Trend Lines
With in-depth interviews with experts and leading policymakers, Trend Lines brings World Politics Review's uncompromising analysis of international affairs to the world of podcasts.
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The War in Ukraine Is Changing How We Think of Drones and UAVs
06/10/2022
The War in Ukraine Is Changing How We Think of Drones and UAVs
The war in Ukraine has led to a fundamental shift in public perceptions of the military utility of drones. Until now, most people saw drones either as a more or less harmless toy with certain implications for privacy on one hand, and as a complex military system that roams the skies searching for terrorists on the other. The proliferation of drones and the accompanying high-resolution videos of their exploits in Ukraine has blurred these borders. Modified commercial drones easily available in most electronics store across the world are dropping grenades on tanks and dismounted troops, while acting as accurate spotters for pinpoint artillery strikes. Their larger military counterparts are wreaking havoc on supply convoys and armored columns, and they allegedly even contributed to the sinking of the Russian missile cruiser Moskva, which sported one of the more capable air defense systems in Moscow’s Black Sea fleet. That has made apparent what military planners and researchers have said for a while now: The military utility of unmanned aerial vehicles is still a work in progress, and the saturation of conflict zones with these systems will require changes in tactics and doctrine. To dive into these issues and their ramifications for both military planners and policymakers, Trend Lines is joined by Ulrike Franke, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, where she specializes in military technology, including unmanned aerial vehicles and artificial intelligence. Relevant articles on World Politics Review: Trend Lines is produced and edited by Peter Dörrie, a freelance journalist and analyst focusing on security and resource politics in Africa. You can follow him on Twitter at . To send feedback or questions, email us at .
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Turkey’s Contentious Foreign Policy and Domestic Politics
06/03/2022
Turkey’s Contentious Foreign Policy and Domestic Politics
Turkey is nominally a close military and political ally of the United States and other NATO countries, as well as an important economic partner to the European Union. But reading headlines in recent months and years, one wonders how close the Turkish government really feels to its western partners. Under President Erdogan, Turkey has waged war against Kurdish allies of the United States in Syria and Iraq, and supported militias associated with al-Qaida, Hamas and other Islamic extremists. It has also developed a somewhat close relationship with Russia, even buying a Russian air defense system despite strident opposition from the United States—a decision which got it kicked out of the U.S.-led F-35 fighter jet program. In the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Turkey has, largely succesfully, tried to maintain good relations with both sides and act as a mediator, delivering weapons to Ukraine and refraining from sanctions on Russia. None of this can be understood without taking a close look at Turkey's domestic politics and especially its long-running economic crisis and the upcoming general elections in 2023 that could challenge President Erdogan's increasingly authoritarian grip on power. Steven A. Cook, senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations joins Trend Lines from Washington to discuss Turkish foreign policy and domestic politics, and the relationship between the two. If you would like to request a full transcript of the episode, please send an email to . Relevant articles on World Politics Review: Trend Lines is produced and edited by Peter Dörrie, a freelance journalist and analyst focusing on security and resource politics in Africa. You can follow him on Twitter at . To send feedback or questions, email us at
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The New Space Race Has Already Begun
04/21/2022
The New Space Race Has Already Begun
The first space race, between the United States and the Soviet Union, was a geopolitical and ideological struggle between superpowers. Now five decades in the past, it pushed the limits of technology to extremes and realized some long-held dreams of humanity, like putting a human on the moon. But after the enormous gains of the 1950s and 60s, space exploration advanced more gradually. More countries developed space programs, but between 1961 and 2000, only the Soviet Union, the United States and China put humans into space. After the U.S.’s Apollo program came to an end, humans never returned to the moon, and ambitious plans to expand human exploration to other planets were shelved. And with the end of NASA’s Space Shuttle program, the U.S. seemed to become disinterested in the final frontier, even contracting human launches out to Russia. Over the past decade, something changed. In 2004, U.S. Congress required NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration to legalize private spaceflight. Then, in 2015, it passed the Spurring