Explainers

Videos

Visual stories that delve into some of the world’s most pressing issues.

Explainers Video Filters and Cards

Global Governance
The G20 Mexico Summit
As world leaders prepare for the Group of Twenty nations summit June 18-20 in Los Cabos, Mexico, CFR’s Stewart M. Patrick talks with Enrique Berruga of the Mexican Council on Foreign Relations about the upcoming meeting and the G20’s future.
Iran
IAEA-Iran Talks: Three Things to Know
The talks between Iranian and IAEA officials will focus on potential inspections at the Parchin military base, and the outcome will influence upcoming P5+1 nuclear talks with Iran in Moscow, says CFR’s Michael Levi.
Global
How Globalization Affects Transnational Crime
With drug legalization increasingly debated by world leaders, CFR’s Stewart Patrick and Phil Williams of the University of Pittsburgh discuss the explosion of transnational crime in a globalized world.
Europe
The Eurozone Crisis: Three Things to Know
With the eurozone crisis at a "critical" point, substantive interim measures are needed to reestablish stability while long-term fundamental changes are pursued, says CFR’s Robert E. Rubin.
Egypt
Egypt’s Presidential Elections: Three Things to Know
Egyptians’ first free presidential election is a test of the power of Islamist parties, and the new president will shape the country’s future by helping craft a new constitution as well as a new relationship with parliament and the military, says CFR’s Isobel Coleman.
Development
The G8 Summit: Three Things to Know
The G8 meeting at Camp David will focus on food security and advancing political transitions in the Middle East and North Africa, while the debate over solutions to the eurozone crisis will largely shift to the G20 forum, says CFR’s Terra Lawson-Remer.
Brazil
Brazil’s Perspective on the Global Economy
After emerging from the 2008 financial crisis relatively unscathed, Brazil’s inevitable entrance into the club of major global powers is increasingly accepted. CFR’s Stewart M. Patrick and Carlos Simonsen Leal of the Brazilian Getulio Vargas Foundation discuss Brazil’s perspective on global finance and international security.
Japan
The U.S.-Japan Summit: Three Things to Know
CFR’s Sheila Smith highlights the significance of the U.S.-Japan Summit as the first state visit by the Democratic Party’s Prime Minister, Yoshihiko Noda, which features a broad agenda and comes at a time when both Prime Minister Noda and President Obama face political challenges domestically.
Elections and Voting
Video Brief: Civil Liberties
Civil liberties will present the winner of the 2012 U.S. presidential elections with challenges related to counterterrorism powers and practices, as well as challenges related to privacy rights, says CFR’s Matthew C. Waxman.
Security Alliances
The Future of NATO
As U.S. and European leaders prepare for the NATO summit in May, CFR’s Stewart M. Patrick and Chatham House Director Robin Niblett discuss why the alliance will remain important for Europe and the United States after NATO withdraws from Afghanistan.
Elections and Voting
France’s Presidential Election: Three Things to Know
Following the first round of France’s presidential election, CFR’s Charles A. Kupchan discusses Nicolas Sarkozy’s chances and the potential impact of a Francois Hollande win on transatlantic ties and the eurozone crisis.
Global Governance
Global Governance in a Changing World
In the wake of the debate over electing a non-American president of the World Bank, CFR’s Stewart Patrick and Thierry de Montbrial of the French Institute for International Relations discuss the challenges of reforming global institutions to include emerging powers.
Cuba
Lessons Learned: Bay of Pigs Invasion
CFR’s James M. Lindsay remembers the Bay of Pigs invasion, which began on April 17, 1961, and discusses the importance of preparing for failure and planning accordingly.
United States
Lessons Learned: General MacArthur’s Dismissal
CFR’s James M. Lindsay remembers President Harry Truman’s announcement on April 11, 1951, that he had dismissed General Douglas MacArthur as commanding general of U.S. forces in Korea, and discusses the principle of civilian control of the military.
United States
Video Brief: Foreign Aid
The winner of the 2012 U.S. presidential election will have to address shifting priorities and maintain the relevancy and impact of U.S. foreign aid as government assistance is dwarfed by other forms of capital flows and new donor countries emerge, says CFR’s Isobel Coleman.