Transnational Corruption in Foreign Policy Today

Transnational Corruption in Foreign Policy Today

Author: CSIS | Center for Strategic and International Studies March 20, 2026 Duration: 53:10
Max and Maria spoke with Alexander Cooley and Daniel Nexon about how authoritarian and illiberal governments leverage transnational corruption as part of their foreign policies and global strategies. This conversation was recorded on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. "The Age of Kleptocracy: Geopolitical Power, Private Gain" by Alexander Cooley and Daniel Nexon (Foreign Affairs, February 2026) Dictating the Agenda: The Authoritarian Resurgence in World Politics by Alexander Cooley and Alexander Dukalskis (Oxford University Press, 2025)

Dive deep into the political landscape, historical currents, and rich social fabric of a vast and consequential region with Russian Roulette. This podcast from the CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program is guided by hosts Max Bergmann and Dr. Maria Snegovaya, who bring their expertise to nuanced conversations that move beyond headlines. Each episode delves into the forces shaping Russia and the diverse nations of Eurasia, unpacking everything from foreign policy and internal power dynamics to cultural shifts and societal transformations. You'll hear insightful analysis and engaging discussions with a range of experts, offering listeners a clearer understanding of the complex challenges and opportunities within the post-Soviet space. Produced by Tina Dolbaia and Nick Fenton, the podcast consistently provides context and depth on a part of the world where history is always present. For anyone curious about the intricate politics, compelling stories, and human experiences that define this area, this series serves as an essential guide, making sense of a region that often seems enigmatic from the outside.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 156

Russian Roulette
Podcast Episodes
Of Kazakhstan – Russian Roulette Episode 76 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:56
In this episode of Russian Roulette, Jeff sits down with Joanna Lillis, an Almaty-based journalist for The Economist, The Guardian, and EurasiaNet and author of the recent book Dark Shadows: Inside the Secret World of Ka…
Of Russia and the New Congress – Russian Roulette Episode 75 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:20
In this episode of Russian Roulette, Jeff sits down with Louis Lauter, Vice President for Congressional and Government Affairs at CSIS, and Colin McElhinny, Associate Director and Associate Fellow for Congressional and G…
Of the Day after INF, and Mail – Russian Roulette Episode 74 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:22
In this episode of Russian Roulette, Jeff sits down with Adam Mount, a Senior Fellow and the Director of the Defense Posture Project at the Federation of American Scientists, to discuss the Intermediate-Range Nuclear For…
Of an Old Year (and New Beginnings) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:17
In this episode of Russian Roulette, Olya and Jeff offer their take on a busy 2018 in Russia and Eurasia: the Mueller investigation, Vladimir Putin 4.0, Skripal, the World Cup, Trump and Putin’s Helsinki encounter, a new…
Of Ukraine’s Election Campaign – Russian Roulette Episode 72 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:11
In this episode of Russian Roulette, Jeff sits down with Melinda Haring, Editor of the UkraineAlert blog at the Atlantic Council and a fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. They discuss the upcoming presidenti…
Of Famine and Memory in Kazakhstan – Russian Roulette Episode 71 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:36
In this episode, Jeff sits down with Sarah Cameron, associate professor of history at the University of Maryland and author of the recent book The Hungry Steppe: Famine, Violence, and the Making of Soviet Kazakhstan (Cor…
Of Sanctions – Russian Roulette Episode 69 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:19
On this election day 2018, Jeff sits down with Elizabeth Rosenberg, Senior Fellow and Director of the Energy, Economics, and Security Program at the Center for New American Security (CNAS) for a sanctions-themed episode…
Of Russia and the European Far Right – Russian Roulette Episode 68 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:03
In this episode of Russian Roulette, Jeff sits down with Marlene Laruelle, a research professor at the Elliot School of International Affairs at George Washington University, associate director of the Institute for Europ…
Of Insecurity In Between – Russian Roulette Episode 67 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:56
In this episode, Olya and Jeff sit down with Sam Charap, a senior political scientist at RAND Corp and coauthor of the recent RAND report “Rethinking the Regional Order for Post-Soviet Europe and Eurasia,” which explores…