When US President Trump and Defense Secretary Hegseth authorized lethal strikes against alleged Venezuelan drug boats, were they fighting "narco-terrorists" or normalizing uncontrolled executive power? Join us as Prof. Christopher Finlay, Professor in Political Theory and Head of the School of Government and International Affairs (SGIA) at Durham University, draws on his essay "Beware the Boomerang Effect" to dissect the profound legal and ethical challenges posed by these actions. The administration’s choice to frame these actions as "acts of war" against "unlawful combatants" grants them the latitude to use lethal force as a first resort, violating the crucial principles of necessity and imminence.
Link to the Ethics & International Affairs article: https://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/online-exclusives/beware-the-boomerang-effect-why-u-s-strikes-on-alleged-drug-boats-pose-a-profound-threat-to-american-freedom
To learn more about our guest and their research, visit their website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/christopher-j-finlay/
Related Literature:
Finlay, Christopher J. 2025. The Philosophy of Force: Violence, Domination, and the Ethics of Republican War. Oxford University Press.
Finlay, Christopher J. 2024. Political Violence Misliked: The Meaning of ‘Terrorism’. In H. Williams, D. Boucher, P. Sutch, D. Reidy, & A. Koutsoukis (Eds.), The Palgrave Handbook of International Political Theory (pp. 231-247). Springer Nature Switzerland.
Finlay, Christopher J. (2022). Ethics, Force, and Power: on the Political Preconditions of Just War. Law and Philosophy, 41(6), 717-740.
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In this episode, we take another look at the Israeli-Palestine conflict, which some have described as the “third rail” in British academia. With the ceasefire at the verge of collapse and domestic tensions remaining high in the aftermath of the attack on the Synagogue in Manchester, the urgent need for a public, thoughtful conversation about Jews, Israel, and Palestine is clear. Joining the podcast this week is Prof. Ilan Baron, a Professor in International Political Theory at the School of Government and International Affairs and Director of the Centre for the Study of Jewish Culture, Society and Politics at Durham University. He is the author of an article entitled “Antisemitism, Israel and the Problem with no Easy Solution”, which was published on the Duck of Minerva website in October 2025. The article challenges the automatic linkage between actions by the Israeli government and diaspora Jews, which he argues is particularly prevalent in journalistic reporting, treating Jews around the world as proxy representatives for Israel, thereby undermining the safety of British Jews.
Link to the Duck of Minerva article: https://www.duckofminerva.com/2025/10/antisemitism-israel-and-the-problem-with-no-easy-solution.html
To learn more about our guest's research visit their website: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/ilan-baron/
Literature mentioned in this episode:
Baron, Ilan Z. 2009. The Problem of Dual Loyalty. Canadian Journal of Political Science, 42(4), 1025-1044
Baron, Ilan Z. 2014. Obligation in Exile: The Jewish Diaspora, Israel and Critique. Edinburgh University Press; Oxford University Press.
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In this episode, Dr. Alice Finden, an Assistant Professor of International Relations in the School of Government and International Affairs (SGIA) at Durham University, draws on her research to discuss the political implications of deploying the concepts "terrorism" and "counterterrorism" in the context of the Gaza conflict and UK domestic politics.
To learn more about our guest, visit their website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/alice-e-finden/
Literature:
Aitlhadj, L., Finden, A., Haspeslagh, S., Kaleem, A., Khan, R. M., Salhab, A., Schotten, C. H., Sen, S., & Stampnitzky, L. (2024). Where is Palestine in Critical Terrorism Studies? A roundtable conversation. Critical Studies on Terrorism, 17(3), 437-462.
Finden, Alice E. (2025). Counterterrorism and Colonialism: Everyday Violence in Britain and Egypt. Routledge.
Finden, A. E. (2025). Colonial Law and Normal Violence: The Racialised, Gendered and Classed Development of Counter Terrorism. In Global Counterterrorism: A Decolonial Approach. Manchester University Press.
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Why is political violence making a comeback in the world’s most established democracies? From the storming of the U.S. Capitol in 2021 to riots in Brazil in 2023 and extremist attacks across Europe, violence is again being used to achieve political goals. In this episode Prof. Patrick M Kuhn digs into the paradox at the heart of democracy: why systems built on peaceful disagreement are seeing rising levels of aggression. Drawing on new political science research, he unpacks how polarization, populism, and elite manipulation can fuel unrest—and what the effects of violence are for democratic politics.
