Carnegie Council Podcasts

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.