OUT OF THE SHADOWS PODCAST
EPISODE 1 - Henry Hemming
Welcome to the first episode of our Out of the Shadows project podcast. Out of the Shadows is a project funded by the British Academy. The project aims at establishing a network of early career researchers with an interest in intelligence, espionage and covert action in US and UK history. More importantly, the project aims at bringing this research to secondary schools by providing resources, organising event and delivering a series of seminars, workshops, and talks in schools. if you want to hear more about the project, visit out website: outoftheshadowsproject.com or follow us on twitter: @Ootsproject.
The first guest today is Henry Hemming, author of several non-fiction book including a travelogue of his adventures in the Middle East and Churchill's Iceman, the life of Geoffrey Pike. In this episode, however, we discuss Henry's latest book: "M: Maxwell Knight MI5's greatest spymaster." In the episode we discuss Knight's life , his tradecraft and career, his successes and failures, but also the British political environment of the 1920s-1940s. We also discuss the evolution of espionage and the physical and mental toll spying take on spaces. Finally, we look at what the era of Maxwell Knight can tell us about current spying and what it takes to be a good spy.
Henry Hemming three suggested books are:
- John Le Carre, A perfect Spy,
- Ben Macintyre, Agent ZigZag,
- Miranda Carter, Anthony Blunt: his lives.
EPISODE 2 - Rory Cormac
We travelled to Nottingham to meet Dr Rory Cormac, Associate Professor of International Relations at the University of Nottingham. In this episode we discuss Rory's career and his interest in intelligence. Most of the episode explores Rory's latest book (co-authored with Professor Richard Aldrich) The Black Door. We explore the history of British intelligence and covert action, as well as Prime Ministers' relations with the intelligence community: from Churchill passion for intelligence, to Eden's obsession with Nasser, to Thatcher and Blair. Toward the end of the podcast we also discuss contemporary issues such as transparency and leaks, big data, fake news and cyber security. Rory also has some interesting reading suggestions for those interested in intelligence and intelligence studies. His suggestions include book on British Intelligence, on the CIA in the Middle East and on British-American intelligence cooperation.
Rory's books:
- Richard Aldrich - The Hidden Hand: Britain, America and Cold War secret intelligence,
- Hugh Wilford - America's Great Game: the CIA's Secret Arabists and the shaping of the modern Middle East
- Peter Hennessy - The Secret State: preparing for the worst 1945-2010
Honourable mention to: Michael Goodman - The Official History of the Joint Intelligence Committee.
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EPISODE 3 - Michael Poznansky
In our third episode, we have a chat with Michael Poznansky, Assistant Professor of International Affairs and Intelligence Studies at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs of the University of Pittsburgh. Michael's research looks at democracies and covert action, with a specific focus on US foreign policy. In the episode with discuss 'democratic peace theory' - the theory that democracies rarely go to war with one another - democracies' use of covert action, historical cases of covert action conducted by the United States, the relations between domestic and international law and covert action, and recent US practice
Michael's books:
- Michael Colaresi - Democracy Declassified: the secrecy dilemma in national security,
- Peter Kornbluh - The Bay of Pigs Declassified: the secret CIA report on the invasion of Cuba,
- Christopher Andrew and Vasili Mitrokhin - The World was going our way: the KGB and the battle for the Third World.
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EPISODE 4 - DOV H. Levin
In this episode we welcome Dov Levin. Dov is Assistant professor of International Relations at the University of Hong Kong. He has written an excellent book on electoral interference call Meddling in the Ballot Box: the causes and effects of partisan electoral interventions, published by Oxford University Press. In the episode, we talk about the causes of electoral interferences, how they are carried out, the consequences, and we conclude with a discussion of the 2016 US elections and Russia's interference. Enjoy the episode.
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Dov's books:
- Dov's own Meddling in the ballot box,
- Kristian Gustafson, Hostile Intent: US Covert Operations in Chile, 1964–1974,
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EPISODE 5 - Sarah-Jane Corke
In this episode, we welcome Dr Sarah-Jane Corke. Sarah-Jane is Associate Professor of History at the University of New Brunswick. The episode builds on her 2008 book published by Routledge, US Covert Operations and Cold War Strategy. Sarah-Jane is also the former President of the North American Society for Intelligence History. Enjoy the episode and check the Society's website for more information (www.intelligencehistory.org).
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Episode 6 - Martin Brown
In this episode, we welcome Dr Martin D. Brown. Dr Brown is Associate Professor of International History at Richmond University in London. He previously worked as the Lead Researcher, Centre of Excellence in Intercultural Studies, School of Humanities, Tallinn University, Estonia. As you will soon learn, this episode is all about James Bond. While Dr Brown’s main area of research is the Cold War and Diplomatic History, he as has a strong interest in Bond and the world around one of fiction’s most famous characters. In the episode we explore Bon novels (Ian Fleming’s ones and beyond), the field of 'bondology' and the cultural turn in intelligence studies, the symbiotic relationship between fiction and international politics, and, of course, the popularity of Bond and its consequences. As usual the episode concludes with some book recommendations. I hope you enjoy the show.
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Martin's books:
- Martin Brown, Ronald Granieri, and Muriel Brave, The Bondian Cold War​: The Transnational Legacy of a Cultural Icon,
- Kingsley Amis, The Bond Dossier,
- John Pearson, James Bond: The Authorized Biography of 007,
- John Pearson, The Life of Ian Fleming,
- Ian Fleming's Bond Novels (but not The Spy Who loved me :-))
Episode 7 - Dafydd Townley
In this episode we welcome Dr Dafith Townley. Dr Towley is a lecturer in the Department of history at the University of Reading. He is an expert in intelligence and cyber security.
In the episode, we discuss his latest book:
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The Year of Intelligence in the United States: public opinion, national security, and the 1975 Church Committee (www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9783030676452)
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The episode covers the origins of the 1975 investigations into the conduct of the intelligence community, the relationship between the Ford Presidency, Congress, and the CIA, and the results and long-term effects of the investigations. We also discuss a common are of interest that is the Church Committee's investigation of the US government's involvement in assassination.
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As usual, we conclude with some reading recommendations. I hope you enjoy the show.
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Dafydd's books:
- Dafydd's own The Year of Intelligence,
- Loch Johnson, A Season of Inquiry/A Season of Inquiry Revisited,
- Kathryn Olmsted, Challenging the secret government,
- Frederick Schwartz, Democracy in the Dark.
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