PODCAST · news
World Class
by Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University
Podcast from the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI) at Stanford University, featuring Director Colin Kahl, former under secretary of defense for policy at the U.S. Department of Defense. Colin and his guests dive into critical international issues, offering insights into the history and context of the biggest stories in the news.
Episodes
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Why Do Nations Go to War? Jim Fearon on Ukraine, Iran, and His Pentagon Years
James Fearon, one of the preeminent thinkers in international relations, joins Colin Kahl to talk about why conflicts around the world are roaring back, and how more might be prevented. Fearon shares his perspectives from academia and government on why and how the conflicts in Ukraine and Iran…
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Policy Leaders at OpenAI and Anthropic on AI in National Security
The heads of national security policy at OpenAI and Anthropic join World Class to discuss how artificial intelligence is intersecting with national security, the U.S.-China AI race, and how the risks and advantages of AI are resonating in the national security space. Together with host Colin…
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The Technology Reshaping Our World
Artificial intelligence, social media, biotechnology, energy systems, propaganda, and geopolitics — each is transformative on its own, but together they're converging in unprecedented ways that are rapidly reshaping our world. On this episode of World Class, Colin Kahl shares expertise and…
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How to Prevent a War with China Over Taiwan
Even though China is the main global competitor to the United States, has there has been sufficient planning in Washington on how the U.S. might respond to aggression against the island of Taiwan by Beijing? Eyck Freymann wants to make sure there is. He joins Colin Kahl on World Class to discuss...
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An Iranian, Israeli, and American Perspective on the War in Iran
On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched wide-spread, coordinated attacks against Iran which struck military, naval, and nuclear infrastructure and killed many of the country’s senior leaders. On a special episode of World Class, Colin Kahl discusses the war, its immediate...
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Two National Security Advisors on Two Breakneck Months of U.S. Foreign Policy
H.R. McMaster and Jake Sullivan, the respective national security advisors of the first Trump administration and the Biden administration, join Colin Kahl to sort through everything that has happened in U.S foreign policy since the start of the year, from Venezuela and Iran to Greenland and…
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A New Global Order and a New Host of World Class
There are a lot of changes happening in the world, from the "rupture" in the global order to a new host of World Class! Colin Kahl, the new director of the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University, joins Michael McFaul to take on the role of podcast host and…
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Hope and Despair: The Emotional Response to the War in Ukraine
Gabrielius Landsbergis is the former minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of Lithuania. Previously, he was the chairman of the Homeland Union Party while concurrently a member of the Lithuanian Parliament. Before assuming these roles, Landsbergis was also a member of the European…
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How to Tackle Global Challenges
Marshall Burke is a senior fellow at the Center on Food Security and the Environment and senior fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, and Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research. His research focuses on social and...
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The Global Showdown Between Autocrats vs. Democrats
Michael McFaul the director of the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University. He served as the U.S. ambassador to Russia from 2012 to 2016, and has spent much of his academic career researching political change, great power competition, and American policy toward...
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How Democracy Is Doing Around the World
Larry Diamond is the the Mosbacher Senior Fellow in Global Democracy at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI), the William L. Clayton Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, and a Bass University Fellow in Undergraduate Education at Stanford University. Diamond’s research...
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Sanctions and Security in a Changing Global Order
Ruth Gibson is a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University’s Department of Health Policy and an affiliate at the Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC). Her research focuses on volatile regions affected by war and sanctions. She also works with the United Nations High...
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Lessons from the Latest India-Pakistan Clash
Arzan Tarapore is a research scholar at the Center in International Security and Cooperation at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University. His work focuses on Indian military strategy and regional security issues in the Indo-Pacific. Prior to his scholarly...
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Is There a Future for U.S.-Europe Security Partnerships?
Jim Goldgeier is a research affiliate at the Center for International Security and Cooperation and the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University. He is also a professor at the School of International…
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The Great Retreat of Political Parties
Didi Kuo is a Center Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI) at Stanford University. She is a scholar of comparative politics with a focus on democratization, corruption and clientelism, political parties and institutions, and political reform. Her latest book, The...
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Three Years of War in Ukraine
Steven Pifer is an affiliate with the Center for International Security and Cooperation, and at The Europe Center at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University, where his research focuses on nuclear arms control, Ukraine, Russia and European security.. In…
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Understanding China's 'Upstart' Strategy
Oriana Skylar Mastro is a Center Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University, where her research focuses on Chinese military and security policy, Asia-Pacific security issues, war termination, and coercive diplomacy. She is also a nonresident scholar at...
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Vladimir Kara-Murza on the Future of Russian Democracy
Vladimir Kara-Murza is a Russian politician, author, historian, and former political prisoner. A close colleague of the slain opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, he has served as deputy leader of the People’s Freedom Party and was a candidate for the Russian Parliament. Leading diplomatic efforts on...
