The World Stage

Episodes

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  Simulating Peace: Inside the Adaptive Peace Simulation 15.10.2026 45m

  In this episode of the NUPI podcast The World Stage, Cedric de Coning (NUPI) sits down with Dirk Bruin and Tomas Veloz of the Center Leo Apostel for Transdisciplinary Studies of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (CLEA), to discuss the development of a computational decision-support tool, called the Adaptive Peace Simulation (APS). The aim of the tool is to help policy makers and researchers to test the effects of different policy choices in a simulated, computational version of a conflict system before committing actual resources or exposing real populations, to the risks of stabilisation interventions. They discuss the science behind the tool, its development and results thus far in the process.If you want to read more about the Adaptive Peace Simulation tool, note this article:Veloz, T., De Coning, C., and Bruin, D. (2026), “Modeling and Simulating Complex Conflict Management Using Reaction Networks,” Entropy 28(7), 754.The episode is part of the NUPI led project Managing Climate, Peace and Security Risks from the Borderlands of the Lake Chad (CPS-Lake Chad). The project is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) through the Cross-border Conflict Evidence, Policy, and Trends (XCEPT) research program. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The Neighbourhood: Ukraine — The battle beyond war 23.09.2026 38m

  Ukraine is fighting for survival against Russia while its democracy faces a second battle at home. Ukrainians show extraordinary trust in the Armed Forces, family and civic networks—but far less in politicians, government and bureaucrats. Now, high-level corruption scandals, calls for wartime elections, roadblocks to EU accession and possible peace talks with Russia are raising a hard question: can the trust that has helped Ukraine survive the war be turned into a state people believe in?In this episode, Jessica Hendrick welcomes Roman Petrov, honourable president of the Ukrainian European Studies Association, professor of EU law at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, and one of Ukraine’s leading experts on EU accession and EU-Ukraine relations working on the NUPI led RE-ENGAGE project; and Svitlana Zalishchuk, Ukraine’s ambassador to Sweden and former civil-society activist, member of parliament and government adviser, now working at the centre of Ukraine’s wartime defence and European security partnerships. Roman warns that major decisions on peace could be challenged later if Ukraine’s elections remain suspended. Svitlana pushes back on the picture of low public trust, arguing that the war has actually increased trust in the state—just unevenly—and that public trust itself is part of Ukraine’s national defence capability.RE-ENGAGE conducted nearly 600 interviews with Kyiv residents last year, at times even moving them into air-raid shelters as alarms sounded across the city. Drawing on the findings, Jessica, Roman and Svitlana discuss how a society can distrust the state so deeply and still defend democracy; what recent corruption scandals reveal about whether the system actually works; and if fast-tracking EU membership risks turning reform into a superficial “copy-paste” of European laws.How is the far-right AfD’s historic landslide in eastern Germany viewed by those working on EU accession in Kyiv? Why might Ukraine now be better described as a contributor to European defence than a recipient of military aid? And what does Ukraine need to do differently to make its post-war vision last?Further reading:RE-ENGAGE research on UkraineRE-ENGAGE research on Eastern Europe RE-ENGAGE policy recommendations on Eastern EuropeThis podcast was recorded on September 9th 2026. It's the eight episode from the RE-ENGAGE podcast series The Neighbourhood, which unpacks how countries hoping to join the EU navigate political change and outside pressure, and what that means for Europe’s democracy and security. The podcast series is produced by ECFR, and co-published by ECFR and NUPI. The RE-ENGAGE project is led by NUPI, and is funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101132314. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The Neighbourhood: The EU enlargement game 17.09.2026 39m

