Policy People

Latest Episodes:

Afrocentric Africa Policy with Jean Claude Abeck Jun 16, 2021

Show notes

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation, I explore the transformation that is placing Africans at the heart of Africa policy with Jean Claude Abeck. We discuss African identity and the victim narrative, accountability as a means of achieving self-determination, the African diaspora as the continent’s ‘Fifth Region’, pan-Africanism and the vision of the Africa Union, the challenges in promoting Afrocentrism in Washington DC, renewed great power competition on the continent, Africa’s pandemic response and the danger foreign COVID aid poses to sovereignty, conflicts in Cameroon and Ethiopia, how African think tanks interface with their Western counterparts, the scholar-practitioner divide in policy and many more topics.

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Jean Claude Abeck is the President and CEO of the Africa Center for Strategic Progress. Jean Claude previously was a researcher at Africa Center for Strategic Studies and the National Nuclear Security Administration in Washington DC. Originally from Cameroon, Jean Claude graduated with a Masters in Terrorism and Security from American University and is now completing his Ph.D. thesis on US-Africa relations at Howard University. He also serves as a Sargeant in the United States Air Force where he is a transportation specialist. You can connect with Jean Claude on LinkedIn or discover his think tank’s work at acstrap.org or follow their official account on Twitter at the handle @AFRICACENTERFO1.

Show notes:

* Dan Dunham’s report for Africa Center for Strategic Progress: Principles for Independence: Maintaining African Autonomy in the Age of COVID-19

The views and opinions expressed or implied in this interview are those Jean Claude Abeck and should not be construed as carrying the official sanction of the Department of Defense, Air Force, Space Force, Air Education and Training Command, Air University, or other agencies or departments of the US government or their international equivalents.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policypeople.substack.com

Building EU-topia with Valerie Sternberg and Reinier van Lanschot Jun 12, 2021

Show notes

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation, I discuss how to rebuild the EU as a citizen-lead federated democracy with Valerie Sternberg and Reinier van Lanschot. We discuss how their party Volt is leading the Pro-Europe movement for a new generation, the EU’s coming transition from a technocratic to a people-centered institution, climate change and other core issues for Europe’s voters, strategies for pro-EU groups to beat right-wing populist parties at the ballot box, the EU’s performance in the pandemic, the importance of listening tours in campaigning, best practice sharing and Amsterdam’s donut economy, how to unlock individual’s leadership potential and many more topics.

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, leaving us a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts is the easiest way to do so.

Thank you to Yawen W for leaving this review this week…

To give us a review, just go to Policy People on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘Write a Review’.

Valerie Sternberg is the Co-President of Volt Europa and the party’s Lead Candidate for the Bundestag Elections in 2021. Reinier van Lanschot is the Co-President of Volt Europa and has been the party’s lead candidate for elections in the Netherlands. Both Valerie and Reinier are graduates of Harvard Kennedy School and have years of experience in organizing grass-roots communities across Europe to push for a fair, just, green and digital Europe. Volt Europa is the first pan-European party and is working to create a federal European republic with a genuine European parliamentary democracy that is directly elected by the citizenry. You can discover more about volteuropa.org, or follow their official accounts on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, Facebook or Discord. You can also connect with Valerie on LinkedIn or on Twitter at the handle @valeriestern_ and on Instagram @valerie_sternberg. You can connect with Reinier on LinkedIn or follow him on Twitter at the handle @RLanschot.

Show notes:

* For the ‘Donut Economy’ see Kate Raworth’s blog post here: https://www.kateraworth.com/doughnut/

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policypeople.substack.com

Globalizing Indian Security with Devesh Arora Jun 09, 2021

Show notes

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation, I explore policy recommendations for India’s global security agenda with Devesh Arora. We discuss Sino-Indian ties and his tank’s calls for a ‘decoupling’ with China, India’s expanding role in global security, New Delhi’s mission to win a permanent seat at the UN Security Council, obstacles to the country’s rise as a maritime power, why Greece and India are natural allies in the Mediterranean and many more topics.

If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, sharing this episode’s LinkedIn post is the easiest way to do so. I will personally thank you for sharing at the start of the next episode.

Thank you to the Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs for sharing our last episode.

Devesh Arora is an Associate Researcher at Red Lantern Analytica, where he has been an outspoken critic of the Uyghur Genocide in China and has campaigned for UN reforms. He is also the Co-founder of ECON C&R, a pro bono research and consultancy initiative to boost economic research in India amid the pandemic. He specializes in Developmental and Macroeconomics and has worked on several economics research projects for different organizations, including aided Members of Legislative Assembly in researching government schemes in remote parts of India’s north east for Members of Legislative Assembly. Devesh is also a guest columnist for Rajneeti Plus. You can check out his team’s work at redlanternanalytica.com or follow it’s account on Twitter @RLAnalytica. You can also connect with Devesh on LinkedIn or follow him on Twitter at the handle @devesharoraa.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policypeople.substack.com

Podcast Mini Update: Our journey so far and what’s to come Jun 05, 2021

Show notes

In this mini update, I share my thoughts on the process of podcasting, provide a sneak peak of upcoming episodes and invite listeners to share their opinions on future guests and growth methods for the show.