Private Aerospace Competitive and Entrepreneurship Act, better known as the SPACE Act, which expanded the rights to explore and exploit space to private citizens in the U.S. During that same time, an internet entrepreneur named Elon Musk founded the aerospace company SpaceX with the goal of developing cheaper and more reliable access to space and, ultimately, to build a colony on Mars. Today, SpaceX has developed and launched its partially reusable rocket, Falcon 9, more than 150 times. The company is on the cusp of introducing a fully reusable launch system, Starship, with a lift capacity of more than 100 tons to low-Earth Orbit. SpaceX and other private companies have also developed vehicles that can put humans into space, as well as “mega-constellations” of satellites that promise to provide high quality and affordable internet access independent of terrestrial infrastructure. At the same time, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has brought an end to decades of cooperation between Washington and Moscow in space, putting even the future of the International Space Station into question. Meanwhile, China is aggressively pushing its space program, as are India and other nations. Arguably, the world is already in the age of a new Space Race. And this time, it is multipolar, with everyone from superpowers to startups participating. Joining Trend Lines to discuss all this and more is Eric Berger, a senior space editor at Ars Technica and author of “Liftoff,” a book on the rise of SpaceX. Relevant articles on World Politics Review: Trend Lines is produced and edited by Peter Dörrie, a freelance journalist and analyst focusing on security and resource politics in Africa. You can follow him on Twitter at . To send feedback or questions, email us at
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Everyone Has Come Out on the Losing End of Ethiopia’s Civil War
04/15/2022
Everyone Has Come Out on the Losing End of Ethiopia’s Civil War
In 2019, Ethiopia’s young and dynamic prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to resolve the longstanding tensions between his country and Eritrea. His announcement of domestic political reforms were received well both abroad and at home, many Ethiopians had felt excluded by a political system seen as having been captured by the country’s Tigrayan ethnic minority. Today, none of this enthusiasm is left. In late 2020, long-running tensions between the central government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, once the dominant ethnic party in the ruling coalition, escalated into a full-blown civil war. The conflict has been characterized by shocking atrocities and abuses on all sides. More than 2 million people have been forced to flee their homes, and political repression has increased in the wake of the war. On March 24, Abiy’s government and Tigrayan forces declared an indefinite humanitarian truce in Tigray, and some humanitarian aid has since reached the area. But the conflict, which has shattered Ethiopia’s image as an economic and political powerhouse in the region, is far from resolved. On this week’s episode of Trend Lines, William Davison, the International Crisis Group’s senior analyst for Ethiopia, joins Peter Dörrie to unpack the background of the conflict and the latest developments in Ethiopia. Relevant articles on World Politics Review: Trend Lines is produced and edited by Peter Dörrie, a freelance journalist and analyst focusing on security and resource politics in Africa. You can follow him on Twitter at . To send feedback or questions, email us at
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Macron’s Reelection Bid Just Got More Complicated
04/07/2022
Macron’s Reelection Bid Just Got More Complicated
French President Emmanuel Macron is comfortably ahead in the polls for the first round of France’s presidential election, which takes place Sunday. With far-right candidate Marine Le Pen likely to finish second, the second-round runoff is shaping up to be a repeat of 2017. But while Macron won in a landslide in 2017 with more than 60 percent of the vote, this time the gap is much narrower, with less than 10 percent separating Macron and Le Pen in opinion polls and the momentum clearly in Le Pen’s favor. Macron came into office on an ambitious and popular foreign policy agenda that portrayed the European Union not as a problem, but as a solution, particularly to the pressures the country faces as a result of globalization. But Macron has often struggled to communicate his vision to the French electorate, even as he suffers from his image of being detached from the population’s everyday problems, especially the spiraling cost of living. On this week’s episode of Trend Lines, Célia Belin, a visiting fellow in the Brookings Institution’s Center on the United States and Europe, joins Peter Dörrie to discuss how foreign policy is intersecting with electoral politics in France’s presidential election, and what a possible second term for Macron—or a first term for Le Pen—might look like. Relevant articles: Trend Lines is produced and edited by Peter Dörrie, a freelance journalist and analyst focusing on security and resource politics in Africa. You can follow him on Twitter at . To send feedback or questions, email us at .
