Patterson Perspectives: Recent Episodes

Robert M. Farley

Welcome to the podcast series of the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce at the University of Kentucky.

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On the latest episode of Patterson Perspectives, Patterson graduate Lauren Ho talks about the relationship between music and national security with Dr. Nathan Jasinski, music professor at Eastern Kentucky University, and Patterson\'s own Dr. Robert Farley.

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On the latest episode of Patterson Perspectives, Sam Dantzler and Ben Trammell speak with Grant Peters, Director of the College Sports Company. Sam, Ben, and Grant talk through the changes that Name, Image, and Likeness money has wrought to the college sports landscape, including the increasing internationalization of sports finance.

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In the next installment of their independent study series, Ben Trammell and Sam

Dantzler sit down with Erin Miller, a 2018 Patterson graduate who studied international

development and recently wrapped up a role in sales with Austin FC. They discuss

Erin’s career journey, how her background as an athlete has shaped her success in

sales and the professional world, and the ways Patterson prepared her for life after

graduate school. The conversation also explores the opportunities presented by the

upcoming World Cup, the unique dynamics of sales in American soccer, and whether

U.S. clubs are positioned to expand both domestically and internationally.

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On the latest episode of Patterson Perspectives, current Patterson students Ben Trammell

and Sam Dantzler introduce their semester-long independent study exploring how the

United States can leverage sports as a tool of soft power and how American sports

leagues have successfully expanded into global markets. Their first guest, Devin Moss,

is a leading voice in sports diplomacy, with a career bridging international relations,

global sport, and public policy. Devin shares valuable insight into his professional

journey, the evolving landscape of sports diplomacy, and the challenges and

opportunities that lie ahead for American influence through sport.

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On the latest episode of Patterson Perspectives, Elijah McKay speaks with Dr. Megan Brand of the John Jay Institute about the evolution of immigration and refugee policy since World War II, with emphasis on changes in the last year.

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On the latest episode of Patterson Perspectives, we offer the second half of Elijah McKay's interview with Dr. Lyle Goldstein, Director of the China Initiative and Visiting Professor at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University. Mr. McKay and Dr. Goldstein talk the geopolitics of the Western Pacific, concentrating on how America's interests are served (or not served) by alliance commitments in the region.

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On the latest episode of Patterson Perspectives, our own Elijah McKay speaks with Dr. Lyle Goldstein, Director of the China Initiative and Visiting Professor at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University. Mr. McKay and Dr. Goldstein talk the geopolitics of the Western Pacific, concentrating on how America's interests are served (or not served) by alliance commitments in the region.

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On the latest Patterson Perspectives we welcome Dr. Christopher Burkett of Ashland University. Dr. Burkett speaks with Patterson student Elijah McKay about the nature of foreign policy and international law in the Early Republic. Burkett traces the evolution of ideas about the proper governance of international society into the modern era, discussing how concepts of rule of law came to color both domestic and foreign policy contexts. Burkett and McKay end with thoughts on the relevance of law in international politics for students of practice.

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On the latest episode of Patterson Perspectives, Elijah McKay speaks with Michael Sobolik, Senior Fellow in Indo-Pacific Studies at the American Foreign Policy Council. Elijah and Michael delve into the details of the US-China relationship, with a focus on how the domestic politics of each country are shaping the nature of the competition. Elijah and Michael conclude with a set of lessons for future policymakers interested in the Indo-Pacific.

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On the latest episode of Patterson Perspectives, Elijah McKay speaks with Dr. Chuck Freilich, former deputy national security adviser in Israel and current Senior Fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies. Mr. McKay and Dr. Freilich discussed Israel's current security situation, the long-term prospects for a peaceful settlement in the region, and the origins of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

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In the first episode of the 2024-25 season of Patterson Perspectives, the podcast of the Patterson School of Diplomacy and international Commerce, first year student Elijah McKay interview Visiting Professor Jonathan Powell regarding Dr. Powell's work on military coups. Mr. McKay and Dr. Powell talk through some of the most relevant issues associated with the study of coups, including how different coup attempts are defined, whether examples such as the January 6 Insurrection in the United States or the EuroMaidan demonstrations in Ukraine count as coups, and what coups portend for long-term regional political stability.

