Orion Talks

In this episode of Orion Talks, Suat Cubukcu is joined by Dr. Ardian Shajkovci. Dr. Shajkovci discusses the intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and terrorism, exploring its harmful potential in the hands of malicious actors. The conversation touches on the prevalence and tactics of AI-enabled terrorism with specific examples such as the use of deep fakes for disinformation and terrorist p...

In this episode of OrionTalks, host Suat Cubukcu is joined by Dr. Meike Ramon, an Assistant Professor at the University of Lausanne. Dr. Ramon's research, situated at the intersection of Cognitive Neuroscience and practical applications, takes center stage as she discusses the intriguing realm of super-recognizers and facial recognition technology. Dr. Ramon shares her research findings and insigh...

In this episode of OrionTalks, Karl P. Kadon, the Chief of the Criminal Division at the United States Attorneys' Offices, joins to discuss the far-reaching implications of the Israel and Hamas conflict and delves into the spillover effects of this conflict. The conversation explores the surge of hate crimes against Jewish and Muslim communities and the increasing risk of home-grown extremism in th...

In this Orion Talks conversation, Dr. Colin Clarke discusses the implications of the killing of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder and leader of the Wagner Group, for the group's future and its relationship with the Russian regime. He explains how the turmoil surrounding the Wagner may influence the group's operations and relations in Africa, as well as its utilization by the Russian state for clandes...

In this episode of Orion Talks, host Suat Cubukcu engages in a thought-provoking conversation with special guest Dr. Elena Pokalova, a Professor at the College of International Security Affairs (CISA) at the National Defense University. During the discussion, Dr. Elena Pokalova explained why the Wagner Group should be considered a quasi-state force rather than a mere private military contractor. D...

In this episode of OrionTalks, Broderick McDonald and Guy Fiennes join host Suat Cubukcu to discuss the Wagner Group's expanding relations in the Sahel region and its potential impact on the security and stability of the region. They delve into the specific roles undertaken by the Wagner Group, examining their economic and political motivations, as well as the implications of their involvement in...

In this edition of OrionTalks, Dr. Chiara Redaelli, a Research Fellow at the Geneva Academy, joins host Suat Cubukcu to discuss the current armed conflict in Sudan from an international humanitarian law perspective. With two army generals fighting for power, the country is on the brink of civil war, with a death toll of 500 and over 5,000 injured civilians.

On this episode of OrionTalks, our host Suat Cubukcu speaks with Dr. Barbara Molas, a Research Fellow for the Current and Emerging Threats Programme at International Center for Counter-terrorism (ICCT), about far-right extremism. Dr. Molas shares her insights on the intersection between multiculturalism and far-right extremism, its transnational nature, the use of symbols and memes by far-right ex...

In this episode of Orion Talks, Suat Cubukcu hosts Professor Kapucu from the University of Central Florida to discuss the recent devastating earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria on February 6th. With over two decades of teaching and research experience in crisis and emergency management, Professor Kapucu shares his valuable insights on a range of topics. These include the Turkish government's...

In this edition of OrionTalks, host Suat Cubukcu welcomes Federico Donelli, an assistant professor of International Relations at the University of Trieste and the author of the book, "Turkey in Africa: Turkey's Strategic Involvement in Sub-Saharan Africa." The conversation delves into Turkey's growing military and economic relationships with Africa, the influence of its military activism on the st...

In this episode of OrionTalks, join host Suat Cubukcu as he sits down with Dr. Daisy Muibu to delve into the escalating violence in Somalia by al-Shabaab and the efforts to counter the Salafi-Jihadist group. Dr. Muibu, an expert on terrorism and domestic security in East Africa, shares her insights on al-Shabaab's goals, the effectiveness of the Somali government and its international partners in...

Iranian journalist Kourosh Ziabari discusses the direction of the ongoing protests and whether Iranian women can make a breakthrough against the establishment. He provides insights on domestic reactions to the protestors and analyzes the response from international communities, including the Iranian diaspora. As protests prolonged, Kourosh Ziabari explains to what extent the government can comprom...

