Re-centering Ethics: Finding a Path Forward in a Fragmented World

Robert D. Kaplan, author and distinguished senior lecturer at the University of Texas at Austin, visited Carnegie Council in October to deliver the Third Charles W. Kegley, Jr. Annual Lecture, titled "Getting China Right: The Ultimate Moral Dilemma." The United States has a long history of misreading China. Whether misjudging the outcome of the Chinese Civil War in the 1940s, underestimating the severity of Mao Zedong's rule, or expecting that membership in the World Trade Organization would encourage a shift toward free markets and democracy, American assessments have often diverged from reality. The stakes are now higher. Similar miscalculations today could carry consequences on the scale of World War I. Bestselling author Robert D. Kaplan, who has spent decades studying and reporting on China and East Asian geopolitics, addresses one of the central ethical questions for realism in our time: How can the U.S. avoid miscalculating again in its approach to China? Following the lecture, Kaplan was joined by Stephen D. Hibbard, former chair of Carnegie Council, for further discussion of this topic and reflections on his career covering some of the most significant geopolitical events in recent history. For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/kegley-lecture-robert-d-kaplan

Asha Rangappa, a former FBI special agent and current senior lecturer at the Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs, joins "Values & Interests" to discuss how the weaponization of institutions has tested American democracy, why she still believes in public service, and the need to rediscover political courage as a moral imperative. This episode was recorded on October 21, prior to the U.S. midterm elections. Be sure to subscribe to "Carnegie Council" wherever you stream your podcasts. Access all "Values & Interests" episodes: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-podcast

Over two years, our Carnegie Ethics Fellows have been meeting with professionals across the international affairs field to learn about ethical decision-making, develop their capabilities, and become examples of values-driven responsible leadership. The Fellows have also been working on group projects around emerging ethical issues: water ethics, AI in healthcare, ethics of economic and national security, and the ethics of AI in humanitarian response.  For their culminating experience, the Fellows hosted the Carnegie Ethics Fellows Symposium on October 15, 2026, a day-long conference to discuss their projects, alongside experts working on these topics.  For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/cef-symposium-2026

How does ethics shape the way we understand and respond to the defining challenges of our time? For Global Ethics Day 2026, experts from across disciplines convened to examine what it means to re-center ethics in a fragmented and rapidly changing world at Carnegie Council's flagship event, attended virtually by people from 69 different countries. The discussion spanned finance and governance, climate change, the impact of emerging technologies, and more. How do different sectors weigh questions of responsibility, accountability, and judgment?

How do we explain breakthroughs in international cooperation that seem to defy the odds, especially during periods of great power competition and geopolitical tension? The answer centers on social power: the capacity of transnational networks—groups of individuals who transcend national boundaries at the societal or elite levels—to champion transformational ideas that reshape global norms and move governments, without coercion or payment. This event showcases insights from "Transnational Political Networks and the Future of Global Order," a multi-year research initiative funded by the Andrew Carnegie Foundation and led by Northeastern University's Professor Mai'a K. Davis Cross. The project's core finding is that networks oriented toward the common good, operating at a global or regional scale, and pursuing transformational rather than transactional goals are consistently more likely to achieve cooperative breakthroughs. The convening brought together five key contributors to the project for a focused panel conversation running counter to geopolitical pessimism, with topics ranging from AI to human rights to Russia's war against Ukraine to environmental protection. This event was generously supported by the Andrew Carnegie Foundation.

AI is having a seismic impact on how states interact with each other. As the frontier AI labs of the U.S. and China drive innovation forward, dominate compute capabilities, and seek to control critical supply chains, smaller states are facing new challenges to their own sovereignty. What geopolitical pathways exist for states to access the benefits of AI, while still maintaining their independence? Arun Sundararajan, professor at New York University's Stern School of Business, joins the "Values & Interests" podcast for the first interview in a new series of conversations exploring the issue of AI sovereignty. Together with host Kevin Maloney, Professor Sundararajan analyzes the emerging moral, technological, and geopolitical questions facing states in the age of AI. Be sure to subscribe to "Carnegie Council" to access future episodes in the special series. Access all "Values & Interests" episodes: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-podcast

People are rapidly losing faith in multilateral institutions. Heela Rasool-Ayub, co-director of the Power, People, and Planet Initiative at New America, joined "Values & Interests" to discuss potential pathways toward a more inclusive and responsive international system. Drawing upon her family's journey from Afghanistan to the United States and her career across the Foreign Service—at both USAID and as Director for Global Engagement at the National Security Council—Heela discusses how her values system has informed her commitment to the principle of cooperation and her ongoing work to create a more human-centric multilateral future.  Access Heela's latest report, "The Future of Multilateralism Is Up for Grabs," here: https://www.newamerica.org/insights/multilateralism-is-up-for-grabs/ Be sure to subscribe to "Carnegie Council" wherever you stream your podcasts. Access all "Values & Interests" episodes: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-podcast

Can cooperation remain a source of influence in an era of growing competition? Velislava Petrova-Chamova, Bulgaria's Minister of Foreign Affairs, joined "Values & Interests" during the week of the UN General Assembly to explore the nature of power in international affairs and the importance of pragmatism when working through geopolitical issues. Petrova-Chamova details how her time as a scientist during the COVID-19 pandemic affects how she approaches her work today. From delivering tangible results for citizens to balancing principles with political realities, the conversation examines how ethical considerations inform foreign policy decisions. Be sure to subscribe to "Carnegie Council" wherever you stream your podcasts. Access all "Values & Interests" episodes: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-podcast

As new technologies transform the way wars are fought, the ethical and humanitarian stakes of armed conflict continue to evolve. With the rise of cyber and hybrid warfare, as well as the development of lethal autonomous weapons systems, what has been lost in ethical thinking about war as it moves further away from human experience? How can we revisit and adapt our moral frameworks to restore the voices of soldiers, veterans, and civilian victims of warfare? This "Ethics Empowered: Leadership in Practice" discussion was moderated by Adam Read-Brown, Carnegie Council's executive editor and director of journal programming. For more, please go to: https://carnegiecouncil.co/ethics-empowered-listening-to-conflict

How has private wealth accumulation by a select few undermined both U.S. democracy and global security? Author and journalist Casey Michel joins "Values & Interests" to discuss his book, "United States of Oligarchy." Drawing on Aristotle's definition of oligarchy and the legacy of the Gilded Age, Michel argues that a small number of wealthy Americans are not only reshaping domestic politics but effectively privatizing U.S. foreign policy. From technology leaders' ties to authoritarian governments to the intersection of private investment and diplomacy, the conversation examines what happens when personal ambitions displace public responsibilities. What distinguishes today's billionaires from earlier generations of American industrialists? And how might reforms to campaign finance, taxation, and financial transparency help restore democratic accountability? Be sure to subscribe to "Carnegie Council" wherever you stream your podcasts. Access all "Values & Interests" episodes: https://carnegiecouncil.co/values-interests-podcast