Dialogue convenes leading voices in defense, diplomacy, and academia for critical discussions on the Indo-Pacific’s security challenges. Hosted by Dr. James M. Minnich, a retired U.S. Army Colonel, professor, and recognized Korean security expert, this bi-weekly podcast offers fresh perspectives and innovative solutions. Subscribe now for conversations shaping security. 

Upcoming Dialogue

Dialogue #36 Korea’s Martial Law Fallout

South Korea faces a profound political crisis following President Yoon Seok-yeol’s controversial martial law declaration, which has plunged the nation into political uncertainty and eroded public trust. Dr. Lami Kim explores the implications of Yoon’s potential impeachment, the challenges of leadership during a transition period, and the broader effects on South Korea’s democracy, economy, and international alliances.

Jan 13, 2025 03:00 PM  in Hawaii
Register to watch live on Zoom

Dialogue #35 Indo-Pacific Humanity and Geopolitics

In Dialogue 35: Indo-Pacific Humanity and Geopolitics, humanitarian adviser Jonathan Robinson explores the intersection of humanitarian aid and geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific. From navigating aid in politically sensitive areas to the impact of great power competition and China’s hospital ship ecosystem, this episode delves into critical challenges shaping regional humanitarian efforts.

Jan 27, 2025 03:00 PM  in Hawaii
Register to watch live on Zoom

Episodes

Webinar Book Recommendations

Episode 30: “Conflict’s End in Ukraine”

  • Mark Galeotti’s Putin’s Wars: From Chechnya to Ukraine (Osprey Publishing, 2022),
    Medea Benjamin and Nicolas J. S. Davies’s War in Ukraine: Making Sense of a Senseless Conflict ( OR Books, 2022),
    Samuel Ramani’s Putin’s War on Ukraine: Russia’s Campaign for Global Counter-Revolution (Hurst, 2023),
    Sehii Plokhy’s The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine (Basic Books, 2021).

Episode 29: “Malaysia Between Giants”

  • Syed Hussein Alatas’ The Myth of the Lazy Native (Routledge, 2010).

Episode 28: “Law and Rising Seas: Navigating Ocean Change”

  • 21st Century as the Pacific Century: Culture and Security of Oceania States in Great Power Competition edited by Joanna Siekiera (University of Warsaw Press, 2023).

Episode 27: “Navigating Tensions in the South China Sea”

  • On Dangerous Ground: America’s Century in the South China Sea by Gregory B. Poling (Oxford University Press, 2022).
    The South China Sea Dispute: Philippine Sovereign Rights and Jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea, written and published by Antonio T. Carpio (2017).

Episode 26: “Shared Waters, Shared Futures: Cooperative Approaches to Water Security in the Indo-Pacific”

  • The Three Ages of Water: Prehistoric Past, Imperiled Present, and a Hope for the Future by Peter Gleick (PublicAffairs, 2023).

Episode 25: “Bangladesh in Turmoil: The Revolution, Its Fallout, and the Road Ahead”

  • Pathways of Autocratization: The Tumultuous Journey of Bangladeshi Politics by Ali Riaz (Routledge, 2024)

Episode 24: “North Korea-Russia Alliance: Economic and Geopolitical Implications”

  • North Korea’s Foreign Policy: The Kim Jong-un Regime in a Hostile World, Scotty Snyder and Kyung Ae Park, editors (Rowman & Littlefield, 2022)

Episode 23: “China’s Strategic Culture: Confucianism or Realpolitik?”

  • “River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze” by Peter Hessler (HarperCollins, 2010)
    “Oracle Bones: A Journey Through Time in China” by Peter Hessler (HarperCollins, 2009)

Episode 22: “Jihadist Terrorism in the Indo-Pacific: Resurgence and Resilience in the Post-Caliphate Era”

  • “The Islamic State in Khorasan: Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the New Central Asian Jihad” (Hurst, 2018)

Episode 21: “From Promises to Reality: Analyzing the 2024 Indian Elections”

  • India, Bharat, and Pakistan: The Constitutional Journey of a Sandwiched Civilization by J. Sai Deepak (Bloomsbury India, 2022)
    India that is Bharat: Coloniality, Civilisation, Constitution by J. Sai Deepak (Bloomsbury India, 2021).

Episode 20: “India’s Security Outlook in Modi’s Third Term”

  • “Unequal: Why India Lags Behind Its Neighbours” by Swati Narayan “Whole Numbers and Half Truths: What Data Can and Cannot Tell Us about Modern India” by Rukmini S “The Saffron Storm: From Vajpayee to Modi” by Saba Naqvi “Midnight’s Borders: A People’s History of Modern India” by Suchitra Vijayan

Episode 17: “Outlaw Empires: The Rise of Motorcycle Gangs and the Global Security Threat”

Episode 16: “Ukraine War, Global Power Shifts, and Security Implications for the Indo-Pacific”

  • Dr. Azizian recommended two insightful books for a deeper understanding of the conflict: “The Russo-Ukrainian War: The Return of History” by Serhii Plokhy (W. W. Norton & Company, 2023) provides a detailed account of the war’s historical and cultural contexts, helping readers understand the conflict’s deeper roots. “Our Enemies Will Vanish: The Russian Invasion and Ukraine’s War of Independence” by Yaroslav Trofimov (Penguin Press, 2024) offers a contemporary perspective on the war based on firsthand experiences and in-depth reporting from the front lines.