To learn more about Patrick Kuhn and his research visite his website (https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/p-m-kuhn/) and the website on 19th-century election violence in England and Wales (https://victorianelectionviolence.uk/).
In season 2, episode 1 of this podcast we compared nd contrasted the aftermath of the 2021 riots in the U.S. with those in early 2023 in Brazil and asked what this might tell us about the state of democracy in those countries. You can listen to this episode at https://open.spotify.com/episode/147cTxqUlNzAUileQDIUFI
Bibliography:
Blaxill, L., Cohen, G., Hutchison, G., Kuhn, P. M., & Vivyan, N. (2025). Electoral violence in England and Wales, 1832–1914. Past & Present, 267(1), 154–210. https://doi.org/10.1093/pastj/gtae017
Daxecker, U. E., Prasad, N., & Ruggeri, A. (2025). Political violence in democracies: An introduction. Journal of Peace Research, 62(5), 1363–1375. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022343324123456
Mares, I. (2022). Protecting the ballot: How first-wave democracies ended electoral corruption. Princeton University Press.
Nieburg, H. L. (1969). Political violence: The behavioral process. St. Martin’s Press.
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On the 1st October 2025, the U.S. government has once again ground to a halt — hundreds of thousands furloughed, non-essential federal services frozen, and the world watching a political standoff the Republican president and congressional Democrats unfold. In this episode, Prof. Patrick Kuhn, with inputs from Dr. David Andersen and Dr. Neil Visalvanich, unpacks the mechanics and meaning of the current government shutdown. Why do shutdowns keep happening despite their enormous economic costs? What makes this one different — and potentially more damaging — than those before? From political brinkmanship to the deeper constitutional roots of America’s recurring budget crises, we explore how partisan deadlock has turned governing into a high-stakes game of chicken.
To learn more about the speakers and their research visit their websites:
Prof. Patrick M Kuhn: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/p-m-kuhn/
Dr. David Andersen: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/david-j-andersen/
Dr. Neil Visalvanich: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/neil-visalvanich/
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Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has reshaped Europe’s security landscape. With Donald Trump back in the White House and questions about U.S. commitment to NATO, European states are rapidly rearming and investing in new defence strategies. At the same time, repeated Russian airspace violations and suspicious drone activity are raising alarms across the continent.
In this episode, we speak with Dr. Emil Archambault, an Addison Wheeler postdoctoral fellow at Durham University and current fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations, about Europe’s rearmament efforts, the challenges of defence collaboration, and the growing security implications of militarized drones.
To learn more about our guest and their research, visit their website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/emil-d-archambault/
Related Literature:
- Anicetti, Jonata and Urlich Krotz 2024. Why States Arm and Why Sometimes, They Do so Together. International Studies Review 26(4), viae031.
- Archambault, Emil 2025. How FACAS can move forward. DGAP Memo. Online at https://dgap.org/en/research/publications/how-fcas-can-move-forward [Last accessed: 3.10.2025].
- DeVore, Marc R., & Stai, Nora K. (2019). When Collaboration Works: High Politics and Realism’s Renaissance in Arms Collaboration Studies. European Review of International Studies, 6(2), 18-42.
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In this final episode of our third series, we will try to make sense of the 2024 US Presidential election. Eight months on, we will discuss what we know about how the Trump Campaign managed to win the US Presidential election and what this means for US electoral politics going forward. Joining me to do so are Drs. David Andersen and Neil Visalvanich, both of whom are Associate Professors of US Politics at the School of Government and International Affairs at Durham University.
To learn more about David and Neil's research visit their websites:
- David Andersen: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/david-j-andersen/- Neil Visalvanich: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/neil-visalvanich/
Related previous episodes:- Politics in the Rearview Mirror (2024). Craziest Election Ever or Just Another US Presidential Race? Contextualising the 2024 Race for the White House. Series 1, Episode 5. Online at: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2kl615JHKqv0IaxWqlMF4i [Last Accessed: 4th July 2025].
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In this episode, Prof. John Williams, Dr. Dennis Schmidt, and Dr. Tessa Ditonto answer your questions on the legality of the US bombardment of Iranian nuclear sites and the reasons for the gender gap we observe in party support in the US and Western Europe.
