500 episodes

The Institute of World Politics is a graduate school of national security and international affairs, dedicated to developing leaders with a sound understanding of international realities and the ethical conduct of statecraft, based on knowledge and appreciation of the principles of the American political economy and the Western moral tradition.

**Please note that the views expressed by our guest lecturers do not necessarily reflect the views of The Institute of World Politics.**

The Institute of World Politics The Institute of World Politics

    • Education
    • 4.1 • 38 Ratings

The Institute of World Politics is a graduate school of national security and international affairs, dedicated to developing leaders with a sound understanding of international realities and the ethical conduct of statecraft, based on knowledge and appreciation of the principles of the American political economy and the Western moral tradition.

**Please note that the views expressed by our guest lecturers do not necessarily reflect the views of The Institute of World Politics.**

    UNESCO 3.0

    UNESCO 3.0

    About the Debate:

    In Nov 1945, the U.S. joined UNESCO, a new post-WWII organization designed to promote world peace and security.

    In Dec 1984, President Reagan took the U.S. out of UNESCO citing corruption and mismanagement.

    In Oct 2003, President George Bush rejoined UNESCO to advance human rights, tolerance, and learning.

    In Dec 2018, President Trump took the U.S.out of UNESCO citing anti-Israel bias, and the U.S.’s mounting arrears to UNESCO resulting from Palestine’s election as a full member.

    In July 2023, President Biden rejoined UNESCO for the third time to combat increasing Chinese influence at the organization.

    Given the problematic relationship between the U.S. and UNESCO, and the organization’s history of controversial initiatives, was this a wise decision? What are the pros and cons for the U.S. of being a member of UNESCO once again?



    About the Presenters:

    Gerald C. Anderson served as Director of Administration and Finance at the Pan American Health Organization in Washington, DC, from March 2014 to July 2021. Prior to joining PAHO, Mr. Anderson served from 2011-2014 as Secretary for Administration and Finance at the Organization of American States in Washington DC.

    Mr. Anderson served the United States Foreign Service from 1980 - 2010, completing his serviced as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of International Organizations. Mr. Anderson also served in Foreign Service posts in Warsaw, Tel Aviv, Seoul, Jerusalem, and at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Mr. Anderson served in the United States Peace Corps in Benin, West Africa, and in the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

    Mr. Anderson holds a Master of Arts degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Washington, DC, (1980) and a Bachelor of Arts from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois (1976).



    Stephen Engelken is a veteran of 38 years in the U.S. Foreign Service. Notably, he was Deputy Chief of the U.S. Mission to UNESCO in 2007-2010, serving as Charge’ d’Affaires for seven months in this period. Engelken went on from there to serve as Deputy Chief of the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan (2010-2011). Prior to those senior assignments, he served postings abroad in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon, Italy; France, and Australia and at the State Department in Washington as Director of Pakistan/Bangladesh Affairs, Director of the Office of Proliferation Threat Reduction, Deputy Director of the office of Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Operations, and Deputy Director of Arabian Peninsula Affairs. Since his retirement in 2012 while Principal Officer in Peshawar, Pakistan, Mr. Engelken has taught at Foreign Service Institute, the State Department’s training center.

    Mr. Engelken is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, and a resident of Washington, D.C. He holds a B.A. in International Affairs from George Washington University. He is also a graduate of the Ecole Nationale d’Administration in France. Mr. Engelken speaks French, Italian, and Arabic.

    • 1 hr 33 min
    China's Space Operations: Assessing PLA Capabilities for U.S. Strategy

    China's Space Operations: Assessing PLA Capabilities for U.S. Strategy

    This lecture is part of the Student Speaker Series

    About the Lecture:

    China's advancements in space technology and orbital operations are second only to the U.S. Historically assisted by the Soviet Union, China's space program has set an impressive timeline of space launch milestones, meeting every spacefaring goal for the past 30 years. Under the guise of scientific research, PLA documentation and dual-use technology has demonstrated that even commercial space activities serve military interests.

    As investment in launch capabilities increases and China's presence in cislunar space becomes more of a concern, what are the intentions, plans, and capabilities behind China's interest and activities in space? With tensions rising in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, will China start utilizing space operations to support terrestrial military activity? Does China's capacity to operate in space match its strategic interests? How does China's advancing capabilities create more risk for U.S. space interests?

    This lecture will discuss a brief history of China's accomplishments in space and highlight PLA ambitions and operations in three areas: counterspace weapons in orbit, a permanent lunar presence, and interest in the future space economy. The lecture will also discuss the risk these three areas pose to U.S. interests and the proposed strategies for deterrence in what the DoD, NATO, and the PLA define as a new "warfighting domain."



