In this episode of "Students Talk Security," NDISC Fellow Jack Lennon '25 welcomes Eric Connolly, a foreign language-enabled research analyst and project lead at Riverside Research, a notable nonprofit dedicated to advancing scientific research in areas including machine learning, biomedical engineering, and more, for the benefit of the US governme…

In this episode of "Outside the Box, "hosts Michael Desch and Jim Webb are joined by guest Doug Bandow to discuss the parallels between today’s conflict in Ukraine and the tumultuous year of 1968. The discussion unpacks President Biden's strategies in Ukraine, highlighting a lack of clear victory definition and the echoes of past U.S. foreign polic…

Join Anne Griffin '26 and Notre Dame political science professor Dr. Rose Kelanic as they explore the nuances of U.S. foreign policy decisions, from balancing power in Asia to the implications of green energy investments on national security. Gain perspective on the clash between academia and policy worlds, navigating incentives and challenges in s…

In this episode of the Outside the Box podcast, host Dr. Michael Desch is joined by guests Dr. John Mearsheimer and Dr. Stephen Walt to discuss the taboo surrounding the Israel lobby. They highlight the historical backdrop of anti-Semitism in the West, conspiracy theories, and the tragic events of the Holocaust that make it challenging to discuss t…

From the experiences and viewpoints of citizens growing up in the global South to the challenges faced by policymakers in understanding the complex dynamics of a globalized world, we explore the interplay between economics, the environment, and social dynamics. Join us as we navigate through the nuanced thinking styles and biases that influence dec…

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion against Ukraine in February 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been likened to British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. The comparison is apt, but NDISC Director Michael Desch asks us to truly reckon with it.He did so though his article in Harper's Magazine (https://harpers.org/archive/20…

Mike and Jim talk with former Lieutenant General Newbold about the recent actions of Senator Tuberville to block the president of the United States' selection of a new Commandant of the Marine Corps. In doing so, they compare the military's cultural history to today's political divide and attempt to uncover how and why they have changed.…

In this episode of "Outside the Box," co-hosts Dr. Michael Desch and Sen. Jim Webb welcome Christopher Layne to discuss his recent co-authored article "Why Are We in Ukraine?" published in "Harper's Magazine" in June 2023.Christopher Layne is University Distinguished Professor of International Affairs and the Robert M. Gates Chair in National Secur…

An Interview with Ambassador Nancy Jo Powell by Pranav GuntupalliInterview Summary : Ambassador Nancy Jo Powell speaks about the history of US relations with South Asia including the death of American ambassador Arnold Raphel in 1988, nuclear tension in the subcontinent, and re-emerging non-alignment in India’s foreign policy today. She also recoun…

An Interview with Chaplain Col. Billy Graham of the US Army by Pranav GuntupalliInterview Summary: In this episode of the Students Talk Security podcast, Chaplain Billy Graham speaks about his military experience and the uniqueness of chaplaincy corp. Billy explains the crucial role of a Chaplain when a soldier dies in active duty, and shares his a…

Episode summary – In this episode of Students Talk Security,Notre Dame senior and NDISC Undergraduate Fellow Benjamin Erhardt sits down with retired Navy fighter pilot, admiral, and fellow podcaster James A. “Sandy” Winnefeld, Jr. Their discussion covers topics ranging from the Admiral’s storied career – including his time as unit commander of the …

An Interview with Major Gregory M. Scott of the US Marine Corp by Pranav GuntupalliInterview Summary: In the first episode of the "Meet the NDISC fellows" series, Pranav Guntupalli speaks to the NDISC War College fellow, Major Gregory Scott, about his military service. They discuss his time in Okinawa (Japan) and in South America with the Embassy S…

In this episode of Outside the Box, co-host (and six-time novelist) Jim Webb switches to the interviewee seat to join University of Notre Dame English Professor, Iraq War Army veteran, and novelist Roy Scranton to talk about novels and war. In a wide-ranging discussion, the authors of Fields of Fire and War Porn discuss how their experiences in war…

Roseanne W. McManus is an Associate Professor in the Political Science Department at the Pennsylvania State University. Her research focuses on signaling and coercion in an international security context. She received her B.A. from the University of Maryland and her M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Before pursuing an academi…

In this episode of ‘Students Talk Security’, Dr. Farr, the leading expert in the interconnection between international religious freedom, human rights, and United States National Security will discuss his work on the implications rights internationally have on defense and security domestically. His work has led to not only scholarship and legislati…