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On the latest Patterson Perspectives podcast Dr. Farley down with Dr. Gregg Hall and talk about his latest book, Examining US-China-Russia Foreign Relations . Farley and Hall talk through Neoclassical Realism, the relationships that undergird the Russia-China-US axes, the nature of the relationships between this triangle and the Global South, how to write a book about foreign relations in the era of the Polycrisis, and finally how to use classic IR paradigms to teach contemporary foreign policy students.

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Camden Hanley and Surya Nallapati talk with Lt. Colonel Amy McGrath (USMC Ret.) about fighter jets and modern air warfare. The conversation covers suppression of enemy air defenses, no fly zones, F-16s and MiG-29s, training for fighter pilots, modern air-to-air combat, and more. 

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Osetemega Iribiri and Dalton Goble interview Dr. Igbinedion about the recent coup d'etats in West Africa. Dr. Igbinedion is a senior lecturer at the University of Lagos, Nigeria and joins us in a discussion about why West Africa is experiencing a surge in military coups, and offers potential solutions.

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Camden Hanley and Osetemega Iribiri speak with Ambassador Carey Cavanaugh about the long term implications of the ongoing war in Ukraine. The conversation covers the origins of the war, the goals of the combatants, the impact of sanctions on the Russian economy, Russia's relationship with China, and more. 

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On the latest episode of Patterson Perspectives, Suryakiran Nallapati and Camden Hanley spoke with Dr Trita Parsi, an expert on US-Iran relations, about the Iran nuclear deal. In the wake of President Trump’s unilateral withdrawal from Iran’s nuclear deal in 2018, the Biden administration and European powers are engaged in intense diplomatic negotiations with Iran to revive the deal Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). . The negotiations between Iran and the Western powers are in the final stages, with the global community anxiously waiting to know which way the deal will go. 

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Camden Hanley and Dalton Goble sit down with Former Ambassador to Kazakhstan George Krol to discuss the recent protests in Kazakhstan. The conversation covers what happened, why it happened, who the main actors were, and what implications there are going forward for Kazakhstan, Russia, and the US. 

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On the latest episode of Patterson Perspectives, Dr. Robert Farley interviews LTC Amy McGrath (USMC, Ret.) about her career in the military, her return to Kentucky, and her transition to teaching in a civilian institution. Caution: There is discussion of the consumption of a rabbit's eyeball.

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On the latest episode of Patterson Perspectives, Dr. Farley speaks with Ed "Cliffy" Zukowski, leader of the Army War College's International Strategic Crisis Negotiation Exercise (ISCNE). Farley and Zukowski discuss the history and purpose of the simulation, the growing interest of colleges and universities in participating in the sim, and a few of the most surprising things that have happened in one of the negotiation exercises.

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On the latest episode of Patterson Perspectives, Dr. Kathleen Montgomery interview Ambassador Anupam Ray of the Indian Foreign Service. Dr. Montgomery and Ambassador Ray discuss career paths, the impact of education in the foreign affairs, and the challenges currently facing Indian foreign policy.

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On the latest episode of Patterson Perspectives, Dr. Robert Farley interviews Ryan Quarles, Commissioner of Agriculture for the Commonwealth of Kentucky.  Farley and Quarles discuss the intersections between foreign policy and agriculture, specifically with respect to farm and food policy in Kentucky. They further discuss how agriculture in Kentucky weathered the pandemic, and the long term changes and challenges that have resulted from COVID.

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On this episode of Patterson Perspective, Dr. Robert Farley interviews Austin Anderson, a graduate of the Patterson School who now works in the cyber security industry.  Farley and Anderson discuss the existing cyber-security environment, talk about the problem of ransomware, and contemplate the elements of a modern cyber-security education.

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On the latest episode of Patterson Perspectives, Ambassador Carey Cavanaugh speaks with Patterson School graduate John T. Ice, Deputy Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State.  Cavanaugh and Ice discuss the elements of a successful career in the Foreign Service, and especially of the role of education at the beginning of that career.

