdalla Nasef and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on November 11, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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History, Statecraft, and Strategy with Francis J. Gavin
11/06/2025
History, Statecraft, and Strategy with Francis J. Gavin
This week, Kelly talks with Johns Hopkins Professor Francis J. Gavin about his new book, (Yale University Press, 2025). The book looks at how history could be utilized to improve policy and enable better decision-making. It argues for a “historical sensibility” as a practical discipline—one that captures the real constraints decision-makers face, complicates easy assumptions, and trains us to see the unexpected by understanding others on their own terms. In doing so, it bridges the gap between historians and practitioners, showing how careful engagement with the past can sharpen statecraft and strategy in the present. Francis J. Gavin is the Giovanni Agnelli Distinguished Professor and the inaugural director of the Henry A. Kissinger Center for Global Affairs at Johns Hopkins SAIS. Previously, he was the first Frank Stanton Chair in Nuclear Security Policy Studies at MIT. He is a contributing editor at War on the Rocks and has authored or edited eight books. Link to the book: The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Abdalla Nasef and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on 03 November, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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What's next for Venezuela?
10/31/2025
What's next for Venezuela?
This week, Kelly talks with Carolina Jiménez Sandoval about the state of play between the United States and Venezuela amid increasing tensions, military strikes, and continued economic upheavel in the country. Carolina Jiménez Sandoval is the President of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA). She holds over 20 years of experience in research and advocacy for human rights in the Americas and throughout the world.As a leader in the field with extensive experience in the region and Washington, she guides WOLA’s team to achieve strategic impact in social justice and human rights. Read more about Carolina's work with WOLA here: https://www.wola.org/ She is a frequent contributor in English and Spanish to media outlets and publications across Latin America, the US and Europe, including the Washington Post, the New York Times, PBS, CNN, BBC, The Guardian, El País, Deutsche Welle, various academic journals, among others. She is a national of Venezuela and Mexico. The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Abdalla Nasef and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on October 24, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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Will Gaza's Ceasefire Hold?
10/23/2025
Will Gaza's Ceasefire Hold?
Interview with Mona Yacoubian on Gaza: 28:20 This week, Kelly and Tristen unpack NATO’s defense ministers meeting in Brussels and the Trump–Zelenskyy visit to the White House—what it means for Ukraine aid, European drone-defense plans, and the Tomahawk debate. They then turn to political turbulence in Cameroon and Peru, give a quick update on Madagascar’s military-led transition, and close with with CSIS’s Mona Yacoubian on the Gaza ceasefire, the Sharm el-Sheikh declaration, and the risks of a post-conflict security vacuum. Mona Yacoubian is director and senior adviser of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). She has more than thirty years of experience working on the Middle East and North Africa, with a focus on conflict analysis, governance and stabilization challenges, and conflict prevention. The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Abdalla Nasef and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on October 21, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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The Revolution Throughout History with Dan Edelstein
10/17/2025
The Revolution Throughout History with Dan Edelstein
This week, Kelly talks with Stanford University professor and author Dan Edelstein about his new book, , (Princeton University Press, 2025). The book looks at how political thinkers from Plato to John Adams saw revolutions as a grave threat to society and advocated for a constitution that prevented them by balancing social interests and forms of government. He traces how evolving conceptions of history ushered in a faith in the power of revolution to create more just and reasonable societies. Dan Edelstein is the William H. Bonsall Professor of French and (by courtesy) professor of political science and of history at Stanford University. His many books include On the Spirit of Rights and The Terror of Natural Right: Republicanism, the Cult of Nature, and the French Revolution. Link to the book: The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Abdalla Nasef and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on October 7, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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Moldova's Turn Away from Russia with Ambassador Kent Logsdon
10/09/2025
Moldova's Turn Away from Russia with Ambassador Kent Logsdon
