Coffee & Conflict

Starting off the year with a nuclear bang, Joshua Huminski is joined by Ankit Panda, author of The New Nuclear Age: At the Precipice of Armageddon, to unpack why nuclear weapons are once again at the center of global statecraft—and why today’s risks don’t map neatly onto the Cold War playbook. Panda explains what defines this new nuclear age, how a more crowded and technologically complex nuclear landscape is reshaping deterrence, and why the erosion of arms control has left the world with fewer guardrails at exactly the wrong time.Can Washington, Moscow, and Beijing realistically sit down to discuss arms control in a nuclear “trilemma”? Is the United States being forced to relearn deterrence lessons that atrophied after decades of strategic focus elsewhere? How is Europe grappling with nuclear threats from Russia while navigating uncertainty around long-term U.S. guarantees? And looking ahead, how does this nuclear age end—and what might a fourth nuclear age look like?You can learn more about The New Nuclear Age, and purchase a copy of the book, here: https://www.politybooks.com/bookdetail?book_slug=the-new-nuclear-age-at-the-precipice-of-armageddon--9781509557462. Check out today’s experts on Twitter:@joshuachuminski @nktpndLike what we're doing here? Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe. And don't forget to follow @masonnatsec on Twitter! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Season 2 Episode 2 - Homo Criminalis: How Crime Organises the World with Mark GaleottiToday on Coffee & Conflict, Joshua Huminski is joined by Mark Galeotti, author of Homo Criminalis: How Crime Organises the World, to examine how organised crime shapes, and is shaped by, the modern state. Galeotti unpacks what “organised crime” actually is, why the boundary between the “upper world” and “underworld” is often thinner than we think, and how criminal networks adapt faster than governments to new technologies, new markets, and new enforcement tactics. At what point does organised crime become so entrenched that the state has no choice but to confront it, or quietly accommodate it? How should law enforcement balance today’s threats with tomorrow’s high-tech criminal landscape? And should organised crime be treated as a core national security issue alongside defense and foreign policy, and if we did, how would it change the way we make policy?You can learn more about Homo Criminalis: How Crime Organises the World, and purchase a copy of the book, here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/445951/homo-criminalis-by-galeotti-mark/9781529148220.Check out today’s experts on Twitter:@joshuachuminski @MarkGaleottiLike what we're doing here? Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe. And don't forget to follow @masonnatsec on Twitter!We are also on YouTube, and watch today's episode here: https://youtu.be/JMPZDUk6VLo Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on Coffee & Conflict, Joshua Huminski is joined by Dr. Matthew Ford to explore the ideas behind War in the Smartphone Age and what it means for how we understand and fight modern wars. Ford breaks down how smartphones and the digital “stack” have reshaped power on today’s battlefields, from Ukraine to Gaza, and how constant connectivity blurs the line between combatant and observer. He examines how viral videos and endless imagery can distort our sense of winning and losing, how participatory war draws civilians into the fight, and what this means for militaries trying to keep pace with hyper-connected conflict.What responsibilities do technology companies carry when their platforms and infrastructure are now deeply embedded in warfare? Has the smartphone narrowed, or widened, the gap between advanced militaries and insurgent groups? And looking ahead, how might these dynamics shape great-power conflict and the decisions of future defense leaders?You can learn more about War in the Smartphone Age: Conflict, Connectivity and the Crises at Our Fingertips, and purchase a copy of the book, here: https://www.amazon.com/War-Smartphone-Age-Connectivity-Fingertips/dp/0197829848. Check out today’s experts on Twitter:@joshuachuminski @warmattersLike what we're doing here? Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe. And don't forget to follow @masonnatsec on Twitter! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on Coffee & Conflict, Joshua Huminski speaks with General H.R. McMaster (ret.) about the emerging axis of aggressors—Russia, China, and others—and what their coordinated challenges mean for American power and global stability. They discuss how these regimes are pushing for a return to a multipolar world, exploiting perceptions of American weakness, and contesting U.S. leadership. He also examines whether America’s 20th-century institutions are equipped for today’s geopolitical competition and why strategic empathy is essential for understanding our adversaries.What’s driving the alignment between authoritarian powers—and can the U.S. effectively counter it? Is Washington thinking creatively enough to both pressure and engage rivals like Russia and China? How should American institutions adapt to compete in an era of disinformation, proxy conflicts, and strategic influence? And as Europe takes greater responsibility for its own defense, could that shift unintentionally weaken transatlantic unity?Check out today’s experts on Twitter:@joshuachuminski from @CSPC_DC@LTGHRMcMaster from @HooverInst, @FSIStanford, @FDD_CMPP, and @HudsoninstituteLike what we're doing here? Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe. And don't forget to follow @masonnatsec on Twitter! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on Coffee & Conflict, Joshua Huminski is joined by Sherri Goodman, former Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Environmental Security and expert on climate and national security, to discuss her work exploring climate change as a "threat multiplier." Goodman shares insights from her career and explores how climate and environmental challenges increasingly shape U.S. military strategy and global security dynamics. Goodman delves into the evolution of the Pentagon’s approach to climate resilience, from addressing nuclear waste cleanup to incorporating environmental sustainability into defense planning. She highlights the role of ecological cooperation with Russia during the Cold War and its lessons for today’s national security challenges.How should the Department of Defense prepare for the intensifying impacts of climate change on U.S. and global infrastructure? Can environmental cooperation serve as a bridge to manage tensions with adversaries like China, even amid growing geopolitical competition? And what advice would Goodman offer to the next Secretary of Defense to ensure climate readiness remains a priority for decades to come?You can learn more about Threat Multiplier: Climate, Military Leadership, and the Fight for Global Security, and purchase a copy of the book, here: https://www.amazon.com/Threat-Multiplier-Military-Leadership-Security/dp/1642833266Check out today’s experts on Twitter:@joshuachuminski from @CSPC_DC@GoodmanSherri from @PolarInstitute, @TheWilsonCenterLike what we're doing here? Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe. And don't forget to follow @masonnatsec on Twitter! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.