The Ballpark: Recent Episodes
London School of Economics and Political Science
The Ballpark is the LSE US Centre's regular podcast on the politics and policy of the United States. Through features and interviews with academics from the LSE and elsewhere, The Ballpark looks more closely into what's going on behind the headlines.
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson | On May 7th, 2025, India launched missile strikes on Pakistan in response to a terrorist attack in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir on April 22nd. On May 10th a ceasefire was reached following mediation from the United States. To discuss the US’ part in brokering a ceasefire, and the US’ responses to disputes between India and Pakistan over the past three decades, in June 2025 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Lisa Curtis, senior fellow and director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security. The conversation covers the recent India–Pakistan crisis and the US’ role, how US involvement in the Kashmir dispute has evolved over the years, and how China’s growing influence has complicated how the US approaches India–Pakistan relations. This episode was produced by Chris Gilson and Luke Digweed. Further reading and resources “How America Can Keep the Peace Between India and Pakistan”, Foreign Affairs, May 13, 2025“Democracy in South Asia amid U.S. Aid Cuts What’s at Stake for Great Power Competition”, Center for a New American Security, May 15. 2025
Contributor(s): Dr Theresa Squatrito, Rohan Mukherjee, Agnes Yu, Farsan Ghassim, Tim Murithi | The US-led international order is under strain from without and within. Authoritarian powers such as Russia and China are challenging the core tenets of global cooperation and conflict management. Rising states of the Global South like India, Brazil, and South Africa demand reformed multilateralism in the institutions of global governance, and the US and its Western allies face a domestic surge of right-wing populism that seeks to reverse the eighty-year-old open and interdependent system of international relations. At stake is democracy, a core tenet of American political life and foreign policy.To discuss and consider these issues, in May 2025, the LSE Phelan US Centre held the conference: International relations and Democracy in a Multipolar World. The conference brought together scholars and experts to examine how important these democratic discourses and practices are in the broader context of challenges to the US-led international order and the domestic contestation over the future direction of US foreign policy.The conference was convened by Phelan US Centre Affiliates Dr Rohan Mukherjee and Dr Luca Tardelli of LSE’s International Relations Department, and by Theresa Squatrito also of LSE’s Department of International Relations and Mathias Koenig-Archibugi of LSE’s Department of Government.In this episode of The Ballpark, we speak to Rohan Mukherjee and Theresa Squatrito about the main themes and takeaways from the conference. We also talked to three of the conference participants, Agnes Yu (LSE Department of Government), Farsan Ghassim (University of Oxford), and Tim Murithi (University of Cape Town), about their thoughts on the future of democracy and global governance.This episode of The Ballpark was produced by Chris Gilson and Luke Digweed.
Contributor(s): Bhamati Viswanathan, Chris Gilson | Many institutions are now using artificial intelligence (AI) models as tools to think about solutions to a variety of challenges, from the everyday to the global. At the same time, many commentators have expressed concerns about AI and its effects on society, the economy and democracy.In the first episode of The Ballpark’s miniseries on AI and the US, we explore the implications of AI for intellectual property. The rise of AI tools has been fuelled by the scraping of online resources as training data for the large language models that power them. This has important implications for how we think about intellectual property and the rights of those who created this training data.To find out more, in May 2025, the Phelan US Centre spoke to Professor Bhamati Viswanathan of New England Law Boston. Dr Viswanathan is an expert in the areas of copyright law, intellectual property, innovation and creativity law, and on cultural property and appropriation.This episode was produced by Chris Gilson and Luke Digweed.Further reading and resourcesChatGPT is eating the world - https://chatgptiseatingtheworld.com/
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Michael Latner | In February 2025 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Michael Latner, Professor of Political Science at California Polytechnic State University and Director of Research on Democratic Reform at the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice at Harvard Law School.They discussed the recent history of voting rights and the state of democracy in America in 2025.This episode was produced by Chris Gilson and Luke Digweed.Further reading and resourcesKeena, A., Latner, M., McGann, A.J.M. and Smith, C.A. (2021). Gerrymandering the States. doi: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108995849The Guinier Project at the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute - https://charleshamiltonhouston.org/events/guinier-project-roundtable/
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, John Minnich | In March 2025 the Phelan US Centre spoke to John Minnich, Assistant Professor in the Department of International Relations at LSE about why semiconductors are so important in the global economy, and why the US is willing to go to what Dr Minnich terms, economic war, over them. They also discussed how the semiconductor trade is framed as a national security issue in the US and China, and how President Trump may approach the ‘chip-war’ in coming months. This episode was produced by Chris Gilson and Luke Digweed. Further reading and resources Ling S. Chen and Miles M. Evers, "'Wars without Gun Smoke': Global Supply Chains, Power Transitions, and Economic Statecraft," International Security 48, no. 2 (Fall 2023): 164–204.Disaggregating China, Inc. by Yeling Tan (2024) | Cornell University Press - https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501759635/disaggregating-china-inc/11 November 2024 - China’s evolving approach to economic security with Professor Yeling Tan | The Ballpark podcast - https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2024/11/11/chinas-evolving-approach-to-economic-security-with-professor-yeling-tan-the-ballpark-podcast/13 February 2023 - China’s Belt and Road with Professor Taylor Fravel | The Ballpark podcast - https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2023/02/13/the-ballpark-podcast-extra-innings-chinas-belt-and-road-with-professor-taylor-fravel/
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Professor Mukulika Banerjee | Description:In February 2025 the Phelan US Centre spoke to spoke to Mukulika Banerjee, Professor in LSE’s Department of Anthropology. They spoke about using anthropology to better study politics, how the US might be turning into what she terms a “checklist democracy” and how seeing the US from an outside point of view might help Americans to understand their own politics better.Professor Mukulika Banerjee was inaugural director of the LSE South Asia Centre. Her books include Cultivating Democracy: Politics and Citizenship in Agrarian India, Why India Votes?, The Pathan Unarmed and The Sari (with Daniel Miller); and the series Exploring the Political in South Asia.This episode was produced by Chris Gilson and Luke Digweed. Further reading and resources Donald Trump’s election victory shows how the US is becoming a ‘checklist’ democracy – LSE USAPP blog – 6 November 2024 - https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2024/11/06/donald-trumps-election-victory-shows-how-the-us-is-becoming-a-checklist-democracy/Listen to and watch recordings of Professor Banerjee’s 5 March 2025 inaugural lecture, Citizens as cultivars: democratic values in paddy fields and universities - https://www.lse.ac.uk/Events/2025/03/202503051830/Citizens-as-cultivarsProfessor Banerjee spoke at the Phelan US Centre event, ‘The 2024 US election: turning point for America?’ on 6 November 2024. Watch the event video and listen to the event podcast - https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/about-usapp/email-subscription/Listen to The India Briefing podcast with Mukulika Banerjee and Pragya Tiwari [Spotify] - https://open.spotify.com/show/4C3i0GTt101v9DnIqQf6Od
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Nicola Leveringhaus | The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has brought the spectre of potential nuclear conflict back into the public consciousness for the first time in decades. But what’s behind the potential for nuclear conflict and what issues are at stake for nuclear powers other than the US and Russia, like China?To discuss these and other questions on the current state of global nuclear tensions and development, in March 2025 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Dr Nicola Leveringhaus of King's College London.This episode was produced by Chris Gilson and Luke Digweed. Further reading and resourcesUnder the Nuclear Shadow: China’s Information-Age Weapons in International Security by Fiona S. Cunningham (Princeton University Press, 2025) - https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691261027/under-the-nuclear-shadowThe New Nuclear Age: At the Precipice of Armageddon by Ankit Panda (Wiley, 2025) - https://www.wiley.com/en-gb/The+New+Nuclear+Age%3A+At+the+Precipice+of+Armageddon-p-9781509557462
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Rachel Blum | Donald Trump’s links to the right, including the far right and the alt-right date back to least to his 2016 presidential campaign and continued through his first term and then into his 2024 election campaign where Trump faced accusations of being an authoritarian populist.To discuss Donald Trump’s links to the far right, in February 2025 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Dr Rachel Blum of the University of Oklahoma. They also discussed Dr Blum’s research on party factions and their impact on contemporary US politics, and the 22nd Amendment to the US Constitution, which limits the number of times someone can be elected as President of the United States to two terms.This episode was produced by Chris Gilson and Luke Digweed. Further reading and resources How the Tea Party Captured the GOP: Insurgent Factions in American Politics by Rachel M. Blum (The University of Chicago Press, 2020) - https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/H/bo48408420.htmlCooperating Factions: A Network Analysis of Party Divisions in U.S. Presidential Nominations by Rachel M. Blum and Hans C. Noel (Cambridge University Press, 2024) - https://www.cambridge.org/gb/universitypress/subjects/politics-international-relations/american-government-politics-and-policy/cooperating-factions-network-analysis-party-divisions-us-presidential-nominations?format=PBThe MAGA Coup: Trump’s Takeover of the GOP (w/ Dr. Rachel Blum) – Deep Dive with Shawn C. Fettig - https://deepdivepodcast.buzzsprout.com/1983649/episodes/16215700-the-maga-coup-trump-s-takeover-of-the-gop-w-dr-rachel-blum
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Minxin Pei | President Trump has made his feelings about US competition with China plain; one of the early acts of his second presidential term has been to place tariffs on Chinese imports. China has since responded with its own tariffs on certain US goods and restrictions on the import of important minerals. To talk about US-China relations with the return of Donald Trump, in February 2025 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Professor Minxin Pei, the Tom and Margot Pritzker '72 Professor of Government and George R. Roberts Fellow at Claremont McKenna College. They also spoke about China’s surveillance state and the concept of preventative repression, and how China might respond to US escalation on trade. This episode was produced by Chris Gilson and Luke Digweed. Further reading and resources The Broken China Dream: How Reform Revived Totalitarianism (Princeton University Press, December 2025) - https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691223339/the-broken-china-dream?srsltid=AfmBOorqgNLSfzJ7BEaYcMHm84uw9p003wJRq7nmU1j9izI-l17v3vAn
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Professor Shiping Tang | In the past decade, many commentators have increasingly spoken of growing competition between the United States and China in areas like trade, industrial policy, but also on foreign policy and global influence more generally. To discuss these issues and how the social sciences can learn from evolutionary thinking, in January 2025 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Professor Shiping Tang of Fudan University. The conversation ranged over how Professor Tang’s early career as a biologist has informed his thinking about social science issues, whether we should talk about the US and China being in competition at all, and how democracies promote growth. This episode was produced by Chris Gilson and Luke Digweed. Further reading and resources The Institutional Foundation of Economic Development by Shiping Tang (Princeton University Press, 2022)Designing Social Inquiry: Scientific Inference in Qualitative Research, New Edition by Gary King, Robert O. Keohane, and Sidney Verba (Princeton University Press, 2021)Why Nations Fail: the Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty. Daron Acemoglu & James A Robinson. Crown Business. March 2012. https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/2012/08/21/book-review-why-nations-fail-the-origins-of-power-prosperity-and-poverty/Olson, M. (1996). Distinguished Lecture on Economics in Government: Big Bills Left on the Sidewalk: Why Some Nations are Rich, and Others Poor. The Journal of Economic Perspectives, 10(2), 3–24. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2138479
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Douglas Fuller | In December 2024 the Phelan US Centre spoke Dr Douglas Fuller, Associate Professor in the Department of International Economics, Government and Business at Copenhagen Business School. They spoke about how the Chinese high-tech and semiconductor chip industry has evolved and the recent history and effectiveness of US chip controls towards China. They also discuss how the US has achieved a multilateral consensus for the implementation of chip controls, and whether these are likely to remain in place in the new administration of Donald Trump. This episode was produced by Chris Gilson and Luke Digweed.
