THE LOOKING GLASS
The Looking Glass is the premiere international relations podcast by The SAIS Review of International Affairs with support from the Foreign Policy Institute. Listen in on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or directly on this website.
Latest Episodes
The GERD Water Dispute and its Impact on Egypt’s Water Security
Jul. 14, 2025 – 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. To discuss, we are honored to host Mr. John Mukum Mbaku.
Istanbul’s Next Earthquake
May 29, 2025 – 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. 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.
Radioactive Roots: Life Finds a Way (Even if it Glows a Bit)
May 27, 2025 – 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.
Making it Rain? The Promises and Pitfalls of Cloud Seeding
May 23, 2025 – 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.
Lessons from the Myanmar Earthquake
May 20, 2025 – Since 2021, when the military deposed the democratically elected government, Myanmar has been in a brutal civil war. In the midst of this conflict, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on March 28, complicating the relief efforts and pushing the casualties higher. To discuss the challenges a conflict-ridden area faces when a natural disaster strikes, along with the particular implications for Myanmar and its latest disaster, today on the podcast, we are joined by Professor Gregory Gottlieb.
Beneath the Black River-Oil Spills in Ecuador’s Amazon Rainforests
May 15, 2025 – The March 2025 oil spill in Ecuador’s Esmeraldas province is one of the country’s worst recent environmental disasters. This spill destroyed local biodiversity, poisoned water supplies, and disrupted the lives of more than half a million people, including Indigenous and rural communities, highlighting the urgent need for environmental justice and stronger protections for Ecuador’s people and ecosystems. To discuss these topics, joining us today is Mr. Paul Paz y Miño.
Politics of Disaster Miniseries: Disaster Capitalism in Lebanon
May 13, 2025 – As Lebanon grapples with currency collapse, inflation, and government paralysis, important questions arise about how these conditions have been exploited economically and politically. To help us unpack the systemic vulnerabilities, the role of elites, and the international dynamics shaping Lebanon’s recovery efforts, joining us on the podcast today is Dr. Hicham Saffadeine.
Spotlight on Burma: The Future of the Military Junta
Apr. 22, 2025 – On our Forgotten Wars Series, to discuss Burma’s domestic conflict, from the 2021 coup and the failure of the military to consolidate power, the current resistance groups and opposition in 2025, and attempts for brokering peace, joining us on the podcast today is Billy Ford.
Miniseries on Contemporary Egypt: Geopolitical Landscape
Apr. 21, 2025 – 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.
Sanctions and Economic Warfare
Apr. 10, 2025 – 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.
Spotlight on Sudan: The Unending Civil War
Mar. 25, 2025 – 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.
The Threat of Cyber on Critical Infrastructure
Feb. 27, 2025 – 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 cyberattacks and defending against them is Dr. Jim Jones.
The Libya Chronicles: A Nation in Flux
Jan. 9, 2025 –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.
AI Global Governance
Jan. 6, 2025 –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.
Developing AI Compliance
Dec. 19, 2024 –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.
AI Semiconductors Security
Dec. 11, 2024 –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.
Foreign Influences Operations
Nov. 5, 2024 –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.
Space Cybersecurity and Resilience
Oct. 24, 2024 –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.
Sudan Famine Crisis
Oct. 14, 2024 –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.
AI Global Governance
Sep. 19, 2024 –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 is Dr. Monica Lopez-Gonzalez.
Talos x TLG: Harnessing Equitable Tech Futures
Apr. 3, 2024 – 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.
We are learning: the 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; and ways to hone foundations and nonprofit participation in AI creation and regulation.
Talos x TLG: The Private Sector & Techno-Diversity
Mar. 26, 2024 – We are joined by Ronaldo Lemos, co-writer 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.
We are learning: To follow our passions (music!); how technology really is for people who want to understand humans; the necessity to produce indigenous technology; the need to fight the one size fits all model and have differentiated regulations; the growing importance of competitiveness and fostering national industries; digital public infrastructure’s state of the art; and working for the greater good and fostering techno diversity.
Talos x TLG: Reimagining Tech Accountability
Mar. 8, 2024 – 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; how to create more exposure for ‘so-called Global South’ Voices; impact driven career – from local to upstream policy making; revolving door phenomenon – how to create more link between private and public sectors; and finding purpose whilst advocating for greater exposure.
The Maghreb: The Era of Gaddafi
Mar. 4, 2024 – 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.
Talos x TLG: What Role(s) can the UN Play?
Feb. 20, 2024 – 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.
The Maghreb: The Birth of Libya
Feb. 14, 2024 – In the 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.
“The Left in 2024” with Vijay Prashad
Jan. 9, 2024 – 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.
Gaza Situation Report with Jason Terry
Dec. 29, 2023 – 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.
The World Bank and your Livelihood
Dec. 10, 2023 – 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.”
Don’t Call it a Farmer-Herder Conflict
Dec. 8, 2023 – 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.”
Is Oat Milk, Milk [TLG-Archives]
Dec. 7, 2023 – 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.
Shell Shocked: The Untold Story of Environmental Ruin in the Niger Delta
Sept. 20, 2023 – 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.
13 Years Underwater: The Lingering Impact of Deepwater Horizon
June 12, 2023 – 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:
Guest(s):
Ben Casselman, NY Times Reporter
Allen Lindsay Jr., Attorney
Jeffrey Gorham (MAIR 2024/narrator)
Rowan Humphries (MAIR 2024/interviewed Ben Casselman)
Nathan Felmus (BA/MAIR 2024/interviewed Allen Lindsay Jr.)
Defeating the Dictators: A conversation with Charles Dunst
June 5, 2023 – 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.
Guest: Charles Dunst, Deputy Director of research & analytics at The Asia Group, an adjunct fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and a contributing editor of American Purpose.
Unpacking Digital Authoritarianism: Definitions and Considerations
March 27, 2023 – 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 at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
In 2020, Mr. Yayboke and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Plans and Posture Samuel Brannen jointly published a CSIS brief, “Promote and Build: A Strategic Approach to Digital Authoritarianism.” The publication puts forth a useful set of analytical concepts to develop a deeper understanding of the modern landscape of digital authoritarianism as a threat to global democracies and a force for 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.
Guest: Erol Yayboke, Director, Project on Fragility and Mobility and Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
Obi or Not Obi: The 2023 Nigerian Elections
Feb. 28, 2023 – At the posting of this episode, Nigeria’s tightest presidential election in a generation 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, Douglass Dillon senior fellow for Africa at the Council on Foreign Relations. Before joining CFR, Obadare was a political 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.
Guest: Ebenezer Obadare, Douglas Dillon Senior Fellow for Africa Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR).