The Voices of War

51. Carl Miller - On Information Warfare, Social Media and pro-Russian influence campaigns in BRICS

My guest today is Carl Miller who is the co-founder of the Centre for the Analysis of Social Media at Demos. For the past nine years, he's been building new machine learning-driven approaches to robustly study online life and has written over 20 major studies spanning online electoral interference, radicalisation, digital politics, conspiracy theories, cyber-crime, and internet governance. 
His debut book, The Death of the Gods: The New Global Power Grab was published in 2018 and won the 2019 Transmission Prize. He presents programmes for the BBC's flagship technology show, Click and has written for Wired, New Scientist, the Sunday Times, the Telegraph and the Guardian.
He joined me to discuss Information Warfare, cyber-attacks, weaponisation of social media and other challenges, and to do so with a particular focus on the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Some of the topics we discussed are:
Carl’s entry into this field
Terrorists as conspiracy theorists
Profiling a conspiracy theorist
Understanding data
On the ‘Death of Gods’
The power of open-source intelligence
Emergence of information warfare
Frictionless engagement and the Attention Economy
TikTok and censoring of data
Has Ukraine really won the Information War against Russia?
Suspicious Pro-Russian influence operations in BRICS countries
Background and methodology of the BRICS research
Assessment of pro-Russian campaigns in BRICS countries
Cost of attacking vs defending against information operations
Risk of hubris
You can find out more about Carl and his work here, and you can see his recent research on pro-Russian influence operations in BRICS countries here.

50. Peter W Singer - On Ukrainian information warfare, social media dominance and the power of narrative

Today, I spoke with Dr Peter Warren Singer, who is a Strategist at New America, a Professor of Practice at Arizona State University, and Founder & Managing Partner at Useful Fiction LLC. He is a New York Times Bestselling author with a multitude of accolades to his name.
His non-fiction books include ‘Corporate Warriors: The Rise of the Privatized Military Industry’; ‘Children at War’; ‘Wired for War: The Robotics Revolution and Conflict in the 21st Century’; ‘Cybersecurity and Cyberwar: What Everyone Needs to Know’ and most recently, ‘LikeWar: the Weaponization of Social Media’, which is the book we talked about today.
Peter is also the co-author of a new type of novel, using the format of a technothriller to communicate non-fiction research. ‘Ghost Fleet: A Novel of the Next World War’ was both a top summer read and led to briefings everywhere from the White House to the Pentagon. His latest is ‘Burn-In: A Novel of the Real Robotic Revolution’ and has been described by the creator of Lost and Watchmen as “A visionary new form of storytelling—a rollercoaster ride of science fiction blended with science fact,” and by the head of US Army Cyber Command as “I loved Burn-In so much that I’ve already read it twice.”
Some of the topics we covered are:
How the concept of #LikeWar was born
The individual vs social media
The power of storytelling in communication
The role of social media in the invasion of Ukraine
Social media – shifting the Who, the When, and the Where
Ukrainian application of best practices
Disconnectedness of Russian narrative
Justness of the Ukrainian cause
'Democratisation' of war
The malleability of the ‘truth’
Lessors learnt from Ukraine’s
During the chat, I referred to an article Peter recently published with Politico. You can access it here.
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49. Dmytro Gurin - The view from Ukraine

Today, I spoke with Dmytro Gurin, who is a currently serving Member of Parliament in Ukraine. Dmytro is originally from Mariupol, the besieged city in South-eastern Ukraine that is capturing global headlines, where he has spent his childhood and where he went to university. In the past, Dmytro has also spent more than a decade living in Moscow and is very familiar with Russian political and media machinations. 
He joins me today, just after midday on Sunday, 13th of March, Eastern European Time, to discuss the evolving Russian invasion of Ukraine. Some of the topics we covered are:
Current situation in Ukraine
Change of Russian tactics to target civilians
General Russian orientation towards Ukraine
The reality faced by Russian troops
Life in the besieged city of Mariupol
Western predicament and possible ways forward
What Ukraine needs from the West
Possible scenarios inside Russia
Difference between Ukrainian and Russian armies
The state of the Ukrainian nation

