Best The Institute For Middle East Understanding Podcasts (2025)

1
How is Fintech reshaping the future of money? 1:52

9h ago1:52

1:52

In Season 5 of Fintech Files, our three hosts are traveling across the global fintech landscape, uncovering the most exciting stories from the world’s leading innovation hubs. From embedded payments to crypto, from financial inclusion to the future of millennial finance, they’re diving into the breakthroughs, bold ideas, and unexpected questions de…

1
The Halabja Massacre: Remembering, Reflecting and Rebuilding 55:30

24h ago55:30

55:30

About the Lecture:Dr. Saeed speaks about the Halabja Massacre that occurred on March 16, 1988—a chemical weapons attack under the direction of Ali Hassan al-Majid (“Chemical Ali”), a cousin of Saddam Hussein. The attack claimed between 7,000 and 10,000 civilian lives. Dr. Saeed will discuss the lasting impact on Kurdish and Iraqi history, its role …

1
The Future of U.S. Involvement in the Middle East 1:07:48

1d ago1:07:48

1:07:48

About this Event:Join us for a fireside chat, “The Future of U.S. Involvement in the Middle East,” featuring House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Emeritus Michael McCaul (R-Tex.), in conversation with journalist Dr. James Robbins. The discussion will be moderated by Haley Byrd Witt, Senior Reporter at NOTUS.This event will examine the evolving …

1
Old Transformers, New Threats: Is America’s Power Grid at Risk 25:14

19h ago25:14

25:14

Text the ATB Team! We'd love to hear from you! Are America's Transformers the Weak Link in National Security? In this episode of the At the Boundary podcast, GNSI’s Lt Col John "JAY" Patrich, an MQ-9 pilot and National Security Research Fellow at the GNSI, sits down with Jesse Humpal, Ph.D., an Air Force officer currently serving in the Chief of St…

1
Russian Information and Cyber Warfare Threats: What We Know from the Russian Attack on Ukraine 59:42

3d ago59:42

59:42

About the LectureThis presentation will explore the scope and evolution of Russian information and cyber warfare, drawing key lessons from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Ambassador Smith will begin with an overview of Russia’s cyber capabilities and principal actors, then examine how Russian cyber attacks on Ukraine have developed over time and t…

1
U.S. Naval Power at Risk? Inside America’s Shipbuilding Crisis 50:16

9d ago50:16

50:16

Text the ATB Team! We'd love to hear from you! The U.S. once built 90% of the world’s ships—today, it produces less than 1%. What went wrong, and can America reclaim maritime dominance? In this episode of the “At the Boundary” podcast, GNSI’s Dr. Guido Rossi sits down with maritime expert Dr. Randall Gentry, the principal research scientist at CNA …

1
Is Irregular Warfare America’s Blind Spot? 54:56

16d ago54:56

54:56

Text the ATB Team! We'd love to hear from you! In this episode of the GNSI At the Boundary podcast, USF’s Dr. Rob Burrell is joined by Colonel Dave Maxwell (Ret.), of the Center for Asia Pacific Strategy and the Global Peace Foundation, and Lieutenant General Charles T. Cleveland (Ret.) to examine the future of the American way of irregular warfare…

1
Inside the Golden Dome: Can the U.S. Stop Missiles in Space? 49:22

23d ago49:22

49:22

Text the ATB Team! We'd love to hear from you! In this episode of GNSI’s At the Boundarypodcast, Dr. Tad Schnaufer sits down with Dr. Namrata Goswami, professor of space security at Johns Hopkins University, to unpack one of the most ambitious U.S. defense projects in decades: the Golden Dome missile defense system. Announced by the Trump administr…

1
What Went Wrong in Afghanistan? Understanding the Taliban to Shape U.S. Policy 48:51

1M ago48:51

48:51

Text the ATB Team! We'd love to hear from you! In this episode of GNSI’s “At the Boundary” podcast, Arman Mahmoudian, PhD, interviews Marvin G. Weinbaum, PhD, who is senior fellow at the Middle East Institute and professor emeritus of political science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Drawing on his recent article, “Our Knowledge …

1
Israeli Settlers Kill Palestinian American in the West Bank: His Father Speaks 24:02

1M ago24:02

24:02

Sayfollah, a 20-year-old Palestinian-American from Florida, came to Palestine to visit his family, not knowing it would be his last trip home. On July 11, 2025, he was brutally beaten to death by Israeli settlers in the town of Sinjil, near Ramallah. This attack came amid a sharp escalation of settler violence across the West Bank. In this episode,…