  What happens if your economy is suddenly in crisis, Brussels offers help with strings attached—and Turkey, China or Russia can move faster? What if your country delivers every reform the EU asks for, only for a member state to block the next step anyway? And after years of waiting, would voters still choose to join?In this special bonus episode, The Neighbourhood goes live from Lisbon for an EU enlargement game. Jessica Hendrick brings together RE-ENGAGE experts representing six EU candidate countries and throws a series of fictional—but very plausible—political and economic shocks at them inspired by real headlines: Russia’s intensified attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure, Ireland’s EU presidency push on enlargement, Iceland’s referendum, Germany’s regional elections and the upcoming 2026 Enlargement Package. Drawing on three years of surveys, interviews and crisis simulations, each expert has to answer for their country.Playing for each country:Albania: Morten Bøås, research professor at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), representing RE-ENGAGE’s Albanian partners at the European University of TiranaBosnia and Herzegovina: Damir Kapidžić, director of the Institute for Social Science Research at the University of SarajevoGeorgia: Ketevan Bolkvadze, senior lecturer in the department of political science at Lund University, originally from GeorgiaMoldova: Mathilde T. E. Giske, research fellow at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), representing RE-ENGAGE’s Moldovan partners at Moldova State UniversitySerbia: Luka Filipović, research associate at the Institute for Contemporary History in SerbiaUkraine: Roman Petrov, president of the Ukrainian European Studies AssociationThe result is part enlargement simulation, part policy conversation and part game night. The experts bargain over a fictional €100 million EU cheque, decide whether the EU can compete with faster offers from other powers, test how easily disinformation could exploit frustration with enlargement, and imagine what would happen if EU membership was finally put to a public vote. Along the way, Serbia proposes keeping its relationship with Brussels “casual”, Bosnia finds a creative use for €100 million, and Ukraine calls for Hungarian “Varangians” when backsliding strikes.When a crisis hits, does speed matter more than values? Can “Europe never wanted you anyway” become a winning political message? And if a country finally joins the EU, what stops democracy from sliding backwards once the prize of membership is secured?Further reading:RE-ENGAGE research overviewRE-ENGAGE research on AlbaniaRE-ENGAGE research on Bosnia and HerzegovinaRE-ENGAGE research on GeorgiaRE-ENGAGE research on MoldovaRE-ENGAGE research on SerbiaRE-ENGAGE research on UkraineThis podcast was recorded live in Lisbon on September 3rd, 2026. It's the seventh episode from the RE-ENGAGE podcast series The Neighbourhood, which unpacks how countries hoping to join the EU navigate political change and outside pressure, and what that means for Europe’s democracy and security. The podcast series is produced by ECFR, and co-published by ECFR and NUPI. The RE-ENGAGE project is led by NUPI, and is funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101132314. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The geopolitics of trade 31.08.2026 30m

  The rules that have governed global trade for decades are now under more pressure than at any point since they were written. Tariffs are back as a frontline political weapon. Major economies are pouring money into industrial policy. The WTO's dispute settlement mechanism has been effectively paralysed for years. And the assumption that deeper economic integration would produce political stability is being openly questioned by governments across the political spectrum. So how are governments and firms adapting to this world where trade is inseparable from geopolitics? What rules and dynamics are emerging from this period of disruption? And what kind of global trade governance, if any, are we moving toward?In this episode of the NUPI podcast The World Stage, NUPI Senior Reserch Fellow Taylor St John sits down with Arancha González, Dean of the Paris School of nternational Affairs at Sciences Po to discuss these questions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Psychology, Status, and Recognition in International Politics 03.06.2026 30m

  In this episode, Professor Deborah Welch Larson joins host Morten Skumsrud Andersen to discuss how the need for recognition and the fear of status loss affect international politics. Drawing on decades of research, Larson starts with the mistrust that defined the Cold War, before examining how powers like China and Russia seek international status through emulation, competition, and social creativity. The episode also explores a paradox of contemporary U.S. politics; whilst President Donald Trump aims to restore American greatness, his policies may undermine the foundations of U.S. international status. We examine the psychology of grievance and humiliation, and ask what it signals when a hegemon begins to retreat from the international order it helped create.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Building influence: China's Belt and Road Initiative and the geopolitics of infrastructure 26.05.2026 24m

  Over the past decade, China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has redrawn physical, economic, and political maps. From ports in the Indian Ocean to railways across Central Asia, the BRI has been described as the most ambitious infrastructure project in modern history. But ambition does not necessarily equate permanence, and scale does not guarantee influence. How far can infrastructure take power and where are its limits? Is the Belt and Road Initiative a durable foundation for global influence, or have we begun to see the edges of its reach?In this episode of The World Stage, Lunting Wu (NUPI) asks Carla Freeman (Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies) and Hidekazu Sakai (Kansai Gaida University) these questions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Where and what is Hamas today? 20.05.2026 43m