48. MAJGEN Mick Ryan: On the Russian invasion and his recent book ’War Transformed’

My guest today is MAJGEN Mick Ryan, who only days ago officially retired from more than 35 years of service in the Australian Army. During this time, he has deployed on multiple overseas deployments, has commanded troops at platoon, squadron, regiment, task force, and brigade level, and among the many awards for service and excellence he has received, in 2008, Mick was also awarded the Order of Australia for distinguished leadership of the Australian 1st Reconstruction Task Force in Afghanistan.
He is a recognised expert in leadership, institutional strategy, technology, organisational adaptation and change management, institutional reform, as well as personnel development. Mick is also a prolific writer and speaker, with a particular focus on thinking about and preparing for the battlespace of the future.
This is also what his recently published book is all about. It is titled ‘War Transformed: The Future of 21st Century Great Power Competition and Conflict’ and is a deep dive into how four key disruptors, namely geopolitics, demographics, technology, and climate change, will impact great power rivalry. In short, Mick explores how the dynamics of the nascent fourth industrial revolution and its interplay with the ongoing changes in the way we live as well as dramatic shifts in global affairs will transform tomorrow’s wars.
He joined me today to talk about his book and how it relates to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. Some of the topics we covered are:
Nature vs. Character of war
Russian vs. Ukrainian Information Operations
Why Putin is fundamentally losing, so far
The role of surprise in this invasion
Re-emergence of Europe
Russian military deficiencies
Two principal decisions Ukraine is facing
The importance of time in the current war
Importance of leadership in war
Critical role of logistics
Impact of the Russian invasion on China
Are ‘our’ wars, different to ‘their’ wars?
21st Century as showdown between Democracy vs. Authoritarianism
Lessons learnt from the Russian invasion
You can find out more about MAJGEN Mick Ryan here. I also recommend you follow his Twitter page (@WarintheFuture) for regular updates on the current crisis and beyond. Lastly, you can view and purchase his book 'War Transformed: The Future of 21st Century Great Power Competition and Conflict' here.

47. Arne Dalhaug and Wolfgang Sporrer - On the War in Ukraine

This episode was recorded at 1000h CET on 27 Feb 2022. 
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Today, I spoke with Arne Dalhaug and Wolfgang Sporrer, both of whom I recently interviewed independently about the crisis in Ukraine (links with longer bios below). Arne is a retired three-star Norwegian Army officer, who also served as a senior officer in NATO and, more-recently, as a senior leader at the OSCE in Ukraine. Wolfgang is currently an Adjunct Professor at the Hertie School in Berlin and was recently the head of the Human Dimension Department of the OSCE in Ukraine.
They join me today to discuss the invasion, current crisis and possible future outcomes. Some of the topics we covered are:
Reason behind Putin’s ultimate invasion
Influence and importance of social media
Narrative control in Russia
Zelenskyy and his communication skills
Russian military and its failures to date
Impact of sanctions and financial measures
Energy sector and Nord Stream 2 
China’s orientation towards the invasion and Russia
Other strategic tensions influencing the current situation
Putin’s options from here
You can find more-extensive biographies of both guest in our previous discussions below: 
Special Release: Lieutenant General (Ret.) Arne Bård Dalhaug: On the current Russia/Ukraine crisis
Special Release: Wolfgang Sporrer - Providing nuance to the crisis in Ukraine
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46. Marc Garlasco - War through the eyes of a Pentagon Chief of High Value Targeting

My guest today is Marc Garlasco, who began his career as the Chief of High Value Targeting at the Pentagon between 1997 and 2003 where he led targeting teams during operations Iraqi Freedom, Desert Fox, and Allied Force. Marc later worked in senior roles at Human Rights Watch, the United Nations, and the Centre for Naval Analyses.
Throughout his time, he has worked in Afghanistan, Gaza, Georgia, Iraq, Israel, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, and other conflict zones. He is a co-author of the ICRC report on Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas, and a co-host of the excellent The Civilian Protection Podcast that tells the story of those harmed by war, but whose voices are rarely heard.
Marc is currently the military advisor at PAX, the largest peace organisation in the Netherlands and works to protect civilians against acts of war, to end armed violence and to build inclusive peace. Some of the topics we covered are:
Marc’s journey into targeting
Developing a picture of Iraq
9/11 and (absence of) link to Iraq
Deliberate vs dynamic targeting
The failed targeting of Saddam
Why targeting fails
Incentives vs intelligence
Impact of ‘humane’ war
How a Collateral Damage Estimate (CDE) is conducted
Reconciling the fact that not all lives are worth the same
Use of drones and accuracy of battle damage estimates
Changing policy to reduce civilian harm
Building bridges between NGOs and the military
Impact of our wars on soldiers fighting them
Marc and I discussed The Civilian Protection Podcast, of which he is a co-host. You can access all episodes of this excellent project here.
Marc also mentioned the upcoming release of a US Department of Defence Memorandum, to be signed by the Secretary of Defence, that will direct the development of a comprehensive plan to mitigate and respond to civilian harm. That memo has now been released and is worth reading. You can find it here. 
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If you like what you hear, please consider liking and reviewing the show wherever you get your pods. You can also support the show on our Patreon and Buy Me A Coffee page on the links below:
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45. Introducing 2022

This is a short introduction to what's in store throughout 2022 on The Voices Of War. As you will hear, the show finally has a Patreon and Buy Me A Coffee page. Please take the time check out the links below and support us if you are able to do so. Every little bit helps to grow the show. 
 
