​The IR thinker just got a major design upgrade. 🎙️✨ We’ve refreshed our Substack to bring you our in-depth interviews with top global experts in a much cleaner, sleeker layout. ​Come, explore the new look and subscribe so you never miss an episode: 🌍👇 theirthinker.substack.com

📢 Update: Future-proofing The IR thinker! Phase 1 is a brand-new Instagram presence built from scratch. Check out the fresh visuals across all episodes since 2023. INSTAGRAM link: www.instagram.com/theirthinker/

When AI fights, the war never ends. 🤖 In this episode, Myriam Dunn Cavelty @myducave.bsky.social joins us to discuss how AI accelerates cyberattacks, complicates attribution, and outpaces human governance. youtu.be/wdpwVncNkKQ #Cybersecurity #ArtificialIntelligence #CriticalInfrastructure

An excellent talk with Professor Jonathan Fisher, co-editor of African Affairs journal, about the peer review process, the journal's challenges, and its future vision. #africanaffairs #africanpolitics #academicpublishing youtu.be/LNf43bAV4Aw

This weekend, I'm reading: "Václav Havel’s Regional Polygamy and Neglect: Reconsidering the Death and Resurrection of Visegrad Cooperation" by Rick Fawn www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

A great conversation with the editorial team, Dr Vampa @davidevampa.bsky.social and Dr Lopez-Santana @marielylopezs.bsky.social, of Regional & Federal Studies @regfedst.bsky.social on territorial politics, peer review, and the future of regionalism research. youtu.be/60Q0ma3gC3c

Dr Piotr Pietrzak joins us to trace Poland's journey from historical insecurity to strategic confidence. Can Poland sustain great-power aspirations without overreaching? #Poland #strategicculture #geopolitics youtu.be/cx8RAlDaEKQ

In this episode, Dr Carl Death examines how African actors negotiate, contest, and reimagine climate governance across local, continental, and global arenas. #africanagency #climategovernance youtu.be/1WyAdggRhNg

In this episode, Myriam Dunn Cavelty @myducave.bsky.social and Nicole Jenne @nicjenne.bsky.social discuss the intellectual identity of Contemporary Security Policy @cspjournal.bsky.social, its peer review process, their editorial work, and future visions. LINK: youtu.be/ZJyhXn--iAk

In this episode, I speak with Dmitry Gorenburg @russmil.bsky.social, editor of Problems of Post-Communism, a leading peer-reviewed journal on political, economic, security, and international developments in post-communist societies. #problemsofpostcommunism LINK: youtu.be/Iun0LUyF0LM

Dr Wai Yan Phyo Naing highlights Myanmar as a state where neutralist tradition, decades of military rule, and post-coup fracture combine to shape an exceptionally complex foreign policy landscape. #Myanmar #Geopolitics youtu.be/ZBo-Et_Ai04

How does a country under heavy sanctions continue to win influence across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia? In this episode, Vladimir Liparteliani unpacks the full machinery of Russian soft power — from RT and Sputnik to educational diplomacy, ... #russiansoftpower youtu.be/1chWY2zvKYc

South Africa has one of the most underrated nuclear energy stories. Dr. Kelvin Kemm — physicist with 25+ years of hands-on SMR experience — explains why it matters. #NuclearEnergy #SMR #SouthAfrica #AfricanEnergy #EnergyTransition youtu.be/9DohvlwaGjY

Professor Jack Holland @profjackholland.bsky.social discusses the British Journal of Politics and International Relations (BJPIR) @bjpir.bsky.social — its DNA, review process, and future direction. #bjpir youtu.be/DYfwbJ67AzM

@theirthinker.bsky.social will soon release special episodes where I interview editors of academic journals focused on international relations about research trends,... Two slots remain out of seven available, dedicated to journal editors from Asia and Latin America. Any tips or direct contacts?

I published an article in Central Asian Survey in which I reconceptualised political cynicism regarding the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline in Russo-Mongolian relations. CAS has generously provided me with a token of 50 articles to be downloaded in full: www.tandfonline.com/eprint/VZVY8...

A heartfelt thank you to historian Philip Snow for lending his expertise on Sino-Russian relations. Together, we traced the arc of history to uncover the principles shaping this complex partnership — and to put many long-standing questions to rest. youtu.be/J0Yojb20Jec

I am pleased to share the latest Teach IR interview with Dr Lily Hamourtziadou from Birmingham City University. LINK: www.teachir.org/lily-hamourt...

@theirthinker.bsky.social has reached over 1,500 followers on LinkedIn, many thanks to those who follow this project there. For iPhone users: The IR thinker needs reviews on the Apple Podcasts platform. Would you be so kind as to provide one? Thank you! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i...

This interview with Professor Mark N. Katz @marknkatz.bsky.social explores one of the central debates in contemporary international relations: the transition from unipolarity to a more complex multipolar world. #multipolarworld #worldorder #unipolarworld youtu.be/VwlAuTle3z0

Reading this weekend: BRINGING PAN-AFRICANISM BACK IN AS AN ANALYTICAL CATEGORY by Daniel Mulugeta doi.org/10.1093/afra...

I'd like to read this article, but have no subscription, any help from my connections, please? mondediplo.com/2026/03/06no...