To learn more about our guests' research, visit their websites:
John Williams: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/j-c-williams/
Dennis Schmidt: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/dennis-schmidt/
Tessa Ditonto: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/tessa-m-ditonto/
Related literature and earlier episodes:
Kinstler, Linda 2025: Are we witnessing the death of international law? The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/law/2025/jun/26/are-we-witnessing-the-death-of-international-law [Last accessed: 28th June 2025].
Politics in the Rearview Mirror 2025. International (Dis)Order: Trump, Ukraine, and the Shift in Global Order. Series 2 Episode 9. https://open.spotify.com/episode/4wrsLXcqfwEnuuU4RX0BMV [Last accessed: 28th June 2025].
Politics in the Rearview Mirror 2024. Craziest Election Ever or Just Another US Presidential Race? Contextualising the 2024 Race for the White House. Series 1 Episode 5. https://open.spotify.com/episode/2kl615JHKqv0IaxWqlMF4i [Last accessed: 28th June 2025].
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This episode looks at the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, which started on the night of Friday, 13th June 2025, when Israel bombed over 100 military and nuclear facilities. Since then, the conflict has escalated with Israel and Iran sending drones and firing rockets at each other. In recent days, the US has been moving naval and air force assets into the region, suggesting that it might be joining the conflict on the side of Israel. Joining this episode to discuss the background, consider its development, and think about regional and global consequences is Prof. Anoush Ehteshami, a Professor of International Relations in Durham University’s School of Government and International Affairs and the Director of the Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammad Al-Sabah Programme in International Relations, Regional Politics, and Security.
To learn more about Prof. Anoush Ehteshami's research, visit his website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/a-ehteshami/.
Related Literature:
- Akbarzadeh, Shahram, William Gourlay, and Anoushiravan Ehteshami 2023. Iranian proxies in the Syrian conflict: Tehran’s ‘forward-defence’ in action. Journal of Strategic Studies 46(3), 683–706.
- Bahgat, Gawdat and Anoushiravan Ehteshami 2021. Defending Iran: From Revolutionary Guards to Ballistic Missiles. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Geist Pinfold, Rob, Clive Jones, and Anoushiravan Ehteshami 2025. Collision Course: How Iran and Israel Brought the Middle East to the Brink of War. Global Policy 16, 289-298.
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In early June 2025, the government published the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), which was commissioned by Prime Minister Kier Starmer shortly after the July 2024 election. The SDR sets out 62 recommendations to transform the UK Armed Forces from hollowed-out forces into “war-fighting ready” capabilities, with a focus on expanding the nuclear deterrent, cyber and electronic warfare, autonomous systems, and strategic stockpiles. The government has accepted all 62 recommendations and pledged to increase UK defence spending from ~2.3% to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, with an ambition to reach 3%.
Joining me to discuss the SDR, whether it is an appropriate response to the identified rising global threats, what new technologies and domains might have been missed, whether it can even be delivered within the set budget envelope, and if not, what should be prioritised, is Dr. Bleddyn Bowen. Bleddyn is the Associate Professor of Astropolitics and an expert in astropolitics, space warfare, technology and modern warfare, and international relations.
To learn more about Dr. Bowen's research and expertise, visit his website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/bleddyn-e-bowen/
Literature:
- Ministry of Defence 2025. The Strategic Defence Review 2025 - Making Britain Safer: secure at home, strong abroad. Online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-strategic-defence-review-2025-making-britain-safer-secure-at-home-strong-abroad [Last accessed: 12 June 2025].
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In this episode, we are turning our attention to the war in Ukraine and two recent, bold attacks carried out by Ukraine's Secret Service deep within Russian territory. These aren't just isolated military actions; looking at them through the lens of the bargaining model of war and taking a broader international security perspective suggests that theirthe timing was carefully chosen and their aim goes far beyond the physical damage done to the Russian air force and infrastructure.
Prof. Patrick Kuhn, a Professor of Comparative Politics at Durham University's School of Government and International Affairs (SGIA) and convenor of Analytical Politics, a second year UG module, considers the implications of these attacks through the lens of the bargaining model of war for war in Ukraine and the broader global international security.
To learn more about Prof. Patrick Kuhn's research, visit his website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/p-m-kuhn/
Literature:
- Reiter, Dan 2003. Exploring the Bargaining Model of War. Perspectives on Politics 1(1), 27-43.