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Latin America Needs More Than Elections to Solidify Democracy
03/04/2022
Latin America Needs More Than Elections to Solidify Democracy
Across Latin America, countries have come a long way in building democratic institutions. Most hold competitive and inclusive elections, for example. But the pervasive presence of organized crime and corruption has made progress in other areas, like the rule of law, difficult, leaving trust in the state almost nonexistent in many parts of Latin American. Kevin Casas-Zamora, secretary-general of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, joins Peter Dörrie to discuss these issues, as well as the region’s reaction to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, given Moscow’s attempts over the past two decades to strengthen its ties to Latin America. Relevant articles on WPR: Trend Lines is produced and edited by Peter Dörrie, a freelance journalist and analyst focusing on security and resource politics in Africa. You can follow him on Twitter at @peterdoerrie.
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The International War on Waste
02/25/2022
The International War on Waste
Plastics, e-waste and other hazardous waste are routinely traded across borders in what amounts to an “out of sight, out of mind” approach for the rich countries that produce them. The story is more complicated for the communities that receive and dispose of the waste. Hazardous waste poses risks to the health of local communities and the environment, spurring attempts to ban its movement across borders. But in countries like Turkey, Vietnam and Ghana, waste is often processed to extract its residual value. The important source of income it provides explains why those efforts have been of limited success and questionable usefulness. To discuss the risks but also the complexity of the international trade of hazardous wastes, Kate O’Neill joins Peter Dörrie on Trend Lines. O’Neill is a professor at the University of California Berkeley’s Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, where she specializes in researching waste, the circular economy and global environmental governance. Relevant articles on WPR: Trend Lines is produced and edited by Peter Dörrie, a freelance journalist and analyst focusing on security and resource politics in Africa. You can follow him on Twitter at @peterdoerrie
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Young People Deserve a Say in Tackling the Crises They'll Inherit
02/18/2022
Young People Deserve a Say in Tackling the Crises They'll Inherit
In many countries, COVID-19 has robbed an entire generation of at least a year of education and child care, not to speak of many social connections. Climate change is already threatening the wellbeing of young people around the world and will negatively impact them and future generations for decades to come. And the impacts of many social problems like unemployment and the rising cost of housing are especially severe for younger people. What would the world look like if policymakers gave priority in their decision-making to long-term consequences over short-term political expediency? U.N. Next Generation Fellow and WPR columnist Aishwarya Machani joins Peter Dörrie on Trend Lines to discuss what the world looks like from the perspective of a young activist today and how to make young people’s voices heard in finding solutions to the crises that disproportionately affect them. Relevant articles on WPR:
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Getting Nuclear Nonproliferation Back on Track
02/11/2022
Getting Nuclear Nonproliferation Back on Track
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty’s 10th Review Conference has been postponed repeatedly due to the coronavirus pandemic, perhaps a symbol of the degree to which global efforts to curb the proliferation of nuclear weapons and reduce global stockpiles have stalled in recent years. North Korea continues to expand its nuclear capabilities, and the U.S., China and Russia are all investing heavily in modernizing their arsenals. And efforts to bring Iran back into compliance with the nonproliferation regime have been set back by the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the multilateral deal known as the JCPOA, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, that contained Tehran’s nuclear program. But while the NPT Review Conference is sorely needed to resolve these and a host of other outstanding problems regarding the treaty and its implementation, some observers welcomed the postponement, as it gives state parties more time to bridge some of their stark disagreements over the best way forward. To discuss these issues and more, Miles Pomper, a senior fellow at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, joins Peter Dörrie on Trend Lines. Relevant articles on WPR:
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China’s Military Buildup Is Challenging U.S. Deterrence in Asia
02/04/2022
China’s Military Buildup Is Challenging U.S. Deterrence in Asia
Mock amphibious assaults, regular intrusions into Taiwan’s air defense zone and the militarization of artificial islands in the South China Sea are just some of the headlines that China’s military buildup has generated in recent years. Under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, China has combined advances in electronic warfare with state-of-the-art military hardware like ballistic anti-ship missiles, stealth aircraft and aircraft carriers, with the ambitious goal of militarily dominating the South and East China Seas. This strategy is squarely aimed at undermining the U.S. military’s preeminence in the region, which until now has served as a counterweight to China’s claims of sovereignty over large swathes of ocean in its immediate neighborhood, containing both valuable natural resources and some of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. And hovering over it all is the threat that China’s military ambitions pose to Taiwan. Timothy Heath, senior defense researcher at the RAND corporation in Washington, joins Peter Dörrie on Trend Lines to discuss the implications and unintended consequences of China’s military modernization. Relevant Articles on WPR:
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2022 Is Shaping Up to Be a Year of Living Dangerously
01/14/2022
2022 Is Shaping Up to Be a Year of Living Dangerously
Around the world in recent years, openness has given way to closure, even as the pandemic and climate crisis have made questions of intergenerational equity more urgent. All of this unfolds as the norm against interstate conflict is fraying. WPR’s Judah Grunstein joins Peter Dörrie to discuss the trends that will shape 2022.
