Podcasts about Cheap talk

The last remaining nuclear arms control treaty has expired; the beneficial side effects of arms control; the value of treaty-breaking as a low-cost signal in international relations; the decline of arms control as an international priority; China's strategic calculus; whether verification is important in arms control treaties; arms control as a casualty of the war in Ukraine; planning our next move in a post-arms control world; and Marcus is a little naïveThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Get a Whoop:Chase Sapphire cardholders can get a free or discounted Whoop fitness band and Whoop Life subscription. Be sure to register for the discount first on the Chase website, then get an additional discount when you sign up with code B663EDA6. See all Cheap Talk episodes

Cheap Talk takes a break from IR to discuss vibe coding; the CheapTalkBot origin story; new opportunities to express creativity via vibe coding; mid-century modern architecture in Palm Springs; whether non-programmers can really do this; ChatGPT vs. Claude; context windows in AI tools; the use of AI for Retrieval Augmented Generation; and Marcus isn't being creative enoughThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Further Exploring:Check out Jeff's Palm Springs Scavenger Hunt AppSee all Cheap Talk episodes

Wieso gibt es Streiks? Rationale Spieler könnten doch das Ergebnis des Streiks vorwegnehmen und gleich dorthin springen. Was passiert während eines Streiks aus Sicht der Rationaltheorie? Diese und weitere spieltheoretische Fragen zu Streik und Verhandlung behandelt diese Episode. Zum Webinar über spieltheoretisches Verhandeln: https://www.rieck-verlag.de/verhandlungsinfo WEITERE INFORMATIONEN Das Hicks-Paradoxon: Warum Streiks ökonomisch irrational scheinen Aus Sicht der klassischen Spieltheorie ist ein Streik ein Symptom kollektiver Ineffizienz. Das nach Sir John Hicks benannte Hicks-Paradoxon postuliert: Da ein Streik den zu verteilenden „Kuchen" (die ökonomische Rente) durch Produktionsausfälle verkleinert, müssten rationale Akteure, die das Endergebnis antizipieren, dieses sofort akzeptieren. Man würde die Streikkosten sparen und das identische Resultat ohne Wohlstandsverluste erzielen. Dass Streiks dennoch stattfinden, ist primär auf asymmetrische Informationen zurückzuführen. In einem Szenario unvollständiger Information fungiert der Streik als kostspieliges Signaling-Device. Da Lippenbekenntnisse in Verhandlungen billig sind („Cheap Talk"), nutzen Parteien den Streik, um die „Wahrheit" über die Schmerzgrenze der Gegenseite zu erzwingen. Nur ein wirtschaftlich schwaches Unternehmen gibt schnell nach; nur eine wirklich entschlossene Gewerkschaft hält lange durch. Der ökonomische Verlust ist somit der Preis für die Offenbarung privater Informationen über die tatsächliche Machtverteilung. Externe Effekte und „Parasitäre Kooperation" Ein gravierendes Problem bei Streiks in der kritischen Infrastruktur ist die Divergenz zwischen privaten und sozialen Kosten. Während in der Industrie die Streikkosten weitgehend internalisiert werden (Gewinneinbußen vs. Lohnverzicht), beobachten wir im Transportsektor massive negative externe Effekte. Wenn Akteure eine Einigung erzielen, deren Kosten durch Effizienzverluste der Gesamtwirtschaft getragen werden, sprechen wir spieltheoretisch von einer Kooperation zu Lasten Dritter. Die Beteiligten nutzen ihre strategische Position, um Renten zu extrahieren, die nicht aus eigener Produktivität stammen, sondern aus der „Geiselnahme" gesamtwirtschaftlicher Wertschöpfungsketten. Der Streik wird zum Hebel, um Ressourcen von Unbeteiligten anzuzapfen. Strategische Selektivität: Die Macht des Flaschenhalses Das „Bottleneck-Problem" folgt der Logik der Verhandlungsmacht in komplexen Netzwerken. Besetzt eine kleine Gruppe einen unverzichtbaren Knotenpunkt (z. B. Stellwerker), steigt ihr strategischer Wert massiv an – nicht durch ihre Arbeitsleistung, sondern durch ihre Fähigkeit, den maximalen Stillstand zu erzwingen. Dies führt zu einer Verzerrung der Lohnstrukturen: Nicht Produktivität bestimmt das Gehalt, sondern die „Veto-Macht". Der Beamtenstatus als strategisches Bindemittel Die Forderung nach Verbeamtung ist der Versuch, das Spiel durch ein Commitment-Device zu beenden. Der Staat garantiert lebenslange Sicherheit; im Gegenzug verzichtet der Akteur auf sein strategisches Instrument, das Streikrecht. Auch falls diese Konstruktion juristisch Bestand haben sollte, bleibt die Herausforderung: Wie schafft man Leistungsanreize in einem System ohne Wettbewerb und ohne die Drohkulisse des Arbeitskampfes? Die Verbeamtung tauscht spieltheoretische Instabilität gegen administrative Starrheit. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/profrieck/ X/Twitter: https://x.com/profrieck?s=21 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/profrieck

