Diplomatic Immunity

Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, Georgetown University
  • 3.0 (2)
  • Politics
  • Updated weekly

Diplomatic Immunity: Frank and candid conversations about diplomacy and foreign affairs Diplomatic Immunity is a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University. We bring you "frank and candid" conversations on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision makers globally. We talk to current and former diplomatic officials, scholars, and analysts and seek to understand how best to foster international cooperation in an age of global crises. Hosted by Dr. Kelly McFarland Produced by Mislav Majcan

  1. 6 days ago

    Is the US Selling Out Ukraine to Win an Election? + Houthi Analysis

    In this episode of Headlines in History, hosts Kelly and Tristen discuss the latest developments in two major global conflicts. They begin with the ongoing war in Ukraine, covering the recent uptick in diplomatic activity—including Steve Witkoff's meeting with Putin in St. Petersburg, rumors of a US-Russia-China summit that excludes Ukraine, and the Trump administration's decision to lift sanctions on Russian diesel exports ahead of the midterms. The conversation then shifts to Yemen, where Houthi forces are making new territorial gains, attacking Saudi infrastructure, and threatening Red Sea shipping—potentially reigniting a devastating civil war amid already heightened tensions with Iran.  New episodes every week. Subscribe to the @gudiplomacy YouTube channel for more diplomacy content Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Produced by Mislav Majcan.

  2. 15 Oct

    FDR, Fascism, and America's Path to World War II with Historian William Hitchcock

    Today on Diplomatic Immunity, we're joined by historian William Hitchcock to talk about FDR's presidency, why he sees him as both a hero and an anti-hero, and how America ended up leading the fight against fascism. William Hitchcock is a Pulitzer Prize finalist and professor of history at the University of Virginia. We discuss the conventional wisdom about American "isolationism" in the 1930s and why it's wrong, the cast of journalists and activists (Dorothy Thompson, Eleanor Roosevelt, Harold Ickes, Martha Gellhorn, Ernest Hemingway) who sounded the alarm long before Pearl Harbor, the crises in Ethiopia and Spain as turning points, FDR's dramatic pivot in 1940–41, and what lessons the 1930s hold for navigating today's multipolar, crisis-filled world. 📚 A Shadow Over the World by William Hitchcock New episodes every week. Subscribe so you don't miss the next one. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Produced by Mislav Majcan.

  3. 8 Oct

    Fighting AIDS | Lifeline: The Story of PEPFAR — Interview with Journalist John Donnelly

    In 2003, President George W. Bush proposed spending $15 billion to fight AIDS in Africa — a program that would go on to save more than 26 million lives. Journalist John Donnelly, author of "Lifeline: The Story of PEPFAR, the Greatest Humanitarian Initiative of Our Time," joins the show to tell the untold story of how doctors, activists, diplomats, policymakers, and Africans themselves turned an unprecedented promise into reality. From the horror of the AIDS epidemic in 2001 to the bureaucratic battles inside Washington, from secret meetings with the South African military to the political pragmatism that held a fragile coalition together — this is the story of how the United States built one of the most ambitious humanitarian programs in history, and what comes next as PEPFAR transitions to a new era. 📖 John Donnelly's book: "Lifeline: The Story of PEPFAR, the Greatest Humanitarian Initiative of Our Time" https://www.amazon.com/Lifeline-PEPFAR-Greatest-Humanitarian-Initiative/dp/B0GYG37C3L New episodes every week. Subscribe so you don't miss the next one. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Produced by Mislav Majcan.  Follow and Support our work: https://isd.georgetown.edu/ https://www.instagram.com/gudiplomacy/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/institute-for-the-study-of-diplomacy/

  4. 1 Oct

    Headlines in History | Iran's Forever War, US-Canada Trade Fight, and a Nothingburger China Summit

    It's been a while! In the first "Headlines in History" since spring, Kelly and Tristan dig into the global stories that refuse to go away. In this episode: Iran — Months into the conflict, there's still no agreement. Iran controls the Strait of Hormuz more than ever, the Houthis are disrupting Red Sea shipping, and the Trump administration's goals remain unclear. Is this ending after the midterms? Don't bet on it. US-Canada Trade War — The USMCA renegotiation fell apart, tariffs are flying back and forth, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney isn't backing down. From consumer nationalism in grocery stores to American alcohol pulled from liquor store shelves, Canadians are galvanized — and looking to diversify away from an unreliable neighbor. Canada + the EU — The EU's unprecedented proposal for Canada to become an "associate member" would have been laughed out of the room a few years ago. What does it mean, and how realistic is it? US-China Summit — A three-day state visit that produced... a new White House helipad. We break down why the pageantry was the point, and the substance was nowhere to be found.  New episodes every week. Subscribe so you don't miss the next one. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world.  Follow and Support our work: https://isd.georgetown.edu/ https://www.instagram.com/gudiplomacy/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/institute-for-the-study-of-diplomacy/

