The Sanctions Age

What Makes Sanctions Termination So Difficult

The Sanctions Age Season 3 Episode 5

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0:00 | 48:02

When sanctions make the news it is usually because new measures are being imposed on a country, company, or individual. But sometimes, the news is that sanctions are being lifted. As discussed in the first episode of this season, the Trump administration has offered Venezuela sanctions relief as part of the arrangement that brought Delcy Rodriguez to power. The second episode examined the impact of the Iran war on Russia, including a surprising general license temporarily rolling back sanctions on Russian oil exports. Last week, the podcast tackled Syria’s economic recovery, which has been spurred by nearly all U.S. and EU sanctions. These recent developments demonstrate the importance of thinking how to remove sanctions when political conditions require.

But what does it mean to lift sanctions? This episode addresses the complex issue of sanctions termination. Drawing on the insights of two pioneers in the study of sanctions termination, the episode explores the political and economic conditions necessary for the successful removal of sanctions.

Julia Grauvogel is a Senior Researcher at the German Institute for Global and Area Studies where she has led several multi-year research projects on the sanctions termination. She is also a professor at Leuphana University in Lüneburg. Hana Attia is a Junior Professor of Security Policy and Peace at Leuphana University and Research Fellow at the German Institute for Global and Area Studies, affiliated with the Middle East Department. She has worked extensively on sanctions issues and is a frequent collaborator with Julia on research projects.

The Sanctions Age is hosted by Esfandyar Batmanghelidj and Josefine Petrick.

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