Underground Empire, a real-life techno-thriller by Henry Farrell and Abraham Newman, reveals how the U.S. controls a global web of surveillance — in the form of networks of fiber optic cables and banking systems — that give it enormous economic power. Farrell and Newman show how these channels, weaponized after 9/11 but now used as a matter of course, have become realms of spying and coercion over foreign businesses and countries, allowing for U.S domination. Paul Krugman speaks with the authors about their investigation and the geopolitical implications of the power they uncover. Farrell is a professor at Johns Hopkins University and editor-in-chief of The Monkey Cage blog at The Washington Post; Newman is a professor at Georgetown University and also co-author of the book Of Privacy and Power: The Transatlantic Struggle Over Freedom and Security.
This event was recorded live on May 22, 2024. Presented with the Graduate Center.