Washington CORE recently conducted an interview with Andrew Lugg, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, to discuss the evolving landscape of Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS). ISDS, a mechanism designed to resolve disputes between international investors and host governments, has faced increasing criticism from countries in the Global South and the Global North. Lugg highlighted how opposition across the political spectrum has made ISDS a politically contentious issue, particularly in the U.S., where there are concerns of corporate influence on national sovereignty. The interview also explored ISDS’s uncertain impact on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and growing interest in alternative dispute resolution mechanisms like mediation and ombudsman systems.