Welcome back to the SAIS Review’s The Looking Glass Podcast. We’re your hosts Aaryaman Shah and Jiwon Lim. On May 15, al-Qaeda affiliated militants claimed to kill 200 soldiers during an attack on an army base in Djibo, a village in northern Burkina Faso. This attack is emblematic of the extent to which violent extremism has found a foothold in the Sahel, a belt of semi-arid land straddling the Sahara and coastal West Africa. There are several reasons for the emergence and sustenance of this extremist violence, including free access to weapons, political instability and longstanding ethnic rivalries. Here to help us make sense of violence in the Sahel is Dr Alexander Thurston. 

Dr. Alexander Thurston is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Cincinnati. He is a scholar whose work specializes in the intersection of Islam and politics. Dr. Thurston is the author of a blog, Sawahil, on issues across West Africa, MENA, Islam and Politics. His work has been featured in prominent academic journals, including Journal of the American Academy of Religion, African Affairs, Islamic Law & Society. He has also written reports and articles for the Brookings Institution, the Carnegie Endowment, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and more. He is also the author of Salafism in Nigeria: Islam, Preaching, and Politics and Boko Haram: The History of an African Jihadist Movement. I hope you enjoy this episode of the looking glass podcast. 

Hosts: Aaryaman Shah and Jiwon Lim

Produced by Jiwon Lim

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Last month, Japan set history by electing their first female prime minister: Takaichi Sanae. In this victory, she must be ready to face old and new issues, ranging from domestic political and social instability to international tariffs. To discuss who Takaichi is, her platforms, and how she will navigate the ever changing international field, joining us on the podcast today is Dr. Sheila Smith.

Dr. Sheila Smith is the John E. Merow senior fellow for Asia-Pacific studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. She is an expert on Japanese politics and foreign policy, and the author of multiple books including “Japan Rearmed: The Politics of Military Power” and “Japan's New Politics and the U.S.-Japan Alliance”. Dr. Smith is chair of the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission and the U.S. advisor to the U.S.-Japan Conference on Cultural and Educational Interchange, a bi-national advisory panel of government officials and private-sector members. We hope you enjoy today’s episode of The Looking Glass Podcast.

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From the heart of the Arab world to the crossroads of Africa and Europe, Egypt stands at the center of some of today’s most complex and consequential shifts. Under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the country has undergone profound transformations—economic, political, and social. In this mini series, we step behind the headlines and take a closer look at Egypt’s evolving role on the global stage. We explore the choices it’s making, the pressures it’s facing, and how these forces are shaping its future. Over five episodes, The Looking Glass will offer an in-depth look into the architecture of modern Egypt under Sisi. 

In Episode 1, we unpack Egypt’s geopolitical landscape—how its strategic location has made it both a bridge and a buffer zone in a region gripped by conflict. We examine the ripple effects of the war on Gaza, the growing insecurity across the region, and how decades of instability have indirectly weighed on Egypt’s economy, governance, and global position. 

To explore these issues in depth, we are joined by Dr. Abdallah Al Dardari, the United Nations Assistant Secretary General and the Director of the Regional Bureau for Arab States of the UNDP

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Welcome back to the SAIS Review’s The Looking Glass Podcast. I’m your host Vinayak Kalra. Sanctions are a misunderstood policy tool, rooted in a complex history, deemed by some as a lever of soft power and by others as a form of deadly warfare. In the 2020s, sanctions regimes continue to be implemented and enforced as a means of exerting influence on other nations, but often yield unexpected impacts upon sanctioned societies. To help us make sense of sanctions and the broader world of economic warfare, joining us on the podcast today is Dr. Narges Bajoghli. 

Dr. Narges Bajoghli is a Media Anthropologist focusing on the Middle East at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. She is a scholar, public intellectual, and award-winning author whose work explores the intersections of media, power, and resistance in global politics. Narges’ work has been featured in prominent outlets, including Foreign Affairs, The New York Times, and Vanity Fair. She is the director of the film, The Skin That Burns, on survivors of chemical warfare, and her graphic novella, Sanctioned Lives, visually captures the everyday realities of life under sanctions. Most recently, Narges along with Vali Nasr, Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, and Ali Vaez, wrote the book, “How Sanctions Work: Iran and the Impact of Economic Warfare,” a critically acclaimed, ground-up look, at the human impact of sanctions. 

