What is Happening at The Strait of Hormuz? | Current Affairs Lecture with economist André van Hoorn and political historian Laurien Crump

Other quotes André van Hoorn:

• "Even food shortages are around the corner." 
• "I don't care about economy, I care about 8 billion people whose life depend on economy." 
• "This is going to lead to an even greater inequality between rich and poor countries. We will buy that oil, even if it's expensive." 

Other quotes Laurien Crump:

• "There are going to be very long term repercussions for bombing the gas fields." 
• "Trump thought this would be a sort of Venezuela: short and problem free. He should have known better."
• "Iran has nothing to lose." 
• "It's a combination of ignorance, authoritarian regime and Israelian pressure." 
• "In the first three days of the war in Iran, more patriots have been used than in the past four years in Ukraine. Und the US is running out of them."
• "Leaders in Europe should not think of 'does NATO still exist', but 'what kind of NATO is existing.'" 
• "This is the end of diplomacy." 

Announcement 

What exactly is happening in the Strait of Hormuz, and how did the situation escalate to this point? After the Israel‑US attack on Iran, Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz – a key maritime passage for global oil shipments. What are the geopolitical consequences of the current situation? And how much of the global economy truly depends on this narrow passage? Come and listen to economist André van Hoorn and historian Laurien Crump.

Geopolitical situation 

What motivates the different parties involved, and who—if anyone—might be able to break the stalemate? What strategy is the United States pursuing, and how does it differ from Israel’s strategy? What does Iran hope to gain by effectively blocking the strait?  

Moreover, what political consequences could prolonged disruption bring for Europe and the United States? And how should Europe interpret President Donald Trump’s pressure on NATO allies to “secure safe passage,” along with his warning that they will “regret it” if they hesitate? 

A fragile global energy system

The recent surge in oil prices reveals just how fragile the global energy system really is. South Asian countries are already being hit hard—but how vulnerable are nations that rely heavily on imported oil and gas more generally? Could Europe face similar shocks? Come and listen to economist André van Hoorn and political historian Laurien Crump about the economic and geopolitical implications of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. 

About the speakers

André van Hoorn is a professor of economic and international trade at Radboud University. Among other things, he studies dissimilarities, inequality, and socioeconomic interactions between members of different human social groups.

Laurien Crump is a historian at Radboud University. She researches transatlantic security issues and the European security architecture after the Cold War, including the expansion of NATO and the war in Ukraine. She also focuses on the current challenges posed by the Trump-administration on the rules-based order.