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Professor Michael Mastanduno, Dr Jennifer Lind | In October 2024 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Professor Michael Mastanduno, Nelson A. Rockefeller Professor of Government at Dartmouth College, and Dr Jennifer Lind, Associate Professor of Government at Dartmouth College. They spoke about US export controls against China and about their history and effectiveness This episode was produced by Chris Gilson, Luke Digweed and Anderson Tan. Further reading Lind, J. (2024). Back to Bipolarity: How China’s Rise Transformed the Balance of Power. International Security, [online] 49(2), pp.7–55. doi: https://doi.org/10.1162/isec_a_00494 Lind, J. Half-Vicious: China's Rise, Authoritarian Adaptation, and the Balance of Power (forthcoming, Cornell University Press)
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Professor Kishore Mahbubani | In November 2024 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Professor Kishore Mahbubani, Distinguished Fellow at the Asia Research Institute at the National University of Singapore. From 1971 until 2004 he was a diplomat with the Singapore Foreign Service. He served as Singapore’s Ambassador to the UN from 1984-1989 and then from 1998 to 2004 and as President of the UN Security Council in January 2001 and May 2002. He was appointed the Founding Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in 2004. They spoke about the evolving relationships between Asian countries and the United States, the India-China relationship, and the role of Southeast Asia within the greater context of US-China relations. This episode was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan. Further reading Has China Won? The Chinese Challenge to American Primacy (Hachette, 2020) - https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/kishore-mahbubani/has-china-won/9781541768123/?lens=publicaffairsLiving the Asian Century (Hachette, 2024) - https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/kishore-mahbubani/living-the-asian-century/9781541703049/
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Yeling Tan | In October 2024 the LSE Phelan US Centre spoke to Yeling Tan, Professor of Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford. They spoke about how China understands economic security and its evolving economic strategy, and how public attitudes in China towards international trade influence the country’s trade policy.This episode was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan.Further reading• Global economic influence and domestic regime support: evidence from China. (2023). Review of International Political Economy. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.108…90.2024.2402817
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Professor Lawrence Lessig | In October 2024 the Phelan US Centre spoke to spoke to Lawrence Lessig, the Roy L. Furman Professor of Law and Leadership at Harvard Law School. Cited by The New Yorker as “the most important thinker on intellectual property in the internet era”, Professor Lessig now focuses on “institutional corruption”, especially as that affects democracy. He is the author of many books, including They Don’t Represent Us: Reclaiming Our Democracy, Fidelity & Constraint: How the Supreme Court Has Read the American Constitution, and most recently, How to Steal a Presidential Election. They spoke about how AI and the media can affect the legitimacy and conduct of elections, how policymakers have attempted to govern and control the use of AI and about how citizens’ assemblies could be a way to protect democracy against AI’s influence. This episode was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan. Further reading and resourcesPodcast and video of the 8 October 2024 event, ‘What AI is doing to America's democracy’ – LSE Public Lecture with Professor Lawrence Lessig and LSE President and Vice Chancellor Professor Larry Kramer - https://www.lse.ac.uk/united-states/events/2024-events/What-AI-is-doing-to-Americas-democracyHow to Steal a Presidential Election (Yale University Press, 2024) - https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300270792/how-to-steal-a-presidential-election/
Contributor(s): Professor Fawaz Gerges, Chris Gilson | In October 2024 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Fawaz Gerges, Professor of International Relations in the Department of International Relations at LSE, and holder of the Emirates Professorship in Contemporary Middle East Studies.They spoke about his new book, “What Really Went Wrong: The West and the failure of democracy in the Middle East”. We also discussed the history of US involvement in the region, and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas.This episode was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan.Further reading What Really Went Wrong: The West and the Failure of Democracy in the Middle East – Yale University Press, 2024 - https://yalebooks.co.uk/book/9780300259575/what-really-went-wrong/Review of What Really Went Wrong at LSE Review of Books - https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/2024/09/24/what-really-went-wrong-the-west-and-the-failure-of-democracy-in-the-middle-east-fawaz-gerges/
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Nick Lewis | In September 2024 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Nick Lewis, a PhD student in LSE’s Department of Government and a recipient of a Phelan US Centre PhD Summer Research Grant in 2022. Nick’s research looks at how social media creates bias in democratic deliberation.They spoke about how Facebook discourages people from taking part in discussions via what’s called the “spiral of silence”. They also discussed the importance of social media in the 2024 presidential election.This episode was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan.
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Dr. Peter Harris | In September 2024 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Peter Harris, Associate Professor of Political Science at Colorado State University about his new book, Why America Can’t Retrench (And How It Might) which looks at the US’ dominant role in the world, how it got there and the factors preventing global restraint. They discuss the idea of America’s ‘primacist’ approach to international affairs and the role of domestic politics and systems in preventing a change to America’s role in the world.This episode was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan.
Contributor(s): Evelyn Ong, Callum Cleasby | In August 2024 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Evelyne Ong, an undergraduate research assistant with the Phelan US Centre for the 2023-24 academic year. They discuss her work with Visiting Professor Jeffrey Legro, on the project, ‘The Nuclear Revolution and Great Power Competition’. They also talked about her experience taking part in the Phelan US Centre’s undergraduate research assistantship programme. This episode was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan.
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson | In 2024, the Phelan US Centre ran an essay competition for master’s students with the prompt, ““How should the United States work to shape the future of capitalism in this age of insecurity?”.We speak to the author of the winning essay, David Millman, and the runners-up, Yazmin Baptiste and Manickam Valliappan. We discuss their essays, the competition, what it’s like for students to engage with a wider audience, and the opportunity they had to present their essays in the UK parliament to MPs and the British-American Parliamentary Group.This episode was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan.
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Nathan Lane | In July 2024 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Nathan Lane, Associate Professor in Economics at Oxford University, about industrial policy in the United States and its history, including recent policies from the Biden administration like the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS Act. They also discussed how US industrial policy might change depending on who wins the 2024 presidential election.This episode was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan.
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Professor Patriann Smith | In 2024 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Patriann Smith, professor in the College of Education at the University of South Florida. Dr. Smith's transdisciplinary research examines how differences in languages, Englishes, and English language ideologies affect Black Caribbean students’ immigrant literacy practices as they cross cultures and languages between their home countries and the United States. In this episode, they spoke about her new book, Black Immigrant Literacies: Intersections of Race, Language, and Culture in the Classroom. This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan.
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Adia Wingfield | In June 2024 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Adia Harvey Wingfield, the Mary Tileston Hemenway Professor of Arts & Sciences and Vice Dean for Faculty Development and Diversity at Washington University in St. Louis.They spoke about Professor Wingfield’s new book, Gray Areas: How the Way We Work Perpetuates Racism and What We Can Do to Fix It. The discussion also covered US labor activism, and the role US federal and state governments have in addressing racial inequalities in the workplaceThis Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan.Further resources Gray Areas: How the Way We Work Perpetuates Racism and What We Can Do to Fix It (HarperCollins, 2023) - https://www.harpercollins.com/products/gray-areas-adia-harvey-wingfield
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Professor Maxwell Stearns | In May 2024 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Maxwell Stearns, the Venable, Baetjer & Howard Professor of Law at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law about his new book, Parliamentary America: The Least Radical Means of Radically Repairing Our Broken Democracy. The book argues that the solution to many of America’s democratic challenges is to amend the Constitution to reform the US government to become a parliamentary democracy. We talk about why he thinks American democracy is in crisis, the lessons he has learned from how other countries govern, and what reforms are now needed in the US.This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan.
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Dr Lauren Sukin, Debak Das, Matthew Fuhrmann, J. Luis Rodriguez | In June 2024, the LSE Phelan US Centre held the conference, US Nuclear Strategy in a Changing Indo-Pacific. The conference brought together scholars and analysts with a strong record of policy-relevant research on nuclear strategy and expertise in the security dynamics of the Indo-Pacific.The conference was convened by Phelan US Centre Affiliates, Rohan Mukherjee and Lauren Sukin, both Assistant Professors of International Relations in the LSE’s International Relations Department.In this episode of the Ballpark, we speak to Dr Lauren Sukin about the main themes and takeaways from the conference. We also talk to three of the conference participants, Debak Das (University of Denver), Matthew Fuhrmann (Texas A&M University), and J. Luis Rodriguez (George Mason University), about what they saw as the nuclear security dynamics in their region of focus, and how the US has been responding to these both within that region and across the Indo-Pacific.This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan.
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Professor Jeff Legro | In May 2024 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Jeff Legro, University Professor at the University of Richmond, and Visiting Professor at the Phelan US Centre for 2023-24. They spoke about the US’ role as a “unipolar” country in the world, conceptions of sovereignty, both in the US and abroad, the potential future of US foreign policy, and the relationship between nuclear weapons and globalization. They also discussed Professor Legro’s work with the Phelan US Centre’s Undergraduate Research Assistantship programme and students Ayush Das and Evelyne Ong. This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan.Links mentioned in this episodePhelan US Centre Undergraduate Research Assistantship programme - https://www.lse.ac.uk/united-states/for-students/us-centre-undergraduate-research-assistantships-currentRethinking the World: Great Power Strategies and International Order (Cornell University Press, 2016) - https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.7591/9781501707322/html?lang=enShaper Nations: Strategies for a Changing World (Harvard University Press, 2016) - https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674660212
Contributor(s): Brooke Gladstone, Chris Gilson | In 2024 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Brooke Gladstone, host and Managing Editor of WNYC’s On the Media about the US’ changing media landscape, the meaning of truth and facts in the age of Donald Trump, and how we can teach the next generation to be better media consumers.This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan.
