The Lowy Institute

In this episode of The Director’s Chair, Michael Fullilove speaks with Ambassador Nicholas Burns, Professor at Harvard University, Executive Director of the Aspen Strategy Group, and one of the leading American diplomats of his generation. Nick served in the US government for nearly three decades, holding senior positions under Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. He was a member of Secretary of State John Kerry’s Foreign Affairs Policy Board and a foreign policy adviser to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in 2016. He is also a foreign policy adviser to Vice President Joe Biden, the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of COVIDcast, Hervé Lemahieu, Director of the Asian Power and Diplomacy Program at the Lowy Institute, sat down with Ben Bland to discuss his new book, Man of Contradictions: Joko Widodo and the Struggle to Remake Indonesia, and how the Indonesian president is faring in troubled times. Ben is the Director of the Southeast Asia Program at the Lowy Institute and a long-time Indonesia watcher.COVIDcast is a Lowy Institute pop-up podcast for anyone interested in understanding the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on global politics. In each episode, Lowy Institute experts and invited guests discuss the implications of this crisis for the world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Monday 7 September, the Lowy Institute launched the latest Lowy Institute Paper published by Penguin Random House Australia, Man of Contradictions: Joko Widodo and the Struggle to Remake Indonesia, the first English-language biography of Indonesian President Joko Widodo. Executive Director Dr Michael Fullilove spoke with author Ben Bland about what makes the president tick, his struggle to implement reform and tackle the COVID-19 crisis, and why outsiders keep getting Jokowi – and Indonesia – wrong.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Friday 28 August, the Lowy Institute’s Executive Director Dr Michael Fullilove hosted an in conversation event via live video stream with Ambassador Samantha Power, one of America’s leading foreign-policy voices, both as a scholar and a Cabinet member in the Obama administration.Lowy Institute Executive Director Dr Michael Fullilove spoke with Power about US foreign policy under President Donald Trump, Vice President Joe Biden’s worldview, the global implications of the coronavirus pandemic and the future of the US-China relationship.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of COVIDcast, Roland Rajah, Lowy Institute lead economist, sat down with Dr Adam Posen to discuss the US economy and what a victory for Donald Trump or Joe Biden in the November election might mean for the future of American economic policy. Posen is President of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, a leading independent and nonpartisan US think tank based in Washington. COVIDcast is a Lowy Institute pop-up podcast for anyone interested in understanding the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on global politics. In each episode, Lowy Institute experts and invited guests discuss the implications of this crisis for the world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of The Director’s Chair, Michael Fullilove speaks with Jake Sullivan, the senior policy adviser to Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Joe Biden. Jake Sullivan has held positions of trust for many of America’s leaders in the past two decades, as senior policy adviser to the last two Democratic presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden; deputy chief of staff to Hillary Clinton when she was Secretary of State; and national security adviser to Vice President Joe Biden. In part two of this episode, Jake speaks with Michael about President Donald Trump’s relationship with Russia and his affinity for Vladimir Putin, US policy towards China, Biden’s approach to alliances, climate diplomacy and Australia – and whether Americans are still up for the challenge of global leadership.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Was Kamala Harris the right choice for presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden? Is she a policy radical or a centrist? What are her foreign policy views and will they be influential in a Biden Administration, or will the president set his own agenda? These and other questions are raised in this discussion hosted by Lowy Institute Executive Director Michael Fullilove, author of 'Rendezvous with Destiny: How Franklin D Roosevelt and Five Extraordinary Men Took America in the War and Into the World'. Michael is joined by Lowy Institute Senior Fellow Richard McGregor, former head of the Washington bureau for the Financial Times.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of The Director’s Chair, Michael Fullilove speaks with Jake Sullivan, the senior policy adviser to Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. Jake Sullivan has held positions of trust for many of America’s leaders in the past two decades, as senior policy adviser to the last two Democratic presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden; deputy chief of staff to Hillary Clinton when she was Secretary of State; and national security adviser to Vice President Joe Biden. In part one of this episode, Jake speaks about growing up in the American Midwest, the death of George Floyd, imposter syndrome, and gender and the national security community. He also offers some observations about Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of COVIDcast, Ben Scott, Lowy Institute Director of the Rules Based Order Project, sat down with Bobo Lo to discuss Bobo’s new Lowy Institute Analysis: “Global Order in the Shadow of the Coronavirus: China, Russia and the West”. Bobo Lo is a Nonresident Fellow at the Lowy Institute, an independent analyst and an Associate Research Fellow with the Russia/NIS Center at the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI). COVIDcast is a Lowy Institute pop-up podcast for anyone interested in understanding the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on global politics. In each episode, Lowy Institute experts and invited guests discuss the implications of this crisis for the world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Thursday 6 August, Dr Anwar Gargash, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, joined Dr Rodger Shanahan, Research Fellow at the Lowy Institute, for an in conversation event.The United Arab Emirates has built an increasingly high profile in regional affairs in recent years. Long known for its resource riches and welcoming attitude towards Western expatriates, it has developed and diversified its domestic economy at great speed, and deployed its armed forces