Interview with Ambassador Kent Logsdon on Moldova: 33:25 This week, Kelly and Tristen break down President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu’s 20-point Gaza peace plan and what it signals for U.S.-Israel relations, as well as the ongoing ceasefire negotiations. They then look at the Gen-Z-led protests spreading across Morocco and Madagascar — echoing Nepal’s youth uprising weeks ago — and close with Europe’s efforts to rein in Russia’s growing “shadow fleet” of sanction-dodging oil tankers. Finally, Kelly talks with former U.S. Ambassador to Moldova (2021 - 2024) Kent D. Logsdon about the country’s recent elections and its path toward Europe amid ongoing Russian pressure. Ambassador Kent D. Logsdon was the United States Ambassador to the Republic of Moldova from 2021 to 2024. He previously served as the Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment and prior to that was Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Energy Resources. He was also the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Berlin, Germany, serving as Chargé d’Affaires, from January 2017 to May 2018. The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Abdalla Nasef and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on October 07, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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The War Below: Critical Minerals with Ernest Scheyder
10/03/2025
The War Below: Critical Minerals with Ernest Scheyder
This week, Kelly talks with Reuters reporter and author Ernest Scheyder about critical minerals and his new book: "The War Below: Lithium, Copper, and the Global Battle to Power Our Lives." Ernest Scheyder is a senior correspondent with Reuters covering critical minerals and the global energy transition. "The War Below: Lithium, Copper, and the Global Battle to Power our Lives," was published in early 2025 by One Signal Publishers/Atria Books. It was longlisted for the 2024 National Book Award and was named the American Energy Society’s Energy Book of the Year. He previously wrote about the U.S. shale revolution – drawing on a two-year stint based in oil-rich North Dakota – as well as politics and the environment. Find the book on Amazon here: Find more of Ernest's work here: The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Abdalla Nasef and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on September 30, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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Will Gen-Z Protests Change Nepal's Path?
09/26/2025
Will Gen-Z Protests Change Nepal's Path?
Interview with Pranaya Rana on Nepal: 26:50 This week, Kelly and Tristen talk through Trump's speech at the UN General Assembly, his visit last week to the UK, and the administration's recent strikes on suspected Venezuelan cartels. They also provide some brief updates since the last episode: on Jair Bolsonaro's conviction in Brazil and the new Saudi-Pakistan defense agreement. Kelly then talks with independent journalist Pranaya Rana about recent protests and political change in Nepal, where Gen-Z-led protests have upended the country's politics. Pranaya Rana writes Kalam Weekly, a current affairs newsletter from Kathmandu, Nepal. He was Chief Editor of The Record, and Features Editor and Opinions Editor at The Kathmandu Post. Rana is also a professional translator. Read his substack here: The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Abdalla Nasef and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on September 23, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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U.S. Foreign Policy in a Multipolar World with Emma Ashford
09/19/2025
U.S. Foreign Policy in a Multipolar World with Emma Ashford
Kelly talks with Emma Ashford about her new book, First Among Equals: U.S. Foreign Policy in a Multipolar World (Yale University Press, 2025), where she proposes a return to a more pragmatic, realist set of strategic principles, ones better suited for the emerging multipolar world, that would pursue narrower U.S. interests, cultivate the capabilities of friendly states, and emphasize room for maneuver over rigid alliances. Emma Ashford is a senior fellow at the Stimson Center, where she is part of the Reimagining U.S. Grand Strategy Program. She is also an adjunct professor at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and a columnist at Foreign Policy. Link to First Among Equals: U.S. Foreign Policy in a Multipolar World: Link to New Visions of Grand Strategy: The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Abdalla Nasef and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on September 17, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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Trade, Security, and the Future of U.S.–India Ties with Sameer Lalwani
09/12/2025
Trade, Security, and the Future of U.S.–India Ties with Sameer Lalwani
Interview with Sameer Lalwani — 27:32 This week, Kelly and Tristan cover Israel’s unprecedented strike on Hamas leaders in Doha and the diplomatic fallout for Qatar and the Gaza ceasefire talks, the historic trial of Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro and what it means for democratic resilience, and Beijing’s memory-politics summit—complete with a military parade and a guest list signaling China’s preferred world order. Kelly is then joined by Sameer Lalwani for a deep dive on U.S.–India relations—why the partnership soared over the past decade, how new U.S. tariffs, the India-Pakistan war, and Modi’s optics-heavy outreach to Beijing and Moscow have strained ties, and what to watch ahead of a potential Quad leaders’ summit. Sameer Lalwani is a Senior Fellow with the German Marshall Fund’s Indo-Pacific Program, a Senior Advisor to the Special Competitive Studies Project, a Non-Resident Senior Fellow with the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, and a research affiliate with MIT’s Security Studies Program. His work focuses on deterrence, conventional military competition, technology alliances, and Indo-Pacific security, and he is a contributing editor at War on the Rocks. Read more about Lalwani's work: The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Abdalla Nasef and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on September 10, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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USAID's Gutting and The Future of International Aid: Ambassador Erin Mckee
