The Institute of World Politics

Episodes

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  Iran at the Brink: War, Revolution, and the Future of the Middle East 21.07.2026 1h

  Iran at the Brink: War, Revolution, and the Future of the Middle East by The Institute of World Politics
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  Defending The Glorious Cause: The Foreign Policy of the Founding Fathers with Mike Watson 09.07.2026 1h 2m

  As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of its founding, this lecture examines the international forces that shaped the nation's rise from thirteen Atlantic colonies to a global power. Mike Watson, Executive Director of the Alexander Hamilton Society, explores how foreign policy and geopolitics influenced America's founding and how the strategic choices of the Founding Fathers continue to offer valuable lessons for today's statesmen and national security professionals. Drawing on key moments in the early republic, Watson examines how international affairs shaped the Declaration of Independence, the Continental Congress's Model Treaty, the drafting and ratification of the Constitution, and America's response to the French Revolution. He also discusses the emergence of U.S. policy toward the Latin American revolutions and the challenge of great-power competition in the Western Hemisphere, illustrating how foreign policy has been central to the American project since its inception. Mike Watson previously served as a fellow and deputy director of the Center for Strategy and American Statecraft at Hudson Institute and was Charles Krauthammer's research assistant. He is also a columnist at the Washington Free Beacon. Watson earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia and a master's degree from George Washington University. This event was made possible by the Jack Miller Center. **Learn more about IWP graduate programs: https://www.iwp.edu/academics/graduate-degree-programs/ ***Make a gift to IWP: https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E231090&id=3
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  Resources, Power, and Nation Building: Critical Minerals and the New Geopolitics of the 21st 09.06.2026 52m

  In his new book, Resources, Power, and Nation Building: Afghanistan and the Promise of Minerals, Dr. Haroon Hakimi analyzes how critical and strategic minerals can either underpin nation building efforts or intensify conflicts. Drawing on his doctoral research at the Institute of World Politics, this lecture examines lessons from U.S. nation building, China’s resource strategy, and the emerging global competition over critical minerals that is reshaping power in the 21st century. Dr. Haroon Hakimi is an academic practitioner with more than fifteen years of experience across media, public policy, research, teaching, and diplomacy. His career bridges government service and scholarly research, focusing on the connections between energy and mineral security, national resilience, and international stability. A former diplomat and senior government official, Dr. Hakimi, has advised on foreign affairs, resource policy, and strategic communications at the national and international levels. He has served as Deputy Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Tourism of Afghanistan, and Head of Chancery and Latin America Affairs at the Embassy of Afghanistan in Washington, D.C. Currently, Dr. Hakimi leads the Energy Security and Minerals Program at the America–Eurasia Center and serves as a Research Analyst at the Global Policy Institute, focusing on the evolving role of critical and rare earth minerals in the global energy transition. His research explores how energy resources shape national policy design and the architecture of state-building in post-conflict and emerging economies. **Learn more about IWP graduate programs: https://www.iwp.edu/academics/graduate-degree-programs/ ***Make a gift to IWP: https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E231090&id=3
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  Why Poland Is Inconvenient for EU’s Left-Liberal Elites 19.05.2026 27m

  This presentation examines the growing tension between the sovereignty of nation-states and the expanding ideological and institutional pressure exerted by dominant left-liberal circles in Europe. It begins with the question of why Poland—particularly during the conservative governments of 2015–2023—became one of the primary targets of political and economic pressure from the central institutions of the European Union. At the heart of this conflict lies a fundamental clash of visions of the state and the law. On one side stands the model of a sovereign state grounded in its constitution, democratic legitimacy within the nation-state, and the Christian roots of European civilization, committed to protecting the family and the welfare of children. On the other side is the project of an increasingly centralized Europe, in which law is used as a tool to advance a harmful ideological agenda—ranging from radical woke doctrines and coercive net-zero policies to the mass relocation of culturally incompatible migrants—while simultaneously serving as an instrument of political pressure on member states. This tension is particularly visible in disputes concerning family law and the protection of children, where Poland under previous conservative administration —in cooperation with Hungary—resisted attempts to ideologically reshape these areas of European law. The presentation also addresses the growing phenomenon of lawfare in Poland after 2023, namely the use of legal mechanisms and state institutions as instruments of political repression against the conservative opposition. Marcin Romanowski is a Polish lawyer, academic, and Member of the Polish Parliament. He holds a PhD in law from Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń and an LL.M. from the University of Regensburg. He served as Director of the Institute of Justice (2016–2019) and Deputy Minister of Justice (2019–2023), where he worked on justice system reform, cybersecurity, victim support, and family law. **Learn more about IWP graduate programs: https://www.iwp.edu/academics/graduate-degree-programs/ ***Make a gift to the IWP Kosciuszko Chair of Polish Studies: https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E231090&id=4
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  Remembered Homelands, Divided Lands: Ottoman Legacies and the Roots of Ethnic Conflict 19.05.2026 27m

