Independent Thinking

Chatham House
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Chatham House director Bronwen Maddox hosts conversations with leading policymakers, journalists and Chatham House experts to provide insight into the latest international political issues. Independent Thinking gives listeners the opportunity to engage with the high level conversations hosted by Chatham House.

  1. 11 HR AGO

    What lessons will China, India and other Asian nations draw from the Iran war?

    China prepared in advance for a US attack on Iran. But many of its Asian neighbours have been hit hard because their economies were heavily reliant on energy imports from the Gulf.    In the short-term, the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered rationing, and shortages of diesel, gas and fertiliser. Does that set a negative precedent for other choke points across the world?    In the longer-term the war may force Asian nations into deeper reckonings: to reassess supply chains, economic strategies and whether the US can be trusted as a stable ally.    Why hasn't China supported Iran more? Will the standoff over Hormuz tempt Beijing to flex its muscles over the Taiwan Strait or the South China Sea? How will Pakistan leverage its status as negotiator? Will the countries of southeast Asia follow through on calls for more regional integration of energy supplies?    To discuss these issues, and more, Ben Bland, Director of the Asia-Pacific Programme, hosts this week's Independent Thinking podcast, standing in for Bronwen Maddox. He is joined by two of his Chatham House colleagues: Yu Jie, Senior Research Fellow for China; and Chietigj Bajpaee, Senior Research Fellow for South Asia. Read our latest: News release | Syrian President al-Sharaa on Iran war: 'Syria will remain outside this conflict' Comment | The Iran war risks triggering a new wave of nuclear proliferation Comment | Spectator, beneficiary, player: Russia's strategy in the Iran war, from oil to drones Comment | Iraqi civilians are paying the price of the Iran war  Produced by Stephen Farrell.  Read the Spring issue of The World Today Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧  Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.

    34 min

  2. 1 APR

    Why are UK energy costs so high? And how to bring them down

    An earlier than usual episode of the Independent Thinking podcast, ahead of the Easter break. In a one-on-one conversation, Chatham House Director Bronwen Maddox discusses energy with Sir Dieter Helm, Professor of Economic Policy at the University of Oxford, who has been advising governments and writing on energy, water and the environment for decades. They examine how energy policies of different governments over decades led to the UK's energy costs being so high. And what the government should do if it wants to guarantee security of supply – and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Are those concerned about climate change right to push for net zero? Are current policies driving industry from the UK? Should there be more nuclear power stations, or more drilling in the North Sea? Read our latest: The Iran war risks triggering a new wave of nuclear proliferation Any Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon will work to Hezbollah's advantage Moscow internet blackouts: the Kremlin tightens its grip on Russia's digital space Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by Stephen Farrell. Read the Spring issue of The World Today  Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧  Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.

    38 min

  3. 27 MAR

    Iran war: regional shock or global crisis?

    One month on from the start of the US and Israeli war on Iran, governments worldwide are trying to assess the scale of its long-term impact on the global economy and political system. Much will depend on how long the conflict continues, and how long Iran blocks fuel exports and other cargo vessels from passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The White House and Iran have sent conflicting signals about whether negotiations are under way, even as thousands of US troops head to the Middle East. And even if President Trump secures a ceasefire with Iran, it is unclear if US and Israel are aligned on their visions for an end game. Our panel assesses whether the world is headed for a 1973-style shock to the global economic system, pushing up inflation and cutting growth. And how Europe, Russia, China, and other nations will deal with a crisis that has disrupted energy flows and supply chains. Joining regular host Bronwen Maddox are David Lubin, senior research fellow in Chatham House's Global Economy and Finance Programme, and Grégoire Roos, director of our Europe, Russia, and Eurasia programmes.  Read our latest: Starmer's handling of Trump and Iran reflects public opinion, but shows the limits of UK power Any Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon will work to Hezbollah's advantage Spectator, beneficiary, player: Russia's strategy in the Iran war, from oil to drones Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by Stephen Farrell. Read the Spring issue of The World Today  Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧  Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.

    30 min

  4. 20 MAR

    Is Iran one crisis too many for Trump?

    The US-Israel war on Iran is straining Trump's alliances, at home and abroad. Three weeks into exactly the kind of war of choice that he spent years decrying, US President Donald Trump is not getting the amount of international support that he seeks for his campaign of air strikes on Iran. There is also reluctance among NATO and other allies to be drawn into the political and economic turmoil caused by the US-Israeli campaign, and Tehran's region-wide retaliation. Our experts discuss the state of US-Gulf relations, the muted European response to Trump's appeals for help in re-opening the Strait of Hormuz, and what it could mean elsewhere in the world for ongoing crises in Ukraine, Cuba and Venezuela. Joining host Bronwen Maddox this week are Dr Neil Quilliam, an associate fellow in our Middle East and North Africa Programme; Dr Christopher Sabatini, senior research fellow for Latin America; and Heather Hurlburt, a consulting fellow in our US and North America Programme. Produced by Stephen Farrell and Sara Seth. Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts. Chatham House's latest: The World Today magazine | Spring issue out now Expert comment | Should the Gulf Arab states join the war against Iran? Expert comment | The Iran war should boost security cooperation by US Pacific allies like Japan, the Philippines and South Korea