  5. 17 Sept

    America Is Losing the Influence Game | Elizabeth Kennedy Trudeau and the Bush Presidential Center

    A former US diplomat breaks down why soft power matters more than ever — and why the United States is ceding ground to China and other adversaries. From polling data showing China is viewed more favorably than the US, to exchange programs that produced 500+ heads of state, to the media networks that deliver facts where authoritarian governments close the door, this conversation covers the tools of American influence that are quietly being dismantled. Elizabeth is the Bradford M. Freeman Managing Director of Global Policy at the George W. Bush Institute. She recently published a set of recommendations on protecting U.S. values-based power, covering exchange diplomacy, international student access, and U.S. broadcasting, and an analysis of how CRINK cooperation is outpacing U.S. policy. You can access the report here: https://www.bushcenter.org/publicatio...  Produced by Mislav Majcan. Recorded on 15 September, 2026. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Follow and Support our work: https://isd.georgetown.edu/ and @gudiplomacy 🔔 Subscribe for more in-depth conversations on diplomacy, foreign policy, and international relations. #ForeignPolicy #Diplomacy #History

  6. 9 Jul

    Empire, Roosevelt, and Mark Twain with Stephen Kinzer

    This week, Kelly is joined by historian and journalist Stephen Kinzer to discuss his book The True Flag: Theodore Roosevelt, Mark Twain, and the Birth of American Empire. They dig into the Spanish-American War, the fierce imperialist vs. anti-imperialist debate it sparked, and how those same arguments still echo through American foreign policy today. Find The True Flag here: https://www.amazon.com/True-Flag-Theodore-Roosevelt-American/dp/1627792163  Timestamps: 0:00 – Introduction 0:13 – Introducing Stephen Kinzer and The True Flag 2:21 – What Was the Spanish-American War? 6:22 – The Imperialist Case: Roosevelt and Lodge 11:05 – The Philippines and the Rise of Insurgency 17:36 – The Anti-Imperialist Senate Debate 24:01 – Mark Twain's Anti-Imperialist Crusade 27:08 – William Jennings Bryan's Complicated Role 31:18 – The Legacy of 1898 Today 34:02 – Closing Thoughts Diplomatic Immunity is produced by the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University. The views expressed herein do not represent the views of the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy or Georgetown University.

    Empire, Roosevelt, and Mark Twain with Stephen Kinzer

  7. 25 Jun

    Another Breakdown in British Politics

    Kelly McFarland and Tristen Naylor are back with a home team episode covering two major breaking stories: a seismic shakeup in British politics and the fast-moving (and deeply uncertain) US-Iran nuclear negotiations. 0:00:06 – Intro & Check-ins 0:03:27 – World Cup Chat 0:04:48 – Keir Starmer Resigns 0:10:58 – Andy Burnham & What's Next for Labour 0:18:03 – US-Iran Ceasefire & Nuclear Negotiations 0:29:58 – Israel as a Wild Card Diplomatic Immunity is a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University. Views expressed herein only reflect those of the participants. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

    Another Breakdown in British Politics

  8. 18 Jun

    How the Confederacy almost Survived: King Cotton and Queen Victoria

    What if the Civil War's most consequential diplomacy didn't happen in London or Washington — but in the back offices of Bahamian merchants, the shipyards of Liverpool, and the harbors of Nassau? In this episode, Kelly McFarland sits down with historian and Army veteran Beau Cleland to discuss his award-winning book "Between King Cotton and Queen Victoria: How Pirates, Smugglers, and Scoundrels Almost Saved the Confederacy" — winner of the 2026 Wiley Silver Prize for the best first book in the history of the Civil War. Beau reveals how a decentralized network of blockade runners, private merchants, and colonial opportunists gave the Confederacy a fighting chance — and why their ultimate failure holds surprising lessons for gray zone conflict today. 📖 Get the book: https://www.amazon.com/Between-King-Cotton-Queen-Victoria/dp/082037525X Chapters: 0:05 — Introduction & Guest Bio 1:47 — The Standard Story: King Cotton & the Trent Affair 7:22 — British Neutrality & the Legal Gray Zone 10:58 — Nassau, the Bahamas & the Blockade-Running Network 14:43 — Confederate Sympathies in the British Colonies 16:16 — Confederate Warships Built in British Shipyards 20:26 — How Close Did It Come? The Peak & Collapse of the Network 24:34 — Lessons for Today: Gray Zone Conflict & Modern Parallels Diplomatic Immunity is produced by the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

    How the Confederacy almost Survived: King Cotton and Queen Victoria
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About

Diplomatic Immunity: Frank and candid conversations about diplomacy and foreign affairs Diplomatic Immunity is a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University. We bring you "frank and candid" conversations on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision makers globally. We talk to current and former diplomatic officials, scholars, and analysts and seek to understand how best to foster international cooperation in an age of global crises. Hosted by Dr. Kelly McFarland Produced by Mislav Majcan

Information

  • Creator
    Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, Georgetown University
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2022: Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University
  • Show Website
    Diplomatic Immunity

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