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In light of the devastating humanitarian situation in Gaza we are reposting episode 9 from our first series (published on the 6. December 2024), in which we talk to Dr. William Plowright, an Assistant Professor of International Security at the School of Government and International Affairs at Durham University, about his new book " War on Rescue: The Obstruction of Humanitarian Assistance in the European Migration Crisis”, where he describes, analyses, and explains why and how governments block assistance to people in times of crisis.
To learn more about our guest, Dr. Will Plowright, see his website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/william-plowright/
More information on Dr. Will Plowright's book "War on Rescue: The Obstruction of Humanitarian Assistance in the European Migration Crisis”, can be found at https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501778353/the-war-on-rescue
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This episode takes us into the world of foreign policy bluffing, nuclear strategy, and presidential unpredictability. We’re talking about the Madman Theory -- a term associated with colourful US Presidents like Richard Nixon or Donald Trump in combination with words like "unhinged" or "strategic genius". But what is the Madman Theory, really? Does acting crazy help a world leader win concessions? And what does the data actually say?
Prof. Patrick Kuhn, a Professor of Comparative Politics at Durham University's School of Government and International Affairs (SGIA) and convenor of Analytical Politics, a second year UG module, unpacks the theoretical mechanism underlying the madman gambit and reviews the existing empirical evidence, before considering the extent to which the madman strategy will work for President Trump in his second term.
To learn more about Prof. Patrick Kuhn's research, visit his website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/p-m-kuhn/
Literature referred to:
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It has been half a year since President Trump announced the creation of DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency, headed by Elon Musk. In the 8th episode of the first season, we discussed whether government efficiency is important, what efficiency reforms might look like, and what institutional hurdles and constraints DOGE might face.
Now that the media focus on DOGE has died down and Musk is stepping away to focus more on his business ventures again, my colleague Dr. Aung Hein and I thought we’d take a look at the last half-year to see what DOGE has achieved and at what costs, how Musk justified DOGE's actions, and what alternative approaches could have been taken.
If you'd like to learn more about Aung's research, visit his website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/aung-hein/.
Sources:
DOGE's Wall of Receipts: https://doge.gov/savings [Last Accessed: 16th May 2025]
The Financial Times: What has Elon Musk’s Doge actually achieved?: https://www.ft.com/content/085430ab-27fe-46fc-a798-1059649d3b32 [Last Accessed: 16th May 2025]
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A bit more than a week ago, on the 1st May 2025, a series of local and mayoral elections, as well as a Westminster by-election were held in England. The results showed a large swing to Reform UK. The two main parties, Labour and the Conservatives, both lost seats. The Conservatives suffered a particularly devastating loss of over 670 councillors and control of all 16 councils they had previously controlled. Both the Greens and the Liberal Democrats gained seats, withthe Liberal Democrats gaining control of three out of the 23 councils holding elections. In the immediate aftermath of these results, commentators were quick to pronounce the end of the British two-and-a-half party system and the end of class-based voting, proclaiming a major political realignment in British politics.
Joining me on this episode to contextualise these results in light of current British Political Science research is Prof. Gidon Cohen, a Professor of Politics in the School of Government and International Affairs here at Durham University. He researches British political development and public opinion using both qualitative and quantitative methods and teaches a module called “Class, Nation, and Party in British Politics.”
To learn more about Gidon's research, visit his website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/gidon-cohen/
This FT article offers some interesting data and graphs on Reform UK run English Councils: https://www.ft.com/content/d7858718-91a9-4881-baa6-10dc7c05a260 [Last accessed: 13th May 2025].
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On the 23rd April 2025, Jordanian security forces raided the offices of the Muslim Brotherhood, the largest opposition movement of the kingdom, confiscating assets and property and outlawing all the group’s activities. This is not an isolated event. Rather, Jordan seems to be joining other countries in the MENA region by taking actions to sideline Islamist opposition parties in recent years.
Dr. Rory McCarthy, an Associate Professor in Comparative Politics of Islam in Durham University's School of Government and International Affairs, joins the show to unpack the domestic, international, and global factors that explain the timing of this action and what it means for democracy and the political stability of the wider region.