Once again, thank you for listening. Your support means the world to me.

- Liam

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policypeople.substack.com

Police People Podcast: The Taiwan Model with Kuan-Ting Chen Jun 02, 2021

Show notes

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation, I explore think tank innovation and the Taiwan Model with Kuan-Ting Chen. We discuss how his tank is innovating Taiwan's policy ecosystem, the country's current COVID outbreak and its pandemic response model, the threat of China and how it is perceived locally and globally, Taiwan's role in promoting democracy across the Indo-Pacific, the role of think tanks in Track 2 diplomacy, the importance of values and Taiwan's relations with the EU, burgeoning Taiwan-India ties and many more topics.

Thank you to Merissa Khurma, Nikola Ilic, Dr. Ernest Gunasekara-Rockwell, Dr. Matthias Wochinz, Lalit Mohan Joshi and ChangeLab Global for sharing our last episode.

Kuan-Ting Chen is the CEO and Founder of Taiwan NextGen Foundation, a think tank working to make Taiwan more sustainable, diverse, and inclusive. He is also host of Radio Taiwan International’s program “Vision on China”. Previously, Kuan-Ting was the Chief Research Officer and Deputy Spokesperson of the Taipei City Government, where he launched a global internship program, aimed at bringing emerging foreign and public policy leaders from all over the world to Taiwan’s capital. Kuan-Ting has also worked as a researcher with Taiwan’s National Security Council, specializing in Taiwan-Japan affairs and co-founded the Formosan Enterprise Institute, a security-focused think tank based in Washington, D.C. You can discover Kuan-Ting’s think tank at en.taiwannextgenfoundation.org or follow the tank on Instagram or Twitter at the handle @nextgentaiwan. You can also connect with Kuan-Ting on LinkedIn or follow him on Twitter at the handle @kuantingvision.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policypeople.substack.com

Policy People Podcast: Diversifying Middle East Policy with Merissa Khurma May 29, 2021

Show notes

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation, I explore the changing dynamics of the Middle East and the role of US policy in the region with Merissa Khurma. We discuss US leadership amid the recent conflict between Israel and Palestine, whether the US should withdraw from the region, the Four Arab Worlds theory, the role of Program Director within a DC think tank, the economic causes of extremism in the MENA region, obstacles to women’s participation in the region and imbalances in the labor market, the relative importance between asset inheritance and education levels for political participation, the ongoing waves of change that have followed the Arab Spring, the importance of diverse leadership in area studies programs and many more topics.

Thank you to Hosoon Choi, Manuel Zehr and Formosan Business Support for sharing our last episode.

Merissa Khurma is the Director of the Wilson Center’s Middle East Program and Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service. Merissa is a expert on Middle East affairs and has also worked on projects in the MENA region relating to workforce development, youth and women empowerment, fiscal reform, governance and the Syrian refugee crisis. Originally from Jordan, Merissa previously served as both Director of the Office of HRH Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein and Director of the Information Bureau at the Embassy of Jordan in Washington DC and was also a non-resident fellow at New America think tank where she developed a digital storytelling platform for Middle Eastern communities in America. You can discover the work of the Wilson Center’s Middle East Program at wilsoncenter.org/program/middle-east-program. You can also connect with Merissa on LinkedIn or follow her Program’s account on Twitter at the handle @WilsonCenterMEP.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policypeople.substack.com

Policy People Podcast: The East Goes Green with Manuel Zehr May 26, 2021

Show notes

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation, I explore East Asia’s green energy revolution and its implications for the wider world with Manuel Zehr. We discuss how sustainable energy is rewriting the geopolitical contours of the globe, the differences between European and East Asian approaches to renewable energy, the biggest culture shocks for international entrepreneurs in the region, what to do about Taiwan’s energy trilemma, public-private sphere dynamics in East Asian economies, how to navigate legal grey zones in Asia’s infrastructure projects, why Japan is building a pan-Asia energy grid sourced from deep within the Pacific Ocean, the importance of Indigenous leadership to sustainable projects, innovative energy policy models from Scotland and Wales, how to form winning transnational coalitions for energy policy reform and many more topics.

Thank you to Dr Ernest Gunasekara-Rockwell for sharing our last episode.

