Best World Affairs Council of Connecticut Podcasts (2024)

1
The World in Context | Ambassador Charles Shapiro (Ret.) 44:13

2+ y ago44:13

44:13

Ambassador Charles Shapiro (Ret.), former Ambassador to Venezuela and President of the World Affairs Council of Atlanta, recaps 2021 with Council CEO, Megan Torrey. The world and its politics are constantly in flux, and looking back, some of the most destabilizing events seem to arrive unannounced. And as these critical moments unfold, it's importa…

1
Refugee Resettlement & the Afghanistan Crisis 37:08

2+ y ago37:08

37:08

Chris George, Executive Director at Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services, joins Council CEO Megan Torrey to discuss the Afghan refugee crisis and the United States’ refugee resettlement infrastructure. We know that the pursuit of safety is a major reason people leave their home countries. But what happens when families and individuals arrive in …

1
Global Resilience & Sustainability | Andrew Zolli 49:07

3y ago49:07

49:07

Andrew Zolli, Chief Impact Officer at Planet, speaks to Council CEO Megan Torrey about what causes our local and global communities to remain resilient in the face of adversity. We know that the pandemic has disrupted our patterns, lifestyles, institutions and more. But this is far from the first crisis communities around the world have faced. So h…

1
The New Space Race | UAE Minister of State for Advanced Technology, H.E. Sarah Al Amiri 29:05

3y ago29:05

29:05

The United Arab Emirates recently joined the small group of nations to have successfully launched a spacecraft to Mars, further proving space is the new domain for international cooperation—or competition. On this episode, we speak with the woman who led the UAE's successful mission to Mars, and one of the world's rising stars in space and technolo…

1
Global Security Forum | Special Highlights Episode 45:38

3y ago45:38

45:38

General Daniel Hokanson, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, Farah Pandith, first ever Special Representative to Muslim communities, David Sanger, NYTimes National Security and Cyber expert, and many more leaders in global security are featured in this special highlights episode. Tickets for the Council's annual Global Security Forum go on sale thi…

1
Israel’s New Era? | Ambassador Meron Reuben 32:15

3y ago32:15

32:15

Ambassador Meron Reuben, Consul General of Israel to New England speaks to Council CEO Megan Torrey about Israel’s new government and the country’s post-Netanyahu future. For the first time in 12 years, Israel has a new prime minister. The new coalition government is led by Naftali Bennet, who claims this will be a “government of change.” Meanwhile…

1
The Storm Before the Calm | George Friedman, Ph.D. 37:32

3y ago37:32

37:32

George Friedman, Ph.D., chairman of Geopolitical Futures and author of The Storm Before the Calm, sits down with Council CEO Megan Torrey about his geopolitical predictions of the next decade. Dr. Friedman had predicted that the 2020s would be a period of dramatic upheaval and reshaping of American government, policy and culture. Can we predict cur…

1
The Russian Challenge | Fiona Hill, Ph.D. 27:21

3y ago27:21

27:21

Fiona Hill, senior fellow at Brookings, and former deputy assistant to the president and senior director for European and Russian affairs on the National Security Council, is interviewed by Council CEO Megan Torrey on the state of U.S.-Russia relations. This month, President Biden and President Putin will meet for the first time since the Biden Adm…

1
The Rise and Fall of the Super League | Stefan Szymanski, Ph.D. & Harry Watling 39:38

3y ago39:38

39:38

Dr. Stefan Szymanski, Stephen J. Galetti Professor of Sport Management at the University of Michigan, and Harry Watling, Head Coach of the Hartford Athletic, sit down to talk about what the proposed Super League means for the future of the world's most popular sport. The initial effort collapsed in spectacular fashion, and in the process, drew the …

1
A Beginner’s Guide to America | Roya Hakakian 31:21

3+ y ago31:21

31:21

Roya Hakakian, poet, journalist and writer, sits down with the Council to talk about her personal journey to the United States as a refugee and her new book, A Beginner’s Guide to America. For immigrants and refugees, the challenges and triumphs of life in the United States can be vast, so what is the best practical advice and information for those…

1
Welcome to the DarkSide (of Cyber) | Arthur House 28:44

3+ y ago28:44

28:44

Arthur House, former Cybersecurity Risk Officer for the State of Connecticut, Cybersecurity Policy Advisor to Connecticut’s Secretary of the State and Adjunct Professor at the University of Connecticut, is among the cybersecurity experts who warned of a large-scale cyberattack for years. He joins the Council to discuss the recent attack on Colonial…

1
China and the U.S.: The 5 Strategic Challenges | Roy Kamphausen 29:04

3+ y ago29:04

29:04

Roy Kamphausen, President of the National Bureau of Asian Research, joins us to address China, the U.S., and each nation’s respective vision for the future of their country, their bilateral relationship, and the world they want to shape. Today, we’re addressing 5 key strategic domains in the US-China relationship: defense, economy, global leadershi…

