The Security Studies Podcast

In this episode I follow up on Hacking4Defense with Professor Matt Zais and two of his students to discuss the semester. I open with Professor Zais to discuss the four teams that worked to develop various technologies throughout the 13-week course. I then bring in Chloe Krawczyk and Jordan Bramble of team Spyglass to talk about their experience. Team Spyglass successfully developed a social media alert tool using facial recognition for soldiers on deployment.

Links:

http://www.hacking4defensegu.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Hacking4DefenseGeorgetown/

https://twitter.com/H4DGUSSP

The Security Studies Podcast is produced by Jeffrey Palmer.

Music: www.bensound.com

In this episode with Professor Colin Kahl, we discuss US Foreign Policy under the Obama Administration. We briefly discussed the French elections before covering the accomplishments, difficult decisions, and criticisms of Obama’s foreign policy - giving particular attention to the Iran Nuclear Deal, the “Red Line” situation with Syria, America's longest war in Afghanistan, and the drone strikes controversy. Professor Kahl finishes the episode out with advice for SSP students who are entering the field.

Professor Kahl served as the Deputy Assistant to President Obama and National Security Advisor to Vice President Biden from 2014 to 2017. He previously served as the deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East at the Pentagon. Professor Kahl teaches “AMERICA, THE MIDDLE EAST, AND GRAND STRATEGY IN THE POST-9/11 ERA” at SSP.

The Security Studies Podcast is produced by Jeffrey Palmer. 


Music: www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

In this episode featuring Professor David Fahrenkrug, we discuss Cyber Warfare. We begin by asking what is and isn’t cyberspace and how does that relate to warfare? With that, we talk about what a theory of cyber warfare might look like; why we need it; and whether a theory could hold up to the rate of change within cyberspace.

We also cover debates such as the Balkanization of the Internet; the prospects of a “Cyber Pearl Harbor” as SecDef Panetta described it in 2012; what AI and IoT may hold for our future; and Operation Orchard - a cyber warfare case study that Professor Fahrenkrug found to be particularly interesting.

Professor Fahrenkrug has taught a Cyber Warfare course at SSP for four years now. He is the Director of Strategic Planning at Northrop Grumman’s Analysis Center and served in the US Air Force for 26 years - piloting F-15s for a number of years before gaining his PhD in Political Science at the University of Chicago. In his last tour of active duty, Professor Fahrenkrug served as a Senior Military Advisor to the Director of the Office of Net Assessment at the Pentagon, Andrew Marshall.

The Security Studies Podcast is produced by Jeffrey Palmer. 


Music: www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

In part two, Professor C. Christine Fair shares her thoughts on the US' use and utility of drone strikes in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA)starting in 2004. We then move on to global strategic interests and discuss the US relationship with India and Pakistan’s alignment with China. Here, Dr. Fair hones in on an insightful discussion of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Finally, Dr. Fair shares her personal story of why she left the field of Chemistry for International Security and the trials she faced throughout.

The Security Studies Podcast is produced by Jeffrey Palmer. 


Music: www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

In Part 1, Professor C. Christine Fair explains the complexities surrounding the Partition of India and its lasting security implications, particularly in regards to Pakistan and the Kashmir conflict. We then turn to the Soviet-Afghan War and US policy during that time of accommodating Pakistan’s then-nascent nuclear program in order to focus on empowering the mujahideen to resist the occupation. Lastly, we covered India’s and Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities and the implications for US policy. In 2017, Prof. Fair was named Provost's Distinguished Associate Professors for her service at SSP.

The Security Studies Podcast is produced by Jeffrey Palmer. 


Music: www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

In Part 2 of this episode featuring Professor Tom McNaugher, we discuss East Asian Security Issues in the context of three primary international relations theories: Realism, Liberalism, and Constructivism. We discuss the possible implications of the U.S. withdrawal from Trans Pacific-Partnership negotiations, China’s rising economy, and other regional players such as the Philippines. Professor McNaugher also shares his personal story and provides some valuable advice for those entering the field.

The Security Studies Podcast is produced by Jeffrey Palmer. 


Music: www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

In Part 1 of this two-part episode featuring Professor Tom McNaugher we discuss U.S. Defense Budgeting. We cover challenges the Trump administration may face in passing a new defense budget, especially as it pertains to Congress, tax reform, and closing the deficit. Professor McNaugher then reminds us how crucial it is for practitioners to understand how the budget works in the context of domestic politics. We also discuss the acquisitions process and whether it can keep up with the pace of new and emerging technologies. Professor McNaugher is the Director of Studies and former Interim Director at SSP.

The Security Studies Podcast is produced by Jeffrey Palmer. 


Music: www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

Episode 8 of the Security Studies podcast features Chris Taylor - a defense industry CEO and entrepreneur. As an adjunct professor at SSP, Chris Taylor teaches The Business of National Security and Hacking for Defense. We discuss the Hacking for Defense course methodology, its national security-related problem sets, and what students are expected (or hoped) to achieve. We also discuss innovation in the public sector, its growing reliance on private sector speed, the US government acquisitions process, and share our hopes for what the future national security innovative landscape brings.

Chris Taylor and co-instructor Matt Zais have brought Hacking for Defense to any and all graduate students at Georgetown University to help solve national security problems. Students will present to stakeholders every single week. To follow the course, which is fully open-source and set to begin in early January, visit www.hacking4defensegu.com.

The Security Studies Podcast is produced by Jeffrey Palmer.

Music: www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

Episode 7 of the Security Studies Podcast features Col. David Maxwell (Ret.), Associate Director of Georgetown’s Security Studies Program, to discuss unconventional warfare (UW), the “gray zone,” and strategy. We define and conceptualize these terms, cover current examples of the use of UW, discuss the need for the U.S. to develop counter-UW capabilities, and talk about his inspiration to do strategy. Col. Maxwell also shares stories of how his blog came to be (www.maxoki161.blogspot.com) and of a special memento in his office.

The Security Studies Podcast is produced by Jeffrey Palmer.

Music: www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

In this episode featuring Professor Daniel Byman, we discuss and compare the threat of foreign fighters returning to their countries of origin versus that of so-called “home-grown” terrorist actors. We cover not just the threats that each group presents but also the mitigating factors - or why the perceived threat may be exaggerated. We also discuss Prof. Byman’s MOOC on Terrorism and Counterterrorism - a free, virtual classroom featuring many of SSP’s most distinguished faculty members - hosted on edx.org. Here's a link to Prof. Byman's introductory and full-length courses: https://www.edx.org/course?search_query=terrorism

The Security Studies Podcast is produced by Jeffrey Palmer.

Music: www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music