1
Did Syria Prepare Russia for Hybrid Warfare in Ukraine? 48:48

1M ago48:48

48:48

Text the ATB Team! We'd love to hear from you! In this episode of At the Boundary, Tad Schnaufer, PhD, speaks with John Pennell, PhD, a Senior Diplomacy Fellow with Narrative-Strategies, Senior Strategic Advisor with Pax Strategies LLC, Senior Practitioner with the Irregular Warfare Center, and author of Assessing Russia's Actions in Ukraine and Sy…

1
Syria After Assad: What Led Here and What Lies Ahead 45:30

1M ago45:30

45:30

Text the ATB Team! We'd love to hear from you! Joining us again is Charles Lister, a senior fellow and director of the Syria Initiative at the Middle East Institute (MEI), where his research focuses on Syria, terrorism, and insurgency across the Levant. In this episode of At the Boundary, Lister breaks down both the history and the sequence of even…

1
Chinese Espionage Operations and Tactics 58:46

2M ago58:46

58:46

About the Lecture:China’s espionage activities are changing the global balance of power, impacting the U.S. and foreign economies, and providing challenges to domestic, national security, and foreign policy formulation. China's "whole of society" intelligence approach provides a sophisticated and expanding global reach to target individuals for rec…

1
A Conversation with Mahmoud Khalil: Student Activism in the US and the Palestinian Struggle for Freedom 32:04

2M ago32:04

32:04

Following their moral compass, student activists at Columbia demanded an end to the genocide in Gaza and called for a ceasefire. The response? Intimidation, suspensions, wrongful arrests, and, in Mahmoud’s case, being illegally detained by ICE and threats of deportation.How and why did the current student movement begin? What were the consequences …

1
Preparing for Tomorrow’s Wars: Resilience, Resistance in the 21st Century 36:37

2M ago36:37

36:37

Text the ATB Team! We'd love to hear from you! In this episode of the “At the Boundary” podcast, GNSI’s Jim Cardoso speaks with Dr. Rob Burrell, Senior Research Fellow at the Global and National Security Institute at the University of South Florida, about GNSI’s new research initiative on the Future of Warfare. Dr. Burrell also introduces his upcom…

1
A Solution for the Kurdish Conflict in Iran: Federalism or Secession? 48:16

2M ago48:16

48:16

About the Lecture:This discussion is based on a case study that examines two policy proposals, federalism or secession, as possible solutions for the Kurdish conflict in Iran. It is a study that meticulously analyzes the historical background of the Kurdish question, identifying the critical factors for the emergence of Kurdish nationalism in Iran …

1
Can BRICS Gold Reserves Challenge the US Dollar? 24:54

2M ago24:54

24:54

Text the ATB Team! We'd love to hear from you! In this episode of At the Boundary, William Parker, a Business Librarian at the University of South Florida (USF) sat down with GNSI’s Strategy and Research Manager Dr. Tad Schnaufer to the newest GNSI Decision Brief, "Assessing BRICS Gold Holdings." They discussed how BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, In…

1
The Electoral College and How Other Republics Elect Heads of Government 58:01

2M ago58:01

58:01

About the Lecture:The American Constitution is the world’s oldest. It was designed by our Founders to withstand the storms of faction, geographic expansion, war – and even Civil War. The Founders studied history. They knew that democracies always fail. Plato writes in The Republic that “democracies always become tyrannies.” How is it that our 235-y…

1
Israel’s Attack on Iran: How it Impacted Palestinians 24:13

2M ago24:13

24:13

This episode uncovers a harsh and overlooked reality: Israel’s unequal protection and systemic discrimination against Palestinian citizens of Israel, which was particularly evident during Israel and Iran’s 12-day war, provoked by an Israeli attack on Iran. For nearly two weeks, most Israelis benefited from widespread access to shelters and rapid em…

1
What's Next for Afghanistan: U.S. Interests or Compromise with the Taliban? 44:38

2M ago44:38

44:38

Text the ATB Team! We'd love to hear from you! What’s the U.S. endgame in Afghanistan now—and what role does the Taliban really play? In this episode of At the Boundary, host Jim Cardoso speaks with Dr. Jonathan Schroden, a non-resident fellow at the Global and National Security Institute (GNSI), to explore how U.S. foreign policy toward Afghanista…

