In this podcast series, we will talk to academics who will share their insights on pressing events concerning European politics. We will link their insights to broader academic debates and show how these relate to current political developments. We will include academics from all over the world to offer you a truly global perspective.
Opinions expressed in this podcast are personal and are not representative of the position of the University of Groningen.
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Dr. Farid Shafiyev discusses how recent global power shifts and renewed Western interest influence the South Caucasus, a region caught between major powers like Russia, Turkey, Iran, the US, EU, and China. The conversation covers the complexities of regional competition, the role of energy transit routes, and Turkey's increasing involvement. It also details Azerbaijan's non-alignment policy and its strategy of diversifying foreign relations by engaging with platforms like BRICS amidst a volatile geopolitical environment.
Following the Moscow terrorist attack, this episode explores the renewed threat of large-scale terrorism in Europe and the heightened alarm, particularly concerning major public events. Dr. Davide Delisola critically assesses current intelligence-focused prevention strategies, arguing they often overlook the root causes of radicalization, such as discrimination and social grievances against religious minorities. The discussion highlights the problematic biases in security approaches and advocates for political solutions and community integration to genuinely enhance national security.
Ole Martin Stormoen is a PhD candidate in the research group on security and defense at NUPI, and is also an external candidate at RUG. His research area is foreign and defense policies, with an emphasis on Norway. His research interests also include international military operations, counter-terrorism, extremist ideology and radicalization, with a focus on the Middle East and North Africa, and the Balkans. Stormoen has studied Arabic at the University of Oslo, where he also completed his master...
This episode is Powered by the Rudolf Agricola School for Sustainable Development . Guest: Tom Casier is Chair in Global Politics of Europe at the University of Groningen. Before he was Reader in International Relations at the University of Kent’s Brussels School of International Studies (BSIS). He led BSIS as Academic Director from 2014 to 2017 and was Director of the Global Europe Centre. He also held a Jean Monnet Chair. Tom Casier’s research focuses mainly on Russian foreign policy, EU–Russi...
Dr. Eric Cezne is a postdoctoral researcher associated with the inFRONT: Inside Investment Frontiers of Sustainability Transitions project. His expertise lies at the intersections of International Relations and Development Studies, underpinned by an interest in the politics of the Global South and South–South relations (broadly interpreted), particularly in contexts shaped by infrastructural development, natural resource extraction, and sustainability transitions....
Tony van der Togt is a Senior Research Fellow at the Clingendael Russia and Eastern Europe Centre in The Hague. After studying contemporary history in Amsterdam (Free University) and Nijmegen, he had a long career as a Dutch diplomat, dealing with Eastern Europe and Central Asia, both in The Hague and in Moscow, Almaty and as Dutch Consul-General in St. Petersburg. In 2013 he acted as Dutch co-ordinator of the Netherlands-Russia bilateral year. He has published widely on EU-Russia relations, the...
Our guest is Fuad Shahbazov. He is a Baku-based policy analyst. He holds a master's degree in Political Science from the University of Vytautas Magnus (2016), a professional master's degree in Terrorism and Countering Religious Radicalization from the University of Bergamo (2021), and another master's degree in Defense and Diplomacy from the University of Durham (2022). His expertise area covers regional security, energy diplomacy and defense-related issues.
Natalia Gavrilița served as the 15th Prime Minister of Moldova between August 2021 and February 2023. She led the Government through multiple overlapping crises caused by the war in neighbouring Ukraine, while also advancing ambitious anti-corruption, economic, and governance reforms. During her time in office, Moldova received the largest influx of Ukrainian refugees of any European country, managed to diversify its energy market away from Russian gas, and became a candidate country to the Euro...
Nathan Hutson is an Assistant Professor of urban planning at the University of North Texas. His research focuses on freight infrastructure coordination and its role in economic development. He has fifteen years of freight planning research and consulting experience. Over the last year he has worked extensively with the World Bank and the Ro3kvit Urban Coalition for Ukraine in assessing the impact on the Ukraine invasion on supply chains and implications for Ukrainian reconstruction. He holds a P...
Dr. Francesco Giumelli (Deputy Head of Department, Associate Professor in International Relations and International Organization at the University of Groningen). Expertise: International sanctions, EU Foreign Policy, Illicit Trade
Our guest is Dr. Eric Cezne is postdoctoral fellow at the Centre for Global Cooperation Research (GCR21), Duisburg, Germany & the Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Utrecht University, the Netherlands.
Our guest: Dr. Donya Ahmadi is an Iranian-Dutch intersectional feminist and Assistant Professor of International Relations at the University of Groningen. Her current research project concerns the (re)-gendering of contemporary Iranian historiography, through documenting and highlighting the crucial role played by women activists in the political developments of 20th and 21st century Iran.
