Rephonic
Artwork for World Class
Ukraine
Russia
China
United States
Democracy
NATO
Sanctions
Iran
Artificial Intelligence
Israel
Climate Change
Russian Democracy
Vladimir Putin
Healthcare
Political Parties
Donald Trump
Geopolitics
European Security
Human Rights
International Law

Podcast from the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI) at Stanford University, featuring Director Colin Kahl, former under secretary of defense for policy at the U.S. Department of Defense. Colin and his guests dive into critical international issues, offering insights into the history and context of the biggest stories in the news.

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes171Founded10 years ago
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PoliticsNews

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Artwork for World Class

Latest Episodes

Artificial intelligence, social media, biotechnology, energy systems, propaganda, and geopolitics — each is transformative on its own, but together they're converging in unprecedented ways that are rapidly reshaping our world. On this episode of Worl... more

Even though China is the main global competitor to the United States, has there has been sufficient planning in Washington on how the U.S. might respond to aggression against the island of Taiwan by Beijing? Eyck Freymann wants to make sure there is.... more

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On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched wide-spread, coordinated attacks against Iran which struck military, naval, and nuclear infrastructure and killed many of the country’s senior leaders. On a special episode of World Class, C... more

H.R. McMaster and Jake Sullivan, the respective national security advisors of the first Trump administration and the Biden administration, join Colin Kahl to sort through everything that has happened in U.S foreign policy since the start of the year,... more

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Recent Guests

Drew Endy
FSI scholar focusing on biotechnology and security
Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies
Episode: The Technology Reshaping Our World
Andy Grotto
FSI scholar focusing on AI and geopolitics
Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies
Episode: The Technology Reshaping Our World
Jeff Hancock
FSI scholar focusing on psychology of AI and social media
Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies
Episode: The Technology Reshaping Our World
Jennifer Pan
FSI scholar focusing on China's use of technology for political ends
Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies
Episode: The Technology Reshaping Our World
Abbas Malani
Hamid and Christina Moghadam Director of Iranian Studies at Stanford University; visiting professor
Stanford University
Episode: An Iranian, Israeli, and American Perspective on the War in Iran
Ori Rabinowitz
Tenured senior lecturer at the International Relations Department, Hebrew University; visiting fellow at FSI
Hebrew University & FSI
Episode: An Iranian, Israeli, and American Perspective on the War in Iran
HR McMaster
Former National Security Advisor (Trump administration)
The Hoover Institution (Visiting Fellow)
Episode: Two National Security Advisors on Two Breakneck Months of U.S. Foreign Policy
Jake Sullivan
Former National Security Advisor (Biden administration)
Harvard Kennedy School; University of New Hampshire; The Long Game podcast
Episode: Two National Security Advisors on Two Breakneck Months of U.S. Foreign Policy
Gabrielius Landsbergis
Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania; Bernard and Susan Liautaud visiting fellow at FSI
Lithuania; Freeman Spogli Institute
Episode: Hope and Despair: The Emotional Response to the War in Ukraine

Hosts

Colin Kahl
Director of the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies; regular host guiding in-depth policy discussions.
Michael McFaul
Host of World Class; a senior fellow with deep experience at Stanford and in U.S. diplomacy.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 67 ratings
  • Guests are throttled

    You cannot claim that this is an “in depth” discussion when you give your guests so little time to speak.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Bohemian_Peasant
    United States2 years ago
  • Super interesting

    On each episode Mike McFaul leads a vibrant discussion with other Stanford scholars on issues that may affect and shake the world

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Araj Turos
    United States4 years ago
  • Michael McFaul is a terrific guy and a wonderful podcast host. I wish he had episodes more often.

    Podcast Addict
    MSC
    5 years ago
  • Michael McFaul is a terrific guy and a wonderful podcast host. I wish he had episodes more often.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    MSC
    5 years ago
  • Such a great podcast!

    I just discovered this, so pleased. Love Professor McFaul's soothing and intelligent voice -- you're a wonderful interviewer. So smart, low-key, and you stay out of the way and let your subjects talk, while nonetheless very deftly guiding them to fill in context and explain references not everyone might be familiar with. Great guests. Learning a lot. Well done.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Sophie Majeski
    United States7 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Well-paced with great guests; interviewer lets subjects speak while guiding context.
A new favorite for current events and foreign policy insights.
Super interesting; vibrant, thoughtful discussion led by McFaul with strong guests.
Guests are throttled; You can't claim an in-depth discussion with tight speaking time.
Content is concise and relevant; audio quality feedback but strong program.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#29
Singapore/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#96
Russia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#126
Singapore/News

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

An Iranian, Israeli, and American Perspective on the War in Iran
Q: What are the main dynamics that will determine how long the war lasts?
Military dynamics (Iran expanding and dragging targets across the region) and political dynamics (pressure at home to declare victory and international diplomacy) will largely determine duration; the war could drag on weeks to months depending on how exhaustion and external mediation play out.
How Democracy Is Doing Around the World
Q: How did we get here, and why is this happening now?
Diamond points to a historical trajectory of executive concentration and a broader pattern of polarization, with the party-political gridlock fueling authoritarian tendencies; he also cites the influence of a specific playbook and intellectual lineage that advocates power consolidation and weakened checks and balances.
How Democracy Is Doing Around the World
Q: Are you surprised, Larry, by the fact that we're now talking about American democracy in the way that we used to talk about other countries?
Larry Diamond expresses that he is not surprised, arguing the United States has long faced internal battles over presidential power and institutional checks, but the current convergence with global patterns of autocratic tendencies is notable and warrants heightened scrutiny.
Lessons from the Latest India-Pakistan Clash
Q: What does this crisis reveal about India's current military capabilities and its strategy to deter Pakistan without crossing into major warfare?
India now demonstrates credible standoff strike capabilities and a strengthened air defense network that reduces the likelihood of escalation; the approach focuses on costly, targeted actions against terrorist sites rather than broad invasions, thereby managing strategic stability with nuclear-armed neighbors.
Lessons from the Latest India-Pakistan Clash
Q: Take us back to that moment. What occurred that made people alarmist, and why did it not turn into a larger war?
It stemmed from a Pakistan-based terrorist attack in India aimed at provoking a communal backlash; India retaliated with targeted standoff strikes while avoiding a full-scale war, and the episode ended after some days of tit-for-tat attacks and international diplomatic engagement.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About World Class

What is World Class about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful, policy-forward series centers on international affairs, tech policy, and global security. Across episodes, listeners hear deep dives from Stanford and government-affiliated scholars and practitioners on topics like AI and biotechnology governance, great-power competition, democracy and disinformation, sanctions, and regional security in Europe and the Middle East. Notable strengths include high-caliber guests with deep policy credentials, rigorous interpretation of current events, and a willingness to explore trade-offs between openness and control in technology and geopolitics. The format tends to favor sustained expert discussion over rapid-fire soundbites, making it especially valuable for professionals who want context-ric... more

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Which podcasts are similar to World Class?

These podcasts share a similar audience with World Class:

1. The Long Game with Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer
2. The Foreign Affairs Interview
3. Fareed Zakaria GPS
4. The Ezra Klein Show
5. Freakonomics Radio

How many episodes of World Class are there?

World Class launched 10 years ago and published 171 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 World Class?

Recent guests on World Class include:

1. Drew Endy
2. Andy Grotto
3. Jeff Hancock
4. Jennifer Pan
5. Abbas Malani
6. Ori Rabinowitz
7. HR McMaster
8. Jake Sullivan

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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