The UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation (IGCC) is a multi-campus research unit in the University of California system that addresses global challenges to peace and prosperity through rigorous, policy-relevant research, training, and engagement. Talking Policy is hosted by Lindsay Shingler, Associate Director at IGCC.
In September 2026, UC Press published the second IGCC-led issue of Current History (https://ucigcc.org/current-history/), a century-old magazine of global affairs. The issue features a collection examining rising strains in civil-military relations in the United States and other democracies, where militaries are being pulled into undemocratic politics.
On this episode of Talking Policy, host Lindsay Shingler speaks with two scholars of civil-military relations and contributing authors to the September issue, Rebecca Best and Lindsay Cohn, about the changing relationship between the U.S. military, political leadership, and the American public. They examine the forces driving the politicization of the armed forces; what the structure and traditions of the U.S. military reveal about its role in a democratic society; and how recent controversies—including the removal of senior military officers and the deployment of troops in American cities—are testing longstanding norms surrounding civilian control, military professionalism, and public trust in the armed forces.
This episode was recorded on September 2, 2026. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
8 Sept 2026
A Sea of Uncertainty: Reflections from the Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue
In July, IGCC hosted the 36th Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue (NEACD) in Seoul, South Korea. Founded in 1993 to reduce the risk of conflict in Northeast Asia and beyond, the convening brought together scholars and current and former officials from China, Japan, South Korea, Russia, and the United States.
What are the forces reshaping Northeast Asia’s security landscape—and how do they look from Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul, Moscow, and Washington? In this special episode of Talking Policy, host Lindsay Shingler sits down with an expert from each of the five countries represented at NEACD to explore the questions that animated this year’s discussions and what they reveal about the region’s changing geopolitical order.
These interviews were recorded over the course of July 23-24, 2026, with additional recording on August 6, 2026. The episode has been edited for length and clarity.
20 Jul 2026
Africa in the Shifting Global Order
In a moment when discussions about the shifting global order are crowded by the conflicts in Ukraine and the Persian Gulf; the rise of China; and the repositioning of the United States and Europe—the role of Africa in the international system is often overlooked. On this episode of Talking Policy, Stephan Haggard (https://ucigcc.org/people/stephan-haggard/), IGCC research director and senior editor of Current History, speaks with Folashadé Soulé (https://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk/people/folashade-soule-kohndou), a contributing author to the July 2026 issue of the UC Press journal that is now under the editorial management of IGCC. Soulé shows how African states have used diplomacy, regional organizations, and international law to advance sovereignty, challenge global power imbalances, and expand Africa’s influence on the global stage.
This episode was recorded on July 7, 2026. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
Who has been a guest on Talking Policy
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Mark Schwartz
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Josh White
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