Euro zone, European Union, EU

Immigration, Integration, and the Crisis of Perception

Written by Elisa Garbil – 14.07.2025 Across the UK and Europe, immigration has become one of the most politically charged and socially divisive issues of the 21st century. Once regarded primarily through the lens of economic necessity or humanitarian response, migration is now increasingly seen as a threat to national identity, security, and sovereignty. While migration has…

Episode 247: Religious Extremism with Rik Peels

Coordinated and Produced by Elisa Garbil Today Dominic hosts Rik Peels on the podcast to discuss religious extremism. They dive into the background of radicalisation; the differences between extremism, fundamentalism, and conspiracy theories; what the global patterns are; what role belief systems play in radicalisation; why radicalisation has such an impact on crises; and more! Dr. Rik…

Rik Peels

Rik Peels

Dr. Rik Peels is a Professor in Philosophy and Theology of Radicalisation at the Faculty of Humanities at the Free University of Amsterdam. Rik specialises in the ethics and epistemology of belief, in particular extreme belief, and replication in the humanities. He has developed a theory of responsible belief, studied ignorance, criticised scientism and developed…

Religion, religious extremism, extremism

Understanding Religious Extremism: A Multidisciplinary View

Written by Elisa Garbil – 10.07.2025 Religious extremism is often portrayed in stark and simplistic terms, dangerous, irrational, and rooted in blind faith. But research from philosophers, psychologists, and international organisations paints a more nuanced picture. It reveals that extremism isn’t solely about belief systems; it’s about identity, psychological vulnerabilities, and the socio-political environments in…

Victoria Valdivia Cerda

Victoria Valdivia Cerda

Victoria Valdivia Cerda is a political scientist from Chile, she holds a Magister degree in International Relations and currently, she is a student at the doctoral program on International Relations at Universidad de Santiago.Victoria has worked as a space policy advisor contributing to the formulation of Chile’s defense whitepaper (2017)and to the National Defense policy…

Geopolitical Risks of Monopolised Infrastructure in Orbit: The Case of Starlink

Geopolitical Risks of Monopolised Infrastructure in Orbit: The Case of Starlink

In recent years, the rapid ascent of Starlink has redefined the balance of power in low Earth orbit (LEO) and brought with it some international risk. Backed by SpaceX and supported by the U.S. Government, Starlink now operates the majority of active satellites in space, with more than 6,500 already deployed and thousands more planned….

Episode 246: Starlink and the Shifting Dynamics of Space Governance

In this week’s Monday episode, we explore the shifting dynamics of space governance with Chilean space policy expert Victoria Valdivia Cerda. Dominic and Victoria examine how the growing entanglement between state power and commercial space actors is reshaping global norms. They discuss the challenges posed by the monopolisation of low Earth orbit, the blurred boundaries…

Episode 245: The importance of Youth Work and a World Losing its Community with Abbee McLatchie

Coordinated and Produced by Elisa Garbil In today’s episode of The International Risk Podcast, we explore an overlooked yet vital aspects of national and international resilience and risk mitigation: youth work. With social unrest, economic inequality, and political extremism on the rise globally, the risks of neglecting young people are no longer abstract; they’re immediate, measurable, and…

Group of friends, youth work

The Risks of Neglecting Youth Work: Why Prevention Is Our Safest Bet

Written by Elisa Garbil – 03.07.2025 Youth work stands as one of the most powerful yet underutilised tools we have to support young people in a rapidly changing world. At its core, youth work is an educational, relational, and voluntary practice that helps young people between the ages of 11 and 25 develop confidence, resilience,…

Abbee McLatchie

Abbee McLatchie

Abbee McLatchie is the Director of Youth Work and the Deputy CEO at National Youth Agency.  As Director of Youth Work, Abbee McLatchie leads on the development of professional standards; training and development; the National Youth Work Curriculum; as well as quality and safeguarding frameworks. Abbee has worked with young people through youth work since…