The World in 2022: IGCC Experts Reflect on the Challenges Ahead
Jan. 6, 2022 | IGCC Experts Weigh In
The world continues to be rocked by multiple, overlapping crises—environmental disasters, the COVID-19 pandemic, strident nationalism, nuclear brinkmanship, and an eroding liberal order that threatens democracy everywhere. As 2022 begins, IGCC experts from across the University of California share their candid—and at times sobering—reflections on the most important global trends to watch in 2022.

Is There a Path to Peace in Northeast Asia?
Jan. 6, 2022 | IGCC News
The Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue (NEACD) has been meeting annually for the past 30 years since the winding down of the Cold War. Discussions at this year’s virtual get-together in December were dominated by intensifying geopolitical, military, and strategic jostling between the United States, China, and their regional allies in and around Northeast Asia. Other topics discussed in this Track 1.5 forum of academics, policy experts, and military and foreign ministry officials from China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, and the United States, included North Korea, nuclear security, and the impact of COVID-19.

The World in 2022: IGCC Experts Reflect on the Challenges Ahead
Jan. 6, 2022 | IGCC Experts Weigh In
The world continues to be rocked by multiple, overlapping crises—environmental disasters, the COVID-19 pandemic, strident nationalism, nuclear brinkmanship, and an eroding liberal order that threatens democracy everywhere. As 2022 begins, IGCC experts from across the University of California share their candid—and at times sobering—reflections on the most important global trends to watch in 2022.

Global Value Chains, Risk Perception, and Economic Statecraft
Jan. 6, 2022 | IGCC Policy Brief | Great Power Series
Many countries, including the United States and China, have come to see economic statecraft as superior to armed conflict. But when do economic sanctions lead to trade wars? In this new policy brief, IGCC fellow Phoebe Moon examines the ongoing Japan-South Korea trade dispute with a focus on how policymakers’ risk perceptions regarding global value chains (GVCs) can influence when trade wars take shape.

Is the U.S. Headed Toward Civil War? (Podcast)
Jan. 3, 2022 | Lindsay Morgan interviews Barbara Walter
On the anniversary of the January 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection, many are asking whether increased political violence is in the United States’ future. In a new episode of the Talking Policy podcast, we talk with Barbara Walter about her new book, How Civil Wars Start, and about the factors that increase the likelihood that countries will turn to violence, and their growing presence in American life.

New Research Program Analyzes Public Perceptions of Nuclear Weapons
Nov. 10, 2021 | IGCC News
Nuclear weapons have fallen through the cracks of public consciousness in recent decades. But as geo-political tensions mount between nuclear-armed powers, questions about nonproliferation and the future of the U.S. nuclear arsenal have gained relevance among policymakers and the public alike. In this interview, IGCC research director Neil Narang discusses a new IGCC project to reevaluate what the public knows and thinks about nuclear weapons, under what conditions their opinions can change, and how Americans’ perceptions compare to citizens in other countries.

Alumni Confidential: Kathleen Hancock on the Politics of Renewable Energy
Nov. 10, 2021 | Lindsay Morgan interviews IGCC alumna Kathleen Hancock
In our latest Alumni Confidential, Kathleen Hancock, an associate professor of political science at the Colorado School of Mines and expert in the politics of renewable energy, talks about the unexpected allies leading efforts to transition to renewable energy in the U.S., gives advice to young scholars, and explains why she thinks it’s possible to be both a scholar and an activist.

A Tribute to John Ruggie
Nov. 10, 2021 | IGCC News
John Ruggie, who served as director of the UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation from 1989 to 1991, died on September 16, 2021. While director of IGCC, Ruggie put global climate change and environmental policy on IGCC’s long-term agenda and led path-breaking research on multilateralism as an organizing principle for security and economics. Here IGCC remembers his impact on scholarship and practice.

Remembering Herb York
Nov. 1, 2021 | IGCC News
This month, IGCC marks the 100th birthday of its founder, Herbert York, the first chancellor of UC San Diego and a world-renowned nuclear physicist who was instrumental in both the development of the nuclear bomb and efforts to contain its use. In this tribute we remember his extraordinary impact on scholarship and policy and look back at his life in pictures.

Will the U.S. Go to War Over Taiwan? (Podcast)
Oct. 29, 2021 | Lindsay Morgan interviews James Lee
Questions about Taiwan’s status are fueling rising tensions between the island and China, and between China and the U.S. Will there be war in the Taiwan Straits? Why is Taiwan important to the U.S. and might the Biden administration revise U.S. policy towards Taiwan? In the latest episode of the Talking Policy podcast, James Lee, a postdoctoral research associate at the UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation, weighs in on Taiwan’s future.

The One-China Policy: Adapting to Tensions in the Taiwan Strait
Oct. 29, 2021 | IGCC Policy Brief
Tensions are growing in the Taiwan Strait. Chinese warplanes have violated Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone in record numbers, prompting fears of an invasion and leading some to ask whether the United States should change its One-China policy. In this policy brief, IGCC postdoctoral research associate James Lee explains what the One-China policy is and shows how it can be both flexible and stable. As the United States engages in great power competition with China, it will need to continue to adapt the One-China policy to keep the peace in the most vigorously contested flashpoint in the Indo-Pacific.