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Rerun: Ali Wyne on the State of U.S.-China Relations
12/30/2021
Rerun: Ali Wyne on the State of U.S.-China Relations
The tense dynamic around the recent round of trade talks between U.S. and Chinese negotiators says a lot about the current state of the overall relationship between Washington and Beijing. WPR’s Elliot Waldman digs into these issues on the Trend Lines podcast this week with the Eurasia Group’s Ali Wyne.
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Rerun: The End of Asylum?
12/29/2021
Rerun: The End of Asylum?
In recent years, the right to seek asylum has been eroded across the Global North, even as the numbers of refugees and asylum-seekers around the world have swelled. This week on Trend Lines, Khalid Koser joins WPR’s Elliot Waldman to discuss to discuss the past, present and potential future of asylum rights.
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Rerun: Addressing Gender Disparities in COVID-19 Recoveries
12/28/2021
Rerun: Addressing Gender Disparities in COVID-19 Recoveries
Around the world, the coronavirus pandemic has taken an especially high toll on women and girls. This week on Trend Lines, Megan O’Donnell joins WPR’s Elliot Waldman to discuss her work leading a new initiative to analyze the impacts of the pandemic on gender inequality and study policy responses.
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Don’t Underestimate Russia as a Global Power
11/17/2021
Don’t Underestimate Russia as a Global Power
The late John McCain famously called Russia a “gas station masquerading as a country.” In her recently published book, Kathryn Stoner challenges such dismissive takes, arguing that assessing Russian capabilities requires looking beyond traditional metrics of power. She joins Elliot Waldman on Trend Lines this week.
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The AUKUS Defense Pact Is Shaking Up ASEAN
11/10/2021
The AUKUS Defense Pact Is Shaking Up ASEAN
Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne is wrapping up a four-nation tour of Southeast Asia this week, which is partly aimed at allaying some ASEAN states’ concerns about the AUKUS security partnership. On Trend Lines, Susannah Patton joins WPR’s Elliot Waldman to discuss the defense pact’s mixed reception in the region.
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A Climate Showdown in Glasgow
11/03/2021
A Climate Showdown in Glasgow
The annual U.N. Climate Change Conference, known this year as COP26, is underway in Glasgow, Scotland. This week on Trend Lines, WPR columnist Stewart Patrick joins Elliot Waldman to discuss the latest developments from Glasgow and the sticking points that are preventing more ambitious global action to curb emissions.
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The Global Minimum Tax Deal Could Short-Change Poorer Countries
10/27/2021
The Global Minimum Tax Deal Could Short-Change Poorer Countries
Economists and commentators are extolling the recently announced deal on a global corporate minimum tax, but as with many things tax-related, the devil may be in the details. This week on Trend Lines, WPR’s Elliot Waldman digs into the substance of the agreement with taxation and development expert Martin Hearson.
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Ali Wyne on the State of U.S.-China Relations
10/20/2021
Ali Wyne on the State of U.S.-China Relations
The tense dynamic around the recent round of trade talks between U.S. and Chinese negotiators says a lot about the current state of the overall relationship between Washington and Beijing. WPR’s Elliot Waldman digs into these issues on the Trend Lines podcast this week with the Eurasia Group’s Ali Wyne.
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In Afghanistan and Beyond, Qatar Flexes Its Diplomatic Muscle
10/13/2021
In Afghanistan and Beyond, Qatar Flexes Its Diplomatic Muscle
Qatar has long been an important go-between in regional and global diplomacy, including in the talks that led to the U.S.-Taliban peace agreement in February 2020. Today on Trend Lines, Annelle Sheline joins Elliot Waldman to discuss the unique role Qatar plays in the Middle East and in the broader Islamic world.
