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Join Professor Jeffrey Sachs and historian, Professor Richard Overy for an insightful conversation on one of humanity’s most unsettling questions: Why do we wage war? In his book, Why War? Overy takes us on a journey across time, from the ancient battlefields of the Roman Empire to the devastation of the World Wars and the conflicts shaping our present.

Together, they examine what drives organized violence? Is it hardwired into human nature, or does it stem from competition for resources, power, and security? Drawing on psychology, history, and political strategy, Overy dissects the deep-rooted forces behind war— confronting the stark realities of conflict and examining whether war is an inescapable part of our past—or an unavoidable part of our future. This episode doesn’t shy away from the hard truths—there are no easy answers, and Overy delivers no false hope.

The Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs is brought to you by the SDG Academy, the flagship education initiative of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Learn more and get involved at bookclubwithjeffreysachs.org.

Footnotes:

• Why Do Humans Make War?
• Statecraft
• Yugoslav Wars
• Aristotelianism
• Barbarian
• Proxy War
• Peloponnesian Wars
• Thucydides
• Jihad
• Israeli - Palestinian Conflict
• Nuremberg Trials
• Hermann Goering
• Demagogue of Athens
• Britain Mercantile State
• New Imperialism
• Hobbes Social Contract
• Munich Agreement
• Operation Paperclip
• Stalin’s Rise to Power

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Join Professor Jeffrey Sachs and global security expert Jon Wolfsthal to unravel the stark reality behind the Doomsday Clock - now set at a perilous 89 seconds to midnight. What does this ominous timepiece truly measure, and why has humanity never been closer to catastrophe? Wolfsthal offers a behind-the-scenes look at the decision-making process that determines the clock’s position and insights into how and if we can move the clock further away from midnight.

Together, they dive deep into the rising threats of nuclear war, climate change, AI-driven warfare, and biological risks, exposing the fragile state of global security. The conversation traces the history of the clock—from moments of de-escalation, like the Cold War’s end, to the unraveling of arms control agreements and the resurgence of dangerous geopolitical tensions. But it’s not all doom and gloom—this episode also lays out real, actionable solutions to push back from the brink and build a safer future. Can world leaders act in time, or are we sleepwalking into disaster? Tune in for a crucial discussion on humanity’s future—before it’s too late.

Footnotes:

• Doomsday Clock
• Bulletin of Atomic Scientists
• Einstein and the Nuclear Arms Race
• Treaty on the Prohibition Nuclear Weapons
• Ivana Nikolić Hughes
• Nuclear Weapon
• Oppenheimer
• Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
• JFK Peace Speech
• Cuban Missile Crisis
• Biowarfare
• Alpha Fold Nobel Prize
• Dual-use Technology
• Biosafety Level
• Genetic Engineering
• Disruptive Technologies
• Truman and Oppenheimer
• Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System

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Join Professor Jeffrey Sachs and historian Eugene Rogan, professor of Modern Middle Eastern History at Oxford, as they delve into the complex history of the Arab world, from the Ottoman conquest in 1516 to today’s geopolitical crises of the modern Middle East. Through the lens of his acclaimed book The Arabs: A History, Rogan brilliantly examines the long history of foreign domination, the rise of Arab nationalism, the roles of Europe and the US as outside powers, and the unresolved conflicts shaping the Middle East until today.

Together, they offer us a masterclass in history that sheds light on the urgent questions of war, power, and the possibility of peace in the region. From Ottoman rule to European colonialism, the impact of the Balfour Declaration, and the ongoing Israeli Palestinian conflict, the conversation provides crucial historical context for today’s challenges.

The Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs is brought to you by the SDG Academy, the flagship education initiative of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Learn more and get involved at bookclubwithjeffreysachs.org.

Footnotes:

• Zionist
• Palestine and Israel Conflict
• British Mandate for Palestine
• Balfour Declaration
• Capture of Cairo (1517)
• Potentates
• Fly Whisk
• Panic of 1819
• Creditor Nation
• Sovereignty
• World War I
• Constantinople Agreement
• The Fall of the Ottomans: The Great War in the Middle East
• Balkan Wars
• King Krane Commission
• White Paper of 1939
• Ethnic Cleansing

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