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Welcome back everybody to the SAIS Review’s The Looking Glass Podcast. I am your host Jiwon Lim. Since 2022, the global media has heavily concentrated on two major conflicts—the Russia-Ukraine War and the conflict in Gaza. While these wars have significant implications, this narrow focus often obscures other conflicts that continue to shape international security, governance, and regional stability. On our Forgotten Wars series, to spotlight the conflict in Sudan since the 2023 civil war, what has changed since then, the international reaction and interference in its developments joining us on the podcast today is Mr. Ahmed Kodouda.

Ahmed Kodouda is a policy, advocacy, and governance specialist with an extensive background in conflict and post conflict settings. Between 2019 and 2021, he served as an advisor to the civilian-led transitional government in Sudan. He has over 15 years of experience working with, and consulting for, governmental, national and international non-governmental organizations in the US, Africa and the Middle East. His peer reviewed publications have appeared in the Journal of Democracy, World Development, and Demography, and his other writing and commentary have been showcased on Foreign Affairs and The Washington Post, among others. He was awarded fellowships from The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the American Political Science Association. We hope you enjoy this episode of the Looking Glass Podcast.

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Welcome back everybody to the SAIS Review’s The Looking Glass Podcast. I’m your host Jiwon Lim.  From phishing emails to ransomware, cyberattacks may be a daily part of your and other people’s lives. However, when these attacks target not just your inbox but a whole industry, the conversation gets complicated. To discuss the actors and goals behind cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, their methods, and where we may be headed in the future of cyber attacks and defending against them is Dr. Jim Jones.

Dr. Jim Jones has been a cyber security and digital forensics practitioner, researcher, and educator for over 30 years in industry, government, and academia. Jim, his colleagues, and his students spend their days and nights examining digital systems of all types to understand how data persists and decays on these systems, and how such behavior and data can be used, manipulated, and verified to find malware infections and compromised systems, detect system and device misuse, link disparate devices and entities, effect and detect deception activities, and recover lost data. Past and current funded research sponsors include the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the United States Department of Defense (DoD). We hope you enjoy this episode of The Looking Glass Podcast.

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Welcome back everybody to "The Libya Chronicles" the first series of the Maghreb Voices Mini Series, a special co-production of The North Africa Initiative and the SAIS Review Looking Glass Podcast. This series delves into the rich and tumultuous history of Libya, a land of ancient kingdoms, vast natural resources, and a complex political landscape. To discuss the transformation of Libyan society under Gaddafi and the following social and economic developments domestically and globally, joining us on the episode: A Nation in Flux is Stephanie Williams.

Stephanie Williams is a nonresident senior fellow in the Brookings Center for Middle East Policy, having recently served as special adviser on Libya to the United Nations secretary-general. Her research includes examining international mediation efforts in an era of global disorder and conflict resolution in failed states with a publication titled “Libya since Gaddafi” scheduled for April this year. She previously served as the acting special representative of the secretary general for Libya and head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya and before that, as the deputy special representative of the secretary general for Libya. She served in the U.S. Foreign Service for over 24 years, with a career focus on the Middle East region. She served in policy positions in the Near Eastern Affairs Bureau and was the recipient of several Superior Honor Awards during her tenure in the U.S. Department of State. We hope you enjoy today’s episode of “The Looking Glass Podcast”

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Facing the intangible nature of AI, its on the ground consequences can seem out of reach at the best of times. To shine light on the environmental aspect of the trade-offs and approaches towards environmental sustainability and AI joining us on the podcast today is Dr. Benjamin Lee.

Dr. Benjamin Lee is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering and the Department of Computer and Information Science at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a visiting researcher at Google in the Global Infrastructure Group. Dr. Lee's research focuses on computer architecture, energy efficiency, and environmental sustainability. He builds interdisciplinary links to machine learning and algorithmic economics to better design and manage computer systems. He has held visiting research positions at Meta AI, formerly Facebook AI Research, at Microsoft Research, at Intel Corporation, and at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. We hope you enjoy today’s episode of The Looking Glass Podcast.

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As the breadth and depth of AI applications grow, so do concerns regarding its development and functioning. To discuss the historical cases of compliance failure in the tech industry, how the AI ecosystem can better prepare to comply with the best practices, and the norms and principles to avoid similar risks in the future, joining us today on the podcast is Mariami Tkeshelashvili.

Mariami Tkeshelashvili is a Senior Associate for Artificial Intelligence Security Policy at the Institute for Security and Technology (IST) where she leads AI Foundation Model Access Initiative and works on other projects within IST related to AI/Cyber and geopolitics of technology. Mariami was also a Fellow at Johns Hopkins University Emerging Technologies Initiative, where she explored transformative technologies like AI, biotech and quantum, and their profound implications for global affairs. Her recent publication includes the IST AI Compliance paper which came out December 11th.

