Three years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the second Trump administration has made sweeping changes to US foreign policy priorities and moved to limit US support for Ukraine. In the last six months, the world has seen an explosive Oval Office meeting between President Trump and President Zelenskyy, NATO states pledging to increase their defence spending to as much as 5% of GDP, and continued Russian attacks on Ukraine. With future US support for Ukraine appearing to be uncertain, key quest...
Jul 18, 2025•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 213
The transition to a new US Administration has sharpened Washington’s focus on the Indo-Pacific, while also exposing deep strategic and political tensions shaping the future of American foreign and defence policy. Competing pressures — between isolationism and interventionism, reassurance and burden-sharing with allies, and fiscal restraint versus demands for force modernisation and advanced capabilities like ‘Golden Dome’ — are creating uncertainty around how the US will deter what Secretary of ...
Jul 17, 2025•53 min•Ep. 212
For more than five decades following the 1972 rapprochement between the United States and China, the two countries seemed to be steadily building a sound relationship, even accounting for periodic setbacks like the Tiananmen Square massacre. The last decade, though, has seen a sharp increase in tensions and a complete reorientation of US policies toward China — from “engagement” to “competition.” Australia, too, has changed its approach to its largest trading partner. What happened? Where is str...
Jun 29, 2025•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 211
The future of the global economic order is in flux. Beijing's coercive economic policies, President Trump’s unprecedented tariffs, and the embrace of industrial policies around the world have cast doubt on the future of international economic rules. Globally, countries like Australia are being forced to contend with a more fragmented economic landscape that is affecting trade and technology flows, supply chains, multilateral institutions, and relations with the major powers. In this era of unpre...
May 29, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 210
To launch USSC senior lecturer Dr Kathryn Schumaker 's new book, Tangled Fortunes: The Hidden History of Interracial Marriage in the Jim Crow South (Basic Books, 2025), Dr Schumaker was joined by scholars Dr Michael Green , Associate Professor Frances Clarke , and Dr Aaron Nyerges to discuss the themes of the book. Prior to the US Supreme Court’s 1967 ruling in Loving v. Virginia, most American states prohibited interracial marriages at one time or another. But as Dr Schumaker reveals in Tangled...
May 15, 2025•55 min•Ep. 209
Out of sight, out of mind. Low Earth Orbit has undeniably become busier, with upwards of 10,000 satellites and millions of pieces of space debris currently in orbit. With vital services—ranging from communications to climate monitoring, national defence, and financial services—increasingly reliant on space, the proliferation of space assets and debris, and the associated risks of collisions, explosions, and anti-satellite warfare have become a major political issue. Countries have developed new ...
May 15, 2025•59 min•Ep. 208
As space technologies proliferate and international political competition heats up, space has become a hotly contested strategic and operational domain. The rise of space-related threats, from increased orbital congestion to the proliferation of anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons now threatens to upend the international balance of power and drive crisis instability and arms racing between the world’s major powers. What are the strategic implications of the militarisation of space? How have space thre...
May 15, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 207
The United States Studies Centre hosted an exclusive event in partnership with The Sydney Morning Herald . April 30 marked 100 days of the second Trump administration. While many expected the return of an unconventional administration, the speed and degree of actions thus far have surprised even the most seasoned of analysts. What do the first 100 days tell us about the next four years? Is this an aberration or the new normal? How should Australia navigate this administration? The Sydney Morning...
May 02, 2025•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 206
Export controls and investment screening are taking centre stage in the United States as Washington attempts to protect military and industrial advantages against China while simultaneously exploiting commercial opportunities for its high-tech industries and expanding technological cooperation with allies and partners. Within this complex policy context, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia are seeking greater harmonisation of national export control systems to unlock new defence...
Feb 26, 2025•46 min•Ep. 205
As US-China technology competition intensifies, governments across the world are keeping a tighter grip on the advanced semiconductor chips, AI models, and investments that underpin AI. This is complicated by the fact that the private sector — not government — is at the cutting edge of AI and associated technology innovations. With emerging technology now considered central to national security, both government and the private sector must find new ways to coordinate and collaborate. What impact ...