09/04/2025
USAID's Gutting and The Future of International Aid: Ambassador Erin Mckee
This week, Kelly talks with former assistant administrator of USAID, Erin McKee, in light of the department’s gutting in recent months. She is now serving as the CEO of Nova Ukraina, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing humanitarian aid to the people of Ukraine and raising awareness about Ukraine in the United States and throughout the world. Erin McKee is a career US diplomat who served as assistant administrator of the US Agency for International Development for Europe and Eurasia from 2022 to 2025. She also served as the United States ambassador to Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu from 2019 to 2022 under both Presidents Trump and Biden. Her long career in USAID has spanned missions in Kazakhstan, Iraq, Peru, Bolivia, Israel, and Russia, and as Mission Director in Indonesia. Read more about Erin's work with Nova Ukraine here: https://novaukraine.org/category/press/ The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Abdalla Nasef and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on August 28, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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Can External Pressure Bring Peace to the DRC?
08/28/2025
Can External Pressure Bring Peace to the DRC?
Interview with Liam Karr — 28:50 This week, Kelly and Tristan cover the recent rounds of summit diplomacy between Presidents Trump and Putin and subsequent meetings with European leaders, the recent moves in Somaliland's quest for recognition, and the new settlements in the West Bank approved by Israel's finance minister. Kelly is then joined by Liam Karr of the Critical Threats Project for an update on the DRC-Rwanda peace process. Liam Karr is the Africa Team Lead at the Critical Threats Projects at the American Enterprise Institute. His team uses open-source intelligence to closely map the status of various conflicts from the Sahel and West Africa through to Sudan and the current conflict between Rwanda-backed rebels, known as M23, and the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. See more of Liam's work at the Critical Threats Project here: https://www.criticalthreats.org/team/liam-karr The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Abdalla Nasef and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on August 26, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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Dr. Sophal Ear on the Thailand-Cambodia Ceasefire
08/14/2025
Dr. Sophal Ear on the Thailand-Cambodia Ceasefire
Interview with Dr. Sophal Ear: 25:30 This week, Kelly and Tristan examine the backsliding of democracy in El Salvador and analyze the regional implications for President Bukele's political crackdown. They then explore Trump's escalating tariff war with India, which threatens to undermine the partnership between the world's two largest democracies. Next, they explore Japan's landmark $6.5 billion naval deal with Australia and what this historic sale signals for the efforts to counter China's presence in the Indo-Pacific. The episode concludes with Arizona State University Professor Dr. Sophal Ear joining Kelly to discuss the recent ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia and how the centuries-old dispute led to a five-day armed conflict. Dr. Sophal Ear is a tenured Associate Professor at Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management, where he teaches global political economy, international organizations, and regional management in Asia. His global experience includes consulting for the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, serving with the UNDP in East Timor, and holding leadership roles with Leopard Capital, the Nathan Cummings Foundation, SEARAC, and the Southeast Asia Development Program. He is the author of Viral Sovereignty and the Political Economy of Pandemics and Aid Dependence in Cambodia, and co-author of The Hungry Dragon. A graduate of Princeton and Berkeley, Dr. Ear came to the U.S. as a Cambodian refugee from France at age 10. Link to Viral Sovereignty and the Political Economy of Pandemics and Aid Dependence in Cambodia: https://www.routledge.com/Viral-Sovereignty-and-the-Political-Economy-of-Pandemics-What-Explains-How-Countries-Handle-Outbreaks/Ear/p/book/9781032133904?srsltid=AfmBOopGvH8ntwZwymgLaBYkSEo4M3bBDao9D0Z689sUYeHiutYZxC85 The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Theo Malhotra and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on August 12, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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CFR's Ebenezer Obadare: Nigeria's Turning Point?
07/25/2025
CFR's Ebenezer Obadare: Nigeria's Turning Point?
