Shows
Earlylands in ConversationEarlylands in Conversation - Episode 9 - US-Africa Policy Expert Judd DevermontJudd Devermont is unquestionably one of the US’s leading policy practitioners and experts on Africa. His experience ranges from the White House (President Biden's senior Africa advisor) to the CIA (senior political analyst) and many points in between. Not only has he had a ringside seat at the making of US-Africa policy, but he's also a historian who has undertaken fascinating studies looking at how past US presidents have handled relations with the continent. Judd's Substack page - https://substack.com/@judddevermont"High Noon in Southern Africa" by Chet Crocker - ht...2025-08-1238 minEarlylands in ConversationEarlylands in Conversation - Episode 8 - Historian of Covert Action & Intelligence Professor Rory CormacJoin us for a fascinating discussion looking at the interplay of intelligence, covert action, and secret statecraft in the conduct of international affairs. We are joined by Professor Rory Cormac, who is unquestionably one of the leading scholars on the theory and practice of covert action both throughout history and in the contemporary world. Rory has written a number of books on the subject, including most recently How to Stage a Coup and The Secret Royals: Spying and the Crown from Victoria to Diana. He has researched and fronted three documentaries for UK Channel 4 and he regularly features in a...2025-07-2935 minEarlylands in ConversationEarlylands in Conversation - Episode 7 - Lawyer & Mining Industry Expert Rebecca CampbellRebecca Campbell is a London-based partner at law firm White & Case, where she leads the firm’s Global Mining and Metals Industry Group. Rebecca has advised on a wide array of project development and financing deals, notable mining focused M&A transactions, and regulatory reforms in a number of global jurisdictions. She is a true substantive expert on an industry that is playing an ever more important role in geopolitics and which will underpin everything from the rise of AI to the green energy transition.Books and publications referenced in the podcast -"The War Be...2025-07-1538 minEarlylands in ConversationEarlylands in Conversation - Episode 6 - Award-Winning Author Linda KinstlerLinda Kinstler is the author of the book Come to this Court and Cry, which was named a Wall Street Journal 2022 Book of the Year and won the 2023 Whiting Award for Nonfiction. In the words of The Guardian, the book is a “tremendous feat of storytelling, propelled by numerous twists and revelations, yet anchored by a deep moral seriousness.” The book traces the post-World War Two journey of Herbert Cukurs - celebrated Latvian aviator turned mass murderer known as the “Butcher of Riga" - who was abducted and assassinated by the Mossad in 1965. Simultaneously, Linda weaves in her own fraught f...2025-07-0133 minEarlylands in ConversationEarlylands in Conversation - Episode 5 - Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-LewisCape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, at 38-years old, has been marked out as a name to watch in South African politics. His leadership of the “Mother City” has garnered widespread praise from both domestic and international observers. Join us for a discussion focused on the opportunities and challenges facing one of the world’s great cities, the state of opposition politics in South Africa, and a thoughtful takedown of the notion of a “white genocide” (plus much else). Books referenced in the podcast -Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C...2025-06-1740 minEarlylands in ConversationEarlylands in Conversation - Episode 4 - CFR's Michelle GavinJoin us for a discussion with Ambassador Michelle Gavin as we discuss the impacts thus far of the Trump administration on Africa and also look at long-term trends to watch on the continent. Michelle is the Council on Foreign Relations' Ralph Bunche Senior Fellow for Africa Policy Studies. Books referenced in the podcast -"Shallow Graves" by Richard Reid - https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/shallow-graves/2025-06-0333 minEarlylands in ConversationEarlylands in Conversation - Episode 3 - War Correspondent Francis FarrellJoin us for a discussion with The Kyiv Independent's Francis Farrell as we look at the brutal realities of life on Ukraine's frontlines. Links to material discussed in this episode:--The Kyiv Independent--Francis Farrell on the Pokrovsk frontline --Francis Farrell with Air Assault medics --Yaroslav Trofimov's Our Enemies Will Vanish--Oleksandr Mykhed's The Language of War--Artem Chekh--Myroslav Laiuk's Bakhmut--The Kyiv Independent's The Power Within2025-05-2034 min
Earlylands in ConversationEarlylands in Conversation - Episode 2 - Spy Novelist David McCloskeyJoin us for a discussion with Sunday Times bestselling spy novelist and former CIA analyst David McCloskey as we discuss the craft of writing fiction in this time of global disorder. 2025-05-0737 minEarlylands in ConversationEarlylands in Conversation - Episode 1 - FT's Tom WilsonJoin us for the inaugural episode of Earlylands in Conversation. In this episode, we are joined by the Financial Times's Tom Wilson. Tom is a seasoned commentator on the global energy and mining sector and joins us to discuss "minerals for security" agreements and the interplay of mining, minerals, and geopolitics in the era of Trump 2.0. Please use this link to access the FT article referenced in the episode. 2025-04-2238 min