  This talk argues that the ethnic conflicts of Southeast Europe are not the result of “ancient hatreds,” but of a specific historical configuration shaped during the Ottoman period. Under Ottoman rule, earlier forms of statehood did not disappear but survived in memory and identity in a kind of “suspended animation,” while at the same time demographic structures were significantly reshaped. Conflict emerged where these two processes intersected. In regions such as Kosovo, Bosnia, Vojvodina, and Transylvania, one group could claim historical precedence based on earlier statehood, while another could claim legitimacy based on later demographic dominance. The Greek–Turkish case shows a similar pattern, where a Byzantine territorial memory and Turkish nationhood collided over territories that became ethnically mixed during the Ottoman rule. The result is a particular type of conflict: not between truth and falsehood, but between competing and internally coherent forms of historical legitimacy — where both sides can plausibly claim that the land is, in different senses, their own. Csaba B. Horváth, PhD earned his PhD in International Relations at Corvinus University of Budapest after completing degrees in History and Political Science at Eötvös Loránd University. He is a member of the General Assembly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. His research focuses on geopolitics, with a particular emphasis on the Indo-Pacific as well as on Central and Eastern Europe. He has held visiting research fellowships at several universities in Australia, China and Taiwan, and earlier in his youth, spent two years living in Japan, where he acquired conversational proficiency in Japanese. He is also a regular participant in international conferences and held public talks across the Indo-Pacific, including in Australia, China, India, Korea, Malaysia and Singapore. The Kościuszko Chair serves as a center for Polish Studies in the broadest sense, including learning, teaching, researching, and writing about Poland’s culture, history, heritage, religion, government, economy, and successes in the arts, sciences, and letters, with special emphasis on the achievements of Polish civilization and its relation to other nations, particularly the United States. **Learn more about IWP graduate programs: https://www.iwp.edu/academics/graduate-degree-programs/ ***Make a gift to the IWP Kosciuszko Chair of Polish Studies: https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E231090&id=4
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  The Life and Fate of Paweł Z. Woś. Methodology of Research on the Polish War Generation 19.05.2026 26m

  The memoirs of Paweł Z. Woś highlight the significant research challenges encountered by historians of the Intermarium area. Polish conspiracy during the German occupation, participation in the Warsaw Uprising, and operating a small business were all, in reality, acts of anti-communist resistance. The many omissions and instances of imprecision stem not only from the passage of time, but also from the carefully cultivated discretion imposed by the all-powerful communist secret police. For scholars, this represents a major challenge in the reconstruction of events and the discovery of historical truth. Dr. Sebastian Bojemski Graduated from the Institute of History of Warsaw University and gained his doctoral degree at The Cardinal Wyszyński University in Warsaw. At the Institute of World Politics (Washington, DC) he attended individual courses in geography and strategy, geoeconomy, strategic influence and propaganda. He was awarded scholarships by the Kosciuszko Foundation (USA) and the M. Grabowski Fund (UK). Mr Bojemski also has extensive experience in strategic communication, marketing, sales and management. For over 15 years (2003-2018) he had owned a Warsaw-based consulting firm. Between 2018-2024 he was an executive director for marketing at PKN Orlen – the largest oil company in Central Europe, a vice chairman at Lotos Fuels, the second largest oil company in Poland and a vice chairman at PERN, the largest fuel and logistics company in the region and critical infrastructure operator. He is currently affiliated with the University College of Professional Education as a member of the Center for Research on Disinformation and Cybersecurity and a senior fellow at the Eastern Flank Institute, a Brussels-based think tank. The Kościuszko Chair serves as a center for Polish Studies in the broadest sense, including learning, teaching, researching, and writing about Poland’s culture, history, heritage, religion, government, economy, and successes in the arts, sciences, and letters, with special emphasis on the achievements of Polish civilization and its relation to other nations, particularly the United States. **Learn more about IWP graduate programs: https://www.iwp.edu/academics/graduate-degree-programs/ ***Make a gift to the IWP Kosciuszko Chair of Polish Studies: https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E231090&id=4
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  Tradecraft, Tactics, and Dirty Tricks: Russian Intelligence and Putin’s Secret War 06.05.2026 53m