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‘America Is Back’ Won’t Save the U.S.-Led Global Order
10/06/2021
‘America Is Back’ Won’t Save the U.S.-Led Global Order
The rise of China and resurgence of Russia, combined with other trends, have significantly weakened U.S. hegemony in a rapidly transforming international landscape. This week on Trend Lines, Daniel Nexon joins WPR weekly columnist Howard French to discuss the changing global order and the United States’ place in it.
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The Most Fearless Country in Europe
09/29/2021
The Most Fearless Country in Europe
When Lithuania announced this summer that it would allow Taiwan to open a de facto embassy in the capital, Vilnius, it provoked a fierce rebuke from China. This week on Trend Lines, Edward Lucas joins WPR’s Elliot Waldman to talk about why Lithuania isn’t backing down against China and other authoritarian powers.
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A Deadly Year for Latin America’s Environmentalists
09/22/2021
A Deadly Year for Latin America’s Environmentalists
According to a new report from the human rights group Global Witness, 227 environmental activists were killed worldwide in 2020, nearly three-fourths of them in Latin America. This week on Trend Lines, Gimena Sánchez joins WPR’s Elliot Waldman to talk about what’s driving this violence and what can be done about it.
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A Deadly Year for Latin America’s Environmentalists
09/22/2021
A Deadly Year for Latin America’s Environmentalists
According to a new report from the human rights group Global Witness, 227 environmental activists were killed worldwide in 2020, nearly three-fourths of them in Latin America. This week on Trend Lines, Gimena Sánchez joins WPR’s Elliot Waldman to talk about what’s driving this violence and what can be done about it.
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‘Born in Blackness’: A Conversation With Howard French
09/15/2021
‘Born in Blackness’: A Conversation With Howard French
This week on Trend Lines, Howard French joins WPR’s Judah Grunstein to discuss his fifth and latest book, “Born in Blackness: Africa, Africans, and the Making of the Modern World, 1471 to the Second World War,” which argues that almost everything about the familiar narrative of Europe’s Age of Exploration and Empire is wrong.
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What to Watch for in Biden’s U.N. Debut
09/08/2021
What to Watch for in Biden’s U.N. Debut
The highlight of the 76th session of the U.N. General Assembly that kicks off next week will be President Joe Biden’s first address to the U.N. since taking office. This week on Trend Lines, Richard Gowan joins WPR’s Elliot Waldman to preview Biden’s speech, as well as other elements of the UNGA’s packed agenda.
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Rerun: Why Innovation Will Be Key to Africa’s Post-COVID Rebuilding
09/01/2021
Rerun: Why Innovation Will Be Key to Africa’s Post-COVID Rebuilding
Author and researcher Efosa Ojomo argues that in response to the coronavirus pandemic, countries in Africa and other emerging markets should aim to foster “market-creating innovations” that make societies more resilient to economic shocks. Ojomo joins WPR’s Elliot Waldman on this week’s Trend Lines podcast.
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A Haitian Solution to Haiti’s Crisis
08/25/2021
A Haitian Solution to Haiti’s Crisis
Too often overlooked in news coverage of Haiti is the work being done by the country’s vibrant civil society to bring about a more just and equitable future for Haitians. This week on Trend Lines, WPR’s Elliot Waldman discusses these efforts with the Haitian writer and pro-democracy advocate Monique Clesca.
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Confronting East Asia’s Demographic Transition
08/18/2021
Confronting East Asia’s Demographic Transition
The combination of higher life expectancies and lower fertility rates poses a huge challenge for East Asia’s largest economies, including China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. This week on Trend Lines, Ronald D. Lee joins WPR’s Elliot Waldman to discuss how the region is coping with its major demographic changes.
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Hunger: The Other Pandemic
08/11/2021
Hunger: The Other Pandemic
A recent U.N. report found that global food insecurity rose sharply in 2020, largely due to COVID-19. This week on Trend Lines, Julie Howard joins WPR’s Elliot Waldman to discuss why and how our food systems have become so vulnerable, and what will it take to reverse the trend of increasing hunger.
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