The podcast interviews experts and authors in the field of intelligence studies, (Cold War) history, and international politics. From US spymasters to James Bond, we explore the secret world of intelligence and covert action, trying to make it accessible and to bring it to light.
Started as British Academy Rising Star Engagement Award 2017 Project, now just for the fun.
In today’s episode we welcome Dr Francesca Lessa. Dr Lessa is associate professor in International Relations of the Americas at University College London.
Previously, she was a researcher and lecturer at the University of Oxford, where, among other achievements, she secured a prestigious Marie Curie Fellowship. Her research focuses on transnational repression, human rights and transitional justice.
Her latest book, The Condor Trials, is at the centre of our episode. The book won two major boook awards. The Juan Méndez Human Rights Award in Latin America in 2023 and the Ibero-American Book Award from the Latin American Studies Association in 2024.
The episode covers the orgins and historical precedents of Operation CONDOR. We discuss its various components including transnational repression and international assassination squads. We assess the role of the United States and we cover some of the trials that have followed the end of CONDOR and of the military dictatorships in latin America.
Listeners of our podcast can secure a special discount price of £35. To secure the discounted price, follow this direct link: https://yalebooks.co.uk/book/9780300254099/the-condor-trials/
Use code: Y2443 at the online check-out.
Dr Lessa’s Book recommendations:
- Fernando Butazzoni, Las Cenizas del Condor (in Spanish) https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/712211/las-cenizas-del-condor--the-ashes-of-the-condor-by-fernando-butazzoni/
- John Dinges, The Condor Years (particularly recommended here is the new edition of the book including archival material from 2019), https://amzn.eu/d/7LsNkng
- Dana Moss and Saipira Furstenberg (Eds.), Transnational Repression in the Age of Globalisation, https://edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-transnational-repression-in-the-age-of-globalisation.html
11 Oct 2023
Episode 8 - Michela Wrong
In this episode we welcome investigative journalist Michela Wrong. Micheal is a leading expert on Africa, particularly the great lakes region. She has written 5 books: a novel set in the horn of Africa and 4 non-fiction books.
Her non-fiction and investigative work has focused on the history and politics of Congo, Eritrea, Kenya, and, more recently Rwanda.
In 2021 she published Do Not Disturb: The Story of a Political Murder and an African Regime Gone Bad, The book explores the repressive nature of the current Rwandan regime with a particularly focus on its extraterritorial repression, including the use of assassination.
Building on Michela's book and on a report by Human Rights Watch, the episode covers the Rwandan regime, its intelligence services, and its practices. The core of the episode is a discussion of the use of extraterritorial assassinations. We cover the targets selected for assassination, the rationale behind assassination, and the methods used. We also cover plausible and implausible deniability, the signalling functions of these assassinations at home and abroad. Finally, we discuss the extent to which impunity and the absence of repercussions influences human rights, international norms, and other states' practice.
Michela's book recommendations are:
- The work of Gerard Prunier on Rwanda and the region, for example, The Rwanda Crisis: History of a Genocide,
- The work of Rene Lemarchand, including his Remembering genocides in Central Africa,
- David van Reybrouck, Congo: the epic history of a people.
20 Jul 2021
Out of the Shadows Episode 7 - Dafydd Townley
In this episode we welcome Dr Dafith Townley. Dr Towley is a lecturer in the Department of history at the University of Reading. He is an expert in intelligence and cyber security.
In the episode, we discuss his latest book:
The Year of Intelligence in the United States: public opinion, national security, and the 1975 Church Committee (https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9783030676452)
The episode covers the origins of the 1975 investigations into the conduct of the intelligence community, the relationship between the Ford Presidency, Congress, and the CIA, and the results and long-term effects of the investigations.
We also discuss a common are of interest that is the Church Committee's investigation of the US government's involvement in assassination.
As usual, we conclude with some reading recommendations. I hope you enjoy the show.