  Unmask the shadowy world of Russian espionage in this lecture with Sean M. Wiswesser, a national security professional whose career spans nearly three decades across intelligence, foreign service, and defense institutions. Drawing on his experience as a senior operations officer with the Central Intelligence Agency—including multiple overseas tours, war-zone deployments, and service as a chief of station—Wiswesser offers a rare, insider perspective on the evolving landscape of global intelligence. Centering on the Russian Intelligence Services (RIS), this talk explores the doctrine of Maskirovka—the art of denial, deception, and manipulation that underpins Russian strategy. Through historical case studies and firsthand insights, Wiswesser examines the structure and operations of Russia’s principal intelligence agencies: the SVR, GRU, and FSB. Topics include the use of double agents, surveillance and “street work,” honey traps, sabotage, active measures, assassinations, and the role of intelligence services in the Russo-Ukraine War. A Morehead Scholar at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Wiswesser holds a bachelor’s degree in history and Russian & Slavic linguistics. He earned a Master of Strategic Studies from the Air War College in 2023, where he received the Russia Integrated Deterrence Award. Subscribe for more expert lectures and conversations at the forefront of global policy, strategy, and leadership. **Learn more about IWP graduate programs: https://www.iwp.edu/academics/graduate-degree-programs/ ***Make a gift to IWP: https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E231090&id=3
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  The European Union as a Defense Actor 01.04.2026 51m

  The EU Ambassador to the U.S. Jovita Neliupšienė addresses the European Union’s growing role as a key defense actor. Framed within the broader context of EU-U.S. relations and NATO, the discussion focuses on shifting European security concerns, particularly in response to Russian aggression. The conversation highlights the EU’s strategic perspective and defense dynamics, and showcases its commitment to increased defense spending. About the speaker: Ambassador Jovita Neliupšienė. She became the Ambassador of the European Union to the United States on January 1, 2024. Before that, she was a Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania from September 2022, where she was responsible for the coordination of European Affairs, European bilateral and regional issues, as well as national sanctions coordinator. From 2020-2022, she was Vice Minister of Economy and Innovation of Lithuania, tasked with investment and export promotion, international cooperation, including policy coordination of state-owned enterprises, as well as chairing the interagency commission for export control. In 2020, she held the post of Chancellor and State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania. This position included responsibility for staff coordination, legal and consular affairs. Between 2015-2020, she served as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Lithuania to the EU. These years were marked by the migration crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. From 2009-2015, she worked as an advisor and chief foreign policy advisor to the President of the Republic of Lithuania Ms. Dalia Grybauskaite. She was responsible for foreign policy coordination, inter-institutional relations, as well as the role of sherpa/EU advisor, and in this respect took a leading position in preparing and coordinating the Lithuanian presidency of the EU Council in 2013. In 2014, she was awarded the State Decoration Order ""For Merit to Lithuania"" Commander's Cross. Rear Admiral Henning Faltin. Previous to his posting as military attaché for the EU Delegation, he served as a German Flotilla Commander and Director of the NATO Centre of Excellence for Operations in Confined and Shallow Waters. **Learn more about IWP graduate programs: https://www.iwp.edu/academics/graduate-degree-programs/ ***Make a gift to IWP: https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E231090&id=3
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  Wife, Mother, Spy: An Extraordinary Life Filled with Ordinary Days. 31.03.2026 1h 3m

  In her book, Wife, Mother, Spy: An Extraordinary Life Filled with Ordinary Days, Ms. Ann Butler explores the complexities of balancing a career in the Agency’s Clandestine Service while raising five children with a “non-tandem” spouse. This event will offer students unique insights into the realities of operational tradecraft, specifically the discipline required to maintain work-life balance as a wife and mother while navigating often risky high-stakes overseas field assignments as a 24/7 undercover CIA spy. About the Author: Ann Elizabeth Butler was born in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and grew up in Endicott, New York with her parents and three brothers. At Union-Endicott High School, Ann was editor of the yearbook, played clarinet in the marching and concert bands, often went to Greek Peak with the ski club, and was active in the French and Key Clubs. She majored in Economics at the University of Notre Dame, spending her sophomore year abroad in Angers, France at the Université Catholique de l’Ouest. After graduation, Ann received a Rotary Scholarship to study in Belgium and obtained a Master’s in International Trade from the Université de l’Etat à Mons. In 1986, Ann began a 27-year-long career as an undercover officer in the Directorate of Operations at the Central Intelligence Agency. Early on, while working full time, Ann attended evening classes at George Washington University and earned an MBA with a concentration in International Business. Before moving to Washington, DC to start her new career, Ann met Joseph Potak, to whom she has now been married for 37 years. They have five children together: Claire, Kyle, Eric, Alexis, and Katrina. Ann’s work with the CIA required her family to move every few years to a different city, country, or continent. Her mission was simple - recruit spies and collect intelligence, to help protect the United States. Ann Butler has spent her life striving to find the balance between being a wife, a mother, and a spy. Her story is full of both very challenging as well as very rewarding moments. Now, she has written them all down. With her memoir, Wife, Mother, Spy, she wants others to read her story and know that although it’s not easy - they too can have it all." **Learn more about IWP graduate programs: https://www.iwp.edu/academics/graduate-degree-programs/ ***Make a gift to IWP: https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E231090&id=3
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  AI-Powered Simulation Training for Diplomacy, Negotiation, and Crisis Communication 26.03.2026 1h 4m