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Whatever Victory Takes: Ambassador Audra Plepytė on Support for Ukraine
Audra Plepytė was appointed as Lithuania’s Ambassador to the United States of America and to the United Mexican States in 2021. Before this she was a Lithuanian Permanent Representative to the United Nations where she facilitated several negotiations, led the Group of Friends, and was elected to...
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Global Threats Today: The 2024 Edition
This audio was originally recorded on October 26, 2024 during the event, “Global Threats Today: What's At Stake and What We Can Do About It,” held during Stanford University's annual Reunion and Homecoming weekend in affiliation with the Stanford Alumni Association. Featuring: Michael McFaul,...
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An Inside Look at Policymaking with Susan E. Rice
Susan E. Rice served as domestic policy advisor to President Joe Biden. Previously, she was President Barack Obama's National Security Advisor and U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations and a member of the Cabinet. During the Clinton Administration, Rice was U.S. Assistant Secretary…
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The View on Russia from Estonia
Kristjan Prikk has served as Estonia´s Ambassador to the United States since May 2021. This is his third diplomatic posting to Washington, D.C. Before assuming his current duties, Prikk served for nearly three years as the Permanent Secretary of the Estonian Ministry of Defense. In this role he…
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Strategic Responsibility in the EU, United States, and Beyond
Josep Borrell serves as the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. He previously served as President of the European Parliament from 2004 to 2007 and as Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation in the Government of Spain from 2018 to...
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Global Security Lies in Human Security, Says Oleksandra Matviichuk
Matviichuk originally delivered this speech at the 2024 S.T. Lee Lecture hosted by the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law at Stanford University. Oleksandra Matviichuk is a human rights lawyer focused on issues within Ukraine and the OSCE region. She is the head of the Center…
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The Widening Cracks in Iran's Regime
Abbas Milani is the Hamid and Christina Moghadam Director of Iranian Studies at Stanford University and a visiting professor in the department of political science. In addition, Dr. Milani is a research fellow and co-director of the Iran Democracy Project at the Hoover Institution. Michael McFaul...
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The War in Ukraine at Two Years
Michael McFaul is joined by: Oleksiy Honcharuk, who served as the 17th prime minister of Ukraine from 2019-2020, during which time he introduced important policy initiatives in Ukraine including the institution of business privatization processes, efforts to combat black markets, and the launch…
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Sean Penn on Ukraine's "Superpower"
When Academy Award-winning actor Sean Penn set off to make a documentary about Ukraine, he thought he would be telling the story of a comedic showman-turned president named Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the young democracy that had elected him. Instead, Penn found himself witnessing the start of a...
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How Did We Get Here? A Conversation on the Crisis in the Middle East
To understand why the conflict in Gaza is so complex, you have to understand the history of Israel's relationship with Palestine and Hamas well before October 7, 2023. In this episode of World Class, we bring you a conversation with Ambassador Dennis Ross and Ghaith al-Omari, two experts on the...
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Global Threats: What's at Stake and What We Can Do About It
Conflict between Hamas and Israel; the ongoing war in Ukraine; rising tensions between China and Taiwan; climate change; dissatisfaction with national politics. These are some of the most pressing challenges facing the world today. What do we need to understand better about these issues, and what...
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On the Ground in Ukraine
In September 2023, Michael McFaul and political philosopher Francis Fukuyama traveled to Kyiv to participate in the Yalta European Strategy conference. They met with policymakers from Ukraine, Europe, and beyond; military experts; Ukrainian alumni of fellowship and development programs from the...
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Understanding Israel's Democracy
Changes to the legal code. Massive protests from the public. Walk-outs by members of the legislature. What exactly is going on in Israel? Law and governance expert Amichai Magen joins World Class host Michael McFaul to discuss the growing crisis Israeli democracy faces. Magen gives context on the...
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Finland's Role in Global Security and Defense
Featuring: Sauli Niinistö, President of Finland Michael McFaul, Director of the Freeman Spogli Institute Anna Grzymala-Busse, Director of The Europe Center Oriana Skylar Mastro, FSI Center Fellow and expert on the Chinese military and strategic competition H.R. McMaster, retired lieutenant…
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What a Year of Putin's War Looks Like in Kyiv
It's been a year since Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Few people have had a closer view of the realities of that war than Sergiy Leshchenko, an advisor to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief-of-staff and an alumnus of the Draper Hills Summer Fellows program at the Freeman...
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Women, Life, and Freedom in Iran
"Women, Life, and Freedom:" this phrase has become the rallying cry of tens of thousands of Iranians around the world. What began as protests over the death of Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish woman detained by Iran's strict morality police, has become a groundswell in Iran's society unlike anything...
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Addressing Policy Challenges: The 2022 Report Card
In this episode of World Class, we're bringing you a conversation from the 2022 Stanford Reunion. In this recording, you'll hear Michael McFaul and a panel of experts from the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies discuss some of the biggest policy challenges of the moment — climate...
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The War in Ukraine: What's Next?
