In this episode, Professor Miles Kahler @mileskahler.bsky.social discusses the future of global governance, the role of middle powers and BRICS, AI, and whether reform is enough or transformation is needed. 🎧 Watch/listen: Links in the comments. #GlobalGovernance #InternationalRelations

Revista Brasileira de Política Internacional (RBPI): Brazil's leading IR journal since 1958. New episode: the editor, Haroldo Ramanzini Júnior, on peer review, editorial standards, and bridging Latin American scholarship with global debates on international affairs. 👇 Links in comments

What is the untold story of America's involvement in the transformation of the Soviet Union? Daniel Satinsky uncovers some details... 👇 Links in comments

📢 Update: Future-proofing The IR thinker! Phase 3: I have updated everything necessary for all episodes on Substack, so they can live comfortably on this online platform. Please consider subscribing to The IR thinker; all episodes are 100% free to watch and listen to. 👇 link in comments

How do concepts like security and development sort the world along racial lines, even when race goes unnamed? Somdeep Sen @somdeepsen.bsky.social joins the podcast to expose the hidden architecture of race in IR. 🗺️💼 👇 Links in comments

📢 Update: Future-proofing The IR thinker! Phase 2 is a completely redesigned Facebook presence, rebuilt from the ground up to align with the new algorithms, rules, and norms. Check out the fresh visuals across all episodes since 2023. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who follows on Facebook.

📢 Update: Future-proofing The IR thinker! Phase 1 is a brand-new Instagram presence built from scratch. Check out the fresh visuals across all episodes since 2023. INSTAGRAM link: www.instagram.com/theirthinker/

When AI fights, the war never ends. 🤖 In this episode, Myriam Dunn Cavelty @myducave.bsky.social joins us to discuss how AI accelerates cyberattacks, complicates attribution, and outpaces human governance. youtu.be/wdpwVncNkKQ #Cybersecurity #ArtificialIntelligence #CriticalInfrastructure

When AI Fights, the War Never Ends | Myriam Dunn Cavelty

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A note to listeners and subscribers The IR thinker is currently in the middle of a substantial infrastructure and design enhancement process. This affects how the podcast is presented across platforms.

An excellent talk with Professor Jonathan Fisher, co-editor of African Affairs journal, about the peer review process, the journal's challenges, and its future vision. #africanaffairs #africanpolitics #academicpublishing youtu.be/LNf43bAV4Aw

African Affairs - Jonathan Fisher | Ep. 17 (2026)

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A great conversation with the editorial team, Dr Vampa @davidevampa.bsky.social and Dr Lopez-Santana @marielylopezs.bsky.social, of Regional & Federal Studies @regfedst.bsky.social on territorial politics, peer review, and the future of regionalism research. youtu.be/60Q0ma3gC3c

Regional & Federal Studies - Davide Vampa & Mariely Lopez-Santana | Ep. 16 (2026)

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Dr Piotr Pietrzak joins us to trace Poland's journey from historical insecurity to strategic confidence. Can Poland sustain great-power aspirations without overreaching? #Poland #strategicculture #geopolitics youtu.be/cx8RAlDaEKQ

Poland's New Strategic Culture - Piotr Pietrzak | Ep. 15 (2026)

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In this episode, Dr Carl Death examines how African actors negotiate, contest, and reimagine climate governance across local, continental, and global arenas. #africanagency #climategovernance youtu.be/1WyAdggRhNg

African Agency in Climate Governance - Carl Death | Ep. 14 (2026)

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In this episode, Myriam Dunn Cavelty @myducave.bsky.social and Nicole Jenne @nicjenne.bsky.social discuss the intellectual identity of Contemporary Security Policy @cspjournal.bsky.social, its peer review process, their editorial work, and future visions. LINK: youtu.be/ZJyhXn--iAk

Contemporary Security Policy - Myriam Dunn Cavelty & Nicole Jenne | Ep. 13 (2026)

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In this episode, I speak with Dmitry Gorenburg @russmil.bsky.social, editor of Problems of Post-Communism, a leading peer-reviewed journal on political, economic, security, and international developments in post-communist societies. #problemsofpostcommunism LINK: youtu.be/Iun0LUyF0LM

Problems of Post-Communism - Dmitry Gorenburg | Ep. 12 (2026)

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Dr Wai Yan Phyo Naing highlights Myanmar as a state where neutralist tradition, decades of military rule, and post-coup fracture combine to shape an exceptionally complex foreign policy landscape. #Myanmar #Geopolitics youtu.be/ZBo-Et_Ai04