It is 85 seconds to midnight (according to the Doomsday Clock); evaluating the risk of catastrophe; the latest Board of Peace developments; another speech pointing to the end of the international system as we know it; what it means for Europe to take more responsibility for its own defense; and Marcus recalls World War IIThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Further Listening/Reading:Cheap Talk Podcast. 2024. “Exercise in Optimism” (Jan. 27), via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or the web.Gabriel A. Almond and Stephen J. Genco. 1977. “Clouds, Clocks, and the Study of Politics.” World Politics 29(4): 489–522.See all Cheap Talk episodes

Cheap Talk returns from winter break to discuss the Venezuela situation; what is driving US Venezuela policy; implications of the US capture of Maduro; signaling US seriousness in international affairs; similarities between Venezuela and Greenland; IR theory in Canadian PM Carney's Davos speech; and Marcus was, yet again, surprised by eventsThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Further Watching:Special Address by Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada, World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026See all Cheap Talk episodes

Talk is cheap – literally. But if words cost nothing, why do we ever trust them? In this episode, Yale Professor Navin Kartik breaks down the game theory of communication. We kick things off with the basics: what is the academic definition of "cheap talk", and why does cheap talk sometimes work but other times break down? From there, we transition to Navin's own research, which explores deeper facets of communication. We learn about lying costs and "inflated language": why does a reference letter need to say "excellent" to just mean "competent"? Finally, we dive into topics like pandering (why experts lie to agree with you) and muddled information (why test scores tell you more about gaming skills than natural ability).