  In this episode of The World Stage, NUPI Senior Researcher Erik Skare explores the complex history and internal dynamics of Hamas with Jeroen Gunning, Professor at King's College London and a pioneer in the field of critical terrorism studies.Founded in 1987 as the military wing of the Palestinian Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas has grown into a multifaceted movement encompassing political, social, and military dimensions. Gunning details the profound internal tensions between pragmatists and hardliners, the struggle to balance its role as the de facto government in Gaza with its identity as a resistance movement, and how the October 7 attacks have fundamentally reshaped the region’s geopolitical map.The conversation also examines the power balance between the leadership inside Gaza and the external leadership abroad, as well as the implications of the "terrorist" label for Palestinian unity and the future of governance in the region.The episode is part of the follow-up to the NUPI symposium "What Now? Israel, Palestine and a Region in Crisis." The symposium was organized by Frode Saugestad in collaboration with NUPI and supported by Fritt Ord. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Global governance in transition: EU–Japan perspectives 11.05.2026 17m

  New forms of cooperation are emerging, and countries are increasingly turning to smaller, more flexible alliances to navigate uncertainty. In this new landscape, partnerships between like-minded actors matter more than ever, and the relationship between the European Union and Japan is a key example of this.As global governance continues to evolve, this episode asks: how can the EU and Japan not only adapt to change, but actively shape it?This episode of The World Stage is in collaboration with the podcast Making sense of EU by the Université libre de Bruxelles. In the episode we explore how the EU and Japan are adapting to a more fragmented and unpredictable world. Together with Professor Akiko Fukushima (Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research) and Dr Wrenn Yennie Lindgren (Norwegian Institute of International Affairs), we unpack the evolving balance between multilateralism and so-called “smaller clubs” – from ASEAN to the Quad – and what this means for global governance. We also discuss where the EU and Japan can act together to shape new rules, relying as much on trust and dialogue.This episode is hosted by Alix Bullman (Univerisité libre de Bruxelles). It is also a part of the NUPI-led project “NAVIGATOR” which receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under the grant agreement ID: 101094394. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Environmental dimensions of conflict in the Lake Chad region 21.04.2026 51m

  In this episode of the NUPI podcast The World Stage, Cedric de Coning (NUPI) sits down with Louise Lieberknecht (formerly GRID-Arendal) who is one of the authors of a new report investigating the environmental dimensions of conflict in the Lake Chad region. The authors have examined how insecurity impacts the environment and how conflict dynamics are shaped by environmental factors. The episode is part of the NUPI led project Managing Climate, Peace and Security Risks from the Borderlands of the Lake Chad (CPS-Lake Chad). The project is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) through the Cross-border Conflict Evidence, Policy, and Trends (XCEPT) research program. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Navigating a Multiplex World Order 10.04.2026 26m

  Is the liberal international order coming to an end, and what follows the era of American hegemony? In this episode of The World Stage, Senior Research Fellow Wrenn Yennie Lindgren (NUPI) sits down with Manjeet Pardesi, Associate Professor of International Relations at Victoria University of Wellington, to explore the shifting foundations of global politics.Drawing on his award-winning book, Divergent Worlds, co-authored with Amitav Acharya, Pardesi introduces the concept of a "multiplex world order". Unlike traditional hegemonic or multipolar systems, a multiplex order is defined by its complexity, where non-great powers exercise significant agency and order is shaped by both material power and diverse ideas.The discussion delves into how history can provide a roadmap for our uncertain future. Pardesi contrasts the ancient Mediterranean, a paradigmatic case of hegemonic order under Rome, with the ancient Indian Ocean, which flourished as a non-hegemonic, pluralistic trading system.Key highlights of the episode include:The Rise of India: An analysis of India’s grand strategy, its "status anxiety" regarding China, and its quest to recover its historical standing as a global power.Southeast Asia as pluralistic order: Pardesi points to Southeast Asia as an example of a pluralistic regional order today, with no single center. As he states: "The region is a mix of democracies and non-democracies that engage with each other. It is a plural world that seems viable despite having no core".The Power of Small States: How countries like Norway and New Zealand can act as "connector states," spearheading high-quality trade agreements and navigating complex international identities.Variable Geometry: Understanding the "messiness" of modern international relations and why a decentered, pluralistic world might actually be a good thing.Join us for a deep dive into global history and contemporary geopolitics to understand how the world is being reshaped beyond the Western-dominated era.The World Stage is a global politics podcast from the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI). This episode is produced in collaboration with the Norwegian Center for Geopolitics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Resilience, peacebuilding, and preventing violent extremism 09.04.2026 32m

  What are the role of resilience and peacebuilding perspectives and approaches when it comes to preventing violent extremism? How can resilience and peace building help address the root causes of violent extremism? This is the topic for this episode of NUPI's The World Stage, and of a new book edited by this episode's guests; Ako Muto (JICA Ogata Sadako Research Institute for Peace and Development), Rui Saraiva (Miyazaki International University) and Cedric de Coning (NUPI). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  European nuclear deterrence: The french initiative 25.03.2026 36m