Matt Duss is a congressional staffer and has worked with Senator Bernie Sanders since 2017. Previously he was the President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace, and a national security and international policy analyst at the Center for American Progress. Recorded: March 29, 2022Por Notre Dame International Security Center

This episode will cover how the Senate can influence foreign policy in the face of new threats and increasing executive power, and what an NSA for a Senator sees as the biggest future threats to American security and power.Interviewer: Christopher LiberoInterviewee: Thomas MancinelliPor Notre Dame International Security Center

In this episode of Outside the Box, Mike and Jim engage LtGen Gregory Newbold, former Director of Operations (J-3) for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in a hard-hitting and wide-ranging discussion of proposed modernization of the U.S. Marine Corps in the XXIst Century, the role of the U.S. Congress in shaping the development of the armed forces, the leg…

Major Jeremy Grunert is an officer in the United States Air Force Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps. In this capacity, he has served as a military prosecutor and legal advisor at assignments in Afghanistan, Qatar, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Major Grunert is currently assigned to the United States Air Force Academy, where …

Šumit Ganguly is a Distinguished Professor of Political Science and holds the Tagore Chair in Indian Cultures and Civilizations at Indiana University, Bloomington. He is a specialist on the international and comparative politics of South Asia. His most recent book (edited with M. Chris Mason) is The Future of US-India Security Cooperation (Manchest…

In 2014 Lt. Gen. Daniel Bolger published his book Why We Lost: A General’s Inside Account of the Iraq and Afghan Wars. Seven years before the fall of Kabul, he had already foreseen the chaotic end of that campaign in the Global War on Terrorism. Bolger says there is much blame to go around but focuses his fire on his profession and colleagues: the …

Bear F. Braumoeller is Professor in the Department of Political Science at The Ohio State University and the holder of the Baronov and Timashev Chair in Data Analytics. He conducts research in the areas of international relations, political methodology, and complexity and human behavior. He received his B.A. from the University of Chicago and his P…

The episode considers the future of counterterrorism in the context of a Taliban controlled Afghanistan. Beginning with a discussion of how the Taliban was able to regain control so swiftly, the podcast draws on the counterterrorism knowledge and expertise of the FBI’s Former Assistant Director for Counterterrorism Mike McGarrity to explore how the…

Jayita Sarkar is an Assistant Professor at Boston University Pardee School of Global Studies, where she teaches diplomatic and political history. Her research has been published in the Journal of Cold War Studies, Cold War History, International History Review, Journal of Strategic Studies, Nonproliferation Review, and elsewhere. Her first book, Pl…

In this episode of ‘Students Talk Security’, undergraduate fellow, Callie Whelan, speaks with Pamela Fierst-Walsh, the Senior Advisor on Conflict Minerals and U.S. Representative to the Kimberley Process at the U.S. Department of State. Callie and Pamela dig into critical mineral supply chains, their relationships with electric vehicle production, …

An Interview with U.S. Army Civil Affairs Captain Ben Ordiway by Cullen Geahigan where they discuss the purpose and function of Army Civil Affairs operations as well as the value of Civil Affairs missions as part of the Army's guiding mission. Additionally, we covered the future role Civil Affairs will play in great power competition.…

Recorded: Aug 31, 2021Host: Dan LindleySpeaker: Fred KaplanPor Notre Dame International Security Center

The Fall of Afghanistan: What Does it Mean for America and the World?A virtual flash panel discussion on the fall of Afghanistan featuring Michael Desch, Mary Ellen O'Connell, Dina Smeltz, and Eugene Gholz.Recorded: August 24, 2021Por Notre Dame International Security Center

Summary:In this episode, Mike and Jim interview Andrew Bacevich, author After the Apocalypse: America's Role in a World Transformed. In this latest book, Bacevich, a retired U.S. Army officer, former professor at Boston University, and President of the new Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, laments that America has failed both domesticall…

Summary:In this episode of Outside the Box, Mike and Jim are joined by Doug Bandow of the CATO Institute to discuss national service. We are once again hearing calls to institute some form of national service; whether in the military through conscription or via some form of mandatory civilian service along the lines of AmeriCorps. Proponents of som…

Recorded: May 4, 2021Host: Joseph ParentSpeaker: Jeffrey TaliaferroPor Notre Dame International Security Center

An Interview with Associate Professor Karrie J. Koesel by Andrew DelVecchioSummary:In this episode of Students Talk Security, Professor Karrie Koesel discusses the role that Russian domestic politics play in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. Professor Koesel uses her experience with contemporary Russian politics to explain how President Putin is…

