In this episode featuring Dr. Bruce Hoffman, we discuss the current status of the Islamic State, the foreign fighter phenomenon, Western states' response to the threat, the implications of a CBRN attack, and the prospects for a merger between AQ and IS. We discuss the evolution of terrorism as a phenomenon (hint: it's getting worse). We conclude by getting to know Dr. Hoffman a little better as he explains what piqued his interest in terrorism and shares a few stories behind the many mementos in his office. Bruce Hoffman is the author of Inside Terrorism (1998, 2006) and Anonymous Soldiers (2015). 

The podcast is produced by Jeffrey D. Palmer. Music: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

Episode 1 - Bruce Hoffman on The Islamic State

Discussing the most pressing and complex international security issues of today with scholars from Georgetown University's Security Studies Program (SSP) of the Walsh School of Foreign Service. As part of the oldest and most respected master’s degree program in international affairs, SSP is dedicated to fostering a new generation of analysts, policymakers, and scholars fully knowledgeable about the range of international and national security problems and foreign policy issues of the 21st Century. Produced by Jeffrey D. Palmer.

News

For Episode 42 I met with Professor Christine Fair to discuss her new course offering, “Irregular Warfare in Film.” We open up with an overview of the course and what inspired professor Fair to create it. We then go into how professor fair teaches students how to read film and begin developing key media literacy skills. For example, Professor Fair leverages Rodesiler’s MAPS protocol - Mode, Audience, Purpose, and Situation - to help her student view a film critically. We then take The Deer Hunter - a film featured in her course - discuss some its content and the lessons that we can gain from it. Lastly, we discuss Racism and Allegory in the 2000s film, District 9 - about aliens stranded over Johannesburg become earthly refugees.

Episode 42 - Christine Fair on Irregular Warfare in Film

For Episode 41 I had my fourth annual discussion with Professor Bruce Hoffman on the Islamic State and al Qaeda in 2019 and Beyond. 

We open up reviewing 2018 to frame the discussion before going into some significant events of 2019. We talk about the deaths of al-Baghdadi and Hamza bin Laden, the impact their deaths may have on their respective organizations, and the pros and cons of a decapitation strategy. 

We talk about IS’ inability to re-establish a presence in Sirte, Libya, three years after its expulsion from its North African enclave. Going digital, we also covered the notion of “deplatforming” IS from social media platforms and the outlook on its propaganda machine. 

While IS/AQ suffered some significant setbacks in 2019, I asked Professor Hoffman about their successes over the year. We covered:
- their continued ability to conduct hundreds of simple and sophisticated attacks across the region;
- the prison breaks occurring in Northern Syria as US military withdraws from the area - allowing other actors such as Russia and Turkey to create more chaos upon which terrorist organizations thrive;
- and their spread deeper into new areas of the sub-Saharan African region; and
- Turkey has begun deporting foreign fighters back to their home countries…and the international community doesn’t seem sure what to do about it.

The Security Studies Podcast is produced by Jeffrey Palmer.  
Music: www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

Episode 41 - Bruce Hoffman on ISIS and al Qaeda in 2019 and Beyond

For Episode 40 of the Security Studies Podcast I met with Professor Ben Buchanan to discuss Cyber Operations and AI. 

We start covering Prof. Buchanan’s background before diving into Cyber Operations. We discuss the many types of offensive ops - including a quick case study of the Ukrainian power grid hack - and talk defensive ops and the challenges therein. 

We then discussed the Center for Security and Emerging Technology - a major center for AI research and innovation at Georgetown University, which Prof. Buchanan has helped create. That dovetailed nicely into our discussion on AI and National Security. We covered the basics of AI before going over its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in a national security context.

The Security Studies Podcast is produced by Jeffrey Palmer.  
Music: www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

Episode 40 - Ben Buchanan on Cyber Operations and AI

In this episode I met with SSP alumnus Major Chris Mercado to discuss his nonprofit organization, Objective Zero. The Objective Zero Foundation seeks to combat suicide within the military community by enhancing social connectedness and access to wellness resources. In the episode, we talk Chris’ background, why he created Objective Zero, and how it works. We conclude by discussing his time at SSP.

See more at https://www.objectivezero.org/

The Security Studies Podcast is produced by Jeffrey Palmer.  
Music: www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

Episode 37 - Alumnus Spotlight: Maj. Chris Mercado on Objective Zero

In this episode, I met with Professor Syed Mohammad Ali to discuss his course Human Security. He opens defining "human security" as a term, why it is important, and how it first took root. We then discuss theoretical concepts including human security versus that provided by the state and the Responsibility to Protect (R2P). We then go over applied concepts of human security,focusing on extremism, insurgencies, climate change, and refugees. 

The Security Studies Podcast is also excited to introduce a new podcast from Alistair Sommerville at Georgetown's BMW Center for German and European Studies called “The Europe Desk." 

iTunes link to The Europe Desk: 
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-europe-desk/id1474443374

The Security Studies Podcast is produced by Jeffrey Palmer.  
Music: www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

Episode 1 - Bruce Hoffman on The Islamic State

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