🎙️ In this deep and insightful episode of the IgnitedNeurons Podcast, host Utkarsh Narang sits down with Irina Tsukerman — a New York–based human rights and national security attorney, President of Scarab Rising, and Editor-in-Chief of The Washington Outsider.
Together, they explore Irina’s remarkable journey from a curious child fascinated by global affairs to becoming an influential voice in human rights, institutional accountability, and geopolitical strategy.
This conversation opens up the world of national security, hybrid threats, and global policy — but also goes deeper into the human side of it: empathy, agency, disagreement, and the personal cost of navigating a fragmented world.
If you’ve ever wondered how to think clearly in the middle of chaos, this episode is for you.
The episode dives into:
– How childhood curiosity shapes who we become
– What draws someone into the world of law, geopolitics, and advocacy
– Why geopolitical fragmentation is increasing
– The role of dialogue in resolving global and local conflicts
– The impact of social media on public discourse and truth
– How to balance human rights with national security realities
– Why critical thinking and empathy matter now more than ever
– How to navigate intelligent disagreement in a polarized world
– The future of influence operations and hybrid threats
– Why personal agency still matters in an overwhelming world
Key Takeaways:
✅ Childhood curiosity shapes lifelong perspectives
✅ Early passion can fuel a career in law or advocacy
✅ Geopolitical fragmentation is a growing global challenge
✅ Dialogue remains essential for conflict resolution
✅ Mistakes are inevitable in high-stakes discussion
✅ Social media often distorts truth and nuance
✅ Critical thinking is non-negotiable in the information age
✅ Human rights and national security can coexist
✅ Empathy is the foundation of intelligent disagreement
✅ The future is uncertain — but agency belongs to each of us
About Irina Tsukerman:
Irina Tsukerman is a prominent human rights and national security attorney based in New York. A graduate of Fordham University School of Law, she has built a boutique legal practice focusing on transnational threats and authoritarian regimes.
She is the President of Scarab Rising, Inc., a media and strategic advisory firm, and serves as Editor-in-Chief of The Washington Outsider, where she leads research on information warfare, hybrid threats, and geopolitical influence operations.
Her commentary appears in international media and has been translated into over a dozen languages, making her a leading voice in global policy discourse.
📌 Connect with Irina:
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irina-tsukerman-4b04595/
🌐 Website: https://itsukermanatlaw.com/
🌐 Scarab Rising: https://scarabrising.com/
📰 The Washington Outsider: https://www.thewashingtonoutsider.com/
🗞️ Substack: https://thewashingtonoutsider.substack.com/
🎯 Research Center: https://www.thewashingtonoutsidercenter.org/
🔔 Follow IgnitedNeurons Podcast for more:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theignitedneuronspodcast
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/utkarsh-narang
🎧 Available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts — if this episode gave you perspective, clarity, or hope, please like, subscribe, and share. Your support helps bring more meaningful conversations into the world.
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