Melissa Chan joins to discuss her career reporting across Asia and why she pivoted from journalism to co-creating the graphic novel "You Must Take Part In Revolution" with activist-artist Badiucao. We discuss the book's visual style (Chinese watercolor influences, Frank Miller's Sin City palette, and manga elements), the subversive Mao-derived title, and a near-future plot spanning Hong Kong to a 2035 war over Taiwan amid surveillance, drones, and AI. Chan describes choices around depicting resistance, representation, and hidden "Easter eggs," and reflects on the book's strong reception.

Hosts: Sheena Chestnut Greitens and Ryan Vest

Producer: Jordan Morning

We host Shivshankar Menon to discuss his recent article, "A New World Order? Be Careful What You Wish For." Menon, the former national security advisor to the Indian prime minister, examines the historical rarity of stable world orders and the dangers of contemporary nostalgia for a perceived "golden age" of stability.

The conversation explores the tension between a globalized economy and fragmented local politics, questioning whether the current distribution of power can support a formal international order. Menon characterizes the present era as a "world adrift" and argues that progress often emerges from such periods of political disorder. We also address India's strategic role in navigating this environment through issue-based coalitions rather than traditional spheres of influence.

Hosts: Sheena Chestnut Greitens and Francis J. Gavin

Producer: Jordan Morning

Nathan Wood, author of "Bombs, Bots, and the Principle of Distinction: The Law of Armed Conflict and Contemporary Warfare," speaks on the principle of distinction in an age of autonomous warfare. He argues that while some concerns about these technologies are valid, we must move beyond general debates to address the specific legal and operational realities of concrete systems. Our conversation explores how the US military can utilize these advancements while maintaining a fundamental, felt sense of human responsibility.

Hosts: Sheena Chestnut Greitens and Ryan Vest

Producer: Jordan Morning