  Jan Kasprzycki-Rosikon is the Founder and CEO of Convrsy, Inc., an AI-powered communication training platform focused on high-stakes negotiation, crisis communication, and adversarial simulation. Previously, he co-founded and scaled MillionYou, a collective intelligence and crowdsourcing platform acquired by EY. Over the past decade, he has led large-scale innovation and AI initiatives across Europe, the Middle East, and the United States, working with global organizations and public-sector stakeholders. His current work focuses on applying AI simulation to diplomacy, leadership training, and values-based education. This lecture explores how AI-driven simulation can be used to prepare individuals and institutions for high-stakes conversations in diplomacy, public affairs, and crisis environments. Rather than focusing on AI as a tool for content generation, the session examines AI as a training mechanism, capable of recreating emotionally complex negotiations, strategic dialogue, escalation scenarios, and real-time decision pressure. The discussion will also address broader implications for national security, negotiation training, leadership development, and the future of strategic influence in an era of increasingly persuasive AI. **Learn more about IWP graduate programs: https://www.iwp.edu/academics/graduate-degree-programs/ ***Make a gift to IWP: https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E231090&id=3
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  Private Military Contractors: Understanding the Non-State Actors Changing the Institution of War 20.03.2026 1h 1m

  Dr. Caroline Batka analyzes PMCs in Private Military Contractors: Understanding the Non-State Actors Changing the Institution of War. This lecture draws on Dr. Caroline Batka’s compendium of research on Private Military Contractors (PMCs) and examines how they are reshaping the modern institution of war. The presentation explores key similarities and differences in how the U.S. military and the European Union employ and integrate PMCs, clarifies PMC terminology and classifications, and assesses their relationship to mercenaries, warlords, and other non-state actors. The lecture also examines the Wagner Group as a distinct and influential non-state organization. Dr. Caroline Batka is a senior military analyst at Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia. She is currently working on a study funded by the Slovak Research and Development Agency examining hybrid warfare in Europe. This includes studies on the societal factors facilitating receptivity to pro-Russian disinformation in Slovakia; the organizational structure of the Wagner Group; the EU’s use of private military and security contractors; and Slovak-Polish defense industrial base collaboration. Dr. Batka is also an adjunct professor at Bay Atlantic University in the Political Science and International Relations Department where she teaches Public Administration. In 2020-2021, Dr. Batka worked at King’s College London on a study of the U.S. military personnel’s interprofessional bonds with private military contractors. In that role, Dr. Batka conducted and analyzed qualitative interviews with contractors and coauthored a published article. From 2018-2020, she taught US Foreign Policy at Webster Vienna Private University. Beyond her academic experience, Dr. Batka has worked in a range of non-profit oversight and government capacities. From October 2011 to July 2016, she worked at RAND Corporation in Washington, D.C. where her research focused on Army operations and planning, military programs and policy, health care, and veterans’ issues. Dr. Batka served as RAND’s liaison to the U.S. Army G-3/5/7 (Operations and Plans). In this capacity, Dr. Batka led coordination and communication between the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army, G-3/5/7 and the RAND leadership team. Dr. Batka has honed expertise in U.S. military and veterans’ health and mental health issues. She has conducted dozens of studies for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on the effectiveness of treatment programs and policy for PTSD, depression, and traumatic brain injuries. Dr. Batka is also a skilled and experienced qualitative researcher. She has conducted, coded, and analyzed hundreds of interviews with policymakers and stakeholders on a range of specialized and sensitive subjects, including military sexual assault, mental health and health policies and programs, and identification of potential DoD programs and activities for consolidation or elimination. Dr. Batka also has extensive experience working with surveys, cenarios analysis, and case studies. Prior to working at RAND, Dr. Batka has worked at the National Academy of Public Administration, the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the Disabled American Veterans, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and on Capitol Hill. Dr. Batka holds a PhD from Comenius University, a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Washington in Seattle, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Communication from Virginia Tech **Learn more about IWP graduate programs: https://www.iwp.edu/academics/graduate-degree-programs/ ***Make a gift to IWP: https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E231090&id=3
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  The CEE Region and the 21st-Century Window of Opportunity 12.03.2026 20m