1
Horn of Africa Crises Watch 2021 | Murithi Mutiga 30:14

3+ y ago30:14

30:14

Murithi Mutiga, Project Director for the Horn of Africa at the International Crisis Group, joins Council CEO Megan Torrey to talk about the present and emerging crises he’s tracking today. From a humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia to political violence in Somalia, an already tumultuous region is facing more challenges than usual. As we look ahead in 2…

1
Sports Diplomacy | Kerry McCoy & Ashleigh Huffman, Ph.D. 33:19

3+ y ago33:19

33:19

Kerry McCoy, two-time US Olympian, 2008 Olympic Coach and current Executive Director at the California Regional Training Center, and Dr. Ashleigh Huffman, Program Specialist in the Sports Diplomacy Division at the U.S. Department of State, join the Council to unpack the power of sports diplomacy. Sports and politics are two of the most polarizing t…

1
Afghanistan: What happens next? | Shahmahmood Miakhel 27:47

3+ y ago27:47

27:47

Shahmahmood Miakhel, Designated Ambassador of Afghanistan to Qatar, joins the Council live from Kabul to tackle the biggest questions surrounding President Biden's announcement that the U.S. would withdraw all troops from Afghanistan by September 11th. After twenty years of conflict, America is finally ready to put a close on its longest war in his…

1
Civil Rights Has Always Been a Global Movement | Brenda Gayle Plummer, Ph.D. 27:48

3+ y ago27:48

27:48

Brenda Gayle Plummer, Ph.D., professor of history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and foundational scholar in the realm of race and international relations, joins the Council to discuss the deep global roots of today’s U.S. movements for social justice. After George Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis, Minnesota protests for racial jus…

1
Defense Against the Dark Arts in Space | Kaitlyn Johnson 31:14

3+ y ago31:14

31:14

Kaitlyn Johnson, Deputy Director of the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) knows a thing or two about space. What’s more, is she and her team at CSIS seamlessly combined counterspace defense systems with Harry Potter to make an easily accessible, but wholly comprehensive, report on counterspace w…

1
Fragility of Global Shipping | Elisabeth Braw 27:53

3+ y ago27:53

27:53

Elisabeth Braw, Resident Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, joins the Council to discuss the fragility of the global shipping infrastructure. When the massive Ever Given cargo ship blocked the Suez Canal in early March, it not only blocked waterways, but also billions of dollars in trade. From proxy wars to GPS spoofing attacks and accide…

1
China’s Digital Currency | Yaya J. Fanusie 31:51

3+ y ago31:51

31:51

Yaya J. Fanusie, Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Center for a New American security discusses the launch of China’s new digital Yuan. He sits down with Amanda Jolly to talk about China’s new national digital currency - what it is, how it works, and what implications it may have for financial security and privacy in China and around the world. Will Chi…

1
The Kill Chain | Christian Brose 42:21

3+ y ago42:21

42:21

Christian Brose, author of The Kill Chain, Head of Strategy at Anduril Industries and Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, gives us an in-depth rundown of the future of high-tech weaponry and warfare. The U.S. must choose: to modernize and innovate its military, or risk losing the next war. What will our military leaders…

1
Ireland-U.S. Economic Partnership, Innovation, and a New Administration | Harry Lester and Conall O Móráin 23:20

3+ y ago23:20

23:20

Harry Lester, Economic Counsellor at the Embassy of Ireland, celebrates Saint Patrick's Day with the Council by discussing the U.S.-Ireland economic partnership. Council CEO Megan Torrey is joined by guest moderator Conall O Móráin, Host of That Great Business Show, as they tackle questions such as, what can the United States learn from Ireland’s e…

1
U.S. Foreign Policy for 2021 | Bonus Roundtable Discussion 50:09

3+ y ago50:09

50:09

From reestablishing relationships with loyal allies to navigating a new Middle East, 2021 is shaping up to be a challenging year ahead for the Biden administration and his new U.S. foreign policy agenda. Is President Biden's agenda a revolutionary departure from tradition or just more of the same? Which nation deserved the first call from new U.S. …

1
Myanmar Coup & Global Threats to Democracy | Amb. Derek Mitchell 30:33

3+ y ago30:33

30:33

Ambassador Derek Mitchell, former U.S. ambassador to Myanmar and current President of the National Democratic Institute, sits down with the Council to tackle recent events in Myanmar, including the military coup d’état that ousted the nation’s democratically elected leaders and subsequent nationwide protests. But what led up to this point and what …

1
Female Leaders vs. COVID | Supriya Garikipati, Ph.D. 15:10

3+ y ago15:10

15:10

It’s International Women’s Day and we’re celebrating with a bonus micro-episode of State of the World! In response to the pandemic, have female heads of state really produced better outcomes when compared to their male counterparts? We’ll find out what the data says with Dr. Supriya Garikipati, associate professor at the University of Liverpool, an…