This insightful webinar underscored the far-reaching implications of the Ukraine war, emphasizing the need for vigilant and adaptive security strategies in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. Dr. Minnich and Dr. Azizian’s discussion provided valuable perspectives on how nations can navigate the shifting global power landscape and enhance their security postures in response to emerging threats. Episode 15: “The Philippines Builds Security, Faces Challenges”

  • Professor Virginia Bacay Watson (Recommended on May 25, 2024) 1521: Rediscovering the History of the Philippines by Judy Robinson (New Degree Press, 2022) Bound by War: How the United States and the Philippines Built America’s First Pacific Century by Christopher Capozzola (Basic Books, 2020).

Episode 14: “The Great Game of Digital Dominance”

  • Professor John Hemmings (Recommended on May 6, 2024) “Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology” by Chris Miller (Scribner, 2022)

Episode 13: “Competing in the Gray Zone”

  • Professor Sam Mullins (Recommended on April 9, 2024) “Braw, Elisabeth. “The Defender’s Dilemma: Identifying and Deterring Gray-Zone Aggression.” AEI Press, 2022. Galeotti, Mark. “The Weaponisation of Everything: A Field Guide to the New Way of War.” Yale University Press, 2022. Jonsson, Oscar. “The Russian Understanding of War: Blurring the Lines between War and Peace.” Georgetown University Press, 2019. Rid, Thomas. “Active Measures: The Secret History of Disinformation and Political Warfare.” Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2020. Weiner, Tim. “The Folly and the Glory: America, Russia, and Political Warfare 1945–2020.” Henry Holt and Co., 2020.

Episode 12: “Bolster Resilience and Restore Trust in the Information Environment

  • Professor Beth Kunce (Recommended on April 9, 2024) Sharot, Tali. The Influential Mind: What the Brain Reveals About Our Power to Change Others. Henry Holt and Co., 2017. Kahane, Adam. Collaborating with the Enemy: How to Work with People You Don’t Agree with or Like or Trust. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2017. Brown, Brené. Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. Random House Publishing, 2018.

Episode 11: “North Korea Beyond the Headlines, Unveiling the Reality with Glyn Ford”

  • “Hinge Points: An Inside Look at North Korea’s Nuclear Program” by Siegfried S Hecker (Stanford University Press, 2023) “Black Girl from Pyongyang: In Search of My Identity” by Monica Macias (Duckworth, 2023) “Becoming Kim Jong Un: A Former CIA Officer’s Insights into North Korea’s Enigmatic Young Dictator” by Jung H. Pak (Ballantine Books, 2020) “North Koreans In Japan: Language, Ideology, and Identity” by Sonia Ryang (Routledge, 1997)

Episode 10: “Australia’s First Female Commando: A Tale of Resilience”

Episode 9: “Fishing for Security from Sea Slavery”

  • Ms. Anny Barlow (Recommended on February 25, 2024) “The Outlaw Ocean: Journeys Across the Last Untamed Frontier” by Ian Urbina (Deckle Edge. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, August 20, 2019)

Episode 8: “Myanmar: Three Years of Conflict, What’s Next”

  • Dr. Miemie Winn Byrd (Recommended on February 12, 2024) “An Unlikely Prisoner: How an Eternal Optimist Found Hope in Myanmar’s Most Notorious Jail,” by Sean Turnell (Penguin Random House in November 2023)

Webinar Episode 7: Taiwan’s Post-election Strategic Future

  • Prof. Mike Burgoyne (Recommended on March 25, 2024) “Unofficial Diplomacy: The American Institute of Taiwan: A Memoir” by David Dean (Xlibris, 2014)

Episode 6: “Power Play in South Asia”

  • Prof. Shyam Tekwani (Recommended on January 16, 2024) “India Is Broken: A People Betrayed, Independence to Today” by Ashoka Mody (Stanford University Press, February 2023)

Episode 5: “Nuclear Indo-Pacific”

  • Dr. Lami Kim (Recommended on December 18, 2023) “Nuclear Politics: The Strategic Causes of Proliferation” by Alexandre Debs and Nuno P. Monteiro (Cambridge Studies in International Relations, Series Number 142, December 2016)

EPISODE 4: “China’s Perspective of Indo-Pacific Security”

  • Yun Sun (Recommended on December 4, 2023) “U.S.-Taiwan Relations: Will China’s Challenge Lead to a Crisis?” by Ryan Hass, Bonnie Glaser, and Richard Bush (Brookings Institution Press, April 2023)

EPISODE 3: “The Changing Nature of Security in the Face of Climate and Environmental Disruption”

  • Srini Sitaraman (Recommended on November 20, 2023) “The Origins of the Syrian Conflict: Climate Change and Human Security” by Marwa Daoudy (Cambridge University Press, March 2020)
  • Ethan Allen(Recommended on November 20, 2023) “Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, April 2013, Paperback)
  • Sebastian Kevany(Recommended on November 20, 2023) “The Next 100 Years: A Forecast for the 21st Century” by George Friedman (Blackstone Publishing, January 2009)

EPISODE 2: “Beyond Borders: Indo-Pacific Health Security Cooperation”

  • Dr. Sebastian Kevany (Recommended on November 6, 2023) “Global Health Security: A Blueprint for the Future” by Lawrence O. Gostin (Harvard University Press, September 2021)