  Csaba B. Horváth, PhD earned his PhD in International Relations at Corvinus University of Budapest after completing degrees in History and Political Science at Eötvös Loránd University. He is a member of the General Assembly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. His research focuses on geopolitics, with a particular emphasis on the Indo-Pacific as well as on Central and Eastern Europe. He has held visiting research fellowships at several universities in Australia, China and Taiwan, and earlier in his youth, spent two years living in Japan, where he acquired conversational proficiency in Japanese. He is also a regular participant in international conferences and held public talks across the Indo-Pacific, including in Australia, China, India, Korea, Malaysia and Singapore. The talk explores the idea that East-Central Europe is currently experiencing a rare strategic “window of opportunity” not seen since the 18th century. For centuries, the region functioned largely as a buffer zone dominated by external imperial powers. Today, the effective disappearance and disintegration of traditional continental empires has created a structural power vacuum in the region, which, combined with shifting global power balances and growing strategic interest from the United States, is generating unprecedented conditions for East-Central Europe to emerge as a more autonomous geopolitical actor. The presentation examines the risks, constraints, and potential pathways for such a transformation. This lecture is part of the 18th Annual Symposium of the Kosciuszko Chair of Polish Studies. The Kościuszko Chair serves as a center for Polish Studies in the broadest sense, including learning, teaching, researching, and writing about Poland’s culture, history, heritage, religion, government, economy, and successes in the arts, sciences, and letters, with special emphasis on the achievements of Polish civilization and its relation to other nations, particularly the United States. This year, the 17th annual Kościuszko Chair Conference focuses on the topic of threats and opportunities in the Intermarium. **Learn more about IWP graduate programs: https://www.iwp.edu/academics/graduate-degree-programs/ ***Make a gift to the IWP Kosciuszko Chair of Polish Studies: https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E231090&id=4
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  Polish Foreign and Security Policy in the Context of the Russian Ukrainian War 12.03.2026 58m

  Professor Przemysław Żurawski vel Grajewski - Polish political scientist, an academic, and an associate professor at the University of Lodz. Furthermore, he is an associate of the European Institute in Łódź, the Center for Political Thought, and a lecturer at the Natolin European Center and the National School of Public Administration. In 2015, Mr. Żurawski vel Grajewski became a member of the National Development Council, appointed by President Andrzej Duda. His main areas of research include international relations and geopolitics. This lecture is part of the 18th Annual Symposium of the Kosciuszko Chair of Polish Studies. The Kościuszko Chair serves as a center for Polish Studies in the broadest sense, including learning, teaching, researching, and writing about Poland’s culture, history, heritage, religion, government, economy, and successes in the arts, sciences, and letters, with special emphasis on the achievements of Polish civilization and its relation to other nations, particularly the United States. This year, the 17th annual Kościuszko Chair Conference focuses on the topic of threats and opportunities in the Intermarium. **Learn more about IWP graduate programs: https://www.iwp.edu/academics/graduate-degree-programs/ ***Make a gift to the IWP Kosciuszko Chair of Polish Studies: https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E231090&id=4
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  Challenges to Poland’s National Security in the Changing Geopolitics 12.03.2026 25m

  Dr. Sebastian Bojemski graduated from the Institute of History of Warsaw University and gained his doctoral degree at The Cardinal Wyszyński University in Warsaw. At the Institute of World Politics (Washington, DC) he attended individual courses in geography and strategy, geoeconomy, strategic influence and propaganda. He was awarded scholarships by the Kosciuszko Foundation (USA) and the M. Grabowski Fund (UK). Mr Bojemski also has extensive experience in strategic communication, marketing, sales and management. For over 15 years (2003-2018) he had owned a Warsaw-based consulting firm. Between 2018-2024 he was an executive director for marketing at PKN Orlen – the largest oil company in Central Europe, a vice chairman at Lotos Fuels, the second largest oil company in Poland and a vice chairman at PERN, the largest fuel and logistics company in the region and critical infrastructure operator. He is currently affiliated with the University College of Professional Education as a member of the Center for Research on Disinformation and Cybersecurity and a senior fellow at the Eastern Flank Institute, a Brussels-based think tank. The start of the Russian invasion in 2014 changed the security architecture in Central and Eastern Europe. These changes deepened in 2021 after Belarus launched a border operation targeting Poland. Another milestone in this process was Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine. The level of security on Poland's eastern border has significantly decreased. In this situation, it is necessary to make changes in the area of national security. This includes the development of the armed forces, the assignment of new strategy to the secret services, and the strengthening of critical infrastructure protection. This lecture is part of the 18th Annual Symposium of the Kosciuszko Chair of Polish Studies. The Kościuszko Chair serves as a center for Polish Studies in the broadest sense, including learning, teaching, researching, and writing about Poland’s culture, history, heritage, religion, government, economy, and successes in the arts, sciences, and letters, with special emphasis on the achievements of Polish civilization and its relation to other nations, particularly the United States. This year, the 17th annual Kościuszko Chair Conference focuses on the topic of threats and opportunities in the Intermarium. **Learn more about IWP graduate programs: https://www.iwp.edu/academics/graduate-degree-programs/ ***Make a gift to the IWP Kosciuszko Chair of Polish Studies: https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E231090&id=4
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  Solidarity across borders: London’s support for Poland’s Solidarity Movement 12.03.2026 54m

