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Artwork for SPYCRAFT 101

SPYCRAFT 101

Justin Black
Cold War
Espionage
CIA
World War II
FBI
British Intelligence
Vietnam War
MI6
Soviet Union
World War I
KGB
China
Miami
American Civil War
Communism
The Troubles
Operation Just Cause
Counterintelligence
October Surprise
Irregular Warfare

Welcome to your clandestine classroom.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes252Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
GovernmentHistory

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for SPYCRAFT 101

Latest Episodes

This week Justin talks with Rory Cormac. Rory is a professor of International Relations at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom, specializing in covert action and secret statecraft. He's also given presentations at Number 10 Downing Str... more

Today Justin sits down with Kirillo Alexandrov. Kirillo grew up in the United States, but moved to Kherson, Ukraine in 2018. In April 2022, following the Russian invasion and occupation of eastern Ukraine, Kirillo was taken prisoner. He was held for ... more

Today’s guest is Dr. Emrah Safa Gürkan. Emrah received his bachelor's and Master's degree from Bilkent University in Ankara, Turkey, and graduated with a PhD from Georgetown University in 2012. He's worked as a consultant for historical television se... more

Today Justin sits down with Eduardo Barreto. Eduardo is a high school teacher at Gulliver Prep School and an adjunct professor of English composition at Miami-Dade College. He's married with five children and lives in Miami, Florida. Eduardo has publ... more

Key Facts

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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Recent Guests

Rory Cormac
Professor of International Relations at the University of Nottingham
University of Nottingham
Episode: 248. The Secrets of British Black Propaganda with Rory Cormac
Kirillo Alexandrov
Captured by Russians in Ukraine; interviewee about his detention and rescue
United States citizen; resident of Ukraine at time of capture
Episode: 247. Captured by Russians in Ukraine with Kirillo Alexandrov
Dr. Emrah Safa Gürkan
Historian and author specializing in Ottoman intelligence and diplomacy
Georgetown University (PhD); Author of Spies for the Sultan
Episode: 246. The Ottoman Empire’s Cloak and Dagger with Dr. Emrah Safa Gürkan
Eduardo Barreto
High school teacher and adjunct professor; author of Rebel with a Cause, A Cuban in the Congo
Gulliver Prep School; Miami-Dade College
Episode: 245. Tales of A Cuban Exile: The Story of Angel Benitez with Eduardo Barreto
Sean Wiswesser
Former Senior Operations Officer and Chief of Station, CIA; author of Tradecraft, Tactics, and Dirty Tricks, Russian Intelligence and Putin's Secret War
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
Episode: 244. Fighting Russian Intelligence with Sean Wiswesser
Mubin Shaikh
Former undercover operative, author of Undercover Jihadi
Self/Author
Episode: 243. From Radicalization to Redemption: Undercover in the Toronto 18 with Mubin Shaikh
Damien Van Puyvelde
Associate professor and head of the Intelligence and Security Group at Leiden University
Leiden University, Institute of Security and Global Affairs
Episode: 242. Inside France's Spy World with Dr. Damien Van Puyvelde
Janosh Neumann
Former FSB counterintelligence officer, defector to the United States
FSB, later consultant; co-founder Real Spy Comics
Episode: 241. From Russia with Secrets: The Defection of an FSB Officer with Janosh Neumann
Zach Dorfman
National security reporter, guest discussing his article and book
Politico, SpyCraft 101 interviewee
Episode: 240. A Czech Spy Turned Little League Coach with Zach Dorfman

Host

Justin Black
Host of the Spycraft 101 Podcast, focusing on intelligence, espionage, history, and national security.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 811 ratings
  • Worth it

    So good. I don’t usually listen to stuff like this but this has caught my heart. I have like a million downloaded episodes. I’m a spy now.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Warchild09
    United States4 months ago
  • Underrated

    10 ⭐ worthy

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bandboxxer
    United States4 months ago
  • Hidden history

    Great conversations with people who were on the inside or close to those who were involved in intelligence work. Interesting variety of guests and topics as well.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Vegas Story
    United States4 months ago
  • Five Stars

    Love this podcast so much. He gets so many excellent guests and is very interesting.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    PortlandAppRev
    United States5 months ago
  • Fascinating.