Myanmar - Geopolitics & Security - Wai Yan Phyo Naing | Ep. 11 (2026)

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In this episode, I speak with Professor Sergei Prozorov about biopolitics, one of the most provocative frameworks in political theory, and how it reshapes our understanding of power and life across IR, philosophy, and Soviet studies. #biopolitics youtu.be/Gzmqo50YXOM

Biopolitics - Sergei Prozorov | Ep. 10 (2026)

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How does a country under heavy sanctions continue to win influence across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia? In this episode, Vladimir Liparteliani unpacks the full machinery of Russian soft power — from RT and Sputnik to educational diplomacy, ... #russiansoftpower youtu.be/1chWY2zvKYc

Russian Soft Power in Africa, Asia & the Middle East - Vladimir Liparteliani | Ep. 9 (2026)

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South Africa has one of the most underrated nuclear energy stories. Dr. Kelvin Kemm — physicist with 25+ years of hands-on SMR experience — explains why it matters. #NuclearEnergy #SMR #SouthAfrica #AfricanEnergy #EnergyTransition youtu.be/9DohvlwaGjY

South Africa's Nuclear Energy - Kelvin Kemm | Ep. 8 (2026)

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Professor Jack Holland @profjackholland.bsky.social discusses the British Journal of Politics and International Relations (BJPIR) @bjpir.bsky.social — its DNA, review process, and future direction. #bjpir youtu.be/DYfwbJ67AzM

British Journal of Politics and International Relations - Jack Holland | Ep. 7 (2026)

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A heartfelt thank you to historian Philip Snow for lending his expertise on Sino-Russian relations. Together, we traced the arc of history to uncover the principles shaping this complex partnership — and to put many long-standing questions to rest. youtu.be/J0Yojb20Jec

Understanding China-Russia Relations - Philip Snow | Ep. 6 (2026)

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Critical Update: In Memory of Steven Gruzd Steven Gruzd was abducted and murdered in Johannesburg, South Africa, in what authorities described as an 'express kidnapping'. Steven will always be with us through an episode we recorded together. Rest in peace.

@theirthinker.bsky.social has reached over 1,500 followers on LinkedIn, many thanks to those who follow this project there. For iPhone users: The IR thinker needs reviews on the Apple Podcasts platform. Would you be so kind as to provide one? Thank you! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i...

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Social Sciences Podcast · The IR thinker features in-depth interviews with leading experts in international relations, foreign policy, and global affairs. The IR thinker is an independent, non-partisa...

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This interview with Professor Mark N. Katz @marknkatz.bsky.social explores one of the central debates in contemporary international relations: the transition from unipolarity to a more complex multipolar world. #multipolarworld #worldorder #unipolarworld youtu.be/VwlAuTle3z0

The Changing World Order - Mark N. Katz | Ep. 5 (2026)

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In this interview, political scientist Marc Sanjaume‑Calvet examines the constitutional status of Catalonia, the distribution of powers within the Spanish state, and the evolving debates surrounding Catalan autonomy and identity. #catalonia #spanishpolitics youtu.be/DF_SaHQZG_k

Catalonia's Pursuit of Self-government - Marc Sanjaume-Calvet | Ep. 4 (2026)

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In this episode, Professor David M. McCourt unpacks the foundations of New Constructivism: where it came from, what it demands of researchers, and where it's heading. #constructivism #newconstructivism #irtheory youtu.be/oozY4W8JoSA

The New Constructivism - David McCourt | Ep. 3 (2026)

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Thank you to @reubensteff.bsky.social Reuben Steff for a fascinating conversation on New Zealand's geopolitical positioning. Highly recommend for anyone thinking about small states navigating a shifting international order. youtu.be/7woS06fgGqI

New Zealand's Geopolitics - Reuben Steff | Ep. 2 (2026)

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In this episode, Professor Charlotte Epstein reflects on how postcolonial perspectives reshape the study of norms in international relations, challenging conventional accounts of diffusion, compliance, and legitimacy. #norms #postcolonialism youtu.be/0tqSNgrH_n4

Decolonising Norms in IR - Charlotte Epstein | Ep. 1 (2026)

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📢 Starting in 2026, guests can choose between traditional video interviews or audio-only conversations 👍

In 2026, The IR thinker is dedicating 7 episodes to invite research journal editors to speak about research, methodology, and how journals have evolved. Please write your recommendations for which journals I should invite.