The World Unpacked

Latest Episodes:

Europe’s Post-Pandemic Trajectory Sep 17, 2020

Show notes

Rosa Balfour, the director of Carnegie Europe, joins Laura to discuss the challenges and opportunities presented to Europe by the coronavirus pandemic.

In this wide-ranging conversation, Rosa and Laura talk about regional challenges facing Europe, including Brexit, rising anti-EU sentiments, and the protests in Belarus, along with foreign policy challenges, like Europe’s role in the U.S.-China standoff and countering a resurgent Russia. They also talk about Europe’s evolving leadership role in the world.

Read Rosa’s piece on the future of Europe as part Carnegie’s new digital magazine, “The Day After: Navigating a Post-Pandemic World.”

The Day After: A Post-Pandemic Middle East Sep 09, 2020

Show notes

Author Kim Ghattas joins Laura as part of Carnegie’s new digital magazine, “The Day After: Navigating a Post-Pandemic World.”

Kim and Laura discuss how countries across the region are handling the coronavirus pandemic and its devastating economic and social impacts. As we look ahead to a post-pandemic world, they talk about what governments should ask themselves to help mitigate the damage, the contrasting views from Tehran and Riyadh, and the hope of the region’s youth.

To read Carnegie’s digital magazine, click here.

Human Rights at Home and Abroad Sep 03, 2020

Show notes

Bishop Garrison, Director of National Security Outreach at Human Rights First, joins Laura for a wide-ranging discussion about how human rights issues impact policymaking at home and abroad.

They talk about the evolution of norms and values, how government leaders grapple with sometimes competing goals, and the role of nonprofit, corporate, and civil society actors in promoting human rights. Bishop also tells Laura about his work supporting former U.S. military translators in Iraq and Afghanistan, the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement on national security, and what makes him hopeful for the future.

Reading list:

An Appeal to the National Security Community to Fight Racial Injustice

Congress Must Act to Protect Those Who’ve Supported Us in Syria

Veterans Praise Bipartisan Legislation Providing Lifelines to Afghan Allies

The Shock to Hong Kong Aug 20, 2020

Show notes

In late June 2020, Beijing passed a new national security law for Hong Kong. Among other things, the law carries harsh penalties for acts of secession, subversion of the government, and collusion with foreign powers. It also tightens government oversight of media outlets and NGOs. And it creates parallel law enforcement and judicial channels in the city that answer to Beijing.

Shibani Mahtani, the Hong Kong bureau chief for the Washington Post, joins Laura to talk about what the changes mean for the people of Hong Kong and the city's identity as a cosmopolitan center of global commerce.

Read more from Andrei:

The Eternal Putin

Putin’s Majority 3.0

Did Putin Just Appoint Himself President for Life?

Planning for a (Not-So) Post-Putin Russia

What Are Russians Protesting About?

Saudi Arabia's Perfect Storm Jun 25, 2020

Show notes

The coronavirus pandemic, coupled with a massive reduction in global demand for oil, has left Saudi Arabia in a dire economic state. MBS has been forced to sideline his ambitious Vision 2030 plan while implementing a series of austerity measures that could undermine the regime’s stability. Add in pressing foreign policy challenges, including the humanitarian disaster in Yemen and the complexities of the US-Saudi relationship, and the kingdom is facing a perfect storm.

This week, Laura talks to Yasmine Farouk about how the kingdom and MBS can weather the storm. They discuss Saudi Arabia's rapid and effective containment of the coronavirus, the implications of the country’s economic downturn, and how it should best navigate its foreign policy struggles.

Additional reading:

Updating Traditions: Saudi Arabia’s Coronavirus Response

Saudi Arabia: Aid as a Primary Foreign Policy Tool

Protests, Polarization, and the Pandemic Jun 11, 2020

Show notes

Managing the coronavirus has been a challenge for both democracies and authoritarian regimes. In particular, the pandemic has further exposed the inequities and lack of trust present in many democratic countries, including the United States, where protests against police brutality and systemic racism come amid the wreckage of COVID-19.

This week, Laura sits down with Rachel Kleinfeld to talk about how the coronavirus pandemic is amplifying worrying trends worldwide, including a rise in autocratic power grabs, increased polarization, and the reemergence of nativist rhetoric. The two also talk about the links between the pandemic and the protests in the United States and how to leverage pockets of progress.

On the Front Lines With America's Ambassadors May 14, 2020

Show notes

Jen talks to longtime diplomatic correspondent Paul Richter about his book, The Ambassadors: America's Diplomats on the Front Lines.

Paul talks about four diplomats - Ryan Crocker in Afghanistan, Anne Patterson in Pakistan and Egypt, Robert Ford in Iraq and Syria, and Chris Stevens in Libya - who “do the hardest things in the hardest places.” Paul talks about the role of America’s diplomats in the wars in the Middle East, from running local government, directing drone strikes, nation-building, and risking their lives on the front lines. Jen also asks Paul about the hollowing out of the State Department and the implications for foreign service.

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