In this interview, political scientist Marc Sanjaume‑Calvet examines the constitutional status of Catalonia, the distribution of powers within the Spanish state, and the evolving debates surrounding Catalan autonomy and identity. #catalonia #spanishpolitics youtu.be/DF_SaHQZG_k

In this episode, Professor David M. McCourt unpacks the foundations of New Constructivism: where it came from, what it demands of researchers, and where it's heading. #constructivism #newconstructivism #irtheory youtu.be/oozY4W8JoSA

Political philosophy holds a special place in my knowledge and learning DNA. In my humble pro-bono channel, @theirthinker.bsky.social, I try to open up many questions regarding international relations. Often, I am inspired by great interviews like this one. youtu.be/0ZpINmi6C3o

Thank you to @reubensteff.bsky.social Reuben Steff for a fascinating conversation on New Zealand's geopolitical positioning. Highly recommend for anyone thinking about small states navigating a shifting international order. youtu.be/7woS06fgGqI

Professor Jason Ralph @jasonralph.bsky.social shares his perspectives on teaching IR. In a field as complex and ever-evolving as IR, it is great to find educators who are willing to step back and reflect so openly on their practice. LINK: www.teachir.org/professor-ja...

Alvina Hoffmann discusses how the independence of UN special rapporteurs is "rooted in a transnational social space connecting multiple professional identities, resources, and skills." This fascinating article is available in our latest issue! 📘 👉 buff.ly/5DTKhXM

Reading this weekend: “Things of Networks”: Situating ANT in International Relations Daniel H Nexon & Vincent Pouliot doi.org/10.1111/ips....

A great discussion with Professor Epstein!

This weekend, I'm reading: The postcolonial perspective: Why we need to decolonize norms By Charlotte Epstein www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edi...

NEW ISSUE from @ejisbisa.bsky.social - South-South Security Cooperation and the (Re)Making of Global Security Governance - https://cup.org/49vhA9e European Journal of International Security - Volume 11 - Special Issue 1 - February 2026 #OpenAccess

New #OpenAccess publication with @globcon.bsky.social Check it out here: 👇🏻👇🏻 @politikuhh.bsky.social @uni-hamburg.de @esrah.uni-hamburg.de @proftonylang.bsky.social @esrah.uni-hamburg.de @sassangholiagha.bsky.social

I'm researching Turkmenistan's energy relations. If you conduct energy geopolitics and security research on that, I would be happy to get familiar with your work. Or, you can recommend experts with whom I can get in touch. Many thanks!

Making Global Norms: Politics versus Science in International Organizations by Alexandros Kentikelenis & Leonard Seabrooke doi.org/10.1093/9780...

This weekend, I am reading: Identity Politics and Deep Contestations of the Liberal International Order: The Case of Europe by Jeffrey T. Checkel www.eui.eu/Documents/De...

The rise and fall of economic coalitions in the Belt and Road Initiative: case study of a flagship project in Kenya, by Keren Zhu

This month, we’re putting #OpenAccess in the spotlight 🔓️ Across ECPR journals, that means high-quality, peer-reviewed research that’s free to read and share – with no barriers for authors to publish More on the transition buff.ly/sLpzpIk @cambup-polsci.cambridge.org

The UK’s cyber strategy is at a crossroads. After a year of damaging cyber incidents & rising economic risk, voluntary guidance alone is no longer working. Our new paper makes the case for a reset of the UK’s approach to cyber security as the government prepares the National Cyber Action Plan.

⚡️New article on how to study narratives in IR ⚡️This article by @ksailormoon.bsky.social, Stefan Groth and myself might be helpful in showing how narrative analysis can be applied to questions within IR. Interesting for all practice, visuality and discourse scholars!! academic.oup.com/isp/advance-...

I'm reading: Frost, M., & Lechner, S. (2016). Understanding international relations from the internal point of view. Journal of International Political Theory, 12(3), 299-319. doi.org/10.1177/1755...

I'm reading: The turn to turns in International Relations by Charlotte Epstein and Ole Wæver doi.org/10.1177/1354...

academic.oup.com/edited-volum... Please feel free to access The Oxford Handbook of Norms Research in International Relations edited by @sassangholiagha.bsky.social @philorchard.bsky.social @antjewiener.bsky.social 👇🏻👇🏻

In 2026, I'm dedicating 7 episodes on @theirthinker.bsky.social to invite research journal editors to speak about research, methodology, and how journals have evolved. Please write your recommendations for which journals I should invite.

An excellent issue...

I'm reading this interesting article... Discursive institutionalism as a research framework: result from a systematic literature review by Ćwiklicki, M. & Mirzyńska, A. doi.org/10.1007/s111...

If you are on Facebook, please, join my scholarly group: International Relations and Political Science Research www.facebook.com/groups/irpsr...

In this episode, we sit down with political analyst Marc Saxer to explore his theory of Transformative Realism and why he believes we’re living through a profound systemic crisis. youtu.be/BXcDYTxmoQs?...

I have recently interviewed a great expert @herzogsm.bsky.social for @theirthinker.bsky.social where we briefly mentioned this book, so I am happy to see it officially introduced. Just its cover photo can prompt a decent debate, actually.