1
Political Polarization Feels Unstoppable. Will it Destroy Democracy? 47:19

2M ago47:19

47:19

Text the ATB Team! We'd love to hear from you! Polarization Feels Unstoppable. Will it Destroy Democracy? In this episode of At the Boundary, we explore how America’s deepening divides are shaking the very foundations of democracy. Dr. Josh Scacco—USF’s first-ever Carnegie Fellow and founding director of the Center for Sustainable Democracy—joins u…

1
Information as a Domain of War with Professor Larry Dietz 1:00:02

3M ago1:00:02

1:00:02

About the Lecture:Conflict is no longer restricted to the domains of land, sea, and air. The Information Domain has emerged as a more than an equal warfighting domain for conflict from tension through armed conflict. The presentation will look at the information domain in military context in the Ukraine, Gaza, Bosnia, and Iraq. Attendees will get a…

1
The World on Fire with Col. John Mills 59:10

3M ago59:10

59:10

About the Speaker:COL (Ret) Mills has made immense contributions to America’s national security since the later stages of the Cold War. This service has been both in uniform and as a senior civilian for the Department of Defense. Colonel Mills has multiple combat tours, has helped train and equip six foreign partner military/security forces and has…

1
Voices from Gaza: Journalist Yara Eid on War, Media, and Memory 32:53

3M ago32:53

32:53

In today’s episode, we speak with Yara Eid, a young Palestinian journalist and human rights advocate from Gaza, currently based in London. Yara has worked with international organizations, including Amnesty International, and uses her platform to shed light on life under Israeli occupation and apartheid in Gaza. Yara is known for her viral intervie…

1
The History of American Intelligence — Jeff Rogg on The Spy and the State 41:16

3M ago41:16

41:16

Text the ATB Team! We'd love to hear from you! In this episode of At the Boundary, GNSI Senior Director Jim Cardoso speaks with Dr. Jeff Rogg, Senior Research Fellow at the Global and National Security Institute, about his new book The Spy in the State: The History of American Intelligence. Drawing on both history and current events, they explore t…

1
SPECIAL EPISODE Iran's Breaking Point: Missiles, Miscalculation and Reckoning 28:17

3M ago28:17

28:17

Text the ATB Team! We'd love to hear from you! In this urgent special episode of At the Boundary, GNSI Research Fellow Dr. Arman Mahmoudian offers in-depth, real-time analysis of the rapidly escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, which has now drawn in the United States. Following a U.S. and Israeli joint strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, …

1
Could the U.S. Bring Back the Draft? 42:44

3M ago42:44

42:44

Text the ATB Team! We'd love to hear from you! It’s been over 50 years since the U.S. transitioned to an all-volunteer military force. But with rising threats from China, the demands of modern warfare, and persistent recruiting shortfalls, is it time to ask the unthinkable: Could the draft return? In this episode of At the Boundary, GNSI’s Dr. Guid…

1
How Israel Uses Starvation as a Weapon in Gaza 28:54

3M ago28:54

28:54

In this episode, we investigate Israel’s deliberate use of starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza. Through firsthand testimonies and expert insight, we trace how food became tools of siege—cut off from over two million Palestinians. As hunger spreads and desperation grows, we examine how this crisis is manufactured, and who bears responsibility. Tha…

1
Can Deep Sea Mining Meet the World’s Critical Mineral Demand? 32:54

3M ago32:54

32:54

Text the ATB Team! We'd love to hear from you! Found over 4,000 meters below the ocean’s surface, polymetallic nodules may hold the key to powering the future. In this episode, Dr. Mark Luther, Director of the Ocean Monitoring and Prediction Lab at USF and President Elect of the International Marine Mineral Society, joins us to explore how deep sea…

1
Book Lecture: A Rage to Conquer 47:29

3M ago47:29

47:29

About the Lecture:A sequel to Michael Walsh’s Last Stands, his new book A Rage to Conquer is a journey through the twelve of the most important battles in Western history. As Walsh sees it, war is an important facet of every culture – and, for better or worse, our world is unthinkable without it. War has been an essential part of the human conditio…

1
Cybersecurity Without Borders: USA and France 25:36

3M ago25:36

25:36

Text the ATB Team! We'd love to hear from you! In this episode of At the Boundary, Dr. Nicolas Sabouret of the University of Paris-Saclay joins GNSI’s Dr. Tad Schnaufer to preview the upcoming Transatlantic Forum on Cybersecurity. Together, they explore how France and the U.S. approach cybersecurity—from technical expertise in cryptography and netw…

1
From Deep Sea to Deep Policy: What's Fueling the Modern Energy Race? 37:18

4M ago37:18

37:18

Text the ATB Team! We'd love to hear from you! In this episode of At the Boundary, Dr. Andrew Whiskeyman sits down with Milo McBride of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace to explore one of the most consequential issues in global security today: the race for critical minerals and the future of energy transition. From solar and battery in…

1
The Coalition You’ve Never Heard Of—But Can’t Afford to Ignore 36:50

4M ago36:50

36:50

Text the ATB Team! We'd love to hear from you! In this Memorial Day edition of At the Boundary, host Jim Cardoso sits down with Colonel Allan Peterson, the Danish senior national representative to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and the new chairman of its 35-nation military coalition. Based in Tampa, Florida, this enduring coalition was born out of…

1
Battlefield Medical Lessons from Ukraine: Adapting to Future Conflict 39:44

4M ago39:44

39:44

Text the ATB Team! We'd love to hear from you! Description: In this episode of At the Boundary, GNSI’s Jim Cardoso sits down with Dr. Tracey Pérez Koehlmoos—Director of the Center for Health Services Research and Doctoral Programs in Preventive Medicine & Biostatistics at the Uniformed Services University—to explore how lessons from the Ukraine war…

1
77 years later: Survival Stories from the 1948 Nakba 21:37

4M ago21:37

21:37

In this episode, we commemorate Al Nakba for the 77th year. We trace the story of one Palestinian family displaced from the al-Baqa‘a neighborhood in West Jerusalem during the 1948 Nakba. From Victoria’s memories of fleeing her rose-filled home to her grandson Majdi’s search for what was lost, we explore how memory, loss, and resilience are passed …

1
The 5 Signs a Nation Is Headed Toward Collapse 37:27

4M ago37:27

37:27

Text the ATB Team! We'd love to hear from you! In this episode, GNSI's Glenn Beckmann hosts a conversation with Dr. Chris Mason—retired U.S. Army War College professor—about a major new research project on internal conflict, now based at the University of South Florida. Dr. Mason shares insights from over 150 case studies and outlines five key fact…

1
World Press Freedom Day: Palestinian Voices Under Fire 18:24

4M ago18:24

18:24

In Palestine, journalism is not just a profession, t’s an act of survival, resistance, and memory. This episode, released for World Press Freedom Day, explores the brutal reality Palestinian journalists face under Israeli occupation: targeted killings, censorship, and the erasure of their stories. Through the haunting last words of journalist Husam…

1
From Battlefield to Battery: The Critical Mineral Supply Crisis 39:05

5M ago39:05

39:05

Text the ATB Team! We'd love to hear from you! In this episode of At the Boundary, guest host GNSI publications coordinator Heather Ward speaks with Dr. Vlado Vivoda of the University of Queensland to explore the strategic role of critical minerals in modern technology, clean energy, and national security. Dr. Vivoda explains why minerals like lith…

1
Justice for Mahmoud Khalil: A Conversation with Dr. Noor Abdalla, wife of Mr. Khalil 23:49

5M ago23:49

23:49

In this episode, we hear from Dr. Noor Abdalla, a Syrian-American dentist and the wife of Mr. Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent Palestinian student activist and legal U.S. resident who has been illegally detained by ICE since March 8, 2025, for speaking out about Palestinian rights. Mr. Khalil was abducted by ICE while coming home from a Ramadan iftar wi…

1
Iran’s Axis of Resistance: Can It Shift the Balance of Power? 36:25

5M ago36:25

36:25

Text the ATB Team! We'd love to hear from you! In this episode of At the Boundary, host Jim Cardoso sits down with Dr. Armand Mahmoudian to introduce a major new research initiative from the Global and National Security Institute (GNSI) at the University of South Florida: Axis of Resistance. The conversation explores Iran’s growing influence across…