This week, Kelly talks with Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow Ebenezer Obadare about Nigeria's growing security and economic challenges under President Bola Tinubu. Ebenezer discusses how the country is facing escalating violence from Boko Haram, growing political instability, and widespread economic hardship. Obadare also highlights Nigeria's tremendous diplomatic potential and why it could become the U.S.'s most important ally in Africa. Ebenezer Obadare is the Douglas Dillon senior fellow for Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. Before joining CFR, he was professor of sociology at the University of Kansas, Lawrence. He is also a senior fellow at the New York University School of Professional Studies Center for Global Affairs, and a fellow at the University of South Africa’s Institute of Theology. Author of numerous works on civil society and the state, and religion and politics in Africa, his most recent book, published by the University of Notre Dame Press, is titled Pastoral Power, Clerical State: Pentecostalism, Gender, and Sexuality in Nigeria. His next book, The Nigerian Century, will be published by Oxford University Press. Link to Pastoral Power, Clerical State: The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Theo Malhotra and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on July 21, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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Colombia's Political Instability with Crisis Group's Elizabeth Dickinson
07/14/2025
Colombia's Political Instability with Crisis Group's Elizabeth Dickinson
This week, Kelly talks with International Crisis Group Analyst Elizabeth Dickinson about the surge in cartel-driven violence in Colombia and how USAID cuts have impacted the country. Elizabeth discusses how criminal groups have filled the vacuum left by FARC's demobilization in 2016, leading to the highest coca cultivation levels in Colombia's history and a surge in political instability that is testing the country's democratic institutions. Elizabeth Dickinson has been Crisis Group’s Senior Analyst for Colombia since 2019, based in Bogotá. Her work centers around armed conflict dynamics in the country, organised crime, military strategy, and the implementation of the 2016 peace accord between the Colombian government and militant guerrillas. She leads ongoing work around defence strategy reform and regional drug trafficking. Prior to joining International Crisis Group, Elizabeth worked for a decade as a journalist, including roles at Foreign Policy magazine, The National and The Economist. The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Theo Malhotra and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on July 9, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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Kelly and Tristen on The UN Turning 80, NATO's Trump Strategy, and US Strikes on Iran
07/03/2025
Kelly and Tristen on The UN Turning 80, NATO's Trump Strategy, and US Strikes on Iran
This week, Kelly and Tristan look back on the United Nations as it marks its 80th anniversary, reflecting on its evolution from the failed League of Nations and assessing its future challenges, including Security Council reform. They also analyze the recent NATO summit, exploring how European allies have managed the alliance's relationship with President Trump around defense spending commitments and Article 5 guarantees. Finally, they discuss recent U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and how the exposure of Iran's vulnerabilities could impact future nuclear talks. The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Theo Malhotra and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on June 30, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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FDR and the Invention of National Security with Andrew Preston
06/26/2025
FDR and the Invention of National Security with Andrew Preston
Kelly talks with Andrew Preston about his new book, Total Defense: The New Deal and the Invention of National Security. Preston explores how FDR revolutionized national security policy by connecting domestic New Deal programs to global defense strategies. Andrew Preston is a Professor of American History based at Clare College, Cambridge, where he focuses on the ideas and concepts that shape America's behavior in the world at both the elite and popular levels. He will shortly take up the Lyons Brown Jr. Distinguished Professor in Diplomacy and Statecraft at the University of Virginia. Andrew won the 2013 Charles Taylor Prize for his book Sword of the Spirit, Shield of Faith: Religion in American War and Diplomacy. Link to Total Defense: The New Deal and the Invention of National Security: The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Theo Malhotra and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on June 24, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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The Pope's Spies: Yvonnick Denoël on the Vatican's Clandestine Operations
06/19/2025
The Pope's Spies: Yvonnick Denoël on the Vatican's Clandestine Operations
Kelly talks with Yvonnick Denoël about his new book, Vatican Spies: From the Second World War to Pope Francis, exploring the Vatican's little-known intelligence operations. Yvonnick is a French historian, publisher and intelligence specialist who has written on the CIA, Mossad, and espionage in the twentieth century. His new book uncovers a little-known side of Vatican history that saw the Holy See develop its own extensive espionage capability that still exists today. Link to Vatican Spies: From the Second World War to Pope Francis: The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Theo Malhotra and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on June 9, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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Will Popular Elections Undermine Mexico's Court System? Plus updates on South Korea, Poland, and the Sahel