  George Byczynski is a defense and security expert specializing in Central and Eastern Europe. He is an Adviser to the UK’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on Poland and a Chief Operating Officer of Anders de Wiart Associates. A former Adviser to the All-Party Parliamentary Groups on Lithuania and Ukraine and a founder of the British Poles Media Group. He holds an LLM in International Law from the University of Westminster and a BSc in International Politics from Brunel University. He is a member of the New Security Leaders of the Warsaw Security Forum and co-author of the reports Three Seas Initiative and the Opportunities for Global Britain and Financing the Future – How to Attract More Foreign Investors to the Three Seas Region. He was awarded the Commission of National Education Honours (KEN) by the Polish Minister of Education and the “Ambassador of Polish History” state award by the Institute of National Remembrance. Byczynski volunteers for the Royal British Legion and the RAF Museum Charity and serves as an Ace Ambassador of the National Spitfire Project. This lecture examines the critical contributions of the British Polish community and the United Kingdom government to Poland’s Solidarity movement during the 1980s. It analyzes the significance of the Polish Solidarity Campaign, Solidarity Working Group and the strategic advocacy by Polish émigrés in briefing British parliamentarians, the imposition of economic and diplomatic sanctions on Poland’s communist regime following the introduction of martial law in December 1981, the public demonstrations that galvanized support for the Polish cause and the multifaceted approach of British trade unions towards Polish anti-communist movements. The lecture elucidates how these concerted efforts bolstered Poland’s struggle for liberty and shaped the broader narrative of international solidarity against the communist oppression. This lecture is part of the 18th Annual Symposium of the Kosciuszko Chair of Polish Studies. The Kościuszko Chair serves as a center for Polish Studies in the broadest sense, including learning, teaching, researching, and writing about Poland’s culture, history, heritage, religion, government, economy, and successes in the arts, sciences, and letters, with special emphasis on the achievements of Polish civilization and its relation to other nations, particularly the United States. This year, the 17th annual Kościuszko Chair Conference focuses on the topic of threats and opportunities in the Intermarium. **Learn more about IWP graduate programs: https://www.iwp.edu/academics/graduate-degree-programs/ ***Make a gift to the IWP Kosciuszko Chair of Polish Studies: https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E231090&id=4
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  The War in Ukraine - An Update from The Front 24.02.2026 1h 8m

  IWP Professor Glenn Corn provides an update on the situation in Ukraine based on his recent travels to that country, including visits to multiple cities/locations. **Learn more about IWP graduate programs: https://www.iwp.edu/academics/graduate-degree-programs/ ***Make a gift to IWP: https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E231090&id=3
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  Standing With a Witness of Faith During the War in Ukraine 10.02.2026 1h 17m

  Bishop Vitalii Kryvytskyi offers a firsthand perspective on the war in Ukraine, focusing on children, families, and resilience. Bishop Vitalii Kryvytskyi will offer a firsthand pastoral perspective on life amid the prolonged war in Ukraine, with particular attention to the experiences of children and families. Drawing on his role as Roman Catholic Bishop of Kyiv–Zhytomyr, he will discuss how the Church fosters stability, resilience, and recovery through parish life, youth ministry, and structured programs serving children and families under wartime conditions. The lecture will be delivered with interpretation by Valentyna Pavsyukova, Founder, President, and CEO of Chalice of Mercy, who will translate for Bishop Kryvytskyi throughout the event. About the Speakers: Bishop Vitalii Kryvytskyi, SDB, is the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Kyiv–Zhytomyr, a role he has held since his appointment by Pope Francis in 2017. Born in Odesa, Ukraine, he entered the Salesian Society of St. John Bosco in 1990 and completed his theological formation in Poland, earning a Master of Theology from the Catholic University of Lublin. Ordained a priest in 1997, Bishop Kryvytskyi has devoted much of his ministry to parish leadership, youth formation, and pastoral care across Ukraine, particularly in Odesa, Zhytomyr, and Lviv regions. In addition to his diocesan responsibilities, he serves in several national leadership roles within the Catholic Church in Ukraine, including Deputy Chair of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Ukraine and Head of its Ecumenical Commission. He is also an active member of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations, which he led in 2019. His episcopal ministry is guided by his motto, In Iesu Christo (“In Jesus Christ”). Valentyna Pavsyukova is the Founder, President, and CEO of Chalice of Mercy, a nonprofit organization she established in 2007 to advance humanitarian aid, pro-life advocacy, and family support in Ukraine. Born and raised in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, she immigrated to the United States after winning the U.S. Green Card Lottery and became a U.S. citizen in 2010. Her early years in the U.S. included a career in cosmetology, which she left in 2009 to dedicate herself fully to mission work following a profound spiritual conversion influenced by Mother Teresa and St. John Paul II. Valentyna continues her intellectual and spiritual formation through studies at the Theology of the Body Institute and Oxford University’s Politics Certification Program. Under her leadership, Chalice of Mercy has delivered extensive humanitarian and medical assistance, including over $80 million in medical supplies since 2022, organized life-saving medical missions, supported hospitals, hospices, orphanages, and families, and founded faith-based educational initiatives such as Saint Maria Goretti Daycare in Zaporizhzhia. A frequent international speaker, she has addressed audiences at the March for Life in Washington, D.C., Ukrainian Week, and major youth and policy forums. She also serves as a Strategic Adviser to the Protez Foundation, supporting rehabilitation and prosthetics for wounded Ukrainian soldiers, and her work has been recognized by Ukrainian and international institutions for extraordinary humanitarian and defense support. **Learn more about IWP graduate programs: https://www.iwp.edu/academics/graduate-degree-programs/ ***Make a gift to IWP: https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E231090&id=3
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  Book Lecture: The Israeli 06.02.2026 42m

