The Spycast Podcast

Fact vs. Fake. Truth vs. Lies. Information vs. Disinformation. For voters trying to choose between competing parties and candidates the distinction between them would seem to be central. But is it still possible to tell which is which? In this week’s SpyCast Andrew is joined by two analysts from the Alliance for Securing Democracy – Russia watcher Brad Hanlon and China watcher Bryce Barros – to try to get to the bottom of what is going on. Is “disinformation” fake news and malarkey, or a serious threat to the future of democracy? 

For Andrew Hammond, a Scotsman and the historian and curator of the International Spy Museum (https://www.spymuseum.org/) , the loss of iconic actor Sean Connery this week at the age of 90 hits particularly hard. “As a Scot, someone from the same country, it’s a great loss and a deep loss,” Hammond told WTOP. “For spy fans and people who are from Scotland, but also for anyone who’s ever loved having the lights out and escaping through the lens of cinema, it’s just a great loss.” James Bond movies, Hammond said, have taught lots of people what they know about being a spy, even if many of them are pure fantasy - via WTOP.

What do you get if you cross a Harvard historian with a UCLA trained political scientist and an award winning doctoral researcher? One word: context. Join Andrew and his guests – Calder Walton, Dov Levin and Magda Long – as they drill down into intelligence agencies and electoral intervention.

Authorized History of a Secret Intelligence Agency –(STOP)­– author debriefed by Spy Historian Hammond –(STOP)– WW1 WW2 Cold War –(STOP)– reevaluation of Western Front Bletchley Park Ultra Falklands War –(STOP)­– discuss Authorized Histories “Cyber Rifles” and coming century –(STOP)– Podcast released on same day as Ferris book –(STOP) – a coincidence?   (END TELEGRAM)

SPY Historian & Curator Andrew Hammond sits down with Dr. Matthew Brazil, a non-resident fellow of the Jamestown Foundation, to discuss Chinese Communist Espionage. This is the first of a two-part podcast that will include the chance to win signed copies of the book.

SPY Curator Alexis Albion asks author Ben Macintyre “Can women spies have it all?”, as they discuss his latest book on the extraordinary Ursula Kuczynski aka Agent Sonya.

In the second of our “changing of the guard” episodes, the new SpyCast host Andrew Hammond sits down with Vince. It’s Been Emotional.

Author Chris Whipple discusses his new book, The Spymasters: How the CIA Directors Shape History and the Future with SPY Executive Director Chris Costa.

Dr. Vince Houghton sat down for a conversation with the new International Spy Museum historian, Dr. Andrew Hammond.

SPY Executive Director Chris Costa sat down with Kristin Wood who spent more than two decades with CIA in a number of roles.