The "Values & Interests" podcast and event series takes a deep dive into the ethical tensions and tradeoffs at the heart of decision-making across geopolitics, tech, philosophy, and business.
Explore how ethics can serve as a tool for making more reflective and responsible choices. Hear from leaders and experts who have spent their careers reckoning with critical ethical questions across their personal and professional lives. Whether facing daily decisions or tackling global issues, you’ll uncover new approaches for navigating the complex and often fraught relationship between our own values and interests.
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Hubris and the Fog of War
Latest Podcast Episode
Eurasia Group's Neda Bolourchi joins the Values & Interests podcast to discuss the ethical gray zones at the heart of the U.S.-Iran conflict, including the enduring strength of the Islamic Republic and the realities that get lost in debates about intervention.
As millions of Iranians find themselves caught between a regime they oppose and a war they didn't ask for, what does responsible foreign policy actually look like?
Read Bolourchi’s recent article for Carnegie Council: "Iran Is Not Venezuela—But That’s Not the Point: The Ethics of American Tactical Power."
Access Recent Events
Nuclear Ethics
We are walking a fraying nuclear tightrope in a challenging and unpredictable geopolitical environment. This expert panel and Q&A, discussing the PBS documentary "Bombhsell," was moderated by acclaimed journalist Ann Curry
U.S. Power and Principle
America’s post–World War II calculus guiding the relationship between power and principle has shifted dramatically. James Story, former U.S. ambassador to Venezuela, and Carnegie Council President Joel Rosenthal discuss this new dynamic.
Geopolitics in an Era of AGI
As policymakers and diplomats increasingly leverage AI agents and non-state tech companies grow in power and influence in the push toward AGI, Carnegie Council assembled an expert panel to discuss the geopolitical impact of these technologies.
Post-Liberal American Power
Has Trump 2.0 ushered in an era of post-liberal American power? Access the full discussion on the defunding of U.S. soft power institutions, cuts to foreign aid, and the embrace of an aggressive transactional style of diplomacy in the first months of 2025.
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Full Podcast Episodes
MAR 18, 2025 • Podcast
Small States, Mutual Respect, and the Future of the International System, with Ambassador Ali Naseer Mohamed
Ambassador Ali Naseer Mohamed, permanent representative of the Maldives to the UN, discusses the vital role of small states at this critical global moment.
FEB 26, 2025 • Podcast
A World without USAID? with Andrew Natsios
Andrew Natsios, former USAID administrator, discusses humanitarianism as a moral principle and the potential geopolitical consequences of the shuttering of the aid organization.
FEB 20, 2025 • Podcast
Morality and Power from the Individual to the Institution, with Joel Rosenthal
For the inaugural episode of "Values & Interests" Joel Rosenthal unpacks the complex and challenging relationship between morality and power in our personal lives and geopolitics.
FEB 7, 2025 • Podcast
Values & Interests: Trailer to the Series
This new podcast series takes a deep dive into the ethical tensions and tradeoffs at the heart of decision-making in today’s interconnected world.