06/12/2025
Will Popular Elections Undermine Mexico's Court System? Plus updates on South Korea, Poland, and the Sahel
Interview with David Mora on Mexico's Judicial Elections: 27:20 This week, Kelly and Tristen unpack key elections in Poland and South Korea, and examine the growing reach of an Al-Qaeda affiliate in West Africa. Kelly then sits down with David Mora to explore Mexico’s recent judicial elections and their implications for Mexican democracy and U.S.-Mexico relations. David Mora is the Senior Analyst for Mexico at the International Crisis Group. David researches organised crime, violence, corruption and conflict in the country, blending fieldwork and investigative reporting tools. He analyses and formulates policy strategies aimed at preventing, mitigating or resolving conflict. Originally an investigative reporter and documentary producer, David has eight years of experience in journalism, working for VICE News, NBC News, ProPublica and The Atlantic. His coverage of migration, criminal violence and corruption in Mexico has been recognised with some of the most prestigious journalism awards in the United States. Before doing journalism, he worked as a human rights researcher for different civil society groups in Mexico. The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Theo Malhotra and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on June 10, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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Amitav Acharya: Why The International Order Will Survive Western Decline
06/05/2025
Amitav Acharya: Why The International Order Will Survive Western Decline
Kelly talks with Amitav Acharya about his new book The Once and Future World Order and the deep roots of global civilization beyond the West. They explore why the recent decline of American dominance doesn’t mean collapse, but a chance to build a more just, inclusive global system. Amitav Acharya is the UNESCO Chair in Transnational Challenges and Governance and Distinguished Professor at the School of International Service, American University, Washington, DC. Previously he was a Professor at York University, Toronto and at the University of Bristol in the UK. His essays have appeared in International Organization, International Security, International Studies Quarterly, Journal of Asian Studies, Foreign Affairs magazine, and has written op-eds for the New York Times, the Financial Times, the Washington Post, and many others. His most recent book, The Once and Future World Order: Why Global Civilization Will Survive the Decline of the West was published in April 2025. Link to The Once and Future World Order: The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Theo Malhotra and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on May 29, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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Mona Yacoubian on Trump's Middle East Visit
05/29/2025
Mona Yacoubian on Trump's Middle East Visit
Interview with Mona Yacoubian on Trump's Middle East Visit: 25:55 This week, Kelly and Tristen discuss President Trump’s meeting with the President of South Africa, give an update on the war in Ukraine, and unpack the UK’s new trade agreement with the European Union. Kelly then talks with Mona Yacoubian for a breakdown on Trump's recent trip to the Middle East, and what the visit means for American foreign policy in the region. Mona Yacoubian is the Senior Adviser and Director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. She was previously the Vice President of the Middle East and North Africa center at the United States Institute of Peace. Prior to joining USIP, Mona was Deputy Assistant Administrator in the Middle East Bureau at the United States Agency for International Development from 2014 to 2017, where she had responsibility for Iraq, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. Mona also previously served as the North Africa analyst in the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research. The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Theo Malhotra and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on May 22, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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Moisés Naím on Authoritarianism
05/23/2025
Moisés Naím on Authoritarianism
Next up this Summer, Kelly talks with bestselling author Moisés Naím about the rise of authoritarianism around the world. Moisés Naím is an internationally syndicated columnist and best-selling author of several books, including most recently "The Revenge of Power: How Autocrats Are Reinventing Politics for the 21st Century," published in 2023. In the early 1990s, Dr. Naím served as Venezuela’s Minister of Trade and Industry, as director of Venezuela’s Central Bank, and as executive director of the World Bank. He was previously a professor of business and economics and dean of IESA, Venezuela’s leading business school. He now serves as a distinguished fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. His forthcoming book, "Charlatans: How Grifters, Swindlers, and Hucksters Bamboozle the Media, the Markets, and the Masses," is coming out in October 2025. Link to the revenge of power: https://www.amazon.com/Revenge-Power-Autocrats-Reinventing-Politics/dp/1250279208 The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Theo Malhotra and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on April 7, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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Sameer Lalwani on India-Pakistan tensions
