Carnegie Council Podcasts

How does ethics shape the way we understand and respond to the defining challenges of our time? For Global Ethics Day 2026, experts from across disciplines convened to examine what it means to re-center ethics in a fragmented and rapidly changing world at Carnegie Council's flagship event, attended virtually by people from 69 different countries.

The discussion spanned finance and governance, climate change, the impact of emerging technologies, and more. How do different sectors weigh questions of responsibility, accountability, and judgment?

How do we explain breakthroughs in international cooperation that seem to defy the odds, especially during periods of great power competition and geopolitical tension? The answer centers on social power: the capacity of transnational networks—groups of individuals who transcend national boundaries at the societal or elite levels—to champion transformational ideas that reshape global norms and move governments, without coercion or payment.

This event showcases insights from "Transnational Political Networks and the Future of Global Order," a multi-year research initiative funded by the Andrew Carnegie Foundation and led by Northeastern University's Professor Mai'a K. Davis Cross. The...

AI is having a seismic impact on how states interact with each other.

As the frontier AI labs of the U.S. and China drive innovation forward, dominate compute capabilities, and seek to control critical supply chains, smaller states are facing new challenges to their own sovereignty.

What geopolitical pathways exist for states to access the benefits of AI, while still maintaining their independence?

Arun Sundararajan, professor at New York University's Stern School of Business, joins the "Values & Interests" podcast for the first interview in a new series of conversations exploring the issue...

People are rapidly losing faith in multilateral institutions. Heela Rasool-Ayub, co-director of the Power, People, and Planet Initiative at New America, joined "Values & Interests" to discuss potential pathways toward a more inclusive and responsive international system.

Drawing upon her family's journey from Afghanistan to the United States and her career across the Foreign Service—at both USAID and as Director for Global Engagement at the National Security Council—Heela discusses how her values system has informed her commitment to the principle of cooperation and her ongoing work to create a more human-centric multilateral future. 

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Can cooperation remain a source of influence in an era of growing competition? Velislava Petrova-Chamova, Bulgaria's Minister of Foreign Affairs, joined "Values & Interests" during the week of the UN General Assembly to explore the nature of power in international affairs and the importance of pragmatism when working through geopolitical issues.

Petrova-Chamova details how her time as a scientist during the COVID-19 pandemic affects how she approaches her work today. From delivering tangible results for citizens to balancing principles with political realities, the conversation examines how ethical considerations inform foreign policy decisions.

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As new technologies transform the way wars are fought, the ethical and humanitarian stakes of armed conflict continue to evolve. With the rise of cyber and hybrid warfare, as well as the development of lethal autonomous weapons systems, what has been lost in ethical thinking about war as it moves further away from human experience? How can we revisit and adapt our moral frameworks to restore the voices of soldiers, veterans, and civilian victims of warfare?

This "Ethics Empowered: Leadership in Practice" discussion was moderated by Adam Read-Brown, Carnegie Council's executive editor and director of journal programming.<...

How has private wealth accumulation by a select few undermined both U.S. democracy and global security? Author and journalist Casey Michel joins "Values & Interests" to discuss his book, "United States of Oligarchy." Drawing on Aristotle's definition of oligarchy and the legacy of the Gilded Age, Michel argues that a small number of wealthy Americans are not only reshaping domestic politics but effectively privatizing U.S. foreign policy.

From technology leaders' ties to authoritarian governments to the intersection of private investment and diplomacy, the conversation examines what happens when personal ambitions displace public responsibilities. What distinguishes today's...

Freedom House CEO Jamie Fly and Carnegie Council President Joel Rosenthal interrogate why democracy is both a moral and a political principle, the regression of freedom globally, and the effects of emerging tech on political processes and institutions. What can be done to counter the rise of authoritarian and anti-democratic forces?

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Access all "Values & Interests" episodes: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-podcast

In this "Ethical Article," Kathleen Egan reviews Michael Russell Gunn's "The Brink of War." She discusses issues related to nuclear ethics in the film, which depicts the 1986 Reykjavik Summit between U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.

To read this article, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/ethics-on-film-brink-of-war 

What does ethical leadership require in an era of polarization, institutional distrust, and geopolitical upheaval?

In this episode of "Values & Interests," Kevin Maloney speaks with Noah Bopp, founder of The School for Ethics and Global Leadership, about educating the next generation for public life. Reflecting on the legacy of 9/11, the decline of civic institutions, and the challenges facing Gen Z, Bopp argues that today's young people have a strong moral compass but often lack the institutions and relationships needed to navigate an increasingly complex world.