    About the Speaker:

    Carlos Alatorre is an M.A. candidate for Statecraft and National Security Affairs at IWP with a specialization in Defense. Prior to joining IWP, he was a middle school teacher who spent five years teaching English in South Korea and China before deciding to make a transition to the national security and intelligence field. He brings his experience of Chinese political culture and East Asian geography (as well as his Mandarin skills) to complement his studies in Chinese military and geopolitical affairs in the Indo-Pacific. His research focuses on China's usage of emerging technologies, specifically the PLA's research in and implementation of AI, space/cislunar operations, and hypersonic missiles. Originally from Southern California, he earned his B.A. in Philosophy from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

    • 49 min
    Book Lecture: Revealing Secrets

    Book Lecture: Revealing Secrets

    ***This lecture is sponsored by the IAFIE Washington DC Chapter and the IWP IAFIE Alpha Student Chapter***

    About the Lecture:

    For a long time, the Australian Signals intelligence (or Sigint) story has been kept secret. Until now…

    Why does Australia have a national signals intelligence agency? What does it do and why is it controversial? And how significant are its ties with key partners, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand, to this arrangement?

    Revealing Secrets is a compelling account of Australian Signals intelligence, its efforts at revealing the secrets of other nations, and keeping ours safe. It brings to light those clever Australians whose efforts were for so long entirely unknown or overlooked. Blaxland and Birgin traverse the royal commissions and reviews that shaped Australia’s intelligence community in the 20th century and consider the advent and the impact of cyber. In unearthing this integral, if hidden and little understood, part of Australian statecraft, this book increases our understanding of the past, present and what lies ahead.

    About the Speakers:

    John Blaxland is Professor of International Security and Intelligence Studies in the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre (SDSC), Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs at the Australian National University (ANU). He is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Fellow of the Royal Society of New South Wales. He was also formerly a military intelligence officer, Head of SDSC and Director of the ANU Southeast Asia Institute. He is the author and editor of several publications on military history, intelligence and international security affairs.

    Clare Birgin’s career in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) spanned 30 years, with a focus on national security and intelligence. She had postings in Warsaw, Moscow, Geneva, and Washington DC as the Liaison Officer of the Office of National Assessments, followed by postings as Ambassador in Hungary, Serbia, Kosovo, Romania, North Macedonia and Montenegro. Subsequently she was a Visiting Fellow at the ANU before joining John Blaxland’s history writing team. She has been awarded the Polish Government’s Knight’s Cross Medal and the Bene Merito Medal by the former Polish Foreign Minister.

    • 1 hr 4 min
    Addressing The Evolving Security Challenges In Korea - 20240304 150517 - Meeting Recording 1

    Addressing The Evolving Security Challenges In Korea - 20240304 150517 - Meeting Recording 1

    About the Lecture:
    **This lecture is part of the Asia Initiative Lecture Series**

    For 25 years after the end of the Cold War, most of the national security community assumed that nuclear weapon use was unlikely to be part of any future war. But over the last few years, North Korea has made regular threats of nuclear weapon use and Russia also threatened nuclear weapon use associated with its invasion of Ukraine. Moreover, the Chinese nuclear weapon force is rapidly expanding. These developments appear to make future nuclear weapon use more possible, especially limited nuclear weapon use. The escalatory implications of limited nuclear weapon use have not been well researched. This situation forces us to reevaluate more broadly the national security risks in many regions, and especially in Korea.

    This briefing addresses four major security developments on the Korean peninsula that contribute jeopardy to the national security of South Korea, the United States, and other U.S. allies. Nuclear weapon use is of course a major issue, but so is North Korean instability. Another issue is the dramatic decline in the size of the ROK Army, the result of demographic challenges and political choices, especially when coupled with the ROK decision to only partially fund its plan to offset its manpower reductions with technology versus manpower tradeoffs. And the potential for third party intervention, and especially Chinese intervention, further complicates Korean security. These four issues are developed, and suggestions made for how South Korea and the United States can at least partially mitigate these challenges.”


    About the Speaker:
    Bruce W. Bennett is a Senior International/Defense Researcher at The RAND Corporation. He is an expert in Northeast Asian security issues, having visited the region over 125 times and written much about Korean security. His research addresses issues such as the North Korean military threats, countering the North Korean nuclear threat and provocations, future ROK military force requirements, Korean unification, the Korean military balance, and potential Chinese military intervention in North Korea. Dr. Bennett specializes in “asymmetric threats” such as weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and how to counter those threats with new strategies, operational concepts, and technologies. He has recently completed reports on the current North Korean nuclear, chemical, biological, and cyber threats, and teaches a class at the Pardee RAND Graduate School on “Understanding Nuclear Forces.” He has worked with the Pentagon and with US commanders in Northeast Asia and the Persian Gulf on these subjects. He has facilitated a large number of seminar/war games to address these issues. Dr. Bennett received a Ph.D. in policy analysis from the Pardee RAND Graduate School (1979 dissertation on “Uncertainty in ICBM survivability”) and a B.S. in economics from the California Institute of Technology.