Zum Webinar über spieltheoretisches Verhandeln: https://www.rieck-verlag.de/verhandlungsinfo Das erwähnte Buch „Die 36 Strategeme der Krise“: Print: https://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASIN/B089CZ3Y6R/ref=nosim/christianriec-21 Als Hörbuch: https://payhip.com/b/4nBZl Kanalmitglied werden: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSExr_QUT6h-4sGW5hGjrCA/join ► WEITERE INFORMATIONEN VON TEAM RIECK: In der spieltheoretischen Analyse von Kommunikation – sogenannten Signaling Games – ist ein Signal nur dann informativ, wenn es für den Sender Kosten verursacht, die untrennbar mit Qualität oder Wahrheitsgehalt verbunden sind (Costly Signaling). Genau dieser Mechanismus ist in der heutigen Medienlandschaft weitgehend kollabiert und wurde durch einen Dauerzustand von Cheap Talk ersetzt. Das Scheitern des Separating-Gleichgewichts In funktionierenden Informationsmärkten entsteht ein Separating-Gleichgewicht: Seriöse Akteure setzen ihre Reputation als Einsatz ein und skandalisieren nur dann, wenn reale Missstände vorliegen. Falschmeldungen wären für sie langfristig zu teuer. Die moderne Aufmerksamkeitsökonomie hat diese Logik jedoch umgedreht. Die Grenzkosten für Empörung sind nahezu null, während Klick-Erträge sofort realisiert werden. Unter diesen Bedingungen ist es rational, jedes Ereignis maximal aufzublasen. Wird Empörung billig, verliert sie ihren Informationswert. Signalinflation und Babbling Equilibrium Die Folge ist eine klassische Signalinflation. Wenn ein banaler Versprecher medial gleich behandelt wird wie ein systemischer Skandal, kollabiert der Signal-Rausch-Abstand. Spieltheoretisch resultiert dies in einem Babbling Equilibrium: Signale werden zwar permanent gesendet, tragen aber keine Information mehr über die Realität. Der Empfänger erkennt das Muster und hört auf zuzuhören. Das mediale Dauergeschrei wird zur Hintergrundstrahlung. Strategische Konsequenzen Das gesellschaftliche Paradoxon: Diese permanente Skandalisierung schützt jene Akteure, die eigentlich kontrolliert werden sollen. In einer Welt, in der alles Skandal ist, existiert kein wirksamer Skandal mehr. Relevante Fehlentwicklungen verschwinden im Rauschen der nächsten Empörungswelle. Für politische Entscheider sinken damit die Kosten von Fehlverhalten – sie können darauf vertrauen, dass es im Informationslärm untergeht. ► WEITERES VON CHRISTIAN RIECK: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/profrieck/ X/Twitter: https://x.com/profrieck?s=21 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/profrieck #profrieck #2025 #deutschland Hinweis: Die angegebenen Links können Affiliate-Links sein, bei denen ich eine Provision bekomme. Vielen Dank für Ihre Unterstützung! Haftungsausschluss: Dies ist ein Bildungskanal, kein Finanz- oder Medizinkanal. Inhalte dienen ausschließlich der allgemeinen Information und sind weder finanzieller noch medizinischer Rat oder persönliche Empfehlung.

Send us a textTechnical difficulty! With the host site for this fantastic, super informative, over-the-top show that we all have come to love, affectionately known as Bourbon and Badges, the podcast. Yeah, once again, Slo releases the controls to no one other than the Rodintor. As usual, the Rodintor takes the ball and runs for the uprights. Tuning in, we find the cape crusaders sampling the cheapest whiskey they could find. Which one of our boys will win the bottom shelf challenge? Who knows.  I do know if you listen long enough, you will discover Hound Dog filling old men as the rhetoric includes Hollywood and law talk. So climb aboard the high-speed train to all things bourbon and badges, and yes, my wonderful brother of greatness, enjoy the Ride. Support the show Please find us on Facebook @ Bourbon Badges On x On Instagram @ bourbon and badges, the podcast As always, Enjoy the Ride Drink responsibly. Never drink and drive.

The degradation of the State Department's official correspondence due to font choice; the Trump Administration releases its National Security Strategy; the return of spheres of influence and the primacy of the Western Hemisphere for US policy; the supposed decline of European civilization; the general problem with national security strategy documents; the glaring absence of the liberal international order in US strategy; and Marcus is generally confused about fontsCheap Talk is taking a holiday break, but will be back with new episodes in January. Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.The opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Check out our online store at https://cheaptalk.shop.Further Reading:Michael Crowley and Hamed Aleaziz. 2025. “At State Dept., a Typeface Falls Victim in the War Against Woke.” New York Times. The White House. 2025. National Security Strategy of the United States. Emily Harding. 2025. “The National Security Strategy: The Good, the Not So Great, and the Alarm Bells.” Center for Strategic and International Studies.See all Cheap Talk episodes

The US plan for peace between Russia and Ukraine; what Putin wants out of a settlement; the wider effects of the war on Europe; Jared Kushner is back; what AI is actually good for (according to a new study); gifts for the IR enthusiast in your life; and Marcus would like a map for ChristmasThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Further Reading:Tejal Patwardhan et. al. 2025. “GDPval: Evaluating AI Model Performance on Real-World Economically Valuable Tasks.” OpenAI White Paper. IR books that make perfect holiday gifts:Signing Away the Bomb, by Jeffrey M. Kaplow Face to Face Diplomacy, by Marcus Holmes Inside the Situation Room, edited by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Karen Yarhi-Milo (featuring a chapter by Marcus Holmes)Featured items from the Cheap Talk shop:Cheap Talk Live commemorative t-shirtCeding Human Control mug Cheap Talk holographic sticker setAnd many more great IR gifts at the Cheap Talk shop!Jeff's other gift suggestions for the IR enthusiast:International News/Analysis: The Economist (discounted for teachers & faculty and for students), Foreign Affairs (discounted for students and teachers), War on the RocksScratch-off world mapUN Peacekeeper toy helmet International Spy Museum Store CIA Mug with George H.W. Bush signatureSee all Cheap Talk episodes