Contributor(s): Dr Fred Kaplan, Chris Gilson | In May 2024 the Phelan US Centre spoke to author and journalist for Slate magazine and Phelan US Centre Visiting Senior Fellow, Fred Kaplan about his 2020 book, The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War and the changing attitudes of US politicians and policymakers to nuclear weapons and nuclear war.This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan.Listen to the podcast of the LSE Event ‘Is the risk of nuclear war increasing?’ on LSE Player: https://www.lse.ac.uk/lse-player?id=c1fc651a-d27e-46e2-8ae0-2078d24736e0Fred Kaplan’s ‘War Stories’ column at Slate: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/war-stories
Contributor(s): Elizabeth Ingleson | How did China—the world’s largest communist nation—converge with global capitalism? And when did this occur? In this event, held on 7 May 2024, Dr Elizabeth Ingleson of the LSE Department of International History and Phelan US Centre Affiliate argued that this convergence began in the early 1970s, when the United States and China re-opened trade and the interests of US capitalists and the Chinese state gradually aligned: at the expense of US labor and aided by US diplomats.
Contributor(s): Elizabeth Ingleson, Ashley Tellis, John Van Reenen | A shining city on a hill. America the beautiful. The United States has long been mythologised as the land of dreams and opportunity. And since the fall of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s it has been undisputedly the most powerful nation on earth. But is it a fading force? The idea of an America in decline has gained traction in recent years and has, of course, been capitalized on by President Trump. Is America’s ‘greatness’ under threat?In this episode of LSE iQ, a collaboration with the LSE Phelan US Centre's podcast, The Ballpark, Sue Windebank and Chris Gilson speak to LSE’s Elizabeth Ingleson and John Van Reenen and Ashley Tellis from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. ContributorsElizabeth InglesonJohn Van ReenenAshley Tellis ResearchMade in China: When US-China Interests Converged to Transform Global Trade by Elizabeth InglesonThe Fall of the Labor Share and the Rise of Superstar Firms by David Autor, David Dorn, Lawrence F Katz, Christina Patterson and John Van Reenen, The Quarterly Journal of Economics, May 2020.Revising U.S. Grand Strategy Toward China by Robert D. Blackwill and Ashley J. Tellis More InformationLSE Phelan United States Centre: https://www.lse.ac.uk/United-StatesListen to The Ballpark podcast: https://www.lse.ac.uk/united-states/the-ballpark/Podcasts; LSE Player, Spotify; SoundcloudRelated interviews on The Ballpark with guests on this episodeDr Ashley Tellis - The Future of US-China CompetitionDr Elizabeth Ingleson - Made in China: When US-China Interests Converged to Transform Global Trade
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Professor John Owen | In 2024 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Professor John Owen, Ambassador Henry J. and Mrs. Marion R. Taylor Professor of Politics, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture and the Miller Center for Public Affairs at the University of Virginia, and an Academic Visitor at Nuffield College, University of Oxford from January to June 2024.They discussed his new book, ‘The Ecology of Nations: American Democracy in a Fragile World Order’, the United States’ changing foreign policy objectives, and the move from welfare liberalism to open liberalism in the post-war period and beyond.You can read Professor Owen's recent article for USAPP, ‘How pluralistic liberalism can protect democracy in a time of contested world order’ here - https://wp.me/p3I2YF-dDK. This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan.
Contributor(s): Elizabeth Ingleson, Chris Gilson | In April 2024 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Dr Elizabeth Ingleson, Assistant Professor in the Department of International History at LSE and Centre Affiliate of the Phelan US Centre. They spoke about Dr Ingleson’s new book, Made in China: When US-China Interests Converged to Transform Global Trade. They also discussed the evolution of the US-China trade relationship since the 1970s, including the role played by US policymakers and capitalist interests.Dr Elizabeth Ingleson will be launching her new book at the LSE Phelan US Centre event, ‘Made in China: When US-China interests converged to transform global trade’, on Tuesday 7 May from 5pm to 6:30pm at LSE. More details about how to attend in person and online are here - https://www.lse.ac.uk/united-states/events/2024-events/Made-in-China-When-US-China-Interests-Converged-to-Transform-Global-Trade.This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan.
Contributor(s): Professor Elizabeth Saunders, Chris Gilson | In March 2024 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Professor Elizabeth Saunders, Professor of Political Science at Columbia University about her new book, ‘The Insiders’ Game: How Elites Make War and Peace’ and the role of ‘elites’ in US foreign policymaking.This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan.Contributors: Professor Elizabeth Saunders (Columbia University)
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Jennifer Carlson | In March 2024 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Professor Jennifer Carlson of Arizona State University, and 2022 MacArthur Fellow, about her new book, Merchants of the Right: Gun Sellers and the Crisis of American Democracy. They also discuss the symbolism and political value guns have in American politics and society.This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan.Contributors: Professor Jennifer Carlson (Arizona State University)
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Dr Jason Casellas | In March 2024 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Professor Jason Casellas about how the role of Latino voters in the United States and their changing voting patterns. They also discuss how Latino voters might influence the 2024 presidential election.Jason Casellas is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Houston and is the John G. Winant Visiting Professor for American Government at Oxford University for 2023-24.This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan.Additional resources:The Ballpark podcast: Super Tuesday 2024 results with Professor Jason Casellas - https://wp.me/p3I2YF-dF3 Contributors: Professor Jason Casellas (University of Houston and Oxford University)
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Mathieu Duchâtel | In February 2024 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Dr Mathieu Duchâtel, Resident Senior Fellow and Director of International Studies at Institut Montaigne about transatlantic convergence between the EU and the United States on China policy. They also discussed the fault lines between the EU and US on China policy, and how China has responded to these divergences, including on Taiwan policy.This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan.Contributors: Dr Mathieu Duchâtel (Institut Montaigne)
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Jason Casellas | On March 5th, 16 US states and territories held primary elections to decide the 2024 Republican and Democratic presidential nominees: a day known as “Super Tuesday”. The Phelan US Centre spoke to Professor Jason Casellas about the Super Tuesday results, the primary race so far, and what the trends may mean for the general election in November.Jason Casellas is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Houston and is the John G. Winant Visiting Professor for American Government at Oxford University for 2023-24.This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan.Additional resources:Phelan US Centre event recording: Déja vu all over again? Super Tuesday and the race for the presidency. 6 March 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XtA_AZWvkcLSE USAPP blog series on the 2024 Elections - https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/category/the-2024-elections-2/LSE USAPP blog Q&A series on the 2024 elections from Thomas Gift (UCL) - https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/author/thomas-gift/Contributors: Professor Jason Casellas (University of Houston and Oxford University)
Contributor(s): Andrew Rudalevige, Chris Gilson | In January 2024 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Andrew Rudalevige, the Thomas Brackett Reed Professor of Government at Bowdoin College and visiting professor in the LSE’s Department of Government for the 2023-24 academic year. They spoke about the separation of powers in US government and the executive branch, and former President Trump’s potential plans to reshape the federal bureaucracy to create more political appointees if he is re-elected to the presidency in this year’s presidential election.This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan.Contributors: Professor Andrew Rudalevige (Bowdoin College)
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Dr. Jordan Tama | In 2023 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Dr Jordan Tama, Provost Associate Professor at American University’s School of International Service about his new book, Bipartisanship and US Foreign Policy: Cooperation in a Polarized Age. They also discussed how party control in the US government can influence foreign policy, the changing coalitions of the Democratic and Republican parties and why some foreign policy issues have bipartisan consensus while others don’t.This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan.Contributor: Dr Jordan Tama (American University)
Contributor(s): Dr. Coleman Bazelon, Rohan Janakiraman, Mary Olson, Chris Gilson | In 2023 the Phelan US Centre spoke to the authors of the Brattle Group Report on Reparations for Transatlantic Chattel Slavery, which estimates reparations for the total harm from enslavement, including to those who were enslaved and to their descendants. Dr. Coleman Bazelon, Rohan Janakiraman, and Mary Olson discuss their report and how it can inform calls for reparations for enslavement. This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan.
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Dr. Ashley Tellis | In January 2024, the Phelan US Centre spoke to Dr Ashley Tellis, the Tata Chair for Strategic Affairs and a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace about how the US has engaged with China economically in recent decades. They discuss how the US’ strategy towards China has shifted across recent presidencies, the effectiveness of ‘friendshoring’ policies, and decoupling and de-risking relationships between China, the United States, and other countries in the Asia-Pacific region.This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan.
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Professor William Wohlforth | In 2023, the Phelan US Centre spoke to spoke to William C. Wohlforth, Daniel Webster Professor in the Department of Government at Dartmouth College, about the United States’ role as the world’s unipolar power. They also discuss the rise of China and what this means for the international role of the United States, and his upcoming book, with Jill Kastner, on great power subversion.This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan.Contributor: Professor William C. Wohlforth (Dartmouth College)
Contributor(s): Professor Theda Skocpol, Chris Gilson | In 2023 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Professor Theda Skocpol, Victor S. Thomas Professor of Government and Sociology at Harvard University about her new book, with Lainey Newman, Rust Belt Union Blues Why Working-Class Voters Are Turning Away from the Democratic Party. Using Western Pennsylvania as a case study, their book examines the decline of labor unions and the shift of working-class voters away from the Democratic Party. We also discussed the appeal of Donald Trump to blue-collar voters and how unions might regain their previous role in American community life.This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan.
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson | In 2023, the Phelan US Centre ran an essay competition for master’s students with the prompt, “What responsibility does the US have to the rest of the world on climate change?”. In this Extra Inning, we speak to the author of the winning essay, Oscar Parry, and the runners-up, Jibran Raja and Alia Yusuf. We discuss the essay competition, what it’s like for students to engage with a wider audience, and the opportunity they had to present their essays in the UK parliament to MPs and the British-American Parliamentary Group.
