What happens when a global order loses its story? In today’s world, it’s not just borders and alliances that are shifting. What’s also shifting are the shared narratives that held them together. The American-led order, once animated by the promise of liberal universalism, is now fraying at the edges. But this isn’t just a moment of geopolitical transition. It’s something deeper. There’s a crisis of meaning and purpose of power.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the United States itself. From isolationist reflexes to post-truth politics, the idea of America is being rewritten. And as the US redefines itself, the world must confront the fallout. But then, it’s not just the US alone. Even China, Europe, Russia and countries like India are in the process of shaping new identities.

To make sense of all this, On this episode of The Great Power Show, I speak with Bruno Maçães, former Portuguese Secretary of State for European Affairs and one of the most original geopolitical thinkers of our time. We explore what he calls the “moments of disorder” that mark the end of old world orders, and the birth of new ones. We talk about America’s evolving sense of self, Europe’s disillusionment, and the nature of power in a multipolar world.

All of this of course is also happening at a moment when technology is changing the very essence of geopolitical competition. Maçães believes that the old geopolitics of land and sovereignty is being replaced today by a new struggle over digital architectures and artificial worlds. This provocative thesis contends that geo-political contestation today implies building virtual systems and forcing others to live inside them. From cinematic politics to civilisational divergences and technological revolutions, this is a conversation about the deep structure of change.

As always, I hope you enjoy the conversation. Please like, share, and rate the episode. And if you’d like to support the show or the work I do, feel free to reach out.

Books by Maçães:

• The Dawn of Eurasia: On the Trail of the New World Order (2018)

• Belt and Road: A Chinese World Order (2019)

• History Has Begun: The Birth of a New America (2020)

• Geopolitics for the End Time: From the Pandemic to the Climate Crisis (2021)

• World Builders: Technology and the New Geopolitics (2025)

About: The Great Power Show is a bi-weekly podcast featuring candid conversations and thought-provoking interviews with leading scholars, thinkers and practitioners on the geopolitical and geo-economic changes shaping our world.

Technology has always been a force multiplier in geopolitics. But today, it’s much more than that. It’s a source of power, a trigger for conflict, and a key arena in the contest for global leadership. Nowhere is this clearer than in the intensifying rivalry between the US and China.

From tariffs to export controls, from AI regulations to investment screening, the two powers are locked in a battle, not just over who leads in technology, but over what technological leadership should look like. This contest is reshaping globalisation, redrawing alliances, and rewriting the rules of innovation.

But what exactly are the goals behind Washington’s strategy? How does Beijing see it? And what do these shifts mean for countries that find themselves caught in between?

On this episode of The Great Power Show, I speak with Ryan Fedasiuk, former Advisor for Bilateral Affairs at the U.S. Department of State’s China House and an adjunct professor at Georgetown University. Ryan brings a unique and thoughtful perspective to these questions, having worked at the intersection of technology and diplomacy.

We explore the evolving thinking in the US around technology competition…from Liberation Day to Geneva and London. We also look back at the policies adopted by the Biden administration, and unpack the logic behind industrial policy in both China and the US.

• Ryan’s Substack: Emerging Cracks in the China Tech Consensus

• CSET Report: Harnessed Lightning How the Chinese Military is Adopting Artificial Intelligence

As always, I hope you enjoy the conversation. Please like, share, and rate the episode. And if you’d like to support the show or the work I do, feel free to reach out.

About: The Great Power Show is a bi-weekly podcast featuring candid conversations and thought-provoking interviews with leading scholars, thinkers and practitioners on the geopolitical and geo-economic changes shaping our world.

In politics today, communication is power. It shapes public opinion, manages crises, drives diplomacy, and fuels ideological battles. The ability to craft, control, and circulate messages is central to how power works, and how it’s challenged.

The news media is right at the heart of this. Nowhere is that more evident than in India. The country’s media ecosystem is huge, and often chaotic. But beneath the noise, deeper shifts are underway. Journalism in India is being reshaped by changing political dynamics, new technologies, and a battle for trust.

On this episode of The Great Power Show, I speak with veteran journalist Sachin Kalbag about how Indian media is responding to these changes. Sachin has held top editorial positions across some of India’s biggest newsrooms. He’s also reported from Washington, D.C. as a foreign correspondent. So he brings a rare and wide-ranging perspective to this conversation.

We unpack the good, the bad, and the ugly trends in Indian journalism. We talk about the evolving relationships between journalists, politicians, and civil servants. We also look outward, at the global media landscape. Why is journalism no longer seen as neutral, anywhere in the world? And does a country like India need its own credible, globally visible media platforms?

As always, I hope you enjoy the conversation. Please like and share the episode, and take a moment to rate the podcast. And if you’d like to support the show or the work I do, feel free to reach out to me.

About: The Great Power Show is a bi-weekly podcast featuring candid conversations and thought-provoking interviews with leading scholars, thinkers and practitioners on the geopolitical and geo-economic changes shaping our world.