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Small World, Big Problems: Daily Summaries Delivered
by JHU SAIS Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies
Small World, Big Problems – a SAIS Strategy Podcast. A SAIS student podcast supported by the Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies. In Small World, Big Problems, we ask the experts about the biggest challenges in the world of strategy and national security. It’s a small world, and it’s only getting smaller. But it seems like every day, there is a new problem on the horizon: great power conflict, political extremism, climate change – the list goes on and on. In this student podcast sponsored by the Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies, we ask leading experts in the fields of national security, strategy, and statecraft about what problems the world is facing and, more importantly, how to solve them. Please address any questions to SAISStrategyPodcast@gmail.com.
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- Jul 13, 202647 min
Political Football: The Geopolitics of the 2026 World Cup
Professor Edward P. Joseph sits down with incoming second-year MAIR student Manolo Prestamo for a wide-ranging conversation on the geopolitics of the 2026 World Cup. As the tournament unfolds across North America, the two examine how the world's most-watched sporting event has become a mirror of global politics. They discuss the prominence of immigrant and dual-national players on national teams amid an increasingly charged global discourse on migration, and what the absence of major powers — Russia, banned from international competition, and China, unable to qualify — reveals about the shifting relationship between sporting prestige and geopolitical standing. The conversation also turns to the politics playing out in the stands, from some Iranian supporters waving pre-revolutionary monarchist flags to the broader ways fans use the tournament as a stage for contestation back home. Produced by the Phillip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies at Johns Hopkins SAIS.Produced and edited by Wasay Mir
- May 4, 202630 min
Small State, Big Stakes: President Jakov Milatović on Economic Diplomacy, EU Accession, and and Montenegro’s National Identity
Sanjana Polapragada sits down with President Jakov Milatović of Montenegro, NATO’s youngest head of state, for a timely conversation on how Montenegro, as a small state, can exercise influence at a decisive moment for its EU ambitions, economic future, and role in a world shaped by geopolitical tensions and shifting alliances. From Montenegro’s push toward EU accession to its new economic growth model, President Milatović offers a candid look at the choices shaping his country’s future. The conversation explores economic diplomacy, international trade, and how governments can support those left behind by global change. It also examines the pressures Montenegro faces between East and West, including gray zone warfare and Russian and Chinese influence. At its heart, the episode explores Montenegrin identity: how unity, inclusion, and shared civic values can bind together a multiethnic and multireligious society. Blending geopolitics, governance, and personal insight, this episode offers a compelling look at leadership, resilience, and the role small states can play in shaping a more stable world order. This podcast was produced by the Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies at Johns Hopkins SAIS. Researched and hosted by Sanjana Polapragada; edited by Sanjana Polapragada & Vishal Gogusetti
- Feb 24, 202628 min
“Security is a Team Sport”: The Rising Industry of Private Sector Intelligence
Riley Bryant sits down with Dr. Deborah Wituski, a 20-year veteran of the CIA and an early contributor to the emerging field of private sector intelligence services. In an increasingly globalized economy, what happens when profit motives intersect with national security imperatives? How can traditional intelligence agencies adapt to incorporate these new perspectives coming out of the private sector? Drawing on case studies, policy frameworks, and her own experience, Dr. Wituski tells us about her jump from government to Google, the similarities and differences between public and private sector intelligence work, and what the future of these parallel industries may hold. This podcast was produced by the Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies at Johns Hopkins SAIS.Researched, hosted, and edited by Riley Bryant
- Feb 16, 202631 min
Democracy in Decline: What a More Authoritarian World Means for Global Security and World Order
Krithiga Narayanan hosts a conversation with Michael Coppedge, co-founder and principal investigator of the Varieties of Democracy Project (V-Dem), one of the world’s leading efforts to measure and analyze democratic change. Drawing on V-Dem’s latest global data, Coppedge examines how shifts within democratic systems are reshaping the international order and altering global power dynamics. The discussion explores how democratic erosion often unfolds gradually rather than through abrupt breakdowns, why electoral autocracies are becoming more common, and how changes in large and influential democracies, such as India, carry consequences that extend beyond national borders. Together, they assess whether coordination among autocratic leaders is strategic or ad hoc, what the data reveals about early warning signs of democratic decline, and where opportunities for democratic resilience still exist. Produced by the Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies at Johns Hopkins SAIS.Researched and hosted by Krithiga Narayanan; edited by Krithiga Narayanan