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thevoicesofwar
Buy Me A Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thevoicesofwar
 
Thank you and I hope you enjoy The Voices Of War throughout 2022. 
 
Maz
 

44. Special Release: Wolfgang Sporrer - Providing Nuance To The Crisis In Ukraine

My guest today is Wolfgang Sporrer, who is an Adjunct Professor at the Hertie School in Berlin. He used to be the head of the Human Dimension Department of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Kyiv, where he lead the civilian aspects of conflict management and facilitated and promoted dialogue between the opposing sides.
Before that, he was the head of the international oil and gas company OMV's representation in the Caspian region, where he spearheaded regional efforts to promote the Southern Gas Corridor for the EU.
Previously, he served as the Head of the Europa House of the European Commission in Baku/Azerbaijan and as the Head of the Democratisation Department of the OSCE Presence in Albania. He also served as a political adviser in the EU delegation in Moscow and in several functions for the OSCE in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo.
He joined me to discuss the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. Some of the topics we covered are:
Wolfgang’s background in conflict zones
Defining the conflict
Inner Ukrainian tensions
Ukraine/Russia bilateral relations
East/West dimension
Headlines vs. reality
Irrationality of a possible Russian invasion
Interests of President Biden and President Putin
The absence of a united EU position on Russia
A possible way out
Challenges to overcome

43. Special Release: Lieutenant General (Ret.) Arne Bård Dalhaug: On the current Russia/Ukraine crisis

My guest in this Special Release episode is Lieutenant General (Ret.) Arne Dalhaug, who during his extensive and distinguished career served at the highest levels of the Norwegian Armed Forces, the Norwegian Ministry of Defence, as well as NATO. His several final postings in uniform as a three-star general include serving as the Chief of Defence Staff/Deputy Chief of Norwegian Armed Forces, as the Norwegian Military Representative to the NATO Military Committee, and as the Commandant at the NATO Defense College. After retiring from the military, Arne served for three years in a senior management position for the OSCE in the non-government-controlled area in eastern Donbas in Ukraine. Arne now works as an independent expert on NATO, Russia and conflicts in the post-Soviet domain.
During our conversation we covered topics such as:
Origins of the Ukraine/Russia conflict
Reasons behind President Putin’s current actions
NATO and whether its actions have contributed to the crisis
The likelihood of an actual military invasion
Russian political vs military aims
Impact of the media on the current crisis
NATO cohesion and current posture
Assessment of the most-likely way forward
During the conversation, we discussed an excellent article from the Kyiv Independent, which you can read here.
You can find Arne's extended military biography here.
 
 

42. Special Release: Mark Willacy - On ‘Killing Field‘ and ‘Rogue Forces‘

Today, I spoke with Mark Willacy, the journalist behind the ABC report ‘Killing Field’ as well as the recently published book ‘Rogue Forces: an explosive insiders’ account of Australian SAS war crimes in Afghanistan’. Even though I stated that I will recommence publishing new episodes on the 21st of February 2022, I am releasing this one as a Special Release as I feel that the contemporary relevance of this conversation warrants it. As you will hear, some of the topics Mark and I covered include the intent behind his journalism, his initial exposure to war and conflict in the Middle East, how ‘Killing Field’ and ‘Rogue Forces’ came about, the people who approached him, impact of the environment on our soldiers, impunity of politicians and much more.
On a personal note, this was by far the most difficult interview I have conducted because of the highly volatile and close-to-home subject. All I ask of my audience is that they take heed of my opening remarks before diving into the interview. This is an important topic that we need to talk about and do so respectfully.
Lastly, you can see my recently published article that I mention here.
 
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Full show notes:
My guest today is Mark Willacy. Mark has been a journalist for more than 25 years and has reported for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Australia’s national broadcaster, from more than 30 countries. Mark is a seven-time Walkley Award winner and in 2020 he was awarded Australia’s highest honour in journalism, the Gold Walkley, for exposing alleged Australian SAS war crimes in Afghanistan. His winning Four Corners report ‘Killing Field’ made headlines around the world and sparked a federal-police war crimes investigation. Mark’s investigations provided evidence for 12 cases named in the Brereton Report, the independent Australian Defence Force inquiry into war crimes in Afghanistan between 2005 and 2016. Earlier in his career, as the ABC’s Middle East correspondent for four years, Mark also reported on the ground from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the 2003 war in Iraq. He was also the Japan correspondent in 2011 when the country was hit by its most powerful earthquake in more than a thousand years. Mark has twice been named Queensland Journalist of the Year and in 2019 he won a Logie Award for his Four Corners’ world exclusive on the Thai cave rescue.
Mark has authored several books, including ‘The View From the Valley Of Hell’ a book about his time in the Middle East in the early 2000s, ‘Fukushima’, which is an account of the 2011 earthquake and the twin catastrophes of the subsequent tsunami and nuclear meltdown. And more recently, he published the book ‘Rogue Forces: an explosive insiders’ account of Australian SAS war crimes in Afghanistan’. He joins me today to discuss this last book, how it came about and its impacts.
Some of the topics we covered:
Marks entry into investigative journalism
His time in the Middle East in the early 2000s
Motivation behind extreme violence in the Middle East
Lessons learnt about human nature
First encounters with the Australian SAS in Iraq
How ‘Killing Field’ and ‘Rogue Forces’ came about
Why Mark released the book when he did
The sources of information for Mark’s book
Impact of the environment on our soldiers
Impunity of politicians
Current state of the media
Narratives surrounding Mark’s book
Mark’s response to Heston Russell’s recent public complaint
The way forward
Lastly, you can see my recently published article that I mention here.