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AI and semiconductors have been at the forefront of recent domestic and foreign policy conversations, yielding questions around national security and supply chains. To discuss what AI chips are, the national security risks associated with them, and the US position in the global market for AI chips, joining us on the podcast today is Dr. Melissa K. Griffith.

Dr. Melissa K. Griffith is a Lecturer in Technology and National Security at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies with the Alperovitch Institute for Cybersecurity Studies and a Non-Resident Research Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley’s Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity. She works at the intersection between technology and national security, specializing in cybersecurity, semiconductors, and AI with a focus on national risk and resilience models. 

Prior to joining Johns Hopkins SAIS, Dr. Griffith was the Director of Emerging Technology and National Security and a Senior Program Associate with the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Science and Technology Innovation Program, a Pre-Doctoral Fellow at Stanford University’s Center for International Security and Cooperation, and a Visiting Scholar at George Washington University's Institute for International Science and Technology Policy. We hope you enjoy today’s episode of The Looking Glass Podcast.

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As we face the 2024 presidential elections, the possibilities of influence operations and disinformation in the media and public’s perceptions remain an ever increasing fear. To delve into what influence operations are and its developments since the 2020 elections, what and where our biggest threats lie, and how much impact these operations really have on the elections joining us on the podcast today is Gavin Wilde.

Gavin Wilde is a nonresident fellow in the Technology and International Affairs Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he applies his expertise on Russia and information warfare to examine the strategic challenges posed by cyber and influence operations, propaganda, and emerging technologies. Prior to joining Carnegie, Wilde served on the National Security Council as director for Russia, Baltic, and Caucasus affairs. He is a nonresident fellow at Defense Priorities and an adjunct professor at the Alperovitch Institute for Cybersecurity Studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. We hope you enjoy this episode of The Looking Glass Podcast.

Disclaimer: This episode was recorded in October 2024

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As new technologies emerge, space operations and infrastructure have become critical to U.S. national security and economy. To understand the ongoing discussion on what the current status is on space technology and infrastructure, developing space policy communities, and the security issues that follow, joining us on the podcast today is Dr. Gregory Falco.

Dr. Gregory Falco is an Assistant Professor at the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and the Systems Engineering Program at Cornell University. He is the director of the Aerospace ADVERSARY Laboratory, which designs and develops next-generation autonomous, secure and resilient space infrastructure. His space technology research is policy-relevant and advances standards and national security conversations relating to space supremacy and cybersecurity. He consults for a range of big technology companies, space systems and defense contractors including Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory. Prior to completing his PhD, he was an executive at Accenture. We hope you enjoy today’s episode of The Looking Glass Podcast.

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Situated at the intersection of the Arab world, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Southern Europe, Egypt remains a pivotal actor in the evolving geopolitics of the Middle East and North Africa. Under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the Egyptian state has embarked on a sweeping agenda of transformation—redefining its political economy, reasserting its regional role, and confronting a host of domestic and international pressures.

This miniseries aims to move beyond conventional narratives to provide a rigorous, multidisciplinary examination of contemporary Egypt. Through a series of in-depth conversations and analyses, The Looking Glass interrogates the logics, trade-offs, and long-term implications of the choices shaping Egypt’s present and future.

In this final episode, we will dive into the dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, an Ethiopian megaproject that has upended relations between Egypt and Ethiopia. The Nile River is shared by over 11 countries, and Ethiopia seeks to use its waters to increase its electricity production. While this seeks to improve Ethiopia’s development, Egypt fears it would bring negative consequences down river, including negative impacts to its water supply. We will discuss this issue in debt, as well as Egypt’s water security in general, which has proven to be a key issue in the country.

To discuss, we are honored to host Mr. John Mukum Mbaku, Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, who works on the Africa Growth Initiative.

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The Sudan Civil war has brought about the current largest famine and displacement crisis in the world, bringing with it questions around aid and international attention. To discuss the status of the conflict, the famine crisis and why it continues, and possible international actions that could be taken, joining us on the podcast today is Dan Sullivan.

Dan Sullivan is the director for Africa, Asia, and the Middle East at Refugees International. Dan focuses on Myanmar, Sudan, South Sudan, and other areas affected by mass displacement. He has more than 15 years of human rights and foreign policy experience having worked for many high-level organizations, including the Albright Stonebridge Group, where he assisted former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright in her role as co-chair of the Genocide Prevention Task Force. 