Feb 26, 2025•58 min•Ep. 204
On Monday, 20 January 2025, President-elect Donald Trump was sworn in as 47th President of the United States. He has said he’ll end the war in Ukraine before he takes office and war continues to escalate in the Middle East. Australia itself will host a federal election in 2025 which may shift international relationships. What sort of impact would Trump’s economic, trade, and technology policies have on Australian businesses? How do the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East impact the Indo-Pacific?...
Jan 31, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 203
In 2017, the first Donald Trump administration revived the Quad partnership between Australia, India, Japan and the United States after years of inactivity. Now, as the second Trump administration begins to take shape, the Quad continues to enjoy bipartisan support in all four countries and it seems the grouping is here to stay. The partnership has become a key pillar of diplomatic architecture in our region. But despite this goodwill and strong foundation, the Quad has sometimes struggled to ar...
Dec 10, 2024•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 202
The Indian Ocean Region brims with economic promise, yet it faces growing challenges — from inadequate infrastructure to fierce geoeconomic competition. As China deepens its presence through the Belt and Road Initiative, Australia and India are poised to offer a resilient and strategic alternative. This event featured inaugural Maitri Fellow Riya Sinha in conversation with USSC Economic Security Director Hayley Channer , discussing opportunities for India and Australia to collaborate on Indian O...
Nov 03, 2024•56 min•Ep. 201
The 2024 presidential race is already emerging as one of the most important elections of our generation, and could shape Australia’s foreign policy for years to come. So what can we expect? On 24 October 2024, the United States Studies Centre hosted an exclusive event in partnership with The Sydney Morning Herald. SMH editor Bevan Shields, political and international editor Peter Hartcher and columnist and senior writer Jacqueline Maley were joined by USSC experts, Chief Executive Officer Dr Mic...
Nov 02, 2024•1 hr 35 min•Ep. 200
We are increasingly living our lives in cyberspace — from global banking and financial transactions, to managing critical infrastructure and supply chains, to social media. With more government, business and public interactions happening online, coupled with concentrated strategic competition, there are more nefarious state-backed and rogue cyber actors seeking to take advantage of this. What could cyber and national security policy look like under a first Harris administration or second Trump a...
Oct 31, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 199
An eye-opening exploration of the intersection between folk music and political activism, writer and historian Aaron J. Leonard dived into the lives of some of the 20th century’s most influential folk singers—Woody Guthrie, ‘Sis Cunningham, Pete Seeger, Lee Hays, and Burl Ives—and their contentious relationship with the US government. These artists weren’t just cultural icons, but also outspoken political activists, closely monitored by the FBI and targeted for their associations with the US Com...
Oct 31, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 198
The United States Studies Centre held a discussion hosted by Lecturer in American Studies and political scientist, Dr Kathryn Robison . This webinar featured a panel of leading experts who shared their knowledge and perspectives on critical aspects of the US election for use in the classroom and beyond. Topics discussed: How the Electoral College works Featuring: Dr Kathryn Robison and Professor Brendon O’Connor The intricacies of the Electoral College and its crucial role in American elections....
Oct 30, 2024•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 197
On 19 and 20 June 2024, the United States Studies Centre hosted a major international conference in Sydney spotlighting the search for “economic security in a turbulent world”. Over a day and a half, the conference brought together leading policymakers, business executives and independent experts from around the world to discuss arguably the defining economic policy debate of our age – how to reconcile security and prosperity in an era of strategic competition and economic interdependence. The f...
Sep 09, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 196
On 19 and 20 June 2024, the United States Studies Centre hosted a major international conference in Sydney spotlighting the search for “economic security in a turbulent world”. Over a day and a half, the conference brought together leading policymakers, business executives and independent experts from around the world to discuss arguably the defining economic policy debate of our age – how to reconcile security and prosperity in an era of strategic competition and economic interdependence. In se...
Sep 09, 2024•52 min•Ep. 195
On 19 and 20 June 2024, the United States Studies Centre hosted a major international conference in Sydney spotlighting the search for “economic security in a turbulent world”. Over a day and a half, the conference brought together leading policymakers, business executives, and independent experts from around the world to discuss arguably the defining economic policy debate of our age – how to reconcile security and prosperity in an era of strategic competition and economic interdependence. In s...
