The 21st Century Space Race: Geopolitical Competition or Cooperation? - 4
Wisdom of the Crowd
In this fourth episode of Wisdom of the Crowd, we take a look at geopolitics, but not just how geopolitics play out here on earth. We’re going to zoom out a bit – looking at how space continues to operate as a stage for geopolitical competition, long after the Cold War of the last century. Today, new technologies and global powers, alongside private giants like SpaceX and Blue Origin, are re-shaping the space race. We will hear new perspectives and ask important questions about both the strategic opportunity and immense risk that comes with space exploration and colonization.
Our guests on the show today are Dr. Daniel Deudney, an author and professor of political science at John Hopkins University, and Dr. Pippa Malmgren, a former U.S. presidential adviser, economist, and tech entrepreneur. In this episode, we get their views on the history of the space race, what it looks like today, and what the future holds.
Wisdom of the Crowd is produced by the Bertelsmann Foundation, the Bertelsmann Stiftung, Are We Europe, and Awe Studio. Sound design for this episode was done by Stefano Montali with editing by Nahal Sheikh. Research was done by Daniela Rojas Medina and Anthony Silberfeld. The podcast artwork is by Tamara Tasić, and this series is hosted by Rylie Munn.
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Featured in this Episode
Dark Skies: Space Expansionism, Planetary Geopolitics, and the Ends of Humanity


Rylie Munn
Manager, Digital Communications and Outreach
Rylie graduated from the George Washington University with a B.A. in International Affairs, a minor in Political Science, and a concentration in European and Eurasian affairs. While at GW, Rylie completed a senior thesis on the topic of institutionalized secularism and the effects on Muslim communities in France, granting her special honors from the Elliott School of International Affairs.
Before joining Bertelsmann, Rylie worked at the German Marshall Fund’s Alliance for Securing Democracy and the Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies. She has held internships in Europe and South America, and her research interests include democratic decline, disinformation, and the transatlantic relationship.