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The rise of AI and its use in private and public sectors has highlighted the need for AI regulations and have sparked debates on its contents globally. To understand the ongoing debates around what exactly the technology is, the pros and cons of adopting AI, and the current and future regulatory environment for an ethical AI, joining us on the podcast today is Dr. Monica Lopez-Gonzalez.

Dr. Lopez is the Co-Founder and CEO of Cognitive Insights for Artificial Intelligence advising on AI risk management, governance and compliance across various industries. In those roles she advanced novel ethical and human-centered projects and policy initiatives across the AI lifecycle, advising partners in healthcare/biotechnology, autonomous vehicles, and cybersecurity. Recent accolades include being named one of 100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics 2023 and receiving a research award from Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law’s Center for Law, Science and Innovation to propose soft law solutions for AI in healthcare. We hope you enjoy today’s episode of The Looking Glass Podcast.

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For our 4th episode, we are joined by Vilas Dhar, President of the Patrick J. Mcgovern Foundation, AI ethicist, and appointee ​​to the UN High-Level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence. 

This week, it’s all about the need to support technology creation that is fair and equitable through public and third-sector efforts. 

This week we are learning : 

• Importance of curiosity and life-long learning 
• Need for more involvement of the public sector in constructing technology 
• Ability to go beyond actor-limited thinking when it comes to regulation
• Ways to hone foundations and nonprofit participation in AI creation and regulation 

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On the 3rd episode of this series, we are joined by Ronaldo Lemos - co-founder of the Brazilian Internet Bill of Rights and the National IoT Plan. Founder of the Institute for Technology of Rio de Janeiro, he is also a professor at Schwarzman College in Beijing, at Columbia University and still a lawyer. This week it’s all about how we need to build competitiveness and have different national regulations that fit what each country wants out of technology. 

This week we are learning : 

• To follow our passions (music !) 
• How technology really is for people who want to understand humansg i
• The necessity to produce indigenous technology 
• The need to fight the one size fits all model and have differentiated regulations 
• The growmportance of competitiveness and fostering national industries 
• Digital public infrastructure’s state of the art 
• Working for the greater good and fostering techno diversity 

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This week’s episode, Mathilde is hosting Sabhanaz Diya, the founder of Tech Global Institute as well as a senior fellow for the Center for International Governance Innovation. Whilst working for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as well as for Meta as the Head for Bangladesh, she developed expertise at the intersection between advocacy and implementation - working to bridge the gaps in communities’ exposure in policy making. 

We are learning about : 

• Early role of journalism in her career 
• Impact driven career - from local to upstream policy making
• How to create more exposure for ‘so-called Global South’ Voices 
• Revolving door phenomenon - how to create more link between private and public sectors
• Finding purpose whilst advocating for greater exposure 

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Across the dunes of time, the winds of change have often reshaped nations. Welcome to "The Looking Glass." I'm Kosi Ogbuli, your guide through the intricate maze of history and politics. Today, we step back into 1969, when a young Muammar Gaddafi changed Libya forever. This is Episode 2: "The Winds of Change."

Dirk Vandewalle, a renowned expert from Dartmouth College with extensive knowledge in US-Libya relations, joins us to unravel the complexities of this era. Professor Vandewalle, we are honored to have you here.

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Welcome on Talos, a new podcast in partnership with The Looking Glass. My name is Mathilde Barge and I will be taking you on a journey across different technology policy profiles, asking real questions about what it entails, what we can do about it, and how it is evolving. 

This week’s episode,I had the pleasure of talking with Eleonore Fournier Tombs, Head of Anticipatory Action and Innovation at United Nations University, about the potential role the UN can take as a new body for a global governance of Artificial Intelligence. She is also a professor, lead researcher for multiple projects across the UN System as well as a writer.

Keep plugged in for next week’s episode and stay curious ! 

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Welcome to "The Looking Glass," the show where we reflect on the stories that shape our world. I’m Kosi Ogbuli, and in this inaugural episode of this mini-series, we journey back to the early 20th century to witness the birth of a nation - Libya. It's a tale of independence, monarchy, and the shaping of a country's identity amid the waves of change sweeping through Africa and the Middle East.

We are joined by Hafed Al Ghwell, a respected voice on North African affairs and the Executive Director of the North Africa Initiative at the SAIS Foreign Policy Institute, to explore this pivotal period.

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Renowned historian, intellectual, and journalist Vijay Prashad joins the pod to discuss how the political left sees the year ahead.