Contributor(s): Mohid Rehman Malik, Amanda Sahar d’Urso, Tabitha Bonilla | In 2023 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Dr Amanda Sahar d’Urso, Assistant Professor at Georgetown University and Dr Tabitha Bonilla, Associate Professor at Northwestern University, about their recent article Religion or Race? Using Intersectionality to Examine the Role of Muslim Identity and Evaluations on Belonging in the United States in the Journal of Race, Ethnicity, and Politics, which they also wrote about on the US Centre’s USAPP blog. They discuss the role of religious and racial identity in America today.This Extra Inning was produced by Mohid Malik and Anderson Tan.Contributors: Amanda Sahar d’Urso (Georgetown University) and Tabitha Bonilla (Northwestern University)
Contributor(s): Mohid Rehman Malik, Dr Naveeda Khan | In 2023 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Naveeda Khan, associate professor in the Department of Anthropology at Johns Hopkins University about her new book, In Quest of a Shared Planet: Negotiating Climate from the Global South, the role that UN Climate Change Conferences (or “COPs”) play in the global climate framework, and the relationship between the global north and south in taking responsibility for and mitigating the effects of climate change.This Extra Inning was produced by Mohid Malik and Anderson Tan.Contributors: Naveeda Khan (Johns Hopkins University)
Contributor(s): Professor Daron Acemoglu | On the 20th and 21st of October 2023, the London School of Economics' Phelan United States Centre hosted the Future of Capitalism in an Age of Insecurity Conference. Bringing together leading scholars and analysts, the conference examined the effects of geopolitical turmoil, democratic discontent, anti-globalism, and technological change on capitalist economies.On Friday the 20th of October, the conference keynote event, Rethinking Market Capitalism: Innovation and the Path to Shared Prosperity, was given by Professor Daron Acemoglu, Institute Professor at MIT. The keynote event was chaired by Professor Peter Trubowitz, Centre Director of the LSE Phelan United States Centre and Associate Fellow at Chatham House.Contributors: Professor Daron Acemoglu (MIT), Professor Peter Trubowitz (LSE)
Contributor(s): Dr C Raja Mohan, Professor Anne-Marie Slaughter, Professor Michael Mastanduno | On the 20th and 21st of October 2023, the London School of Economics' Phelan United States Centre hosted the Future of Capitalism in an Age of Insecurity Conference. Bringing together leading scholars and analysts, the conference examined the effects of geopolitical turmoil, democratic discontent, anti-globalism, and technological change on capitalist economies.On Saturday the 21st of October, the first conference panel of the day was globalisation and the return of geopolitics. This panel featured Professor Michael Mastanduno of Dartmouth College, C. Raja Mohan of the Asia Society, and Anne-Marie Slaughter, the CEO of New America. The panel was chaired by Professor Peter Trubowitz, Centre Director of the LSE Phelan United States Centre and Associate Fellow at Chatham House. The LSE's incoming new President and Vice Chancellor Larry Kramer also gave opening remarks before the panel. Contributors: Professor Michael Mastanduno (Dartmouth College), C. Raja Mohan (Asia Society), Anne-Marie Slaughter (New America), Professor Peter Trubowitz (LSE)
Contributor(s): Professor G. John Ikenberry, Professor David Luke, Professor Nita Rudra | On the 20th and 21st of October 2023, the London School of Economics' Phelan United States Centre hosted the Future of Capitalism in an Age of Insecurity Conference. Bringing together leading scholars and analysts, the conference examined the effects of geopolitical turmoil, democratic discontent, anti-globalism, and technological change on capitalist economies.On Saturday the 21st of October, the third conference panel of the day was Global Governance in an Era of Anti-Globalism. This panel featured Professor G. John Ikenberry of Princeton University, David Luke of the LSE Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa, and Professor Nita Rudra of Georgetown University. The panel was chaired by Professor Leslie Vinjamuri of Chatham House and SOAS University of London. Contributors: Professor G. John Ikenberry (Princeton University), David Luke (LSE Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa), Professor Nita Rudra (Georgetown University), Professor Leslie Vinjamuri (Chatham House and SOAS)
Contributor(s): Professor Ian Shapiro, Professor Luigi Zingales, Professor Sheri Berman | On the 20th and 21st of October 2023, the London School of Economics' Phelan United States Centre hosted the Future of Capitalism in an Age of Insecurity Conference. Bringing together leading scholars and analysts, the conference examined the effects of geopolitical turmoil, democratic discontent, anti-globalism, and technological change on capitalist economies.On Saturday the 21st of October, the second conference panel of the day was Populism and Democratic Capitalism. This panel featured Professor Sheri Berman of Barnard College, Professor Ian Shapiro of Yale University, and Professor Luigi Zingales of the University of Chicago. The panel was chaired by Professor Stephanie Rickard of the LSE Department of Government.Contributors: Professor Sheri Berman (Barnard College), Professor Ian Shapiro (Yale University), Professor Luigi Zingales (University of Chicago), Professor Stephanie Rickard (LSE)
Contributor(s): Professor Robert Sampson, Chris Gilson | In June 2023, the Phelan US Centre spoke with Robert J. Sampson the Woodford L. and Ann A. Flowers University Professor at Harvard University about his new study, The Birth Lottery of History. This study followed over 1,000 Americans over 23 years and looks at the effects on different age cohorts of the social transformation of crime, punishment, and inequality over the last three decades.This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson, Mohid Malik, and Anderson Tan.Contributors: Robert J. Sampson (Harvard University)
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Mohid Rehman Malik, Marc Selverstone | In December 2022, the Phelan US Centre’s Chris Gilson and Mohid Malik spoke to Marc Selverstone, Associate Professor in Presidential Studies at the University of Virginia's Miller Centre of Public Affairs, and chair of the Miller Center's Presidential Recordings programme, about his new book, The Kennedy Withdrawal Camelot and the American Commitment to Vietnam. They discussed the factors that shaped President Kennedy’s views on Vietnam, the relationship between Kennedy and his Secretary of Defense, Robert S. McNamara, and their views on a potential withdrawal from Vietnam, and the usefulness of White House recordings to academics and historians.This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson, Mohid Malik, and Anderson Tan.Contributors: Professor Marc Selverstone (University of Virginia), Chris Gilson (Phelan US Centre), Mohid Rehman Malik (Phelan US Centre)
Contributor(s): Professor Pranab Bardhan, Mohid Rehman Malik | In May 2023, the Phelan US Centre’s Mohid Malik spoke to Pranab Bardhan, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of California, Berkeley. In this Extra Inning podcast, they discussed the argument put forward in Professor Bardhan’s 2022 book, A World of Insecurity: Democratic Disenchantment in Rich and Poor Countries. Their conversation explored the future of democratic governance as it confronts majoritarian politics throughout the world.This Extra Inning was produced by Mohid Malik and Anderson Tan.Contributors: Professor Pranab Bardhan (University of California), Mohid Rehman Malik (LSE Phelan US Centre)
Contributor(s): Professor Rebecca Bromley-Trujillo, Mohid Rehman Malik, Beth Gardiner | This episode examines current trends in American politics in implementing policies to address climate change. Dr Bromley-Trujillo (Christopher Newport University) and environmental journalist Beth Gardiner (author of Choked Life and Breath in the Age of Air Pollution) discuss the impacts of President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act and whether a Green New-Deal could be possible in the future. This episode finishes off the 6-part climate change series, Climate Change: America and the World by looking at ways we can protect our planet from environmental decay.This episode was produced by Mohid Malik, Anderson Tan, and Chris Gilson.Contributors: Dr Rebecca Bromley-Trujillo (Christopher Newport University), Beth Gardiner (Environmental Journalist), and Mohid Rehman Malik (Phelan US Centre)
Contributor(s): Professor Peter Trubowitz, Professor Brian Burgoon, Chris Gilson | In May 2023, the Phelan US Centre’s Chris Gilson spoke to Brian Burgoon, Professor of International and Comparative Political Economy in the Department of Political Science at the University of Amsterdam, and Peter Trubowitz, Professor of International Relations, and Director of the Phelan US Centre at LSE and Associate Fellow at Chatham House, about their new book Geopolitics and Democracy, which will be published in July 2023 by Oxford University Press.In this Extra Inning podcast, they discuss the rise of anti-globalist forces which are against international cooperation and multilateralism, and how this connects to the decline of the welfare state and citizens’ perceptions about threats from abroad.This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson, and Anderson Tan.Contributors: Professor Peter Trubowitz (LSE Phelan US Centre), Professor Brian Burgoon (University of Amsterdam)
Contributor(s): Mohid Rehman Malik, Dr Swenja Surminski, Dr Rebecca Elliott | This episode gives an overview of how climate change intersects with class in the United States and the rest of the world. Professor Rebecca Elliot (LSE Sociology) and Professor in Practice Swenja Surminski (LSE Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change) discuss how climate change and climate related hazards disproportionately affect those from low-income backgrounds in the US and globally.This episode was produced by Mohid Malik, Anderson Tan, and Chris Gilson.Contributors: Professor Rebecca Elliot (LSE Department of Sociology) and Professor in Practice Swenja Surminski (LSE Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change), Mohid Rehman Malik (Phelan US Centre)
Contributor(s): Mohid Rehman Malik, Professor Laura Pulido, Jeremy Williams | In this episode we look at the different experiences of climate change in the United States from a racial perspective. We are joined by Centennial Professor Laura Pulido (LSE Department of Geography and Environment and Phelan US Centre) and Jeremy Williams (The Earthbound Report) to discuss how environmental racism manifests and how urban development has contributed to this problem. By discussing historical developments and contemporary policies, this episode looks to clarify the intersection between climate change and race.This episode was produced by Mohid Malik, Anderson Tan, and Chris Gilson.Contributors: Professor Laura Pulido (University of Oregon, LSE Department of Geography and Environment, LSE Phelan US Centre), Jeremy Williams, Mohid Rehman Malik (Phelan US Centre)
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Professor Peter Trubowitz, Professor Wu Xinbo, Professor Eghosa Emmanuel Osaghae, Dr Selina Ho, Professor Charles Kupchan, Professor Cornelia Woll, Professor Bahgat Korany, Dr C Raja Mohan, Dr Monica Herz | We live in turbulent times. Globalized challenges like climate change, pandemics, migration, and supply chain disruptions are rising in urgency. With these and other challenges in mind, in June 2023, Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and the LSE Phelan US Centre convened the Lloyd George Study Group on Global Governance.For this episode of the Ballpark, we asked each of the ten members of the Lloyd George Study Group on Global Governance one question: What do you take to be the defining global challenges of the coming decades? Their answers tell us a great deal about what global challenges we face, and how we might begin to tackle them.This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson and Anderson Tan.Contributors: Wu Xinbo (Fudan University), Eghosa Emmanuel Osaghae (University of Ibadan, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs), Selina Ho (National University of Singapore), Peter Trubowitz (LSE Phelan US Centre), Charles Kupchan (Georgetown University), Cornelia Woll (Hertie School), Bahgat Korany (The American University in Cairo), C. Raja Mohan (Asia Society Policy Institute), Monica Herz (Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro), Chris Gilson (Phelan US Centre).
