In the last 30 years, authoritarian regimes have gained significant ground in countries around the world, and democracy norms are in decline. Why? 

Former Deputy National Security Adviser for Strategic Communications and Speech Writing and veteran podcaster Ben Rhodes joins Michael McFaul to discuss his new book, "After the Fall: Being American in the World We've Made," which tries to understand why democracy is faltering through the stories of individuals on the front lines trying to defend it.

Understanding the Global Rise of Authoritarianism

Taiwan. Hypersonic missiles. The South China Sea. In the last few months, China’s activities have grabbed headlines and imaginations. But how much of this action is posturing, and how much should U.S. policymakers and strategists take seriously?

Oriana Skylar Mastro, an expert on China's military and strategic planning and active member of the United States Air Force Reserve, rejoins Michael McFaul on World Class to debunk some of the myths that persist about China’s capabilities and reframe how the U.S. needs to think about strategic competition with Beijing.

We Need To Rethink Our Assumptions about China’s Strategic Goals

Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman joins Michael McFaul on World Class to discuss why values and integrity are crucial to upholding democratic norms here in the United States, and why democracies everywhere should support and encourage those norms in places like Ukraine.

Vindman's testimony before Congress was key part of President Trump's first impeachment trial in 2019 over his phone call to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He shares his story of becoming an unexpected public figure, and the life experiences that guided his decisions in his book, Here, Right Matters.

Alexander Vindman on Why Right Matters to Democracy Here and Abroad

The situation on the Ukraine-Russia border continues to change, but the ideological fight between democracy and autocracy is as hot as ever. Former prime minister of Ukraine Oleksiy Honcharuk joins Michael McFaul to give an inside view on the Ukraine-Russia conflict and discuss the bigger strategy Putin is using to undermine democracy in Eastern Europe and beyond.

Ukraine, Russia and the Ideological Fight for Democracy

There are plenty of glamorous Hollywood spies, but how does the world of real espionage and intelligence work?

In her book Spies, Lies and Algorithms, national security and intelligence expert Amy Zegart separates facts from fictions about the U.S. intelligence community. She joins FSI Director Michael McFaul on World Class to trace the history of intelligence in America and unpacks the challenges intelligence organizations need to address in an increasingly digital world.

Spies, Lies and Algorithms with Amy Zegart

Data clearly shows that extreme weather patterns like those seen across the globe in 2021 are driven by climate change. But is that fact driving policymakers to make meaningful inroads to address the climate crisis?

Marshall Burke, the deputy director of the Center on Food Security and the Environment, joins Michael McFaul on World Class podcast to review the latest data on what’s happening with climate change in the field and in Congress.

Taking the Temperature on the Climate Crisis with Marshall Burke

Last week, riot police used force to remove Nika Melia, the leader of Georgia’s main opposition party, from his political headquarters. Meila’s arrest has deepened political rifts within Georgia and is plunging the nation into crisis, with opposition parties vowing to boycott Parliament until Melia is released by the government. 

Nino Evgenidze, a Georgian activist and executive director of the Economic Policy Research Center in Tbilisi, tells Mike what Melia’s arrest means for Georgia, the region and the rest of the world.

A Democracy Activist Explains Georgia's Current Political Crisis and Turbulent History

Podcast from the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI) at Stanford University, featuring Director Michael McFaul. Our scholars dive into critical international issues, offering insights into the history and context of the biggest stories in the news.

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