Vijay Prashad is an Indian historian and journalist. Prashad is the author of forty books, including Washington Bullets, Red Star Over the Third World, The Darker Nations: A People's History of the Third World and The Poorer Nations: A Possible History of the Global South. His latest book, The Withdrawal: Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, and the Fragility of U.S. Power (2022), was written with Noam Chomsky.

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Jason Terry (He/Him), Director of Strategic Programs at UNRWA USA,  joins the pod to discuss the harrowing situation unfolding in Gaza.

 

Things will have changed by the time you have listened to this episode. 

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Welcome back everybody to the SAIS Review’s The Looking Glass Podcast. I am your host Davide Donald. On today’s episode we are going to be talking about disaster management in Turkey. Istanbul lies at the heart of the Eurasian and Anatolian tectonic plate fault lines. The prospect of another major earthquake hitting the city of over 16 million people is a question of when, not if. The 6.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Istanbul a few weeks ago on April 23rd–which luckily resulted in only injuries and minor building damage–was a reminder of just how imminent a major quake could be. To discuss the government’s current preparedness and management approach, and the possible consequences of when an earthquake strikes Istanbul in the future, joining us on the podcast today is Dr. Lisel Hintz.

Lisel Hintz is an Assistant Professor of International Relations at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Her research explores how identity struggles interact with domestic politics and foreign policy, focusing on Turkey and its neighboring regions. Drawing on fieldwork and a diverse range of sources, including pop culture and social media, Dr Hintz brings unique insights into how state-society relations evolve in times of crisis. She is a frequent commentator in outlets like Foreign Policy and The Washington Post, and we are eager to have her join us today to discuss the political and societal dimensions of disaster response in Turkey. We hope you enjoy this episode of the Looking Glass Podcast.

Host: Davide Donald

Additional Editors: Sloan Askins, Sophie Haas-Goldberg, Juliette Legein, Magdalena Paddock

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Today, we're exploring the critical role of the World Bank Inspection Panel in protecting livelihoods through its 30 years of operations. We'll be discussing the insights and experiences gained from various inspection cases, particularly focusing on a recent investigation in Togo, West Africa."

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Today, we're joined by two experts: Laura Sanders from Cetus Global and Dougoukolu Alpha Oumar, a geopolitics analyst, clinical psychologist, and a  SAIS alum and someone who can speak truth to power regarding Fulani communities across West Africa. "Don't Call it a Farmer Herder Conflict."

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Dr. Marsha A. Echols is the Director of The World Food Law Institute and a Professor at Howard University School of Law, where she teaches commercial, international business and trade, and world food law. She is a recognized expert in the fields of international food regulation, international trade and dispute settlement. 

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The politics of disaster series continues with a dive into the devastating environmental and human rights abuses perpetrated by the Royal Dutch Shell oil company in the Niger Delta region. 

For decades, the local communities have suffered from massive oil spills, gas flaring, and deforestation, leading to loss of livelihoods, contaminated water, and severe health impacts.

Despite ongoing legal battles and international pressure, Shell continues to avoid accountability, highlighting the need for a global response to corporate environmental negligence.

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In a special series, The Looking Glass and The Politics of Disaster Podcast will explore powerful stories at the intersection of policy and climate disaster.

This episode explores the Lingering Impact of Deepwater Horizon.

On the mic are:

Jeffrey Gorham (MAIR ‘24/narrator), Rowan Humphries (MAIR ‘24/interviewed Ben Casselman), and Nathan Felmus (BA/MAIR ’24/interviewed Allen Lindsay Jr.)

This episode was produced by Kosi Ogbuli.

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Back in March, we had the pleasure of Speaking with Charles Dunst about his new book,  Defeating the Dictators: How Democracy Can Prevail in the Age of the Strongman.

In a world where democracy is in decline and autocracy is on the rise, Dunst argues autocracy is not the solution despite being an attractive alternative for those disillusioned with current democratic institutions. He argues that the only way to defeat dictators is to have better democracy. 

We cover his life, his book, and his fandom for New York sports teams on this episode of The Looking Glass.

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Digital authoritarianism is a wide-ranging and, at times, difficult-to-define area of international security analysis. To help us tease out some key terms and analytical frameworks in this ever-evolving domain, we brought on international security expert and analyst Mr. Erol Yayboke, Director of the Project on Fragility and Mobility and Senior Fellow for the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). 