Drawing on philosophy, history, and decades of experience educating future...

Artificial intelligence is increasingly framed as an unstoppable force that will reshape economies, societies, and even human civilization. But what if that narrative is part of the problem?

In this episode of "Values & Interests," Virginia Dignum, professor of responsible artificial intelligence at Umeå University and author of "The AI Paradox," traces the interests behind today's AI race, from the economics driving it to the moral questions raised by the Vatican's recent AI document.

Dignum challenges the idea that AI is inevitable, arguing that technology does not simply happen to us: It reflects deliberate human decisions a...

What makes power endure? University of Bonn's Hendrik W. Ohnesorge explores the relationship between influence, values, and international leadership, arguing that attraction and legitimacy often outlast coercion and force. Drawing on examples from classical antiquity, literature, and modern geopolitics, he traces the evolution of soft power and its role in shaping international affairs.

As leaders increasingly favor transactional and nationalist approaches, Ohnesorge considers the rise of "post-liberal" soft power. What are the long-term consequences of this shift? And what role do values such as moderation, prudence, and courage play in sustaining influence?

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Iran and the United States have been adversaries for decades. But caught in the middle are the 92 million Iranians with "90 million opinions" on their government, foreign intervention, and state of their society.

In this episode of "Values & Interests," Neda Bolourchi, senior non-resident fellow at the Institute for Global Affairs at Eurasia Group, draws on history and personal values to explore competing visions of change in Iran, the enduring strength of the current regime, and the realities that often get lost in debates about intervention and national sovereignty.

Read Bolourchi's recent article for Carnegie Council: https...

In the last twenty years rights and liberties have eroded across more of the world than they have advanced. The cumulative effect is a transformed international order in which authoritarian governments are more assertive and the democracies that shaped the postwar system are at risk of diminishing influence.

Yana Gorokhovskaia, research director at Freedom House, joins the Values & Interests podcast to discuss the findings of the latest Freedom in the World report and the challenges democracies face as the norms that once anchored the international system come under increasing strain.

Read Freedom House's latest Freedom in...

We are walking a fraying nuclear tightrope. Russia, China, and the U.S. are expanding their nuclear capabilities; extended deterrence is strained to the breaking point; and proliferation among middle and smaller powers appears inevitable.

But as history has clearly shown, the catastrophic consequences of nuclear weapons are anything but hypothetical. The recently released PBS documentary "Bombshell" captures the human, political, and ethical toll of the bomb—both for its Japanese victims and for the United States, the democracy that chose to wield such destructive power—and the narratives constructed by America's leaders and media to justify its...

In a world experiencing a seismic shift in the values and principles that guide geopolitics, how can we practice strategic empathy without succumbing to moral relativism?

Brian Wong, assistant professor of philosophy at the University of Hong Kong, joins the "Values & Interests" podcast to discuss how we can challenge our own moral and political beliefs, the future of global justice, and the technological forces disrupting our very conception of what it means to be human.

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Gilles Michaud, UN under-secretary-general for safety and security, joins the "Values & Interests" podcast to examine the moral and political challenges facing UN personnel in some of the world's most difficult security environments. Drawing on a multi-decade career at the intersection of law enforcement and geopolitics, Michaud reflects on lessons learned, the future of the UN, and how anyone can cultivate moral and professional resilience in an increasingly unstable and dangerous world.

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Access all "Values & Interests" episodes: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-podcast

America's post–World War II calculus guiding the relationship between power and principle has shifted dramatically. The result is a moment in which U.S. leaders may no longer be asking a vital question at the intersection of ethics and international relations: power, but to what end? 

In this conversation for the "Values & Interests" series, James Story, former U.S. ambassador to Venezuela, and Carnegie Council President Joel Rosenthal discuss the new dynamic between U.S. power and principle.

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The adoption of AI agents is expanding rapidly, particularly within multilateral and diplomatic spaces. Such integration presents a myriad of new ethical questions and challenges for both the practitioners of today and next-gen leaders.

In this "Ethics Empowered: Leadership in Practice" event, Eleonore Fournier-Tombs, New York State's chief AI officer, leads a discussion on this pressing issue.

For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/ethics-empowered-ai-agents

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In a fracturing world awash with belligerent rhetoric, where are the real geopolitical pressure points and what forces are driving them? Aarathi Krishnan, CEO of Raksha Intelligence Futures, joins the "Values & Interests" podcast to pull back the curtain on the political, economic, and technological dynamics shaping this moment of uncertainty and transition in the global system.

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Access all "Values & Interests" episodes: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-podcast

For additional analysis, you can access Raksha's latest report: https://www.rak-sha.com/geopolitical-fractures-report-2026

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What is fueling the post-truth era in American politics, and why is it working?

Professor Mathias Risse of the Harvard Kennedy School argues that "gaslighting"—"persuasion through systematic besmirching, belittling, and the inversion of shared norms"—has become a dominant rhetorical force in American politics. Embraced by leaders such as Donald Trump and JD Vance, this disingenuous approach erodes the very fabric of civic life and good-faith exchange—two essential pillars for a functioning democracy.

In this episode, host Kevin Maloney and Professor Risse explore: How does gaslighting work? Why is it so effective? And what a...

In this "Ethical Article," Alex Woodson reviews Paul Thomas Anderson's Oscar-winning film "One Battle After Another." He discusses gender roles, white supremacy, and the motivations of revolutionaries.

To read this article, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/ethics-on-film-one-battle

For decades, America couched its foreign policy not only in the language of interests, but in universal values such as freedom and human rights. But what happens when that moral framing of liberal values falls away?

From the streets of Caracas to the skies over Tehran, U.S. power is no longer justified through a narrative of liberal internationalism or advanced via appeals—even performative ones—to institutions such as the UN. Instead, Trump 2.0 has embraced a more explicit "might makes right" approach that rejects universality and leans into civilizational conflict between the West and the rest.

Since the establishment of the Outer Space Treaty in 1967, space has been understood to be a "global commons" in which no country has sovereignty. But today, with over 90 countries and dozens of private companies operating in space—with the backdrop of a challenging and dangerous geopolitical environment on Earth—can actors still be expected to proceed "for the benefit of all"?

In this Ethics Empowered: Leadership in Practice convening, an expert panel grapples with ethical questions on governance, militarization, and emerging technology in space.

For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/ethics-empowered-space-matters

Since the establishment of the Outer Space Treaty in 1967, space has been understood to be a "global commons" in which no country has sovereignty. But today, with over 90 countries and dozens of private companies operating in space—with the backdrop of a challenging and dangerous geopolitical environment on Earth—can actors still be expected to proceed "for the benefit of all"?

In this Ethics Empowered: Leadership in Practice convening, an expert panel grapples with ethical questions on governance, militarization, and emerging technology in space.

For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/ethics-empowered-space-matters

Realism—the international relations theory centered on power, national interests, and anarchy—is having a political moment. From the halls of the Munich Security Conference to the pages of the U.S. National Security Strategy, "realism" has taken center stage in debates about U.S. foreign policy. But what does realism actually mean in a historical context, and how is it being applied today?

Paul Poast, associate professor at The University of Chicago and nonresident fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, joins the "Values & Interests" podcast to unpack the intellectual roots of realism, how the theo...

As moral relativists try to sanitize Trump's transgressive policies, Canada's Prime Minister Carney warns, "We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition." Listen to Carnegie Council President Joel Rosenthal in this "Ethical Article."

To read this article, pleae go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/moral-rupture-rosenthal

Are power and empathy incompatible? Dr. Claire Yorke joins the "Values & Interests" podcast to discuss her new book, "Empathy in Politics and Leadership." Yorke showcases real-life examples of leaders who embraced empathy to build more inclusive power structures while simultaneously avoiding the politically disastrous trap of blind idealism. The episode unpacks zero-sum versus more inclusive models of power, the distinction between cognitive and emotional empathy, and why moral leadership grounded in empathy is necessary but insufficient on its own for open societies to thrive.

Dr. Claire Yorke a senior lecturer at Deakin University, based in Canberra, and...

Avril D. Haines, former director of national intelligence, visited Carnegie Council in October to deliver the Second Charles W. Kegley, Jr. Annual Lecture, titled "The Ethics of Decision-Making in National Security."

Reflecting on her distinguished career in public service, Director Haines shared her thoughts on current trends and future needs for building strong and vibrant public institutions. Following the lecture, she was joined by Carnegie Council President Joel Rosenthal for a discussion on public service at this vital moment in international affairs.

In addition to her role overseeing all U.S. intelligence agencies, Haines has...

For decades, Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs has rigorously explored the tension between perpetual conflict and the value of human life. While debates on war and peace are far from novel, the importance of achieving just peace is heightened today by current regional wars, frozen conflicts, and the deployment of new military technologies.

In this panel discussion as part of the "Ethics Empowered: Leadership in Practice" series, distinguished experts reflected on the state of war in 2025 and the obstacles to achieving just peace.

For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/ethics-empowered-just-peace

The international system of the past 80 years was constructed around the principles of sovereignty and self-determination. These pillars of geopolitics now must contend with and adapt to the accelerating adoption and use of AI, both by international actors and the public. This disruption will only increase as researchers and states race to develop artificial general intelligence (AGI).

In this Values & Interests event, an expert panel interrogates significant questions regarding the impact of these technologies on actors operating within the international system.  

For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/geopolitics-agi

What are the political and human risks of a world increasingly defined by transactional politics and national interests? Björn Holmberg, executive director of the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation, joins the "Values & Interests" podcast to discuss the power of pragmatic idealism across international relations, the need to inject morality into the practice of geopolitics without moralizing, and how we can create realistic conditions for greater global cooperation.

For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-holmberg

Rising global temperatures and a shift in climate patterns have rapidly increased the number of climate migrants. As the world faces these new geopolitical challenges, how can nations collaborate to ensure the rights of people moving due to climate change?

This panel discussion, part of the "Ethics Empowered: Leadership in Practice" series, examines this distinct global-scale challenge that goes to the heart of the moral case for both sovereignty and human rights.

For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/ethics-empowered-climate-migration

How is the information landscape contributing to democratic backsliding around the world? Kenyan journalist and researcher Odanga Madung joins the "Values & Interests" podcast to discuss the corrosive effects of misinformation and disinformation on open societies, the rise of manosphere influencers in Kenya and the U.S., and the power of narrative in shaping our collective future.

Madung is a fellow at Harvard Kennedy School and serves as managing director of Odipo Dev, a Nairobi-based impact and media advisory firm. He regularly contributes to publications such as "Wired," "The Guardian," and CNN.

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In this "Ethical Article" Kathleen Egan reviews the new Netflix film "A House of Dynamite." She discusses the many ethical decisions facing leaders when a nuclear missile is launched at the United States. 

To read this article, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/ethics-on-film-dynamite

For those dedicated to humanitarianism, 2025 marks an inflection point, one that requires us to grapple with the question: How might we re-envision humanitarian aid?

In the keynote event of Global Ethics Day 2025, a panel of experts explored vital questions around power, accountability, and the need for greater inclusivity in the design, funding, and delivery of humanitarian aid, both today and into the future. 

For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/ged-reenvisioning-humanitarianism

What is the cost of America pursuing a strategy of military primacy post-WWII? Peter Harris, associate professor at Colorado State University, joins the "Values & Interests" podcast to discuss what a less militarized future might look like for the U.S. and the impact of the Trump administration on American foreign policy. Harris' latest book is "Why America Can't Retrench (And How it Might)."

For more, please go to: https://www.carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-peter-harris

The defunding of U.S. soft power institutions, significant cuts to foreign aid, and the embrace of an aggressive transactional style of diplomacy have shattered long-held assumptions about American values and its interests on the world stage. This begs the question: Has Trump 2.0 ushered in an era of post-liberal American power?

In the first panel in Carnegie Council's new keynote event series, "Values & Interests," an expert panel interrogates the relationship between morality and power in a rapidly changing geopolitical environment. 

For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-post-liberal-american-power

Seven months into Trump's second term, liberal principles hang in the balance. Bringing these norms back to life will require courage and the power of states, businesses, institutions, and the people, says Carnegie Council President Joel Rosenthal in this "Ethical Article."

To read this article, pleae go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/post-liberal-ethics-rosenthal

The race to develop the latest AI-enabled military technology is often justified as essential to preserving democracy. Yet, this "virtuous" messaging deployed by tech CEOs and venture capitalists is driving the creation of a new highly militarized tech ecosystem—one which relies on perpetual conflict to test, iterate, and improve weapons systems.

Elke Schwarz, professor at Queen Mary University of London, joins the "Values & Interests" podcast to unpack the virtue signaling of today's techno-military-industrial-complex, society's failure to cultivate ethical thought in an increasingly computational world, and the resulting dehumanization of civilians in conflicts in places such as Ga...