In this special episode, author August Cole and Professor David Gioe FRHistS reflect on the tumultuous events of 2024. They discuss the books, films and exhibitions that have helped make sense of the year's key defence and security developments, and share their insights on what the future might hold in 2025.

RUSI researcher Maria Nizzero talks about the growing problem of illicit finance and its shift from a domestic policy issue to a security threat.

She explains the process of the securitisation of illicit finance, what it means and the impact and challenges that will arise from it.

Maria Nizzero is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Finance and Security at RUSI and was previously Associate Professor of EU Politics and Institutions at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, Spain.

Albin Östervall and Charlotte Wagnsson explain malign information influence and discuss how one key social factor – loneliness – is contributing to its pervasiveness in Western societies.

They share why democracies are particularly vulnerable and suggest ways that how governments can mitigate this. Albin Östervall holds an MSc in Political Science from Uppsala University; Charlotte Wagnsson is Professor of Political Science at the Swedish Defence University.

Related article: https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/rusi-journal/how-russian-malign-information-influence-exploits-western-loneliness

Elena Grossfeld and Magda Long discuss the evolution of Russian sabotage activities, from traditional sabotage to the current ‘gig-economy’ era.

They also discuss how intelligence agencies can adjust their response to these covert actions, and whether the general public should be made more aware of them.

Elena Grossfeld is a PhD candidate at the Department of War Studies, King’s College London, researching intelligence organisations, their strategic culture and technologies. Magda Long is a Visiting Research Fellow at the King’s Centre for the Study of Intelligence at King’s College London.

Russian Sabotage in the Gig-Economy Era | Royal United Services Institute

Major Patrick Hinton, Former Chief of the General Staff's Visiting Fellow at RUSI, discussed how AI can be used in military wargaming, recruitment and retention and procurement.

Ingvild Bode, Associate Professor of International Relations at the University of Southern Denmark, talks about the integration of AI in military systems and discusses the emergence of norms and standards about the use of AI technologies in conflict.

Carlos Solar discusses how shifting domestic politics influence the way Latin American countries behave on the international stage, and analyses their divergent narratives about conflict and the future of the international order.

Dr Carlos Solar is Senior Research Fellow in the International Security Studies team at RUSI. His current research is focused on security dynamics in the Americas, notably on military, human security and international relations issues that connect with the West. He is the author of Cybersecurity Governance in Latin America (SUNY Press), Governing the Military (Manchester University Press) and Government and Governance of Security (Routledge), and co-edited Violence, Crime and Justice in Latin America (Routledge).

Tim Edmunds, Professor of International Security and Director of the Global Insecurities Centre at the University of Bristol, traces how maritime security – and our understanding of it – has changed over the past few decades. Joining Emma and Ed, Tim looks at how geopolitics, climate change and technology are changing both the threats and the opportunities at the heart of the maritime security agenda.