  About the Lecture: The Israeli, a novel by veteran journalist Phil Kurata, is set in the years 1947 to 1965, after the end of World War II, when in the Middle East, newly independent countries were shaking off the colonial powers of Britain and France. It reimagines the life of famed spy Eli Cohen. Beginning in Alexandria, Egypt, it transitions to a nascent Israel and then to Syria, where Cohen spies for the Israelis. Steeped in the food and the culture of the Middle East at that formative period, it takes a hard-eyed view of racism and prejudice on both the Israeli and Arab sides. It takes the reader on a deep dive into the intractable and often vicious conflicts that split the region today. About the Speaker: Phillip Kurata is a novelist and former journalist who grew up in Lawrence, Kansas, and earned a bachelor’s degree in French literature and a master’s degree in Asian Studies from the University of Kansas. He studied at the University of Tunis in the mid-1960s, and—as a fluent French speaker—he returned to Tunisia as a Peace Corps Volunteer and a public health educator. He got into journalism while studying Chinese in Taiwan, writing for the Far Eastern Economic Review. He later worked for United Press International, Agence France Presse and Voice of America in Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Beijing, France, and Washington, DC. Phil served for many years as a writer with the U.S. Department of State, based in Washington, DC. His first novel, The Reluctant Agent, was published by Washington Writers’ Publishing House as the Fiction Prize winner. His most recent novel, The Israeli, published in 2024, is a fictionalized story of the legendary Israeli spy, Eli Cohen, and examines the destructive power of ethnic hatred. Dr. Elspeth Cameron Ritchie is a forensic psychiatrist with special expertise in military and veterans’ issues. She has been Chief of Psychiatry at Medstar Washington Hospital Center since 2018. She retired from the Army in 2010, after holding numerous leadership positions within Army Medicine, including Psychiatry Consultant. She trained at Harvard, George Washington, Walter Reed, and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, and has completed fellowships in both forensic and preventive and disaster psychiatry. She is a Professor of Psychiatry at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Georgetown University, and George Washington University School of Medicine. An internationally recognized expert, she brings a unique public health approach to the management of disasters and combating mental health issues. Her assignments and other missions have taken her to Korea, Somalia, Iraq, and Cuba. She has over 250 publications, mainly in the areas of forensic, disaster, suicide, ethics, military combat psychiatry, and women’s health issues. Recent volumes include: “Forensic and Ethical Issues in Military Behavioral Health”, “Women at War”, “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Related Diseases in Combat Veterans”, “Intimacy After Injury: Restoring Sexual Health on Return from Combat”; “Psychiatrists in Combat, Clinicians Experience in the War Zone”, “Gay Mental Healthcare Providers and Patients in the Military: Personal Experiences and Clinical Care” and “Clinical Management of the Homeless Patient: Social, Medical and Psychiatric Issues." **Learn more about IWP graduate programs: https://www.iwp.edu/academics/graduate-degree-programs/ ***Make a gift to IWP: https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E231090&id=3
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  Artificial General Intelligence: America's Next National Security Frontier 30.01.2026 1h 6m

