Aug 18, 202658 minS4
How certain can great powers ever be about the intentions of their rivals, and what happens when that uncertainty becomes a permanent feature of international politics? In this episode, Professor Sebastian Rosato joins...
science
The IR thinker
Hosted by Martin Zubko · science · EN
About this Podcast:
The IR thinker is an independent, non-partisan and non-aligned podcast exploring international relations through conversations with leading scholars and practitioners. It offers diverse perspectives without endorsing any political party, government or ideology. Founded and hosted by IR scholar and lecturer Martin Zubko as a pro bono initiative in 2023, it has surpassed 100 episodes and is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Contact path
Verified email
Booking probability
35%
Guest openness
Selective
80/100
Required Score
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What is The IR thinker about?
The IR thinker is an independent, non-partisan and non-aligned podcast exploring international relations through conversations with leading scholars and practitioners. It offers diverse perspectives without endorsing any political party, government or ideology.
Who hosts The IR thinker?
The IR thinker is hosted by Martin Zubko. The show has published 132 episodes to date.
What has The IR thinker covered recently?
Recent episodes include "Uncertainty, Intentions and Great Power Conflict, Sebastian Rosato" (18 August 2026, 58 minutes), "Who Controls Africa’s Food? Rethinking Food Security, Trade & Agriculture, David Luke" (11 August 2026, 37 minutes), and "The Future of Global Governance: BRICS, AI, Middle Powers & World Order, Miles Kahler" (4 August 2026, 69 minutes).
How often does The IR thinker publish?
The IR thinker publishes roughly weekly, with episodes averaging 61 minutes across 132 episodes.
How hard is it to get booked on The IR thinker?
Booking probability for The IR thinker is 35%, and the host is rated Selective on guests. The IR thinker requires a Pod Score of 80 or higher. The IR thinker's contact route on record: verified email.
Who should pitch The IR thinker?
The strongest fits for The IR thinker are Universities & Colleges. The IR thinker has a science audience.
About the host
Martin Zubko hosts The IR thinker, a science podcast with 132 episodes published.
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Recent episodes
Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.
- Aug 11, 202637 minS4
Why is Africa still importing so much of the food it consumes? What is holding back trade in food and agricultural products between African countries? In this interview, we speak with Professor David Luke, editor of How...
- Aug 4, 20261h 9mS2026
In this episode, Professor Miles Kahler discusses the future of global governance in an era of intensifying geopolitical rivalry, shifting power balances, and growing challenges to the post-1945 international order...
Episode #21
Revista Brasileira de Política Internacional: Brazilian IR Journal — Haroldo Ramanzini Júnior
Jul 21, 202647 minS2026Published by the Brazilian Institute of International Relations since 1958, the Revista Brasileira de Política Internacional (Brazilian Journal of International Politics, also known as RBPI) has spent nearly seven...
- Jul 7, 20261h 21mS2026
In 1989, an American cultural institute helped arrange Boris Yeltsin's first trip to the United States — and a single visit to a supermarket may have changed the course of Soviet history. Thus, what is the untold story...
View More
Episode #19
Racism Without the Word — Somdeep Sen
Jul 1, 20261h 1mS2026After 9/11, the word "terrorism" replaced older colonial vocabularies — but the racial logic underneath stayed intact. Dr Somdeep Sen of Roskilde University joins The IR thinker to show how concepts such as development...
- Jun 23, 20261h 3mS2026
Artificial intelligence is redrawing the boundaries of cybersecurity — accelerating attacks, complicating attribution, and compressing the time humans have to make decisions that matter. In this episode, Myriam...
- Jun 16, 202645 minS2026
Today, it is a real pleasure to speak with Professor Jonathan Fisher, co-editor of African Affairs — one of the leading journals in the field of African Studies. African Affairs is a peer-reviewed academic journal...
Episode #16
What Makes Strong Research in Regional & Federal Studies? — Davide Vampa & Mariely Lopez-Santana
Jun 9, 20261h 8mS2026Today, it is a real pleasure to speak with the editorial team of Regional & Federal Studies , one of the leading journals in the field of territorial politics, regionalism, and federalism. The journal was...
Jun 1, 20261h 7mS2026As American power recedes and European unity fractures, Poland finds itself at the centre of one of the most consequential geopolitical transformations of our time. Dr Piotr Pietrzak joins us to trace Poland's journey...
May 25, 20261h 12mS2026This episode explores African agency in global climate governance, moving beyond narratives that portray African states solely as vulnerable recipients of climate policy. Drawing on debates in International...
May 19, 20261h 6mS2026Today, it is a real pleasure to speak with the editorial team of Contemporary Security Policy , one of the most influential journals in the field of international security studies. Previously, known as Arms Control...
May 12, 20261h 4mS2026Problems of Post-Communism is a long-standing peer-reviewed academic journal that examines political, economic, security, and international developments in post-communist societies. First established in 1952 under the...
May 5, 20261h 5mS2026Myanmar occupies a unique position in contemporary international affairs, where the legacies of post-independence neutralism, decades of military rule, and a fractured post-coup order converge to produce one of the most...
Apr 28, 20261h 8mS2026In this episode, I speak with Professor Sergei Prozorov about biopolitics, one of the most provocative frameworks in contemporary political theory, and how it reshapes our understanding of power, life, and death across...
Episode #9
Russian Soft Power in Africa, Asia & the Middle East - Vladimir Liparteliani | Ep. 9 (2026)
Apr 21, 20261h 1mS2026How 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...
Apr 14, 20261h 9mS2026South Africa has been involved in nuclear development for more than 75 years. In 1948, the Atomic Energy Act established the Atomic Energy Board (AEB) — only two years after the United States created its own Atomic...
Apr 7, 202643 minS2026Today, we are hosting an episode that provides an opportunity to present a research journal together with its editor. The aim is not only to introduce the journal, but also to offer a critical assessment of suitable...
Mar 30, 202650 minS2026This episode features a conversation with the historian Philip Snow on the evolution of relations between Russia and China. Drawing on archival research, the discussion traces the relationship from the early border...
Mar 24, 202658 minS2026This interview with Professor Mark N. Katz explores one of the central debates in contemporary international relations: the transition from unipolarity to a more complex multipolar world. Drawing on historical cases and...
Recent guests
Recent guests on The IR thinker. Study who booked and why before you pitch.
D
David Luke
Professor in Practice and Strategic Director at the Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa at the LSE, Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa at the LSE
D
Dr Peter Layton
Visiting Fellow, The Griffith Asia Institute
P
Patrick Holden
Associate Professor in International Relations, The Sustainable Food Trust
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Narendra Taneja
India's Leading Energy Expert, India’s Leading Energy Expert, New Delhi
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