In September 2026, UC Press published the second IGCC-led issue of Current History, a century-old magazine of global affairs. The issue features a collection examining rising strains in civil-military relations in the United States and other democracies, where militaries are being pulled into undemocratic politics.

On this episode of Talking Policy, host Lindsay Shingler speaks with two scholars of civil-military relations and contributing authors to the September issue, Rebecca Best and Lindsay Cohn, about the changing relationship between the U.S. military, political leadership, and the American public. They examine the forces driving the politicization of the armed forces; what the structure and traditions of the U.S. military reveal about its role in a democratic society; and how recent controversies—including the removal of senior military officers and the deployment of troops in American cities—are testing longstanding norms surrounding civilian control, military professionalism, and public trust in the armed forces.

This episode was recorded on September 2, 2026. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.