Six Questions on North Korea Answered
Oct. 21, 2021 | IGCC Expert Analysis
This week, North Korea fired a suspected submarine-launched ballistic missile into waters off the coast of Japan. The move comes amidst rising geopolitical tensions in the region. Here, Stephan Haggard, an IGCC research affiliate, the Lawrence and Sallye Krause Professor of Korea-Pacific Studies, and distinguished professor of political science at the UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy, answers six key questions about what the missile launch means.

Culture, Personality, Gender and War (Podcast)
Oct. 12, 2021 | Lindsay Morgan interviews Robert Trager
What makes some countries more or less prone to war (or peace)? What leadership traits are war prone—and what cultural traits are? In the latest Talking Policy episode, Lindsay Morgan interviews Robert Trager, an associate professor in the political science department at UCLA and affiliated researcher with IGCC. The author of the forthcoming book, The Suffragist Peace with Joslyn Barnhart, and researcher on IGCC’s Great Powers project, Robert talks about the importance of women voters in maintaining peace, weighs in on whether the U.S. is more or less war prone than other countries, and discusses Americans’ key blind spots.

Alumni Confidential: David Palkki
Oct. 11, 2021 | Lindsay Morgan interviews IGCC alumnus David Palkki
In our latest Alumni Confidential, David Palkki, an associate professor at the U.S. Air Force’s Air War College and IGCC alum (PPNT 2003) talks about how a trip to Germany altered the trajectory of his professional life, and how he moved from an interest in normative theory and ethics to a focus on positive theory. He also reflects on the advantages of working in professional military education, including the interdisciplinary environment and ability to influence student-practitioners who go on to positions of policy influence.

Do Israeli Policies Deter Violence?
Oct. 11, 2021 | Lindsay Morgan interviews Esteban Klor
With fighting between Israel and Hamas ongoing, Esteban Klor, professor of economics at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, weighs in on whether Israeli defense policies deter violence. Klor analyzes Israel’s controversial use of house demolitions and retaliatory attacks, and finds that the evidence on their effectiveness is mixed. He also discusses how he balances his views about the normative implications of Israeli policies with his job as an empirical researcher.

Elections Are Under Threat—How Can We Protect Them? (Podcast)
Sept. 28, 2021 | Lindsay Morgan interviews Lauren Prather
Elections are a core component of democracy, but the integrity of elections is under threat—globally and in the United States. In the latest episode of Talking Policy, Lauren Prather, an assistant professor of political science at UC San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy, discusses U.S. efforts to promote democracy globally through election monitoring; considers whether international election monitors could strengthen U.S. elections; and answers questions on the threat of meddling. Lauren is part of an IGCC project looking at the rise of authoritarian international organizations.

The Uncertain Future of Global Supply Chains (Podcast)
Sept. 8, 2021 | Lindsay Morgan interviews Etel Solingen
From U.S.-China trade wars and the COVID-19 pandemic, to the mounting effects of climate change, global supply chains are under severe strain. In this episode of Talking Policy, Etel Solingen, a distinguished professor and the Thomas T. and Elizabeth C. Tierney chair in Peace and Conflict Studies at UC Irvine, weighs in on what’s at stake, and shares lessons from her new volume, Geopolitics, Supply Chains, and International Relations in East Asia.

Turning the Tools of the Liberal International Order Upside Down (Podcast)
Sept. 7, 2021 | Lindsay Morgan interviews Christina Cottiero
Multilateral international organizations are a key part of the rules-based global liberal order, facilitating global and regional cooperation, and shared notions of human rights, democracy, and capitalism. But the number and influence of regional international organizations (RIOs) with powerful authoritarian members is on the rise, helping to stall democratization and promote autocratic regimes. In this episode of Talking Policy, IGCC fellow Christina Cottiero charts the growth of authoritarian RIOs since the end of World War II and analyzes their pathways for influence, including through election monitoring, peacekeeping, and development assistance.

Alumni Confidential: Brenda Seaver
Sept. 3, 2021 | Lindsay Morgan interviews IGCC alumna Brenda Seaver
In our latest Alumni Confidential, CIA analyst and former IGCC dissertation fellow (1997-99), Brenda Seaver, who received her PhD in political science from UC Irvine, talks about the ways her academic training prepared her to be a CIA analyst (and the ways it didn’t), and organizational and cultural shifts at the Agency during her tenure, including increased reliance on quantitative analysis. An expert in international security, democracy, and democratization, Seaver remembers back to January 6, and the only time she’s ever cried at work.

Alumni Confidential: Steven Lobell
Sept. 1, 2021 | Lindsay Morgan interviews IGCC alumnus Steven Lobell
In our latest Alumni Confidential, IGCC dissertation fellow (1996-97) Steven Lobell, a professor of political science at the University of Utah and expert in U.S. grand strategy, international security, and great power competition talks about what the early years of academic life are (really) like, and why being an IGCC fellow helped him get a head start. He also shares emerging findings from his new research on why some near crises escalate into full-blown conflict—and why others don’t—and how escalation can be avoided.

Why Statebuilding Didn’t Work in Afghanistan
Aug. 17, 2021 | IGCC Expert Analysis
The stunning speed of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan has laid bare the hubris of statebuilding. In this post for Political Violence At A Glance, an IGCC-supported online magazine, IGCC expert David Lake, distinguished professor of political science at UC San Diego, explains why the US statebuilding effort failed in Afghanistan, and what the United States can do now.