41. My reflections on the first year of The Voices Of War

In this final episode of 2021, I take a few moments to reflect on the origins of the show, the guests I've had the pleasure of interviewing, some emerging themes, what's in store for 2022 and to give a few important thanks to those who have made the show possible. 
We will return again on 21st of February 2022. Between now and then, I will be reposting a few of my favourite episodes that didn't get as much attention as I had hoped they would. 
I wish you all a safe festive season and a happy New Year! 
Much love,
Maz

40. Samuel Moyn - On ‘Humane: How the United States Abandoned Peace and Reinvented War‘

Today, I spoke with Samuel Moyn, who is the Henry R. Luce Professor of Jurisprudence at Yale Law School and a Professor of History at Yale University. We discussed his latest book, Humane: How the United States Abandoned Peace and Reinvented War, published in September this year. As you will hear, I found this book to be of immense importance and hope that its contents get attention far and wide, most notably amongst those who send us to war.
Some of the topics Sam and I covered are how the idea of humane war entered our collective conscience; the role the war in Vietnam had in a pivot towards humane war; abdication of diplomacy for the ‘cleanliness’ of war; the traps of the Just War doctrine and its selective interpretations; the role of lawyers in making war ‘just’; impact of 9/11 on making war more ‘humane’; future dangers and much more.  
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Full show notes:
My guest today is Samuel Moyn, who is the Henry R. Luce Professor of Jurisprudence at Yale Law School and a Professor of History at Yale University. He has written several books in his fields of European intellectual history and human rights history, including The Last Utopia: Human Rights in History (2010), and edited or coedited a number of others.
His most recent books are Christian Human Rights (2015), based on Mellon Distinguished Lectures at the University of Pennsylvania in fall 2014, and Not Enough: Human Rights in an Unequal World (2018). His newest book, published in September this year, is titled Humane: How the United States Abandoned Peace and Reinvented War, and will be the focus of our conversation today.
Over the years, Samuel has written in venues such as the Boston Review, the Chronicle of Higher Education, Dissent, The Nation, The New Republic, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal.
I recently finished his latest book, Humane, and to say that it was a perspective-altering read would be a huge understatement. It is a deeply insightful and undoubtedly controversial book, and I hope it gets the global attention it deserves. For that very reason, I am truly humbled to have hosted Sam on the show. Some of the topics we covered include:
Sam’s introduction into the field of human rights
The genesis of humane war thinking
Outlawing war vs. humane war
Distinction between pacifism and being anti-war
Vietnam and the focus on the conduct of war
How ending conscription helped perpetuate humane war
Trade of diplomacy for humane war
Importance of 9/11 in evolution of humane war
The issue of terrorists and ‘associated forces’
The role of lawyers in making wars ‘just’
Jus in bello and it’s illusions
Ongoing trajectory of ‘safe’ and ‘clean’ war
Potential dangers of ongoing humane war

39. Toby Harnden - A deep dive into ‘First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11‘

My guest today is Toby Harnden, who is an author, journalist, and winner of the Orwell Prize, UK’s most prestigious prize for political writing. His most recent book, First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11, is the story of the first US team into Afghanistan post the attacks of September 11, 2001. A former Royal Navy officer before becoming a journalist for the likes ofThe Sunday Times and The Daily Telegraph who has subsequently reported from 33 countries, was imprisoned in Zimbabwe, and faced prosecution in Britain for protecting confidential sources, Toby is uniquely qualified to tell this story. Some of the topics we covered are: Toby’s journey into journalism, building credibility with the CIA, the story of Team Alpha, the battle of Qala-i Jangi, human terrain of Afghanistan as well as the scars of Team Alpha in the years to come.
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Full show notes:
My guest today is Toby Harnden, who is an author, journalist, and winner of the Orwell Prize, UK’s most prestigious prize for political writing. His most recent book is First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11 and will be the main focus of our discussion today. A former foreign correspondent for The Sunday Times of London and The Daily Telegraph who has reported from 33 countries, he specializes in terrorism and war. Born in England, Toby was imprisoned in Zimbabwe, faced prosecution in Britain for protecting confidential sources, and was vindicated by a $23 million public inquiry in Ireland. A dual British and American citizen, he spent a decade as a Royal Navy officer before becoming a journalist. He holds a First Class degree in Modern History from Corpus Christi College, Oxford and is the author of Bandit Country: The IRA & South Armagh (1999) as well as Dead Men Risen: An Epic Story of War and Heroism in Afghanistan (2009), for which he received the Orwell Prize. Previously based in London, Belfast, Jerusalem, Baghdad, and Washington D.C., he now lives in Virginia.
Some of the topics we covered are:
Toby’s journey into war journalism
Building of credibility and trust with the CIA
How the CIA came to lead the first mission in Afghanistan post 9/11
The battle of Qala-i Jangi
Complexity of the human terrain of Afghanistan and our ultimate failure to recognise it
Lessons to be drawn from Afghanistan
Limited warfare and likelihood of its future use
Team Alpha scars of Afghanistan

38. Michael Vatikiotis - Southeast Asia and its peculiar role in global politics

My guest today is Michael Vatikiotis who is a writer, journalist and private diplomat working in Southeast Asia (SEA) since 1987. He was formerly editor of the Far Eastern Economic Review as well as a journalist in Asia for more than three decades. He currently lives in Singapore and is the Asia Director of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, a Geneva-based private foundation that facilitates dialogue to resolve armed conflicts.
Michael has written two novels set in Indonesia and three books on the politics of SEA, including ‘Blood and Silk: Power and Conflict in modern Southeast Asia’, which we focused on today. Some of topics we covered include: ‘delusion’ of democracy in SEA; power of the elites; question of SEA identity; Western misunderstanding of SEA; China’s influence and role; reality of regional circumstances; US/China contestation; Australia and AUKUS; reality of adjustment and accommodation as well as issues plaguing traditional and social media.   
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Full show notes:
My guest today is Michael Vatikiotis who is a writer, journalist and private diplomat working in Southeast Asia since 1987. He was formerly editor of the Far Eastern Economic Review as well as a journalist in Asia for more than three decades. He currently lives in Singapore and is the Asia Director of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, a Geneva-based private foundation that facilitates dialogue to resolve armed conflicts.
Michael has written two novels set in Indonesia and three books on the politics of Southeast Asia, including ‘Blood and Silk: Power and Conflict in modern Southeast Asia’, which we’ll focus on a lot today, as well as ‘Political Change in Southeast Asia: Trimming the Banyan Tree’. His latest book ‘Lives Between The Lines: A Journey in Search of the Lost Levant’ was published in August this year. In addition to his books, Michael regularly writes opinion pieces for international and regional newspapers and is a regular contributor to outlets such Al Jazeera and the BBC.
Michael is a graduate of the School of Oriental and African Studies in London and gained his doctorate form the University of Oxford.
He joins me today to discuss social, political and cultural dynamics of Southeast Asia and the role it plays, or is likely to play, in the complex world of modern geopolitics.  Some of the topics we covered include:
Michael’s background and journey to Southeast Asia
Why Western idea of democracy remains a ‘delusion’ in SEA
Power and influence of elites in SEA
Identity in SEA
Western misunderstanding of SEA and what makes it ‘tick’
Chinese influence and role in SEA
Diversity and values
Reality of ASEAN
US/China contestation and resulting friction in SEA
Peculiar reality of the region’s position
Sources of risks of conflict in SEA
Australia’s role and impact of AUKUS
Reality of ‘Easternisation’
Geopolitical struggle of adjustment and accommodation
Role of journalism and social media
Reasons behind Michael’s hope
 