  Join us for a conversation on European security in a time marked by war, nuclear threats, and growing strategic uncertainty.Against the backdrop of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and rising doubts about US security guarantees, Research Fellow Gine Lund Bolling (NUPI) examines Emmanuel Macron’s recent address on French nuclear policy. The French president’s remarks signal the most significant shift in the country’s nuclear posture in decades.In this episode of The World Stage, we explore what these changes to France’s nuclear strategy entail, and what implications they may have for European security. A central question is what it actually means for France to “build up” its nuclear arsenal: is it about numbers, capabilities, doctrine – or a combination of all three? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  A region under pressure: Preventing climate change related conflict in the Lake Chad region 19.03.2026 45m

  How can we best prevent and manage climate-related insecurity in one of the world's most vulnerable regions? In this episode of the NUPI podcast The World Stage, Research Professor Cedric de Coning (NUPI) takes us into the heart of the Lake Chad region, and into a two-year research project examining how regional strategies are shaping peace and security.The guests in this podcast episode are Professor Freedom Onuoha (University of Nigeria, Nsukka), and Senior Research Fellow Thor Olav Iversen and Senior Research Fellow Andrew E. Yaw Tchie (both NUPI).The episode draws on findings from the project 'Managing Climate, Peace and Security Risks from the Borderlands of the Lake Chad (CPS-Lake Chad)', which investigates the role of the Regional Strategy for Stabilization, Resilience and Recovery (RS-SRR) in addressing climate-related conflict risks. The project is funded by the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) through the Cross-Border Conflict Evidence Policy and Trends research fund (XCEPT). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Is U.S. foreign policy now "open for business"? 11.03.2026 41m

  In this episode of the World Stage podcast, host Ole Jacob Sending (The Norwegian Centre for Geopolitics, NUPI) sits down with Alex Cooley (Columbia University) and Taylor St. John (NUPI) to discuss the shift toward transnational kleptocracy in US foreign policy. Drawing on a recent Foreign Affairs article, the guests explore how the second Trump administration is dismantling long-standing anti-corruption frameworks, such as restricting the enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), to facilitate a system where public power is leveraged for private gain.In the podcast, the three participants discuss several examples of transnational kleptocracy. One specific example recently reported in the Wall Street Journal involves US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and the President's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who have been in active talks with Kirill Dmitriev head of the Russian sovereign wealth fund. The discussions center on using a portion of frozen Russian assets—which were widely expected to be designated for Ukraine's reconstruction—to instead create what Cooley terms "slush funds" for joint American-Russian investment projects.From the role of unofficial, "nebulous" advisors to the potential pressure on allies like Norway to politicize their sovereign wealth funds, this episode provides a deep dive into how international power is being exercised, bought, and shielded in an era of "kleptocratic populism". Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Trust, anger and the limits of EU democracy promotion 19.01.2026 36m

  In the EU’s enlargement debate, attention usually centres on Brussels—legal benchmarks, progress reports and diplomatic bargaining. But in countries hoping to join the bloc, politics is often decided via informal power networks, fragile institutions and the everyday effort of navigating uncertainty. In this episode we shift from the top-down to the ground level as Jessica Hendrick speaks with Morten Bøås, research professor at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), who is leading RE-ENGAGE’s comparative fieldwork across Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine. Together, they take listeners behind the scenes of how the project gathers original data in places shaped by war, protest and political pressure. Methods range from training local university students to conduct trust surveys to vignette experiments that test how citizens respond to crises and competing external “relief packages” from China, the EU, Russia and Turkey. What do early findings reveal? What does “trust” really look like in a hybrid regime? How can the EU design programmes that people actually feel, rather than reforms they never see? And what should Brussels learn about democracy promotion to avoid repeating past mistakes? This is the third episode from the RE-ENGAGE podcast series The Neighbourhood, which unpacks how countries hoping to join the EU navigate political change and outside pressure, and what that means for Europe’s democracy and security. The podcast series is produced by ECFR, and co-published by ECFR and NUPI. The RE-ENGAGE project is led by NUPI, and is funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101132314. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The Neighbourhood: The EU’s enlargement reality check 27.11.2025 37m