A Crucial Link: Using Intellectual Property to Inform Global Supply Chain Policy
Aug. 17, 2021 | IGCC Policy Brief | Great Power Series
The COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with trade tensions and technological competition between the United States and China, have severely disrupted global supply chains. As businesses and policymakers grapple with “building back better” in a tense trade environment, they face the dilemma of balancing the traditional benefits of global production with the security demands of new geopolitical realities. In this policy brief, Philip C. Rogers, a PhD Candidate at the Travers Department of Political Science at UC Berkeley, highlights the productive role that intellectual property (IP) can play in navigating supply chain disruptions resulting from great power competition in a post-pandemic world.

Why Summit Optics May Help De-escalate Public Appetite for Conflict
Aug. 17, 2021 | IGCC Policy Brief | Great Power Series
As competition between democracies and autocracies intensifies, will citizens of democracies pressure their politicians to take a more confrontational stance? In this policy brief, Max Plithides, Marvin Hoffenberg Research Fellow at the Center for American Politics and Public Policy at UC Los Angeles, argues that bilateral summits with autocratic leaders may help to defuse public pressure and anger. Analyzing results from a large-scale survey experiment, Plithides makes a case for the potential value of bilateral summits to reduce tensions with autocratic adversaries.

The Rise of Authoritarian Regional International Organizations
Aug. 12, 2021 | IGCC Working Paper
The number and influence of regional international organizations (RIOs) with powerful authoritarian members is on the rise, helping stall democratization and preserve autocratic regimes. This working paper by Stephan Haggard and Christina Cottiero charts the growth of authoritarian RIOs since the end of World War II and analyzes their pathways for influence, including through election monitoring, peacekeeping, and development assistance.

Geopolitics, Supply Chains, and International Relations in East Asia
July 23, 2021
Global supply chains connect the world in unprecedented and intricate ways—but what role do they play in interstate conflict and cooperation? Geopolitics, Supply Chains, and International Relations in East Asia, an edited volume supported in part by IGCC through the University of California Office of the President Laboratory Fees Research Program, dissects the sources and effects of contemporary disruptions of these networks. Edited by distinguished professor and IGCC affiliated researcher Etel Solingen of UC Irvine, the volume sheds light on whether a highly interdependent “Factory Asia” and Asia-Pacific can withstand geopolitical, geo-economic, and pandemic threats.

Alumni Confidential: Lawrence Rubin
July 9, 2021 | Lindsay Morgan interviews Lawrence Rubin
In our latest Alumni Confidential, Lawrence Rubin, an associate professor in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at the Georgia Institute of Technology, talks about his work in Middle East politics and international security, both as a scholar and government advisor; the impact IGCC has had on his professional development; and the biggest shock of working in government.

How Will the U.S. Meet the Rising Challenge of Artificial Intelligence?
July 9, 2021
A new generation of technologies is transforming the nature of warfare. How well-positioned is the United States to address potential challenges? This report summarizes findings from the National Security Innovation Forum, which brought together experts from government, academia, defense, finance, and start-ups in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada to discuss the potentials and challenges of AI for U.S. national security. A collaboration between IGCC, the Silicon Valley Defense Group, and the National Security Innovation Catalyst, the Forum identified specific, urgent challenges—and practical solutions.

Interview with PPNT director Bethany Goldblum
July 9, 2021 | Lindsay Morgan interviews Bethany Goldblum
This month, IGCC will host its 17th annual Public Policy and Nuclear Threats (PPNT) boot camp, our training program on the historical, legal, technical and policy aspects of nuclear weapons. In this interview, PPNT director Bethany Goldblum talks about how the program has evolved over the past two decades, and highlights for this year, including speakers like John Scott, Rose Gottemoeller, Laura Rockwood, and Rolf Mowatt-Larssen. Bethany also reflects on whether the world is getting more or less dangerous, and how scientists can participate in ensuring that the technologies they help develop are used for peaceful purposes.

The Psychological Consequences of Conflict (Podcast)
June 4, 2021 | Lindsay Morgan interviews Biz Herman
For people impacted by war and displacement, what are the long-term mental and social consequences of trauma—and what can be done to help them? In the latest episode of Talking Policy, Lindsay Morgan interviews Biz Herman, a UC Berkeley doctoral student and IGCC alumna, who studies the psychological consequences of conflict. Biz shares insights from the recent Human Security, Violence, and Trauma (HSVT) conference; and reflects on the relationship between trauma and justice, how trauma from political violence is similar and different from other kinds of trauma, and the societal impacts of collective trauma—and what that means for peacebuilding.

Alumni Confidential: Matthew Kroenig
June 4, 2021 | Lindsay Morgan interviews Matt Kroenig
In the latest Alumni Confidential, Matt Kroenig, professor at Georgetown University in Washington DC and director of the Global Strategy Initiative at the Atlantic Council, makes a case for modernizing and expanding the U.S. nuclear arsenal; talks about why he thinks democracies do better than autocracies in great power rivalries; and recalls how he once hoped to be the next Michael Jordan.

Alumni Confidential: Philipp Bleek
June 4, 2021 | Lindsay Morgan interviews Philipp Bleek
In the latest Alumni Confidential, Philipp Bleek, an associate professor in Nonproliferation and Terrorism Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, talks about his work on chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons threats; his experience as a fellow with the Pentagon’s Syria Chemical Weapons Senior Integration Group—including a surprise role negotiating with the Russians in Rome; why he chose academia over a life in government; and about the time he got stranded in Istanbul with John Malkovich.

A Disinformation Research Agenda
June 3, 2021  | IGCC News
Despite growing concern about the threat misinformation and disinformation pose to democracy and public health, research on digital mis/disinformation is still in its infancy. On April 7, 2021, IGCC and the Empirical Studies of Conflict project, hosted a symposium to better understand the political economy of mis/disinformation, and to formulate a research agenda. Part of a new IGCC initiative on mis/disinformation, the symposium brought together academics from universities and think tanks and experts from leading digital and social media platforms, including Google, Facebook, and Twitter.

Psychopolitical Implications of Forced Migration and Violence on Human Behavior
June 1, 2021 | By Justine Davis, Jay-Miguel Fonticella, Hasan Abdel-Nabi, & Siwaar Abouhala | IGCC News
Researchers and practitioners from political science, psychology, neuroscience, and public health met May 26-27, 2021 at the virtual Human Security, Violence, and Trauma Conference. Hosted by UC Berkeley and funded by the UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation, panelists highlighted the importance of understanding and integrating community definitions of trauma into research and treatments; innovations in methodologies to study the effects of trauma exposure; and ethical considerations when conducting research on trauma-affected populations.

Catalyst Year-In-Review
May 25, 2021 | Lindsay Morgan interviews Scott Tait
The United States is a world leader in innovation, research, and technology, but risks losing its national security edge to rising competitors. The Catalyst initiative, which launched in 2019, aims to drive investment in, and adoption of, security innovations by strengthening connections between the national security community, innovators, investors, and policymakers. In this interview, Catalyst director Scott Tait talks about the project’s first year and how the pandemic helped shape it.

The Disinformation Threat—and What to Do About It (Podcast)
May 12, 2021 | Lindsay Morgan interviews Jacob Shapiro
Manipulation and deception have always been a part of politics. But misinformation and disinformation are flourishing in the digital age, with social media, and new technologies like artificial intelligence, making fake content easier to create and disseminate. In this interview, IGCC expert Jacob Shapiro, a professor of politics and international affairs at Princeton University and co-director of IGCC’s new research initiative on disinformation, talks about what disinformation is, who’s doing it and why, and what can be done about it.

Why the U.S. Should Prioritize Security in Its 5G Roll Out
May 12, 2021 | IGCC Policy Brief
Policies related to the rollout of 5G in the United States have tended to focus on mitigating security risks, but does protecting security come at the cost of expanding U.S. global influence—or does it simply cost too much? This policy brief by IGCC postdoctoral research associate James Lee analyzes the three main criteria for deciding what a “good” 5G policy should look like, and recommends that the United States’ 5G strategy prioritize security first, influence second, and efficiency third.

Alumni Confidential: Huban A. Gowadia
May 12, 2021 | Lindsay Morgan interviews IGCC alumna Huban A. Gowadia
In this new series with notable IGCC alumni, Huban Gowadia, principal associate director for Global Security at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, talks about her decades in government helping to avert terrorist attacks; the psychological impact of 9/11; how patriotism for one country develops when you are born in another; and how she manages in a career built around anticipating violent threats.

Is Arms Control Over?
April 2021 | IGCC Policy Brief
The collapse of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty and the U.S. withdrawal from the Open Skies Treaty have led some to suggest that arms control is over. Yet momentum is growing to regulate emerging technologies like artificial intelligence through arms control agreements. In this policy brief, Andrew W. Reddie, a postdoctoral research fellow at UC Berkeley, explores the continued relevance of arms control in addressing strategic challenges; unpacks the recent extension of the New START agreement; and outlines three sets of emerging challenges.

Not Free or Credible: Why Regional Election Observers Failed Chad and Benin
April 22, 2021 | Christina Cottiero
Welcoming election observation missions has become routine for governments organizing polls around the world. But political scientists and policy experts are increasingly raising concerns about whether and when election observers are actually free to write fair reports. A significant number of regional organizations’ post-election reports do not reflect the reality described by citizens and media coverage. Instead, they gloss over repressive tactics that incumbents use months or years ahead of elections to predetermine their outcomes.

Artificial Intelligence and National Security
April 16, 2021 | IGCC News
How might AI be used to strengthen national security—and how well-positioned is the United States to address potential challenges? On March 17, global experts from government, academia, and industry gathered virtually at the National Security Innovation Forum to discuss the impact of AI on national security. This articles describes key national security issues raised during the meeting, and practical solutions.

U.S. Security Ties with Korea and Japan: Getting Beyond Deterrence
April 2021 | IGCC Policy Brief
Japan and Korea—the United States’ two key allies in Northeast Asia—are both advanced industrial democracies facing similar constraints from a rising China and a nuclear North Korea. One would think that trilateral cooperation would be a cinch. Yet Japan and Korea have been at each other’s throats over simmering historical issues and differing approaches to China. In this policy brief,  Stephan Haggard says that focusing less on the military components of the alliance and more on new issues such as 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), and infrastructure, can strengthen collective capabilities and make cooperation more appealing.