Travis D. Frain is one of the 2017 Westminster Bridge Attack survivors in London (UK), where five people tragically lost their lives, and more than 50 people were injured. Travis, then 19 years old, was severely wounded during the attack. In this Orion Talks podcast, Travis talks about his campaigns to have survivors’ voices heard and strengthen their role in preventing radicalization, especially...

In this episode, Ambassador Jonathan M. Winer discusses the increasing tension between Libya’s two competing governments and argues the impacts of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in conflict. He evaluates the roles of external military powers and the proxies fighting in the region and emphasizes how their involvement jeopardizes the odds of Libya’s reunification. As a timely topic, he assesses Lib...

Caroline Rose analyzes the Captagon threat in the Mediterranean and Gulf region and its effect on regional security challenges. Providing insights on the nature and size of the illicit Captagon market, she examines the vital role of the Syrian government and non-state actors, including Hezbollah and ISIS. She discusses how the illicit market helps these actors sustain the ongoing war and conflict...

In this Orion Talks podcast, Dr. Colin Clarke describes how Ukraine has become a center of gravity for foreign fighters and mercenaries and provides a background for those joining the legion. He explains the logistical, organizational, and operational challenges waiting for them on the battlefield and discusses whether their participation can make a difference in the overall dynamic of the war. Di...

In this Orion Talks podcast, Dr. Richard Falk discusses the position of international law and United Nations vis a vis the Ukraine conflict and ongoing humanitarian crisis. He talks about plausible solutions to minimize human suffering and evaluates two sides’ positions for a potential ceasefire or peace deal. He concludes the conversation with his remarks on China’s relationship with Russia and U...

Dr. Paul Poast elaborates on his disagreement with John Mearsheimer’s arguments on the West’s responsibility in the Ukraine crisis. He also explains potential scenarios on how the war might end and how these scenarios interplay with Putin’s endgame in the conflict. Dr. Poast continues his conversation with his insights on the future of European security structure and former Soviet Republics. He co...

In this Orion Talks podcast, Dr. Matthew Light talks about Russian president Putin’s purpose in the invasion, how to complicate his aims and the lessons to take away from the crisis. Dr. Light also provides insights into NATO’s unity and enlargement plans, security in the Baltic region, and the former Soviet Union Republic countries’ approaches to the invasion. Finally, he discusses ongoing humani...

In this Orion Talks podcast, Dr. Nadiya Kostyuk talks about Russian cyber warfare against Ukraine. She provides insights into Russia’s short and long-term strategies, the nature of Russian cyberattacks, and their effectiveness on the ground. As she discusses the United States’ counter-strategies, she answers whether Western countries have been exaggerating the Russia-oriented cyber threat and the...

In this Orion Talks podcast, David C. Pyrooz talks about his recent book, “On Gangs.” Dr. Pyrooz is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Colorado Boulder and has more than 15 years of research experience in gangs. He co-authored "On Gangs" with Scott Decker and James Densley. Dr. Pyrooz provides an overview of his recent book and discusses the prevalence and evolution of gangs...

Nina Kaseage (Kesag) is a Senior Lecturer at the Department for Religious Studies and Intercultural Theology at the University of Rostock (Rostok) in Germany. Dr. Kaseage recently published a book titled "Religious Fundamentalism in the Age of Pandemic." It's a collection of scholarly articles on the pandemic and its impact on religious extremism worldwide. In this conversation, Dr. Kaseage discus...

Catherine Woollard, Secretary-General of @ECRE, speaks to #OrionTalks about Refugee Conundrum and Viable Solutions.

Dr. Barbara Perry spoke to #OrionTalks about the future of far-right extremism and discussed policies around the designation of domestic terrorist organizations. Dr. Perry is a Professor and the Director of the Centre on Hate, Bias, and Extremism at Ontario Tech University in Canada.

Orion Policy Institute’s senior fellow Suat Cubukcu spoke with Jacob Zenn about the implications of the Taliban’s victory on insurgent groups and U.S. counter-terrorism efforts in Africa.