Contributor(s): Samuel Bazzi, Mohid Rehman Malik, Chris Gilson | In March 2023, the Phelan US Centre’s Chris Gilson and Mohid Malik spoke to Samuel Bazzi, Associate Professor in the School of Global Policy and Strategy and the Department of Economics at the University of California, San Diego about his new research on The Confederate Diaspora. They discussed how white migration from the early American South soon after the Civil War helped to diffuse and entrench Confederate culture across the United States, holding back civil rights and economic equality for Black Americans, and how the diaspora continues to influence on contemporary American politics. This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson, Mohid Malik, and Anderson Tan.
Contributor(s): Mohid Rehman Malik, Chris Gilson, Professor Yasheng Huang | In March 2023, the Phelan US Centre’s Chris Gilson and Mohid Malik spoke to Professor Yasheng Huang, Epoch Foundation professor of global economics and management at MIT’s Sloan School of Management about his new book, The Rise and Fall of the EAST, which will be published by Yale University Press in August 2023. They also discussed Chinese technological development over the last three decades, and the challenges China currently faces in developing and maintaining its talent and human capital to support innovation.This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson, Mohid Malik, and Anderson Tan.
Contributor(s): Professor Pinelopi Goldberg, Chris Gilson, Mohid Rehman Malik | In March 2023, the Phelan US Centre’s Chris Gilson and Mohid Malik spoke to Professor Pinelopi Goldberg, Elihu Professor of Economics and Global Affairs and Affiliate of the Economic Growth Center at Yale University about her new book, The Unequal Effects of Globalization, which will be published by MIT Press in August 2023. They also discussed the rise of scepticism towards globalisation, the role of international institutions like the WTO, hyper-globalisation, and whether globalisation can be fair. This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson, Mohid Malik, and Anderson Tan.
Contributor(s): Mohid Rehman Malik, Professor Neta C. Crawford, Sherri Goodman | Professor Neta Crawford (University of Oxford) and Sherri Goodman (Wilson Centre) discuss how the American military can be implicated in making climate change worse through either direct conflict, or by its own carbon footprint. They also discuss how climate change induced natural disasters contribute to destabilisations that may eventually call upon military actions to address the problem. Do we need to change our understanding of security to include how the role of the military may make us more vulnerable to climate change?This episode was produced by Mohid Malik, Anderson Tan, and Chris Gilson.Contributors: Professor Neta Crawford (University of Oxford) and Sherri Goodman (Wilson Centre), Mohid Rehman Malik (Phelan US Centre)
Contributor(s): Mohid Rehman Malik, Professor Susana Beatriz Adamo, Professor Sarah Bermeo | In this episode, we examine the interaction of climate change with migration. Through this lens, we explore America’s role in engaging with climate related forced movement in Latin America, and from Latin America to the US. Professor Sarah Bermeo (Duke University) and Professor Susana Beatriz Adamo (Columbia University) discuss the implications of climate change induced migration, including whether it is even possible to attribute this migration to climate change. This episode begins to uncover the deep-rooted, structural problems that need to be overcome to offer a robust solution to climate change migration, as well as the potential inadequacies of development aid to address climate change related issues in the developing world.This episode was produced by Mohid Malik, Anderson Tan, and Chris Gilson.Contributors: Professor Sarah Bermeo (Duke University), Professor Susana Beatriz Adamo (Columbia University), Mohid Rehman Malik (Phelan US Centre)
Contributor(s): Professor Kathryn Hochstetler, Christopher Callahan, Mohid Rehman Malik | What is the US’ role in the climate crisis, and can a climate change framework exist without addressing climate change reparations and the different experiences of climate change across the globe? In the first episode of Climate Change: America and the World, Professor Kathryn Hochstetler and Christopher Callahan discuss the experiences of climate change in the Global North and Global South. The discussion examines the role that international climate frameworks, including annual global COP summits, play in providing a venue for developing nations to voice their climate grievances, and whether financial compensation is needed to effectively address unequal climate damages.This episode was produced by Mohid Malik, Anderson Tan, and Chris Gilson.Contributors: Kathryn Hochstetler (LSE International Development); Christopher Callahan (Dartmouth College); Mohid Rehman Malik (Phelan US Centre)
Contributor(s): Sherri Goodman, Professor Laura Pulido, Jeremy Williams, Professor Kathy Hochstetler, Beth Gardiner, Professor Rebecca Bromley-Trujillo | Climate change is one of the most important global issues. But what is the United States’ responsibility for climate change, and for its effects on the rest of the world? In Climate Change: America and the World, a new podcast from the London School of Economics’ Phelan US Centre, we look for answers to these questions and more by talking to leading experts working on climate change.Climate Change: America and the World is a six-part podcast series released from May 2023, and is produced by Mohid Malik, Chris Gilson, and Anderson Tan.This trailer features Sherri Goodman, Global Fellow, Polar Institute and Environmental Change & Security Program, Wilson Centre; Professor Laura Pulido, Centennial Professor to the LSE Department of Geography and Environment and the LSE Phelan United States Centre, and the University of Oregon; Jeremy Williams, The Earthbound Report; Professor Kathy Hochstetler, Professor of International Development and Head of Department, LSE Department of International Development; Beth Gardiner, Journalist, Associate Professor, Rebecca Bromley-Trujillo, Department of Political Science, Center for Sustainability in Education; Christopher Newport University; and Chris Gilson, LSE Phelan US Centre.
Contributor(s): Joshua Kurlantzick, Chris Gilson, Mohid Rehman Malik | In February 2023, the Phelan US Centre’s Mohid Malik spoke to Joshua Kurlantzick, senior fellow for Southeast Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations about his new book, Beijing's Global Media Offensive: China's Uneven Campaign To Influence Asia and the World. They also discussed the effectiveness of China’s efforts to expand its global media influence, from its pitfalls to successes. This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson, Mohid Malik, and Anderson Tan.
Contributor(s): Professor Susan Shirk, Chris Gilson, Mohid Rehman Malik | In January 2023, the Phelan US Centre’s Chris Gilson and Mohid Malik spoke to Professor Susan Shirk, Research Professor and Chair of the 21st Century China Center at UC San Diego about her new book, Overreach: How China Derailed its Peaceful Rise. They also discussed how China’s leadership in recent decades has influenced the country’s relationship with the United States, and the steps that both could take to improve that relationship. This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson, Mohid Malik, and Anderson Tan.
Contributor(s): Mohid Rehman Malik, Chris Gilson | In December 2022, the Phelan US Centre’s Chris Gilson and Mohid Malik spoke to Dr Tasseli McKay, National Science Foundation postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Sociology at Duke University, about her new book, Stolen Wealth, Hidden Power The Case for Reparations for Mass Incarceration. Their discussion covered mass incarceration in the US, the case for reparations, and principles of transitional justice.This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson, Mohid Malik, and Anderson Tan.
Contributor(s): Professor Glenn Loury, Mohid Rehman Malik | In May 2022, The Phelan US Centre’s Mohid Malik spoke to Professor Glenn Loury, Merton P. Stoltz Professor of the Social Sciences and Professor of Economics at Brown University, on the role of identity politics in the United States. In their discussion, they situated Black American experience within the context of identity politics, and how this has done little to correct existing racial inequalities in the United States. This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson, Mohid Malik, and Anderson Tan.
Contributor(s): | In November 2022, The Phelan US Centre’s Chris Gilson and Mohid Malik spoke to Professor Jessica Chen Weiss, professor of government at Cornell University, about China and the future of the international order. They also discussed President Biden’s approach to China, and the future of US-China relations. This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson, Mohid Malik, and Anderson Tan.
Contributor(s): Professor Taylor Fravel | In November 2022, The Phelan US Centre’s Chris Gilson and Mohid Malik spoke to Professor Taylor Fravel of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology about China’s Belt and Road Initiative. They discussed the history and recent developments of the Belt and Road Initiative, the political implications of this project, and the US’ responses to it.This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson, Mohid Malik, and Anderson Tan. Take me out to the Ball game’ by Ranger and the “Re-Arrangers” used with permission.
Contributor(s): Professor Rana Mitter | On 27 September 2022, The Phelan US Centre’s Chris Gilson and Mohid Malik spoke to Professor Rana Mitter of the University of Oxford about China’s changing national narrative. They also discussed nationalism in China and the ways China has engaged in revisionist history with regards to its conception of the current international order.This Extra Inning was produced by Anderson Tan. Take me out to the Ball game’ by Ranger and the “Re-Arrangers” used with permission.
Contributor(s): Marie Yovanovitch | On 25 January 2023, the Phelan US Centre’s Chris Gilson spoke with Marie Yovanovitch, who was the United States’ Ambassador to Ukraine from 2016 to 2019. She has also held posts as US Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan and Armenia, and from 2001 to 2004 she was Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine. She is the author of the new book, Lessons from the Edge: A Memoir. They discussed US-Ukraine relations, the role of diplomacy in resolving the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and European security. This Extra Inning was produced by Anderson Tan. ‘Take me out to the Ball game’ by Ranger and the “Re-Arrangers” used with permission.
Contributor(s): Dr James Morrison | In June 2022, the Phelan US Centre’s Chris Gilson spoke to Centre Affiliate Professor James Morrison about his new book, England's Cross of Gold Keynes, Churchill, and the Governance of Economic Beliefs (Cornell University Press, 2021). They also discussed the history of the gold standard in the UK, and what research on economic and monetary history can tell us about the current moment.This Extra Inning was produced by Anderson Tan. Take me out to the Ball game’ by Ranger and the “Re-Arrangers” used with permission.
Contributor(s): Professor Mary Kaldor | On 9 June 2022, The Phelan US Centre’s Chris Gilson and Mohid Malik spoke to Professor Mary Kaldor of the LSE about ways to reimagine a future European security framework. They also discussed the importance of empowering the local civil society groups in Russia and Ukraine that oppose Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson, Mohid Malik, and Emmanuel Olugbenga.