An interview with Former U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly by Liam KarrSummary: In this podcast, I discuss America's role in the regional conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The Trump and Biden Administrations have taken drastically different approaches to both our ally and our adversary, and we'll break down the different outcomes this could cause. We…

An Interview with Former U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly by Carson WhitesellSummary: In this episode of “Students Talk Security,” former United States Senator Joe Donnelly discusses the domestic terrorism in the United States with an emphasis on recent events like the storming of the Capitol on January 6th. Donnelly brings a special perspective to the pr…

Recorded: April 6, 2021Host: Joseph ParentSpeaker: Steven PincusPor Notre Dame International Security Center

Title: A New Faustian Bargain? Understanding the Lessons of the Soviet-German CooperationAn Interview with Professor Ian Johnson by Charles SedoreSummary:In this episode of Students Talk Security, Charles Sedore, a Notre Dame senior, and Professor Ian John, Assistant Professor of Military History, discuss the history surrounding the German-Soviet C…

Recorded: March 23, 2021Host: Joseph ParentSpeaker: Mariya GrinbergPor Notre Dame International Security Center

Summary:On this episode of “Outside the Box,” Jim and Mike speak with Dr. William Ruger, Vice President for Policy at the Charles Koch Foundation, Iraq War Veteran, President Trump’s nominee as ambassador to Afghanistan, and author of a widely discussed New York Times Op/Ed piece urging the Biden Administration to hold to the May 1, 2021 deadline i…

Title: Geopolitics: The Competing Maritime and Continental World Orders of China, Russia, and the United StatesRecorded: March 16, 2021Host: Joseph ParentSpeaker: Sarah PainePor Notre Dame International Security Center

Full Title: Large-N Qualitative Analysis (LNQA): Everything You Wanted to Know about Doing a Cornell-Princeton Book, Part ISpeaker: Gary Goertz and Stephan HaggardHost: Joseph ParentRecorded: February 23, 2020Por Notre Dame International Security Center

Title: Anticipate, Prevent, Respond: Conflict Stabilization and U.S. Foreign Policy in AfricaHosted by Katherine McLaughlinSummary:With 54 voting UN members, economies ripe for investment and development, and the emergence of foreign influence in the continent, Africa’s future is of strategic importance to U.S. foreign policy. In this episode of “S…

Summary:Sanctions expert and Professor Emeritus of Peace Studies George A. Lopez draws on his extensive research and experience in sanctions design and peace building to explain the advantages and drawbacks of targeted economic sanctions as a diplomatic tool, particularly in how they enable the US to intervene in nuclear threats, corrupt regimes, a…

Title: No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy: The Importance of Law and Humanitarian Values on the BattlefieldAn Interview with Colonel Ian Brasure by Evan MullerSummary: In this episode of ‘Students Talk Security’, Evan Muller will discuss Col. Brasure's career, the importance of international law, his involvement in humanitarian operations, and curren…

Summary: On our second episode of Outside the Box, Mike and Jim discuss U.S.-Israel relations after the Trump Administration. Under the 45th President, the United States moved closer to the positions of the Binyamin Netanyahu’s Likud government than any previous Administration, recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights, moving…

Recorded: February 9, 2021Host: Joseph ParentSpeaker: Keren Yarhi-MiloPor Notre Dame International Security Center

What’s in the Box for the Biden Administration? by Notre Dame International Security CenterPor Notre Dame International Security Center

An interview with Lt. General Eric T. Fick USAF by Martin HeliSummary:Martin Heli, a Notre Dame senior, and Lt. General Eric T. Fick USAF, the Program Executive Officer for the F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office (Notre Dame class of ‘90) discuss the implications of international partnership in the F-35 program. Key topics are the technological …

Speaker: Lindsey O'Rourke Host: Eugene Gholz Recorded: November 3, 2020Por Notre Dame International Security Center

Title: The Arrest of a Foreign General: Corruption, Cartels, and U.S.-Mexico CooperationAn interview with Guillermo Trejo by Tatiana PernettiSummary:In this episode of ‘Students Talk Security’, Associate Professor of Political Science and Faculty Fellow at the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, Guillermo Trejo, will describe the recent U.…

Title: Arctic Shock: Utilizing Climate Change to Test A Theory of Resource CompetitionSpeaker: Jonathan MarkowitzHost: Eugene GholzRecorded: October 27, 2020Por Notre Dame International Security Center