Why is Democratic Backsliding on the Rise? (Podcast)
March 11, 2021 | Lindsay Morgan interviews Stephan Haggard
Recent analysis suggests that democracy is on the decline globally. Why and where is this happening—and what can be done about it? Here, Stephan Haggard, the Lawrence and Sallye Krause Professor of Korea-Pacific studies at UC San Diego, talks about his new book with Robert Kaufman Backsliding: Democratic Regress in The Contemporary World, and the role that polarization, quiescent legislatures, and incrementalism play in democracy’s decline.

What’s the Future of U.S. Nuclear Weapons Policy? (Podcast)
March 8, 2021 | Lindsay Morgan interviews Brad Roberts
Nuclear war may at times seem the stuff of a bygone era. But with Iran and North Korea growing their nuclear weapons programs, a rapid acceleration in China, and a flagging U.S. arsenal—nuclear weapons are back on policymakers’ radars. Here, Brad Roberts, director of the Center for Global Security Research at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and an affiliated researcher at IGCC, analyzes the challenges ahead for the Biden administration—both to contain growing threats and modernize the U.S. enterprise.

IGCC Hosts Track 1.5 Dialogue on Northeast Asia
Feb. 11, 2021 | IGCC News
Scholars and former and current government officials from the U.S., China, South Korea, Russia, and Japan met virtually February 3-5 as part of the Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue, an unofficial track 1.5 forum for discussions about security among scholars and officials in the region. Among the key issues discussed: prospects for the region post-pandemic; the trajectory of U.S. engagement with the new Biden administration; regional economic transformation; and Russia-China-U.S. relations.

Defense Transparency Improves Modestly in the 2020-21 Defense Transparency Index
Feb. 11, 2021 | IGCC News
Japan ranked first in the 2020-21 Northeast Asia Defense Transparency Index, a project of the University of California’s Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation, with the United States and South Korea coming in second and third place. Amidst growing distrust in East Asia, especially in the security arena, a modest average increase in defense transparency among ranked countries—China, Japan, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Republic of Korea, the United States and Russia—is cause for cautious optimism.

The Future of NATO: A Conversation with Heidi Hardt (Podcast)
Feb. 9, 2021 | Lindsay Morgan interviews Heidi Hardt
With the Biden administration promising to rebuild global alliances, how will the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), one of the longest—and arguably most successful—alliances adapt to a rapidly changing world? In this edition of the IGCC podcast, Heidi Hardt, associate professor of political science at UC Irvine and expert in transatlantic security, talks about her book, NATO’s Lessons in Crisis, and about the emerging challenges facing the alliance.

Proxy Wars and Hotspots to Watch: A Conversation with Eli Berman (Podcast)
Feb. 2, 2021 | Lindsay Morgan interviews Eli Berman
With the U.S. drawing down forces in a number of global hot zones, and the Biden administration promising a break from Trump-era disengagement, Eli Berman, IGCC research director for international security studies and professor of economics at UC San Diego, revisits his book Proxy Wars: Suppressing Violence Through Local Agents.

Between Conflict and Cooperation: The World in 2021
Jan. 8, 2021 | Essay by Tai Ming Cheung
From the COVID-19 pandemic to spiraling geo-strategic competition and the continuing spread of strident domestic nationalism, the international system endured severe and overlapping challenges over the course of 2020. In this commentary, IGCC director Tai Ming Cheung looks back at the convulsions of 2020, and at the opportunities to restore order and prosperity in 2021.

Tai Ming Cheung on the New Era of Chinese Technology and Innovation
Jan. 7, 2021 | Interview with Tai Ming Cheung
In this interview, conducted by the 21st Century China Center, Tai Ming Cheung, a leading expert on China and East Asia and director of the UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation, analyzes China's efforts to boost its innovation capabilities, as well as the response by Western countries in key sectors such as 5G, artificial intelligence, quantum physics, and biotech.

Eli Berman Discusses Proxy Warfare in Africa
Jan. 7, 2021
In this new podcast episode from the Modern War Institute at West Point, IGCC Research Director for International Security Studies Eli Berman and retired Major General Marcus Hicks discuss how proxy warfare is leveraged by the American military in Africa. Deployed U.S troops often work with partner proxies directly to maintain a degree of influence in African countries, but with 700 U.S servicemembers set to withdraw from Somalia, the question of how these proxies cooperate with American decision-makers in the absence of U.S forces is particularly pertinent.

Innovation at the Edge: Artificial Intelligence and Ethics Webinar
Dec. 11, 2020
In this webinar featuring Catalyst Executive Director and IGCC affiliated researcher Scott Tait, researchers from UC San Diego discuss the ethical implications of expansions in artificial intelligence (AI). Among the questions covered are: How will AI impact society? As AI continues to be more pervasive in our daily lives, from smart devices to facial recognition, in what areas will it have the biggest impact? What ethical hurdles do we face with advancing AI applications? And what do we need to do to overcome these ​potential pitfalls?

