Echoes of History: Combing through global trends

Is the world entering a new era of great power rivalry that echoes the years before World War I? What lessons from history can help today's leaders avoid a larger global conflict? In this episode of The Hub, Wang Guan speaks with renowned historian, Professor Odd Arne Westad, Elihu Professor of History and Global Affairs at Yale University. They explore how today's geopolitical tensions compare with the unstable decades before World War I. The conversation examines the risks posed by unresolved regional conflicts, rising great power competition, and a weakening role for international institutions. They discuss the importance of the United Nations, the growing complexity of nuclear deterrence, and why arms control remains essential in a multipolar world.