05/15/2025
Sameer Lalwani on India-Pakistan tensions
Interview with Sameer Lalwani on India-Pakistan: 21:30 This week, Kelly and Tristen digest the recent elections in Australia and President Putin's WWII victory day parade, and remember the life and legacy of legendary IR scholar Joseph Nye. Kelly then talks with to Sameer Lalwani for an update on recent tensions between India and Pakistan. Sameer Lalwani is a non-resident senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments. He was formerly a senior expert in the Asia Center at the United States Institute of Peace, director of the Stimson Center’s South Asia Program, an adjunct professor at George Washington University, and a Stanton nuclear security fellow at the RAND Corporation. His research has also been published in Security Studies, International Studies Quarterly, the Journal of Strategic Studies, Small Wars & Insurgencies, Survival, The Washington Quarterly, Asian Survey, Foreign Affairs, and the New York Times. The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Theo Malhotra and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on May 12, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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Patricia Owens: A History of International Thought without Men
05/09/2025
Patricia Owens: A History of International Thought without Men
In the first episode of our summer series, Kelly talks with Oxford University Professor Patricia Owens about her new book "Erased: A History of International Thought Without Men." Kelly and Patricia discuss how women and minority voices were erased from the early cannon of interntional relations, what that means for the practice of IR, and how the field is fairing amid profound shifts in global order. Link to "Erased": Patricia Owens is a professor of international relations at the University of Oxford’s Somerville College. Her research interests include twentieth-century international history and theory, historical and contemporary practices of Anglo-American counterinsurgency and military intervention, and disciplinary history and the history of international and political thought. She was Principal Investigator of the multi-award-winning Leverhulme Research Project on Women and the History of International Thought. Her new book, "Erased: A History of International Thought without Men" was published in March of 2025 by Princeton University Press. The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Theo Malhotra and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on May 7, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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Remus Ștefureac on Romania’s Election Rerun
05/01/2025
Remus Ștefureac on Romania’s Election Rerun
Interview with Remus Ștefureac on the upcoming Romanian election - 20:05 Read more about Tristen Naylor, Kelly's new co-host, on our website: Kelly and Tristen delve into Pope Francis's legacy, analyze the results of the Canadian election, and examine how India is navigating trade tensions between the U.S. and China. Later, Kelly sits down with political analyst Remus Ștefureac to discuss next week's presidential election in Romania and its implications for the country's political trajectory and foreign policy. Remus is CEO and founder of INSCOP Research, one of the most respected polling firms in Romania. Previously, he was involved in the foreign service as a Romanian diplomat in Washington DC and founded the Strategic Thinking Group in 2005, a consulting company specialized in communication and public policy. Between 2009 and 2011, he was the adviser of the Director of the Romanian Intelligence Service. His Ph.D. thesis covered the vast topic of Soviet political warfare, with a specific focus on Soviet-Romanian relations. The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Theo Malhotra and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on April 29, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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Mélanie Gouby on the Conflict in the DRC
04/17/2025
Mélanie Gouby on the Conflict in the DRC
Interview with Mélanie Gouby on conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - 19:40 Read more about Tristen Naylor, Kelly's new co-host, on our website: Kelly and Tristen break down the Trump administration’s new tariffs, the revival of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks, and Ecuador’s recent presidential election. Later, Kelly speaks with investigative journalist Mélanie Gouby about conflict in the DRC and stalled peace talks between the government and Rwandan-backed rebels. Mélanie is an investigative journalist, writer, and documentary filmmaker based in London. Her work focuses on the systemic root causes underpinning violence and conflict, and their impact on human rights, development and the environment. She was the East Africa correspondent for the French newspaper Le Figaro from 2014 to 2016, and has contributed to outlets including the Guardian, the New York Times, the Independent, National Geographic, Foreign Policy, France 24, BBC, Deutsche Welle, and Vice. In May 2012, Mélanie covered the early days of the M23 rebellion for the Associated Press. She was previously the bureau chief for the Institute for War & Peace Reporting in the eastern DRC. The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Theo Malhotra and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on April 15, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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Jeremi Suri on History & the Policymaker
04/10/2025
Jeremi Suri on History & the Policymaker