1
The Hidden Risks of a Ukraine Ceasefire 47:33

5M ago47:33

47:33

Text the ATB Team! We'd love to hear from you! What’s next in the Russia-Ukraine war, and how should the U.S. respond? In this episode of At the Boundary, we listen in on a critical conversation between Dr. Arman Mahmudian, GNSI Research Fellow, and David Kramer, Executive Director of the George W. Bush Institute. Together, they examine the current…

1
Is Yemen Losing the War Against the Houthis? 34:01

5M ago34:01

34:01

Text the ATB Team! We'd love to hear from you! In this episode of At the Boundary, guest Nadwa Al-Dawsari, a Yemen expert of the Middle East Institute, joins GNSI’s own Dr. Armand Mahmoudian to unpack the rise of the Houthis and their growing impact on regional and global security. The conversation explores the Houthis' ideological roots, inspired …

1
Russian Hybrid Warfare in Central Europe With Dr. Ivana Stradner 56:11

5M ago56:11

56:11

About the Lecture:**This lecture is part of the Intermarium Lecture Series and the Kosciuszko Chair of Polish Studies at The Institute of World Politics**What is hybrid warfare? How does one identify and read unconventional attacks by autocratic regimes?Dr. Ivana Stradner will address these and related questions, providing insights into the various…

1
The Future of Fintech | Fintech Files Season 4 Finale 20:54

5M ago20:54

20:54

We’re wrapping up Season 4 of Fintech Files with a special episode reflecting on the past season, while also looking ahead to the future of fintech. Hosts Bianca, Nora and Annika dive into the trends they have seen shape the industry, from AI-driven transformation and the rise of digital banking to the growing focus on sustainability and financial …

1
The Rafah Paramedic Massacre: How Israel Executed Gaza’s Humanitarian Workers 20:46

5M ago20:46

20:46

On March 23, a convoy of Palestinian paramedics rushed to the site of an Israeli airstrike in Rafah. They were on a mission to save lives—but they never returned. In this episode, we uncover the harrowing story of the Rafah paramedic massacre, where Israeli forces ambushed, executed, and buried 15 emergency responders in a mass grave alongside thei…

1
Are U.S. Sanctions Helping the Enemy? 37:43

5M ago37:43

37:43

Text the ATB Team! We'd love to hear from you! How effective are economic sanctions in shaping global behavior—and what happens when they backfire? In this episode of the At the Boundary podcast, host Jim Cardoso is joined by Dr. Zachary Selden, a leading expert on U.S. foreign policy and economic sanctions from the University of Florida. Together,…

1
Why NATO Can’t Afford to Ignore Africa: The Key to Global Security Amid Rising Threats 54:28

5M ago54:28

54:28

Text the ATB Team! We'd love to hear from you! What role should NATO play in today’s security landscape—and how do regions like Africa factor into long-term strategy? In this episode of the "At the Boundary" podcast, host Jim Cardoso is joined by retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General Kirk Smith to explore evolving priorities in national securit…

1
The Smolensk Disaster and Its Political Implications Professor Przemysław Żurawski vel Grajewski 1:03:55

6M ago1:03:55

1:03:55

About the LectureIt has been fifteen years since the Smolensk air disaster. On April 10, 2010, a Polish presidential plane crashed near the Smolensk military airport on Russian territory. The aircraft was carrying a delegation to Katyn to participate in the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the 1940 Soviet massacre, and all 96 passengers and…

1
Interoperability in African Fintech: Throwback Episode with Alfred Mukudu from Amazon 32:07

6M ago32:07

32:07

We’re bringing back one of our favourite episodes from Season 3! We dive into the complexities and opportunities within Africa's financial services sector with Alfred Mukudu, Financial Services Go-To-Market Lead at Amazon Web Services (AWS) South Africa. With over 50 countries and about 42 different currencies, Africa presents a unique landscape fo…

1
AI-Powered Cyber Attacks: How Hackers Are Exploiting Human Error 39:10

6M ago39:10

39:10

Text the ATB Team! We'd love to hear from you! AI is revolutionizing cybersecurity, but human error remains the biggest vulnerability. In this episode of At the Boundary, Joe Blankenship, Chief Data Officer at Certus Core, unpacks the latest AI-driven threats, from phishing and malware to supply chain security risks. 🔎 What you’ll learn: How AI is …

Podcasts Worth a Listen

The Institute For Middle East Understanding Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide