Published by Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs
Listen, learn, and reflect on the most critical issues at the intersection of ethics and international affairs. Subscribe for access to the latest interviews, events, and audio articles from Carnegie Council's global community.
Listen on Apple Podcasts47 min
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: Iit reflects deliberate human decisions about what we build, who benefits, and what kind of future we want to create. Be sure to subscribe to "Carnegie Council" wherever you stream your podcasts. Access all "Values & Interests" episodes: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-podcast
59 min
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? Be sure to subscribe to "Carnegie Council" wherever you stream your podcasts. Access all "Values & Interests" episodes: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-podcast
54 min
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://www.carnegiecouncil.org/media/article/iran-is-not-venezuela Be sure to subscribe to "Carnegie Council" wherever you stream your podcasts. Access all "Values & Interests" episodes: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-podcast
39 min
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 the World report. Be sure to subscribe to "Carnegie Council" wherever you stream your podcasts. Access all "Values & Interests" episodes: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-podcast
1 hr 18 min
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 use. This expert panel and Q&A, held in partnership with PBS, was moderated by acclaimed journalist Ann Curry as part of Carnegie Council's keynote public affairs series, "Values & Interests." Be sure to subscribe to "Carnegie Council" wherever you stream your podcasts. Access all "Values & Interests" episodes: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-podcast Watch "Bombshell" here: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/bombshell/
1 hr 9 min
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. Be sure to subscribe to "Carnegie Council" wherever you stream your podcasts. Access all "Values & Interests" episodes: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-podcast Professor Wong's latest book is Moral Debt .
50 min
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. Be sure to subscribe to "Carnegie Council" wherever you stream your podcasts. Access all "Values & Interests" episodes: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-podcast
59 min
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. Be sure to subscribe to "Carnegie Council" wherever you stream your podcasts. Access all "Values & Interests" episodes: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-podcast Stock media provided by four_track.
1 hr 3 min
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 Stock media provided by four_track.
56 min
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. Be sure to subscribe to "Carnegie Council" wherever you stream your podcasts. 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 Stock media provided by four_track.
38 min
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 are the short- and long-term impacts on the United States? Access all "Values & Interests" episodes: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-podcast More on gaslighting from Professor Risse: https://carnegiecouncil.co/eia-gaslighting-risse Stock media provided by four_track.
8 min
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
47 min
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. Matias Spektor, professor and dean at Fundação Getulio Vargas's (FGV) School of International Relations, joins the Values & Interests podcast to examine the consequences of this shift in American power—and how U.S. foreign policy is being interpreted across the Global South, where many have long pointed to a gap between U.S. principles and its practices on the world stage. For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-spektor
58 min
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
1 hr 1 min
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 theory migrated into policy circles, and why today's geopolitical actors—including the Trump administration—are eager to brand their foreign policy as "pure realism." For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-poast
9 min
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
49 min
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 the author of " Empathy in Politics and Leadership " published by Yale University (2025). For more, go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-yorke
1 hr 15 min
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 served as deputy national security advisor and deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency. In 2025-2026, she is a fellow at All Souls College at the University of Oxford. To download a copy of the lecture, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/kegley-lecture-avril-d-haines
1 hr 1 min
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
1 hr 3 min
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