Contributor(s): Karen Torres, Joss Harrison | They also discuss her co-authored article with Dr Collins in the Journal of Illicit Economies and Development, which focuses on Colombia’s place in the global drug wars. This Extra Inning was produced by Anderson Tan, Elina Ganatra and Joss Harrison.
Contributor(s): James Morrison | Professor Morrison, who has worked with an UGRA each year since the programme’s inception in 2017, discussed the contribution that these undergraduate students have made to his research over the years. He also spoke about the mutual benefits that academics and students enjoy from these collaborations. This Extra Inning was produced by Anderson Tan.
Contributor(s): Professor Ayse Zarakol, Chris Gilson, Mohid Rehman Malik | They also discuss what the rise of non-Western powers that have not fully adhered to Liberal Internationalism suggests about the future of this American-led system. This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson, Mohid Malik, and Emmanuel Olugbenga.
Contributor(s): Professor Charles Kupchan, Chris Gilson, Mohid Rehman Malik | They also discussed the foreign policy objectives of the United States and how the United States should deal with security issues in Europe. This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson, Mohid Malik, and Emmanuel Olugbenga.
Contributor(s): | On 15 June 2022, The Phelan US Centre’s Chris Gilson and Mohid Malik spoke to Dr Fiona Hill of the Brookings Institute in Washington D.C. about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and the ramifications for the future of NATO and the European security framework. They also discuss future possibilities of engaging with Russia and the role that non-European states may play in this process. This Extra Inning was produced by Chris Gilson, Mohid Malik, and Emmanuel Olugbenga.
Contributor(s): David Little, Marisa Lago | We explore how the City and the rest of the state interact, as well as how they differ on some key issues, and in one important area, education, that rift is a big one. Guest Contributors: David Little (Rural Schools Association of New York State and Rural Schools Program at Cornell University) and Marisa Lago (New York City Department of City Planning and City Planning Commission). Producers: Chris Gilson, Elina Ganatra and Michaela Herrmann (LSE Phelan United States Centre).
Contributor(s): Professor Renee Van Vechten, Professor Leah Stokes | Guest Contributors: Professor Renee Van Vechten (University of Redlands) and Professor Leah Stokes (University of California, Santa Barbara)
Producers: Chris Gilson, Elina Ganatra and Michaela Herrmann (LSE Phelan United States Centre)
Contributor(s): Professor Michael Cox | On July 21st, 2021, The Phelan US Centre’s Chris Gilson spoke to Professor Michael Cox of LSE IDEAS about his new article in the journal, International Politics, “What do Think Tanks do? Chatham House in search of the United States” and how think tanks affect policymaking in the UK and the US. They also discuss his upcoming book of essays Agonies of Empire, which outlines the ways in which five very different American Presidents have addressed the complex legacies left them by their predecessors while dealing with the longer-term problems of running a modern-day empire under increasing stress. This Extra Inning was produced Chris Gilson, Michaela Herrmann, and Elina Ganatra. Professor Michael Cox is the Founding Director of LSE IDEAS. He was appointed to a Chair at the LSE in 2002, having previously held positions in the UK at The Queen's University of Belfast and the Department of International Politics, Aberystwyth. He helped establish the Cold War Studies Centre at the LSE in 2004 and later co-founded LSE IDEAS in 2008 with Arne Westad.
Contributor(s): Professor Robert Lieberman, Professor Suzanne Mettler | On 15 February 2021, The US Centre’s Chris Gilson spoke to Professor Robert Lieberman and Professor Suzanne Mettler about their recent book, ‘Four Threats: The Recurring Crises of American Democracy’. In this podcast, they discuss some of the unique features of American democracy and how its four pillars may be under threat, and what needs to be done to secure democracy in the US. Robert Lieberman is Krieger-Eisenhower Professor of Political Science at Johns Hopkins University. He studies American political development, race and American politics, and public policy. He has also written extensively about the development of American democracy and the links between American and comparative politics. His most recent book is Four Threats: The Recurring Crises of American Democracy (St. Martin’s Press, 2020), co-authored with Suzanne Mettler. In 2021, he will be the John G. Winant Visiting Professor of Government at the University of Oxford. Suzanne Mettler is the John L. Senior Professor of American Institutions in the Government Department at Cornell University. Her research and teaching interests include American political development, inequality, public policy, political behavior, and democracy. She is the author of six books, including, most recently, Four Threats: The Recurring Crises of American Democracy (St. Martin’s Press, 2020), co-authored with Robert C. Lieberman. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the recipient of Guggenheim and Radcliffe Fellowships, and serves on the boards of the Scholars Strategy Network and the American Academy of Political and Social Sciences. Contributors: Professor Suzanne Mettler (John L. Senior Professor of American Institutions, Cornell University); Professor Robert Lieberman (Krieger-Eisenhower Professor of Political Science, Johns Hopkins University); Chris Gilson (US Centre)
Contributor(s): Professor Dana Fisher | On the 6th of October, 2020 Ballpark host Chris Gilson spoke with Professor Dana Fisher about her new book American Resistance: From the Women's March to the Blue Wave, the rise of distributed organizing in the United States, and the impact that Black Lives Matter & climate protests may have on the November 2020 presidential election. Professor Dana Fisher is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Maryland and the Director of the Program for Society and the Environment at the University of Maryland. She is the author of National Governance and the Global Climate Change Regime, Activism, Inc., and her most recent book, American Resistance: From the Women's March to the Blue Wave. Her research focuses on environmental policy, civic participation and activism more broadly. She has written extensively on activism and protest. Contributors: Professor Dana Fisher (Professor of Sociology at the University of Maryland, Director of the Program for Society and the Environment at the University of Maryland), Chris Gilson (LSE US Centre)
Contributor(s): Dr Clive James Nwonka | In this special episode of the Ballpark we’re giving you a preview of our upcoming new podcast series, The Politics of Race in American Film. Chris Gilson interviews the podcast’s host, Dr. Clive James Nwonka, about what you can expect from the series, why film is such a useful lens for understanding race and society, and why taking a close look at film is especially relevant today. Dr. Clive James Nwonka is a Visiting Fellow in the International Inequalities Institute at LSE. His research is situated at the intersections of contemporary realism and film policy, with particular interests in Black British film, international cinema and American Independent film. His published research includes writings on contemporary social realism, Black British cinema, film and architecture, and diversity policy. He is the co-editor of Black Film British Cinema II and author of the forthcoming book, Black Boys: The Aesthetics of British Urban Cinema, which will be out later this year.
Contributor(s): Professor Kathleen Jamieson | The LSE US Centre’s Chris Gilson is joined for this Extra Inning by Professor Kathleen Jamieson. In this interview, Professor Jamieson talks about the impact of Russian interference on the 2016 US Presidential election, the tactics used to influence voters, and what we should be thinking about ahead of the 2020 Presidential election. Professor Kathleen Jamieson is the Elizabeth Ware Packard Professor at the Annenberg School for Communication of the University of Pennsylvania and Director of its Annenberg Public Policy Center. She is also the author of Cyberwar: How Russian Hackers and Trolls Helped Elect a President - What We Don't, Can't, and Do Know. You can also find audio of Professor Jamieson’s LSE US Centre event, “Russian Hackers, Trolls and #DemocracyRIP,” on this feed. Contributors: Professor Kathleen Jamieson (Elizabeth Ware Packard Professor at the Annenberg School for Communication of the University of Pennsylvania); Chris Gilson (LSE US Centre)
Contributor(s): Professor Leah Wright Rigueur | In this Extra Inning, Ballpark co-host Michaela Herrmann is joined by Professor Leah Wright Rigueur, who discusses the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) scandal of the 1980s, the experiences of Black Republicans in the last 50 years, the racial politics of the Reagan administration, and how #BlackLivesMatter protests can be linked back to long-standing trends like inequality and policing practices. Professor Leah Wright Rigueur is an Associate Professor of Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and the Harry S. Truman Associate Professor of American History at Brandeis University. She is the author of The Loneliness of the Black Republican: Pragmatic Politics and the Pursuit of Power and is currently working on the book manuscript Mourning in America: Black Men in a White House. You can also find audio of Professor Wright Rigueur’s lecture, “African Americans in a 'White' House: Presidential Politics, Race, and The Pursuit of Power,” on this feed. Contributors: Professor Leah Wright Rigueur (Associate Professor of Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and the Harry S. Truman Associate Professor of American History at Brandeis University); Michaela Herrmann (LSE US Centre)
Contributor(s): Professor Kathleen Jamieson | On the 27th of February 2020, the LSE US Centre hosted Professor Kathleen Jamieson for the event Russian Hackers, Trolls and #DemocracyRIP. In this lecture, Professor Jamieson brought together what is known about the impact of the Russian interventions in the 2016 US presidential election, outlined the contours of the #DemocracyRIP Russian plans to undercut the presidency of Hillary Clinton, and asked what’s next and what can we do about it. Professor Kathleen Jamieson is the Elizabeth Ware Packard Professor at the Annenberg School for Communication of the University of Pennsylvania and Director of its Annenberg Public Policy Center. She is also the author of Cyberwar: How Russian Hackers and Trolls Helped Elect a President - What We Don't, Can't, and Do Know. You can also find a one-on-one conversation between Ballpark host Chris Gilson and Professor Jamieson on this feed. Contributors: Professor Kathleen Jamieson (Elizabeth Ware Packard Professor at the Annenberg School for Communication of the University of Pennsylvania); Professor Peter Trubowitz (LSE US Centre)
Contributor(s): Professor Anne Cizmar | Welcome back to Season 4 of The Ballpark from the LSE US Centre! This season we’re continuing our State of the States theme and exploring some fascinating US states and the key policy issues within them. For our Season 4 premiere, we’re heading to the Bluegrass State – Kentucky – to talk about the state’s geography, state politics, and political realignment with Professor Anne Cizmar, Associate Professor of Government at Eastern Kentucky University. Produced by Michaela Herrmann (LSE US Centre) with contributions from Chris Gilson (LSE US Centre) and Professor Anne Cizmar (Eastern Kentucky University). Title theme, ‘Take me out to the Ball game’ by Ranger and the "Re-Arrangers" (https://rangerswings.com/) used with permission; Excerpts from Great River Road (ID 360) and Lucky Hans (ID 361) are by Lobo Loco (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lobo_Loco/NIce_Nowhere/2016111153942403), (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lobo_Loco/NIce_Nowhere/Lucky_Hans_ID_361_1261) and are used under a Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Germany License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/de/); This podcast series is supported by the Phelan Family Foundation.