- Feb 5, 202653 min
Inside Iran with Trita Parsi
This episode was recorded on Jan 21, 2026.Wasay Mir hosts a conversation with Trita Parsi, Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute and one of the most influential voices on US-Iran relations in Washington.A Johns Hopkins SAIS PhD and author of four books on American foreign policy in the Middle East, Parsi unpacks Iran's unfolding domestic crisis in January 2026. Seven months after devastating strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, mass protests have erupted amid economic collapse and an unprecedented regime crackdown.Together, they explore whether this uprising differs from past movements like the Green Revolution or Mahsa Amini protests, what the collapse of Iran's regional proxy network means for the regime's survival, and whether Gulf states actually want a weakened Iran or fear what comes after.Parsi's personal history as the son of an outspoken academic who faced repression under both the Shah and Ayatollah Khomeini provides unique insight into Iranian authoritarianism.Produced by the Phillip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies at Johns Hopkins SAIS.Researched and hosted by Wasay Mir; edited by Vishal Gogusetti
- Nov 21, 20251h 6m
National Security Business: How to Get Started
Sanjana Polapragada hosts a two-speaker conversation with Robert Miller, a seasoned “startup statesman” who has advised companies such as CrowdAI (now acquired by Saab) and Hawkeye 360 (now valued at over a billion dollars), and Emma Bates, CEO and founder of Cachai, a dual-use tech company (for both civilian and military purposes) focused on collaborative autonomy and drone innovation in the national security space. Together, they unpack how to navigate the national security startup ecosystem, secure government contracts, and cross the many “valleys of death” that mission-driven ventures face. Aimed at anyone with a concrete, government-focused venture idea, the episode offers practical how-tos for entering and thriving in the field. If you're curious about building a mission-driven venture in national security, this episode is your starting point. Produced in partnership with the Pava Center for Entrepreneurship at Johns Hopkins.Researched and hosted by Sanjana Polapragada; edited by Vishal Gogusetti.
- Nov 6, 202546 min
Diplomacy Without Borders: Negotiating the Future of Global Governance
Leila Olukoga talks with Ambassador Juan Jose Gomez Camacho of Mexico. Ambassador Gomez Camacho has represented his country as ambassador to eight countries and led international negotiating efforts on a wide range of issues – ranging from politics, economics, and trade to security, disarmament, humanitarian issues, and a host of other subjects.Researched and hosted by Leila Olukoga; edited by Vishal Gogusetti
- Apr 25, 202552 min
The Evolution of Modern Airpower with Brigadier General Geoffrey Weiss
Connor Hall talks with US Air Force Brigadier General Geoffrey Weiss on the evolution of modern airpower theory, the role airpower has played in recent conflicts, and the future of manned aircraft in an environment increasingly dominated by attritable unmanned systems.General Weiss is currently serving as the Director of Regional Affairs in the office of the Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs (SAF/IA) at the Pentagon. His critically-acclaimed book The New Art of War was published in 2021 by Cambridge University Press and has been an Amazon bestseller in military history and military science.Researched and hosted by Connor Hall; edited by Emma Ding.The views expressed in this episode are those of Geoffrey Weiss and do not reflect the official stance of the US Air Force or the US Department of Defense.
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About Small World, Big Problems
Small World, Big Problems – a SAIS Strategy Podcast. A SAIS student podcast supported by the Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies. In Small World, Big Problems, we ask the experts about the biggest challenges in the world of strategy and national security. It’s a small world, and it’s only getting smaller. But it seems like every day, there is a new problem on the horizon: great power conflict, political extremism, climate change – the list goes on and on. In this student podcast sponsored by the Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies, we ask leading experts in the fields of national security, strategy, and statecraft about what problems the world is facing and, more importantly, how to solve them. Please address any questions to SAISStrategyPodcast@gmail.com.
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