Manuel Zehr is a renewable energy expert, marine power entrepreneur, government advisor and industry consultant. He is the Co-Founder of Formosan Business Support, which supports international investment in the Taiwanese and broader Asia-Pacific energy markets. Originally from Germany, Manuel has lived in the East Asia for over two decades and is fluent in Chinese, Korean and Japanese. Manuel has a wealth of experience mediating between government and industry and bridging the culture gaps between Western and Asian energy sector players. You can check out his consultancy at formosanbs.com. You can also connect with Manuel on LinkedIn or follow his consultancy’s account on Twitter at the handle @Formosanbs.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policypeople.substack.com

Policy People Podcast: Resetting the Indo-Pacific Chessboard with Doc Ernest Gunasekara-Rockwell May 22, 2021

Show notes

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation, I lay out the geopolitical chessboard of the Indo-Pacific with Dr. Ernest Gunasekara-Rockwell. We discuss the potential of a Second Cold War with China, how domestic politics distracts the US from a focused foreign policy, the physical limits of the Indo-Pacific, the dynamics of the QUAD, the US grand strategy, the centrality of Taiwan, the role of Australia and Japan, the mysteries surrounding US-India relations and many more topics.

Thank you to Dimitrios Kantemnidis, Muhammad (Mehmed) Md Rosli, Tahrima Ferdous, Claire Luzia Leifert, Denis Pennel and the World Employment Confederation for sharing our last episode.

Dr. Ernest Gunasekara-Rockwell serves as the editor in chief of the Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs and Director of the Consortium of Indo-Pacific Researchers. Prior to standing up the journal, he was the acting director and managing editor of Air University Press and the acting dean of the Air Force Research Institute. Earlier, he served as a human intelligence collector and Korean linguist for the US Army. He has taught at various institutions of higher learning in the United States and was an assistant professor in the Technology Integration Division at the Defense Language Institute–Foreign Language Center. You can discover the Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs at www.airuniversity.af.edu/JIPA/ or listen to the Indo-Pacific Affairs Podcast on Spotify or on Apple Podcasts. You can connect with Doc on LinkedIn or follow his Journal’s official Twitter account at the handle @Journal_INDOPAC.

The views and opinions expressed or implied in this interview are those Dr. Gunasekara-Rockwell and should not be construed as carrying the official sanction of the Department of Defense, Air Force, Space Force, Air Education and Training Command, Air University, or other agencies or departments of the US government or their international equivalents.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policypeople.substack.com

Policy People Podcast: The Remote Work Revolution with Denis Pennel May 19, 2021

Show notes

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation, I explore the remote work revolution with Denis Pennel. We discuss the pandemic and the acceleration toward remote work, the three sources of meaning individuals derive from work, new metrics for measuring output, the breakdown and rebirth of collective action, the risks of exploitation and dystopian micro-management tools, reskilling and lifelong learning, ageism in the workplace, think tanks and labor policymaking, universal basic income and many more topics.

Thank you to Sabrina Medeiros, Adriana Abdenur, Verônica Pires, Muhammad Md Rosli and Chris Kremidas Courtney as well as the page InterAgency Institute for sharing our last episode.

Denis Pennel is a work futurist, author, keynote speaker and labor policy influencer. He currently serves as the Managing Director of the World Employment Confederation, representing the employment industry vis-à-vis international institutions, such as the EU, the World Bank and the OECD. He is the author of several books, including the “The Ego Revolution At Work”. Denis is also an active member of several thinks tanks including Generation Libre, European Policy Center and Center of European Political Studies and regularly publishes articles on the work revolution. You can connect with Denis on LinkedIn or follow him on Twitter @PennelDenis.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policypeople.substack.com

Policy People Podcast: Gamifying Policy with Sabrina Medieros May 15, 2021

Show notes

Welcome to the Policy People Podcast. In this conversation, I get into the gamification of policy processes with Sabrina Medeiros. We discuss the use of simulation technology to trial potential policy solutions, how to create cloud-based research communities, methods for transcending institutional identities, how women can overcome new COVID-era barriers to policy participation, the evolving nature of maritime cyber attacks, alternative funding models for new tanks, which kinds of career mentoring actually work, the applications of gamification in defense and diplomacy training, and many more topics.

Thank you to Chitresh Shrivastva and Anurag Shukla as well as the page Transport Review Forum for sharing our last episode.

Sabrina Medeiros is Research Lead at the all-women research platform InterAgency Institute, and Associate Researcher at the National Defense Institute in Lisbon, Portugal. She was formerly a faculty member at the Brazilian Naval War College in Rio de Janeiro and at the Inter-American Defense College in Washington DC where she taught defense economics. Sabrina is an expert in the applications of digital simulations, VR solutions and gamification processes within both defense and diplomatic training. She is an interdisciplinary researcher whose interests include international cooperation, defense economics, qualitative and multi-method research; decision-making processes and simulations. You can discover her platform and it’s research at interagency.institute. You can also connect with Sabrina on LinkedIn or follow her on Twitter at the handle @sabrinamed.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policypeople.substack.com