As threats, harassment, and intimidation increasingly target women leaders, and often their families, many are deciding that the personal cost of public service is simply too high. Robinson explores how attacks on democracy and gender equality frequently go hand in hand, particularly under authoritarian movements. Drawing on her extensive interviews with women who have led their countries' defense against authoritarianism, she describes similarities among these inspiring leaders.

Mallaby has a unique talent for building compelling narratives around fascinating individuals and the forces shaping their fields. In The Infinity Machine, he focuses on Demis Hassabis, founder of DeepMind, exploring his lifelong drive for competition, scientific discovery, and innovation.

During our conversation, Sebastian reflected on how three years of research changed his own thinking about whether AI represents a profound threat or an extraordinary opportunity. We also discussed the growing competition between China and the United States, and whether winning that race truly matters.

Sebastian explains why he believes governments must play a role in regulating AI and suggests that the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons could serve as a useful model for international cooperation and oversight.

This conversation, which was hosted by the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, was recorded on May 20, 2026.

Simon also tells how we can use Google Trends to see what is capturing public attention in real time and discusses how artificial intelligence is changing the way we search, making our queries longer, more conversational, and increasingly interactive.

In our conversation, Matthew Frakes, author of Rogue States: The Making of America’s Global War on Terror, takes us back to the Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush presidencies—when policies forged in that era help explain, in part, what we’re witnessing today in Iran and, earlier this year, in Venezuela.

Listeners will also hear a short archival clip of George H. W. Bush and Margaret Thatcher speaking to reporters at the Aspen Institute on August 2, 1990, just as Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait was unfolding, a moment that would help shape the future U.S. approach to state-sponsored aggression.

This conversation was recorded on Feb. 10 as a virtual book talk. Co-produced by the World Affairs of Connecticut, WorldNow is a benefit to members of World Affairs Councils across the country.  

Hartung explains how, despite hopes to the contrary, the end of the Cold War led not to a peace dividend but to continued and accelerating military spending. He examines how consolidation within the defense industry, now dominated by five major corporations, has fueled cost overruns, reduced competition, and weakened accountability.

The conversation also explores the growing role of Silicon Valley–based defense startups, the influence and profitability of defense lobbying, and the surprisingly small impact the defense industry has on overall employment, despite frequent claims by politicians.

This program was recorded on January 21 for WorldNow with Jim Falk as a virtual book talk presented to members of World Affairs Councils across the country.

I greatly enjoyed the book and the conversation with Steve and bet you will, too. I hope you will review the podcast and this episode. 

To bring the conversation into the present, we also speak with military strategist and Stimson Center senior fellow Christopher Preble. He offers insights into the state of nuclear deterrence today and whether the doctrine of mutually assured destruction (MAD) still holds. While acknowledging the need to modernize the U.S. arsenal, Preble questions whether the projected $1 trillion investment over the next 30 years is the wisest path forward. He also weighs in on the feasibility of “The Golden Dome,” a proposed missile defense system, arguing that given the geographic scale of the U.S. and other technical limitations, the concept remains impractical.

The last minutes are bonus content.