Small Arms Survey podcasts

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Small Arms Survey 2015: Weapons and the World - Part 1 Jun 01, 2015

Show notes

The Small Arms Survey 2015: Weapons and the World explores the theme of weapons and the environment, as well as offering case studies on a range of aspects of small arms and armed violence. In the first of this two-episode podcast, Senior Researcher Khristopher Carlson and Yearbook Coordinator Glenn McDonald discuss five of the book's chapters, covering weapons and the environment, trade in weapons, and measures to regulate and control small arms.

Weapons Trafficking and the New Development Agenda: Reducing illicit arms flows and SDG Goal 16 Apr 24, 2015

Show notes

The second part of the two-part podcast discussing the Small Arms Survey's engagement in measuring SDG Goal 16, which focuses on peaceful and inclusive societies, access to justice, and accountable institutions. This episode examines SDG Target 16.4, which calls for a significant reduction in illicit arms flows. Beyond acknowledging the link between illicit weapons, armed violence, and insecurity, it is crucial to identify ways of measuring and understanding the illicit arms trade. Senior Researcher Glenn McDonald provides a comprehensive account of how this can be achieved in the framework of Goal 16. The Small Arms Survey has recently published a Research Note on the topic, 'Reducing Illicit Arms Flows and the New Development Agenda'. The Global Burden of Armed Violence 2015: Every Body Counts, which offers a wealth of data relevant to security and the post-2015 sustainable development framework, is due for release on 11 May 2015.

Indicators for achieving sustainable development: Measuring violent deaths and SDG Goal 16 Apr 17, 2015

Show notes

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a new proposed framework to come into effect after the Millennium Development Goals. Amongst them, Goal 16 focuses on peaceful and inclusive societies, access to justice, and accountable institutions. This goal is a significant step towards recognizing that preventing and reducing violence is essential for development. In the first part of this two-episode podcast Small Arms Survey experts explain how the Global Burden of Armed Violence (GBAV) initiative offers useful methodology for implementing SDG Target 16.1, which calls for measurable reductions in armed violence. Research Director Anna Alvazzi del Frate, Senior Researcher and Coordinator of the Secretariat of the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development Luigi De Martino, and Researcher Irene Pavesi discuss the GBAV initiative, its context, and its relevance to SDG Goal 16. For further reading see Note 49 Every Body Counts: Measuring Violent Deaths, March 2015. Research Note No. 49, Armed Violence. The third volume in the GBAV series, Global Burden of Armed Violence 2015: Every Body Counts, is due for release on 11 May 2015.

Reporting from the Frontline: Weapons identification for journalists Feb 09, 2015

Show notes

In September 2014, in Istanbul, the Small Arms Survey held a weapons identification workshop for journalists reporting from conflict areas. Meeting the need for precise contextual information on the weapons used in conflict, and their origins, Small Arms Survey researchers introduced journalists to weapons identification techniques and practical considerations. By encouraging closer collaboration between journalists, researchers, and other specialists, the Survey contributes to better a understanding of the dynamics of weapons and conflict. In this episode project coordinator Benjamin King and consultant Damien Spleeters report on how the workshop unfolded, and announce plans for further action in this area.

New Technologies, New Control Challenges, Part 2: Modular weapons, conversion, and smart technologies Oct 22, 2014

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The dialogue continues on developments in weapons technology and the challenges they present for arms control. Benjamin King and Glenn McDonald explain how the modular design of weapons systems complicates weapons marking, record -keeping, and tracing. They also examine the issues raised by the conversion of replica firearms into viable weapons; and they consider how new weapons technology presents opportunities for improved stockpile management. This is the second part of a two-part podcast that covers a series of discussion papers being presented in October 2014 at the UN First Committee on Disarmament and International Security.

New Technologies, New Control Challenges, Part 1: Polymers, 3D printing, and appropriate policies Oct 20, 2014

Show notes

New developments in small arms manufacturing, technology, and design pose important challenges for weapons marking, record keeping, and tracing. The Small Arms Survey has drafted a series of discussion papers to be presented at the UN First Committee on Disarmament and International Security in October 2014. These papers, which are due for public release later in the year as chapters in an Occasional Paper, cover a range of subjects: the additive manufacturing (also known as 3D printing) of small arms; the use of new polymers; modular weapons design; smart technologies; and the conversion of replica firearms to fully functioning firearms. In the first installment of this podcast, series editors Benjamin King and Glenn McDonald talk to us about the need for arms control policies that take these developments into account, with a detailed discussion of new polymers and additive manufacturing.

Instruments of Crime: Illicit weapons in the United States Sep 23, 2014

Show notes

Contrary to the impression given by Hollywood's depictions, most firearms seized from drug traffickers and gang members in the United States are handguns, not automatic rifles or sub-machine guns. In this podcast, senior researcher Matt Schroeder highlights and explains key findings from his analysis of more than 140,000 records on firearms seized from criminals in eight US cities. These findings were released this summer as a chapter in Small Arms Survey 2014: Women and Guns.

Step by Step: Researching the global distribution of small arms Sep 04, 2014

Show notes

Around 875 million firearms are in circulation worldwide, with three-quarters of these in civilian hands, according to Small Arms Survey estimates. These widely-cited calculations are the result of an ongoing programme on inventories and stockpiles—started over a decade ago—to gather comprehensive data on the distribution of small arms and light weapons around the world. The programme has developed an ever larger pool of information that was initially scarce and unsystematic, but now can provide increasingly accurate and up-to-date knowledge of small arms and light weapon holdings. In this podcast, Senior Consultant Aaron Karp and Researcher Hannah Dönges discuss the challenges, achievements, and future directions of this initiative.

The Dangers of Excess Munitions Stockpiles: the UEMS Handbook Jul 22, 2014

Show notes

Unplanned explosions at munitions sites (UEMS) are a significant safety concern for governments and a major security challenge for the international community. The Small Arms Survey has documented more than 500 such incidents in 100 countries over the 35-year period from 1979 to 2013. The Handbook 'Unplanned Explosions at Munitions Sites (UEMS): Excess Stockpiles as Liabilities rather than Assets', published in June 2014, is a reference and training tool that provides contextual information and analysis .useful for policy makers, programmers, and practitioners addressing stockpile management and surplus destruction concerns. In this podcast, Eric Berman, Small Arms Survey Managing Director and co-editor of the Handbook, provides insights into the data it presents, outlines the Handbook's utility, and notes future plans for its development.

The Crisis in South Sudan, Part Two: No easy solution Jul 02, 2014

Show notes

The Small Arms Survey's Human Security Baseline Assessment (HSBA) for Sudan and South Sudan has documented armed conflict dynamics in the two countries since 2006. In a May 2014 interview, HSBA consultant Joshua Craze, author of several HSBA reports, describes recent developments in South Sudan's political and humanitarian crisis, which has continued to evolve since December 2013. The second part of this two-part podcast, based on a May 2014 interview with HSBA consultant Joshua Craze, describes the current military situation in South Sudan and outlines possible scenarios for South Sudan's future. For an extended version of the interview and its transcript, please visit www.smallarmssurveysudan.org.

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