Books
Power Plays
Dictators, Despots, and the Politics of Control
Blood and Oil: Mohammed Bin Salman’s Ruthless Quest for Global Power
Bradley Hope discusses his excellent book, "Blood and Oil: Mohammed Bin Salman’s Ruthless Quest for Global Power", about the rise of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. Bradley also discusses key milestones like the “Ritz Carlton Prison”, the kidnapping of Prime Minister Hariri of Lebanon, the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, some of MBS’s modernization efforts, and what the Kingdom might look like if he hadn’t risen to a position of power.
Corruptible: Who Gets Power and How it Changes Us
Brian Klaas
Author, Associate Professor in Global Politics, University College London, and Host of the Award-Winning Podcast “Power Corrupts"
Brian Klaas joins us to discuss his book “Corruptible: Who Gets Power and How It Changes Us”. Brian describes research on who is drawn to positions of power and how power impacts us, including potentially re-wiring our brains.
Spin Dictators
Daniel Treisman
Author, Professor of Political Science, University of California, and Research Associate, National Bureau of Economic Research
Daniel Treisman, co-author of "Spin Dictators: The Changing Face of Tyranny in the 21st Century", discusses the new generation of dictators and how they weaponize information, bully with legal action and mobilize enablers to stay in power.
Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present
Ruth Ben-Ghiat
Author, Professor of History and Italian Studies, New York University
Ruth Ben-Ghiat joins the podcast to discuss her book "Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present", which examines 100 years of authoritarian rule. She describes the characteristics of a strongman and the strange virility cult surrounding these leaders before turning to the central role of corruption in the autocrat’s playbook.
The Art of the Bribe Under Stalin 1943-1953
James Heinzen
Professor of History, Rowan University
James Heinzen joins the podcast to talk about his book, "The Art of the Bribe: Corruption Under Stalin 1943-1953", and how bribery, extortion and embezzlement in Russia have changed—or not—over the last 70 years.
Bribe, Swindle or Steal is available wherever you listen to podcasts