Contributor(s): Professor Theda Skocpol | On 14 October 2019, the US Centre hosted Professor Theda Skocpol for the event “Donald Trump and the Roots of Republican Extremism in the US.” At the event, Professor Skocpol discussed her recent research explaining how sets of organizations expressing two separate currents of right-wing extremism – billionaire ultra-free-market fundamentalism and popularly rooted ethno-nationalist resentment – have worked in tandem to remake the Republican Party. Professor Theda Skocpol is the Victor S. Thomas Professor of Government and Sociology at Harvard University. Her ongoing research focuses on U.S. conservatives and the Republican Party, the politics of health care policy, and citizen reactions to the Obama and Trump presidencies. Skocpol is also the Director of the Scholars Strategy Network, a nationwide U.S. organization with more than a thousand members and forty chapters that makes the work of university researchers understandable to civic groups, policymakers, and the media.
Contributor(s): Joseph Sternberg | In this Extra Inning from the LSE US Centre, Ballpark host Chris Gilson talks with The Wall Street Journal’s Joseph Sternberg about his new book, The Theft of a Decade: How the Baby Boomers Stole the Millennials’ Economic Future. Joseph Sternberg outlines the effects of the Great Recession on Millennials and talks about Millennials’ economic and political future. They also discuss the policy issues that will continue to challenge Boomers and Millennials as the former ages out of the working population and puts economic pressure on the latter. Joseph Sternberg is a member of the editorial board of The Wall Street Journal, where he writes the Political Economics Column. He’s also the author of the new book, The Theft of a Decade: How the Baby Boomers Stole the Millennials’ Economic Future. Contributors: Joseph Sternberg (The Wall Street Journal), Chris Gilson (LSE US Centre)
Contributor(s): Joseph Sternberg | On the 9th of October 2019, the US Centre hosted Joseph Sternberg of The Wall Street Journal at our public event, “How Millennial Economics Will Shake Up US Politics”. At the event, he presented an overview of Millennial economics in America and outlined how the Great Recession affected Millennials in particular. He also discussed the continuing effects of the recession even as economic conditions have improved, and some of the political issues that will continue to challenge Americans across the Boomer-Millennial divide. Joseph Sternberg is a member of the editorial board of The Wall Street Journal, where he writes the Political Economics Column. He’s also the author of the new book, The Theft of a Decade: How the Baby Boomers Stole the Millennials’ Economic Future. Contributors: Joseph Sternberg (The Wall Street Journal), Professor Peter Trubowitz (LSE US Centre)
Contributor(s): Marisa Lago | In this Extra Inning of the Ballpark, we are joined by Marisa Lago, the Director of the New York City Department of City Planning and Chair of the City Planning Commission. Alongside LSE Cities and LSE’s School of Public Policy, the LSE US Centre hosted Marisa Lago on the 5th of November 2019 for the event, Planning New York. Chris Gilson of the LSE US Centre spoke with Marisa Lago ahead of the event about what it’s like to work across three New York mayoral administrations, the big planning issues facing the city right now, and how city planning can help address inequality. They also spoke about the big challenges that New York City will be facing in the next few decades and how it plans to cope with climate change, increased automation, and an aging population. Marisa Lago is the Director of the New York City Department of City Planning and Chair of the City Planning Commission.
Contributor(s): Professor Stephen Walt | Your host Chris Gilson of the LSE US Centre is joined on this Extra Inning of the Ballpark by Professor Stephen Walt. In this interview, Chris and Professor Walt discuss the differences in US foreign policy between Presidents Trump and Obama. They also discuss Professor Walt’s new book, The Hell of Good Intentions, and why he thinks American foreign policy since the Cold War has been a failure. Stephen Walt is the Robert and Renée Belfer Professor of International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He has previously taught at Princeton University and the University of Chicago, serves on the editorial boards of Foreign Policy,Security Studies,International Relations,and Journal of Cold War Studies, and is the author of works including The Origins of Alliances, and Taming American Power: The Global Response to U.S. Primacy. You can also find audio of Professor’s Walt’s recent talk at LSE, Can America Still Have a Successful Foreign Policy?, on the LSE: Public Lectures and Events podcast feed. Contributors: Professor Stephen Walt (Robert and Renée Belfer Professor of International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government), Chris Gilson (LSE US Centre)
Contributor(s): Professor Theda Skocpol | In this Extra Inning of the Ballpark, your host Chris Gilson of the LSE US Centre talks with Professor Theda Skocpol about her recent research on the Republican Party. Professor Skocpol outlines the shift that the Republican Party has undergone in the last decade, driven by two distinct currents of right-wing extremism: ethno-nationalist resentment, and ultra-free-market fundamentalism. They also discuss her upcoming book, which traces the growing grassroots movement of suburban white women in left-wing politics. Professor Theda Skocpol is the Victor S. Thomas Professor of Government and Sociology at Harvard University. Her ongoing research focuses on U.S. conservatives and the Republican Party, the politics of health care policy, and citizen reactions to the Obama and Trump presidencies. Skocpol is also the Director of the Scholars Strategy Network, a nationwide U.S. organization with more than a thousand members and forty chapters that makes the work of university researchers understandable to civic groups, policymakers, and the media.
Contributor(s): Chris Murphy, US Senator for Connecticut | On March 20th 2019, the US Centre hosted Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut for his talk, "The Dangers of Brexit for the Special Relationship". Senator Murphy, who is a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, spoke on the future of the US’s relationship with one of its oldest allies in the context of the UK's looming exit from the European Union. Senator Chris Murphy, is United States Senator for Connecticut. A member of the Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Murphy has been an outspoken proponent of diplomacy, international human rights and the need for clear-eyed, forward-thinking American leadership abroad. He is currently the Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on the Near East, South Asia, Central Asia and Counterterrorism, and previously served as Chairman of the European Subcommittee.
Contributor(s): Ashley Koning, Joe Miller, Scott Thompson | For this episode of the Ballpark, we head to New Jersey and take an in-depth look at the state’s recent politics and controversial former Governor, Chris Christie. We also discuss the state of policing in New Jersey with the chief of the Camden County Police Department, and we find out just why New Jersey is known as the Garden State.
Contributor(s): Jeff Frieden, Doug Irwin | This Extra Inning of the Ballpark features a conversation with Jeff Frieden and Doug Irwin as they discuss one of the most important parts of the economy: international trade. They talk about the changing consensus on trade in the US under Trump, what the growth of populism across the world means for trade and the international economy, Brexit, the growing trade war between the US and China, and give their policy recommendations for Donald Trump. Jeff Frieden is a professor at the University of Harvard’s Department of Government and the author of Currency Politics: The Political Economy of the Exchange Rate Policy and Global Capitalism: Its Fall and Rise in the 20th Century. Doug Irwin is the John French Professor of Economics at Dartmouth College, as well as the author of Clashing over Commerce: A History of US Trade Policy, and Trade Policy Disaster: Lessons from the 1930s.
Contributor(s): Stephan Haggard, Susan Strange | For this Extra Inning from the US Centre’s Ballpark podcast, host Chris Gilson speaks to North Korea expert Professor Stephan Haggard about the just announced upcoming summit between the US and North Korea. We explore what’s at stake and what the summit may be able to achieve. Stephan Haggard is the Krause Distinguished Professor at the School of Global Policy and Strategy at the University of California San Diego. In 2019, he is the Susan Strange Professor in the Department of International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science. His work on North Korea with Marcus Noland includes Famine in North Korea (Columbia University Press, 2007), Witness to Transformation: Refugee Insights into North Korea (Peterson Institute for International Economics, 2011) and Hard Target: Sanctions, Inducements and the Case of North Korea (Stanford University Press, 2017)
Contributor(s): Amy Goldstein, Wendy Scattergood | On this episode of the Ballpark, we take a look at the state of Wisconsin through the lens of deindustrialization. Together with our contributors, we examine how the Badger state’s politics have become more polarized in the past decade and what happened to its people when the factories began to close.
Contributor(s): Robynn Kuhlmann, Samantha Pettey | In this episode of the Ballpark, we head to Missouri to investigate the state’s political landscape and why its Senate race was so heated in this midterm cycle. We also talk to experts about 2018 as the Year of the Woman, explore some fascinating research on political ideology, and talk about what we can expect from this record-setting number of women in Congress.
Contributor(s): Joe Uscinski, Ros Taylor | This Extra Inning of the Ballpark features audio from the US Centre’s event “Conspiracy Theories in the Age of Trump,” which took place on 25 July 2018. Joseph Uscinski, associate professor of political science at University of Miami, speaks about his book American Conspiracy Theories and why President Trump might be America’s first conspiratorial president. Using an analysis of more than a hundred years of data taken from newspapers, surveys, and the internet, Professor Uscinski demonstrates that conspiracy theories follow a strategic logic: they are tools used by the powerless to attack and defend against the powerful. Our chair for this event, Ros Taylor, is Research Manager for the LSE Truth, Trust & Technology Commission, based in the Media Policy Project within the Department of Media and Communications at LSE.
Contributor(s): Dr. Kori Schake | In this Extra Inning of the Ballpark, your host Chris Gilson talks with Dr. Kori Schake, the Deputy Director-General of the Institute of Strategic Studies, about her book Safe Passage. Dr. Schake discusses how and when power can peacefully shift from one hegemon to another, the impact of Trump’s foreign policy on America’s standing in the world, and the future of the Republican party.
Contributor(s): Peter Trubowitz, Lawrence Wright, Heather Evans | As the midterms draw nearer, we're zooming in on some of the most interesting races in the US. This week, we're headed to Texas to learn about its uniquely individualist culture, what's happening in its Senate race, and how the Lone Star State is poised to become an even more important player in national politics.
Contributor(s): Jason Burchard, Amanda Wintersieck, and Andy Schneider, Denise Baron and Sarah Scaffidi | As a part of our State of the States season, we’re taking a look at some of the most important elections in the 2018 midterms, and this episode, we’re going to Tennessee, the volunteer state, to see how healthcare is impacting one of the most competitive Senate races in the country.
Contributor(s): Susannah Crockford, Antonia Noori Farzan, Chris Gilson, Denise Baron | As a part of our State of the States season, we’re diving deep into the political landscape of Arizona, the Grand Canyon State, and taking a close look at how immigration is playing out in the US Senate race of this border state
Contributor(s): Chris Bonneau, Kris Kanthak, Denise Baron, Chris Gilson | This season, we’re taking a look at how the states influence and shape America’s politics and policy. The stories, the elections, the policies, the political ecosystems, the people of these places are what drives the national narrative. And so, this season, “The State of the States” will take us to some of the most interesting and divided places in the United States.