26 Feb 2021
Out of the Shadows Episode 6 - Martin D. Brown
In this episode, we welcome Dr Martin D. Brown. Dr Brown is Associate Professor of International History at Richmond University in London. He previously worked as the Lead Researcher, Centre of Excellence in Intercultural Studies, School of Humanities, Tallinn University, Estonia. As you will soon learn, this episode is all about James Bond. While Dr Brown’s main area of research is the Cold War and Diplomatic History, he as has a strong interest in Bond and the world around one of fiction’s most famous characters. In the episode we explore Bon novels (Ian Fleming’s ones and beyond), the field of 'bondology' and the cultural turn in intelligence studies, the symbiotic relationship between fiction and international politics, and, of course, the popularity of Bond and its consequences. As usual the episode concludes with some book recommendations. I hope you enjoy the show.
28 Jan 2021
Out of the Shadows Episode 5 - Sarah-Jane Corke
In this episode, we welcome Dr Sarah-Jane Corke. Sarah-Jane is Associate Professor of History at the University of New Brunswick. The episode builds on her 2008 book published by Routledge, US Covert Operations and Cold War Strategy. Sarah-Jane is also the President of the North American Society for Intelligence History. Enjoy the episode and check the Society's website for more information (www.intelligencehistory.org).
14 Jan 2021
Out of the Shadows Episode 4 - Dov H. Levin
In this episode we welcome Dov Levin. Dov is Assistant professor of International Relations at the University of Hong Kong. He has written an excellent book on electoral interference call Meddling in the Ballot Box: the causes and effects of partisan electoral interventions, published by Oxford University Press. In the episode, we talk about the causes of electoral interferences, how they are carried out, the consequences, and we conclude with a discussion of the 2016 US elections and Russia's interference. Enjoy the episode.
20 Dec 2017
Out of the Shadows Podcast Episode 3 - Michael Poznansky
In our third episode, we have a chat with Michael Poznansky, Assistant Professor of International Affairs and Intelligence Studies at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs of the University of Pittsburgh. Michael's research looks at democracies and covert action, with a specific focus on US foreign policy. In the episode with discuss 'democratic peace theory,' democracies' use of covert action, historical cases of covert action conducted by the United States, the relations between domestic and international law and covert action, and recent US practice.
2 Aug 2017
Episode 2 - Rory Cormac
This is the second episode of our British Academy 'Out of the Shadows' project. This episode feature Dr Rory Cormac, Associate Professor of International Relations at the University of Nottingham. The episode discusses British intelligence and Rory's book The Black Door a history of the relation between British Prime Ministers and Intelligence.
12 Jun 2017
Out of the Shadows Podcast - Henry Hemming
Welcome to the first episode of our Out of the Shadows project podcast. Out of the Shadows is a project funded by the British Academy. The project aims at establishing a network of early career researchers with an interest in intelligence, espionage and covert action in US and UK history. More importantly, the project aims at bringing this research to secondary schools by providing resources, organising event and delivering a series of seminars, workshops, and talks in schools. if you want to hear more about the project, visit out website: outoftheshadowsproject.com or follow us on twitter: @Ootsproject.
The first guest today is Henry Hemming, author of several non-fiction book including a travelogue of his adventures in the Middle East and Churchill's Iceman, the life of Geoffrey Pike. In this episode, however, we discuss Henry's latest book: "M: Maxwell Knight MI5's greatest spymaster." In the episode we discuss Knight's life , his tradecraft and career, his successes and failures, but also the British political environment of the 1920s-1940s. We also discuss the evolution of espionage and the physical and mental toll spying take on spaces. Finally, we look at what the era of Maxwell Knight can tell us about current spying and what it takes to be a good spy.
Henry Hemming three suggested books are:
- John Le Carre, A perfect Spy,
- Ben Macintyre, Agent ZigZag,
- Miranda Carter, Anthony Blunt: his lives.
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