Media Commentary and Expert Interviews

Research-informed perspectives on international affairs

My research and expertise inform public debate on international relations, diplomacy, small-state power, Pacific geopolitics and climate change. I contribute expert commentary and interviews to international and regional media, bringing academic research and a Pacific perspective to questions of global significance.

My media engagement focuses on the international relations of small and island states, the exercise of soft power, geopolitical developments in the Pacific, regional security and the role of Pacific Island states in international climate diplomacy. Through interviews, written commentary and podcasts, I examine how political actors navigate international pressures, exercise agency and shape the debates and decisions that affect their countries and communities.

My contributions have appeared in international and regional media, including The Guardian, Taipei Times, BBC, Bloomberg, Radio New Zealand Pacific and The Fiji Times, as well as policy-oriented platforms such as Chatham House.

Selected Media Coverage and Interviews

Pacific Geopolitics and Regional Security

My commentary examines the changing geopolitical environment of the Pacific, the foreign policy choices of Pacific island states and the implications of external engagement for regional priorities and political agency.

• August 2025 | The Guardian — Tuvalu considers pulling out of the Pacific leaders' summit amid China-linked power struggle.

• August 2025 | Taipei Times — Tuvalu considers pulling out of the Pacific leaders' summit amid China-linked power struggle.

• February 2025 | The Fiji Times — Indo-Pacific region's untapped opportunities and emerging threats.

• July 2022 | BBC — Pacific Islands urge unity in face of China ambition.

• July 2022 | Bloomberg — China Has Yet to Learn the Rules of the Pacific Chess Game.

Climate Change, International Law and Pacific Agency

My media contributions on climate change highlight the political, diplomatic and legal dimensions of the climate crisis, with particular attention to Pacific Island states, their international advocacy and the implications of climate change for identity and political continuity.

• May 2023 | The Conch, University of the South Pacific — ICJ Advisory Opinion can be a catalyst for climate justice.

• August 2020 | The Fiji Times — Research begins on how climate change affects Pacific identities.

• August 2020 | Radio New Zealand Pacific — Research begins on how climate change affects Pacific identities.

Small-State Power and International Relations

My contributions in this area explore how small states exercise influence in international politics and challenge assumptions that international power depends primarily on material capabilities.

• November 2020 | Chatham House, Undercurrents podcast — Interview with Ben Horton on the influence of small states.

Broadcast and Radio Interviews

I have also contributed to broadcast and radio discussions on the implications of climate change for Pacific Island countries and their inhabitants.

• July 2020 | Radio New Zealand Pacific — Interview on the ontological security of Pacific Island countries and islanders in the context of climate change, as part of the OSPICs research project.

Media Enquiries

I welcome media enquiries relating to my areas of expertise, including:

• Small states, soft power and international influence

• Diplomacy, foreign policy and international relations

• Pacific geopolitics and regional security

• Pacific climate diplomacy and international climate governance

• Climate change, identity and ontological security

• The international relations of Pacific island states

For interview requests, expert commentary or media enquiries, please contact me through the University of the South Pacific:

sarina.theys[at]usp.ac.fj