    The thing I love about this podcast… we live in a very polarized world, with a lot of black and white opinions. Justin’s interviews and topics are a phenomenal reminder that the world is a lot more “gray” than we assume it to be. A fascinating lesson for those interested in espionage history and thinking critically about the world that we live in.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    dtotheweed
    United States8 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Some criticisms mention issues with sound quality or the interview style of the host.
There are positive remarks about the engaging storytelling and unique personal anecdotes shared by guests.
Feedback highlights the educational nature of the content, underscoring the depth of analysis on complex topics.
Listeners appreciate the variety of guests and historical insight provided in each episode.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#230
United States/History
Apple Podcasts
#230
United Kingdom/History
Apple Podcasts
#64
Israel/History
Apple Podcasts
#148
Ukraine/History
Apple Podcasts
#175
Ireland/History
Apple Podcasts
#187
Finland/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

248. The Secrets of British Black Propaganda with Rory Cormac
Q: How did the IRD measure success or impact, given how hard it is to quantify propaganda outcomes?
They struggled with metrics and often defaulted to pragmatic, surface-level indicators like newspaper uptake. They used analogies like fertilizer saying you can't always quantify the effect, but you have to assume it helps. Over time, financial and political pressures pushed for more tangible metrics, even as the core outcomes remained difficult to prove directly.
248. The Secrets of British Black Propaganda with Rory Cormac
Q: What motivated you to write about these 8,000 declassified files and the shadowy world of black propaganda?
I stumbled upon a wealth of material in the declassified files, and instead of a single academic article, material kept piling up with outrageous stories and fascinating characters. It offered a unique opportunity to tell the human story of the people who actually did this work, not just the top leaders, and to reveal the breadth and nuance of how these operations were conceived and executed.
247. Captured by Russians in Ukraine with Kirillo Alexandrov
Q: What first drew you to Ukraine in 2018, and what was your experience like before the invasion changed everything?
I moved there for family and a change of scenery, and I had no immediate quarrel with Russia; my awareness of geopolitics grew over time as tensions escalated.
238. [ARCHIVE] An International CIA Pilot with Lee Gossett
Q: What is a typical night operation like in Mogadishu with the Schweitzer motorized glider?
The mission involved night takeoffs with night vision, FLIR, silent operation to observe and document targets, and direct video downlinks to embassies for real-time intelligence collection.
238. [ARCHIVE] An International CIA Pilot with Lee Gossett
Q: What were the main regions of focus in the 1980s and 1990s?
The focus shifted to Central America, especially El Salvador, with photo missions and support for embassy activities; later, he worked in the UAV programs on the West Coast before returning to South America and Colombia.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About SPYCRAFT 101

What is SPYCRAFT 101 about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Focused on espionage and intelligence operations, the content covers a diverse range of historical and contemporary topics related to spying, covert actions, and the intricate world of national security. Episodes often feature former intelligence officials, law enforcement professionals, and experts, providing in-depth discussions about their experiences, insights into operations, and the moral complexities surrounding espionage. Unique perspectives from guests reveal personal stories that enhance the understanding of intelligence work and its implications for politics and society, making it a compelling listen for those interested in history, military affairs, and real-life spy narratives. Each episode tends to balance educational content ... more

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SPYCRAFT 101 launched 5 years ago and published 252 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 SPYCRAFT 101?

Recent guests on SPYCRAFT 101 include:

1. Rory Cormac
2. Kirillo Alexandrov
3. Dr. Emrah Safa Gürkan
4. Eduardo Barreto
5. Sean Wiswesser
6. Mubin Shaikh
7. Damien Van Puyvelde
8. Janosh Neumann

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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