Recommendations for the Next U.S. Administration
Nov. 3, 2020 | IGCC Experts Weigh In
The task of creating a new vision—and practical strategy—for protecting and strengthening America, is urgent. Here IGCC experts Peter Cowhey, Michael Davidson, Bethany Goldblum, Steven Helfand, Jeannette Money, George Rutherford, and Susan Shirk chart a path for the next U.S. administration on trade policy; climate change; nuclear weapons; global development and aid; migration; COVID-19; and China.

Global Cooperation in the Time of COVID-19
Oct. 5, 2020 | IGCC Experts Weigh In
COVID-19 is pushing countries and communities to the brink. How is the pandemic playing out in different regions and countries, and will this collective global challenge facilitate a cooperative global response—or just the opposite? Experts from across the Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation weigh in.

COVID-19 in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: What does the future hold?
Oct. 5, 2020 | Lindsay Morgan interviews Kelsey Jack
In this interview, Kelsey Jack, an associate professor in the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at UC Santa Barbara; and director of the Poverty Alleviation Group at the Environmental Market Solutions Lab (emLab), discusses the impact of COVID-19 on low- and middle-income countries; why the pandemic may undermine support for climate change efforts; and what are the prospects for cooperation among global development institutions.

Anxious America—Neil Narang on Populist Nationalism, the “End” of Arms Control, and Security Priorities for the Next U.S. Administration
Sept. 29, 2020 | Lindsay Morgan interviews Neil Narang
Neil Narang, an expert in international relations, international security, and conflict management, and associate professor in the Department of Political Science at UC Santa Barbara, joined IGCC this fall as Research Director. In this conversation with IGCC Managing Editor Lindsay Morgan he discusses issues critical for the next U.S. administration, including the rise of populist nationalism and the so-called end of arms control.

Neil Narang Joins IGCC as Research Director
Sept. 2, 2020
Neil Narang, an associate professor in the Department of Political Science at UC Santa Barbara, joins IGCC as Research Director, after having served IGCC in various roles since 2013. An expert in international relations, international security, and conflict management, here he shares his vision for IGCC, new research on the future of alliances, and why using research to engage in policy work is so vital.

The Role of International Actors in Domestic Politics and Institutions: An Interview with Aila Matanock
Sept. 2, 2020 | Lindsay Morgan interviews Aila Matanock
In this interview, Aila Matanock, an associate professor of political science at UC Berkeley and member of the IGCC steering committee, talks about her latest research on why (and how) international actors can help enforce domestic bargains, and why states sometimes delegate management and reform of security institutions to external governments.

COVID-19 Outlook: An Interview with George Rutherford
Sept. 2, 2020 | Lindsay Morgan interviews George Rutherford
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to threaten the health of communities, economies, and political systems. IGCC affiliated researcher George Rutherford, Salvatore Pablo Lucia professor and the head of the Division of Infectious Disease and Global Epidemiology at the School of Medicine at UC San Francisco, has been instrumental in the COVID-19 response at the local, national, and global level. Here, he weighs in on the most encouraging—and most worrying—developments, and on what has surprised him about this pandemic.

(Re)Evaluating the Politics of Global Supply Chains
Sept. 2, 2020 | Lindsay Morgan interviews Etel Solingen
Global supply chains connect the world in unprecedented and complex ways. COVID-19 and the rise of economic nationalism have catapulted supply chains back to center stage. In this interview, Etel Solingen, Distinguished Professor and Thomas T. and Elizabeth C. Tierney Chair in Peace Studies at the University of California Irvine, who leads IGCC’s Great Power research group on the role of design and production networks, talks about the effects of contemporary geopolitical tensions on global supply chains in East Asia.

2020 Public Policy and Nuclear Threats (PPNT) Virtual Mini-Series
Aug. 21, 2020
Did you miss the 2020 Public Policy and Nuclear Threats (PPNT) virtual mini-Series? You can listen to the lectures here. Tune in to hear experts weigh in on nuclear proliferation, policy and deterrence, challenges from Russia and China, and how to safeguard nuclear material.

Understanding the New Great Power Competition
Aug. 3, 2020
Did you miss the Great Power Competition in the 21st Century virtual mini-series? You can listen to the lectures here. Tune in to hear experts weigh in on the evolving role of economic statecraft, security challenges, the Chinese techno-security state under Xi Jinping and what the future holds for Chinese-American competition.

The Political Economy of Great Power Competition: An Interview with James Lee
July 29, 2020 | Lindsay Morgan interviews James Lee
In this interview, James Lee, a postdoctoral research associate at IGCC, talks about U.S.-China relations, Taiwan’s position in the region, and the implications of China’s new security law for Hong Kong. Lee received his Ph.D. in Politics from Princeton University in 2018, and was a fellow in the Max Weber Program for Postdoctoral Studies at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy.

The Middle East in the Global Pandemic
July 22, 2020 | IGCC News
Check out IGCC research director Eli Berman’s lecture “The Middle East in the Global Pandemic and Depression,” delivered on July 14 for the UC San Diego Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. Berman discusses recent developments in the Middle East, including Israel, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Saudi Arabia, and the implications of COVID-19 for peace and conflict.

Economics of Violence, A Webinar with Eli Berman
July 22, 2020 | IGCC News
In this webinar, IGCC research director Eli Berman interviews economist Gary Shiffman about his new book The Economics of Violence: How Behavioral Science Can Transform Our View of Crime, Insurgency, and Terrorism. Joined by members of the Economics of National Security Association and CNA, Shiffman, explains how economics can be applied to help understand the drivers of large-scale illicit behavior.

