RUSI Podcasts Archive

Originally published 22 September 2020

What can other countries learn from Estonia's defence against greyzone aggression? How to best involve youth in national security? And what was it like to do more than three years' military service in the Soviet Navy? In the season finale, Elisabeth Braw speaks with General Riho Terras, until 2018 Estonia's chief of defence and now a member of the European Parliament.

Originally published 8 September 2020.

Globalisation is the new frontline of great-power competition. What does it mean China has cornered the market for rare earth processing (think smartphones and electric car batteries)? What about global choke points that can be exploited by countries wishing to harm each other? Elisabeth Braw discusses with professors Henry Farrell and Abraham Newman.

Originally published 27 August 2020.

Even with competitive national service, motivating soldiers is important. Elisabeth Braw discusses what motivates conscripts during their service with Nina Hellum, a social anthropologist at the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment. Hellum specialises in soldier behaviour and has just completed a report on conscript motivation.

Originally published 21 July 2020

Elisabeth Braw speaks with Stewart McDonald MP, the SNP's defence spokesman, who has followed up on Elisabeth's proposal for teenager resilience training and initiated a Resilience Scotland proposal. In McDonald's Resilience Scotland plan, people from all parts of society will be able to attend resilience training and as a result help themselves and their communities in crises.

Originally published 7 July 2020

Elisabeth Braw speaks with British member of parliament and disinformation expert Damian Collins about why disinformation and misinformation keep spreading and whether parliaments should legislate to fix the problem. Plus: should other countries’ parliaments be able to subpoena US social media executives, and what happens when growing parts of society only access news that’s not vetted?

Originally published 25 June 2020

Elisabeth Braw speaks with Rear Admiral Ewa Skoog Haslum, the Swedish Navy's new commander, about the challenges of defending a country with an enormous coastline, about greyzone aggression, citizens' trust in authorities, involving youth in national security and what it's like to command a submarine-hunting flotilla.

Originally published 26 May 2020

Despite massive efforts to improve cyber defence, cyber attacks are growing. Even hospitals are attacked. A central but little-discussed aspect are the legal implications for cyber victims. Listen to Elisabeth Braw’s discussion with Jonathan Kewley, who as co-head of Clifford Chance’s Tech Group leads more than 400 lawyers.

Originally published 12 May 2020

Elisabeth Braw speaks with Giedrimas Jeglinskas, NATO’s Assistant Secretary-General for Executive Management, about what his job running NATO’s headquarters entails, about NATO’s efforts to help fight coronavirus and whether NATO should even do humanitarian work. Plus, is the alliance capable of innovating?

Originally released 29 April 2020

Cyber aggressors are not taking a break simply because countries are busy battling coronavirus – quite the opposite. In this episode Elisabeth Braw talks with Dr Samantha Ravich of the US Cyberspace Solarium Commission, which has just published a major report with proposals for better cyber defence and deterrence.

Originally published 3 April 2020.

Elisabeth Braw explores how insurance gaps impact major disasters with James Vickers, and finds there are enormous gaps.

On the Cusp is a monthly podcast from the Modern Deterrence Project at RUSI. Hosted by Elisabeth Braw, each month Elisabeth interviews an innovative leader combating new national security threats. Thanks to Willis Towers Watson. 

Originally published on 3 April 2020.

We need to get used to the idea that our convenient societies can't be convenient every single day. Could teenagers play a larger role in helping countries respond to threats? Elisabeth Braw and Per Brekke discuss.

Originally published 29 August 2019

In this episode Karin talks to Sir John Scarlett about his career in the British Secret Intelligence Service, including his time as Chief. They discuss the collapse of the Soviet Union, 9/11 and even green ink, among other issues!