  About the Lecture: This lecture will discuss the dangers that advanced AI would pose to the United States, the world, and humanity if developed and deployed without proper safeguards. These dangers would include its impact on our economy, geopolitical relations, and our national security. About the Speaker: Brendan Steinhauser is a Partner with Steinhauser Strategies, a public affairs firm based in Austin, Texas. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a B.A. in Government from The University of Texas in 2004 and earned his M.A. in Statecraft and International Affairs from The Institute of World Politics in 2013. Brendan served as an adjunct professor of Political Science and Global Studies at St. Edward's University in Austin, where he taught courses on Global Issues and State & Local Government. He has been published in the peer-reviewed academic journal, The Journal of South Texas. ‍Brendan has led campaigns for candidates and causes in more than 40 states, including for Senator John Cornyn, Congressman Michael McCaul, and Congressman Dan Crenshaw. TIME magazine named Brendan as one of "40 Under 40" rising stars in American politics. Campaigns & Elections magazine awarded him a "Rising Star" award in 2012. Former U.S. House Majority Leader Dick Armey called working with Brendan one of the highlights of his career. Over the years, Brendan has worked as a Director of Federal and State Campaigns, Communications Director, and Chief Strategy Officer of various nonprofit organizations. He is a frequent media commentator and has appeared on Fox News, Comedy Central, MSNBC, CNN, the BBC, NewsNation, and Newsmax. He has also been quoted in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and many more newspapers, magazines, books, and journals. Some of his clients have included the Republican Party of Texas, Texas Right to Life, State Senator Angela Paxton, and the War Veterans Fund. Brendan serves as a First Lieutenant and Company Commander in the Texas State Guard, the premier state defense and emergency response force in the U.S. He graduated from Officer Candidate School and received his commission in 2021, at the age of 39. He earned a certificate in Counterintelligence Awareness from the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency of the U.S. Department of Defense. Mark Beall is a leading expert at the intersection of AI policy and national security. After serving as the inaugural Pentagon AI Policy Director at the Department of Defense’s Joint AI Center, he became the Senior Advisor at the AI Policy Network, an organization that builds bipartisan support for legislation that will help the United States prepare for the future capabilities of AI systems. Beall also co-founded Gladstone AI, an entity that advocates for the responsible development of AI and guardrails to protect the country against national security threats from AI. He has publicly spoken on these issues numerous times through speeches, interviews, and more, and is a voice critical in the mission to prioritize security in the development of AI. Beall holds a BA in Physics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and an MA in Statecraft and National Security from the Institute of World Politics. **Learn more about IWP graduate programs: https://www.iwp.edu/academics/graduate-degree-programs/ ***Make a gift to IWP: https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E231090&id=3
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  At Sea Against the Soviet Fleet, A Conversation with the Author 17.11.2025 58m

  Overview Book talk and signing with Capt. Bryan Leese on At Sea Against the Soviet Fleet—the evolution of U.S. naval intelligence in the Cold War. ***This lecture is sponsored by the IWP IAFIE Alpha Student Chapter*** About the Lecture: At Sea Against the Soviet Fleet examines the critical transformation of naval intelligence during a pivotal era marked by the Cold War and the Vietnam conflict. Bryan Leese meticulously details how U.S. Navy operational intelligence evolved to meet the complexities of modern naval warfare, particularly in response to the increasing threats posed by the Soviet Navy. Structured into four main parts, this book begins by examining the Vietnam War and the institutionalization of shipboard operational intelligence, or what Navy intelligence calls Opintel. The book highlights the establishment of Integrated Operational Intelligence Centers as part of the RA-5C Vigilante program and the innovative strategies that emerged in air combat and targeting. Leese goes on to underscore the necessity of Opintel to the U.S. Navy’s close and distant blockade strategy in the 1960s and 1970s. He delves into the decentralization of intelligence processes, emphasizing the importance of adaptability and the need to prevent surprise attacks. This evolution is framed within the transition to the Navy’s Ocean Surveillance Information System, a decentralized and responsive operational intelligence system. The ongoing developments of shipboard intelligence capabilities are explored, demonstrating how these advancements empowered naval commanders. In the 1970s, the organizations evolved as the revolutionary Opintel adaptations of the 1960s that leveraged cooperation without hierarchy became formalized. Leese highlights the revolution to evolution process by introducing Opintel support to shipboard tactical decisions to integrate operational intelligence into comprehensive naval strategies. Capturing the essence of this transformative period, the author discusses the cultural dynamics within the Navy that fostered innovation and interdepartmental collaboration. These developments not only contributed to maintaining a strategic edge over the Soviet Union, but also laid the groundwork for future naval operations in the digital age. Leese’s work reveals the intricate interplay between technology, strategy, and personnel in creating an effective intelligence framework that allows the U.S. Navy to assert influence at sea, setting conditions for sea control in conflict. By blending rich archival research with firsthand accounts, this book offers a nuanced understanding of how the Navy adapted to an ever-changing operational landscape, ultimately preserving peace while navigating the complexities of high-stakes maritime conflict. About the Speaker: Capt. Bryan Leese, USN (Ret.), was a career naval intelligence officer with extensive experience in operational intelligence, including key roles supporting ground combat operations and tours at sea, including as the N2 (head of intelligence) of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and the George H. W. Bush Carrier Strike Group. He has held senior positions across the intelligence community, most notably as Chair, Defense Intelligence Department at the National Intelligence University, and as Branch Chief, Transregional and then North/West Africa in J2 (Joint Intelligence) Africa Command, during the 2011–2012 crisis in Libya. Before joining the Joint Forces Staff College in September 2023, Dr. Leese served on the faculty of the U.S. Naval War College’s Joint Military Operations Department. He holds a PhD in war studies from King’s College London and lives in Chesapeake, Virginia, with his wife, Elizabeth. **Learn more about IWP graduate programs: https://www.iwp.edu/academics/graduat... ***Make a gift to IWP: https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/W...