37. Dr Douglas Fields - On ‘Why We Snap‘ and our neural wiring for Violence

Today, I spoke with Dr Douglas Fields, who is a neuroscientist and author of numerous books and articles about the brain. We discussed his excellent and important book, Why We Snap: Understanding the Rage Circuit in Your Brain, which focuses on the neuroscience that triggers rage and violence. It turns out, evolution has endowed every single one of us with nine neural pathways that, when activated, will lead to a violent and oftentimes involuntary and non-conscious response. During our chat, Doug explained these circuits—captured in the mnemonic LIFEMORTS—and how they relate to many important issues, including: their applicability to our interpersonal relationships; origins in threat detection; their unconscious nature and subsequent voluntary expression; impact of social media and technology; disproportionate effect of stress; power of genes and the environment; manifestations of violence in different genders; utility in peacebuilding; training of responses; role in PTSD and, perhaps most-importantly, geopolitics and war.
Several previous episodes that link to the topics we discussed include:
Role of the environment:
Gregg D. Caruso - On the Illusion of Free Will, Myth of Meritocracy and the need to rethink our Justice Systems
Arjan Verdooren - ‘Cultures don‘t meet, people do‘
LTCOL Dave Grossman - On killing, combat, sleep, ‘blind spots’ and everything else in between
Geopolitics:
John Blaxland and Qinduo Xu - On AUKUS, US/China relations and growing tensions
Hasan Aygun - The Pragmatic Diplomat
PTSD and trauma
Tom and Jen Satterly - The All Secure Foundation
Steve Dennis - On getting shot, kidnapped and the court case that sent tremors through the humanitarian aid industry
Will Yates and Joe McCleary - On Trial for War Crimes: A Soldier’s Experience
Ashley Judd – On combat, mental health and the road to recovery
I also mentioned an article I recently published on the state of Western democracy, grey zone warfare by authoritarian states and how social media is contributing to a build-up of tension in our societies. You can view the article here.
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Full show notes:
My guest today is Dr Douglas Fields, who is a neuroscientist and author of numerous books and articles about the brain.  He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, University of Maryland adjunct professor, and Chief of the Nervous System Development and Plasticity Section at the National Institutes of Health.  He received advanced degrees at UC Berkeley, San Jose State University, UC San Diego, and was a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford and Yale University. 
He writes about science for Scientific American, Quanta, Outside Magazine, Huffington Post, Undark Magazine, Psychology Today, and similar prestigious outlets.  His neuroscience research has been featured on national television, radio, NPR, the National Geographic and others, and he speaks about neuroscience for the general public on mediums like NPR, World Science Festival, TEDex and Google Talks. 
He is the author of three books about neuroscience for the general reader, The Other Brain, about glia, which are brain cells that communicate without electricity, Why We Snap, about the neuroscience of rage, and his new award-winning book, Electric Brain, about brainwaves, brain-computer interface, and brain stimulation. Some of the topics we discussed today include: 
Doug’s personal experience with sudden aggression
Evolutionary reason why we need triggers for sudden aggression
Unconscious nature of this mechanism
Explanation of LIFEMORTS
Voluntary expression of unconscious mechanisms
Our volition and culpability for violence
Impact of social media and technology
Disproportionate effect and impact of stress
Link between violence and gender
The ‘lizard brain’ debunked
LIFEMORTS in geopolitics
The role and impact of stress
Utility of LIFEMORTS in peacebuilding
Training the conscious and unconscious responses
Impact of genes and environment
Role in PTSD
 

36. Arjan Verdooren - ‘Cultures don‘t meet, people do‘

Today, I spoke with Arjan Verdooren, an intercultural communication consultant and lecturer. He is also the co-author, together with Dr Edwin Hoffman, of the book ‘Diversity Competence - Cultures Don’t Meet, People Do’, which is a deep dive into improving our individual and collective intercultural competence. Arjan has authored various other publications on intercultural communication, intercultural competence, cultural diversity, and multiculturalism. We touched on many topics, such as the origins of ‘studying’ culture; cultural relativism, universalism, and pluralism; meaning behind ‘cultures don’t meet, people do’; the TOPOI model; building rapport and how to reduce intercultural miscommunication.
Additional episodes that explore the importance of dialogue and communication are:
John Blaxland and Qinduo Xu - On AUKUS, US/China relations and growing tensions
Stephanie Speck - Strategic Communication: A Tool For Change
Adam Cooper - Mediation, Diplomacy and Digital Conflict
Roger Noble - A Major General’s Perspective
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Full show notes:
My guest today is Arjan Verdooren, who has a background in communication studies and works as a consultant and lecturer in the field of intercultural communication and competence. He is associated with the Royal Tropical Institute, a knowledge centre in Amsterdam and until recently lectured at the Master in Communication program at the University of Gothenburg. He is the co-author, together with Dr Edwin Hoffman, of the book ‘Diversity Competence - Cultures Don’t Meet, People Do’, which is a deep dive into improving our individual and collective intercultural competence. Arjan has authored various other publications on intercultural communication, intercultural competence, cultural diversity, and multiculturalism.
Throughout the fifteen years he has spent in the field, he has consulted with various organisations ranging from state departments to multinationals and NGO’s on harnessing more effective international and intercultural cooperation. He is a frequent speaker on these topics and is someone who connects theory with practitioners facing intercultural situations every day in the field.  
Some of the topics we covered are:
Arjan’s entry into the field of intercultural communication
Where the idea of ‘culture’ come from
Cultural relativism, universalism, and pluralism
Dealing with ethical challenges of cultural relativism
Meaning behind ‘cultures don’t meet, people do’
Defining ‘culture’
The TOPOI model of communication
Cultural models as refence points
Power and utility of narratives we tell ourselves and others
Importance of building rapport
Focusing on why people do what they do
Use of TOPOI in a real-life setting
Best way to prepare for intercultural engagement

