Watch Assessing America

2024
1 Season

Closely examine the evolution of US policy in Afghanistan. Investigate the costs and consequences of American foreign policy that pursues strong ties with Pakistan. And survey a range of transnational terrorist organizations operating in South Asia, considering how the threat jihadist terrorists pose today is greater than ever.

Assessing America is a series that ran for 1 seasons (12 episodes) between March 21, 2024 and on The Great Courses

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Seasons

12. Learning from

March 21, 2024

Investigate one of the most important questions in US foreign policy: How should America engage with global challenges? Interrogate the legacy of US retrenchment in various conflicts and explore how good foreign policy can be crafted, with Vietnam and Iraq as references.

11. Building Strategic Confidence

March 21, 2024

Examine strategic competence: Explore how strategy at the highest level is made, through the example of a firsthand account of a 2017 NSC meeting on China. Investigate the ethical and moral dimensions of strategy in war. And see how studying history can help us regain strategic competence.

10. The New Information Warfare

March 21, 2024

Emerging technologies have the potential to do good, or to empower adversaries. Understand how bad actors use technologies like ransomware, social media, AI, and cryptocurrency to undermine security, and evaluate how the United States

9. Dangers in Space and Cyberspace

March 21, 2024

Space represents a new security domain, and the US defense apparatus must be prepared as adversaries learn how to navigate and exploit space. Investigate how space became a critical security domain and how the United States can compete within it.

8. Climate Change and Energy Security

March 21, 2024

Climate change, a clear and present reality, also poses a range of security risks. Zoom outward to see how climate change is a global problem that needs multinational solutions. Consider how countries and industries can collaborate to tackle the interrelated challenges of climate, food, energy, and water security.

7. The Unresolved Conflict with North Korea

March 21, 2024

Why is the Kim family regime in North Korea so intent on developing nuclear weapons? Examine the history of North Korea from Japanese occupation to the present day and evaluate the success of various US strategies aimed at preventing nuclear proliferation.

6. Iran and Its Terrorist Proxies

March 21, 2024

Turning east toward Iran, assess Iran

5. Iraq and the Middle East

March 21, 2024

Trace how the end of Saddam Hussein

4. Afghanistan and Jihadist Terrorism

March 21, 2024

3. Misunderstanding China

March 21, 2024

China has emerged as one of the most powerful adversaries of the United States. Here, investigate what drives the Chinese Communist Party to perfect its technologically enabled police state, and explore how the United States and allies can strengthen free societies against Communist Party coercion.

2. Vladimir Putin

March 21, 2024

After the dissolution of the USSR, Russia continued to pose a threat to the West. Explore how dictator Vladimir Putin consolidated power; comb through the Russian playbook of economic dependence, disruptive technologies, and disinformation; and see how powers like the United States can respond to it.

1. From Cold War to Hot Wars

March 21, 2024

Begin with an exploration of US foreign relations since the Cold War. Discover the meaning and consequences of strategic narcissism and take stock of the threats facing the United States in the 21st century, from aggressive adversaries to jihadist terrorism to climate security.

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Where to Watch Assessing America

Assessing America is available for streaming on the The Great Courses website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch Assessing America on demand at Prime Video and Amazon.