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Need to Know

136 episodes

The Need To Know podcast is a production of the Office of Congressional Relations at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Each episode we will bring our nonpartisan research to life through interviews with experts and practitioners covering the world. Our goal is to bring the best independent research, open dialogue and actionable ideas to congressional staff, policymakers, and anyone else who needs to know.

All Episodes

Two icebreakers breaking ice on Vistula river, Poland, 2020-02-18, aerial view
Podcast
Global Alliances & Partnerships
Navigating the Arctic: The Ice Pact and the Future of Icebreakers
16:56October 25, 2024
Attendees at the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation
Podcast
Strategic Competition
China-Africa Relations: Threat to US Interests?
21.12September 27, 2024
Squad of female teenagers in military uniforms rehearses for a parade
Podcast
Security and Defense
Understanding North Korea: Dispelling Myths and Misconceptions
15:02June 14, 2024
Taipei City skyline view
Podcast
Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding
US Taiwan Policy: It's Complicated!
17:17May 6, 2024
Bombed apartment in Ukraine
Podcast
Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding
Standing Strong: Witnessing Resilience in Ukraine
13:13February 26, 2024
Abraham Accords Signing
Podcast
Global Alliances & Partnerships
Collateral Damage: Can the Abraham Accords Survive the Israel-Hamas War?
13:59November 21, 2023
Afghan refugee women
Podcast
Refugees and Forced Displacement
Ongoing Humanitarian Crisis: The Plight of Afghan Refugees
16:38August 29, 2023
ChatGPT
Podcast
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Regulation
14:21May 31, 2023
Need to Know Episode cover
Podcast
US Politics
Introduction to the Farm Bill
10:54April 4, 2023
NTK Cover with Rudman on Border Security
Podcast
US Domestic Policy
Border Security
10:52February 15, 2023
Duncan Wood Energy Security
Podcast
Energy Security
Energy Security
21:15January 24, 2023
China: Strategic Interests, Protests, and the Future
Podcast
Strategic Competition
China: Strategic Interests, Protests, and the Future
20:17December 20, 2022
Image - NTK Examining Protests in Iran Web Cover
Podcast
Women & Gender
Examining Protests in Iran and the Arab World
23:40November 2, 2022
Image - NTK Episode The Arctic is Hot
Podcast
Climate
The Arctic is Hot
19:51September 13, 2022
Image - A Cold War with China? Pod Cover
Podcast
Cold War
A Cold War with China?
16:53June 2, 2022
Image - NTK Episode Ukraine Invaded... Why?
Podcast
Security and Defense
Ukraine Invaded... Why?
20:42March 1, 2022
Image - A Briefing on Protests in Canada
Podcast
Geoeconomics
A Briefing on Protests in Canada
52:43February 15, 2022
Image - Relationships and Rivalries: Venezuela and Colombia
Podcast
Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding
Relationships and Rivalries: Venezuela and Colombia
28:31February 8, 2022
Image - Ukraine and A Sliding Scale of Horrors NTK Cover
Podcast
Security and Defense
Ukraine and A Sliding Scale of Horrors
25:59January 20, 2022
Image - Unrest In Kazakhstan NTK
Podcast
Democracy
Unrest in Kazakhstan
23:18January 20, 2022
Image - Relationships and Rivalries: A Fascinating Triangle in Asia NTK Cover
Podcast
Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding
Relationships and Rivalries: A Fascinating Triangle in Asia
24:28January 20, 2022
Image - Relationships and Rivalries Podcast Cover
Podcast
Security and Defense
Relationships and Rivalries: China vs. India?
27:30November 12, 2021
Image - NTK Techno-Totalitarianism? China's Cultural Crackdown
Podcast
Science and Technology
Techno-Totalitarianism? China's Cultural Crackdown
31:24September 15, 2021
Image - Afghanistan Withdrawal Continues Apace
Podcast
Security and Defense
Afghanistan Withdrawal Continues Apace
20:20July 16, 2021
Image - High Stakes Deepfakes
Podcast
Science and Technology
High Stakes Deepfakes