on operations in Afghanistan, Yemen and in support of the anti–Islamic State coalition. It also has strong links with Australia, hosting the largest overseas concentration of ADF assets, as well as nearly 20,000 Australian expats, three Australian universities and two Australian international high schools. It is Australia’s main trading partner in the Middle East; more than 300 Australian companies operate there, and the UAE invests more than $11 billion in Australia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of COVIDcast, Lowy Institute senior fellow Richard McGregor sat down with Dexter Roberts to discuss his new book, The Myth of Chinese Capitalism: The Worker, The Factory and the Future of the World. Roberts was based in China for more than two decades reporting for Bloomberg Businessweek.COVIDcast is a Lowy Institute pop-up podcast for anyone interested in understanding the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on global politics. In each episode, Lowy Institute experts and invited guests discuss the implications of this crisis for the world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of The Director’s Chair, Michael Fullilove speaks with the Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs, Mike Pezzullo. Mike Pezzullo is a lifelong official, described recently as ‘one of Australia’s most powerful public servants’. He has been a trusted adviser to both Labor and Coalition governments, the author of a Defence White Paper, and the prime mover behind a major restructure of Australia’s domestic security apparatus. He has been a senior staffer in both government and opposition as well as a public servant in the departments of Defence, Immigration and Customs, and Prime Minister and Cabinet. Michael and Mike reflect on Mike’s childhood in southern Sydney and discuss China, cybersecurity, Australia’s response to COVID, evolution of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, and Australian foreign policy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Wednesday 15 July, Lowy Institute Nonresident Fellow Annmaree O’Keeffe hosted a discussion with former Papua New Guinea High Commissioner to Australia Sir Charles Lepani and former Australian High Commissioner to PNG Ian Kemish.This discussion considers what happens next: when relations can return to normal, what will have changed in the PNG-Australia relationship? What should be the priorities for two countries that share geography, history and economic interests?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Wednesday 22 July, the Lowy Institute’s Executive Director Dr Michael Fullilove hosted an in conversation event via live video stream with Jeffrey Goldberg, editor in chief of The Atlantic.They addressed topics such as; the extraordinary presidential election year, the global implications of the coronavirus pandemic, and America’s looming cold war with China.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Wednesday 15 July, Richard McGregor, the Lowy Institute’s resident senior China expert, hosted a discussion with three eminent Chinese economists, Xu Xiaonian of the China Europe International Business School in Shanghai, Huang Yiping of Peking University and Wang Jiao of the University of Melbourne.The discussion covers the prospects for China’s economy and the debate inside the government on possible stimulus measures, in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of COVIDcast, Herve Lemahieu, Director of the Power and Diplomacy Program at the Lowy Institute, sat down with the Honourable Malcolm Turnbull, 29th Prime Minister of Australia from 2015 to 2018, to discuss global politics and the foreign policy challenges Australia must confront in the wake of the pandemic.COVIDcast is a Lowy Institute pop-up podcast for anyone interested in understanding the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on global politics. In each episode, Lowy Institute experts and invited guests discuss the implications of this crisis for the world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Wednesday 8 July, Lowy Institute Research Director Alex Oliver chaired a discussion on Australians' changing attitudes to the world and international relations. In this discussion, Peter Hartcher, Lowy Institute Nonresident Fellow and International Editor of The Sydney Morning Herald, and Natasha Kassam, Research Fellow and author of the 2020 Lowy Institute Poll, examine important shifts in Australian public opinion. Topics covered include Australians' views of the United States, China and their respective leaders, and policy issues such as climate change, global cooperation, and foreign aid.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of The Director’s Chair, Michael Fullilove speaks with Brookings Institution scholar, and former Russia adviser to President Donald Trump, Dr Fiona Hill. Fiona is one of the world’s leading Russia experts. She has worked in the US government under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and then served for two years in the Trump Administration. At the end of 2019, Fiona became world-famous following her testimony in the impeachment hearings into Donald Trump’s presidency. Michael and Fiona reflect on Fiona's journey from County Durham in northern England to the corridors of the White House in Washington DC, and discuss the British class system, the US foreign policy establishment, American partisan politics, US-Russia relations, and Donald Trump's relationship with Vladimir Putin.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Tuesday 30 June, Executive Director of the Lowy Institute Dr Michael Fullilove hosted a conversation with Zanny Minton Beddoes, Editor-in-Chief of The Economist.They addressed a range of questions, including – What have we learned from the pandemic about the state of globalisation? Has the US-China rivalry now become a fully-fledged cold war? Is America too wounded to be the “leader of the free world”?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of COVIDcast, Roland Rajah, Lowy Institute lead economist, sat down with Pascal Lamy to discuss the future of globalisation. Lamy has served at the peak of global trade and economic governance. He was the Director-General of the World Trade Organization for eight years, from 2005 to 2013, before which he was the Trade Commissioner for the European Union from 1999 to 2004. Currently he is President emeritus of the Jacques Delors Institute, a policy think tank in Paris.COVIDcast is a Lowy Institute pop-up podcast for anyone interested in understanding the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on global politics. In each episode, Lowy Institute experts and invited guests discuss the implications of this crisis for the world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.