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The Diplomat's Cabinet
Ep. 5 – When is it time to rethink your career in global affairs? with Sofiia Shevchuk | The Career Diplomat
THE DIPLOMAT'S CABINET PODCAST | THE CAREER DIPLOMAT
What happens when the system doesn't let you in — or no longer makes sense to stay in? In this episode of The Diplomat’s Cabinet, we're joined by Sofia Shevchuk — Ukrainian founder of the consultancy VONA and the NGO The Tide — for a candid conversation about leaving the traditional foreign affairs career path and carving out something new. We unravel what it really means to build a non-linear career in international relations, to redefine success beyond titles and institutions (think NATO and the European Parliament), to become fully freelance, and why freedom can be worth the uncertainty.
Whether you're just starting out or deep into your foreign affairs career, this conversation will speak to anyone questioning the path they’ve been told to follow.
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Ep. 12 – How can AI development serve everyone, not just the few? With Julia Stamm
26:09|The founder of She Shapes AI, Dr. Julia Stamm, joins The Diplomat's Cabinet in this episode to talk about how inclusion needs to be a structural principle in AI governance rather than an afterthought. Her research emphasises the ways in which power disparities, geography, and gender are ingrained in the creation of new technologies and the implications for international accountability and trust.//Join The Diplomat's CabinetInstagram | LinkedIn | Website | Substack
Ep. 11 – What do NATO’s silences reveal about Europe’s security future? With Marta Mucznik
26:44|Behind every NATO summit are the declarations of unity, but the real story often lies in what is left unsaid. This year the political and military stakes couldn’t be higher with looming U.S. troop reductions, Europe’s uneven defence spending, Ukraine’s uncertain future, and the rise of ad-hoc coalitions of the willing.In this episode of The Diplomat’s Cabinet, host Maria Luísa Moreira speaks with Marta Mucznik, Senior EU Analyst at the International Crisis Group, to unpack how these silences are shaping the future of European security and the transatlantic alliance.//Join The Diplomat's CabinetInstagram | LinkedIn | Website | Substack
Ep. 10 – Who gets to redefine a more inclusive foreign policy?
30:09|As more governments adopt Feminist Foreign Policy frameworks, questions remain about how inclusive and context-sensitive these approaches truly are.In this episode of The Diplomat’s Cabinet, host Maria Luísa Moreira speaks with Ambika Vishwanath, Founder Director of the Kubernein Initiative and DFAT-funded Research Fellow at La Trobe Asia, to unpack what inclusive foreign policy should actually look like across different geographies.Drawing from India’s approach to foreign policy, which has been deliberately inclusive but not explicitly labeled, Ambika offers a grounded perspective on how regional dynamics shape policy priorities and impact implementation.We examine the limits of global frameworks, the risks of exporting models without local adaptation, and the practical steps needed to build foreign policy that reflects lived realities rather than symbolic gestures.Listen in for a sharper lens on inclusion and what it means to build policy that works from the ground up.+THE DIPLOMAT'S CABINETSubscribe NewsletterConnect with usInstagramLinkedInWebsitethediplomatscabinet.com
Ep. 9 – Is strategic foresight the EU's missing superpower?
31:20|WELCOME TO THE DIPLOMAT'S CABINET PODCASTIn this episode of The Diplomat’s Cabinet Podcast we speak with Ricardo Borges de Castro, EU affairs analyst and foresight expert, about what foresight is really for, why democracies struggle with long-term thinking, and how the EU could use its mandate to get serious about shaping the future.We talk about: → Why “permacrisis” isn’t just a buzzword → Why strategic foresight fails without political translation → How Brussels could reinvent its governanceIf you're curious about the future of politics and what it really takes to plan ahead in a world that won’t sit still, this one’s for you.🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts✉️ Join our Cabinet by subscribing at thediplomatscabinet.com
Ep. 8 – What happens when masculinity meets economic precarity?
27:21|THE DIPLOMAT'S CABINET PODCAST | THE POWER DIPLOMATWhy are young men across Europe increasingly drawn to anti-feminist and far-right narratives?In this episode of The Diplomat’s Cabinet, policy analyst Javier Carbonell, from the European Policy Centre, joins host Maria Luísa Moreira to explore the economic and identity-based roots of a growing political shift. Based on his recent policy paper From Provider to Precarious, the conversation unpacks how the collapse of the traditional “provider” role, rising job insecurity, and downward mobility are fuelling young men's resentment, often misdirected at feminism and progressive politics.We discuss:How economic frustration is being politicisedWhy the gender backlash is about more than cultureWhat progressives risk by ignoring young male votersAnd whether democracy can still deliver on its promisesSubscribe to The Diplomat’s Cabinet newsletter. Follow on social media for updates and discussions
Ep. 7 – Could the 2025 NATO Summit be a turning point for Article 5? with Luka Ignac | The Security Diplomat
22:21|THE DIPLOMAT'S CABINET PODCAST | THE SECURITY DIPLOMATAs NATO prepares for the 2025 summit in The Hague, longstanding questions about transatlantic security are gaining new urgency. With President Trump set to attend, many fear a shift in tone (and potentially in substance) around the alliance’s core commitment: Article 5.In this episode of The Diplomat’s Cabinet Podcast, host Maria Luísa Moreira speaks with foreign policy analyst Luka Ignac about the political mood ahead of the summit, the implications of Trump’s push for 5% defence spending, and the risk of a two-tier NATO. They also explore what’s at stake for European defense if U.S. guarantees become more conditional, and whether Europe is truly ready to step up.Subscribe to The Diplomat’s Cabinet newsletter. Follow on social media for updates and discussions
Ep. 6 – Why do political elites fail on climate policy? with Dr. António Valentim | The Power Diplomat
14:16|THE DIPLOMAT'S CABINET PODCAST | THE POWER DIPLOMATExtreme weather is no longer just about floods and fires — it’s a mirror reflecting the cracks in our politics. In this episode of The Diplomat’s Cabinet Podcast, we examine why climate shocks rarely lead to long-term political shifts, and why mainstream parties still avoid framing them as climate issues.Joining us is Dr. António Valentim, political scientist and Assistant Professor at the London School of Economics, whose research explores how parties respond to climate crises, why prevention may be politically unattractive, and how public opinion and activism are shaping — or failing to shape — climate policy.If politics continues to treat climate as an afterthought, what kind of future are we hurtling toward?Subscribe to The Diplomat’s Cabinet newsletter. Follow on social media for updates and exclusive content
Ep. 4 – Will Germany drop its feminist foreign policy? with Leonie Stamm | The Gender Diplomat
22:51|THE DIPLOMAT'S CABINET PODCAST | THE GENDER DIPLOMATIn the aftermath of the 2025 federal elections, Germany’s new coalition government, formed by the CDU/CSU (conservatives) and SPD (social democrats), published its coalition agreement — and with it, the quiet disappearance of feminist foreign policy from the national agenda. But what does this omission really signal? A full retreat, a silent shift, or a political rebranding?In this episode, we speak with Leonie Stamm, research fellow and gender, peace & security expert at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), to unpack why the "F word" may have been dropped from the coalition agreement, what this means for individual ministries holding feminist strategies — especially international development – and the fragility of equality agendas in times of war and militarisation.Subscribe to The Diplomat’s Cabinet newsletter. Follow on social media for updates and exclusive content.