Contributor(s): Charlie Beckett, Sonia Livingstone, Chris Gilson, Sophie Donszelmann, Denise Baron | Fake news has taken the world and especially America by storm, and in this episode, we talk with two academics who are part of LSE’s effort to define and address this threat to society. We talk with Charlie Beckett and Sonia Livingstone about fake news: what it is and what we can do about it.
Contributor(s): John Collins, Alex Soderholm, Sophie Donszelman and Denise Baron | With the skyrocketing rates of opioid abuse and overdose deaths in the US, John Collins and Alex Soderholm of the International Drugs Policy Unit join us to dissect the key questions behind this epidemic: what’s at the root of this opioid crisis? Where are these drugs coming from? And what can the US do about it?
Contributor(s): Kathy Cramer, Tory Mallett, Denise Baron, and Chris Gilson | The distance between America’s rural and urban communities have become a pivotal element of politics and elections. Professor Kathy Cramer has spent the last decade investigating the attitudes and identities that have contributed to this divide, and in this episode, we dive into that work with her and PhD candidate Tory Mallett.
Contributor(s): Neil Foley, Susannah Crockford, Chris Gilson, and Sophie Donszelmann | The current US president is not the first American leader to use inflammatory rhetoric about Latinos and push anti-immigration policies, but Donald Trump’s presidency has certainly brought these issue to the forefront of American politics. This episode we’re diving into the fear, resentment, and history behind racism towards Latinos, and in doing so, we’ll see that this is far from a recent phenomenon.
Contributor(s): Kathy Cramer and Denise Baron | The 2016 election revealed stark divisions along the rural-urban divide in America. Professor Kathy Cramer’s research explored that division and investigated how rural American resentment toward cities and the urban elite provided fertile ground for right-leaning candidates to win elections. Prof. Cramer recently presented this research at the LSE. You usually have to be in London to catch the public lectures sponsored by the US Centre, but this August, we’re bringing them to you. This podcast lecture series features the research of leading American academics. This is the third lecture of this series, and it features Professor Kathy Cramer on “The Politics of Resentment in the 2016 US Presidential Election”.
Contributor(s): Tali Mendelberg, Sophie Donszelmann | Do American universities promote income inequality? That's the question Professor Tali Mendelberg takes on in this lecture. You usually have to be in London to catch the public lectures sponsored by the US Centre, but this August, we're bringing them to you. This podcast lecture series features the research of leading American academics. This second lecture of the series is from Professor Tali Mendelberg, entitled "The Affluence Effect: College Socialization and Inequality in America".
Contributor(s): Neil Foley, Denise Baron | You usually have to be in London to catch the public lectures sponsored by the US Centre, but this August, we’re bringing them to you. This podcast lecture series features the research of leading American academics. This first lecture is from Professor Neil Foley, “Anxiety, Fear, and National Identity: anti-immigration politics and the rise of Latino power in the US."
Contributor(s): Thomas Frank, Inge Kjemtrup, Sophie Donszelmann, Denise Baron | After a number of disappointing elections, many people have been left asking “Who is the Democratic Party?” In this episode, we’ll not only take on that question, but we’ll take a step further. Who will the Democratic Party be going forward? Will there even be a Democratic Party going forward?
Contributor(s): Yuval Levin, Alex Sundstrom, Denise Baron, Chris Gilson | From the party of Ronald Reagan to Donald Trump, the Republican Party is changing, but what caused these changes and where is American conservatism headed? This episode, we dive into these and other questions about the changing face of Republicans, the GOP, and American conservatism.
Contributor(s): Charles Kupchan, Emmanuelle Blanc, Chris Gilson, Denise Baron | This episode, we're taking a look at how President Trump's prioritisation of "America First" will impact foreign policy. What will America's presence and actions in the world look like during the Trump era?
Contributor(s): Jamie Monogan, Chris Gilson, Denise Baron, Sophie Donszelmann | This episode, we’re looking into an often overlooked level of American policy-making: state governments. While the federal government is gripped by gridlock, the states surprisingly continue to pump out public policy. What makes these smaller governments work so efficiently? And do these laboratories of democracy really work for everyone?
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Denise Baron, Eric Kaufmann, Brian Klaas | While populism isn’t a new phenomenon in the United States, it has produced a new political spectrum in American politics and elections. In this episode, we explore why populism is so influential in US politics right now, what impact it is having on the political landscape, and where the government or politicians should go from here.
Contributor(s): Denise Baron, Sophie Donszelmann, and Chris Gilson | The Ballpark is back for Season 2! We're still going beyond the headlines and bringing you the facts, figures, quotes, and context that you need to form a more informed view on the United States. But this season, we're bring you even more analysis, research, and insight. Look out for an episode at the end of every month, starting on the 31st of March.
Contributor(s): Mick Cox, Marcia Balisciano, Gavin Baird, Peter Trubowitz | The LSE and United States have a long, intertwined history, and in this episode, we dive into the special relationship between Americans, London, and the LSE.
Contributor(s): Mick Cox | This podcast, we dive into the history of Americans at LSE. As we'll hear from Professor Mick Cox, the LSE has helped shape the United States, and Americans have helped define the LSE since its foundation in 1895.
Contributor(s): Peter Trubowitz, Sophie Donszelmann, Denise Baron | LSE US Centre Director, Peter Trubowitz, breaks down the electoral map and gives us a preview of what to expect in the final hours of the 2016 US Election. Sophie and Denise joined him to discuss the most recent polls, the status of swing states, and the key voting constituencies to watch on Election Night.
Contributor(s): | Thanks for listening to The Ballpark. We hope you’ve enjoyed listening as much as we’ve enjoyed putting it together. We’d like to make it better, so we want you to tell us what you like about and what you don’t. So, we’ve put together a quick listener survey at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/LSEBallpark. For an extra enticement, if you fill out our survey, you’ll go into a draw to win a £25 Amazon voucher. Thanks!
Contributor(s): Joe Uscinski | Donald Trump has brought conspiracy theories into the mainstream political debate. We spoke with political scientist Joe Uscinski, author of American Conspiracy Theories, about what impact this has had on American politics and elections.
Contributor(s): Nicola Lacey and Michal McQuarrie | This episode takes us beyond the headlines to investigate what societal structures makes America's criminal justice system so different from those of other countries, and we take a look at what role the Black Lives Matter movement plays in this contemporary debate.
Contributor(s): Jeffrey Tulis | In this instalment of Extra Innings, we bring you behind the scenes of the US Centre and present a full lecture from University of Texas Austin Professor Jeffrey Tulis. Jeffrey examined Obama's presidency and asked whether or not Barack Obama has been a transformative president. This event was held in collaboration with the Dahrendorf Forum.
Contributor(s): Sara Hagemann, Tim Oliver, and Tony Travers | It's clear that the UK has voted to leave the EU, but there are still many questions surrounding Brexit. We want to provide some answers for our listeners on the other side of the pond to all of the questions Americans have about Brexit but were afraid to ask. We’ve gathered some of the LSE’s top experts on the EU, the UK, and Brexit to hear about what’s going on here, the repercussions for the rest of the world, and what the US can learn from this historic vote.
Contributor(s): Waltraud Schelkle, Sierra Smucker, Chris Parkes, Chris Gilson, Denise Baron | This episode, we dive into one of the oldest and longest lasting debates in American history: federalism vs. states' rights. Even though it's centuries old, this issue keeps popping up, and we walk you through the implications of this debate.
Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Sierra Smucker, Sasha Milonova, Denise Baron | Following the recent horrific shooting in Orlando, Florida, we gathered three Americans to discuss their research and direct experience with the politics of gun violence. We contextualise the recent news with a statistical and research frame and then took a specific look at the gun safety policy and political fights that took place in Colorado in 2013.
Contributor(s): Jonathan Rodden and Margaret Weir | Does where we reside influence how we vote or even how much it costs to live ? Or is it the other way around? This episode, we take a look at the role geography plays in politics, inequality, and more.
Contributor(s): Daniel Laurison, Larry Jacobs, Jamie Weinstein, Lauren Maffeo | This episode, we take a look at what political polling can tell us about democratic participation, public policy, and political priorities.
Contributor(s): Jeff Frieden, Professor of Government at Harvard University Chris Gilson, host | We featured Jeff Frieden in our episode on the Almighty Dollar, but our interview with him covered so much more. So we decided to share the full interview on the past, present, and future of monetary policy.
Contributor(s): Jeff Frieden, Gianluca Benigno, Chris Parkes | This episode we take a look at the almighty dollar and decipher US monetary policy, central banking, and exchange rates.
Contributor(s): Derek Valles, Chris Gilson, Denise Baron | You might be wondering, "Why is this podcast called 'The Ballpark'?" We invited another baseball fan and political economist, Derek Valles, to chat about the overlaps and intersections of baseball and politics.
Contributor(s): Nick Kitchen, Xenia Wickett, Lloyd Gruber, Denise Baron, Sophie Donszelmann, and Chris Gilson | In this episode, we take a look at contemporary theories around American power and the factors that influence US foreign policy.
Contributor(s): Erich McElroy, Josie Long, Robyn Perkins, Ola | In this Ballpark Extra Innings segment co-hosts Denise Baron and Chris Gilson head down to Erich McElroy’s Imperfect Guide to the US Presidential Debates show, and hear some comedy and commentary on the Republican presidential debate, and the US election.
Contributor(s): Mona Morgan-Collins, James Snyder, Denise Baron, Sophie Donszelmann and Chris Gilson | In this episode, we dive into the current state of American politics, but instead of giving you a "hot take," we present you with a historical perspective from 1920 and a political theory on polarisation.
Contributor(s): Jeff Clemens, Michael Amior, Denise Baron, Sophie Donszelmann, Chris Gilson | In our first episode, we take a look at the US’ economic recovery and how its benefits might not have been felt by everyone equally.
Contributor(s): Denise Baron, Sophie Donszelmann, Chris Gilson | Welcome to The Ballpark, a regular podcast on politics, policy, and research from the LSE's US Centre. Each episode, the Ballpark team will take a closer look at American politics, economics, policy and news. We’ll feature and dissect the research of academics from the LSE and around the world. This is your chance to go beyond the headlines and get the facts, figures, quotes, and context to form a more informed view on the United States.