35. John Blaxland and Qinduo Xu - On AUKUS, US/China relations and growing tensions

Today I spoke with John Blaxland and Qinduo Xu. John is an outspoken commentator and researcher on topics such as Australian military history and strategy, public policy, security, defence, and international relations. Qinduo Xu is a political analyst who frequently contributes to international media outlets on China’s rise and its interactions with the rest of the world. We discussed roots of the AUKUS partnership, difference in Australian and Chinese perspectives, China’s economic and military growth, COVID-19, Double standards, lack of transparency, projection of strength, culture and many other topics.
You can follow John and Qinduo on their respective Twitter accounts @JohnBlaxland1 and @xuqinduo.
I briefly mentioned an article I recently published on the state of Western democracy, grey zone warfare by authoritarian states and the dangers of social media. You can view the article here.
 
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Full show notes
My guests today are John Blaxland and Qinduo Xu. My audience might already be familiar with John Blaxland, who’s previously been on the show. He is a Professor of International Security and Intelligence Studies and former Head of the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre at the Australian National University.
Prior to his academic pursuits, John enjoyed an extensive career as an Intelligence Officer in the Australian Army including as the principal intelligence staff officer for the Australian contingent deployed to East Timor in 1999, as the Director Joint Intelligence Operations at Headquarters Joint Operations Command and as Australia’s Defence Attaché to Thailand and Myanmar. John is an outspoken commentator and researcher on topics such as Australian military history and strategy, public policy, security, defence and international relations.
Qinduo Xu hosts Dialogue Weekend at China Global Television Network (CGTN), a talk show that offers in-depth analyses of current affairs. He also works as a producer of the TODAY show at China Radio International. As a political analyst who follows Chinese foreign policy closely, Qinduo frequently contributes to international media outlets such as The New York Times, Press TV, NPR, Turkey’s TRT, ABC, RT, and others.
Qinduo majored in both English and international studies. His focus of research has been on China’s rise and its interactions with the rest of the world. Qinduo has spent years in the US as the chief correspondent for China Radio International and one year in Australia as a visiting scholar at the University of Melbourne. He is a Senior Fellow at the Pangoal Institution and an Adjunct Professor at Renmin University of China.
Some of the topics we covered are:
Origins and impact of AUKUS from the Australian and Chinese perspective
China’s economic and military growth
The primacy of China and US relationship
China’s overseas influence operations
Why China did not accept responsibility for COVID-19
Double standards, lack of transparency, and projection of strength
Importance of perception, history, and culture
Role of globalisation in deteriorating relationships
Defusing tensions
Chinese perspective of its role and contribution to the world
Climate change and global challenges
Need for increased dialogue between US, China, and other nations

34. Tom and Jen Satterly - The All Secure Foundation

Today, I spoke with Tom and Jen Satterly. Tom is a highly decorated combat veteran who has spent 25 years in the US Army, with the last 20 in Delta Force. Jen was an award-winning filmmaker and photographer for who has spent several years as Director of Film and Photography at an elite Special Operations training company fully embedded with Navy SEALS, Green Berets, and Army Rangers. We talked about Tom’s first combat experience in Mogadishu, the price of service paid by those in uniform and their families, trauma, recovery, their joint non-profit ‘All Secure Foundation’, and many other topics.  
You can listen to previous episodes that deal with healing from PTSD, moral injury, and trauma here:
Steve Dennis - On getting shot, kidnapped and the court case that sent tremors through the humanitarian aid industry
Will Yates and Joe McCleary - On Trial for War Crimes: A Soldier’s Experience
Philippa (Pip) Weiland - Perspectives of an Army Psychologist
Ashley Judd – On combat, mental health and the road to recovery
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Full notes:
My guests today are Tom and Jen Satterly. Tom is a highly decorated combat veteran, having served in the US Army for 25 years, the last 20 in Delta Force. Tom retired as the units Command Sargent Major or its most senior soldier. During his time, he has been involved in, and led, some of the US most important military campaigns. He fought in Mogadishu and was portrayed in the Oscar Winning film: ‘Black Hawk Down’, which was the longest sustained firefight of US forces since Vietnam. He has deployed countless times and led hundreds of missions including the capture of Saddam Hussein. He is the recipient of numerous medals including a Silver Star, 4 Bronze Stars, 1 of which was for Valorous acts. Beyond Tom's invaluable service in uniform, he continues to fight and win his own "silent war". Having come within seconds of taking his own life and becoming a veteran suicide statistic, today, Tom is on his most important mission to date with his wife and partner, Jen. Together, they are co-Founders and co-CEOs of the ‘All Secure Foundation’, which I’ll mention more about in a second. Tom also authored a best-selling book titled, "All Secure: A Special Operations Soldier's Fight to Survive on the Battlefield and the Homefront" available here.
Jen was an award-winning filmmaker and photographer for 15 years, spending the last three as Director of Film and Photography at an elite Special Operations training company fully embedded with Navy SEALS, Green Berets, and Army Rangers in large-scale realistic training missions. During her time with Special Operations warriors, Jen began to see a pattern. As it turns out, many were dealing with complex Post-Traumatic Stress. This realisation motivated her to help them find a way to constructively deal with Post-Traumatic Stress and its symptoms, which sadly includes isolation, anxiety, severe depression, anger issues and a long list of medical challenges. Jen made it her mission to not only help the service member but also their families who often suffer from secondary PTS. As a result, Jen stepped away from the camera and became a certified health and wellness coach. She recently published a book titled ‘Arsenal of Hope: Tactics for Taking on PTSD, Together’, available here. Alongside with Tom, she co-Founded and co-CEOs the ‘All Secure Foundation’, a non-profit that helps Special Operation warriors and their families reconnect and heal on the Homefront. ‘All Secure’ has been recognised as a top-rated non-profit by Great Non-profits 4 years in a row and has grown to serve thousands of combat families.
Some of the topics we covered include:
How Tom and Jen’s paths crossed
The battle of Mogadishu
Reality of combat
The civilian perspective of life in the Special Forces
Acceptance of trauma and the journey of healing
Impact of service on families and secondary PTSD
The cost of service in the Special Forces
The need to focus on mental health
Moral injury
Birth of the ‘All Secure Foundation’
A new purpose in life

