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Independent Thinking

Chatham House
United States
China
Cybercrime
Ukraine
United Nations
COP28
Russia
Hamas
Climate Change
Taiwan
International Security Programme
Israel
Hezbollah
Loss and Damage Fund
Microsoft
Supreme Leader
India
Indonesia
Renewable Energy
Paris Agreement

Chatham House director Bronwen Maddox hosts conversations with leading policymakers, journalists and Chatham House experts to provide insight into the latest international political issues. Independent Thinking gives listeners the opportunity to engage with the high level conversations hosted by Chatham House.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes132Founded6 years ago
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News CommentaryPoliticsNews

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Latest Episodes

Bronwen Maddox is joined by Marc Weller, Director of Chatham House's International Law Programme; Laurel Rapp, Director of the US and North America Programme; and Christopher Sabatini, Senior Fellow for Latin America.

They discuss the failure of re... more

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In the last Independent Thinking podcast of 2025, host Bronwen Maddox is joined by David Lubin, Senior Research Fellow with Chatham House's Global Economy and Finance Programme; Marion Messmer, Director of the International Security Programme; and Yu... more

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This is a special edition of Chatham House's Independent Thinking international affairs podcast, recorded at the Doha Forum 2025.

Many of the official and backroom discussions at Qatar's annual gathering of more than 5,000 world leaders, policymak... more

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How are Europe and Ukraine reacting after the US and Russia sought to strike their own deal, and Putin warned that Moscow – while not planning for war with Europe – is 'ready right now'.

Host Bronwen Maddox is joined by Grégoire Roos, Director of t... more

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Key Facts

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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

James Kynge
Senior research fellow with the China team
Chatham House
Episode: Britain's budget – a recipe for growth or decline?
Bruce Stokes
Associate Fellow at Chatham House, former director of Global Economic Attitudes at the Pew Research Center
Chatham House
Episode: Mamdani won in New York. For Trump, was it a setback or backlash?
Steve Farrell
Head of News and Comment team, previously reported on New York's mayoral elections for The New York Times
Chatham House
Episode: Mamdani won in New York. For Trump, was it a setback or backlash?
Karien van Gennip
Former Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands and a member of the Christian Democratic Party Appeal
Christian Democratic Party Appeal
Episode: Europe after the Dutch elections. Goodbye far right? Not so fast.
Sébastien Maillard
Chatham House Associate Fellow of the Europe Programme and a special advisor to the Jacques Delors Institute.
Chatham House
Episode: Europe after the Dutch elections. Goodbye far right? Not so fast.
Laurel Rapp
Director of the US and North America Programme, previously with the State Department.
Chatham House
Episode: Trump's UK state visit sealed deals, but at what cost?
Olivia O'Sullivan
Director of the UK and the World Programme at Chatham House, a frequent podcast guest.
Chatham House
Episode: Trump's UK state visit sealed deals, but at what cost?
Dr. Julie Norman
Expert from University College London who has written extensively on Gaza.
University College London
Episode: What's the future for Gaza?
Stephen Farrell
Journalist and former Reuters bureau chief in Jerusalem.
Chatham House
Episode: What's the future for Gaza?

Host

Bronwen Maddox
Host of discussions, serving as director and bringing insightful expertise to the conversations.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 179 ratings
  • Different and thoughtful review of budget.

    An interesting review of the budget from both economic and political perspectives.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    CliveP2
    United Kingdom2 months ago
  • Excellent

    In the latest Sudan episode the Senior Research Fellow said that 90% of the gold under areas controlled by the Sudanese army and government is exported to the UAE whereas a UAE Ministry of Energy directive dated 7 August 2025 banned maritime interactions with Port Sudan, saying this was to protect the “strategic interest of the UAE”. A Reuters article dated October 21, 2025 states that there is a de facto UAE flight ban on Port Sudan and there are no direct commercial flights between the two and... more

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Pyankhy
    United Kingdom2 months ago
  • Quality

    Level-headed, informative & insightful.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MickOrd
    United Kingdom8 months ago
  • Insightful

    Insightful views on geopolitical issues every week, well worth following

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jontycrane
    New Zealand8 months ago
  • Poor audio mixing

    The overall audio level is sometimes very low, and there are significant differences in volume level and clarity between speakers in the same podcast.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Christopher Mexico
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The expert guests often lead to engaging, high-quality discussions that delve into timely matters.
Listeners appreciate the insightful and level-headed approach to complex geopolitical issues.
Some mention audio mixing issues, suggesting a need for improvement, particularly in sound clarity during episodes.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#72
United Kingdom/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#167
United Kingdom/News
Apple Podcasts
#55
Italy/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#235
Australia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#62
Israel/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#66
South Africa/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Iran's nuclear programme: destroyed, damaged or intact?
Q: What do you think the incentives for Iran are now? Just on this question of, does it go for a weapon or not?
Iran is likely to use any diplomatic negotiations around nuclear weapons as a time buying mechanism so that it can use this time to recover militarily and politically.
Iran's nuclear programme: destroyed, damaged or intact?
Q: Could they in fact make a nuclear weapon out of what they've got already, even if a rough one?
Not with the 60 percent enriched uranium. They would need to enrich to 90 percent.
What's the future for Gaza?
Q: What can we say about opinion within Israel regarding ongoing military actions in Gaza?
Overall, public sentiment among Israelis is shifting towards fatigue with the military campaign, with growing calls for a ceasefire and a different government.
What's the future for Gaza?
Q: Has Netanyahu's military strategy of defeating Hamas by force been consistent, or is it shifting?
Netanyahu's approach has been largely consistent despite the impracticality of completely defeating Hamas militarily; his military actions aim for maximum pressure instead.
What's the future for Gaza?
Q: To what extent is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Gaza strategy being driven by internal political pressures?
Netanyahu's strategy is heavily influenced by the need to address his corruption trial and maintain power, which requires appeasing right-wing elements within his coalition government.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Independent Thinking

What is Independent Thinking about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Expert discussions on pressing global issues form the core of this podcast, characterized by insights from policymakers, journalists, and adept analysts. Through a series of insightful conversations, listeners are invited to engage with topics such as international relations, economic policies, humanitarian crises, and the evolving political landscapes across various nations. Special emphasis is placed on significant geopolitical dynamics including the impact of U.S. foreign policies, European political trends, and the intricate socio-economic challenges facing countries like Ukraine and Sudan.

Noteworthy for its high-level dialogues, the content garners attention for both its informative depth and the caliber of guests invited, providing ... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Independent Thinking?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Independent Thinking:

1. Global Security Briefing
2. The Rachman Review
3. Political Fix
4. Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government
5. The Foreign Affairs Interview

How many episodes of Independent Thinking are there?

Independent Thinking launched 6 years ago and published 132 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Independent Thinking?

Recent guests on Independent Thinking include:

1. James Kynge
2. Bruce Stokes
3. Steve Farrell
4. Karien van Gennip
5. Sébastien Maillard
6. Laurel Rapp
7. Olivia O'Sullivan
8. Dr. Julie Norman

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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