BT & Sal torch Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner for being "tone-deaf" and prioritizing the business over winning championships, specifically criticizing his $100 million payment to the city excuse. The hosts argue that Hal's complacency with Cashman and the team's lack of development is costing them a World Series. The focus then shifts to the Mets and an aggressive hypothetical trade for Fernando Tatis Jr. Sal argues that Tatis, despite his $300 million contract, is a better investment due to his age (26) and elite defense than free agents like Bellinger or Tucker. Finally, Brian Baldinger joins to dismantle the 2-10 Giants' claim that they're better than their record, calling out their defensive breakdowns. They discuss the Lions' struggles, the Bears' legitimacy, and whether Jets fans can trust QB prospect Cam Ward.

Cheap Talk Live! The students of William & Mary's “Introduction to International Politics” course join the podcast to discuss drug boats; the UN-approved peace plan for Gaza; an AI arms race; the intersection of IR theory and policymaking; ending the war in Ukraine; overconfidence and fear in IR; whether IR students have to go to grad school; the ideal podcast co-host; our IR origin stories; Thanksgiving dinner picks; and Marcus takes food safety very seriouslySpecial thanks to William & Mary's Jeff Herrick for audio support and to all the GOVT 204 students who participated in the show. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!The opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Check out our online store at https://cheaptalk.shop.Recommended Thanksgiving Recipes:J. Kenji López-Alt. “Mayo-Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey with Gravy.” New York Times Cooking.J. Kenji López-Alt. “The Best Crispy Roast Potatoes Ever.” Serious Eats. See all Cheap Talk episodes

Strikes by the United States military on suspected drug boats in the Pacific; the legality of these strikes; why it might matter if the US is violating international law; building pressure on Venezuela; the US strategy (if there is one); the problems with wars on things; and Marcus has never had TofurkeyThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Check out our online store at https://cheaptalk.shop.Further Reading:Lazaro Gamio, Carol Rosenberg, and Charlie Savage. 2025. “Tracking U.S. Military Killings in Boat Attacks.” New York Times. See all Cheap Talk episodes

Dick Cheney's outsized foreign policy role in the George W. Bush administration; what President Trump is talking about when he talks about nuclear testing; the nuclear testing announcement as diplomatic leverage; US readiness to test; nuclear testing for deterrence; the downsides of exploding nuclear weapons in Nevada; and Marcus loves Election DayThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Check out our online store at https://cheaptalk.shop.See all Cheap Talk episodes

The opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Check out our online store at https://cheaptalk.shop.Further Reading/Watching:A House of Dynamite, streaming on NetflixNuclear Decisions Online GameJeffrey Lewis. 2018. The 2020 Commission Report On The North Korean Nuclear Attacks Against The U.S.: A Speculative Novel. Harper. Fail Safe, streaming on TubeNukeMap, a nuclear weapons effect simulator by Alex WellersteinSee all Cheap Talk episodes

Ceasefires are good; Trump's personal stake in Middle East diplomacy; the implausibility of the AI apocalypse; the incremental ceding of human control over autonomous systems; plausible mechanisms for AI control of nuclear arsenals; misalignment, poisoning, and the manipulation of AI models; and Marcus discusses the meaning of consciousnessThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Check out our online store at https://cheaptalk.shop.Further Reading:Alexandra Souly et al. 2025. “Poisoning Attacks on LLMs Require a Near-constant Number of Poison Samples.” Arxiv 2510.07192.“AI: What Could Go Wrong? With Geoffrey Hinton.” 2025. The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart.See all Cheap Talk episodes

Francis Fukuyama joins Cheap Talk to discuss the rise of authoritarianism; Europe's security environment; the risk of AI catastrophe; signs of hope for democratic resilience; and Marcus has a lot of respect for centenariansFrancis Fukuyama is the Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow at Stanford University's Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI). He has written widely on issues in development and international politics. His books include The End of History and the Last Man (1992), The Origins of Political Order (2011), Political Order and Political Decay (2014), Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment (2018), and Liberalism and Its Discontents (2022).The opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Check out our online store at https://cheaptalk.shop.Further Reading:Francis Fukuyama. 1989. “The End of History?” The National Interest 16: 3–18.See all Cheap Talk episodes

What, if anything, the government shutdown means for international politics; the US and its weakened capacity to conduct foreign policy; non-great-power nomenclature; defining power in the international system; how middle powers can achieve their goals in international relations; shifts in great power foreign policy toward smaller states; and Marcus has seen the error of his waysThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Check out our online store at https://cheaptalk.shop.See all Cheap Talk episodes

Small signs of hope for arms control between the United States and Russia; a review of the last ten years of US-Russia policy; explaining Trump's about-face on Ukraine; an airing of grievances at the UN; and Marcus can't wait for ThanksgivingThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Check out our online store at https://cheaptalk.shop.Please send us your questions or comments!Further Listening:“Little Time Capsules.” Cheap Talk Podcast. October 1, 2023.See all Cheap Talk episodes

Russian drone incursions into Polish airspace; questions about Russia's intent; the risk of escalation; deterrence failure in protecting NATO airspace; preference differences within the alliance; a deal for TikTok; China's interest in global governance and a multipolar world; and Marcus has a step-by-step plan for China's world dominationThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Check out our online store at https://cheaptalk.shop.Please send us your questions or comments!Further Listening:“Fly Over Our Great Nation.” Cheap Talk Podcast. February 11, 2023.See all Cheap Talk episodes

Why Trump thought there might be a deal with Russia; the obliteration of Iran's nuclear program; speaking truth to power; deterrence failure and pushing Iran toward nuclear weapons; Iran's modest response to the attacks; enforcement within the NPT; implications for regional and global security; and Marcus reflects on why he was so wrongThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Check out our online store at https://cheaptalk.shop.Please send us your questions or comments!Get a free WHOOP and one month free when you join with this link. (Or use referral code B663EDA6 when signing up.)Further Reading:Gram Slattery, Jonathan Landay and Andreas Rinke. 2025. “The 'land swap' that wasn't: Inside Trump's frantic dash for Ukraine peace.” Reuters. See all Cheap Talk episodes

Thank you to our listeners for joining us for five seasons and 100 episodes! Cheap Talk returns for Season 6: Advice for new college students; the Trump-Putin summit spectacle; analyzing Trump's body language; the challenges of studying summitry; the Trump administration's unique approach to high-level meetings; a typology of leader diplomacy; Zelensky's DC visit; the Trump administration's overall posture toward the conflict; and Marcus would be happy to say nothing at allThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Check out our online store at https://cheaptalk.shop.Please send us your questions or comments!See all Cheap Talk episodes

A Cheap Talk emergency episode on the Israel-Iran conflict

Cheap Talk's Season 5 finale: Everyone is cheating their way through college; remembering Joe Nye; interpreting President Trump's big beautiful phone call with Vladimir Putin; evaluating the Golden Dome missile defense system; missile defense and strategic stability; and Marcus is looking forward to season 6We're mostly taking the summer off from podcasting (unless something big happens), but we'll be back to our regular weekly schedule in the fall. In the meantime, please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted. The opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Check out our online store at https://cheaptalk.shop.Please send us your questions or comments.Further Reading:Picture of Trump and Zelensky at the Vatican.See all Cheap Talk episodes

Some good arguments against AI use in the classroom; how students are actually using AI; the idea of AI as a learning coach; other models for AI use by students; testing out an AI prediction coach; the balance between coaching and just doing the work for you; issues to consider before deploying AI in the classroom; and Marcus does math without a calculatorTry the AI prediction coach described in the podcast (requires a free ChatGPT login)The opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted. Check out our online store at https://cheaptalk.shop.Please send us your questions or comments!Further Reading:Anthropic. 2025. Anthropic Education Report: How University Students Use Claude.See all Cheap Talk episodes

Iran nuclear talks are a marathon, not a sprint; three models for an Iran nuclear agreement; the role of technical expertise in nuclear negotiations; snap-back sanctions as a point of leverage; the demise of Iran's proxy network; a regional solution to the nuclear problem; President Trump's metrics for a successful deal; and Marcus says chafing is for amateursThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Check out our new

The resumption of Iran nuclear talks; direct vs. indirect negotiations; the administration's confusing messaging around the goals of talks; what kind of a deal is actually achievable; President Trump's potential advantages in trying to reach a deal; and Marcus looks ahead to 2032The opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Check out our new

We think if we just try harder, think more, or help more, things will work out. But the truth is—we can't control much. I've had to learn that over and over again. Even with good intentions, even when I do everything “right,” things don't go the way I thought they would.We believe we're in control of ourselves, of others, of the world. But real life doesn't work that way. It's messy, uncertain, and full of unexpected outcomes. Most of what we think we understand—especially as academics—is squishy. We explain 10%, but 90% is unexplained.So I've learned to step back. Stay in my tiny world. Be humble. Walk forward anyway. Even if I look like the bumbling fool, I get back up and keep going. That's the best we can do—accept the world as it is, and keep showing up.

Normalizing national security-related Signal chats; blaming Siri for revealing the Signal chat; what is the plan with US tariff policy; trade deficits are normal and fine; anti-expert public opinion; political dimensions to the tariff story; bringing manufacturing back to the United States; the domestic politics of tariffs; and Marcus is running a trade deficit with Fresh MarketThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Check out our new

High-level US government deliberations on the Signal app; the true beliefs of our national security leaders; why using Signal for national security discussions is a bad idea; classified information and Signal's security; the use of emoji in formal work settings; and Marcus is more of a WhatsApp personThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Please send us your questions or comments!Further Reading:Jeffrey Goldberg and Shane Harris. 2025. “Here Are the Attack Plans That Trump's Advisers Shared on Signal.” The Atlantic. Dan Black. 2025. “Signals of Trouble: Multiple Russia-Aligned Threat Actors Actively Targeting Signal Messenger.” Google Threat Intelligence.See all Cheap Talk episodes

Trip report from the 2025 International Studies Association Annual Conference; the reasons to attend academic conferences; whether diplomats will embrace virtual reality diplomacy; the usefulness of AI in diplomacy; teaching people to use AI; and Marcus goes out for deep dish pizzaThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Please send us your questions or comments!See all Cheap Talk podcasts

The disastrous return of face-to-face diplomacy between Trump and Zelensky; the ambush theory of international diplomacy; should this meeting have been an email; a stark signal to Europe and other allies; and Marcus' rooms have feelsThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted. Please send us your questions or comments!Further Reading:Marcus Holmes and Nicholas Wheeler. 2025. “Trump and Zelensky: when face-to-face diplomacy goes wrong it can be disastrous – especially if the whole world is watching.” The Conversation. See all Cheap Talk episodes

Five things we did this week; small signs of pushback against Elon Musk; foreign policy implications of DOGE; security risks from merging government computer systems; efficiency vs. other priorities in government; what's in a place name; the fleeting nature of place names in a digital world; maps as arbiters of truth; Mapquest does not care; and Marcus' rose is off the budThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted. Please send us your questions or comments!Further Reading:Mapquest's “Gulf of Something” websiteSee all Cheap Talk episodes

A bad week for Ukraine and transatlantic relations; Trump's mini-feud with Zelensky; a bargaining approach to the question of whether Zelensky could have avoided war; the return of spheres of influence; reassuring words from Vladimir Putin; Europe's appetite for securing a post-conflict Ukraine; and Marcus embraces rationalismThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted. Please send us your questions or comments!Further Reading:James D. Fearon. 1995. “Rationalist Explanations for War.” International Organization 49(3): 379–414.See all Cheap Talk podcasts

The Trump administration's early moves and their implications for US foreign policy; hollowing out expertise in the civil service; the loss of USAID; Trump's designs on the Gaza Strip; tough signals to Ukraine on upcoming negotiations; and Marcus is already working on the op-edThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted. Please send us your questions or comments!See all Cheap Talk podcasts

Pandas are back in our nation's capital; DeepSeek challenges the AI status quo; TikTok remains in legal limbo; how TikTok is like Bed Bath & Beyond; and Marcus is always up for a little China talkThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted. Please send us your questions or comments!Further Watching/Reading/Listening:Giant Panda Cam from the Smithsonian's National ZooGiant Pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao Play in the SnowEthan Mollick. 2025. “Which AI to Use Now: An Opinionated Guide.” One Useful Thing. Cheap Talk Podcast with Jaime Settle. 2024. “Mostly Golden Retriever Videos.”

The opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted. Please send us your questions or comments!

New products (and discounts!) in the Cheap Talk online store at cheaptalk.shop; heterarchy in international relations; rebel advances in Syria; continuing popular protests in Georgia; the German Chancellor visits Ukraine; and Marcus hates hand-washing coffee mugsThe Cheap Talk store has been restocked with new t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, and stickers, perfect for the IR enthusiast in your life. All new designs are on sale for a limited time. Order before 12/16 with expedited shipping to receive your items by Christmas.Cheap Talk is taking a holiday break, but will be back with new episodes in January. Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.The opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please send us your questions or comments!Further Reading/Listening:Check out the research of Kyuri Park at kyuripark.comDan Maliniak on Cheap Talk

Cheap Talk records live from Williamsburg, Virginia with the students of William & Mary's Government 204 course, Introduction to International Politics, answering questions about Ukraine, face-to-face diplomacy, the international relations paradigms, North Korea, and more; and Marcus had a good time(Our apologies for some audio issues this week—we hope you enjoy the podcast anyway. We will be back with our usual crystal clear audio next time.)The opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted. Please send us your questions or comments!

Moritz Graefrath joins Cheap Talk to discuss the new international relations board game World Order; the role of IR theory in the design of the game; how board games can teach us about the world; the state of board games today; some recommendations for getting started in gaming; and Marcus doesn't play board gamesMoritz Graefrath is a Security and Foreign Policy Postdoctoral Fellow at William & Mary's Global Research Institute. He is an academic advisor for the new board game World Order, available for backing on Kickstarter until December 5.The opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Please send us your questions or comments!See all Cheap Talk episodes

What to expect from the new Trump administration's foreign policy; uncertainty about Trump's foreign policy views; new risks for Ukraine; fewer limits on Israeli action in the Middle East; tariffs and trade barriers with China; poor prospects for cooperative efforts on climate change; hope for a new deal with North Korea but worries about South Korean security; the important role of foreign policy professionals in government; and Marcus will allow an opening statement if he gets a rebuttalThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted. Please send us your questions or comments!See all Cheap Talk episodes

Dan Maliniak joins Cheap Talk to discuss the recent elections in the country of Georgia; evidence of irregularities; how much of this is Russia's fault; European identity in Georgia; the path forward from here; the little-known fact that wine started in Georgia; what the US can do; and Marcus is a big Dave Matthews Band guyDan Maliniak is an associate professor of government at W&M. Check out his research on Google Scholar.The opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Please send us your questions or comments!Further Reading/Watching:Jesse Driscoll and F. Daniel Hidalgo. 2014. “Intended and unintended consequences of democracy promotion assistance to Georgia after the Rose Revolution.” Research & Politics 1(1).Dave Matthews Band. 2024. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

The Nobel Peace Prize awarded to atomic bomb survivors; the importance of living memory in international relations; the policy effect of first-person testimony; living through history and thus not repeating it; how society collectively understands history; and Marcus is not actually undecidedThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Please send us your questions or comments!Further Reading:Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Abe of Japan at Hiroshima Peace Memorial, May 27, 2016.Rebecca Davis Gibbons. 2018. “The humanitarian turn in nuclear disarmament and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.” The Nonproliferation Review 25 (1–2): 11–36.Michael C. Horowitz, Allan C. Stam, and Cali M. Ellis. 2015. Why Leaders Fight. Cambridge University Press.See all Cheap Talk episodes

How long it would take for Iran to have a nuclear weapon; where these estimates come from; Iran's strategy of nuclear hedging; why the Iran deal failed and the prospects for nuclear diplomacy; Israel's ability to strike Iran's nuclear program; NotebookLM and the arrival of AI podcasts; and Marcus is pretty sure he's human and not AI The opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Please send us your questions or comments!See all Cheap Talk episodes

The chain of events that led to Israel's attacks against Hezbollah; what could lead to a cessation of hostilities; Iran's attack on Israel and Israel's possible response; calls for Israel to attack Iran's nuclear program; the folly of “restoring deterrence” in the Middle East; diminished US leverage; and Marcus is still undecidedThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Please send us your questions or comments!See all Cheap Talk episodes

Israel's aims in its attacks on Hezbollah; Iran's role in the current conflict; what is a crisis, really; the US perspective; how to get to a ceasefire from here; OpenAI's new ChatGPT model; evaluating model risk; deceptive alignment; and Marcus is still an AI optimistThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Please send us your questions or comments!Further reading:OpenAI. 2024. “OpenAI o1 System Card.”Signal Samuel. 2024. “The new followup to ChatGPT is scarily good at deception,” Vox. See all Cheap Talk episodes

After Dark with Hosts Rob & Andrew – Now that two attempts have been made on Trump's life, you would think the rhetoric would be toned down, but it hasn't. Democrat presidential candidate VP Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Walz and the media continue pushing the Project 2025 hoax and that Trump will be a dictator on day one and end democracy. The media has even compared him to Hitler...

The exploding pager attacks in Lebanon; the use of pagers as communications infrastructure; supply chain vulnerabilities; the supposed safety of outdated technology; Israeli motivations for the attacks; the risk of escalation in the Middle East; and Marcus consults a focus groupThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Please send us your questions or comments!

Trash balloons on the Korean Peninsula; unification policy and public diplomacy; checking in on anarchy in the international system; why there isn't a world government; reasons to study (or ignore) international relations paradigms; the importance of thinking big thoughts in IR; and Marcus reveals he is anti-scienceThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Please send us your questions or comments!Further reading:Jin Yu Young. 2024. “North Korea Launches New Salvo of Balloons, but the South Barely Shrugs.” New York Times. David A. Lake. 2009. Hierarchy in International Relations. Cornell University Press. David A. Lake. 2011. “Why "isms" Are Evil: Theory, Epistemology, and Academic Sects as Impediments to Understanding and Progress.” International Studies Quarterly 55(2): 465–480.John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M.Walt. 2013. “Leaving theory behind: Why simplistic hypothesis testing is bad for International Relations.” European Journal of International Relations 19(3): 427–457.See all Cheap Talk episodes

Cheap Talk makes a triumphant return for its 5th season: sauna diplomacy; what Olympic medal counts say about international prestige; our new secret nuclear plan; transparency and nuclear deterrence; Ukraine's Kursk offensive; political vs. military goals in Ukraine; US restrictions on Ukraine's military efforts; and Marcus discovers long-standing concepts in international relationsPlease subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Please send us your questions or comments!Further Reading:Alyson Krueger. 2024. ‘Whatever Happens in the Sauna Stays in the Sauna': Diplomacy, Conducted in the Nude.” The New York Times.Robbie Gramer. 2023. “The Finnish Art of Sauna Diplomacy.” Foreign Policy.J. Patrick Rhamey, Jr. and Bryan R. Early. 2013. “Going for the gold: Status-seeking behavior and Olympic performance.” International Area Studies Review 16(3): 244-261.