33. Gregg D. Caruso - On the Illusion of Free Will, Myth of Meritocracy and the need to rethink our Justice Systems

My guest today is Gregg D. Caruso, who is a Professor of Philosophy at SUNY Corning. He’s also Visiting Fellow at the New College of the Humanities, and Honorary Professor of Philosophy at Macquarie University, Sydney. Gregg is also a Co-Director of the Justice Without Retribution Network housed at the University of Aberdeen School of Law.
His research focuses on free will, moral responsibility, punishment, philosophy of law, jurisprudence, social and political philosophy, moral philosophy, philosophy of mind, moral psychology, and neurolaw. He’s published numerous books, including Rejecting Retributivism: Free Will, Punishment, and Criminal Justice (2021); Just Deserts: Debating Free Will (w/Daniel C. Dennett) (2021); Free Will and Consciousness: A Determinist Account of the Illusion of Free Will (2012); Exploring the Illusion of Free Will and Moral Responsibility (2013); Science and Religion: 5 Questions (2014) and others.
He joins me today to talk about free will, free will scepticism, moral responsibility, and our collective views on punishment. Some of the topics we covered are:
Gregg’s journey into philosophy of free will
Dominant positions in the free will debate
Explaining free will scepticism
Social determinants and their impact on outcomes
The mythology of meritocracy and the idea of being ‘self-made’
The illusion of the ‘self’
Free will scepticism, justice, and geopolitics
Impact of the situational factors, environment, and context on behaviour
Importance of understanding causes that lead to genocide, atrocities, and crimes
Gregg’s ‘Public Health Quarantine Model’ explained
This was a fascinating episode that will hopefully leave you with more questions than it answered. To find out more, you can visit Gregg's website here.  

32. Steve Dennis - On getting shot, kidnapped and the court case that sent tremors through the humanitarian aid industry

My guest today is Steve Dennis. After working as a civil engineer in Canada in the late 1990’s, Steve started working as a field-based humanitarian aid worker in 2002. He worked in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, for various NGOs and UN agencies, which include the World Food Programme, Médecins Sans Frontières, United Nations Department of Safety and Security, and others.
In 2012, while working with an organisation in Kenya, armed men attacked a convoy Steve was travelling in. In the attack, one staff member was killed, and Steve and two other colleagues were wounded. He and three colleagues where then kidnapped by the armed militia only to be rescued days later in another violent gunfight.
In 2015, Steve won a precedent-setting court ruling of gross negligence against his former employer, revealing a disturbingly high level of disregard for staff safety within the organisation. The court also shed some much-needed light on the need to care for injured staff, which is another topic rarely discussed.
Steve now works with individuals and organisations along their path from injury and grievance to recovery, as well as skills development and growth. This work is not only related to better navigating the landscapes of an organisation’s duty of care and risk management, but also capacity development in program management, leadership, and breaking stigmas on mental health issues.
Some of the topics we covered include:
Steve’s entry into the humanitarian aid profession
Life of a humanitarian aid worker
Challenges of working in a refugee camp in Kenya
Importance of planning and appropriate qualifications
Getting shot and kidnapped
The rescue
Trauma, PTSD and tools that help
The legal battle
Inadequate health and legal frameworks for humanitarian aid workers
Impact of Steve’s precedent-setting legal win
Steve’s current role helping others avoid similar challenges
You can find out more about Steve and his work here, and watch a documentary about his kidnapping here.