#internationalrelations

Interviews

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Do you love reading and learning about the latest work, research, analysis, and practice within the fields of communications, economics, international relations, or related topics?

If so, welcome. Here you may read and get inspired by short articles and interviews with professionals, scholars, independent researchers, and practitioners who present and discuss their work within the fields mentioned above. Every interview ends with our interviewee's advice to junior professionals, scholars, researchers, and practitioners who are working within the same field as them.

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Analyzing the Swiss & U.S. Financial, Political & Academic Elites: Interview with Felix Bühlmann

Sorina I. Crisan, PhD

Sep 6
8 min

Analyzing the Swiss & U.S. Financial, Political & Academic Elites: Interview with Felix Bühlmann

What does it look like to research and analyze the Swiss and U.S. elites? If you are curious to learn about some of the specific characteristics of the financial, political, and academic elites living in Switzerland vs. the U.S., then the work of Felix Bühlmann will greatly intrigue you. Dr. Bühlmann is an Associate Professor of Social and Political Sciences and a Coordinator of the Swiss Elite Observatory (Obelis), at the University of Lausanne, in Switzerland. In this inter

Switzerland’s UNSC Membership: Interview with Fabien Merz about his Research on Swiss Foreign Policy

Sorina I. Crisan, PhD

Aug 9
8 min

Switzerland’s UNSC Membership: Interview with Fabien Merz about his Research on Swiss Foreign Policy

What does it look like to work within the fields of counter-terrorism and Swiss foreign policy, in Switzerland? If you aspire towards having a career as an international relations (IR) researcher and analyst, then the international security focused work and personal story of Fabien Merz will greatly inspire you. Merz is a Senior Researcher in the Swiss and Euro-Atlantic Security Team at the Center for Security Studies (CSS) at the ETH in Zurich, Switzerland. He is also a co-

Call for Book Chapter Proposals: "UN/ORGANIZED: Interorganizational Cooperation & Crisis Management"

Sorina I. Crisan, PhD

Jul 4
3 min

Call for Book Chapter Proposals: "UN/ORGANIZED: Interorganizational Cooperation & Crisis Management"

The vision and mission for this volume is to showcase a variety of academic/scholarly work that discusses the opportunities and challenges facing past and current interorganizational cooperation frameworks and crisis management techniques utilized by the United Nations System and various regional organizations, and the international consequences they have on different populations. Invitation by Sorina I. Crisan, PhD Persuasive Discourse invites book chapter proposals to be i

Insights from Working in Afghanistan & Ukraine: Interview with Cristina Teleki, PhD

Sorina I. Crisan, PhD

May 31
12 min

Insights from Working in Afghanistan & Ukraine: Interview with Cristina Teleki, PhD

How does the day-to-day work and life of an ICRC female Field Delegate look like in countries such as: Afghanistan, Ukraine, or Georgia? If you aspire towards a career in the humanitarian field or are curious to learn from the experiences of someone who chooses this honorable, important, and courageous life path, then the work and story of Dr. Cristina Teleki will greatly inspire you. Dr. Teleki is a legal scholar and a humanitarian professional whose academic research and pr

Stronger Together: International Fundraising with Michel Fornasier Helps Give Children a Hand

Sorina I. Crisan, PhD

Apr 25
12 min

Stronger Together: International Fundraising with Michel Fornasier Helps Give Children a Hand

What type of work can help children at the international level while successfully combining philanthropy, collaboration, and 3D printing? A creative and inspiring answer to this question is the example of the impactful work accomplished by Michel Fornasier, the founder of Give Children a Hand Foundation. Fornasier, whose actions are guided by the belief that we are stronger together, currently works alongside teams from various countries to help: (1) manufacture free prosthet

Swiss Education & Hospitality Industry: Interview with Anne-Sophie Delval, PhD

Sorina I. Crisan, PhD

Mar 23
12 min

Swiss Education & Hospitality Industry: Interview with Anne-Sophie Delval, PhD

How is Swiss education perceived internationally and why do hospitality schools located in Switzerland choose to capitalize on this perception? In her recently published book, Dr. Anne-Sophie Delval not only answers the aforementioned questions, but also discusses and deconstructs what the concept of ‘international,’ “really means, and what it implies for organizations and individuals.” In this interview, you will be able to learn details about Dr. Delval’s book on the inter

How to Succeed in Academia: Career Advice for Junior Scholars from 5 Experienced Academics

Sorina I. Crisan, PhD

Mar 3
6 min

How to Succeed in Academia: Career Advice for Junior Scholars from 5 Experienced Academics

Review and brief analysis of the academic advice offered to junior scholars by five academics interviewed by Persuasive Discourse.