In 2020, Mr. Yayboke and Deputy Assistant Samuel Brannen of the U.S. Department of Defense jointly published a CSIS brief, “Promote and Build: A Strategic Approach to Digital Authoritarianism.” The publication puts forth a useful analytical set of concepts to develop a deeper understanding of the modern landscape of digital authoritarianism as a threat to global democracies and the subversion of human rights while also highlighting some specific key actors, models, and methods of the practice, and other overlapping challenges in our rapidly digitizing world. 

You can read Mr. Yayboke and Deputy Assistant Brannen’s full CSIS brief here - 

“Promote and Build: A Strategic Approach to Digital Authoritarianism.”

Other work by Mr. Yayboke and his colleagues:


"The Real National Security Concerns over Data Localization."


"Technology as a Driver of Gender Equality and Peace."


This episode was hosted and produced by Noelle Boyd.

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At the posting of this episode —Nigeria’s tightest presidential election in a generation — Africa’s most significant democratic exercise —has yet to be decided.

However, Nigeria's political map will never be the same after this election. This phenomenon has been years in the making.

Joining us to discuss these dynamics is Ebenezer Obadare, Douglas Dillon senior fellow for Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). Before joining CFR,  Obadare was a political reporter for The News and TEMPO magazines from 1993 to 1995, and a lecturer in international relations at the Obafemi Awolowo University from 1995 to 2001. His primary areas of interest are civil society and the state, and religion and politics in Africa.

Be on the lookout for pt. 2 of this conversation!

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Perhaps the most important critique of modern international law has been the charge that it is a Eurocentric regime, which has helped to erect and defend a world of deep injustice characterized by violence, exploitation, and inequality.

To reorient the discussion on international law, this episode of The Looking Glass explores International Law and the Global South with Professor Obiora Chinedu Okafor.

Professor Okafor is the Edward B. Burling Chair in International Law and Institutions at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).

Professor Okafor has served, since August 2017, as the UN Independent Expert on Human Rights and International Solidarity (one of the principal groups of human rights experts who advise and report annually to the UN Human Rights Council and General Assembly) and a former Chairperson of the United Nations Human Rights Council Advisory Committee (a Geneva-based committee of experts elected by the Human Rights Council to serve as its think tank and principal subsidiary organ).

This episode was produced by Kosi Ogbuli.

Articles/ Reports referenced:
Re-defining legitimate statehood: international law and state fragmentation in Africa

The third world and international order: Law, politics and globalization

Poverty, agency and resistance in the future of international law: An African perspective

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This episode of The Looking Glass follows the rise of digital authoritarianism through China’s use of technology for mass surveillance, including the use of biometrics, artificial intelligence, and big data.

We discuss the export of digital authoritarianism to other parts of the world, the role of democracies in providing a better use case of technology, and technology’s relationship with human rights. 

Joining us in this episode is Maya Wang. Maya Wang is the associate director in the Asia division at Human Rights Watch. Wang has researched and written extensively on the use of torture, arbitrary detention, human rights defenders, civil society, disability rights, and women’s rights in China. In recent years, her original research on China’s use of technology for mass surveillance, including the use of biometrics, artificial intelligence, and big data, has helped galvanize international attention on these developments in China and globally.

This episode was produced by Abena Oduro and hosted by Kosi Ogbuli.

Here are some links to reports/articles referenced in the conversation:

• Where Are the Techno-Democracies
• China’s Techno-Authoritarianism Has Gone Global

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Nuclear catastrophes like Chernobyl and Fukushima serve as a stark reminder of the risks that come with harnessing atomic energy — we hear about the evacuations, the health impacts, the geopolitical consequences. But what about the landscapes left behind? What happens to plants, animals, and entire ecosystems when exposed to high levels of radiation over days, months, or even years? To help us unpack these questions, we're joined by Dr. Timothy Mousseau.

Dr. Timothy Mousseau is an evolutionary biologist and leading expert on the effects of radiation on wildlife in Chernobyl and Fukushima. He was the first U.S.-based biologist to begin research in Fukushima, starting in July 2011, and his pioneering work in Chernobyl has revealed a wide range of radiation-related impacts on organisms—shifting how we understand the vulnerability of natural populations to environmental contaminants. Most recently, his research has expanded to explore the effects of cosmic radiation in space. With years of fieldwork across continents, Dr. Mousseau’s findings have offered critical insights and sparked ongoing debate within the field of radioecology. Let’s explore what nuclear fallout really means for the natural world — and why this research matters now more than ever. We hope you enjoy this episode of the Looking Glass Podcast.

