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. From the erosion of international norms to the urgent need for reimagined statecraft, Marc offers a compelling framework for understanding the forces reshaping our world and what political leadership must look like in response.

Marc Saxer is a political analyst, strategist, and writer with two decades of experience in international relations. He heads the Asia Pacific office of the Friedrich-Ebert-Shtiftung and convenes the Asia Strategic Foresight Group.

Publications:

Transformative Realism: How to overcome the system crisis

Geopolitical Conflict in the Wolf World: Great Power Competition and the Illiberal Revolt against the Liberal Order

Content

00:00 - Introduction

01:38 - Understanding Transformative Realism

04:50 - Defining Systemic Crisis

07:39 - Marc’s Most Compelling Crisis Case Study

15:08 - The Erosion of International Norms and Rules

18:24 - Recognizing the Signs of Systemic Crisis

20:18 - The Role of Agency in Transformative Realism

28:18 - Reimagining Statecraft and Political Leadership

33:44 - The Crisis in Modern Statecraft Education

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In this episode, Vineet Thakur unpacks the historical and intellectual foundations of Indian diplomacy. We discuss classical strategic traditions, civilisational and colonial legacies, caste and elite networks in diplomatic culture, non-alignment and strategic autonomy, neighbourhood diplomacy, and India’s contemporary practice of multi-alignment amid shifting great-power rivalries.

Vineet Thakur is a University Lecturer in International Relations at the Institute for History, Leiden University. He received his doctorate from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, in 2014 and has held academic positions and fellowships across India, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. His professional experience includes teaching appointments at Ambedkar University Delhi, the University of Johannesburg, and the School of Oriental and African Studies, following which he joined Leiden University in 2017. He has been a fellow at the University of Cambridge, the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study, and Rhodes University.

His research is situated in postcolonial international relations, with a particular focus on the politics of knowledge, disciplinary hierarchies, and the global intellectual history of International Relations, especially in the Indian context.

Publications:

V.S. Srinivasa Sastri: A Liberal Life

India’s First Diplomat: V.S. Srinivasa Sastri and the Making of Liberal Internationalism

Postscripts on Independence: Foreign Policy Discourses in India and South Africa

Content

00:00 – Introduction and Framing of India’s Diplomatic Trajectories

02:03 – Mandala Theory and Kautilya’s Arthashastra as Lenses for Contemporary Regional Policy

05:10 – Intellectual and Historical Inspirations Behind India’s Diplomatic Traditions

06:32 – Civilisational State Narratives Versus Colonial Administrative Foundations of Indian Diplomacy

10:53 – Social Stratification and the Influence of Caste Networks on Diplomatic Recruitment and Culture

22:12 – Nehruvian Idealism and Non-Alignment as Strategy: Autonomy, Hedging, and Principled Neutrality

27:55 – Overlooked and Marginalised Practices in India’s Cold War Diplomatic History

30:30 – The Strategic Logic and Practical Outcomes of the “Neighbourhood First” Diplomatic Doctrine

35:18 – Structural Constraints and Policy Stalemate in India–Pakistan Diplomatic Engagement

37:34 – China’s Strategic Shadow and Its Effects on India’s Diplomatic Posture Towards Pakistan

39:08 – India’s Diplomatic Approach to Tibet in Historical and Contemporary Perspective

43:29 – Multi-Alignment as Strategy: Balancing Great Powers in India’s Contemporary Foreign Policy

47:45 – The Absence of a Permanent United Nations Security Council Seat and Its Diplomatic Consequences

51:15 – India–Africa Relations and the Underdeveloped Economic Dimension of South–South Diplomacy

54:21 – Hindu Nationalism and Its Influence on the Ideational Foundations of Indian Diplomacy

58:24 – Neglected Themes and Under-Researched Domains in the Study of Indian Foreign Policy

*** at 10:29, there is a missing word ‘overstated’

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In this episode, Martin Vladimirov unpacks Bulgaria’s evolving energy landscape in the aftermath of the war in Ukraine. We discuss shifts in the country’s energy mix, offshore wind prospects in the Black Sea, the strategic role of gas pipelines and interconnectors, and the future of key assets such as the Chiren gas storage facility, the Maritsa Iztok lignite complex, and potential new nuclear reactors.

Martin Vladimirov is Director of the Energy and Climate Program at the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD), where his work focuses on European and Balkan energy security, energy transition pathways, and the geopolitical dimensions of Russian and Chinese economic influence. He has extensive experience as an energy analyst for The Oil and Gas Year, contributing in-depth reports on Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Saudi Arabia, and has consulted for international oil companies across the GCC and MENA regions. Martin is also an affiliated expert with the European Geopolitical Forum in Brussels and previously worked as an energy and economic analyst for CEE Market Watch, covering Iran and Central Asia.

Publications:

Managing Assets Under OFAC Sanctions

Energy and Climate Security in Europe: From Crisis Response to Structural Transformation

The Kremlin Playbook in Mexico: Asymmetric Influence

The Imperative to Weaken the Kremlin’s War Economy: What the West Can Do

Closing the backdoor: The new TurkStream is here. Can the West stop it?

Content

00:00 – Introduction

01:38 – Bulgaria’s Evolving Energy Mix after the War in Ukraine

09:07 – Exploring Bulgaria’s Offshore Wind Potential

12:45 – Strategic Energy Pipelines Crossing Bulgaria

17:16 – Bulgaria’s Relationship with Gazprom and Gas Contracts

24:14 – The Greece–Bulgaria Gas Interconnector (IGB)

27:05 – Alexandroupolis LNG Terminal and Regional Gas Connectivity

28:53 – The Role of Chiren Underground Gas Storage

34:31 – The Future of the Maritsa Iztok Lignite Power Complex

40:50 – Assessing the Feasibility of Two New Nuclear Reactors

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