World Politics & UN Peacebuilding: Interview with Sara Hellmüller, PhD

Sorina I. Crisan, PhD

Jan 18
6 min

World Politics & UN Peacebuilding: Interview with Sara Hellmüller, PhD

How does the emerging multipolar world order influence United Nations peacebuilding approaches? If you are an international relations scholar, a peacebuilding practitioner, or someone who wants to learn about current peace research, then Dr. Hellmüller’s work will greatly appeal to you. In this brief interview you will learn about: Dr. Hellmüller’s strategies to coin her research questions, the methodological approach she’s taking to structure and conduct her work, the unexpe

Afghanistan Governance: The Illusion of Political Inclusion & Stability

Sorina I. Crisan, PhD

Dec 29, 2021
9 min

Afghanistan Governance: The Illusion of Political Inclusion & Stability

What is the political and security situation in Afghanistan today? While under the intense scrutiny of the international community, the Taliban are employing their acquired experience of the social and conventional media to try to put forth an image of fairness, inclusion, and respect for all Afghan lives. As such, at the beginning of September 2021, the Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar said the following: “We’re working to establish an inclusive government that repr

Human Coding, Machine-Learning Techniques & Discourse Analysis: Interview with David Sylvan, PhD

Sorina I. Crisan, PhD

Dec 16, 2021
7 min

Human Coding, Machine-Learning Techniques & Discourse Analysis: Interview with David Sylvan, PhD

Are you interested to learn about current research employing both human coding and machine-learning (ML) techniques, within the social sciences? If so, in this short interview, you will be able to read about Dr. David Sylvan’s reasons for undertaking such a methodological approach within his own research and the benefits/dis-benefits of utilizing human coding versus ML techniques to conduct discourse analysis within the field of international relations/political science. Dr.

Studying & Teaching Security Studies in Pakistan vs. the U.S.: Interview with Sannia Abdullah, PhD

Sorina I. Crisan, PhD

Nov 9, 2021
7 min

Studying & Teaching Security Studies in Pakistan vs. the U.S.: Interview with Sannia Abdullah, PhD

Do you ever struggle with following the path on which your heart might lead you? If so, to help motivate and gently nudge you to follow your dream, here is a riveting and deeply personal interview with Dr. Abdullah, that shows how even amid the great challenges that life might bring, one must embrace uncertainty, persist in achieving their dreams, and confidently follow the path on which their heart may lead them. In this inspiring article you will read about Dr. Abdullah's p

The Spatial Turn in Peace & Conflict Studies: Interview with Annika Björkdahl, PhD

Sorina I. Crisan, PhD

Oct 26, 2021
4 min

The Spatial Turn in Peace & Conflict Studies: Interview with Annika Björkdahl, PhD

Have you ever wondered: Where does peace take place? If so, you are not alone and Prof. Björkdahl’s work is here to answer your question. In this brief interview you will learn about: the role and contributions of spatial analysis to peace and conflict research, how spatial features may be understood as “manifestations of peace and war,” that learning about the spatial approaches employed by “geographers of peace” is a useful undertaking for political scientists, and that und

Public Speaking & Psychological Distance: U.S. Perceptions of South Vietnam & of Its Allies AUS & FR

Sorina I. Crisan, PhD

Sep 24, 2021
8 min

Public Speaking & Psychological Distance: U.S. Perceptions of South Vietnam & of Its Allies AUS & FR

How did the U.S. administration justify its intervention in South Vietnam? And, what was the U.S. perception of its allies, France and Australia, when trying to persuade them to join its military intervention in support of the South Vietnamese government’s fight against North Vietnam? Following is a brief article, based on excerpts from Crisan's PhD thesis, that explains the rhetoric employed by U.S. political figures to address the aforementioned themes and to portray the U.

Psychological vs. Social Distance: How They Apply to Your Life & to Research

Sorina I. Crisan, PhD

Aug 29, 2021
8 min

Psychological vs. Social Distance: How They Apply to Your Life & to Research

By Sorina I. Crisan, PhD. Why is the concept of 'distance' important today? With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there has been much discussion about maintaining 'social distance' between people in order to save lives. But what exactly is social distancing, within the context of a pandemic, and how does it differentiate itself from other types of distances, as described by various literatures and the sciences? If you are curious to learn more, following is a brief overview tha

Grow Your Research Knowledge & Community

Sorina I. Crisan, PhD

Jul 21, 2021
3 min

Grow Your Research Knowledge & Community

Do you love reading and learning about research, writing, and analysis within the field of international relations? If so, welcome, you have come to the right section of this website. Here you may read and get inspired by short articles and interviews with scholars and practitioners who present and discuss their work within the fields of foreign policy, communications, persuasion, perception, psychological distance, decision making, diplomacy, public speaking, international s

Interviews

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Learn about Persuasive

Written & Oral Communication

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Do you love reading and learning about the latest work, research, analysis, and practice within the fields of communications, economics, international relations, or related topics?