To learn more about Rory and his research, visit his website at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/rory-p-mccarthy/
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Due to current events, we are starting our third season with a bonus episode. On Wednesday, the UK government announced that it, together with the US, had bombed Houthi targets in Yemen to protect freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.
In the bonus episode you are about to hear, I discuss with Dr. Tom Walsh, a former PhD Student and current Tutor at the School of Government and International Affairs at Durham University, why the Houthis have decided to attack international shipping lanes in the Red Sea, what the links between the Houthis and Iran are, and to what extent US military intervention will resolve the issue or could lead to a further escalation involving Iran. The episode was originally recorded at the end of January 2024.
To learn more about our guest, visit Tom's webiste at https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/tom-j-walsh/
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On February 27, 2025, Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), called for the group to disarm and disband, signaling a possible end to the four-decade-long conflict with the Turkish state. A few days later, the PKK declared an immediate ceasefire. This development followed months of preparations and overtures from the Turkish government of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, marking what could be a crucial turning point in Turkish politics and the broader region. Joining me unpack the conflict between the PKK and the Turkish state and discussing the various political factors explaining the emergence of this latest ceasefire is Dr. Francesco D’Alema, a Teaching Fellow in International Relations and Security at the School of Government and International Affairs here at Durham University.To learn more about Francesco's research visit his website: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/francesco-dalema/
Relevant literature:
- Associated Press (AP) 2025. What to know about the latest effort to end Turkey’s 40-year Kurdish conflict. Online at https://apnews.com/article/turkey-kurds-pkk-peace-ocalan-dem-prison-3d6e7e2c0cedcb87d4bd145667d79ae1 [Last accessed: 21st March 2025].
- Christofis, Nikos 2019. The State of the Kurds in Erdoğan's `new' Turkey. Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies 21(3), 251-259.
- D'Alema, Francesco 2024. Turkey's approach to the Arab spring revisited: political field and foreign policy in the AKP era. Turkish Studies 25(5), 806-834.
- Guardian 2025. PKK declares ceasefire with Turkey after more than 40 years of conflict. Online at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/01/pkk-declares-ceasefire-with-turkey-after-40-years-kurdish [Last accessed: 21st March 2025].
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President Trump’s unilateral attempt to end the war in Ukraine raised concerns among Western allies. Both his statements and actions have sparked widespread debates about diplomacy and power in the 21st century, and whether they signify an end to the rules-based international order established in the aftermath of World War II. Joining me online to unpack the concept of “international order”, what it involves, how it emerged, whether actions taken by President Trump have indeed unravelled it, or whether it has always been more fragile than its defenders admit, are my colleagues Prof. John Williams, a Professor of International Relations, and Dr. Dennis Schmidt, an Assistant Professor of International Relations here at Durham University's School of Government and International Affairs.
To learn more about our guests, please visit their websites:
Prof. John Williams: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/j-c-williams/
Dr. Dennis R. Schmidt: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/dennis-schmidt/
Related literature:
- Schmidt, Dennis R. 2023. International Law and World Order: Theoretical Perspectives. In: Oxford Research Encyclopedias. Online: https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190846626.013.696 [Last accessed: 13th March 2025].
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Migration remains one of the most contentious political issues, shaping debates on borders, identity, and economies, including in the UK. Earlier in February this year, the Labour government announced that those arriving irregularly to the UK, even if they are legitimate refugees, will be barred from ever becoming British citizens. Joining the show to discuss the politics behind this announcement, what it aims to achieve, whether it will work, and what alternative approaches Labour could have pursued is Dr. Omar Hammoud-Gallego, an Assistant Professor of Public Policy in the School of Government and International Affairs here at Durham University, where he teaches in the new MSc Public Policy starting this coming academic year.
To learn more about Omar and his research on migration, visit his website: https://www.omarhgallego.com/
Related Literature:
- Gathmann, C., & Garbers, J. 2023. Citizenship and integration. Labour Economics, 82, 102343. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labeco.2023.102343
- Hammoud Gallego, O. 2025. Labour’s latest immigration policy is counterproductive. LSE Blog, online at https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/labours-latest-immigration-policy-is-counterproductive/ [Last accessed: 7th March 2025].
- Krause W, Cohen D, Abou-Chadi T. Does accommodation work? Mainstream party strategies and the success of radical right parties. Political Science Research and Methods. 2023;11(1):172-179. doi:10.1017/psrm.2022.8
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