    • 56 min
    Wagner Group: The Privatization of the Instruments of National Power

    Wagner Group: The Privatization of the Instruments of National Power

    About the Lecture:
    The Wagner Group has operated as a manifestation of Russian influence, supporting critical Russian interests in key domains across the globe. The organization, originally founded in 2014 by oligarch businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin as a private mercenary force, has become one of the more prolific instruments of power projection in the Russian geopolitical arsenal.

    About the Speaker:
    Dr. John R. McCarthy is currently the Senior Program Advisor with the US Navy’s only explosives, weapons, and foreign materiel Technical Exploitation command. In 2006, John was recruited from the private sector by Naval Surface Warfare Center, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division and subsequently mobilized as a naval reserve officer to initiate programmatic, infrastructure, and organizational development for the newly established Technical Support Detachment (TSD), which was to specialize in investigating, exploiting, and attacking the improvised explosive device (IED) manufacturing network on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. The command, renamed Expeditionary Exploitation Unit ONE (EXU-1), now spans the globe working with Combatant Commanders, Special Operations Command and forces, and the Intelligence Community supporting technical exploitation, technical intelligence collection, counterterrorism, and irregular warfare activities.

    Prior to his return to active-duty military and current federal service, John held a senior leadership position supporting business and financial operations at a non-profit healthcare organization and was a technical business development executive for a global specialty chemical manufacturer serving the industrial sector, for over 16 years. In addition, he has served as an adjunct professor and part time faculty of leadership & management and other business and intelligence disciplines for a number of universities, since 2004.

    Educationally, Dr. McCarthy holds a Graduate Certificate of Intelligence Studies (Strategic Intelligence in Special Operations concentration), a Master of Science of Strategic Intelligence (MSSI) degree, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Organization and Management with a specialization in Leadership studies.

    Always seeking to enhance and broaden his knowledge base, Dr. McCarthy remains engaged in continuous learning opportunities and is a currently enrolled in IWP’s Certificate of Graduate Study program focusing on Statecraft and National Security.

    • 1 hr 5 min
    The World of Lobbying and Current State of Politics on Capitol Hill

    The World of Lobbying and Current State of Politics on Capitol Hill

    About the Lecture:

    The current state of politics is divisive, and navigating this is no easy task. As we enter an election year, with over 15 years of non-profit, trade association, multi-client, corporate lobbying experience, and a current advisor to dozens of politicians, political candidates, and past presidential campaigns, Brian Johnson is a captivating speaker who will share with us his insights on lobbying and the current state of the political landscape.

    About the Speaker:

    Brian Johnson is an experienced government and public affairs executive with over 15 years of non-profit, advocacy, trade association, multi-client representation, political campaign/fundraising, and management experience. Throughout his career, Brian has developed and executed numerous strategic government and public affairs campaigns, drafted and had countless pieces of legislation introduced, secured tens of millions of dollars in targeted Appropriations, worked intimately on, and helped pass, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), and was named to “The Hill’s Top Lobbyist 2020” list. Currently, Brian serves as the Vice President of Government & Public Affairs for Veterans Guardian, the largest veteran-owned and operated disability claims consulting company in the world, helping tens of thousands of veterans every year secure benefits they are legally, ethically, morally and medically entitled. In this capacity Brian manages all lobbying, public affairs campaigns, and political giving as head of the company's Washington, DC operations. Politically, Brian advises on dozens of political campaigns, serves on several elected officials’ Steering Committees, and is heavily involved in local politics. As a policy expert he has testified before Congress and his expert commentary has been featured on BBC, CNN, C-SPAN, Fox News, Fox Business News, PBS, Real Clear Politics, and many more.

    • 1 hr 3 min

Customer Reviews

4.1 out of 5
38 Ratings

38 Ratings

another RJF ,

Great episode.

Great episode, Rebecca Burgess: Soldier-Citizens and Citizen-Soldiers: Spiritedness and the Constitution.

A politically neutral military is a pillar of our country.

Despite Article 88 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, our active duty & retired general & flag officers are publicly partisan in open letters & public speeches.

A US military that is unable to police itself to publicly remain politically neutral, is a danger to our constitutional republic.

northwest supercaster ,

Thank you

Really wanted to hear the latest episode, but there is no sound. I’m trying to educate myself, and I enjoy your choice of lecture topics! Thank you, God Bless America with wisdom.

TagBerg ,

Great School, Great Podcasts

Phenomenal school of higher education and great content. 🇺🇸

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