Japan’s Leadership in the Liberal International Order
July 21, 2020 | IGCC News
Japan has shown remarkable leadership in global trade, economic governance, regional security and the environment in recent years. What is driving this new Japanese leadership—and what are its limits? A new series published jointly by the University of British Columbia, the University of Toronto, Asia Pacific Foundation, University of Tokyo, Pacific Forum, UC Berkeley and the UC Institute on Global Conflict & Cooperation, analyzes the factors behind Japan's rise and potential opportunities ahead for the U.S., Canada and other partners.

The Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue Convenes for the 28th Year
July 13, 2020 | IGCC News
Scholars and former government officials from the U.S., China, South Korea, Russia, and Japan met virtually July 10-11 as part of the Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue, an unofficial track 1.5 forum for discussions about security among scholars and officials in the region. Among the key issues discussed: the trajectory of Sino-American relations; tensions between Japan and South Korea; events on the Korean peninsula; the prospect of new arms control agreements; and the implications of an absent and weakened United States.

Prospects for Cooperation in Northeast Asia—An Interview With Susan Shirk
July 7, 2020 | Lindsay Morgan interviews Susan Shirk
Susan Shirk, director emeritus of the UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation (IGCC) and leading U.S.-China relations expert, reflects on nearly 30 years of the Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue, which she founded, and the prospects for improved cooperation in the region.

North Korea’s Nuclear and Missile Programs
July 1, 2020 | By Stephan Haggard and Tai Ming Cheung
How has an economically impoverished, technologically backward, and internationally isolated state been able to establish robust and increasingly competent nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs? In this policy brief, UC San Diego experts Stephan Haggard and Tai Ming Cheung synthesize what we know about the development of North Korean nuclear and missile capabilities and what it will take to dismantle the program.

What’s the Role of the Academic in Times Like These?
June 8, 2020 | By Tai Ming Cheung
“The world is facing the very real danger of spreading authoritarian rule, and that the democratic forces that have so successfully resisted this trend have been seriously weakened.” IGCC Director Tai Ming Cheung reflects on recent global and national high-impact events, and on the role of think tanks and academics in a turbulent world.

CliffsNotes: Empirical Studies of Conflict
June 8, 2020
Scholars of political violence from across the country gathered (virtually) at the Empirical Studies of Conflict 2020 annual meeting May 28-29. With a focus on technology, fragility, and development, researchers discussed the economics of conflict, the political impacts of social media, crime and policing, refugees, and civil war and foreign intervention. Here, presenters summarize what problem they hope their research will help to solve; what they are learning; and why they care about the work they do.

Implications of COVID-19 for Global (In)Stability
June 4, 2020 | IGCC Researchers Respond
Is the COVID-19 crisis comparable to any other crisis in history? What are the biggest dangers ahead? And what should be the role of the state and international organizations in responding? Experts from across the Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation weigh in.

Navigating Changing Oceans, Human Health and Poaching in the Caribbean
June 1, 2020 | Lindsay Morgan interviews Kyrstin Mallon Andrews
In this interview, Kyrstin Mallon Andrews, a fifth year Ph.D. candidate at the University of California, Irvine and a 2019/2020 IGCC Dissertation Fellow, talks about re-conceiving the notion of equitable environment policies, what it’s like to spend hours diving in the Caribbean.

The Political Economy of Environmental Public Goods and Land Use Change
June 1, 2020 | Lindsay Morgan interviews Luke Sanford
In this interview, Luke Sanford, a fifth year Ph.D. candidate at the University of California, San Diego and a 2019/2020 IGCC Dissertation Fellow, talks about growing up in Colorado, how satellite imagery is being used to analyze the impact of political decisions on natural resources, and why deforestation increases around elections.

Media, Influence and Power in Modern Extremism
June 1, 2020 | Lindsay Morgan interviews Gregoire Phillips
In this interview, Gregoire Phillips, a fifth year Ph.D. candidate at the University of California, San Diego and a 2019/2020 IGCC Herb York Dissertation Fellow, talks about why the Islamic State’s media campaigns have been so effective, what can be done to counter their influence, and a conversation with a taxi driver in Amman that changed the trajectory of his academic career.

China: Fragile Superpower Revisited
June 1, 2020 | Lindsay Morgan interviews Susan Shirk
Susan Shirk, director emeritus of the UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation (IGCC) and leading U.S.-China relations expert, revisits her book, China: Fragile Superpower, discusses the prospects for U.S.-China relations, and shares how she became interested in Asia.

If Kim Jong-Un dies, what happens in North Korea?
April 29, 2020 | By Stephan Haggard, IGCC Affiliated Researcher
Stephan Haggard dives into the speculation around rumors of Kim Jong-Un’s death and explores seven questions central to what a regime change would entail in North Korea.

5 Questions on Development and Conflict
April 28, 2020 | By Eli Berman, IGCC Research Director, and David Lake, Distinguished Professor of Political Science at UCSD
Violence is a feature of life in many developing countries. As governments, private philanthropic organizations, and communities work to reduce inequity, alleviate poverty, and improve the well-being of people living in low- and middle-income countries, what role does conflict play in stymying development? And can development reduce conflict?