As winter in Eastern Europe settles in, the Russian military continues to cede ground to advancing Ukrainian forces. The question many people are asking now is: “What happens next?” Steven Pifer, a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, and political scientist Francis Fukuyama join Michael McFaul on...
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What We Need Talk About When We Talk About Taiwan
While the world still watches the conflict in Ukraine, on the opposite side of the globe, the potential for conflict between Taiwan, China, and the United States is increasing. Will China forcibly try to reunify Taiwan with the mainland? And if they do, how will the United States respond? Larry...
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Putin's Failed War
To launch our new season of World Class, we're bringing you a special extended interview with Michael McFaul and Ray Suarez of the World Affairs podcast about the changing conditions on the Ukrainian battlefield and the political situation inside Russia. Their conversation originally aired on…
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Putin's Fear of a Democratic Ukraine
This is a special crossover episode of World Class and the World Affairs podcast, hosted by Ray Suarez. Michael McFaul, the director of the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, joins Ray as a guest to discuss what motivated Vladimir Putin to invade Ukraine and how is his war…
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Taking the Temperature on the Climate Crisis with Marshall Burke
Data clearly shows that extreme weather patterns like those seen across the globe in 2021 are driven by climate change. But is that fact driving policymakers to make meaningful inroads to address the climate crisis? Marshall Burke, the deputy director of the Center on Food Security and the...
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Spies, Lies and Algorithms with Amy Zegart
There are plenty of glamorous Hollywood spies, but how does the world of real espionage and intelligence work? In her book Spies, Lies and Algorithms, national security and intelligence expert Amy Zegart separates facts from fictions about the U.S. intelligence community. She joins FSI Director...
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Ukraine, Russia and the Fight for Democracy
The situation on the Ukraine-Russia border continues to change, but the ideological fight between democracy and autocracy is as hot as ever. Former prime minister of Ukraine Oleksiy Honcharuk joins Michael McFaul to give an inside view on the Ukraine-Russia conflict and discuss the bigger…
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Alexander Vindman on Why Right Matters to Democracy Here and Abroad
Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman joins Michael McFaul on World Class to discuss why values and integrity are crucial to upholding democratic norms here in the United States, and why democracies everywhere should support and encourage those norms in places like Ukraine. His testimony before...
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We Need To Rethink Our Assumptions about China’s Strategic Goals
Taiwan. Hypersonic missiles. The South China Sea. In the last few months, China’s activities have grabbed headlines and imaginations. But how much of this action is posturing, and how much should U.S. policymakers and strategists take seriously? Oriana Skylar Mastro, an expert on China's military...
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Understanding the Global Rise of Authoritarianism
In the last 30 years, authoritarian regimes have gained significant ground in countries around the world, and democracy norms are in decline. Why? Former Deputy National Security Adviser for Strategic Communications and Speech Writing and veteran podcaster Ben Rhodes joins Michael McFaul to…
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Democracy in Peril
In his inaugural address, President Biden declared, “Today we celebrate the triumph not of a candidate but of a cause — the cause of democracy.” But is the United States still a beacon for aspiring democratic societies around the globe? In a crossover episode with the World Affairs Podcast, World...
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Russia Resurrected
If you like what you hear, you can get additional content from scholars at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies by following us on X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube, and by subscribing to our newsletters and updates.
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What’s Going on in Georgia? A Democracy Activist Explains the Nation’s Current Political Crisis and Turbulent History
Last week, riot police used force to remove Nika Melia, the leader of Georgia’s main opposition party, from his political headquarters. Meila’s arrest has deepened political rifts within Georgia and is plunging the nation into crisis, with opposition parties vowing to boycott Parliament until…
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President Biden on the World Stage
In a special crossover episode, World Class host Michael McFaul discusses how the U.S. can mend relationships with the rest of the world after four years of unpredictability on the World Affairs Podcast. Mike and Jorge Castañeda, former Foreign Minister of Mexico, join World Affairs co-host Ray...
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Biden Administration Should Strike a Deal with Iran
Iran’s economy is at its worst point in decades, its Supreme Leader is ill, and the country is “desperate” for a nuclear deal with the United States, says Abbas Milani, an expert on U.S.-Iran relations. On this episode, he and Mike discuss the Iranian economy, the future of Iran’s leadership, and...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Podcast from the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI) at Stanford University, featuring Director Colin Kahl, former under secretary of defense for policy at the U.S. Department of Defense. Colin and his guests dive into critical international issues, offering insights into the history and context of the biggest stories in the news.
HOSTED BY
Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does World Class have?
World Class currently has 173 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is World Class about?
Podcast from the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI) at Stanford University, featuring Director Colin Kahl, former under secretary of defense for policy at the U.S. Department of Defense. Colin and his guests dive into critical international issues, offering insights into the...
How often does World Class release new episodes?
World Class publishes regularly with 173 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to World Class?
You can listen to World Class on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts World Class?
World Class is created and hosted by Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University.
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