Talking Policy

UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation
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Talking Policy

The Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation (IGCC) is a University of California think tank that addresses global challenges to peace and prosperity through rigorous, policy-relevant research, training, and engagement. Talking Policy is hosted by Lindsay Morgan, Associate Director at IGCC.

  1. America First vs. a Community of Shared Future: The U.S.-China Competition for Hearts and Minds

    16H AGO

    America First vs. a Community of Shared Future: The U.S.-China Competition for Hearts and Minds

    Tensions between the United States and China are intensifying, with a trade war being the latest sign of friction following President Trump’s imposition of tariffs, which were themselves followed by Chinese retaliatory levies and export restrictions. But Trump’s tariffs have hit America’s partners as well as its adversaries, and they come alongside an historic retreat from global leadership, as the new administration withdraws from treaties, distances itself from alliances, and backs away from longtime commitments to leadership in development and humanitarian assistance. In this episode of Talking Policy, host Lindsay Shingler is joined by Rachel Hulvey, a postdoctoral fellow at the Columbia-Harvard China and the World Program and the Harvard Belfer International Security Program, who studies China's rise and influence on the international order. Together, they discuss how China is taking advantage of the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the global stage to position itself as a responsible global leader. This interview was conducted on April 16, 2025 and has been edited for length and clarity.

    33 min
  2. The American Innovation System’s Storied History and Uncertain Future

    APR 16

    The American Innovation System’s Storied History and Uncertain Future

    American technological advances have fueled economic growth and created life-saving technologies—and the U.S. government has been a key catalyst of these giant success stories. But its role is under-appreciated and changing, with potential implications for the future of American leadership in science, technology, and innovation. In the first episode of Talking Policy’s new miniseries on Technology and Global Security in the 21st Century, guest host Nicolas Wittstock, a postdoctoral fellow at IGCC, speaks with William Bonvillian, a lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, about the U.S. government’s role in driving domestic innovation, and the challenges and potentials for American science and technology leadership in in the future. This episode was recorded on March 21, 2025. The conversation was edited for length and clarity.

    34 min
  3. When Everyone Loses: Understanding Why Wars Start and How They End

    MAR 17

    When Everyone Loses: Understanding Why Wars Start and How They End

    Wars are horrible and costly. They devastate economies and communities, upending lives and leaving trauma and destruction in their wake. So why do we fight them? On this episode of Talking Policy, UC San Diego distinguished professor and IGCC senior fellow David Lake shares a new theory about war that views them as less about “winning” and more as evidence of failure—an event in which everyone loses relative to agreements and compromises that might have been reached without fighting. In an era of growing global uncertainty; protracted wars in Europe, Africa, and beyond; and the threat of new wars, this new way of thinking may provide fresh clues about how to prevent conflicts from starting in the first place.

    34 min
  4. Three Years of War in Ukraine

    FEB 24

    Three Years of War in Ukraine

    On February 24, 2022, the Russian army invaded Ukraine in what would become the largest attack on a European country since World War II. Last year, IGCC assembled a roundtable of experts led by guest host Jesse Driscoll, an associate professor of political science at the UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy, for a conversation to mark the second anniversary of the invasion. One year on, we’ve reunited Jesse with two of the same experts to reflect on another year of war. Paul D’Anieri is a professor of political science and public policy at UC Riverside, and author of Ukraine and Russia: From Civilized Divorce to Uncivil War. Jess Peake is the director of the International Comparative Law Program at the UCLA School of Law and a recent Pulitzer Prize nominee for her article “War Crimes by Any Name” for Los Angeles Lawyer. This interview was conducted on February 3, 2025. This transcript has been edited for length and clarity.

    30 min

  5. JAN 20

    What Will the Trump Revolution Mean for the World?

    The inauguration of Donald Trump caps off an extraordinary political comeback. Trump’s brand of anti-establishment populism, once thought an anomaly, is now at the apex of U.S.—and indeed global—politics. As the “Make America Great Again” movement seeks to rewrite the political rulebook, Talking Policy host Lindsay Shingler speaks with five University of California experts to unpack what this political revolution means for the world.  Tai Ming Cheung, IGCC director and UC San Diego professor, examines the implications of a hawkish approach to China for Washington’s relationship with Beijing. Caroline Freund, dean of the UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy, looks ahead to what a nationalist trade policy could mean for the U.S. and global economy. IGCC postdoctoral fellow on technology and international security Nicolas Wittstock analyzes what an “energy dominance” agenda could imply for U.S. clean technology development and broader climate objectives. Rupal Mehta, chair of research and postdoctoral fellows program and senior fellow at the Center of Global Security Research at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, discusses what “America First” could mean for the global security architecture and managing threats from U.S. adversaries. Finally, IGCC research director for democracy and global governance and UC San Diego distinguished research professor Stephan Haggard unpacks how Trump will manage U.S. leadership of the liberal international order amid heightened competition between democracies and autocracies. These interviews were recorded over the course of January 7th to January 17th. The views expressed are those of the individuals and do not necessarily represent the views of their institutions or funders.

    37 min
  6. Book Talk: The U.S. Military's Environmental Awakening

    11/21/2024

    Book Talk: The U.S. Military's Environmental Awakening

    Over a span of thirty years, climate and the environment went from a nuisance to become a top-tier priority for U.S. military leaders. Sherri Goodman, a senior fellow at the Wilson Center, details the keys to this military environmental awakening in her new book, Threat Multiplier: Climate, Military Leadership and the Fight for Global Security. In this episode, Sherri sits down with Talking Policy host Lindsay Shingler to discuss the core themes from her book, and what she has learned over her long career as an environmental advocate and change agent within the highest ranks of American military leadership. This interview was conducted on November 4, 2024. The conversation was edited for length and clarity.

    30 min
  7. The History and Future of Presidential War Powers

    11/01/2024

    The History and Future of Presidential War Powers

    With several major wars threatening to spill over into wider regional conflicts, and a U.S. presidential election looming, the question of what power an American president has to wage war has become more pressing. In a new episode of Talking Policy, host Lindsay Shingler sits down with Patrick Hulme, an IGCC affiliate and Stanton Nuclear Security Fellow at Stanford University, to take a deeper look at U.S. presidential war powers. Patrick explains how presidential war powers have evolved and what U.S. allies think, and weighs in on what a Harris or Trump presidency may imply for future U.S. involvement in foreign wars. This interview was conducted on August 28, 2024. The conversation was edited for length and clarity.

    38 min

  8. 10/21/2024

    Stepping Back from the Nuclear Brink: A Talking Policy Roundtable

    A new, dangerous nuclear era is upon us. China is rapidly expanding its arsenal; Russia is threatening to use its nukes in Ukraine; and North Korea is undertaking provocative tests of its delivery systems. Is a nuclear arms race at hand? In this special episode of Talking Policy, host Lindsay Shingler is joined by three experts who have devoted much of their careers to nuclear weapons security. Alex Bell is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Affairs in the Bureau of Arms Control, Deterrence, and Stability at the U.S. State Department; Gov. Jerry Brown is the executive chair of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists; and John Scott is a nuclear scientist who serves as Division Leader of X-Theoretical Design at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Together, they answer the question of how the world can step back from the nuclear brink.

    43 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

The Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation (IGCC) is a University of California think tank that addresses global challenges to peace and prosperity through rigorous, policy-relevant research, training, and engagement. Talking Policy is hosted by Lindsay Morgan, Associate Director at IGCC.

Information

  • Creator
    UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    74
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation
  • Show Website
    Talking Policy

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