For our sixth episode of "History and our Current World," Jeremi Suri joins Kelly to discuss how policymakers can effectively use historical analogies without falling into the trap of oversimplification. They discuss how examining multiple historical cases rather than relying on a single analogy like Munich or Vietnam can result in better policy outcomes. Jeremi holds the Mack Brown Distinguished Chair for Leadership in Global Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin, and is a Professor in UT Austin’s Department of History and the LBJ School of Public Affairs. He is the author and editor of eleven books on contemporary politics and foreign policy, most recently Civil War By Other Means: America's Long and Unfinished Fight for Democracy. His other books include The Impossible Presidency: The Rise and Fall of America's Highest Office; Henry Kissinger and the American Century; Liberty's Surest Guardian: American Nation-Building from the Founders to Obama; and The Power of the Past: History and Statecraft, edited with Hal Brands. Link to Civil War By Other Means: The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Theo Malhotra and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on April 7, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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Alper Coşkun on Türkiye’s Crisis of Democracy
04/03/2025
Alper Coşkun on Türkiye’s Crisis of Democracy
Interview with Alper Coşkun on Türkiye's political crisis - 21:10 This week is our third episode with Kelly's new co-host, Tristen Naylor, a non-resident fellow at ISD. Read more about Tristen on our website: Kelly and Tristen give updates on renewed fighting in Gaza and how domestic Israeli politics led to the breakdown of the ceasefire. They also discuss JD Vance's visit to Greenland and highlight some encouraging developments in India's agricultural sector. Later, Kelly speaks with Carnegie's Alper Coşkun about Türkiye's escalating political turmoil. Coşkun traces the origins of the crisis and its implications for the future of Türkiye's democracy. Alper is a senior fellow in the Europe Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, DC. His research focuses on Turkish foreign policy, especially in relation to the United States and Europe. He is a retired career diplomat of thirty-two years with extensive experience in both bilateral and multilateral settings. He was the director general for international security affairs at the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2016 to 2019, covering NATO, transatlantic relations, Euro-Atlantic security/defense and arms control/disarmament matters. Before that, he was ambassador to Azerbaijan from 2012 to 2016, where he oversaw one of Türkiye’s most largest diplomatic missions. The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Theo Malhotra and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on March 31, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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Daniel Immerwahr on America's Hidden Empire
03/27/2025
Daniel Immerwahr on America's Hidden Empire
For our fifth episode of "History and our Current World," Daniel Immerwahr joins Kelly to uncover how U.S. foreign policy has been shaped by a hidden history of territorial expansion. They dive into the myths surrounding the U.S. "logo map" and overlooked overseas territories, and discuss how a selective understanding of this history impacts our foreign policy decisions today. Daniel is the Bergen Evans Professor in the Humanities and Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence in the History department at Northwestern University. He is the author of Thinking Small: The United States and the Lure of Community Development, and How to Hide an Empire: A History of the Greater United States, both of which have won scholarly awards. Immerwahr is a contributing writer for The New Yorker and his essays have also appeared in the New York Times, The Guardian, The Atlantic, the Washington Post, Harper's, The New Republic, and the New York Review of Books, among other places. Link to How to Hide an Empire: The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Theo Malhotra and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on March 10, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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Canada, Ukraine, and South Sudan, plus Nick Thompson on Undersea Cable Attacks
03/20/2025
Canada, Ukraine, and South Sudan, plus Nick Thompson on Undersea Cable Attacks
Interview with Nick Thompson on Undersea Cables - 22:20 This week is our second episode with Kelly's new co-host, Tristen Naylor, a non-resident fellow at ISD. Read more about Tristen on our website: Kelly and Tristen analyze the recent conflict in South Sudan and Canadian politics, as well as the latest developments in Ukraine. Kelly then turns to Nick Thompson for an update on threats to undersea cables, including recent sabotage incidents in the Baltic Sea. They discuss how nations are strengthening their naval defenses and the challenges of attributing attacks to specific actors. Nick Thompson is a former CIA Paramilitary Case Officer and Naval Special Warfare Development Group operator. With over 20 years of experience in the national security space, Nick has conducted countless clandestine operations and combat deployments with a primary focus on the Middle East and Asia. He now works in Washington, D.C. at Anduril Industries, a leading defense technology company, seeking to bring cutting-edge capability to intelligence and defense professionals. The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Theo Malhotra and Freddie Mallinson. Recorded on March 17, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown
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