Our guest is Rusif Huseynov, who is the Co-founder and Director of Topchubashov Center, a Baku-based think tank. His main interests are socio-political developments, frozen conflicts, and ethnic minorities, in post-Soviet countries, while his focus areas mainly cover Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Caucasus and Central Asia. Mr. Huseynov obtained his bachelor’s degree from Baku State University and master’s degree from the University of Tartu. He is a ReThink.CEE (2021) fellow with the German M...
Our guest is Dr. Mustafa Ali Sezal, lecturer in the Department of International Relations at the University of Groningen. We thank our partner Globalization Studies Groningen
In this episode, we discuss the Russian elite, and public and opposition parties' discourses about the war in Ukraine. What is the elite discourse behind this war? What is the public discourse, and is it different from the elite discourse? To what extent do the opposition parties in Russia share the problematic elite discourse on Ukraine? Our guest is Dr. Lisa Gaufman, Assistant.Prof of Russian Discourse and Politics at the University of Groningen. After completing her PhD at the University of T...
Our guests: Michal Jacunski, Professor in Political Communication at the University of Wroclaw, and Artur Gruszczak, Professor of Social Science, chair of National Security at the Faculty of International and Political Studies, Jagiellonian University in Krakow.
Our guest speaker is Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. He served as Secretary-General of NATO from 5 January 2004 until 1 August 2009. From 1976 to 1986, he was employed in the Foreign Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He started in the spokesmen’s service (1976). From 1976 to 1978, he served at the Embassy in Accra (Ghana). He then worked at the Permanent Delegation to NATO in Brussels until 1980, where he was responsible for issues relating to defence planning. He was in charge of the private o...
Our topic: Considering the current war between Russia and Ukraine and its energy security implications, we discuss the role of the Caspian Sea countries (South Caucasus and Central Asia) for EU Energy Security. Our guest is Dr. Morena Skalamera, Assistant Professor of Russian and International Studies at Leiden University. Her research interests include the political economy of Eurasia, Russian and post-Soviet Politics, and the Geopolitics of Energy in Eurasia. Dr. Skalamera has spent extensive ...
The current conflict in Ukraine has created the most severe crisis between Russia and the West since the end of the Cold War. Ukraine’s fate hangs in the balance. Renewed international diplomacy strengthens hopes for a negotiated settlement, but the spectre of all-out war still looms large. This roundtable will bring together experts to discuss the current tension from different perspectives. Our speakers will cover the Russian and Ukraine position, as well as the role West in the conflict Speak...
Our topic is the relationship between the EU and Mongolia. This episode discusses: how does Mongolia contribute to the international system? How important is Mongolia for the EU? How are relations with Russia and China (Mongolia's only neighbours)? Our guests: Prof. Tjalling Halbertsma, Director International of the Centre for East Asian Studies Groningen and Globalisation Studies Groningen (GSG). Prof.Halbertsma spent many years working in China and Mongolia, most recently as the first Dutch di...
For decades the Western world has been hearing about the “rise of China” and the implications this would have for the way the world is organised. With the introduction of the One Belt, One Road programme, the world witnessed a truly global Chinese policy for the very first time. To what extent can we say that this One Belt, One Road programme also actually is a reflection of this “rise of China” that we have been hearing about for so long? And to what extent does the One Belt, One Road programme...
Gas, coal and electricity prices have in recent weeks risen to their highest levels in decades. The European Union, like many other regions in the world, is currently facing a sharp spike in energy prices. This is a serious concern for citizens, businesses, the European Commission and governments all over the EU. What are the impacts of COVID-19? What is behind increasing natural gas prices? What can we expect? How far are energy-exporting and importing countries are responsible? Our guest speak...
Our guests: Dr. Marek Neuman , Assistant Professor in the Department of International Relations at the University of Groningen & Dr. Nienke de Deugd , Assistant Professor in the Department of International Relations at the University of Groningen. Topic: Some experts argue that normative power is an essential instrument in the EU’s foreign policy toolbox and should play a central role in the debate about strategic autonomy. By exporting its democratic norms and values the EU is capable of in...
Our guests: Prof.Lars Rensmann, Chair of the Department of European Languages and Cultures and Director of the Research Centre for the Study of Democratic Cultures and Politics at the University of Groningen and Dr. Stefan Cetkovic Postdoctoral Researcher at the Chair for Environmental and Climate Policy at the Bavarian School of Public Policy Topic Description: Countries all over the world are witnessing a wave of populism and nationalism in elected governments. Although Populism has different ...
Our guests: Prof Jaap de Wilde, chair of International Relations and Security Studies Group at the University of Groningen and Prof Jan van der Harst, chair of History and Theory of European Integration at the University of Groningen. Topic Description: Support for Eurosceptic political parties continues to rise across Europe. Although in many European countries support for the EU has gone up, Eurosceptic parties are increasingly successful. More than 1 in 3 Europeans now vote for a Eurosceptic ...