  How are enlargement reforms unfolding on the ground and what drives progress or stagnation? The 2025 Enlargement Package presents a mixed picture: Ukraine and Moldova are racing ahead, while Serbia and Georgia are lagging. The EU itself is struggling with internal divisions and reform fatigue.This episode of The World Stage is part of The Neighbourhood series from the NUPI-led project Re-engage, produced by ECFR and co-published by ECFR and NUPI. In this episode, ECFR's Jessica Hendrick is joined by Tiago Antunes, senior policy fellow with ECFR’s European Power programme, Leo Litra, visiting fellow at ECFR and senior fellow at Kyiv’s New Europe Center and Engjellushe Morina, senior policy fellow with ECFR’s European Security programme. Together, they discuss what this year’s enlargement report says about political will, institutional resilience and the everyday impact of enlargement.How can the EU make conditionality more credible? Are EU reforms changing behaviour in governments, institutions and people’s lives? And how can Brussels keep the reform energy alive?This episode was recorded on November 12th 2025. iIt's the second episode from the RE-ENGAGE podcast series The Neighbourhood, which unpacks how countries hoping to join the EU navigate political change and outside pressure, and what that means for Europe’s democracy and security. The podcast series is produced by ECFR, and co-published by ECFR and NUPI. The RE-ENGAGE project is led by NUPI, and is funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101132314. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Democratic backsliding, illiberal regimes and international cooperation under pressure 21.11.2025 35m

  The international system faces its gravest crisis in decades. As global democracy retreats, authoritarian regimes actively challenge established international rules and norms.This episode asks: Which institutions are worth saving in this "burning house" of cooperation? We analyse the paralysis of the UN Security Council and NATO's struggle against illiberal pressures as the world order begins to fragment. You will hear from Roland Paris, Alexandra Gheciu (both University of Ottawa) and NUPI's Ole Jacob Sending. The host for this episode is Marie Furhovden (NUPI).This episode is part of the NUPI led project NAVIGATOR that is investigating how the EU should navigate multilateral cooperation. The project receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under the Grant agreement ID: 101094394. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The Neighbourhood: Europe’s enlargement moment 16.10.2025 25m

  EU enlargement is back at the top of the EU’s political agenda as Russia’s war against Ukraine has transformed it from a bureaucratic process into a matter of European security.In this episode, Mark Leonard speaks with Lykke Friis, co-chair of ECFR’s council, director of the Danish think-tank Europa, and former Danish minister, as European leaders gather for the European Political Community summit in Copenhagen. Together they discuss why Denmark has shifted to advocating for enlargement and why Europe’s future security may depend on bringing Ukraine and Moldova closer.Is the EU ready for a new wave of member countries? Can enlargement be both geopolitical and merit-based? And what role will Denmark play in defining the EU’s next chapter?Bookshelf:Strength in members: How to rally EU enlargement for defence by Gustav Gressel, Nicu PopescuNew report on EU enlargement and integration by Piotr Buras with Lykke Friis, Engjellushe Morina and Iben SchackeDeutschland 1946: Das Wunder beginnt by Rüdiger Barth, Hauke FriederichsIndignity: A Life Reimagined by Lea YpiThis episode was recorded on October 2nd, 2025. The episode marks the launch of ECFR’s new RE-ENGAGE podcast series: The Neighbourhood, which will unpack how countries hoping to join the EU navigate political change and outside pressure, and what that means for Europe’s democracy and security. The podcast series is produced by ECFR, and co-published by ECFR and NUPI. The RE-ENGAGE project is les by NUPI, and is funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101132314. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Constructivist theorizing in tumultuous times (ft Nicholas Onuf and Stefano Guzzini) 24.09.2025 30m

  With the growing sense of perpetual and compounding global crises and war, it is not only policy makers that are scrambling to respond. The discipline of International Relations has also been thrown into upheaval and reconsidering and revising its theoretical apparatus. This episode of the World Stage takes a step back and discusses the role of constructivism for Illuminating the current moment with two of its leading theoreticians: Stefano Guzzini and Nicholas Onuf. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Arctic ambitions: Norway’s new High North strategy 09.09.2025 33m

  How does the new Norwegian High North strategy situate Norway and its northernmost countries in Arctic and global politics? What are the new priorities and signals in the strategy? And how will they be realized in practice in Norwegian foreign policy?In this episode of the NUPI podcast The World Stage, NUPI researcher Elana Wilson Rowe sits down with State Secretary (MFA) Maria Varteressian, and NUPI colleague Karsten Friis to discuss the new High North strategy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.