Hosts: Meya Lee and Matthew Dowden

Additional Editor: Jacob Wright

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This episode of The Looking Glass follows the rise of authoritarianism in Poland over the past forty years and considers the varied consequences; from rising tensions with the European Union, to the weaponization of conspiracy and revisionist history, to violations of human rights and threats to democracy. It considers the state of things, as well as the stakes–what it all means for Poles today and in the future. 

Joining us in this episode are Professor Charles Gati of Johns Hopkins SAIS and American University Master’s candidate Abigail Steinsieck, whose testimonies shed light on how, when, and why Poland transitioned from a paragon of a post-Soviet democracy to a semi-authoritarian state–and what may be coming next. 

This episode was produced by Mary Hopkins and Jen Roberts.

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This episode of The Looking Glass tackles the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and asks the question: what can international institutions do to intervene in this conflict? It explores challenges faced by these organizations and what policies they can put in place to solve these problems.

Join us as guests Nele Ewers-Peters, Jason Blessing, and Obiora Okafor as they discuss the historical role of NATO, the EU, and the UN and explore what options these institutions have in resolving this war, as well as further recommendations they have for what steps can be taken in the future.

This episode was produced by Derek Chuah and Jen Roberts.

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This episode of The Looking Glass dives into the understudied field of Gender Disinformation. It explores how disinformation operations conducted against women are inherently different than their male counterparts. This episode combines the subjects of the last two SAIS Review issues, "Who Runs the World: A Look at Gender in International Affairs" and "Conflict in the Fifth Domain", which focuses on cybersecurity. 

Join us as guests Lucina Di Meco and Kristina Wilfore from #she-persisted, the only global initiative dedicated to tackling gender disinformation against women in politics, discuss what gender disinformation is, examine case studies, and reflect on the role social media companies play in perpetuating this issue. 

This episode was produced by Jen Roberts.

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Join hosts Jen Roberts and Derek Chuah as The Looking Glass enters its fourth season! This episode features a roundtable of cybersecurity professionals who discuss a variety of topics, ranging from how malware is implemented in cyberattacks to a review of the Biden Administration's  cybersecurity policies. 

Join us as we discuss choosing our weapon with Will Loomis, an Assistant Director at the Atlantic Council's Cyber Statecraft Initiative,  Ross Luo, a Software Engineer at Nvidia and a Cyber Officer in the Air Force Reserves, Justin Marinelli, an Analyst at the Department of Defense, and Alexandra Seymour, the Chief of Staff at CalypsoAI. 

This episode was produced by Jen Roberts and Derek Chuah. 

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This episode of The Looking Glass examines recent changes in China's posture regarding China-Africa relations, complimenting the SAIS Review's latest print issue "Who Runs the World: A Look at Gender in International Affairs." Join our guests Professor Zongyuan Zoe Liu, from Texas A&M University and Professor Maria Carrai from New York University Shanghai as they discuss the successes and struggles in promoting gender equality in Africa and motivations for pursuing gender equality on the continent.

This episode was produced by Abena Oduro and Jen Roberts.

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To complement the release of The SAIS Review's  "Who Runs the World: A Look at Gender in International Affairs," The Looking Glass is kicking off our new season. Over the next few installments, we will be exploring different facets of gender and its role in policy. In this episode, we explore Chancellor Angela Merkel's tenure. First, we examine some of her key policy successes and failures. Then, we look to the future, discussing what the upcoming German elections mean for the European Union and Germany. 

Join us as we talk with the President of the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies, Jeff Rathke, and Senior Fellow for Europe at the Council on Foreign Relations and SAIS Professor, Matthias Matthijs. 

This episode was produced by Jen Roberts.

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The Looking Glass is headed into its third season. With this transition comes some exciting new changes.   

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As a complement to the current print journal, "The Revolution Will Be Televised: A Decade of Global Protest," The Looking  Glass's second installment examines global environmental protests. 

Climate change has become an unavoidable political issue. More and more people have taken to the streets, fueled by the existential threat of an increasingly unlivable world. Most notably, the environmental protests have been led by the younger generation. However, despite the hopefulness that more participation can bring about change, there are still questions regarding  who leads the movement and if those most effected are being properly advocated for.  To answer these questions, we had the great pleasure of speaking about environmental movements with SAISer's Professor Nina Hall and MA students Sahar Priano and Charlie Lawrie as well as Kenyan climate justice activist Kevin Mtai.

This episode was produced by Ester Fang and Emma Riley. 

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The Looking Glass is back with season 2! This is our first installment of our Protest & Revolution series, a complement to the current print journal, "The Revolution Will be Televised: A Decade of Global Protest." 

To start us off, we began with  Hong Kong . Years of protests, even during the pandemic, have highlighted the struggles Hong Kong faces in keeping its identity.  With both internal clashes and external influences, it is difficult to say what Hong Kong might look like in 5 years. To add to the ongoing geopolitical narrative, we discuss the protests and its legacy  with practitioners and SAIS students who either currently live or previously lived in Hong Kong or are part of the  Hong Kong diaspora. 

We have changed some of the guests' names in order to protect their privacy and safety. 

This episode was produced by Ester Fang, Gregory Kist, Emma Riley, and Vivian Chen. 

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We have arrived at The Looking Glass'  third and final installment of our diplomacy series, a complement to the current print journal, "Ex Amicitia Pax: Diplomacy in Action." This episode focuses on  how the expanse and power of corporations are tied to their international conduct a.k.a  corporate diplomacy.  In a world where public perception and company values have a growing impact on a corporation's  success, understanding geopolitics is essential. To learn more, we had the pleasure of speaking with Prashanth Rajan, director of APCO Worldwide, and SAIS M.A. students Ananya Kumar and Andrew Pince. This episode was produced by Ester Fang, Gregory Kist, Emma Riley, and Vivian Chen. 

This episode was produced by Ester Fang, Gregory Kist, Emma Riley, Vivian Chen, and Arthur Xie. 

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Welcome back, everyone, to the SAIS Review’s The Looking Glass Podcast. We are your hosts, Nassim Ali Ahmad and Rachel Fink. As the world confronts new and novel future crises, among the most concerning will be environmental challenges, driven in many places by the sheer scarcity of water. One answer to that dilemma comes from geoengineering, or the shaping of the environment through technological feats like cloud seeding. To discuss what cloud seeding is, why it has become controversial, and its implications for some of the world’s driest regions, joining us on the podcast today is Dr. James Fleming.

Dr. James Fleming is the Charles A. Dana Professor of Science, Technology and Society, Emeritus at Colby College. His research focuses on the history of weather, climate, technology, and the environment. Of particular relevance to today's topic, his book, "Fixing the Sky: The Checkered History of Weather and Climate Control" addresses the promise and potential pitfalls of cloud seeding. We hope you enjoy today’s episode of The Looking Glass Podcast.

Hosts: Nassim Ali Ahmad and Rachel Fink

Additional Editors: Gabriel Davis and Sara Sylvan

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After the rapid succession of January's political events, The Looking Glass podcast team and The SAIS Review editorial board found it imperative to discuss the state of our American union. The majority of our team are U.S. citizens and the attack on the Capitol, impeachment, and inauguration left us all with much to think about. We explore what these recent events mean for our specific fields of study. We debate the role of foreign policy in our domestic affairs and vice versa. We layout our hopes for the future. 

Listen in on our open discussion, and perhaps  it will transport you to those pre-COVID-19 chats you might have struck up in Nitze cafe or as you rushed over to BOB. 

This episode was produced by Ester Fang, Gregory Kist, Emma Riley, and Vivian Chen. 

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The Looking Glass'  second installment of our diplomacy series is here! Complementing the current print journal, "Ex Amicitia Pax: Diplomacy in Action," we discuss how technology has evolved beyond just a tool into an international relations space. From national security to digital governance,  this episode covers the individual and organizational responses to technology's most pressing concerns. We are happy to have SAISer's Professor Kenneth Keller, Ph.D. student Simin Kargar, and M.A. students Ashley Wax, Ben Deese, and Alex Kessler join us in conversation. 

This episode was produced by Ester Fang, Gregory Kist, Emma Riley, and Vivian Chen. 

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To complement the print journal's topic of "Ex Amicitia Pax: Diplomacy in Action," The Looking Glass is kicking off our diplomacy series! Over the next 3 installments, we will be exploring different facets of diplomacy and how it is being impacted by current global changes. In this episode we explore what it means to engage in diplomacy in a COVID-19 world. Join us as we talk about a passion for service with Consul-General to Hamburg Darion Akins and SAIS Black Student Union President Theo Guidry. 

This episode was produced by Ester Fang, Gregory Kist, Emma Riley, and Vivian Chen. 

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Welcome to our inaugural episode! On this episode, we speak with SAIS Professor Emeritus David M. Lampton about the future of U.S.-China relations. Our student panel with Zhanping Ling, Logan Ma, and Chenyu Wu weigh in with insightful reflection. Join us as we peer into the Looking Glass. 

This episode was produced by Ester Fang and Gregory Kist.

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