    36 min

  5. 13 MAR

    AI wars: Anthropic battles the Pentagon as China plans ahead

    The US military's AI provider Anthropic is feuding with the Pentagon after the company tried to impose 'red lines' over the use of its artificial intelligence products for lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance of Americans.   President Trump accused the US firm of being 'radical left' and designated it a 'supply chain risk' – usually reserved for Chinese or Russian firms who could compromise US security.   Our panel discusses the dispute, the battle to control artificial intelligence systems already being used in Iran, Venezuela and Ukraine, and how a public battle between tech and government throws a much-needed spotlight on the wider global issues of AI governance and who is – or isn't – writing rules for the new era of warfare.   They also look at how China is pushing ahead quickly with its plan to integrate 'AI Plus' into all aspects of its economy and military.   This week's guest host of the Independent Thinking podcast is Alex Krasodomski, director of Chatham House's Digital Society Programme. He is joined by Laurel Rapp, director of the US and North America Programme; and James Kynge, a senior research fellow with the Asia-Pacific Programme who has spent years studying China and its high-technology industrial sector. Produced by Stephen Farrell and Sara Seth. Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts. Chatham House's latest: Comment | Anthropic's feud with the Pentagon reveals the limits of AI governance The World Today magazine article | Can the West recover from China's hi-tech knockout blow? Comment | Do AI summits work?

    33 min

  6. 6 MAR

    Iran: Will Trump declare early victory and risk leaving hardliners in charge?

    What does President Trump hope to achieve in Iran – a quick show of force, or long-term regime change?  The US and Israel's long-threatened air strikes on Iran have materialized, and the Middle East is facing widespread disruption and a mounting death toll as the war spills across borders. In this episode of Chatham House's international affairs podcast, our expert panel analyses the Trump administration's many stated motivations for the attack, whether there can be a clear-cut end game, and who is likely to take over in Iran after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. They also discuss the effect of the war on President Trump's popularity at home as mid-term elections loom, and the criticism levelled at UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer for doing, his detractors say, too little, too late. Host Bronwen Maddox is joined by Sanam Vakil, director of Chatham House's Middle East and North Africa Programme; General Sir Richard Barrons, senior consulting fellow with the International Security Programme; and Laurel Rapp, director of the US and North America Programme.    Produced by Stephen Farrell and Sara Seth.   Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts.   Chatham House's latest: Comment | Trump, the polls, and the war with Iran: What happened to the 'President of Peace'? Comment | Sánchez's principled stand against Trump matters. So does Merz's silence Comment | Netanyahu's biggest gamble

    36 min

  7. 27 FEB

    Trump's tariffs: Are they here to stay?

    The US Supreme Court ruled against President Donald Trump on his first justification for tariffs, but he says he will push them through by other means. On this week's Independent Thinking podcast, our experts analyse why Trump is wedded to tariffs as an economic and political tool, and what effect they will have on the US and global economies. They also discuss whether tariffs have ended globalization for good even after the Trump era ends. Joining regular host Bronwen Maddox are Creon Butler, director of the Global Economy and Finance programme at Chatham House, and down the line from Washington, Heather Hurlburt, a consulting fellow in our US and North America Programme.   Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by Sara Seth and Stephen Farrell.   Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts.   Chatham House's latest: Comment | Trump's tariff strategy is alive and well by Jennifer Lind Video | Roberta Metsola – A new Westphalia to avoid western failure Video | Al Carns – Acting on the SDR: Britain's defence in 2026 at Chatham House's Security and Defence conference

    29 min

  8. 19 FEB

    As Ukraine peace talks stall, can Europe step up in its defence? Independent Thinking podcast

    Negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war do not appear to have made significant progress. In the meantime, the focus of US President Donald Trump's 'lighthouse diplomacy' appears to have switched to Iran. Chatham House analysts discuss the state of the talks, and whether Europe will step up to provide the weapons and military support that Ukraine needs. They also examine how the Russia-Ukraine conflict fits into the wider superpower competition between the US, Russia and China. Joining host Bronwen Maddox are Grégoire Roos, director of Chatham House's Europe, Russia and Eurasia programmes; Orysia Lutsevych, head of the Ukraine Forum; and Natalie Sabanadze, Senior Research Fellow with the Russia and Eurasia Programme.   This episode comes as we look ahead to two major upcoming Chatham House events: a conversation with General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine's ambassador to the UK, marking four years since Russia's full-scale invasion, and our annual Security and Defence conference. Both events are now fully booked for in-person attendance, but audiences will be able to watch General Zaluzhnyi's appearance and some of the defence conference events online. Full details are available on our website: https://www.chathamhouse.org/events/upcoming   Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by Stephen Farrell and Sara Seth. Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts.

    37 min
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About

Chatham House director Bronwen Maddox hosts conversations with leading policymakers, journalists and Chatham House experts to provide insight into the latest international political issues. Independent Thinking gives listeners the opportunity to engage with the high level conversations hosted by Chatham House.

Information

  • Creator
    Chatham House
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Chatham House 2020
  • Show Website
    Independent Thinking

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