Sep 09, 2024•57 min•Ep. 194
On 19 and 20 June 2024, the United States Studies Centre hosted a major international conference in Sydney spotlighting the search for “economic security in a turbulent world”. Over a day and a half, the conference brought together leading policymakers, business executives and independent experts from around the world to discuss arguably the defining economic policy debate of our age – how to reconcile security and prosperity in an era of strategic competition and economic interdependence. The c...
Sep 09, 2024•45 min•Ep. 193
On 19 and 20 June 2024, the United States Studies Centre hosted a major international conference in Sydney spotlighting the search for “economic security in a turbulent world”. Over a day and a half, the conference brought together leading policymakers, business executives and independent experts from around the world to discuss arguably the defining economic policy debate of our age – how to reconcile security and prosperity in an era of strategic competition and economic interdependence. Sessi...
Sep 09, 2024•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 192
On 19 and 20 June 2024, the United States Studies Centre hosted a major international conference in Sydney spotlighting the search for “economic security in a turbulent world”. Over a day and a half, the conference brought together leading policymakers, business executives and independent experts from around the world to discuss arguably the defining economic policy debate of our age – how to reconcile security and prosperity in an era of strategic competition and economic interdependence. Sessi...
Sep 09, 2024•43 min•Ep. 191
On 19 and 20 June 2024, the United States Studies Centre hosted a major international conference in Sydney spotlighting the search for “economic security in a turbulent world”. Over a day and a half, the conference brought together leading policymakers, business executives and independent experts from around the world to discuss arguably the defining economic policy debate of our age – how to reconcile security and prosperity in an era of strategic competition and economic interdependence. Sessi...
Sep 09, 2024•39 min•Ep. 190
On 19 and 20 June 2024, the United States Studies Centre hosted a major international conference in Sydney spotlighting the search for “economic security in a turbulent world”. Over a day and a half, the conference brought together leading policymakers, business executives and independent experts from around the world to discuss arguably the defining economic policy debate of our age – how to reconcile security and prosperity in an era of strategic competition and economic interdependence. A key...
Sep 09, 2024•33 min•Ep. 189
On 19 and 20 June 2024, the United States Studies Centre hosted a major international conference in Sydney spotlighting the search for “economic security in a turbulent world”. Over a day and a half, the conference brought together leading policymakers, business executives and independent experts from around the world to discuss arguably the defining economic policy debate of our age – how to reconcile security and prosperity in an era of strategic competition and economic interdependence. Sessi...
Sep 09, 2024•48 min•Ep. 188
On 19 and 20 June 2024, the United States Studies Centre hosted a major international conference in Sydney spotlighting the search for “economic security in a turbulent world”. Over a day and a half, the conference brought together leading policymakers, business executives and independent experts from around the world to discuss arguably the defining economic policy debate of our age – how to reconcile security and prosperity in an era of strategic competition and economic interdependence. Sessi...
Sep 09, 2024•52 min•Ep. 187
On 19 and 20 June 2024, the United States Studies Centre hosted a major international conference in Sydney spotlighting the search for “economic security in a turbulent world”. Over a day and a half, the conference brought together leading policymakers, business executives and independent experts from around the world to discuss arguably the defining economic policy debate of our age – how to reconcile security and prosperity in an era of strategic competition and economic interdependence. In se...
Sep 09, 2024•57 min•Ep. 186
On 19 and 20 June 2024, the United States Studies Centre hosted a major international conference in Sydney spotlighting the search for “economic security in a turbulent world”. Over a day and a half, the conference brought together leading policymakers, business executives, and independent experts from around the world to discuss arguably the defining economic policy debate of our age – how to reconcile security and prosperity in an era of strategic competition and economic interdependence. USSC...
Sep 09, 2024•11 min•Ep. 185
The United States Studies Centre launched the latest edition of the USSC’s annual public opinion polling. The 2024 Allies and Partners Poll by USSC Director of Research Jared Mondschein and Research Associates Samuel Garrett and Ava Kalinauskas reveals that despite uncertainties about the US presidential election, the publics of Australia, the United States and Japan are converging in their views of alliances and China. Do Australians believe their alliance with the United States should continue...
Sep 06, 2024•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 184
