99% Invisible: “The Future of the Final Mile”

While The Economist’s limited-run podcast The Prince belongs on everyone’s Spotify 2022 Wrapped, 99% Invisible is a perennial favorite. Hosted by the inimitable Roman Mars, this series explores the quiet yet intentional designs of infrastructure, technology, history, and art that shape our lives. There are myriad gems, but one of my favorite episodes from the past year was about connectivity. “The Future of the Final Mile” not only describes how internet services are provided but also showcases how local governments and communities in the United States have stepped in to offer fast, reliable connections where the private sector has not. (And for those looking for a bit of holiday cheer, check out the episode on the three Santas of Slovenia.)

—Midori Tanaka, Europe Inside Out producer

Carnegie Connects: “A Conversation With Ken Burns”

This year was an incredibly rich one for Carnegie Connects, but if I were forced to choose a favorite episode, I’d go with the special interview with acclaimed documentary filmmaker Ken Burns.

America’s preeminent storyteller was a stunningly resonant and evocative guest, offering unique insights into his craft and the country’s story. What resonated most was Burns’ notion that in his conception of the American story, even with all its conflict, there was no “us versus them,” only us. This view leads me to conclude, paraphrasing the Samuel Adams quip about the War of Independence from Britain, that we would either all hang together or hang separately.

—Aaron David Miller, Carnegie Connects host and American Statecraft Program senior fellow

China in the World: “U.S.-China Relations After the U.S. Midterms”

In this live recording of the China in the World podcast, I hosted Carnegie China’s Tenth Global Dialogue on U.S.-China relations, featuring three excellent scholars: Da Wei, the director of Tsinghua University's Center for International Strategy and Security; Yun Sun, the director of the Stimson Center’s China Program; and Chong Ja Ian, Carnegie China’s newest nonresident scholar who will be driving its new research program on U.S.-China dynamics in Southeast Asia. The four of us engaged in a rich discussion on the U.S. midterm elections, China’s 20th Party Congress, and the future outlook for U.S.-China relations amid ongoing shifts in each country’s domestic politics.

—Paul Haenle, China in the World host and director of Carnegie China

Europe Inside Out: “How Russia Shattered Europe’s Post-Cold War Illusions”

The inaugural episode of Europe Inside Out, featuring Rosa Balfour and Thomas de Waal, dissects how the EU’s relations with Russia have transformed since the invasion of Ukraine. Spotlighting our center’s expertise and showcasing the important roles that history, society, and politics play in foreign affairs, this episode captures the conversational and comprehensive spirit of the podcast.

—Midori Tanaka, Europe Inside Out producer

Grand Tamasha: “How Rising Powers Can Make—Or Break—International Order”

Rising powers in the international system are driven by material gains, behave in a revisionist fashion, and seek to upend the prevailing international order. If you’re nodding your head while reading this sentence, our Grand Tamasha conversation with Rohan Mukherjee will force you to question your priors. Mukherjee, a professor at the London School of Economics, is the author of a big new book in international relations, Ascending Order: Rising Powers and the Politics of Status in International Institutions. In our conversation, Mukherjee explains why many rising powers are actually driven by status concerns; if they are treated like equals in major global fora like the United Nations or World Trade Organization, they are less inclined to undermine international order.

—Milan Vaishnav, Grand Tamasha host and South Asia Program director

The Intelligence: “Hell Hath No Fury”

When it comes to daily news podcasts, no one does it better than the folks at The Intelligence from The Economist. My favorite show of the year covers the protests in Iran and the leader of the shadowy Wagner Group, two topics with ties to two of the biggest international news stories of the year.

—Cliff Djajapranata, Carnegie Connects producer

Interpreting India: “Soner Cagaptay on Turkey’s Geopolitical Gamble”

This episode on Turkey’s geopolitical maneuvering in Europe, South Asia, and the Middle East was a first for us in exploring a country’s foreign policy and diplomatic efforts whose (seemingly absent) connections with India and South Asia seldom get full attention. Along with highlighting how Turkey “punches above its weight” by negotiating and playing different sides in global conflict, Soner Cagaptay masterfully weds history, religion, and international and diplomatic affairs to give us a deeply absorbing picture of one of the most fascinating mid-level powers of our times.

—Anshuman Yadav, Interpreting India producer

Norah Jones Is Playing Along: “Jeff Tweedy”

What if you had the chance to drop by a studio, pick up an instrument, and play your favorite musician’s songs alongside him or her? This is what one fortunate podcast host does every week, except this lucky host is none other than Norah Jones, the multi–Grammy Award singer and pianist. In this episode, she invites Jeff Tweedy—frontman of the band Wilco—to play duo versions of her five favorite Wilco songs. Enjoy being a fly on the wall as two of the most talented musicians of the past two decades make beautiful, stripped-down music together and talk about the art of songwriting.  

—Milan Vaishnav, Grand Tamasha host and South Asia Program director

The Prince: Searching for Xi Jinping

The Economist’s The Prince podcast was a terrific series on China’s leader, released at a pivotal moment in the country’s politics before the 20th Party Congress. Throughout the podcast’s eight episodes, Sue-Lin Wong traces Xi’s dramatic rise to power, from his time as a sent-down youth in the countryside of Shaanxi province to becoming China’s most powerful leader since Deng Xiaoping, as well as one of the most powerful leaders in the world today.

—Paul Haenle, China in the World host and director of Carnegie China

Respectfully Disagree: “Is There a Right Way to Protest Climate Change?”

If you too, like almost the rest of the world, had a visceral reaction to two climate activists throwing soup at a legendary Vincent Van Gogh painting in London in October, this episode of one of my all-time favorite podcasts will help you pick through both your sentiments and arguments. It explicates the nature of protest and resistance, especially that of climate activism, and pushes us to chew over the very essence of symbolism in the modern age.

—Anshuman Yadav, Interpreting India producer

The World Unpacked: “The Future of Warfare”

The World Unpacked episode of the year for me is hands down our show on the future of warfare with Charles Hooper. As a retired lieutenant general in the U.S. Army, Hoop walked us through how technology and the wildly different philosophies behind Russian and Western military thought have played a decisive role in Ukraine. It’s an especially relevant episode as there’s only more and more chatter of greater security competition between the United States and China.

—Cliff Djajapranata, The World Unpacked producer

More best of 2022:

• Carnegie’s standout publications
• Carnegie experts’ favorite leisure reads and wonky reads
• Grand Tamasha’s favorite books