Departures Podcast with Samuel Ramani, author of ‘Russia in Africa’

Amid a slew of headlines highlighting Vladimir Putin’s efforts to expand Russia’s footprint in Africa since the beginning of the Ukraine war, a certain narrative is emerging regarding Moscow’s aims, tactics, and results in this crucial but often neglected region. Is Russia’s presence in Africa a threatening menace or merely an empty gesture? As it […]

Departures Podcast featuring Henry Hale, co-author of ‘The Zelensky Effect’

Before becoming one of the world’s most recognizable heads of state, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was a comic actor and entertainer, whose most famous show, “Servant of the People,” imagined him in a role he would one day, unbelievably, come to hold in real life. But how was it possible for someone with so little […]

Departures Podcast featuring Sergei Guriev, author of ‘Spin Dictators: The Changing Face of Tyranny in the 21st Century’

In the age of information and with growing calls around the world for democracy, Vladimir Putin, Lee Kuan Yew and Alberto Fujimori are redefining what it means to be a dictator in the 21st century. Through the manipulation of information, media, and using censorship, this new breed of despots are covertly monopolizing power under the […]

Departures Podcast featuring Owen Matthews, author of ‘Overreach: The Inside Story of Putin and Russia’s War Against Ukraine’

As we approach the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a number of journalists and authors have published highly detailed chronicles from the battlefield, stories of resilience and heroism of the Ukrainian resistance, and geopolitical analyses across the spectrum. But few of these books view the war through Russian eyes, understanding the thinking that […]

Departures Podcast featuring Luke Harding, author of ‘Invasion: The Inside Story of Russia’s Bloody War and Ukraine’s Fight for Survival’

After almost 23 years in power, Russian President Vladimir Putin currently appears more weakened and vulnerable than during any other period of his presidency, thanks in large part to his disastrous decision to invade Ukraine. On this week’s Departures, we bring back the veteran journalist Luke Harding, who for years serving the Guardian’s correspondent in […]

Departures Podcast featuring Anna Aruntunyan, author of ‘Hybrid Warriors: Proxies, Freelancers and Moscow’s Struggle for Ukraine’

When we talk about the gig economy, we usually are referring to rideshare drivers, errand runners, and all sorts of service industry freelancers. But we rarely think about the freelancers and non-state actors which take part in wars and armed conflict, doing the sometimes violent fighting and often disruptive hacking, as playing a very important […]

Departures Podcast featuring Raffaello Pantucci, author of ‘Sinostan: China’s Inadvertent Empire’

Though we often view China’s increasingly activist foreign policy in its trade wars, territorial disputes, and frequent collisions with Western states, less attention is paid to its gradual and quiet expansion of influence in the ‘Stans of Central Asia. But it is here, among the populations of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan […]

Join us for a live podcast event featuring David Satter, Nov. 15 in London

Amsterdam & Partners LLP is pleased to host a special live podcast event featuring veteran Russia correspondent and author David Satter to be held on November 15 at the Lanesborough Hotel in London. David Satter is a leading journalist and commentator on Russia and the former Soviet Union. David has had a distinguished career in […]

Departures Podcast with Lucan Way, co-author of ‘Revolution and Dictatorship’

Some autocracies come and go, but others have a seemingly infinite shelf-life, showing a structural resiliency to any efforts at reform or democratic change that is strong, durable, and long lasting. More than 20 years ago, the rock star political scientists Lucan Way and Steven Levitsky wrote a paper examining the characteristics of successful autocratic […]

Departures Podcast featuring Ilya Ponomarev: Ukraine at a Critical Juncture

Regular listeners of the podcast need no introduction for Ilya Ponomarev, a former opposition member of the Russian Duma who was the only legislator to vote against the annexation of Crimea. Currently based in Kyiv, Ponomarev joins Amsterdam today to share his perspectives on the recent developments in the war, and why he believes that […]