COVID-19 Disinformation is on the Rise: Here’s What We Know
April 27, 2020 | By Jacob Shapiro, IGCC Affiliated Researcher
The spread of COVID-19 is being mirrored online by widely-circulated disinformation about the virus. In analysis for Political Violence At A Glance, an IGCC-supported online magazine dedicated to political violence and its alternatives, researchers with the Empirical Studies of Conflict Project shed light on the type of disinformation circulating, sources, and motives.

New IGCC Initiative—Catalyst—Supports UC San Diego COVID-19 Response
April 20, 2020 | By Lindsay Morgan | IGCC News
COVID-19 is challenging populations, economies and medical systems around the globe. As the impact of the pandemic grows, innovators across UC San Diego have responded, rapidly developing solutions that will improve pandemic response efforts in Southern California, and potentially across the country and beyond. One of the organizations responding is Catalyst, a new initiative of the UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation (IGCC).

As Governments Dither on COVID-19, Jihadists and Gang Leaders Step In
April 15, 2020 | By Gregoire Phillips, IGCC Dissertation Fellow
In analysis for Political Violence At A Glance, an IGCC-supported online magazine dedicated to political violence and its alternatives, Gregoire Phillips, a Ph.D. candidate at UCSD and IGCC Herb York Dissertation Fellow, analyzes the response of armed non-state actors to the COVID-19 pandemic.

IGCC supports UC San Diego Engineers and Doctors to Retrofit and Build Ventilators
March 26, 2020 | By Alison Caldwell | UC San Diego News
In an effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, a team of engineers and physicians at the University of California San Diego is rapidly developing simple, ready-to-use ventilators to be deployed in the context of the COVID-19 crisis. The University of California's Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation (IGCC) contributed $10,000 to assist in the development of prototypes.

Violence In Mexico May Be Worse Than You Think
March 18, 2020 | By Aila Matanock, IGCC Affiliated Researcher
In analysis for Political Violence At A Glance, an IGCC-supported online magazine dedicated to political violence and its alternatives, Aila Matanock, IGCC researcher and assistant professor at UC Berkeley, explores the rise of violence against women in Mexico, and the importance of academic evidence for holding the government accountable.

Conference Shines Light on Challenges for Global Cooperation
March 10, 2020 | By Lindsay Morgan | IGCC News
International relations scholars from across the University of California met at the 5th annual Conference on International Cooperation. Hosted by UC Riverside, participants discussed deadlocked global trade negotiations, nuclear proliferation, and waning support for global governance structures.

Why Isn’t There More International Cooperation Around Migration?
March 6, 2020 | By Lindsay Morgan | IGCC News
Governments cooperate on trade and capital flows—so why not on migration? In this interview, IGCC affiliated researcher Jeannette Money discusses her book, Migration Crises and the Structure of International Cooperation, and explains where migrants travel from and to, the limitations of existing international agreements, and why international cooperation tends to restrict rather than facilitate flows.

Q&A with IGCC Director Tai Ming Cheung
March 5, 2020 | By Lindsay Morgan | IGCC News
Since 1982, the UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation (IGCC) has addressed global challenges to peace and prosperity through rigorous research, training, and policy engagement. In this interview, IGCC director Tai Ming Cheung shares his vision for the next chapter of IGCC’s history, and his forecast for what to watch in Northeast Asia in 2020.

Defense Transparency is on the Decline Among Global Superpowers
Feb. 27, 2020 | By Lindsay Morgan | IGCC News
Results from the latest edition of the Defense Transparency Index show that defense transparency is on the decline among global superpowers. Among the six countries ranked—China, Japan, North and South Korea, Russia and the US—scores decreased on average by 8 percent compared to 2015-16—marking a significant decrease in transparency, a worrying trend in an era of intensifying regional security tensions, where the potential for miscalculation is growing.

What’s Economics Got to Do With It?
Feb. 21, 2020 | By Lindsay Morgan | IGCC News
As part of IGCC’s Great Powers initiative, Vinod K. Aggarwal, director of the Berkeley APEC Study Center, leads research on economic statecraft, an increasingly central—but all too often ignored—aspect of geostrategic competition. Here he answers questions about the economic dimensions of great power competition, what his team is learning, and what to expect in 2020.

Q&A with Scott Tait, Executive Director, Catalyst
Feb. 13, 2020 | By Lindsay Morgan | IGCC News
In this interview, Catalyst Executive Director Scott Tait talks about the global shifts that provide the impetus for Catalyst, the barriers to innovation and how Catalyst will tackle them, and what brought him to UC San Diego after nearly 30 years in the Navy.

Countering Online Foreign Influence in 2020 Elections
Jan. 23, 2020 | By Jacob Shapiro, IGCC Affiliated Researcher
Social media has proved an essential tool for catalyzing political activism and social change around the world. Yet, the very features that make it so useful to those with greater-good intentions—scalability, mobility and low costs to entry—also make it prone to manipulation by malign actors who use it to spread disinformation and divisive rhetoric. 

On the Assassination of Qassem Soleimani
Jan. 9, 2020 | By Stephan Haggard and coauthors | IGCC News
After an American drone strike killed Qassem Soleimani on Jan. 3, IGCC experts including Stephan Haggard and others weigh in on the “extraordinary event” and its potential consequences.