Patterson Perspectives

On the latest Patterson Perspectives podcast Dr. Farley down with Dr. Gregg Hall and talk about his latest book, Examining US-China-Russia Foreign Relations . Farley and Hall talk through Neoclassical Realism, the relationships that undergird the Russia-China-US axes, the nature of the relationships between this triangle and the Global South, how to write a book about foreign relations in the era of the Polycrisis, and finally how to use classic IR paradigms to teach contemporary foreign policy students.

Camden Hanley and Surya Nallapati talk with Lt. Colonel Amy McGrath (USMC Ret.) about fighter jets and modern air warfare. The conversation covers suppression of enemy air defenses, no fly zones, F-16s and MiG-29s, training for fighter pilots, modern air-to-air combat, and more.

Osetemega Iribiri and Dalton Goble interview Dr. Igbinedion about the recent coup d'etats in West Africa. Dr. Igbinedion is a senior lecturer at the University of Lagos, Nigeria and joins us in a discussion about why West Africa is experiencing a surge in military coups, and offers potential solutions.

Camden Hanley and Osetemega Iribiri speak with Ambassador Carey Cavanaugh about the long term implications of the ongoing war in Ukraine. The conversation covers the origins of the war, the goals of the combatants, the impact of sanctions on the Russian economy, Russia's relationship with China, and more.

On the latest episode of Patterson Perspectives, Suryakiran Nallapati and Camden Hanley spoke with Dr Trita Parsi, an expert on US-Iran relations, about the Iran nuclear deal. In the wake of President Trump’s unilateral withdrawal from Iran’s nuclear deal in 2018, the Biden administration and European powers are engaged in intense diplomatic negotiations with Iran to revive the deal Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). . The negotiations between Iran and the Western powers are in the final stages, with the global community anxiously waiting to know which way the deal will go.

Camden Hanley and Dalton Goble sit down with Former Ambassador to Kazakhstan George Krol to discuss the recent protests in Kazakhstan. The conversation covers what happened, why it happened, who the main actors were, and what implications there are going forward for Kazakhstan, Russia, and the US.

On the latest episode of Patterson Perspectives, Dr. Robert Farley interviews LTC Amy McGrath (USMC, Ret.) about her career in the military, her return to Kentucky, and her transition to teaching in a civilian institution. Caution: There is discussion of the consumption of a rabbit's eyeball.

On the latest episode of Patterson Perspectives, Dr. Farley speaks with Ed "Cliffy" Zukowski, leader of the Army War College's International Strategic Crisis Negotiation Exercise (ISCNE). Farley and Zukowski discuss the history and purpose of the simulation, the growing interest of colleges and universities in participating in the sim, and a few of the most surprising things that have happened in one of the negotiation exercises.

On the latest episode of Patterson Perspectives, Dr. Kathleen Montgomery interview Ambassador Anupam Ray of the Indian Foreign Service. Dr. Montgomery and Ambassador Ray discuss career paths, the impact of education in the foreign affairs, and the challenges currently facing Indian foreign policy.

On the latest episode of Patterson Perspectives, Dr. Robert Farley interviews Ryan Quarles, Commissioner of Agriculture for the Commonwealth of Kentucky.  Farley and Quarles discuss the intersections between foreign policy and agriculture, specifically with respect to farm and food policy in Kentucky. They further discuss how agriculture in Kentucky weathered the pandemic, and the long term changes and challenges that have resulted from COVID.

On this episode of Patterson Perspective, Dr. Robert Farley interviews Austin Anderson, a graduate of the Patterson School who now works in the cyber security industry.  Farley and Anderson discuss the existing cyber-security environment, talk about the problem of ransomware, and contemplate the elements of a modern cyber-security education.

On the latest episode of Patterson Perspectives, Ambassador Carey Cavanaugh speaks with Patterson School graduate John T. Ice, Deputy Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State.  Cavanaugh and Ice discuss the elements of a successful career in the Foreign Service, and especially of the role of education at the beginning of that career.

On the latest Patterson Perspectives, two students discuss the most recent developments in the Myanmar situation, and provide context on the conditions under which the coup was undertaken.

On the latest episode of Patterson Perspectives, Dr. Robert Farley speaks with Larissa Caton about her work on Operation Warp Speed.  Ms. Caton's work began shifting from traditional defense security work to Operation Warp Speed in June, when she began to focus on creating a secure environment for companies to work with government on developing and distributing vaccines.

Dr. Farley speaks with Erin Petrey, the cocktail editor of Bourbonbanter.com, about how the trade war and the pandemic have affected the distilled spirits industry in the United States and Europe. Distilled spirits have become wrapped up in broader economic questions, to the effect that consumers may soon see rapidly increasing prices.  This could have a significant economic impact in areas where distilled spirits make up an important component of export goods, such as Kentucky.

Dr. Farley interviews Dana Lea, and alumna of the program who has worked in refugee policy for several years.  Farley and Lea discuss the impact of the pandemic, the changes wrought during the Trump presidency, and the current state of refugee and asylum claims at the US-Mexico border. The episode concludes with a look into a possible future for US refugee policy.

On the latest episode of Patterson Perspectives, Dr. Farley interview Matthew Wallace, Fall 2012 graduate of the Patterson School, about the situation in Myanmar.  Mr. Wallace has worked in Myanmar for several years, giving him a unique perspective on the developing situation.

In this episode of Patterson Perspectives, Ambassador Cavanaugh, Dr. Hall, and Dr. Farley consider how nuclear weapons have affected global history since World War II.  They discuss the history of the nuclear enterprise, the impact of nuclear weapons on strategic planning, and the partially-accomplished hopes of arms control.

Dr. Farley speaks with 2012 Patterson graduate Lieutenant Colonel Andew Betson, US Army, about the challenges of leading a Reserve Office Training Corps program during COVID-19.  Stationed in St. Louis, MO, LTC Betson helped craft the response of St. Louis-area ROTC programs to the onset of the pandemic last spring, developing new, innovative tools for training and evaluation.  Foremost among these tools was a system of virtual wargaming that enabled the program to test cadets on knowledge and leadership while also keeping the group as safe as possible from the coronavirus.

Chris Isaacs, a dual degree student at the Patterson School and the University of Kentucky Rosenberg College of Law, interviews Dr. Robert Farley about the latter's new book, Patents for Power.  Isaacs and Farley discuss the relevance of intellectual property protection to the defense industrial base, and debate the potential for reforms to Department of Defense contracting practice.