Riley Bryant sits down with Dr. Deborah Wituski, a 20-year veteran of the CIA and an early contributor to the emerging field of private sector intelligence services.

In an increasingly globalized economy, what happens when profit motives intersect with national security imperatives? How can traditional intelligence agencies adapt to incorporate these new perspectives coming out of the private sector?

Drawing on case studies, policy frameworks, and her own experience, Dr. Wituski tells us about her jump from government to Google, the similarities and differences between public and private sector intelligence work, and what the future of these parallel industries may hold.

This podcast was produced by the Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies at Johns Hopkins SAIS.

Researched, hosted, and edited by Riley Bryant

Krithiga Narayanan hosts a conversation with Michael Coppedge, co-founder and principal investigator of the Varieties of Democracy Project (V-Dem), one of the world’s leading efforts to measure and analyze democratic change.

Drawing on V-Dem’s latest global data, Coppedge examines how shifts within democratic systems are reshaping the international order and altering global power dynamics.

The discussion explores how democratic erosion often unfolds gradually rather than through abrupt breakdowns, why electoral autocracies are becoming more common, and how changes in large and influential democracies, such as India, carry consequences that extend beyond national borders.

Together, they assess whether coordination among autocratic leaders is strategic or ad hoc, what the data reveals about early warning signs of democratic decline, and where opportunities for democratic resilience still exist.

Produced by the Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies at Johns Hopkins SAIS.

Researched and hosted by Krithiga Narayanan; edited by Krithiga Narayanan

This episode was recorded on Jan 21, 2026.

Wasay Mir hosts a conversation with Trita Parsi, Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute and one of the most influential voices on US-Iran relations in Washington.

A Johns Hopkins SAIS PhD and author of four books on American foreign policy in the Middle East, Parsi unpacks Iran's unfolding domestic crisis in January 2026. Seven months after devastating strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, mass protests have erupted amid economic collapse and an unprecedented regime crackdown.

Together, they explore whether this uprising differs from past movements like the Green Revolution or Mahsa Amini protests, what the collapse of Iran's regional proxy network means for the regime's survival, and whether Gulf states actually want a weakened Iran or fear what comes after.

Parsi's personal history as the son of an outspoken academic who faced repression under both the Shah and Ayatollah Khomeini provides unique insight into Iranian authoritarianism.

Produced by the Phillip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies at Johns Hopkins SAIS.

Researched and hosted by Wasay Mir; edited by Vishal Gogusetti

Sanjana Polapragada hosts a two-speaker conversation with Robert Miller, a seasoned “startup statesman” who has advised companies such as CrowdAI (now acquired by Saab) and Hawkeye 360 (now valued at over a billion dollars), and Emma Bates, CEO and founder of Cachai, a dual-use tech company (for both civilian and military purposes) focused on collaborative autonomy and drone innovation in the national security space.

Together, they unpack how to navigate the national security startup ecosystem, secure government contracts, and cross the many “valleys of death” that mission-driven ventures face.

Aimed at anyone with a concrete, government-focused venture idea, the episode offers practical how-tos for entering and thriving in the field.

If you're curious about building a mission-driven venture in national security, this episode is your starting point.

Produced in partnership with the Pava Center for Entrepreneurship at Johns Hopkins.

Researched and hosted by Sanjana Polapragada; edited by Vishal Gogusetti.

Leila Olukoga talks with Ambassador Juan Jose Gomez Camacho of Mexico. Ambassador Gomez Camacho has represented his country as ambassador to eight countries and led international negotiating efforts on a wide range of issues – ranging from politics, economics, and trade to security, disarmament, humanitarian issues, and a host of other subjects.

Researched and hosted by Leila Olukoga; edited by Vishal Gogusetti

Connor Hall talks with US Air Force Brigadier General Geoffrey Weiss on the evolution of modern airpower theory, the role airpower has played in recent conflicts, and the future of manned aircraft in an environment increasingly dominated by attritable unmanned systems.

General Weiss is currently serving as the Director of Regional Affairs in the office of the Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs (SAF/IA) at the Pentagon. His critically-acclaimed book The New Art of War was published in 2021 by Cambridge University Press and has been an Amazon bestseller in military history and military science.

Researched and hosted by Connor Hall; edited by Emma Ding.

The views expressed in this episode are those of Geoffrey Weiss and do not reflect the official stance of the US Air Force or the US Department of Defense.

Erik Schuh talks with Dr. Oriana Skylar Mastro about how China became a great power, discussing her recent book on the topic. They dive into China's rise compared to historical global powers and where the U.S.-China relationship stands today.

Dr. Mastro is a Center Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and Courtesy Assistant Professor of Political Science at Stanford University.

Dr. Mastro's Book: Upstart: How China Became a Great Power

Follow Dr. Mastro: https://x.com/osmastro

This episode was researched and hosted by Erik Schuh; it was edited by Emma Ding.

Luke Litle talks with Dr. Ursula Wilder about the importance of understanding the psychology of foreign leaders and of ourselves, the psychology of historical figures, and the psychology of deterrence. Dr. Wilder takes us down her career path and offers invaluable advice to students and young professionals in the national security space. We explore the frontiers of the study of psychology as applied to intelligence work, such as the fields of cyber psychology and artificial intelligence. Dr. Wilder is a clinical psychologist at the Central Intelligence Agency, where she has served for 27 years. She’s done operational work with the CIA’s counter-terrorism center, analyzed the psychology of extremists in the DNI’s counter-terrorism center, and has spent considerable time assessing the psychology of world leaders for CIA.

Luke Litle talks with Dr. Mara Karlin about the development of the 2022 National Defense Strategy, various practical approaches to deterring adversaries, recent US security challenges, and potential future global security threats. Dr. Karlin is a professor of practice at SAIS and is the co-lead for the Security, Strategy, and Statecraft focus area. She has served in national security roles for six U.S. secretaries of defense, advising on policies spanning strategic planning, defense budgeting, the future of conflict, and regional affairs involving the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. Most recently, she served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities, leading the development and implementation of the 2022 National Defense Strategy, Nuclear Posture Review, and Missile Defense Review.

Days after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, new in office, gave the now famous Zeitenwende speech in which he proclaimed a dramatic turn in German foreign policy and national security policy in response to Russia’s full-scale aggression. The speech generated a lot of discussions and, sometimes, unrealistic optimism. Two years later, Germany has been at the forefront of supporting Ukraine militarily and economically, but as the war has turned into a war of attrition, Germany is still a long way from the ambitious undertaking of Zeitenwende and divided over the extent to which to support Ukraine.

In this episode, Jeff Rathke, the President of the American-German Institute, Washington’s only think tank focusing exclusively on Germany and U.S.-German relations, discusses with Martin Makaryan Germany’s role in the security architecture of Europe and within NATO, the practical implications of Zeitenwende, the war in Ukraine, and what the future holds for U.S.-German relations and Germany’s new role in Europe.

This episode was recorded by Martin Makaryan and produced by Luke Litle and Andrew Whelan.