Broderick McDonald

Broderick McDonald

Broderick McDonald is a Research Fellow at Kings College London’s XCEPT Research Programme and a Research Associate the Oxford Emerging Threats Group. Prior to this, he served as an Advisor to the Government of Canada and was a Fellow with the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC). Broderick’s writing and commentary has appeared in The New York…

Episode 270: Syria in Turmoil: Unraveling the Present, Forecasting the Future with Broderick McDonald

Coordinated and Produced by Elisa Garbil Today Dominic Bowen hosts Broderick McDonald on the podcast to discuss the future of Syria. They dive into the different external actors and their interests, the challenges that the new government of Syria is facing, the fine line of institutional reform and unity, the need for inclusion of the minority groups, what the impact…

Syria

Syria’s Unfinished Transition: Risks and Realities in the Post-Assad Era

Written by Elisa Garbil – 29.09.2025 When Bashar al-Assad fell in late 2024, many Syrians dared to imagine a future beyond authoritarianism and endless war. The dictator’s sudden departure sent a wave of relief across the country, and for a fleeting moment, optimism seemed to outweigh fatigue. Yet the early glow of freedom quickly dimmed. By mid-2025,…

The Invisible Doctrine

The Invisible Doctrine: The Secret History of Neoliberalism – George Monbiot & Peter Hutchison

Written by Elisa Garbil – 26.09.2025 George Monbiot and Peter Hutchison’s The Invisible Doctrine is not simply another critique of neoliberalism: it is a detailed dissection of its risks, a charting of the hazards it has embedded into the very fabric of global society. From environmental collapse to democratic erosion, from social precarity to the corrosion of public health…

Antoine Renaux

Antoine Renaux

Antoine Renaux is an Economic Intelligence & Geopolitics Analyst, his expertise lies in defence and security policy, economic intelligence, and geopolitical risk analysis. His career spans strategic intelligence, public affairs, and policy analysis roles across both public and private sectors, giving him a nuanced, operational understanding of complex international dynamics. His key areas of expertise…

Episode 267: Drones Over Poland, Drills on the Border: How Moscow Tests NATO’s Resolve with Antoine Renaux

Coordinated and Produced by Elisa Garbil With the Zapad Military exercises occurring again near the Polish border, Dominic Bowen has Antoine Renaux on the podcast. They analyse the challenges of NATO, Russia’s probing operations, NATO’s response, and more importantly, NATO’s preparedness. Find out more about Article 5 and the potential scenarios, why hybrid warfare and cyber attacks are…

Military, Russia, War, Invasion

Escalation Risks in Eastern Europe and the Shadow of World War III

Written by Elisa Garbil – 18.09.2025 The geopolitical temperature in Eastern Europe has been rising sharply. In recent weeks, Poland has found itself at the forefront of a dangerous escalation between NATO and Russia. Russian drones have repeatedly intruded into Polish airspace, testing both Poland’s defensive capabilities and NATO’s collective resolve. Warsaw has responded decisively, scrambling jets,…

Episode 266: The Current Serbian Protests with Saša Dobrijević

Coordinated and Produced by Elisa Garbil The student-led protests in Serbia have been going on for months. Today we have Saša Dobrijević on the podcast to discuss: Saša Dobrijević is an international journalist and reporter based in Belgrade. He is a seasoned journalist with experience in Munich in Berlin and Luxembourg, with a beat across geopolitics, social movements, and…

Saša Dobrijević

Saša Dobrijević

Saša Dobrijević is an international journalist and reporter based in Belgrade. He is a seasoned journalist with experience in Munich in Berlin and Luxembourg, with a beat across geopolitics, social movements, and the green-energy transition. He’s covered protests up close, interviewed decision-makers, and understands how narratives harden, and how they break. Saša is a Diplomatic Press…

Serbia, Serbian Flag, Military

Serbia’s Protests and the Risks of a Standoff

Written by Elisa Garbil – 15.09.2025 In the late summer of 2025, Serbia finds itself at a pivotal juncture. Tens of thousands of demonstrators continue to flood Belgrade’s streets, joined increasingly by smaller towns across the country. At the heart of the mobilisation lies a deep frustration with entrenched corruption, economic insecurity, and the tightening grip of…