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On the latest Patterson Perspectives, two students discuss the most recent developments in the Myanmar situation, and provide context on the conditions under which the coup was undertaken.

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On the latest episode of Patterson Perspectives, Dr. Robert Farley speaks with Larissa Caton about her work on Operation Warp Speed.  Ms. Caton's work began shifting from traditional defense security work to Operation Warp Speed in June, when she began to focus on creating a secure environment for companies to work with government on developing and distributing vaccines.

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Dr. Farley speaks with Erin Petrey, the cocktail editor of Bourbonbanter.com, about how the trade war and the pandemic have affected the distilled spirits industry in the United States and Europe. Distilled spirits have become wrapped up in broader economic questions, to the effect that consumers may soon see rapidly increasing prices.  This could have a significant economic impact in areas where distilled spirits make up an important component of export goods, such as Kentucky.

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Dr. Farley interviews Dana Lea, and alumna of the program who has worked in refugee policy for several years.  Farley and Lea discuss the impact of the pandemic, the changes wrought during the Trump presidency, and the current state of refugee and asylum claims at the US-Mexico border. The episode concludes with a look into a possible future for US refugee policy.

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On the latest episode of Patterson Perspectives, Dr. Farley interview Matthew Wallace, Fall 2012 graduate of the Patterson School, about the situation in Myanmar.  Mr. Wallace has worked in Myanmar for several years, giving him a unique perspective on the developing situation.

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In this episode of Patterson Perspectives, Ambassador Cavanaugh, Dr. Hall, and Dr. Farley consider how nuclear weapons have affected global history since World War II.  They discuss the history of the nuclear enterprise, the impact of nuclear weapons on strategic planning, and the partially-accomplished hopes of arms control.

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Dr. Farley speaks with 2012 Patterson graduate Lieutenant Colonel Andew Betson, US Army, about the challenges of leading a Reserve Office Training Corps program during COVID-19.  Stationed in St. Louis, MO, LTC Betson helped craft the response of St. Louis-area ROTC programs to the onset of the pandemic last spring, developing new, innovative tools for training and evaluation.  Foremost among these tools was a system of virtual wargaming that enabled the program to test cadets on knowledge and leadership while also keeping the group as safe as possible from the coronavirus.

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Chris Isaacs, a dual degree student at the Patterson School and the University of Kentucky Rosenberg College of Law, interviews Dr. Robert Farley about the latter's new book, Patents for Power.  Isaacs and Farley discuss the relevance of intellectual property protection to the defense industrial base, and debate the potential for reforms to Department of Defense contracting practice.

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A Patterson student interviews a University of Kentucky graduate student about terrorism, lone wolves, and the impact of the pandemic and the election on radicalization within the United States. Connor and Elizabeth discuss the reasons for relatively few mass shootings during the pandemic, and explain why we might expect a more dangerous situation in the near future.

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On this episode of Patterson Perspectives, Robert Farley sits down with Kentucky state Senator Max Wise to discuss the difficulties of legislating, campaigning, and teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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This is the fifth in our five part series on how Patterson alumni have helped shaped the response to the coronavirus pandemic.  In this episode we speak with the leader of a think tank in Afghanistan, a specialist in business communications in Germany, a cybersecurity consultant, and a facilitator of missionary school operations around the world.

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Join us for the fourth episode in our five part series on how Patterson alumni have helped shape the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  On this episode, we speak with a cybersecurity consultant, a financial specialist, and a community organizer.

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In the third episode of our five part series on how Patterson alumni have helped shape the response to COVID-19, we spoke with a journalist covering the pandemic from Sioux Falls, a commercial distributor in the United Kingdom, and an education study abroad manager in Texas.

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For the second in our five part series on how Patterson alumni have responded to the pandemic, we spoke with alums who have helped shape Kentucky's emergency response to the virus, how Kentucky's business community has changed, and how US and global regulatory agencies have continued their work.

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Welcome to the new Patterson Perspectives, the podcast of the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce at the University of Kentucky.  This is the first in a five part series about how Patterson alumni have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.  We speak to alumni who have worked on coronavirus response in Lexington city government, in a local farmer's market, and for a magazine specializing in East Asian politics and diplomacy.