CSIS Podcasts

Jan 07 2025 124 ep. 30 mins 23
CSIS Podcasts artwork

CSIS podcasts feature experts & scholars on a range of critical issues surrounding geopolitics, national security, defense, & international affairs topics.

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Beyond Competing: The Security Treadmill

Jan 07 2025 41 mins  
Mike hosts Nadia Schadlow, former U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategy in the Trump administration and current Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute and Co-Chair of the Hamilton Commission on Securing America’s National Security Innovation Base, to discuss balance of power, national security strategy, overmatching, and risk

Export Control Update, White House AI Czar, OpenAI-Anduril Team-up, and China’s Loyal Wingman

Dec 19 2024 20 mins  
In this episode, we discuss the December 2nd semiconductor export control update (0:45), the Trump administration’s appointment of David Sacks as the White House AI czar (5:35), the OpenAI and Anduril partnership and its implication for national security (9:31), and the latest from China’s autonomous fighter aircraft program (16:39).

The Philippines in the Asia Dojo

Dec 19 2024 45 mins  
This week Mike hosts Richard Heydarian, Senior Lecturer at the University of the Philippines Asian Center and author of, among others, Asia’s New Battlefield (2015, Bloomsbury) & The Indo-Pacific: Trump, China & The New Struggle for Global Mastery (2019, Palgrave), to discuss the Philippines' foreign policy, relationships, and strategy in the Indo-Pacific.

Deciphering Seoul's Indo-Pacific Tilt

Dec 05 2024 41 mins  
Mike hosts Jina Kim, Dean of Language and Diplomacy Division at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, to discuss South Korea's foreign policy and strategy in the Indo-Pacific.

Africa spends more on servicing debt than on health care. How did we get here?

Dec 05 2024 40 mins  
According to Debt Justice and Christian Aid, 34 African countries spend more on external debt payments than on health or education. Seriously, how did we get here? Tim Jones (Policy Director at Debt Justice UK) walks us through the causes of Africa's debt crisis, its impact, and how it can be fixed. Tim is the co-author of the report "Between Life and Debt" by Christian Aid and D

Scaling Laws, a Chinese AI Ecosystem Update, and a Manhattan Project for AI

Nov 25 2024 32 mins  
In this episode, we discuss recent reporting that so called "scaling laws" are slowing and the potential implications for the policy community (0:37), the latest models coming out of the China AI ecosystem (12:37), the U.S. China - Economic Security Review Commission recommendation for a Manhattan Project for AI (19:02), and the biggest takeaways from the first draft of the Europea

The Building of a Red Ant Colony

Nov 25 2024 26 mins  
In this episode, Mariana is joined by Sarah Calhoun, founder of Red Ants Pants, a Montana-based retailer meeting the needs of working women across the country. Together, they discuss the power of serendipity, the value of mentorship, and the experience of starting a business in a state with more entrepreneurs per capita than any other in America. They also delve into the challenges

A behind-the-scenes tour of Afrobarometer, Africa's leading survey research organization.

Nov 20 2024 38 mins  
Catherine Nzuki is joined by Joseph Asunka, PhD, CEO of Afrobarometer, the leading source of public attitude data in Africa. Together, they discuss Afrobarometer's rise, its meticulous survey research methods, and case studies showcasing the policy impact of its data in Ghana, Malawi, and Botswana. They also discuss the difficulties of conducting surveys in conflict-afflicted or fr

The Promise of AI Governance with Vilas Dhar

Nov 20 2024 35 mins  
In this episode we are joined by Vilas Dhar, President and Trustee of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, a 21st century $1.5 billion philanthropy advancing AI and data solutions to create a thriving, equitable, and sustainable future for all. We discuss his background (1:26), the foundation and its approach to AI philanthropy (4:11), building public sector capacity in AI (13:00),

Countering China and Russia: The Hidden Advantages of Women, Peace, and Security

Nov 20 2024 50 mins  
How can Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) be better utilized to accomplish U.S. strategic objectives? Recently, the Smart Women, Smart Power Initiative released their latest brief: Countering China and Russia: The Hidden Advantages of Women, Peace, and Security. To discuss the findings of the report, Dr. Kathleen McInnis was joined by Dr. Kyleanne Hunter, Director, RAND Women, Peace