26:19April 28, 2021
Flag of Myanmar and also known as Burma on military uniform
Podcast
Democracy
Military Rule Returns to Myanmar
21:19February 16, 2021
PI.jpg.RussiaUSflags
Podcast
US Foreign Policy
A Russia Roundtable
41:33February 1, 2021
Hacker with Screens and Virus
Podcast
Science and Technology
The Free Fire Zone In Cyberspace
23:47December 11, 2020
Biochemist looking at vial
Podcast
Global Health
How to Distribute 7 Billion Vaccines
26:43December 2, 2020
Last of Oklahoma Guardsmen leave Afghanistan
Podcast
Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding
50 Ways to Leave Afghanistan
22:09November 19, 2020
Image - People take precautions in Mali against COVID-19
Podcast
Coronavirus
Africa and the COVID-19 Challenge
27:31October 29, 2020
Image - European Union flags
Podcast
US Foreign Policy
Europe - Why Should We Care?
21:22September 30, 2020
Aid from China and the US to Latin America
Podcast
Strategic Competition
Book Chat: U.S. Strategy in the Asian Century
22:02August 18, 2020
October 25 2019: TikTok app logo on a smartphone screen and flags of China and United States. Tiktok WeChat are banned. Apps are in centre of US - China tensions and security concerns.
Podcast
Strategic Competition
The Clock is Ticking for TikTok
17:57August 11, 2020
shutterstock
Podcast
Disinformation
How To Lose the Information War
21:08July 22, 2020
The streets of Ukraine.
Podcast
Governance
Imagine Being Ukraine Right Now
18:06February 20, 2020
AP Images
Podcast
Elections
Gaming Out the UK Election
20:57December 17, 2019
Image - Need to Know Podcast Logo
Podcast
Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding
The Tapestry of Syria - Part 2
18:40November 8, 2019
Image - Need to Know Podcast Logo
Podcast
Strategic Competition
Russia and China, Sitting in a Tree?
22:31October 22, 2019
Image - Need to Know Podcast Logo
Podcast
Geoeconomics
Halloween is Coming! Is Brexit?
23:50October 11, 2019
Image - Need to Know Podcast Logo
Podcast
Science and Technology
It's Meg King... or Maybe It's a Deepfake
18:14September 24, 2019
Image - Need to Know Podcast Logo
Podcast
Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding
Taliban Talks Collapse... Now What?
19:56September 10, 2019
Image - Need to Know Podcast Logo
Podcast
Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding
Negotiations and Love Notes - Where Do The North Korea Nuclear Talks Stand?
23:51September 5, 2019
Image - Need to Know Podcast Logo
Podcast
International Development
Argentina... and "Peak Podcast"
12:55August 1, 2019
Image - Need to Know Podcast Logo
Podcast
Nuclear Proliferation/Non-proliferation
Ground Truth on the Iran Nuclear Program
25:14July 23, 2019
Image - Need to Know Podcast Logo
Podcast
Democracy
Quicktake! What Just Happened in the House?
11:24July 17, 2019
Image - Need to Know Podcast Logo
Podcast
Democracy
Remember: It's Colombia, Not Columbia
18:29July 16, 2019
Image - Need to Know Podcast Logo
Podcast
Governance
Foreign Policy On Top Of The World
18:14July 9, 2019
Image - Need to Know Podcast Logo
Podcast
Elections
Taking a Look at India
15:03June 24, 2019
Image - Need to Know Podcast Logo
Podcast
Democracy
Understanding the Hong Kong Protests
19:26June 20, 2019
Image - Need to Know Podcast Logo
Podcast
Democracy
Understanding the US/Russia Relationship
23:03May 15, 2019
Image - Need to Know Podcast Logo
Podcast
Strategic Competition
Is China Dictating What We See At The Movies?
13:23May 15, 2019

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Congressional Relations

The Wilson Center’s office of Congressional Relations works to maintain a vibrant relationship with Members of Congress and their staffs. We organize and run a series of educational programs led by Wilson Center experts, ranging from seminars to private briefings, with the purpose of increasing congressional staffers’ knowledge of foreign policy. We also coordinate outreach to Capitol Hill, including testimonies by Wilson Center scholars and briefings specifically for Members of Congress.  Read more