Rephonic
Artwork for Small World, Big Problems
Iran
National Security Startup Ecosystem
Tehran
Private Sector Intelligence
European Union
EU Accession
Global Governance
Drones Swarming
Defense Procurement
Israel
Google
Migration
Global Health Governance
United States
Diplomacy
North America (mexico, United States, Canada)
United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)
Rules-Based International Order
Mexico
SBIR/STTR

Small World, Big Problems – a SAIS Strategy Podcast.

​A SAIS student podcast supported by the Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies.

​In Small World, Big Problems, we ask the experts about the biggest challenges in the world of strategy and national security.

​It’s a small world, and it’s only getting smaller. But it seems like every day, there is a new problem on the horizon: great power... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes26Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
NewsGovernmentNews Commentary

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Artwork for Small World, Big Problems

Latest Episodes

Sanjana Polapragada sits down with President Jakov Milatović of Montenegro, NATO’s youngest head of state, for a timely conversation on how Montenegro, as a small state, can exercise influence at a decisive moment for its EU ambitions, economic futur... more

Riley Bryant sits down with Dr. Deborah Wituski, a 20-year veteran of the CIA and an early contributor to the emerging field of private sector intelligence services.

In an increasingly globalized economy, what happens when profit motives intersect ... more

Krithiga Narayanan hosts a conversation with Michael Coppedge, co-founder and principal investigator of the Varieties of Democracy Project (V-Dem), one of the world’s leading efforts to measure and analyze democratic change.

Drawing on V-Dem’s late... more

This episode was recorded on Jan 21, 2026.

Wasay Mir hosts a conversation with Trita Parsi, Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute and one of the most influential voices on US-Iran relations in Washington.

A Johns Hopkins SAIS PhD and aut... more

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Recent Guests

Jakov Milatović
President of Montenegro (guest)
Office of the President of Montenegro
Episode: Small State, Big Stakes: President Jakov Milatović on Economic Diplomacy, EU Accession, and and Montenegro’s National Identity
Deborah Wituski
Former CIA and Google Global Intelligence leader
Google (Global Intelligence Program)
Episode: “Security is a Team Sport”: The Rising Industry of Private Sector Intelligence
Michael Coppedge
Professor and co-founder of the Varieties of Democracy Project (V-Dem)
Varieties of Democracy Project (V-Dem)
Episode: Democracy in Decline: What a More Authoritarian World Means for Global Security and World Order
Trita Parsi
Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute, expert on US-Iran relations and Middle East geopolitics
Quincy Institute
Episode: Inside Iran with Trita Parsi
Rob Miller
Author of Startup Statesman; former government official with experience across Capitol Hill, the White House, and the intelligence community
Startup Statesman / Hawkeye 360 / CrowdAI
Episode: National Security Business: How to Get Started
Emma Bates
CEO and founder of Cachai; background includes Army Futures Command, CSIS, Defense Innovation Unit
Cachai
Episode: National Security Business: How to Get Started
Juan Jose Gomez Camacho
Ambassador of Mexico with extensive diplomatic experience
Mexico (former ambassador to several countries and international bodies)
Episode: Diplomacy Without Borders: Negotiating the Future of Global Governance

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 17 ratings
  • Love it

    An excellent podcast for anyone interested in foreign policy—I can tell that both the hosts and the interviewees are very knowledgeable

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    StratNerd98
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Great for listeners who want practical takeaways for policy and startups in national security.
Thoughtful, policy-forward conversations with credible guests.
High-quality analysis; guests bring deep expertise.

Chart Rankings

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Apple Podcasts
#229
Japan/Government

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Small State, Big Stakes: President Jakov Milatović on Economic Diplomacy, EU Accession, and and Montenegro’s National Identity
Q: What makes Montenegro's national identity distinctive and how is this guiding its policy today?
President Milatović highlights statehood, a long history of striving for freedom, and a civic, multi-ethnic society as foundational to Montenegro's identity. He frames these elements as a basis for pursuing unity, inclusive governance, and a rules-based international order in foreign policy and internal reform.
“Security is a Team Sport”: The Rising Industry of Private Sector Intelligence
Q: How does private sector intelligence handle accountability and oversight compared to government oversight?
Private sector teams do not engage in government-like collection of sensitive data; they operate under transparency about sourcing, with accountability to security leadership, legal, and ultimately the board and shareholders, ensuring risks are mitigated.
“Security is a Team Sport”: The Rising Industry of Private Sector Intelligence
Q: Would you say that in that shift from public to private sector, your work changed significantly?
The shift was evolutionary rather than a complete overhaul; the threat space itself evolved, with events like the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the global pandemic driving new risk frameworks and the need for standardized, cross-country risk definitions.
“Security is a Team Sport”: The Rising Industry of Private Sector Intelligence
Q: Could you speak a bit on your role in the origins and development of Google's Intel program and how you made that transition from CIA to Google?
Google realized the need to build a capability to inform decision makers for both security and business decisions, and the development of a global strategic intelligence program was catalyzed by a major incident at YouTube that highlighted the importance of understanding the threat landscape and policy shaping.
National Security Business: How to Get Started
Q: What first sparked your interest in national security entrepreneurship?
Emma explains the aha moment as she noticed that multiple modernization programs faced the same coordination problem across devices, which led her to explore collaborative autonomy and the need for distributed, machine-speed coordination.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Small World, Big Problems

What is Small World, Big Problems about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show features high-level discussions with policymakers, academics, and tech/defense experts, focusing on geopolitics, national security, governance, and strategic technology. Episodes typically probe how democracies navigate great-power competition, policy reform, and the private sector's role in security, often blending historical context with practical lessons for leaders and entrepreneurs navigating complex international landscapes. A standout trait is the mix of rigorous analysis from scholars and real-world insights from practitioners, including startup founders and diplomats, all wrapped in a policy-forward, globally aware lens. Potential listeners and guests can expect thoughtful, expert-led conversations that translate big-pictu... more

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Small World, Big Problems launched 3 years ago and published 26 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Small World, Big Problems?

Recent guests on Small World, Big Problems include:

1. Jakov Milatović
2. Deborah Wituski
3. Michael Coppedge
4. Trita Parsi
5. Rob Miller
6. Emma Bates
7. Juan Jose Gomez Camacho

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