1
The Domestic Extremist Threat | Seamus Hughes 29:56

3+ y ago29:56

29:56

Seamus Hughes, Deputy Director of the Program on Extremism at George Washington University is an expert on terrorism, homegrown violent extremism, and countering violent extremism. He speaks with Megan Torrey about the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6th, domestic terrorist threats, and the best way to approach this growing issue. Listen as …

1
The Iran Deal: Rejoin, Renegotiate or Reject? | Trita Parsi, Ph.D. 26:10

3+ y ago26:10

26:10

Dr. Trita Parsi, co-founder and executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, joins Megan Torrey, to talk about the Iran Nuclear Deal, America’s potential return to the negotiating table and his hope for the future of U.S.-Iran relations. As the world waits to see which country will make the first move, we are left to…

1
U.S. Combating International Human Trafficking | Heather Fischer 24:49

3+ y ago24:49

24:49

Heather Fischer, senior advisor for human trafficking in the Philanthropy sector, most recently served as the first-ever White House special advisor for human trafficking. She sits down with Megan Torrey and chronicles what tools the U.S. has to confront global and domestic human trafficking, how citizens can make a difference, and how conspiracies…

1
Feminist Foreign Policy | Stephenie Foster 27:32

3+ y ago27:32

27:32

Stephenie Foster, co-founder and partner at Smash Strategies, joins Council CEO Megan Torrey to define what a feminist foreign policy is and how it might make the United States, and world, more secure. After Sweden announced its feminist foreign policy agenda in 2014, other countries have joined the European country - but the United States remains …

1
U.S. Foreign Policy Priorities for a New Administration | Senator Chris Murphy 26:59

3+ y ago26:59

26:59

Senator Chris Murphy, member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, sits down with Megan Torrey, Council CEO, to highlight which foreign policy goals President Biden will tackle over the next four years. From the deadly conflict in Yemen to the military coup in Myanmar, and from confronting climate change to thwarting Russian cyberattacks,…

1
Oil, Energy and Our Post-Pandemic Future | Dr. Meghan O’Sullivan 28:39

3+ y ago28:39

28:39

Dr. Meghan O’Sullivan, Director of the Geopolitics of Energy Project at Harvard University’s Kennedy School, speaks with Council CEO Megan Torrey about the energy market during the pandemic and one of the world’s most vital liquids: oil. As markets continue to shift and new alliances form, will COVID provide an opportunity to reshape the energy sec…

1
President Biden’s First 100 Days | Bonus Roundtable Discussion 42:47

3+ y ago42:47

42:47

President Joe Biden was just sworn in as the 46th President of the United States and inherited a plethora of national security and foreign policy challenges. What should be first on President Biden’s agenda in the next 100 days? What do his appointees tell us about the direction of U.S. foreign policy? Amanda Jolly sits down with some of our favori…

1
The World: A Brief Introduction | Richard Haass, Ph.D. 30:15

3+ y ago30:15

30:15

Dr. Richard Haass, President of the Council on Foreign relations gives us a primer on our world as it is, our greatest threats and why global education might be our greatest defense. As we wade through the uncertainty of what our next greatest security challenges will be, we ask: how can we navigate and secure an increasingly connected world? This …

1
Global Lessons in Police Reform | Laurence Ralph, Ph.D. 26:51

3+ y ago26:51

26:51

Dr. Laurence Ralph, Professor of Anthropology and Director of the Center of Transnational Policing at Princeton University, sits down with Council CEO Megan Torrey to unpack continuing racial injustices and inherent biases within U.S. law enforcement. As we grapple with the question of effective police reform, we ask: which policing models in other…

1
Putting the World Back Together | GEN John R. Allen 34:47

3+ y ago34:47

34:47

General John R. Allen (USMC, Ret.), President of The Brookings Institution, joins Megan Clark Torrey, CEO, World Affairs Council of Connecticut for an expert conversation on disrupting the world order, what's on the horizon, and how our world may be reshaped as we emerge from the COVID-19 crisis. How will we put the post-COVID world back together? …

1
Tech, Privacy and Bias in the COVID Era | Nicol Turner Lee, Ph.D. 28:15

3+ y ago28:15

28:15

Dr. Nicol Turner Lee, Director of the Center for Technology Innovation at the Brookings Institution and Co-Editor-In-Chief of TechTank sits down with Megan Clark Torrey, CEO, to discuss the new era of technology in health and inherent biases in these technologies. How can we balance personal privacy with public safety? For more visit: www.ctwac.org…

1
State of the World Trailer - Join Us! 1:44

3+ y ago1:44

1:44

From shifting alliances to great power politics, and from security in a post-pandemic world to rapid technological innovation, our world is constantly in flux. Each week on State of the World, Megan Torrey, CEO of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, sits down with experts and leaders on the frontlines of foreign policy and national security. …

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